Flaxes (genus Linum) in Slovenia are represented by 15 species. Despite being widely spread and one species, in particular, being important in both industry and diets, not much is known about the genome size of flaxes. We analysed the genome size of 8 flax species present in Slovenia using the method of DNA image cytometry. We selected the species for analysis based on their availability in the Herbarium LJU and University of Ljubljana Botanical garden or were collected in the field when the species were common and widely spread or new locality had been documented. The sampling was difficult due to the disappearance and destruction of habitats, extensive clearing of native grasslands and hay harvesting. We aimed to establish whether closely related species have similar genome sizes, and whether this size is the same in different tissues. We measured genome size for 19 populations from 8 species; 5 of those species were measured for the first time. We determined that the taxonomic status of some species is still unresolved and that distribution of species in Slovenia is poorly known. For every sample, we measured 2C value in two different meristematic tissues, meristem in root tip and shoot meristem. We determined that values in shoots were on average 8.4% higher than in roots. Measured genome sizes varied from 2C = 1.20 pg DNA in L. liburnicum, to 2C = 4.15 pg DNA in L. flavum.
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