Plant Taxa Research Articles

New Records of Seaweeds From The St. Martin’s Reef, Bangladesh. II.

Peyssonnelia conchicola Piccone and Grunow, Gymnothamnion elegans (Schousboe) J. Ag. (reds) and Spatoglossum schroederi (Mertens) Kütz. (brown) seaweeds as new records are described and reported here in the second part of studies in the St. Martin’s Reef. This along with the eight seaweeds (with six new records) recorded and described in the first part earlier, the total taxa now are 11 (eleven). Again, all the eight samples were collected in a single day light period. Through extensive studies including sub-littoral zones of the two tiny Reefs having crystal clear water is expected to yield many seaweed species, including new ones. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 30(2): 249-254, 2023 (December)

A New Species of Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae) from Western Yunnan, China

A new species of Lentibulariaceae, Pinguicula gongshanensis, is described and illustrated from western Yunnan, China. Morphologically, it is similar to Pinguicula alpina but differs from the latter by its corolla with 8–12 brown stripes on the tube and spur, yellow corolla lip, corolla tube with yellow pubescence inside, glandular pilose pedicel, and calyx. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 30(2): 171-174, 2023 (December)

Characteristics Citizen Participation National Ecosystem Survey Data

Citizen participation data has different characteristics from expert. Understanding the unique attributes of citizen participation data and considering the disparities between such data and that collected by experts is of paramount importance to harness citizen-generated data effectively. In this regard, location information was presented for five taxa of plants, insects, birds, amphibians, and mammals nationwide surveyed by citizens in 2022, excluding endangered species. Additionally, species information and administrative district information are included. It is anticipated that the integration of citizen participation survey results with expert research findings will enhance the efficacy of natural ecological monitoring. By directly collecting ecological data, which becomes the basic data for natural environment policy, opportunities for public participation in natural environment policy will be expanded, and through this, it will be possible to raise awareness of natural environment conservation.

Responses of Different Plant Taxonomic Groups to Complex Environmental Factors in Peri-Urban Wetlands

Wetland plants are essential for ecosystem functions. However, wetland plants in peri-urban areas have been affected by increased human interference. Hence, analyzing the drivers of plant diversity could be extremely useful for biodiversity conservation. The main objective was to investigate the response of plant diversity in wetlands (e.g., plant richness, plant abundance, and taxonomic distinctness) to the environment in peri-urban areas. The results show that the wetland area is the most important factor influencing plant diversity in peri-urban areas. Plant richness and abundance decreased significantly with a decreasing wetland area. The cultivated land decreased the abundance of native plants and indirectly promoted native plant growth and spread by increasing the total organic carbon content of the water. Forest encroachment on wetlands significantly reduced native plant abundance. The effects of soil pH, water body pH, soil organic matter, and slope on introduced species showed opposite trends to those on native plants. Introduced plants were significantly more adapted to the land use around the wetland than native plants. The green land and forest areas promoted the spread of introduced plants. Introduced plants were significantly less adapted to the physicochemical properties of the soil and water than native species. Humans, through agricultural cultivation, have caused introduced plants in cultivated lands to escape to wetlands, resulting in an increase in introduced species. The riparian zone length showed opposite effects for aquatic and terrestrial plants. Pollution from urbanization and agriculture both positively and negatively affects aquatic plants. The response of aquatic plants to nutrients in the water was better than their response to soil nutrients and the response of terrestrial plants to soil nutrients. Terrestrial plants can better withstand pollution from urbanization and agricultural activities, as well as the erosion of wetlands from forested and cultivated lands.

Do Poisonous Plants in Pastures Communicate Their Toxicity? Meta-Study and Evaluation of Poisoning Cases in Central Europe.

One of the possible roles of secondary plant metabolites, including toxins, is facilitating plant-animal communication. Lethal cases of pasture poisoning show that the message is not always successfully conveyed. As the focus of poisoning lies in the clinical aspects, the external circumstances of pasture poisoning are widely unknown. To document poisoning conditions in cattle, sheep, goats, and horses on pastures and to compile a checklist of plants involved in either poisoning or co-existence (zero poisoning), published case reports were evaluated as primary sources. The number of affected animal individuals was estimated within abundance classes from 0 to more than 100. The checklist of poisonous plants comprised 52 taxa. Of these, 13 taxa were deemed safe (no reference was found indicating poisoning), 11 taxa were associated with evidence-based zero poisoning (positive list), and 28 taxa were associated with poisoning (negative list). Nine plant taxa caused poisoning in more than 100 animal individuals. Zero poisoning accounted for 40% and poisoning accounted for 60% of a total of 85 cases. Poisoning was most often associated with a limited choice of feed (24.7%), followed by overgrazing (12.9%), seasonally scarce feed (10.6%), and co-ingestion of grass (4.7%). Hunger interferes with plant-animal co-existence, while zero poisoning improves it. In conclusion, poisonous plants in pastures may communicate their toxicity if the animals have enough alternative feed plants. An individual animal might utterly perceive the communication of toxicity by the plant species but be forced to ignore the message owing to a limited choice of feed options.

The low level of plastome differentiation observed in some lineages of Poales hinders molecular species identification.

Chloroplast genomes are a source of information successfully used in various fields of plant genetics, including molecular species identification. However, recent studies indicate an extremely low level of interspecific variability in the plastomes of some taxonomic groups of plants, including the genus Stipa L., which is a representative of the grass family. In this study we aimed to analyze the level of chloroplast genome diversity within particular genera as well as the effectiveness of identifying plant species in the Poaceae family and the other representatives of Poales order. Analysis of complete plastid genome alignments created for 96 genera comprising 793 species and 1707 specimens obtained from the GenBank database allowed defining and categorizing molecular diagnostic characters distinguishing the analyzed species from the other representatives of the genus. The results also demonstrate which species do not have any species-specific mutations, thereby they cannot be identified on the basis of differences between the complete chloroplast genomes. Our research showed a huge diversity of the analyzed species in terms of the number of molecular diagnostic characters and indicated which genera pose a particular challenge in terms of molecular species identification. The results show that a very low level of genetic diversity between plastomes is not uncommon in Poales. This is the first extensive research on super-barcoding that tests this method on a large data set and illustrates its effectiveness against the background of phylogenetic relationships.

Plant Resource Use and Pattern of Usage by the Naturalized Orchid Bee (Euglossa dilemma: Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Florida.

The Neotropical orchid bee Euglossa dilemma was found to be naturalized in southern Florida in 2003, and, by 2022, it had colonized the southern half of Florida. Observations of the bee's collection of plant resources, primarily flowers, were made from 2003 through to 2022 to document its plant usage and understand the patterns of its plant usage. The bee utilized 259 plant taxa, 237 species, and 22 horticultural forms, in 156 genera and 56 families in 263 total uses. Of 247 taxa of flowers, 120 were visited primarily for nectar, 46 for both nectar and pollen, 60 for pollen, including 42 buzz-pollinated flowers, 15 for fragrance chemicals for the males, and 5 for resin rewards by females for nesting. Fragrance chemicals were also collected by males from the leaves of 12 plant species. These extensive resource use data allowed the following predictions to be made. (1) The bee's presence in Florida, distant from its native region of Mexico and Central America and the geographical ranges of other orchid bees, would result the usage of many new taxa of plants. True, half, 74/148 (50%), of the genera and one third, 16/51(31%), of the plant families of the plants with flowers used by the bee were not previously recorded as being utilized by Euglossine bees. (2) Like other naturalized bees, it would use relatively more plants from its native range or congeners of these plants. True, 113/148 (76%) of genera with species bearing collected floral rewards are native or congeners with species native to the bee's native range. (3) Given the bee's long tongue, ability to buzz pollen from poricidal anthers, and ability to collect and use specialized rewards, it would disproportionately use plants with protected or highly specialized floral rewards. True, 180/247 (72%) utilized species bear rewards which were protected and unavailable to, or of no interest to, most other flower visitors.

Inventory of the urban flora of Budapest (Hungary) highlighting new and noteworthy floristic records.

The systematic urban floristic research of Budapest was started in 2018 by the authors with detailed methodology. One scope of the research was to gain knowledge on the plant taxa appearing in Budapest and to compile the inventory of the urban flora of Budapest. We have provided the inventory of the urban flora of Budapest, which includes distribution data for all 973 taxa found in Budapest between May 2018 and May 2023. We also provided new detailed occurrence data for 49 species in Budapest. Seven of them are new to the adventive flora of Hungary (Campanulaportenschlagiana Roem. & Schult., Clinopodiumnepeta (L.) Kuntze, Chasmanthiumlatifolium (Michx.) H.O.Yates, Cyrtomiumfortunei J.Sm., Linariamaroccana Hook.f., Talinumpaniculatum (Jacq.) Gaertn.), three were rediscovered in Hungary (Glebioniscoronaria (L.) Cass. ex Spach, Lagenariasiceraria (Molina) Standl., Sisymbriumirio L.) and 18 were recorded for the first time in Budapest. We also provided data for two data-poor (Artemisiascoparia Waldst. & Kit., Polygonumrurivagum Jord. ex Boreau) species and we documented the major expansion of six species.

New insights regarding the taxonomy and phylogeography of Onobrychis montana DC. subsp. transsilvanica (Fabaceae)

Onobrychis montana DC. Subsp. transsilvanica (Simonk.) Jáv. (Fabaceae) is a plant taxon, endemic to the South-Eastern Carpathians, whose taxonomic status is treated inconsistently by the classic taxonomy based on morphological traits. In a previous study, by sequencing several chloroplast DNA regions and AFLP genotyping, we tried to elucidate the controversy concerning its taxonomic status in relation to the more widespread O. montana DC., and determined its phylogeographic structure within the Carpathians. The present study, based on DNA fingerprinting by seven SSR markers, brings more insights on this problematic taxon by conferring higher resolution and sub-clustering previously identified phylogeographic groups. However, the newly SSR genetic data are in agreement with molecular evidence revealed by AFLP and chloroplastic SNPs and do not support O. montana DC. Subsp. transsilvanica (Simonk.) Jáv. As a distinct species from O. montana DC.

Stable carbon isotopes and stomatal frequency of Middle Jurassic ginkgophyte fossils from the Turpan basin, northwestern China: Implications for reconstructing paleo-CO2 changes

The Jurassic climate change has attracted a great deal of attention from geologists. However, the investigations on the correlation between carbon isotopes of plant fossils and high CO2 levels in the Mesozoic are scarce. In this study, 16 well-preserved fossilized Ginkgoites and Phoenicopsis leaves were selected from the Xishanyao Formation in the Turpan basin. Two chemical protocols were applied for the pretreatment of stable carbon isotopes: HCl reagent and HCl + HF reagents. The average δ13C values followed the two protocols were –22.8 ‰ and –22.9 ‰, respectively, indicating that HF reagent has no effect on the carbon isotopes of the ginkgophyte fossils. The difference between the δ13C values of Ginkgoites fossils and Phoenicopsis fossils is obvious, which is mainly caused by distinct carbon isotope fractionation between different plant taxa. However, both values show the same δ13C trend in the early Middle Jurassic, i.e., increasing and then decreasing with time. In addition, both stomatal index (SI) and stomatal ratio (SR) methods are used to reconstruct paleo-CO2 levels with average values of 2564 ppmv and 1245 ppmv, respectively, indicating that SR method is more reliable. There was weak correlation (R = 0.23) between δ13C and CO2 values in the early Middle Jurassic which may be due to low response of δ13C values of ginkgophyte fossils to CO2 changes. Therefore, our work emphasizes the caution on using stable carbon isotopes of ginkgophyte fossils to reconstruct high paleo-CO2 concentrations.

Environmental metagenetics unveil novel plant-pollinator interactions.

Honey bees are efficient pollinators of flowering plants, aiding in the plant reproductive cycle and acting as vehicles for evolutionary processes. Their role as agents of selection and drivers of gene flow is instrumental to the structure of plant populations, but historically, our understanding of their influence has been limited to predominantly insect-dispersed flowering species. Recent metagenetic work has provided evidence that honey bees also forage on pollen from anemophilous species, suggesting that their role as vectors for transmission of plant genetic material is not confined to groups designated as entomophilous, and leading us to ask: could honey bees act as dispersal agents for non-flowering plant taxa? Using an extensive pollen metabarcoding dataset from Canada, we discovered that honey bees may serve as dispersal agents for an array of sporophytes (Anchistea, Claytosmunda, Dryopteris, Osmunda, Osmundastrum, Equisetum) and bryophytes (Funaria, Orthotrichum, Sphagnum, Ulota). Our findings also suggest that honey bees may occasionally act as vectors for the dispersal of aquatic phototrophs, specifically Coccomyxa and Protosiphon, species of green algae. Our work has shed light on the broad resource-access patterns that guide plant-pollinator interactions and suggests that bees could act as vectors of gene flow, and potentially even agents of selection, across Plantae.

Acetolysis modifications to process small pollen samples swabbed from live bees

Abstract Understanding the resources bees use is essential because we depend greatly on their ecosystem services, and this information could help guide conservation efforts. One way to identify the flowers that bees visit is to collect pollen directly from the bee and then identify the pollen with plant taxa. However, the current method for processing such pollen samples, acetolysis, is designed for samples such as those collected across individuals (e.g., pollen trap), bee nests, or, at the very least, from pollen pellets collected from live bees or from the exhaustive removal of pollen from lethally collected individuals. Smaller samples, including those down to just a few pollen grains sampled from live bees, could facilitate additional opportunities for bee-pollen research, if they can be processed effectively. We present a revised acetolysis methodology designed specifically for processing small pollen samples, so that they can then be used for more accurate identification. Using pollen samples from cotton swabs directly applied to live bees in the field, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our methodology for processing small pollen samples, including samples too small to be visually detected. This methodology can permit nonlethal collections in the field from a greater number of bee species.

Aroma-based discrimination of Egyptian versus Indian guava fruits and in response to probiotics as analyzed via SPME/GC–MS and chemometric tools

Guava tree (Psidium guajava L., Myrtaceae) is an economic grown worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Guavas encompass numerous cultivars (cvs.) that were discriminated in previous studies based on leaf morphological features and profile of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Nevertheless, fruit VOCs have also shown outstanding potential for discrimination of other plant taxa, which has not been utilized in guava. Hence, the current study investigates the various guava cvs. harvested from India and Egypt. A total of 5 samples were analyzed by solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results led to the detection of 42 VOCs belonging to aldehydes, alcohols, esters, ketones, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, in addition to monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Butylated hydroxytoluene and β-caryophyllene were predominant reaching 77% and 41% in Egyptian and Indian guava, respectively. The impact of probiotic fermentation, i.e., Lactobacillus acidophilus and L. plantarum on aroma profile was not significantly different (p > 0.05). Multivariate data analyses were further applied for samples classification and markers determination, including principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). PCA score plot showed clear segregation of Egyptian from Indian specimens, whereas OPLS-DA revealed that β-caryophyllene was associated with white fruit versus 3-butenyl isothiocyanate and muurolol in red fruit type in the case of Indian guava. The richness of Egyptian guava in butylated hydroxytoluene in addition to the presence of vitamin C may potentiate its antioxidant activity, to be followed in subsequent studies regarding its health effects.

Evolution and Analysis of Caffeic Acid Transferase (COMT) in Seed Plants.

Caffeic acid transferase (COMT) is a key enzyme in the lignin and melatonin synthesis pathways and plays an important role in plant growth and development. All seed plants have two characteristics: they have vascular tissues, phloem, and xylem, and they can produce and reproduce seeds. In order to understand the distribution and evolution of COMTs in seed plants, we performed physicochemical property analysis, subcellular localization, phylogenetic analysis, conserved motif analysis, and protein interaction network analysis of 44 COMT homologs from 26 seed plants through in silico. The results showed that in seed plants, the structure of COMT genes tends to be stable in different plant taxa, while the relationship between the chromosomal positions of different COMT genes in the same plant was more intricate. The conserved distribution of COMT in seed plants reflected its highly specialized function.

Revealing the secrets of a 2900-year-old clay brick, discovering a time capsule of ancient DNA

The recent development of techniques to sequence ancient DNA has provided valuable insights into the civilisations that came before us. However, the full potential of these methods has yet to be realised. We extracted ancient DNA from a recently exposed fracture surface of a clay brick deriving from the palace of king Ashurnasirpal II (883–859 BCE) in Nimrud, Iraq. We detected 34 unique taxonomic groups of plants. With this research we have made the pioneering discovery that ancient DNA, effectively protected from contamination inside a mass of clay, can successfully be extracted from a 2900-year-old clay brick. We encourage future research into this subject, as the scientific prospects for this approach are substantial, potentially leading to a deeper understanding of ancient and lost civilisations.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Acacia nilotica and Coffea arabica Using Protein Sequences from the Chloroplast RBCL Gene

The genus Acacia is important economically to local communities in sub-Saharan Africa for its medicinal and beverage usage. The bark extract is used for making a coffee-like concoction, which is named by locals as ‘Wild coffee’ due to its brown color. The objective of this study was to compare the evolutionary analysis of A. nilotica and C. arabica -based amino acids sequence of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase. The results showed that A. nilotica and C. arabica are polyphyletic and the subspecies A. nilotica and A. n. hemispherica formed the sister group, same as the species C. arabica, C. salvatrix, and C. racemosa. The chloroplast-encoded rbcL gene, which encodes the large subunit of ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), is a valuable marker for investigating the evolutionary relationships between plant species. In this study, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis of two economically and ecologically significant plants, Acacia nilotica and Coffea arabica, using protein sequences derived from the chloroplast rbcL gene. A multiple sequence alignment of the rbcL protein sequences was performed, and a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed using the RAxML algorithm. The tree was rooted using a Thiotrichales bacterium as an outgroup sequence to establish the evolutionary context. Branch support values were calculated to assess the statistical robustness of the inferred relationships. The results of the phylogenetic analysis revealed the evolutionary relationship between Acacia nilotica and Coffea arabica within the context of other plant taxa. The phylogenetic tree provided insights into their shared ancestry, divergence time, and taxonomic placement within the larger plant kingdom. We identified conserved regions in the rbcL protein sequences, reflecting functional importance, as well as divergent regions, suggesting potential adaptive evolution. The significance of our study lies in understanding the evolutionary history and taxonomic position of these economically important plant species. This knowledge has implications for biodiversity conservation, crop improvement, and ecosystem management. The study also highlights the utility of the rbcL gene as a valuable tool for investigating plant phylogenetics. In conclusion, our phylogenetic analysis using the rbcL protein sequences provides valuable insights into the evolutionary relationship between Acacia nilotica and Coffea arabica. This research contributes to our understanding of plant evolution and has practical applications in various fields, from agriculture to conservation.

Planetary Knowledge Base: Semantic Transcription Using Graph Neural Networks

The Natural History Museum, London (NHM), in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), has embarked on a project to build the Planetary Knowledge Base (PKB), a comprehensive graph network comprising data on all specimens, collectors, and localities. In the initial prototype, we have concentrated on botanical specimens, using all plant taxa and specimens within the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), combined with geographic data from GeoNames and biographic data from WikiData, Bionomia, Harvard Index of Botany, TL2, and Tropicos. Development of the PKB is a huge undertaking—our first proof of concept has more than 100 million nodes. The primary application of this knowledge graph (KG) is powering the automated transcription of specimen labels. Using Graph Convolutional Neural Networks, textual information from labels can be aligned to the entities in the graph, creating structured semantic data from the raw text. Text is extracted from images using services from the AWS ecosystem, including Optical Character Recognition and Natural Language Processing to identify the units of information, creating a high-throughput auto-digitisation workflow for extracting structured data. The PKB graph network enables new ways to interrogate collections. It can help identify species that may require re-examination or re-identification due to taxonomic updates or inconsistencies. It can also flag potential discrepancies or conflicts in the data, such as cases where the same species is recorded under different names or classifications across various sources. Moreover, the PKB can detect possible errors and outliers in the knowledge graph and point out specimens that could represent new species misidentified within the collection. By cross-validating species with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, it can also assist in analysing species populations with insufficient data. The PKB is being developed as a cloud service, so researchers and other institutions can experiment with this transformative technology, using it to support their own digitisation efforts.

Evolution and diversification of CaM/CML gene family in green plants

Calmodulin (CaM) and calmodulin-like (CML) proteins are crucial Ca2+ sensors, which are widely involved in different biological processes of plants, including their growth and development, and stress responses. However, the origin and evolution of the CaM/CML gene family in plants remain elusive. In this study, 2133 CaM and 23094 CML genes were identified from the 1000 plants project (1 KP) species and the sequenced plants, covering algae, mosses, monilophytes, lycophytes, flowering plants, and all other green plant branches. Analysis showed that the size of the CML subfamily was correlated with the genome size of corresponding plant species, as well as the total gene number in the genome. Moreover, with the evolution from algae to angiosperms, the number of CML genes in plants increased gradually which could have been driven mainly by genome-wide segmental duplication events, while the number of CaMs remained basically stable at 2–3. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that CaM first appeared in green algae, while CML appeared earlier and has already been presented in dinoflagellates. Further analysis showed that the number and sequence of EF-hand domain in CaMs are highly conserved, while those of CMLs are diverse among different plant taxa. Expression analysis revealed that the expression level of CaMs was generally higher than that of CMLs, indicating that the high-expression genes have essential functions, while the low-expression genes are the main reasons for the functional diversity of the CaM/CML gene family in plants. The results might contribute to understanding the evolution of CaM/CML genes as well as their molecular functions.

Dung beetle fauna from Mount Mabu. Part 2: Pedaria ricardogutai (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), a new species, with an annotated checklist of species of Pedaria Laporte, 1832 from Mozambique.

Mabu Forest in northern-central Mozambique harbours the largest continuous block of rainforest remaining in southern Africa. Also, the region is known for its exceptional levels of biodiversity, including a high level of endemism. Several new taxa of plants and animals have been discovered from previous biological expeditions. Last year, we conducted the first dung beetle exploration in the regionwhere almost half of the dung beetle species collected are new to science. In this paper, we describe, diagnose and illustrate Pedaria ricardogutai Daniel, Strmpher & Josso, new species. We compared the new species to the most morphologically similar species, Pedaria sudrei Josso & Prvost, 2003. We also provide an annotated checklist of 17 species of Pedaria Laporte, 1832, recorded from Mozambique, including type localities and distribution records.

The Importance of Plants Belonging to Asteraceae Family as a Pollen Source in Beekeeping

In beekeeping, flowering plants grown in flora are important in terms of nectar and pollen. These plants are the only basic food sources for honey bees. This research was carried out in an area of approximately 2000 ha in Ordu, Altınordu District, and Dedeli Locality to identify the existing taxa and pollen sources in the flora. Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) is grown intensively in the study area. Along with hazelnut gardens, there are also forest areas consisting of several decares. Plant taxa were identified during the flowering period in March, April, and May the growing period and flight activity time of honeybees. Additionally, 200 samples were collected from the pollen pellets of three bee colonies placed in the area between 07.00 am and 03.00 pm, one day a week for three months. As a result of a two-year study, 156 taxa belonging to the Asteraceae family were identified. Considering the number of taxa (with five taxa) and pollen pellet density (16.53%), it was observed that the taxa belonging to Asteraceae family were preferred more than other taxa. Taraxacum officinale W., Bellis perennis L., Doronicum spp. B., Sonchus asper L., and Calendula arvensis L. have been found to be important by honey bees as a source of pollen for the Asteraceae family. Thus, it has been determined that honey bees do not prefer every taxa equally in the flora as a source of pollen.