Cytotoxonomic investigations on some species of Lathyrus L. growing in west Mediterranean and southern Aegan regions

In this study 20 taxa of species,subspecies and variety of Lathyrus L., growing in West Mediterranean and Southern Aegean regions have morphologically and cytotaxonomically been investigated.Plant and seed samples have been collected from natural habitats beween 1995 and 1996.0n plant samples, some morphological characteristics such as plant hight,leaflet size and numbers,leaf size,stipule size,flower numberSjfruit size have been determined. Root tips from seed samples has been obtained by germination and squashed preparations from root tips have been carried out by feulgen staining method for chromosome observations. Morphological and chromosomal charecteristics of each takson have been determined in addition,related taxa have been compared. The number of chromosomes of observed taxa have been found as following: L. digitatus (Bieb.)Fiori., L. pratensis, L., L.laxiflorus (Desf.) O.Kuntze subsp. laxiflorus Desf. L. tuber osus L., L. sphaericus Retz. L. inconspicuus L, L. tauricola P.H.Davis., L. setifolius L, L. annuus L., L. hierosolymitanus Boiss., L. gorgoni Pari. var. gorgoni Fenzl. L. cicera L., Z. sativus L., Z. stenophyllus Boiss. &Hedr., L. hirsutus L., Z,. chloranthus Boiss., L. nissolia L., L. aphaca L. var. affinis (Guss.)Arc. L. aphaca L. var. pseudoaphaca (Boiss.)Davis., L. aphaca L. var. modestus P.H.Davis 2n=14. Some of these taxa have been already studied by other researchers,but chromosome characteristics of some of them have been firstly identified in the present study. It has been observed that the differences between karyotype and gross morphology of taxa relatively congruenced to each other in some extent. Key Words:Lathyrus,Chromosome,Karyotype,Cytotaxonomy