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CHROMOSOME CHANGES IN PLANT EVOLUTION
Author(s) -
Jones Keith
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
taxon
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1996-8175
pISSN - 0040-0262
DOI - 10.2307/1217950
Subject(s) - biology , chromosome , inheritance (genetic algorithm) , evolutionary biology , genetics , phenotype , gene
Summary When attempts are made to use chromosome characters as independent indicators of the direction of evolution there are few upon which we can depend. On the other hand, if we adopt the synthetic approach and view the chromosome in conjunction with all other characters of organisms then we can indeed determine with greater certainty patterns and pathways of evolution. This is not to equate the chromosome with the other aspects of our plants for we know that chromosomes can inform in ways which neither genes nor phenotypes can, but we require to know not only the way in which genes are assembled and controlled in their inheritance but also their nature as expressed in the chemical and structural phenotypes. We do stand at a cross‐road in the application of chromosome studies in plant biosystematics. We have arrived here not because we have been misled by the chromosomes but rather for the reason that they have been so frequently misused and misunderstood.