Study of the meiosis in some species of Fumaria (Papaveraceae) from Iran

A meiotic study was carried out of four species of the genus Fumaria in Iran. New gametophyte counts for F. parviflora, F. vaillantii, F. schleicheri (n = 16), and F. asepala (n = 8) are reported. Partial desynapsis was observed in three species of Fumaria. A population of F. parviflora from Gonbad-e Qābus showed occurrence of B-chromosomes (0-1). The observed meiotic abnormalities included lagging chromosomes, stickiness, desynapsis, and cytomixis. Partial or complete diffuse stage was observed in some Fumaria species. Unreduced meiocytes and pollen grains were found out in all species due to cytomixis; anaphase failure and desynapsis proved also effective in speciation of Fumaria.