臺灣維管束植物的染色體

Chromosome Numbers of the Vascular Plants of Taiwan I

Taiwan is the largest island that lies in the Tropic of Cancer. It has a rich and interesting flora. On the island, temperate as well as tropical plants thrive side by side. In the ''Flora of Formosa'', Masamune (1936) listed about 4840 species of vascular plants. Since then a number of new species have been added to the flora. Endemic species are comparatively numerous. In spite of rather extensive taxonomic studies, the flora of Taiwan has been cytologically neglected. Recently Chen and Hsu (1961, 1962) reported the chromosome numbers of about 73 species of Taiwan grasses. Liu, Chao and Chuang (1961) made cytotaxonomic studies of 23 species of Taiwan Umbelliferae. Further cytological survey of the flora of Taiwan will be not only toward better understanding of its nature but also exploiting valuable cytological materials.