The genus Sternbergia

Abstract Morpho-anatomical and karyologial studies were carried out on plants from S Italy of the three Italian species of the genus Sternbergia: S. colchiciflora, S. lutea and S. sicula. The morpho-anatomical features of the leaves are good taxonomic markers, especially concerning their colour, general shape, width and morphology of the median adaxial keel. Karyological analysis revealed the following chromosome complements: Sternbergia colchiciflora, 2n = 20; Sternbergia lutea, 2n = 22; Sternbergia sicula, 2n = 22. Karyotype variability is discussed in the light of previous literature. According to our results S. colchiciflora is confirmed to be the most isolated species, while S. lutea and S. sicula, easily recognizable on morphological grounds, appear instead very close karyologically