DNA content in South American endemic species of Lathyrus.

The genome size was surveyed in 13 Notolathyrus species endemic to South America by flow cytometry and analyzed in an evolutionary and biogeographic context. A DNA content variation of 1.7-fold was registered, and four groups of species with different DNA content were determined. Although, the 2C values were correlated with the total chromosome length and intrachromosomal asymmetry index (A1), the karyotype formula remained almost constant. The conservation of the karyotype formula is in agreement with proportional changes of DNA in the chromosome arms. Species with annual life cycle and shorter generation time had the lowest DNA content and the data suggest that changes in DNA content involved reductions of genome size in the perennial to annual transitions. The variation of 2C values was correlated with precipitation of the coldest quarter and, to some extent, with altitude. Additional correlations with other variables were observed when the species were analyzed separately according to the biogeographic regions. In general, the species with higher DNA content were found in more stable environments. The bulk of evidence suggests that changes on genome size would have been one of the most important mechanisms that drove or accompanied the diversification of Notolathyrus species.