Research Article |
Corresponding author: Wen-Gen Zhang ( wgzhang@jxau.edu.cn ) Academic editor: Marco Pellegrini
© 2023 Xiao-Yu Luo, Tang-Jie Nie, Heng Liu, Xue-Fei Ding, Ying Huang, Chun-Ce Guo, Wen-Gen Zhang.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Luo X-Y, Nie T-J, Liu H, Ding X-F, Huang Y, Guo C-C, Zhang W-G (2023) Karyotype and genome size variation in Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium (Ranunculaceae). PhytoKeys 234: 145-165. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.234.108841
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Five taxa of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium have been karyologically studied through chromosome counting, chromosomal measurement, and karyotype symmetry. Each taxon that we investigated has a basic chromosome number of x = 8, D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri, D. anthriscifolium var. majus, D. ecalcaratum, and D. callichromum were diploid with 2n = 16, while D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium was tetraploid with 2n = 32. Monoploid chromosome sets of the investigated diploid taxa contained 1 metacentric chromosome, 3 submetacentric chromosomes, and 4 subtelocentric chromosomes. Higher interchromosomal asymmetry (CVCL) was present in D. ecalcaratum and D. callichromum than in other taxa. The highest levels of intrachromosomal asymmetry (MCA) and heterogeneity in centromere position (CVCI) were found in D. anthriscifolium var. majus. Diploid and tetraploid genome sizes varied by 3.02–3.92 pg and 6.04–6.60 pg, respectively. Karyotype and genome size of D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri, D. anthriscifolium var. majus, D. callichromum, and D. ecalcaratum were reported for the first time. Finally, based on cytological and morphological data, the classification of Delphinium anthriscifolium was revised.
Columbines, Consolida, genome size, karyotype, ploidy, Ranunculales
Delphinium L., ca. 385 species and 232 species in China (
To date, the classification of subgenus or groups in Delphinium is still controversial. For example,
As a recently erected subgenus, Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium, including ca. 3 species [i.e., D. anthriscifolium Hance, D. ecalcaratum S.Y.Wang & K.F.Zhou, and D. callichromum Q.L.Gan & X.W.Li], is endemic to East Asia and mainly distributed in the south of Zhongtiao Mountain and Qinling Mountain in China (
Genome size refers to the amount of DNA contained in the gametes of a species, which is broadly constant within an organism and is primarily indicated by C-value (
Here, we aim to: (1) determine the chromosome number, karyotype, and genome size of the above five taxa (i.e., D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium, D. anthriscifolium var. majus, D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri, D. ecalcaratum, and D. callichromum); (2) evaluate the reliability of flow cytometry in genome size determination to infer ploidy levels in D. subg. Anthriscifolium; and (3) provide cytological evidence for the taxonomic revision of D. anthriscifolium.
Materials of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium, including D. ecalcaratum, D. callichromum, D. anthriscifolium and its varieties (Fig.
Chromosome number, ploidy, and genome size of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium in the study.
Pop | Taxa | Voucher information | 2n | Ploidy | 2C (pg) | 1Cx (pg) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium | Bamboo Culture Park, Yifeng County, Jiangxi, China, 28°24'31"N, 114°50'3"E, 24 Apr 2018, Liu 1824 | 32 | 4x | 6.26 | 1.57 |
2 | D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium | Huacheng Temple, Yichun City, Jiangxi, China, 27°48'40"N, 114°22'44"E, 17 Apr 2019, Zhang 1917 | 32 | 4x | 6.20 | 1.55 |
3 | D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium | Guling Town, Lushan City, Jiangxi, China, 29°34'28"N, 115°59'19"E, 17 Apr 2019, Zhang 1904 | 32 | 4x | 6.33 | 1.58 |
4 | D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium | Miaofeng Mountain, Fuzhou City, Fujian, China, 26°4'53"N, 119°14'59"E, 2 May 2017, Luo 1705 | 32 | 4x | 6.39 | 1.60 |
5 | D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium | Jiaoqiao Town, Nanchang City, Jiangxi, China, 28°46'6"N, 115°50'22"E, 16 Apr 2018, Liu 1816 | 32 | 4x* | 6.13 | 1.53 |
6 | D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium | Fujia County, Fuzhou City, Jiangxi, China, 27°45'40"N, 116°26'17"E, 17 Apr 2019, Nie 1917 | 32 | 4x* | 6.22 | 1.56 |
7 | D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium | Shangli County, Pingxiang City, Jiangxi, China, 27°50'37"N, 113°49'15"E, 17 Apr 2019, Zhang 1918 | 32 | 4x | 6.04 | 1.51 |
8 | D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium | Guangxi Botanical Institute, Guangxi, China, 25°4'58"N, 110°18'45"E, 26 Mar 2020, Zhang 2026 | 32 | 4x | 6.60 | 1.65 |
9 | D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri | Hanfeng, Liuyang County, Shaanxi, China, 33°20'26"N, 105°59'43"E, 11 Apr 2020, Gao 2011 | 16 | 2x | 3.32 | 1.66 |
10 | D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri | Baisha River, Zhuxi County, Hubei, China, 32°5'27"N, 109°55'25"E, 18 Apr 2019, Zhang 1818 | 16 | 2x* | 3.36 | 1.68 |
11 | D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri | Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Nanjing City, Jiangsu, China, 32°5'23"N, 118°52'28"E, 19 Apr 2019, Nie 1919 | 16 | 2x | 3.40 | 1.70 |
12 | D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri | Baohua Mountain, Gourong City, Jiangsu, China, 32°8'8"N, 119°5'40"E, 19 Apr 2019, Nie 1920 | 16 | 2x* | 3.43 | 1.72 |
13 | D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri | Nanjing Zhongshan Botanical Garden, Jiangsu, China, 32°3'38"N, 118°50'16"E, 19 Apr 2019, Nie 1921 | 16 | 2x* | 3.36 | 1.68 |
14 | D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri | Zhongtiao Mountain, Yuncheng City, Shanxi, China, 32°46'44"N, 107°34'30"E, 21 May 2019, Ren 1921 | 16 | 2x | 3.32 | 1.66 |
15 | D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri | Jiaoqiao Town, Nanchang City, Jiangxi, China, 28°46'6"N, 115°50'22"E, 15 May 2021, Luo 2115 | 16 | 2x | 3.31 | 1.66 |
16 | D. anthriscifolium var. majus | Hefeng County, Enshi City, Hubei, China, 30°3'57"N, 110°8'45"E, 18 Apr 2019, Zhang 1919 | 16 | 2x | 3.92 | 1.96 |
17 | D. anthriscifolium var. majus | Songbai Town, Shennongjia, Hubei, China, 31°45'11"N, 110°40'5"E, 18 Apr 2019, Zhang 1925 | 16 | 2x* | 3.80 | 1.90 |
18 | D. anthriscifolium var. majus | Jiaoqiao Town, Nanchang City, Jiangxi, China, 28°46'6"N, 115°50'22"E, 15 May 2021, Luo 2116 | 16 | 2x | 3.75 | 1.88 |
19 | D. ecalcaratum | Jiaoqiao Town, Nanchang City, Jiangxi, China, 28°46'6"N, 115°50'22"E, 15 May 2021, Luo 2117 | 16 | 2x | 3.02 | 1.51 |
20 | D. ecalcaratum | Lingshan Mountain, Xinyang City, Henan, China, 31°54'46"N, 114°13'19"E, 19 Apr 2019, Luo 1919 | 16 | 2x* | 3.03 | 1.52 |
21 | D. callichromum | Baisha River, Zhuxi County, Hubei, China, 32°5'27"N, 109°55'25"E, 18 Apr 2019, Luo 1918 | 16 | 2x | 3.10 | 1.55 |
22 | D. callichromum | Jiaoqiao Town, Nanchang City, Jiangxi, China, 28°46'6"N, 115°50'22"E, 15 May 2021, Luo 2118 | 16 | 2x* | 3.10 | 1.55 |
Twenty-two populations of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium were gathered with silica gel-dried leaves for the assessment of genome size by using flow cytometry (FCM; Table
Somatic chromosomes were studied from the root tip cells of young seedlings. About 1–2 cm long roots were first pretreated in a 0.1% colchicine solution at 15 °C for 2–3 hours, then fixed in Carnoy I (absolute ethyl alcohol and glacial acetic acid in the proportions 3:1) for 30 minutes. After cleaning in purified water, they were hydrolysed in a mixture of 1 M HCl and 45% acetic acid (1:1) at 60 °C for 3–5 min and then stained with improved phenol magenta for 2 h. Five mitotic cells per species were examined and photographed using an Axio Imager A.1 microscope (Carl Zeiss, Germany) with ZEN software at 1000× magnification.
Short arm length (s) and long arm length (l) were measured using Image J (
To infer the formulas of karyotype, the arm ratio (r), as defined by
In the FCM analysis, all studied taxa and the internal standards exhibited clear and sharp peaks (Fig.
Flow cytometric histograms of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium was analysed simultaneously with the internal standard Solanum lycopersicum. In each histogram, the peaks are marked as follows: 1, nuclei of the internal standard at the G1 phase; 2, nuclei of the sample at the G1 phase. The mean channel number (PI fluorescence) and coefficient of variation value (CV, %) of each peak are also given; 3, nuclei of the internal standard at the G2 phase.
Comparison of the 2C and 1Cx mean values among Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium. The columns marked with different index letters are significantly different at P < 0.05; those marked with the same index letters are not significantly different at P < 0.05 (one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test). Error bars represent standard deviation.
Eight representative populations of D. subg. Anthriscifolium, including the above five taxa, were karyologically studied. Karyomorphometric data, microphotographs of metaphase plates, and idiograms are presented here (Tables
Somatic metaphases of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium A D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium (5), 2n = 32 B D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium (6), 2n = 32 C D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri (13), 2n = 16 D D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri (12), 2n = 16 E D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri (10), 2n = 16 F D. anthriscifolium var. majus (17), 2n = 16 G D. ecalcaratum (20), 2n = 16 H D. callichromum (22), 2n = 16. Numbers in brackets represented populations shown in Table
Karyotypes of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium A D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium (5), 2n = 32 B D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium (6), 2n = 32 C D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri (13), 2n = 16 D D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri (12), 2n = 16 E D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri (10), 2n = 16 F D. anthriscifolium var. majus (17), 2n = 16 G D. ecalcaratum (20), 2n = 16 H D. callichromum (22), 2n = 16. Numbers in brackets represented populations shown in Table
Haploid idiograms of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium A D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium (5) B D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium (6) C D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri (13) D D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri (12) E D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri (10) F D. anthriscifolium var. majus (17) G D. ecalcaratum (20) H D. callichromum (22). Numbers in brackets represented populations shown in Table
In two populations (Pop 5 and Pop 6) of D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium from Jiangxi, China, the somatic and basic chromosome numbers were 2n = 32 and x = 8, respectively (Table
In three populations (i.e., Pop 10 from Hubei, Pop 12 and Pop 13 from Jiangsu), the somatic and basic chromosome numbers are 2n = 16 and x = 8, respectively (Table
Karyomorphological parameters of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium in the study.
Taxa | Pop | Chromosome pair | CL (µm) | r | CI | RL (%) | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium | 5 | I | 7.42 ± 0.72 | 1.28 ± 0.06 | 0.44 | 14.47 | m |
II | 6.35 ± 0.48 | 1.59 ± 0.05 | 0.39 | 12.38 | m | ||
III | 5.85 ± 0.12 | 2.10 ± 0.42 | 0.33 | 11.40 | sm | ||
IV | 4.28 ± 0.25 | 2.45 ± 0.55 | 0.29 | 8.35 | sm | ||
V | 3.25 ± 0.50 | 2.79 ± 0.26 | 0.26 | 6.34 | sm | ||
VI | 2.76 ± 0.08 | 2.06 ± 0.42 | 0.33 | 5.38 | sm | ||
VII | 2.54 ± 0.02 | 3.34 ± 0.21 | 0.23 | 4.95 | st | ||
VIII | 2.41 ± 0.02 | 3.15 ± 0.00 | 0.24 | 4.71 | st | ||
IX | 2.34 ± 0.03 | 3.38 ± 0.27 | 0.23 | 4.57 | st | ||
X | 2.19 ± 0.01 | 3.26 ± 0.13 | 0.23 | 4.27 | st | ||
XI | 2.06 ± 0.07 | 2.88 ± 0.19 | 0.26 | 4.01 | sm | ||
XII | 1.95 ± 0.02 | 2.73 ± 0.76 | 0.20 | 3.79 | sm | ||
XIII | 1.76 ± 0.08 | 3.02 ± 0.06 | 0.25 | 3.42 | st | ||
XIV | 1.61 ± 0.09 | 3.08 ± 0.29 | 0.25 | 3.14 | st | ||
XV | 1.40 ± 0.01 | 1.82 ± 0.14 | 0.30 | 2.72 | sm | ||
XVI | 1.31 ± 0.06 | 1.88 ± 0.13 | 0.35 | 2.56 | sm | ||
6 | I | 5.60 ± 0.05 | 1.22 ± 0.09 | 0.45 | 13.90 | m | |
II | 4.14 ± 0.13 | 1.14 ± 0.13 | 0.47 | 10.27 | m | ||
III | 4.62 ± 0.16 | 1.90 ± 0.02 | 0.35 | 11.45 | sm | ||
IV | 3.43 ± 0.52 | 2.12 ± 0.03 | 0.32 | 8.50 | sm | ||
V | 2.75 ± 0.20 | 1.90 ± 0.17 | 0.35 | 6.81 | sm | ||
VI | 2.24 ± 0.23 | 2.33 ± 0.75 | 0.31 | 5.55 | sm | ||
VII | 1.81 ± 0.08 | 3.09 ± 0.04 | 0.33 | 4.49 | st | ||
VIII | 1.90 ± 0.04 | 3.01 ± 0.00 | 0.37 | 4.70 | st | ||
IX | 1.78 ± 0.29 | 2.03 ± 0.43 | 0.24 | 4.42 | sm | ||
X | 1.88 ± 0.04 | 1.73 ± 0.01 | 0.25 | 4.66 | sm | ||
XI | 1.76 ± 0.25 | 3.25 ± 0.01 | 0.24 | 4.37 | st | ||
XII | 1.56 ± 0.01 | 3.08 ± 0.07 | 0.24 | 3.86 | st | ||
XIII | 1.76 ± 0.50 | 3.23 ± 0.24 | 0.26 | 4.37 | st | ||
XIV | 1.32 ± 0.20 | 3.10 ± 0.02 | 0.28 | 3.28 | st | ||
XV | 1.59 ± 0.20 | 2.91 ± 0.06 | 0.24 | 3.94 | sm | ||
XVI | 1.68 ± 0.22 | 2.60 ± 0.12 | 0.24 | 4.16 | sm | ||
D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri | 13 | I | 7.65 ± 0.53 | 1.05 ± 0.04 | 0.49 | 28.15 | m |
II | 5.14 ± 0.43 | 2.71 ± 0.31 | 0.27 | 18.91 | sm | ||
III | 2.87 ± 0.11 | 4.23 ± 0.91 | 0.19 | 10.54 | st | ||
IV | 2.73 ± 0.03 | 3.36 ± 0.03 | 0.23 | 10.05 | st | ||
V | 2.67 ± 0.03 | 3.60 ± 0.49 | 0.22 | 9.84 | st | ||
VI | 2.15 ± 0.26 | 3.53 ± 0.14 | 0.22 | 7.90 | st | ||
VII | 1.53 ± 0.08 | 2.90 ± 0.01 | 0.26 | 5.64 | sm | ||
VIII | 1.39 ± 0.00 | 2.90 ± 0.13 | 0.26 | 5.12 | sm | ||
12 | I | 8.15 ± 1.58 | 1.24 ± 0.17 | 0.45 | 27.24 | m | |
II | 6.14 ± 0.20 | 2.04 ± 0.06 | 0.33 | 20.52 | sm | ||
III | 3.13 ± 0.16 | 3.80 ± 0.01 | 0.21 | 10.45 | st | ||
IV | 2.62 ± 0.08 | 4.47 ± 1.41 | 0.19 | 8.75 | st | ||
V | 2.46 ± 0.09 | 3.75 ± 0.02 | 0.21 | 8.23 | st | ||
VI | 2.37 ± 0.02 | 3.05 ± 0.02 | 0.25 | 7.93 | st | ||
VII | 1.82 ± 0.00 | 2.82 ± 0.18 | 0.26 | 6.09 | sm | ||
VIII | 1.55 ± 0.24 | 2.89 ± 0.14 | 0.26 | 5.20 | sm | ||
D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri | 10 | I | 10.43 ± 0.11 | 1.13 ± 0.03 | 0.47 | 30.34 | msat |
II | 6.77 ± 0.49 | 2.95 ± 0.01 | 0.25 | 19.70 | sm | ||
III | 3.60 ± 0.16 | 4.31 ± 1.43 | 0.20 | 10.49 | st | ||
IV | 3.30 ± 0.03 | 3.25 ± 0.32 | 0.24 | 9.59 | st | ||
V | 2.89 ± 0.14 | 4.60 ± 0.23 | 0.18 | 8.40 | st | ||
VI | 2.45 ± 0.10 | 3.23 ± 0.02 | 0.24 | 7.14 | st | ||
VII | 2.18 ± 0.10 | 2.55 ± 0.40 | 0.28 | 6.36 | sm | ||
VIII | 1.84 ± 0.15 | 2.64 ± 0.18 | 0.28 | 5.34 | sm | ||
D. anthriscifolium var. majus | 17 | I | 11.08 ± 0.48 | 1.05 ± 0.05 | 0.49 | 28.96 | m |
II | 7.10 ± 0.04 | 2.97 ± 0.01 | 0.25 | 18.58 | sm | ||
III | 4.40 ± 0.06 | 3.43 ± 0.10 | 0.23 | 11.51 | st | ||
IV | 3.75 ± 0.31 | 3.43 ± 0.34 | 0.23 | 9.81 | st | ||
V | 3.26 ± 0.15 | 4.75 ± 1.40 | 0.18 | 8.53 | st | ||
VI | 3.07 ± 0.00 | 4.03 ± 0.84 | 0.20 | 8.03 | st | ||
VII | 2.67 ± 0.05 | 2.86 ± 0.01 | 0.26 | 6.97 | sm | ||
VIII | 1.86 ± 0.31 | 2.84 ± 0.06 | 0.26 | 4.87 | sm | ||
D. ecalcaratum | 20 | I | 8.17 ± 0.10 | 1.06 ± 0.05 | 0.49 | 30.99 | m |
II | 5.39 ± 0.03 | 2.66 ± 0.26 | 0.27 | 20.45 | sm | ||
III | 2.61 ± 0.02 | 3.14 ± 0.04 | 0.24 | 9.92 | st | ||
IV | 2.51 ± 0.04 | 3.12 ± 0.10 | 0.24 | 9.53 | st | ||
V | 2.27 ± 0.02 | 3.21 ± 0.09 | 0.24 | 8.62 | st | ||
VI | 1.95 ± 0.07 | 3.65 ± 0.72 | 0.22 | 7.38 | st | ||
VII | 1.70 ± 0.00 | 2.65 ± 0.31 | 0.28 | 6.43 | sm | ||
VIII | 1.50 ± 0.09 | 2.73 ± 0.09 | 0.27 | 5.70 | sm | ||
D. callichromum | 22 | I | 9.47 ± 1.40 | 1.20 ± 0.14 | 0.46 | 29.21 | m |
II | 6.48 ± 0.12 | 2.50 ± 0.62 | 0.29 | 19.99 | sm | ||
III | 3.36 ± 0.17 | 3.25 ± 0.33 | 0.24 | 10.36 | st | ||
IV | 3.14 ± 0.10 | 3.45 ± 0.46 | 0.23 | 9.70 | st | ||
V | 2.56 ± 0.45 | 3.23 ± 0.07 | 0.24 | 7.90 | st | ||
VI | 2.07 ± 0.01 | 3.74 ± 0.25 | 0.21 | 6.38 | st | ||
VII | 1.96 ± 0.09 | 2.01 ± 0.27 | 0.33 | 6.05 | sm | ||
VIII | 1.66 ± 0.09 | 1.77 ± 0.01 | 0.36 | 5.11 | sm |
Taxa | Pop | Ploidy | 2n | Karyotype formula | THL | CVCL | MCA | CVCI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium | 5 | 4x | 32 | 2n = 4m + 16sm + 12st | 51.30 | 60.13 | 40.32 | 22.07 |
6 | 4x | 32 | 2n = 4m + 16sm + 12st | 40.33 | 50.93 | 37.18 | 27.08 | |
D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri | 13 | 2x | 16 | 2n = 2m + 6sm + 8st | 27.18 | 62.81 | 46.58 | 34.01 |
12 | 2x | 16 | 2n = 2m + 6sm + 8st | 29.91 | 65.20 | 47.18 | 30.83 | |
10 | 2x | 16 | 2n = 2msat+ 6sm + 8st | 34.37 | 68.27 | 46.05 | 33.27 | |
D. anthriscifolium var. majus | 17 | 2x | 16 | 2n = 2m + 6sm + 8st | 38.24 | 63.10 | 47.59 | 35.79 |
D. ecalcaratum | 20 | 2x | 16 | 2n = 2m + 6sm + 8st | 26.35 | 68.87 | 44.65 | 29.84 |
D. callichromum | 22 | 2x | 16 | 2n = 2m + 6sm + 8st | 32.42 | 69.63 | 40.11 | 29.09 |
In Pop 17, the somatic and basic chromosome numbers are 2n = 16 and x = 8, respectively (Table
In Pop 20 from Xinyang City of Henan, China, the somatic and basic chromosome numbers are 2n = 16 and x = 8, respectively (Table
In Pop 22 collected from the type locality of Zhuxi County, Hubei, China, the somatic and basic chromosome numbers are 2n = 16 and x = 8, respectively (Table
In all five taxa of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium, the total haploid length (THL) of D. ecalcaratum was probably the shortest (26.35), while that of D. anthriscifolium var. majus was the longest (up to 38.24). The highest level of interchromosomal asymmetry, estimated via CVCL, was found in D. callichromum (69.63). In contrast, the lowest level of CVCL was found in D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium (its mean value was 55.53). The highest values of both the heterogeneity in centromere position (CVCI) and intrachromosomal asymmetry (MCA) were found in D. anthriscifolium var. majus (47.59 and 35.79, respectively; Table
In Ranunculaceae, taxonomic position and evolutionary history were generally inferred by using chromosomal data (
Furthermore, the karyotypes of Delphinium taxa were very consistent, typically consisting of one pair of large metacentric, one pair of large submetacentric, five pairs of medium-sized subtelocentric, and one pair of smaller submetacentric (rarely subtelocentric) chromosomes (
On the genome size of Ranunculaceae, few related studies involving ten genera (i.e., Ranunculus, Eranthis, Helleborus, Hepatica, Thalictrum, Delphinium, Anemone, Ficaria, Adonis, and Trollius), showed that the 2C-value of diploid taxa significantly ranged from 0.5 to 57.3 pg and from 14.8 to 89.2 pg for tetraploid taxa (
Interestingly, in the study, the monoploid genome sizes of tetraploids (mean 1Cx = 1.57 pg) are less than those of diploids (mean 1Cx = 1.69 pg; see Fig.
= D. calleryi Franch. in Bull. Mens. De la Soc. Linn. De Paris, 1: 329. 1882. ≡ D. anthriscifolium var. calleryi (Franch.) Fin. & Gagnep. in Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr. 51: 471. 1904. syn. nov. Type: China: Aomen (Macao), 1841, Callery 6 (Holotype P!); Aomen, 1844, Callery 51 (Isotypes P!).
= D. cavaleriense Lévl. et Vant. in Bull. Acad. Géog. Bot. 11: 49. 1902., syn. nov. Type: China: Guizhou (Kweichow), “environs de Tou-chan, belles fleurs bleues”, 2 June 1898, J. Cavalerie 2344 (Holotype E!; Isotypes K!).
= D. cerefolium Lévl. et Vant. in Bull. Acad. Géog. Bot. 11: 49. 1902., syn. nov. Type: China: Guizhou (Kouy-Tcheou), Guiyang (Kouy-Yang), “mont du College”, 2 June 1898, Chaffanjon s.n. (Holotype E!).
Lecotype : China: Guangdong (Kwantung), “necnon prope rupem calcaream kai-kun-shek, secus eundem fluvium”, June 1867, Sampson, Hance no. 10125 (Holotype K!; Isotypes BM! NY! P! JE! GH).
≡ D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri (Franchet) Munz., J. Armold Arbor. 48: 261. 1967. Type: China: Zhejiang (Tche-kiang/Chekiang), “in siccis ad pedem montium Shao-Shin, prope Ning-po”, May 1863, Lud. Savatier (Holotype P!; Isotype P!).
= D. robertianum Lévl. et Vant. in Bull. Acad. Géog. Bot. 11: 49. 1902., syn. nov. Type: China: Guizhou (Kouy-tcheou), Guiyang (Kouy-yang), 9 Dec 1897, no. 2025 (Holotype E!).
= D. minutum Lévl. et Vant. in Bull. Herb. Boiss. sér. 2, 6: 505. 1906., syn. nov. Type: China: Guizhou, 2 Mar 1904, Jos. Esquirol no. 23 (Holotype E!).
= D. kweichowense W.T.Wang in Acta Bot. Sin., 10: 283. 1962., syn. nov. Type: China: Guizhou, Huishui, 18 July 1930, Y. Jiang 8571 (PE!).
Morphologically, D. savatieri differs from D. anthriscifolium in that the staminode limb is ovate (vs. dolabriform), 2-lobed (vs. 2-parted), and its base is broadly cuneate (vs. subtruncate). Cytologically, D. savatieri also differs from D. anthriscifolium in that its karyotype formula is 2n = 2x = 16 = 2m + 6sm + 8st (vs. 2n = 4x = 32 = 4m + 16sm + 12st).
≡ Delphinium anthriscifolium var. majus Pamp. in Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital., n.s., 20: 288. 1915.
= D. anthriscifolium f. latilobulatum W.T.Wang in Acta Bot. Sin., 10: 279. 1962., syn. nov. Type: China: Hunan, Xue-Feng-Shan, 1954, Z. T. Li 2371 (Holotype PE!; Isotype PE!).
Lecotype : China: Hubei (Hu-peh), Zhanglang County (Zan-lan-scian), 1913, P. C. Silvestri no. 3917 (Holotype FI!).
Morphologically, D. anthriscifolium var. majus differs from D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium in that the flowers are 2.3–3.4 cm long (vs. 1.0–1.8 cm), spur 1.7–2.2 cm (vs. 0.5–2.2 cm) and its base 3.0–4.0 mm (vs. 1.5–4.0 mm) in diam., other sepals 1.2–1.6 cm (vs. 0.6–1.6 cm), staminode limb broadly ovate (vs. dolabriform or ovate). Cytologically, D. anthriscifolium var. majus differs from D. anthriscifolium var. anthriscifolium in that its karyotype formula is 2n = 2x = 16 = 2m + 6sm + 8st (vs. 2n = 4x = 32 = 4m + 16sm + 12st).
When elevating D. anthriscifolium var. majus to the rank of species, the name is already occupied by D. majus (W.T.Wang) W.T.Wang (
In the present study, comparative karyomorphological analyses and genome size determinations of five taxa of Delphinium subg. Anthriscifolium have been carried out. The chromosome numbers of D. savatieri, D. zanlanscianense, D. callichromum, and D. ecalcaratum were determined for the first time. Karyotypes of D. subg. Anthriscifolium were shown to have both common and species-specific features related to chromosome number, size, and morphology. All studied taxa have the basic chromosome numbers x = 8, diploid, or polyploid cytotypes, and the monoploid genome size (C-value) determined by flow cytometry varies more than twice. Additionally, the monoploid genome sizes of tetraploids (mean 1Cx = 1.57 pg) are smaller than those of diploids (mean 1Cx = 1.69 pg). Thus, genome loss or duplication events have occurred in the evolution of D. subg. Anthriscifolium. Finally, based on cytological and morphological evidence, D. anthriscifolium var. savatieri was restored to species rank, and D. anthriscifolium var. majus was elevated and renamed as D. zanlanscianense.
We are grateful to Yu-Cai Luo (South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Shao-Dong Wu (Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences), and Qiang Zhang (Guangxi Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences) for the work in field surveys and sampling. We thank the editor (Marco Pellegrini), Dr. José Ignacio Márquez-Corro and two anonymous reviewers for constructive comments and suggestions.
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
No ethical statement was reported.
This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grants 31500189). The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Conceptualization, Data curation, Writing – original draft: XYL. Methodology, Visualization: TJN. Data curation, Visualization: HL, YH, XFD. Conceptualization, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review and editing: WGZ, CCG.
Xiao-Yu Luo https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8153-7348
Tang-Jie Nie https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2405-8904
Heng Liu https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4900-4025
Xue-Fei Ding https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2034-5459
Ying Huang https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7731-6916
Chun-Ce Guo https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3376-1116
Wen-Gen Zhang https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0946-8614
All of the data that support the findings of this study are available in the main text.