Cytological Investigations on Some North Indian Bicarpellatae

The present investigations have been made on 37 wild species including 76 accessions in 29 genera covering 3 families-Acanthaceae, Lamiaceae and Scrophulariaceae of the Bicarpellatae series of subclass gamopetalae. Chromosome numbers and detailed meiotic course, along with pollen fertility, have been studied for each species on its accession basis. New reports are recorded as B-chromosomes: Ajuga bracteosa (n=32+0-2B), Calamintha clinopodium (n=18+0-1B) and Hemigraphis latebrosa (n=12+0-2B) and Veronica anagallis-aquatica (n=18+2B); varied chromosome counts: Calamintha clinopodium (n=18), Hemigraphis latebrosa (n=12), Justicia diffusa (n=16) and Lindenbergia indica (n=25); euploid cytotypes: Lepidagathis hyalina (n=30) and Veronica persica (n=7). Two species, Veronica persica (n=7,14) and Veronica anagallis-aquatica (n=18+2B), have been counted for the first time in India. A comparison of morphological characters in the above listed interesting taxa has been made.