Family Pinaceae Research Articles

True Firs (Abies sp.): New Conifers for the Midwestern Landscape

The genus Abies is a member of the family Pinaceae and consists of approximately 55 species found mainly in upper latitudes or higher elevations in the northern hemisphere. Firs generally prefer cool, well-drained sites with acidic soil. Fir trees are occasionally used as landscape trees but are more commonly grown as Christmas trees. Recently, the Michigan State Univ. Forestry Dept. and the Michigan Christmas tree industry initiated a field test of exotic firs (Abies sp.) for potential use as Christmas trees. In the present study we expanded the evaluation of these exotic fir species to include their suitability as landscape trees and to characterize their tolerance to various environmental stresses. We compared foliar nutrition, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and shoot morphology of 23 Abies species and hybrids planted at three horticultural research stations in Michigan. Foliar nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), boron (B), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) were correlated (P < 0.05) with soil pH. Species and hybrids varied (P <0.05) in maximum photosynthetic rate, water use efficiency, chlorophyll fluorescence, and the ratio of total needle area to projected needle area. We will discuss the significance of these traits in relation to selecting trees adapted for use in the Midwestern landscape.

First Report of Laminated Root Rot on Sabina przewalskii Caused by Phellinus weirii sensu stricto in China.

Members of the Phellinus weirii complex cause laminated root rot of living conifers. The cedar type (P. weirii (Murrill) Gilb. sensu stricto) of the complex is usually found on species of the Cupressaceae family, especially Thuja plicata in western North America, and the Douglas-fir type (P. sulphurascens Pilát) is found on species of the Pinaceae family (1,2,3). Outside North America, P. weirii occurs on species of Juniperus in the Ural Mountains, and P. sulphurascens occurs on other conifers in eastern Asia, including China (1). During a field inventory of wood-decay fungi in western China in 2003, laminated root rot of Sabina przewalskii (synonym Juniperus przewalskii) was found in natural forests of the Qilian Mountains in Qinghai Province (37°36'N and 102°15'E). Trees were approximately 80 to 150 years old and occurred in pure stands. Distinct disease patches that were as much as one hectare consisted of dead-standing and symptomatic trees, suggesting that the fungus spread by root contact. Symptomatic trees showed slow growth, thin crowns, and chlorotic foliage. After cutting several of the symptomatic trees, cambial necrosis and wood decay were found, and the trees apparently died when the cambial necrosis girdled the base of the trees. The wood of infected trees was reddish brown at the early stages of decay and later had numerous small cavities and separated into sheets at the junction of annual rings. Perennial, poroid, resupinate, dark brown basidiocarps formed on the root surface of dead trees. The basidiocarps had a monomitic hyphal system, hyphae without clamp connections, trama tissue with hyphoid setae, and thin-walled, hyaline, smooth, ellipsoid basidiospores. The fungus was identified as P. weirii and distinguished from P. sulphurascens by its perennial basidiocarps, smaller pores (5 to 8 versus 4 to 5 per mm), and narrower hyphoid setae (4 to 6 versus 5 to 10 μm in diameter). P. weirii also resembles P. ferrugineofuscus (P. Karst.) Bourdot in macro-morphology, but the latter species is a saprophyte and has allantoid to almost lunate basidiospores. The studied specimens of P. weirii and P. sulphurascens are preserved at the herbaria of the Botanical Museum of the University of Helsinki, the Institute of Applied Ecology, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences as DAOM 8734, Lowe 6960, TAA 52744, 55644, and 103812, and Dai 988, 2053, 2061, 2527, and 5067. To my knowledge, this is the first report of P. weirii sensu stricto from China and the first report of laminated root rot on S. przewalskii.

THE CHARACTERIZATION OF PAINTS AND WATERPROOFING MATERIALS FROM THE SHIPWRECKS FOUND AT THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF THE ETRUSCAN AND ROMAN HARBOUR OF PISA (ITALY)*

This work presents the results of a diagnostic survey on the shipwrecks from the archaeological site of the ancient harbour of San Rossore (Pisa, Italy). The original waterproofing, caulking and painting materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC–MS), energy‐dispersive X‐ray microanalysis (EDX) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The major constituents of the waterproofing and caulking materials detected on the planks were tricyclic abietanes showing a high degree of aromatization. These compounds are indicative of a pitch obtained from the wood of trees of the Pinaceae family. The analysis of the organic components of the paint samples revealed diterpenoid acids characteristic of Pinaceae resins together with linear long‐chain alcohols and fatty acids, highlighting the presence of beeswax. Noticeably, the characteristic odd carbon number alkanes that are normally present in beeswax were not detected. The EDX and XRD analyses showed that hematite, calcite, cerussite and kaolinite were employed as pigments to paint the ships’ hulls.

TLC of flavonol truxinic esters fromPseudotsuga menziesii

Conditions have been established for TLC analysis and determination of the flavonol truxinic esters daglesiosides I and II in species of the family Pinaceae . Optimization of the separation of eleven flavonoids, including daglesiosides I, II, III, and IV, trans -tiliroside, trans -ditiliroside, kaempferol, quercetin, isorhamnetin, hyperoside, and astragalin, which are present in the methanol extract of Pseudotsuga menziesii , was performed on two types of layer — glass plates coated with RP-18F 254S and diol F 254S . Good resolution was achieved on diol F 254S layers by use of multiple gradient development with a mixture of chloroform and ethyl acetate. Under these conditions the presence of daglesioside I was demonstrated in two other species of Pinaceae — Cedrus atlantica and Cedrus atlantica var. glauca — and the flavonoid complex occurring in Pseudotsuga menziesii was completely separated by use of 2D TLC on coupled silica gel and RP-18 layers.

Tandem repeat DNA localizing on the proximal DAPI bands of chromosomes in Larix, Pinaceae.

Repetitive DNA was cloned from HindIII-digested genomic DNA of Larix leptolepis. The repetitive DNA was about 170 bp long, had an AT content of 67%, and was organized tandemly in the genome. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization and subsequent DAPI banding, the repetitive DNA was localized in DAPI bands at the proximal region of one arm of chromosomes in L. leptolepis and Larix chinensis. Southern blot hybridization to genomic DNA of seven species and five varieties probed with cloned repetitive DNA showed that the repetitive DNA family was present in a tandem organization in genomes of all Larix taxa examined. In addition to the 170-bp sequence, a 220-bp sequence belonging to the same DNA family was also present in 10 taxa. The 220-bp repeat unit was a partial duplication of the 170-bp repeat unit. The 220-bp repeat unit was more abundant in L. chinensis and Larix potaninii var. macrocarpa than in other taxa. The repetitive DNA composed 2.0-3.4% of the genome in most taxa and 0.3 and 0.5% of the genome in L. chinensis and L. potaninii var. macrocarpa, respectively. The unique distribution of the 220-bp repeat unit in Larix indicates the close relationship of these two species. In the family Pinaceae, the LPD (Larix proximal DAPI band specific repeat sequence family) family sequence is widely distributed, but their amount is very small except in the genus Larix. The abundant LPD family in Larix will occur after its speciation.

Seed Plant Relationships and the Systematic Position of Gnetales Based on Nuclear and Chloroplast DNA: Conflicting Data, Rooting Problems, and the Monophyly of Conifers

We investigated the systematic position of Gnetales and other seed plant groups using molecular data from 119 land plant species. More than 100 new sequences of rbcL, atpB, 26S, and 18S ribosomal DNA were analyzed together with available GenBank sequences. To evaluate thoroughly the phylogenetic information of each gene, the four data sets were analyzed both separately and combined using different character coding. We found no supported conflict between codon positions in the plastid sequences, but we found a more complex pattern, indicating conflict between transitions and transversions, within each position. Including all information, plastid data results in a “Gnetales basal” phylogeny, whereas nuclear data weakly supports anthophytes. When transitions are excluded, Gnetales associate with conifers. Our study does not answer all questions on seed plant phylogeny, but it does show conifers as monophyletic with high support, rejecting a close relationship between Gnetales and the conifer family Pinaceae. Nuclear and chloroplast data produced essentially identical phylogenies except for the position of the seed plant root, and a sister relationship between Gnetales and angiosperms could not be fully ruled out. These results strongly conflict with previously published analyses of mitochondrial data.

Saturated and unsaturated anteiso-C19 acids in the seed lipids from Hesperopeuce mertensiana (Pinaceae).

Minor uncommon FA from Hesperopeuce mertensiana (a gymnosperm species of the Pinaceae family) seed oil were characterized through a combination of silver ion TLC of their FAME, and GLC coupled with MS of their picolinyl derivatives. These uncommon components have the structures 16-methyloctadecanoic (anteiso-19:0), 16-methyl-cis-9-octadecenoic (anteiso-19:1), and 1 6-methyl-cis-9,cis-12-octadecadienoic (anteiso-19:2) acids. These branched C19 acids were identified earlier in the wood of Picea abies, which would indicate that such acids could be widespread, though minor, components of Pinaceae lipids.

Fire-prone plant communities and palaeoclimate of a Late Cretaceous fluvial to estuarine environment, Pecínov quarry, Czech Republic

The botanical identity and facies distribution of fossil charcoal is described from Middle to Late Cenomanian (90–94 Ma) fluvial to estuarine units at Pecínov quarry, near Prague, Czech Republic. Braided alluvial facies associations contain charred conifer woods (family Pinaceae) possibly derived from upland forest fires, and abundant charred angiosperm woods, flowers and inflorescences (families Lauraceae and ?Platanaceae) derived from riparian gallery forest fires (Unit 2). Retrogradational coastal salt marsh facies associations contain abundant charred conifer wood (families Cheirolepidiaceae and Cupressaceae/Taxodiaceae) derived from fires in halophytic backswamp forest, and rare pinaceous charred cones and lauraceous angiosperm wood washed downstream from fires further inland (Units 3–4). Progradational coastal facies associations within an estuary mouth setting contain abundant charred conifer wood (family Cupressaceae/Taxodiaceae), common taxodiaceous conifer and angiosperm leaves, fern rachises, and lycopsid stems derived from fires in mesic backswamp taxodiaceous forests and supra-tidal fern-lycopsid thickets (Unit 5). Growth rings in angiosperm and conifer woods, leaf physiognomy and computer models indicate that climate was equable, warm and humid, but that there was a short annual dry season; most fires probably occurred during these annual drought periods. The abundance of charcoal and the diversity of taxa preserved in this state indicate that nearly all plant communities were fire-prone. Physiognomically, the Pecínov flora resembles present-day seasonally-dry subtropical forests where fires are a common occurrence.

Mechanical properties of some Swedish hard wood species

A large part of Sweden is located within the Taiga Area and hence most of the wood species growing there are included in the division of Coniferales. This has also led to major research activities on the needle-leaved types in the Pinaceae family. There are, however, many broad-leaved trees, but because of their relatively low economic importance only a few researchers have had the opportunity to study such woods. For certain branches of the Swedish wood manufacturing industry the Angiosperms are of vital importance, e.g. the furniture factories. In this paper the mechanical properties of two Swedish hard wood genera, namely Betula and Alnus, are revealed. These findings are also compared with those found in the literature.

Turonian Pinaceae of the Raritan Formation, New Jersey

Fossil vegetative and reproductive structures from deposits of the Raritan Formation in New Jersey (Turonian, Upper Cretaceous, ∼90 MYBP) include ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. Gymnosperms collected from this formation have been known since the beginning of the 20th century. Fossil leaves, wood and seed cones have been are identified as belonging to the Cupressaceae, Pinaceae, and Taxodiaceae. In the present contribution, we describe a series of fossil dwarf shoots, leaves and a pollen cone belonging to the family Pinaceae. Fossils are charcoalified with preserved three-dimensional structure and excellent cellular detail. The dwarf shoots are assigned to a new species Prepinus crossmanensis sp. nov. and to the previously described Pinus quinquefolia Jeffrey. The new species Prepinus crossmanensis differs in size, shape, presence of hypodermis, sclerenchyma and stomata in the cataphylls, and number and shape of needle leaves from previously known species. Also, isolated leaves were found that were assigned to the new species, Prepinus raritanensis sp. nov. The new species is differentiated by the size and shape of stomata, the presence of number of layers of the hypodermis; and the cell-shape and number of layers of the mesophyll and transfusion tissue. A previously undescribed male cone, Amboystrobus cretacicum gen. and sp. nov., has an axis with spirally attached microsporophylls, each bearing two abaxial ovoid microsporangia. The pollen grains are monosulcate and bisaccate (eusaccate), with an elliptical corpus, granulate exine sculpture, and honeycomb-like wall structure.

Cuticle Micromorphology of Pinus krempfii Lecomte (Pinaceae) and Additional Species from Southeast Asia.

Cuticle micromorphology of the unusual Vietnamese pine, Pinus krempfii Lecomte, and three additional endemic southeast Asian species of Pinus L. (Pinaceae) is characterized for the first time. Taxa studied include (1) P. krempfii, typically placed in its own subgenus Ducampopinus (Chevalier) Ferré ex Little & Critchfield; (2) the endemic Vietnamese species Pinus dalatensis Ferré and (3) the southeast Asian species Pinus kwantungensis Chun ex Tsiang, both of subgenus Strobus; and (4) the widespread Asian species Pinus kesiya Royle ex Gordon of subgenus Pinus. The current and previous studies demonstrate that the genus Pinus and its subgenera are delimited by unique combinations of cuticular characters, although some of these characters may occur individually in other conifers. Cuticular micromorphology supports taxonomic assignment of P. krempfii to subgenus Strobus rather than to its own subgenus, a result that is also indicated by other anatomical studies and recent molecular studies. Sectional affinities of P. krempfii are usually with Parrya, subsection Krempfianae. An alternative classification of P. krempfii with subsection Gerardianae can be supported by micromorphological characters including broad cuticular bridges between stomata, details of the intercellular flanges of the epidermal cells, and usually an amphistomatic stomatal distribution. Features of other Asian species studied are consistent with their taxonomic assignments. The study demonstrates the utility of cuticle micromorphology to taxonomic delimitation within the family Pinaceae.

General characteristics of Pinus spp. seed fatty acid compositions, and importance of delta5-olefinic acids in the taxonomy and phylogeny of the genus.

The delta5-unsaturated polymethylene-interrupted fatty acid (delta5-UPIFA) contents and profiles of gymnosperm seeds are useful chemometric data for the taxonomy and phylogeny of that division, and these acids may also have some biomedical or nutritional applications. We recapitulate here all data available on pine (Pinus; the largest genus in the family Pinaceae) seed fatty acid (SFA) compositions, including 28 unpublished compositions. This overview encompasses 76 species, subspecies, and varieties, which is approximately one-half of all extant pines officially recognized at these taxon levels. Qualitatively, the SFA from all pine species analyzed so far are identical. The genus Pinus is coherently united--but this qualitative feature can be extended to the whole family Pinaceae--by the presence of delta5-UPIFA with C18 [taxoleic (5,9-18:2) and pinolenic (5,9,12-18:3) acids] and C20 chains [5,11-20:2, and sciadonic (5,11,14-20:3) acids]. Not a single pine species was found so far with any of these acids missing. Linoleic acid is almost always, except in a few cases, the prominent SFA, in the range 40-60% of total fatty acids. The second habitual SFA is oleic acid, from 12 to 30%. Exceptions, however, occur, particularly in the Cembroides subsection, where oleic acid reaches ca. 45%, a value higher than that of linoleic acid. Alpha-linolenic acid, on the other hand, is a minor constituent of pine SFA, almost always less than 1%, but that would reach 2.7% in one species (P. merkusii). The sum of saturated acids [16:0 (major) and 18:0 (minor) acids principally] is most often less than 10% of total SFA, and anteiso-17:0 acid is present in all species in amounts up to 0.3%. Regarding C18 delta5-UPIFA, taxoleic acid reaches a maximum of 4.5% of total SFA, whereas pinolenic acid varies from 0.1 to 25.3%. The very minor coniferonic (5,9,12,15-18:4) acid is less than 0.2% in all species. The C20 elongation product of pinolenic acid, bishomo-pinolenic (7,11,14-20:3) acid, is a frequent though minor SFA constituent (maximum, 0.7%). When considering C20 delta5-UPIFA, a difference is noted between the subgenera Strobus and Pinus. In the former subgenus, 5,11-20:2 and sciadonic acids are < or =0.3 and < or =1.9%, respectively, whereas in the latter subgenus, they are most often > or =0.3 and > or =2.0%, respectively. The highest values for 5,11-20:2 and sciadonic acids are 0.5% (many species) and 7.0% (P. pinaster). The 5,11,14,17-20:4 (juniperonic) acid is present occasionally in trace amounts. The highest level of total delta5-UPIFA is 30-31% (P. sylvestris), and the lowest level is 0.6% (P. monophylla). Uniting as well as discriminating features that may complement the knowledge about the taxonomy and phylogeny of pines are emphasized.

The seed fatty acid composition and the distribution of Δ5‐olefinic acids in the triacylglycerols of some taxares (Cephalotaxus and Podocarpus)

AbstractThe fatty acid compositions of the seeds from four Cephalotaxus species or varieties (plum yews; Cephalotaxaceae) and two Podocarpus species (podocarps; Podocarpaceae) have been established. These compositions were compared with those previously published for some Taxaceae species (Taxus and Torreya). Cephalotaxaceae, Podocarpaceae, and Taxaceae belong to the Taxares suborder. Δ5‐Olefinic acids are present in the seed lipids from all species analyzed. In Cephalotaxus, Podocarpus, and Torreya, the prominent Δ5‐olefinic acid that occurs is the trienoic acid 5,11,14–20:3 (sciadonic) acid, comprising from 6.7 to 26.4% of total fatty acids. In these species, the Δ5,11 structure is largely favored over the Δ5,9 structure: the 5,9–18:2 (taxoleic) and 5,9,12–18:3 (pinolenic) acids are at the limit of detection, in contrast to Taxus and most Pinaceae species, where these two Δ5‐olefinic acids generally predominate. 14‐Methylhexadecanoic acid, an habitual though minor component of Pinaceae and Ginkgo biloba seed lipids, could not be detected in Cephalotaxus species studied here and was tentatively identified in trace amounts only in one Podocarpus species. In addition to sciadonic acid, Cephalotaxus and Podocarpus seeds are characterized by unusually high amounts of 11,14–20:2 acid, in the range of 3.1–12.0%. This contrasts with most of the 170 species of conifers analyzed so far (from the families Pinaceae, Cupressaceae, Taxodiaceae, Taxaceae, and Sciadopityaceae, which belong to the Pinares suborder), where this acid is generally ≤2%. A close resemblance between Torreya grandis and three of the Cephalotaxus species analyzed might be indicative of some phyletic relationship between the families Cephalotaxaceae and Taxaceae. 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the seed oils from C. drupaceae and P. andinus has shown that Δ5‐olefinic acids are apparently excluded from the internal position of triacylglycerols, which is a characteristic common to all Coniferales species analyzed so far, and consequently of great antiquity.

PCR-RFLP analysis of cpDNA in the genus Abies

We used PCR-RFLP analysis of the chloroplast DNA of the genus Abies (family Pinaceae), to determine if the method could be employed to detect inter-specific variation in this genus and to study how the variation was distributed in different regions of the genome. Ten different chloroplast DNA regions, consisting of coding and non-coding DNA sequences, were amplified with specific primers in ten different Abies taxa. The amplification products were digested with several restriction enzymes. The results showed that the chloroplast genome is highly variable in most of the investigated taxa and contains multiple variable regions that appear to be distributed throughout the whole genome. Species-diagnostic markers were found for four of the ten investigated species. Unexpectedly, intra-specific variation was also detected in four species. It is likely that further studies, including larger sample sizes and/or more powerful methods for the detection of chloroplast DNA variation, will reveal additional variation for this genus.

IS SPECIALIZATION A DEAD END? THE PHYLOGENY OF HOST USE IN DENDROCTONUS BARK BEETLES (SCOLYTIDAE).

Ecological explanations for the prevalence of resource specialists are abundant, whereas phylogenetic evidence on their origins is scarce. In this paper, we provide a molecular phylogenetic study of the 19 specialist or generalist species in the bark beetle genus Dendroctonus, which collectively attack species in four different genera in the conifer family Pinaceae. Given substantial variation in diet breadth, we asked two general questions concerning the evolution of resource use in this group. How conservative is the evolution of host use in these insects? Does specialization tend to be derived (i.e., a "dead end")? To answer these questions, we estimated the phylogeny of Dendroctonus using mitochondrial DNA sequences and mapped transitions in resource use on the resulting phylogeny estimate. The evolution of affiliations with Pinus and Picea hosts in Dendroctonus was conservative among beetle species (PTP test; P < 0.012), but there was no significant correspondence between the phylogeny of these beetles and the phylogeny among their Pinaceae hosts (among genera, P = 0.28; among Pinus species, P = 0.82). Degree of specialization, as measured in the proportion of hosts used, was bimodally distributed with "generalist" species utilizing < 60% of the congeneric hosts within their range and six specialist species utilizing < 40% of the available hosts. Among the generalists, we found a strong correlation between the number of hosts encountered and the number of hosts utilized (R = 0.97, P < 0.0001), whereas there was no significant correlation among the specialists (R = 0.27, P = 0.59). The evolution of specialization in Dendroctonus proved highly labile-specialists arose from generalists at least six separate times (without reversal) all in derived positions, and closer examination of some specialists revealed instances where they appear to have lost particular host species from their diet. However, evidence from the ecological literature also suggests that several Dendroctonus generalists may have increased their range of host genera within the Pinaceae.

Mycorrhizae of Landscape Trees Produced in Raised Beds and Containers

Mycorrhizal associations provide a linkage between tree roots and the soil, thereby contributing to the tolerance of trees to environmental stresses. Little, however, is known about the mycorrhizal status or dependency of many landscape trees. The objective of this study was to quantify mycorrhizal root colonization and spore formation on a diverse collection of ornamental tree species grown in raised beds or containers at an established tree farm in central Florida. In addition, root diameters were measured to determine if there was a relationship between this parameter and mycorrhizal formation. A total of 23 tree species were sampled; 9 were present both in containers and raised beds, 6 species were present in containers only, and 8 species were present as embedded plants only. The proportion of root length colonized by mycorrhizal fungi ranged from 0% to 83%. Mean arbuscular mycorrhizal spore numbers ranged from &lt;20 to nearly 500 spores 100 g~1 (3.5 oz~1). Mean root diameters ranged from &lt; 500 to &gt; 1,000 \im (0.0197 to 0.0394 in.). No relationship was found between root coarseness and mycorrhizal root colonization or sporulation. The majority of trees formed mycorrhizae of the arbuscular type. Five species in the family Pinaceae or Fagaceae had the potential to form ectomycorrhizae; however, they were poorly colonized. Future research should be directed toward understanding the importance of mycorrhizae to landscape trees, including effects on tree survival and growth and the effect of fertilizer and pesticide applications on mycorrhizal development.

Iron-rich particles in embryos of seeds from the family Pinaceae

Iron-rich particles, previously reported in seeds of members of the genus Pinus, were found in radicle-hypocotyl tissues of dry embryos from eight other genera in the family Pinaceae. Thus, these Fe-rich particles are of common occurrence in seeds of this conifer family. These particles were most difficult to locate inPseudolarix amabilis, which has green embryos. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis was used to determine the elements present in conifer Fe-rich particles and phytoferritin deposits in pea embryo axes. Ferich particles from all species studied contained mainly Fe and P but also contained considerable K and Mg. Abietoideae group I (genera Cedrus andAbies) had lower Fe ∶ P ratios compared to all the other combined subfamilies within the Pinaceae. Pea phytoferritin deposits contained markedly lower amounts of P relative to Fe based on peakto-background ratios and quantitative values calculated by using a ferric phosphate standard. We also found, for the first time, that pea phytoferritin contained considerable K. A strong similarity was found between the energy-dispersive X-ray analysis spectra from Ferich particles and portions of a laboratory-synthesized Fe, K, Mg phytate salt. Phytate is a common mineral-nutrient storage compound in seeds. The possibility of these Fe-rich particles being phytoferritin cannot be ruled out, but if they are phytoferritin, they have lower Fe ∶ P ratios than almost all other ferritins reported to date.

On the specific pattern of long chain polyprenols in green needles of Pinus mugo Turra.

In green needles of Pinus mugo the most abundant polyprenols occur as a mixture of prenologues in which the dominant alcohol is built of 16 isoprene units. The characteristic spectrum of polyprenols (prenol-15, -16 and -17) was the same irrespective of the location of plant and of distinct morphological differences observed in the various selected forms of this species. The constant pattern of the polyprenols spectrum was preserved throughout the 2-year life span of needles, although the level of polyprenols was increased 2-3-fold. The polyprenol pattern in Pinaceae family differs from species to species, thus it may serve as chemotaxonomic criterion within this systematic group.

Variation in stable carbon isotope discrimination among and within exotic conifer species grown in eastern Nebraska, USA

The study involved the measurement of stable-carbon isotope discrimination and specific leaf area on foliage of mature trees of 11 conifer species grown in a common-garden in eastern Nebraska, USA. Each species was represented by three to six trees from at least three populations. Carbon isotope discrimination differed significantly among species ( F = 31.41, P < 0.0001) and among populations within species ( F = 1.65, P < 0.035). Of the all species, members of the Pinaceae family ( Abies, Larix, Picea, Pinus, Pseudotsuga) had much higher discrimination (Δ = 18.87, SE = 0.08, n = 141) than species in the Cupressaceae family ( Juniperus) (Δ = 16.26, SE = 0.12, n = 18). A deciduous conifer, Larix (Δ = 19.09, SE = 0.20, n = 16), did not differ significantly from evergreen members of the Pinaceae family. Although specific leaf area differed among species ( F = 152.62, P < 0.0001), it was not correlated with discrimination ( r = 0.24, P > 0.14). Annual height growth, specific leaf area, and annual precipitation of seed sources were intercorrelated (0.60 ≤ r ≤ 0.67, P < 0.01). No correlation was significant between Δ and the precipitation or evapotranspiration of the seed sources. The results indicate that these species have different genetic structures and acclimation processes. Selecting for better adapted genotypes based on carbon isotope discrimination must be species specific.

Main Constituents of the Sesquiterpene Fraction of Polish Turpentine

ABSTRACT The sequiterpene fraction of turpentine oil is a by-product, produced during the production of wood-based panels from coniferous trees of Pinaceae family. GC and GC/MS analysis show that it is composed of over 80 compounds, the majority of which are sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. The main constituents identified in the sesquiterpene fraction were: α-muurolene (22%), longifolene (17.5%), γ-muurolene (6%) and δ-cadinene (5%).