Chromosome numbers and DNA content from Ilex Argentina (Aquifoliaceae)

GABRIELA BARRAL, LIDIA POGGIO AND GUSTAVO C. GIBERTI

BOLETíN DE LA SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE BOTáNICA

SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE BOTÁNICA

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 1995 vol. 30 p. 243 - 248

0373-580X

Summary: Morphological and phytochemical relationships between Ilex argentina and I. paraguariensis («yerba mate») are strong. The first species was employed in the past as substitute of the authentical «yerba mate. In this paper chromosome numbers and DNA content are reported for first time for I. argentina(n = 40, 2C = 4.27 ± 0.07 pg). Previous data for I. paraguariensis were confirmed (n = 20) and DNA content was determined (2C = 2.23 ± 0.08 pg). In spite that differences in chloroplast number per guard cell was found to be statistically significant between both species, it has not proved to be an accurate alternative to assess ploidy level. The present results suggest that both taxa should be considered distinct species.