MEIOTIC STUDIES OF INTERSPECIFIC LACHENALIA HYBRIDS AND THEIR PARENTS

The genus Lachenalia Jacq.f, ex Murray is endemic to South Africa and Namibia. These bulbous plants are used in a breeding programme for pot plants at ARC-Roodeplaat. Several authors have attempted to divide th e genus into groups or subgenera. However, these sub-divisions are not very useful for breeding purposes. The present study of six interspec ific hybrids and their parents was undertaken on chromosome associatio n and chiasma frequency, using meiosis to draw conclusions about their relationship. Ail species and consequently ail hybrids used in this s tudy have a basic chromosome number of x = 7. The study of the meiotic behaviour of the interspecific hybrids of L. aloides, L. orchioides, L. reflexa and L. viridiflora revealed that these species are very clo sely related and that they can be grouped together, especially for bre eding purposes. The grouping of L. orchioides, together with L. aloide s, L. reflexa and L. viridiflora differs from all other attempts to di vide the genus Lachenalia into groups or subgenera. Further studies ar e needed to determine whether L. mutabilis which has always been group ed with L. orchioides, should also be grouped with these species.