Karyotype Analysis of Eremurus in Xinjiang

The karyotypes of Eremurus in Xinjiang were studied.Their karyotype formulas are as follows: E.altaicus(Pall.) Stev.2n=2x=14=4m+8sm+2st;E.anisopterus(Kar.et Kir)Regel 2n=4x=28=4m+4sm+20st;E.inderiensis(M.Bieb)Regel 2n=2x=14=10sm+4st.Our study has shown that E.anisopterus,a species occurring in the southern margin of the Gurbantunggut Desert,was a tetraploid with 2n=4x=28,a new chromosome count for this species which had been previously reported as a diploid with 2n=2x=14.The karyotype evolution of Eremurus in Xinjiang is discussed.