Speciation of polyploid Lycoris species estimated from cytological studies in selfed progeny

Cytological studies in selfed progenies were carried out to clarify the speciation processes of polyploid Lycoris species. For diploid species, most selfed plants were diploid with the same karyotype as the corresponding parents. However, S1 progenies from L. sprengeri (2n=22A) included two triploids with 2n=33A and one aneuploid with 2n=32(31A+1M) ; and one S1 from L. aurea (2n=14=8A+6T) was tetraploid with 2n=28(16M+12T). For triploid species, L. radiata (2n=33A), all the S1 plants were aneuploid with chromosome number near to its diploid taxon, L. radiata var. pumila (2n=22A). The results suggest that unreduced gametes occasionally formed through self-pollination in fertile diploid species would be a factor inducing polyploid species in the genus Lycoris.