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Checklist of chromosome numbers counted in Madeiran flowering plants, with notes on polyploidy, life form, endemism and evolution
Author(s) -
Dalgaard Vilhelm
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
nordic journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.333
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1756-1051
pISSN - 0107-055X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1756-1051.1994.tb00595.x
Subject(s) - endemism , biology , zoology , ecology
Chromosome numbers of 178 Madeiran flowering plant species are included in the checklist. Of 140 native species, 87 are Macaronesian or Madeiran endemics. The percentage of polyploidy in the Madeiran flora has been calculated at 40%, based on 20.9% of the native flora. Endemic phanerophytes are remarkably rich in polyploids. Comments are made on the evolutionary origins of Madeiran endemics. The majority are schizoendemics, evolved by gradual speciation. There are also a number of palaeoendemics and apoendemics. The higher level of polyploidy in the Madeiran endemics when compared with the Canarian endemics is discussed in the light of gradual divergence, the principal speciation process in the Macaronesian flora.