[Convergence and divergence between morphology and karyology in related species of the genus Vicia].

Karyological polymorphism is generally the rule in related species of genus Vicia, as has been frequently shown in many entities of its comprehensive species; therefore a correspondence of phenotypic and karyotypic characters is rather rare. Two cases are described here, in which both external morphological and internal karyological features, are correlated. These data have been obtained through biometric and karyotypic studies, carried out both on the perennials V. onobrychioides and V. altissima, and on the annuals V. villosa ssp. varia and V. benghalensis. In both perennials the chromosomes were rather long, the nucleolar constriction was on the longest couple of chromosomes, and even the satellite was of the same type; in both annuals the chromosomes were short, the nucleolar constriction was on the shortest couple of chromosomes, and the satellite was large in comparison to the arm to which it was connected. These similarities of the karyotypes are important because they may make easier a possible experimental cross-breed of the abovementioned entities.