A review of chromosome numbers in Bombacaceae with new counts for Adansonia

Summary Baum, D. A. & Oginuma, K.: A review of chromosome numbers in Bombacaceae with new counts for Adansonia. – Taxon 43: 11‐20. 1994. – ISSN 0040‐0262. New chromosome counts are reported for all eight species of Adansonia. The six Malagasy species and the Australian species have 2 n = 88, whereas the single African species, A. digitata, has 2 n = 160. We review published counts for the family as a whole and conclude that there have been many inaccurate counts but that 2 n = 86‐92 appears to be general. A. digitata, Rhodognaphalon brevicuspe and Eriotheca pubescens are inferred to be polyploids. The tribe Durioneae, with counts of 2 n = 28 and 2 n = 56, is distant from the remainder of the family, as also suggested by morphological, biogeographic and molecular data.