At a later time a faulty cycle of mitosis, or the fusion of two diploid gametes from ''S. townsendii'', produced a tetraploid plant. This new species, ''S. angelica'', is an allopolyploid as two pairs of chromosomes came from ''S. maritima'' and two from ''S. alterniflora''. Meiosis can now occur and ''S. angelica'' is fertile and grows so vigorously that it has practically replaced the other three species of ''Spartina'' in England. | At a later time a faulty cycle of mitosis, or the fusion of two diploid gametes from ''S. townsendii'', produced a tetraploid plant. This new species, ''S. angelica'', is an allopolyploid as two pairs of chromosomes came from ''S. maritima'' and two from ''S. alterniflora''. Meiosis can now occur and ''S. angelica'' is fertile and grows so vigorously that it has practically replaced the other three species of ''Spartina'' in England. |