CYTOLOGICAL STUDIES OF CLEOME GYNANDRA (LINN)

Cleome gynandra was investigated cytologically with respect to its chromosomal status. It was found to have a haploid number n = 9. The species is essentially a tetraploid with 4n = 36. Chiasmata frequency per bivalent was analyzed at diplotene and diakinesis; the chiasmata frequency was moderate at diplotene. The reason for failure of pairing amongst pairable chromosome mates was assumed to be as a result of genetic dissimilarity of individual chromosomes. Cases of unpaired chromosome segments at pachytene may probably be due to the fact that these regions were non-homologous or lacked adequate time to complete the pairing or the regions might be lying farthest apart from the point at which pairing was initiated.