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RHODORA, No. 171-175, 1995 Vol. 97, 890, pp. CHROMOSOME NUMBER OF THE FERNALD SAX FRAG GASPENSIS A I Norman and Trahan Dignard, Rosaire Camille Gervais, ABSTRACT The chromosome number of Saxifraga gaspensis Fern., a laxon frequently was included in the circumpolar species S. nivalis L., or considered a variety, determined on material from Mount Logan, Gaspe Peninsula, and found to be = = In As chromosome number of In 60 (about 30 data from 40. the 5. nivalis is diverse countries), seems that the plant described by Femald in 1917 is spe- it The authors suggest that gaspensis could be a stabilized cifically different. S. relictual hybrid between S. nivalis and the closely related diploid species S. tenuis = from (Wahlenb.) H. Smith, 2n 20, or a polyploid originating S. tenuis. chromosome number, Key Words: Saxifraga gaspensis, S. nivalis, S. tenuis, dis- Canada endemism, Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, tribution, taxonomic history M was by gaspensis described ifraga m material Mountain (Mount on the Gaspe Peninsula and distributed in herbaria as S. first The new from circumpolar nivalis L. species differed the arctic- more alpine nivalis by "rosette-leaves narrowly cuneate- S. its obovate and more gradually narrowed to a broad petiolar base," which were numerously flowered inflorescences spicate- less its racemose than spiciform corymbiform, shorter calyx rather to its and narrower lobes reflexed in acute to subacute petals fruit, its and shorter capsules. its was moist discovered In the following decades, S. gaspensis in Mount Mount and on Logan and Blanc, west of pockets ravines Quebec and was reported from northern the type locality, also it and Labrador (Rousseau, 1974), Although retained as a dis- still Manual synonym Wahlenb. more recent treatments (Scoggan, 1978; Kartesz, in name Hulten on the other hand, uses the S. gas- 1994). (1971), maps from Only Boivin (1966 and unpubl) con- S. nivalis var. tenuis. Boivin] sidered gaspensis [sub nivalis var. gaspensis (Fern,) S. S. from and sensu taxon tenuis as a differing S. nivalis 5^. stricto. 171 Rhodora 172 97 [Vol. However, documented in recent catalogs or of en- rare, lists dangered or vulnerable species in Canada or in Quebec (Bouchard Argus and et al., 1983; Pryer, 1990; Lavoie, 1992), S. nivalis var. gaspensis revived taxon need of is as, at least, a in further research. For this reason and because of the urgent problem of determining must if S. gaspensis be included, or not, in the of species to list be was legally protected, the present study undertaken. AND MATERIAL METHODS material of 1993 in cold chimneys of Pease Basin on ;t Mount Logan, greenhouse Addi- for culture. specimens Mounts Dodee and Griscom 1993 For stations. the cytological studies, fresh root tips were from selected potted plants and from germinating on wet seeds They filter papers in Petri dishes. were fixed in an acetic acid/ mixture treatment fixation, the potted plants or the Petri were kept in a refrigerator 4^C at for 4 to 7 hours. AND RESULTS DISCUSSION = The chromosome number In 40 was determined (Figure 1) on one of the potted plants and two plantlets obtained from seeds collected in 1993 in Pease Basin. The same chromosome number ^ {In was observed on 1994 from ca. 40) also the material Big chromosome number Cascade. This from numerous the differs = = counts reported for S. nivalis {In 60) and S. tenuis {In 20) on circumpolar material from Greenland, Nor- Iceland, Spitzberg, way, Siberia, Alaska, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, etc. with the exception of a report by Krause and Beamish (1973) who ^ have found n 10 on one specimen of group from this the Yukon territories (Lapie Lake). These authors do not attempt to = ^ attach any binomial to the cytotypes {n 20, n 10) they have Yukon found them in the but describe as belonging to a large S. Our chromosome complex. nivaliS'tenuis however, were data, specifically determined from specimens which were suspected to — 173 Gervais ah Saxifraga gaspensis et 1995] Mm 10 Figure Somatic chromosomes of Saxifraga gaspensis Fern.; metaphase with 1 , = In 40 chromosomes from a root-tip cell. we taxon be gaspensis, so that are inclined to consider this as S. from and basically different S. nivalis S, tenuis. = The chromosome Krause and Beamish count (n 20) of (1973) Yukon between in the possibly belongs to a hybrid individual S. 4 = = and two growing nivalis {2n 60) S, tenuis {In 20), the species together in this region where their differences ''seem to break down and appear Krause and Beamish the plants to intergrade'' as may out The same northern point situation also prevail in (1973) Quebec and Labrador where mention of "5^. the gaspensis''' refers perhaps such hybrids. to same hybrid quite possible that S. gaspensis shares the It is = Gaspe origin but, as S. tenuis {In 20) is not reported for the = Peninsula and sensu {In possibly does not S. nivalis stricto 60) we must exist there either, suppose that S. gaspensis is a relictual stabilized hybrid able to reproduce and set viable seeds. This Rhodora 174 [Vol.97 when event could have occurred the Gaspe Peninsula climate and flora were different and comparable to the actual situation in the Another arctic. possibility that S. gaspensis a tetraploid is is off^- spring of tenuis but an ancient origin must also be advocated 5. in this case. The study of the meiosis in gaspensis could perhaps provide S. an answer to these questions but a cytological examination of Gaspe different populations of S. nivalis sensu lata in the Pen- may insula and in northern Quebec be necessary to understand the whole problem. can already be recommended, however, It complex Gaspe that the taxa belonging to the S. nivalis in the Peninsula be protected an endangered as local taxa. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to express their gratitude to Michele Dr Munson Parent for help in field trips, to Alison for revision Gagnon of the English manuscript, to Jean and Gildo Lavoie for helpful discussions and to Andree Rodrigue for the typing of the text. LITERATURE CITED Argus, G. W. and K. M. Pryer. 1990. Les plantes vasculaires rares du Canada. Musee Notre patrimoine canadien de Nature, Ottawa. 277 nalurel. la pp. BoiviN, 1966. Enumeration desplanlcsdu Canada. Herbidees. Naluraliste B. III. 583-646. can. 93: Bouchard, D. Barabe, M. Dumais and Hay. 1983. Les planies vascu- A., S. laires rares du Quebec. Musee national des sciences naturelles, Ottawa. Syl- logeus no 48. 79 pp. New Fernald, M. L. 1917. species, varieties and forms of Saxifraga. Rhodora 141-144. 19; New 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th ed. American Book Co., York. . 1632 pp. & HuLTEN, E. 1971. The Circumpolar Plants. Dicotyledons. Almqvist Wik- II. Stockholm. 463 sell, pp. A Kartesz, T. 1994. Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the J. United Canada, and Greenland. Volume Thesaurus. Timber States, Press, 2. Portland, Oregon. 816 pp. and Krause, D. L. K. Beamish. 1973. Notes on Saxifraga occidentalis and I. Columbia. 105-1 closely related species in British Syesis 6: 13. Lavoie, G. 1992. Plantes vasculaires susceptibles d'etre designees menacees ou vulnerables au Quebec. Ministere de TEnvironnement. Quebec, Canada. 80 1 pp. GQTvais al.—Saxifmga gaspensis 175 1995] ei Rousseau, C. 1974. Geographic floristique du Quebec-Labrador. Distribution des principales esp^ces vasculaires. Presses Univ. Laval, Quebec. 799 pp. Museum ScoGGAN, H. 1978. The of Canada, Part National of Natural flora J. 3. Sciences, Publications in Botany 7(3): 547-1 115. C. G., R. T. RECHERCHE EN DE LA SCIENCES VIE ET DE LA SANTE MARCHAND PAVILLON C.-E. LAVAL UNIVERSITE CANADA QUEBEC, GIK 7P4 N. D. 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