Chromosome number and meiosis in herbarium specimens from the extinct Scandinavian population of Crepis multicaulis

An isolated population of Crepis multicaulis Ledeb. was discovered in Eastern Finnmark, North Norway in 1851. The plants were later believed to represent a preglacial relict population of great evolutionary and plant geographic interest. Due to unsufficient protection the plants vanished in the beginning of the 1940-ies. Unfortunately, no chromosome count or meiotic studies had been undertaken. By simple techniques we have been able to determine the chromosome number and also study meiosis in the original herbarium specimens deposited a the Botanical Muscum of the University of Oslo. The haploid chromosome number was n=5. Meiosis proceeded in a mainly regular manner. This is in accordance with recent studies on Soviet material, The implications of these findings are discussed.