Species of the genus Rosa L. (Rosaceae) section Caninae DC. in flora of Georgia

Author: nana barnaveli
Keywords: Sect. Caninae DC., genus Rosa L. (Fam. Rosaceae), pollen fertility, hybrids, pentaploid somatic status, dwarf forms, karyotype
Annotation:

Sect. Caninae DC. of genus Rosa L. (Fam. Rosaceae) in Georgia is represented by 23 species (5 species of them are endemic of Georgia and 8 species – the Caucasus endemics). Morphological-geographic analisis of representatives of the sect. Caninae DC. of the Georgia’s flora was performed. We studied the pollen fertility in the herbarium specimens and collected materials. Hybridization occurs not only between species of the section Caninae but also between species of other sections of the genus Rosa (especially many hybrids are known of species R. canina and R. corymbifera). Hybrids like one of the parents or have other new morphological features. Their is still much controvercy on which roses are true species or species hybrids. The European dogroses (Rosa sect. Caninae (DC.) Ser.) are characterized by a unique meiosis system (“canina-meiosis”), which controls the heterogamous development of tetraploid egg cells and haploid pollen grains resulting in a pentaploid somatic status. The existence of dwarf forms of plants according to some researchers also associated with hybridization. The next step of our search is to study the karyotype of the species that we assum are hybrids.