Page 3 - Geraci_Schicchi_1991

Flora Mediterranea 12 - 2002 179

For each localily at least 15 bul bs ""ere collcctcd and were cultivaled in pots in the
Botanical Garden of Ihe University o r Palermo.

Forthe karyological analysis. root ti ps were pretreated ""ith 0.3% colch icine for 3 hours,
and fixed in a mixtu rc 3: I absolulc a lcoho l - g lacial acetic acid for al least one hour and
fi nally slaincd by Schitrs rcagenl afler hydro lysis with HC I I N ror seven minUles al 60°C
(Darlinglon & La Cour 1960).

AI least ten metaphase plales fo r each sample were counted.

Results

The chromosome number and the rclevant leve! of pl oidy of the stud ied popu lations are
g iven in Table 2.

Resulls sho"" Ihal e leven populations are diploid 2/1 = 14. In particular diploids wcre round
in mosl of Ihe localities in north-westem Sicily (ncar Trapani. mountains around Palcnno,
and Madonie mountai ns). A population located in the Natu ral Rescrvc or Zingaro (Tra pani
Provi nce) prcsenlcd 2" = 42 = 6x. Besides, in the diploid populations in the Favignana islet
(Egadi Island - Tra pan i Province) a B- ehromosome (21/ = 14 + 1B) has bccn found.

Exaploid level has been observcd in plants from Ihe soulhem part of the Sici ly (near
Sirac usa). In plants collccled in the locali ty Portcl1a Sca lazza near Marianopoli
(Caltanissetta. C-S icily) both d iploids and tetraploids (21/ = 28) have becn found occurring
in the same population (Fig. 2. 3).

Tablc 2. Chromosomc numbcr and plo idy leve! ofthe populalions invcsligah,."d.

Idl' nt lnl'atlo" Loc. lity C h r omosome nu mber (ln) Ploidy 11'\'1'1
Fonlana roSSII (T P) 2,
2 Valderice (Tr) 14 2,
3 Monle Cofano (T P) 14
San Vilo Lo Capo (Tr ) "2,
,4 Scopello (TI') 14
Monte Gil lio (PA) 14 2,
6 Mo nte Cllw lfllllO (rA ) 14 2,
Caltavuturo (r A) 14 2,
,7 Petralia Sottllna (PA) 14 2,
Gcnu:i Siculo (l'A) 14 2,
9 Favignana (T r)
IO MlIrianopoli (Cl) 14 "
Zingaro (TI')
""13 lJelvooerc (S R) 14 2:< + I
Floridia (SR) 14 + I 2:<,4:<
14 14, 28
6,
" 42 6,
42 6,
42