GLIMPSES IN PLANT RESEARCH

The glimpses in Plant Research Series, now running volume eight, carries scientific reviews and/or original research monographs. While the aspects of coverage are very wide, each volume has a particular theme, and thus the present volume carries two research monographs on the cytology of the families Compositae and Rubiaceae respectively, relating to plants of the Indian subcontinent. Cytology has been well recognised as a dependable tool for tackling taxonomic problems and for elucidating systematic relationships, phylogeny and evolution of plant groups. The cytological information can be meaningfully applied for making comparisons and interpretations of inter-relationships and evolutionary trends in higher plants when the data (chromosome number) of general and tribes, particularly when available from a single geographical region. The family Compositae (Asteraceae), the largest among the dicotyledonous families, constitutes a well-knot group of mostly herbs enjoying a cosmopolitan distribution. Although there is remarkable similarity in the various classificatory treatments of the family, there is great deal of difference of opinion as regards the origin, systematic position and inter-relationships of many of its tribes. the Rubiaceae is also a large dicot family whose members are predominantly woody and chiefly distributed in the warmer parts of the world. Most systematists have treated this as occupying an advanced position among the families of flowering plants; but much controversy exists on the question of its intra-and inter-familial relationships. The cytological evolution and systematic relationship of the families are discussed in the light of cytological data. 1988, 250 pages, 292 text figures on Art Paper.

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