Abstract: The localization of 18S ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) had been performed for some species of Paeonia. However, the pattern of 18S rDNA loci among populations is indistinct. In the present study, we localized 18S rDNA loci on meiotic or mitotic chromosomes of six populations of Paeonia obovata Maxim. (Paeoniaceae). Different numbers of rDNA loci were found with different diploid (2n=10) populations, namely eight (Lushi and Mt. Jiuhua populations), 10 (Mt. Taibai population), and seven (Mt. Guandi population), whereas tetraploid (2n=20) populations were all found with 16 loci. All rDNA loci were mapped near telomeres of mitotic chromosomes and there was no chromosome with two loci. The present results show that molecular cytological polymorphism exists among P. obovata diploid populations, indicating that structural variations occurred frequently during the evolutionary history of this species, accompanied with differentiation among populations.(Author for correspondence.Tel: (0)10 6283 6492; Fax: (0)10 6259 0843; E-mail:zhangdm@ibcas.ac.cn)

Key words: cytotype, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), Paeonia obovata, 18S rDNA, tetraploid.