CYTOGENETIC STUDIES IN THE GENUS ARTEMISIA L (ASTERACEAE) - FLUOROCHROME-BANDED KARYOTYPES OF 5 TAXA, INCLUDING THE IBERIAN ENDEMIC SPECIESARTEMISIA-BARRELIERI BESSER

Fluorochrome-banded karyotypes of eight populations belonging to five taxa of the genus Artemisia from different European origins are presen ted. The most common basic number x = 9 is found in six populations of two diploid and two tetraploid species, whereas two populations of on e diploid species have the less frequent basic number x = 8. The data on chromosome morphology and fluorochrome banding lead to some karyosy stematic and evolutionary considerations, among others the postulation of descendent dysploidy to explain the occurrence of the two basic nu mbers in the genus.