NEW REPORTS OF CHROMOSOME-NUMBERS IN ACTINIDIA (ACTINIDIACEAE)

Chromosome numbers are reported for the first time for seven taxa of A ctinidia: A. arguta var. purpurea, 2n = 8x = c. 232; A. deliciosa var. chlorocarpa, 2n = 6x = 174; A. deliciosa var. coloris, 2n = 6x = 174; A. glaucophylla, 2n = 2x = 58; A. guilinensis, 2n = 2x = 58; A. indoc hinensis, 2n = Zu = 58 and A. setosa 2n = 2x = 58. Ploidy variation ha s also been observed in A. melanandra and confirmed in A. chinensis va r. chinensis: 2n = 2x = 58 and 2n = 4x = 116. Chromosome numbers for a nother 11 Actinidia taxa were found to be in agreement with those prev iously reported. Chromosome numbers were the same for male and female plants of the same taxon. Detailed studies of chromosome morphology wa s not possible under the light microscope because of the small size of Actinidia chromosomes.