CHROMOSOME-STUDIES IN ALSTROEMERIA-PELEGRINA L

Chromosomes of Alstroemeria pelegrina were studied at both mitosis and meiosis. The somatic chromosome number was 2n = 2x = 16. These chromo somes were divided into two groups. The first group contained four pai rs of metacentric, submetacentric, or subtelocentric chromosomes of di fferent sizes, with the smallest pair exhibiting polymorphism with res pect to the presence or absence of satellites. Chromosome pair number 4 exhibited polymorphism unique to A. pelegrina. This may be useful in identifying A. pelegrina as the parent of a cultivar carrying this po lymorphism. The second group with four pairs was acrocentric, and thre e pairs had satellites. Chromosome pairing at metaphase I was normal, with eight bivalents that formed either open rings or rods. Pollen fer tility was 75% in A. pelegrina alba but less than 45% in A. pelegrina rosea.