Cytology of Indian Species of Artemesia

Abstract

CONSIDERABLE cytological work has been done on the genus Artemesia in North America^1,2, Japan³ and Europe (cf. Darlington and Wylie⁴); but so far nothing has been known about the Indian species. The genus, besides being of medicinal importance, is extremely interesting from the cytotaxonomic and cytogeographic points of view. It was therefore thought worth while to work out the available species of the genus. Following the conventional taxonomic treatment we have worked out 11 species out of 27 reported by Hooker⁵ from the Indian subcontinent. In the present investigation the various species have been primarily sampled from the north-western Himalayas; but material from the eastern Himalayas and other areas has also been studied. This has been supplemented with the study of herbarium specimens. Most of the species have been worked out for the first time. In addition to the 11 Indian species, the chromosome number in A. vulgaris Linn, from Germany has also been investigated. The chromosome numbers are given in Table 1.