• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.75-85
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• 2004

Here we described and illustrated two new taxa of Allium (Alliaceae) from southern part of Korea. One new species, A koreanum H. J. Choi et B. U. Oh was clearly distinguished from A. splendens of sect. Reticulato-bulbosa by larger and stellately spreading pale pink perianth, apparently exsert filaments, and conical stigma as well as chromosome number. Another new variety, A. thunbergii var. teretifolium H.J. Choi et B.U. Oh was also easily distinguished from its relatives, var. thunbergii and var. deltoides by terete and hollow leaf blade. Keys to the two species of Allium sect. Reticulato-bulbosa and the three varieties of A. thunbergii (sect. Sacculiferum) in Korea were described.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.278-288
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• 2018

Polyploidization plays an important role in generating the current high diversity of plants. Studies of the distributional patterns of diploid and derivative polyploid races have provided important insights into the evolutionary process and cryptic speciation by polyploidization within and between closely related taxa defined on the basis of their morphology. Allium thunbergii and A. sacculiferum, occurring throughout eastern Russia, eastern China, Korea, and Japan, are examples of closely related species with unsolved taxonomic relationships. A total of 97 and 65 individuals from 26 and 13 populations of A. thunbergii (including var. thunbergii, var. deltoids, and var. teretifolium) and A. sacculiferum, respectively, were studied to determine their ploidy. The geographic structure and habitat differentiation of the cytotypes were also analyzed. The main cytotype of A. thunbergii was diploid (92.3% in total; the rest were tetraploids). In contrast, the majority of A. sacculiferum plants were tetraploids (69.2% of the total; the rest were diploids). No populations of the studied taxa harbored both cytotypes. Allium thunbergii was more often found at higher elevations than A. sacculiferum, and it tended to occur more frequently on rocky slopes and below forests in mountainous areas. On the other hand, A. sacculiferum occurred at forest margins and in lowland pastures. The cytotypes differed with respect to the elevation; diploids were found more frequently at higher elevations than tetraploids. The results of this study and additional biosystematics data indicate that the morphological characteristics of A. thunbergii and A. sacculiferum may be influenced by polyploidization and by their adaptation to various habitat conditions and that A. thunbergii and A. sacculiferum do not clearly fulfill the requirements of any species concept. Consequently, we propose that A. sacculiferum be considered as an additional synonym of A. thunbergii. Additionally, Allium thunbergii var. deltoides is unified into A. thunbergii var. thunbergii.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.119-152
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• 2004

Allium taxa of Korea were taxonomically reviewed, and classified as three subgenera, ten sections, seventeen species, and three varieties. Among these, Korean endemics were recorded as six taxa; A. koreanum, A. taquetii, A. deltoide-fistulosum, A. linearifolium, A. thunbergii var. deltoides, A. thunbergii var. teretafolium. In addition, A. condensatum, A. splendens and A. maximowiczii proved to distribute only in North Korea. Keys to the subgenera, sections, species and infraspecies with descriptions of each taxon were provided.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.170-180
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• 2009

Somatic chromosome counts and karyotype analyses were carried out for eight taxa of Korean Allium sect. Sacculiferum. The basic chromosome number of sect. Sacculiferum was x = 8, and they could be cytologically divided into two groups, that is, a diploid group (2n = 2x = 16) containing A. thunbergii var. thunbergii, A. thunbergii var. deltoides, A. thunbergii var. teretifistulosum, A. deltoidefistulosum, A. longistylum, A. linearifolium and A. taqueti, and a tetraploid group (2n = 4x = 32) with only A. sacculiferum. All observed chromosomes were classified into metacentric, submetacentric and subtelocentric. The metacentric ones appeared in all treated taxa. One or two pairs of submetacentric chromosomes were observed in most taxa except A. sacculiferum, the unique taxon with subtelocentric chromosomes. All taxa had a pair of homologous chromosomes with satellites, and the B-chromosomes found in A. thunbergii var. thunbergii, A. deltoidefistulosum, A. sacculiferum and A. longistylum, were metacentric or telocentric. The karyotypes of A. longistylum and A. linearifolium were firstly investigated in this study. In conclusion, the somatic chromosome numbers and karyotypes for members of the sect. Sacculiferum were valuable characters in identifying taxa, investigating interspecific relationships and delimiting taxa. In addition, A. thunbergii var. teretifolium, an invalid name (homonym), was renamed as A. thunbergii var. teretifistulosum H. J. Choi & B. U. Oh.