Karyotype Analysis of Eight Korean Native Species in the Genus Iris

Karyotypes were established in the eight Korean native species of the genus Iris. Chromosome numbers were 2n=50 in I. koreana and 2n=42 in I. uniflora var. carinata and their karyotype formulas were K = 2n = 50 = 14m + 28sm + 8st and K = 2n = 42 = 16m + 26sm, respectively. I. dichotoma and I. pseudoacorus were diploids of 2n=34. However, they showed different karyotype formulas: K = 2n = 34 = 26m + 6sm + 2st in I. dichotoma and K = 2n = 34 = 8m + 24sm + 2st in I. pseudoacorus. I. setosa, and I. pallasii var. chinensis carried the same chromosome numbers of 2n=40, but they showed different patterns of karyotype formula: K = 2n = 40 = 22m + 14sm + 4st in I. setosa and K = 2n = 40 = 26m + 12sm + 2st in I. pallasii var. chinensis. I. sanguinea was a diploid of 2n=28 and the karyotype formula was K = 2n = 28 = 14m + 14sm. I. ensata var. spontanea was a diploid of 2n=24 and the karyotype formula was K = 2n = 24 = 10m + 14sm. Each species showed characteristic chromosome composition with a pair of satellite chromosome except I. koreana with three pairs of satellite chromosomes. The chromosomes of I. dichotoma and I. uniflora were comparatively short, while the chromosomes of I. ensata were remarkably bigger than those of other species. These cytological data will give a useful information for the identification and breeding program of the Iris plants.