Karyotype analysis of seven species of Salvia

In order to study the characteristics and degree of similarity of Salvia spp., karyotype analysis was performed on root tip cells of S. horminum ‘Oxford Blue’, S. patens ‘Patio’, S. japonica, S. sclarea var. turkentanica, S. farinacea ‘Rhea Blue’, S. farinacea ‘Victoria White’ and S. farinacea ‘Fairy Queen’. The karyotype formula of the seven sample plants was K (2n) = 14 = 6m + 1sm, K(2n) = 18 = 6m + 3sm, K(2n) = 14 = 3m + 4sm, K(2n) = 20 = 8m + 2sm, K(2n) = 16 = 5m + 1sm + 2st, K(2n) = 18 = 2m + 4sm + 3st, K(2n) = 18 = 4m + 5sm, respectively. The asymmetric coefficients (AS.K%) were 56.04%, 61.20%, 61.52%, 60.90%, 62.55%, 73.11% and 66.84%, respectively, and the karyotype classification criteria were “1A”, “2B”, “2A”, “2B”, “2B”, “3B” and “2B”, respectively. According to data inference, the asymmetric coefficient was 73.11%, and the karyotype classification of “3B” type S. farinacea ‘Victoria White’ had the highest degree of evolution, with S. horminum ‘Oxford Blue’ having the lowest degree of evolution. The karyotype classification is closely related to the four samples belonging to “2B” type.