Short Pedicels Research Articles

Wicklowia submersa sp. nov. (Wicklowiaceae, Pleosporales), a second species in a monotypic family

A new freshwater ascomycetous species, Wicklowia submersa was found on submerged wood in a freshwater stream in Krabi Province in southern Thailand. This is a second species in a monotypic family. Morphological examination and phylogenetic analysis of LSU and SSU sequence data support this new species as belonging to Wicklowia in the family Wicklowiaceae (Pleosporales). Wicklowia submersa possesses ascomata that are immersed, erumpent when mature, raised and visible as dark oval or slit-like structures on host surface. The bitunicate asci have well-developed ocular chambers when immature with a short pedicel. Ascospores are ellipsoidal-oblong, asymmetrical, 1-septate, guttulate when immature, hyaline, with a distinctly mucilaginous sheath. The characteristics of the asci, and ascospores which lack both apical and basal appendages distinguish it from the type species W. aquatic. A description, illustration and comparison of the new species is provided. The risk of introducing monotypic families is discussed.

First Report of Dodder (Cuscuta europaea) Parasitizing Another Dodder Species (C. lupuliformis) in Poland

Plant epiparasitism (hyperparasitism, secondary parasitism) is a known phenomenon in hemiparasitic mistletoe-like species of the Santalales (families Viscaceae, rarely Santalaceae and Eremolepiaceae), and vines of the genus Cassytha (Calvin and Wilson 2009). Dodder epiparasitism was recently reported when Cuscuta epithymoides was described parasitizing six hemiparasite plant species (Piwowarczyk et al. 2018). Our field surveys of the flora of the Widawa river valley (51°07′47″N, 17°07′45″E, Lower Silesia, southwest Poland), conducted in 2018, revealed the presence of two coexisting dodder populations, C. europaea and C. lupuliformis, covering the area of 900 m². Both analyzed dodder species are holoparasites devoid of roots and leaves and are characterized by following morphological traits. C. europaea is characterized by (i) stems 0.7 to 1 mm thick, up to 1 (1.4) m long, yellowish, reddish to purple, (ii) inflorescences lateral, compact, spherical, 7 to 10 mm long, with (3) 7 to 10 (18) flowers, (iii) flowers sessile, white to pinkish, 2.5 to 3 mm long, tetra (31%) or pentamerous, with two styles, stigma divergent, anthers hidden inside corolla, (iv) capsule globose, 1.4 to 2.4 mm long, with two to four seeds. C. lupuliformis is characterized by (i) stems 1.5 to 3.4 mm thick, up to 1.4 (1.8) m long, rust-green, yellowish to reddish, with protruding groups of purple-colored cells around stomata, (ii) inflorescences lateral, loose, racemose-spicate, up to 10 (12) cm long, with (5) 10 to 15 (22) small spikes composed of two to six flowers, (iii) flowers sessile to short pedicellate, white to pink, 3.5 to 5 mm long, pentamerous, with one style, stigma oval, anthers sessile, hidden, (iv) capsule conical, 4 to 7.4 mm long, with two seeds. The total genomic DNA of both species was extracted, and the internal transcribed spacer region was amplified and sequenced, using the ITS7A (Aguilar et al. 1999) and ITS4 (White et al. 1990) primers. The obtained sequences showed the highest similarity to C. europaea (99 to 100%, nearest: AY554401) and C. lupuliformis (96 to 99%, KU707914). The 614- and 604-bp sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession nos. MH973641 and MH973642, respectively). Anatomical analysis, utilizing a standard protocol for paraffin sectioning, confirmed the parasitic relationship between both holoparasites. Haustoria of C. europaea, penetrating stems of C. lupuliformis and connecting to its vascular tissues, were typically developed (Yoshida et al. 2016). We also observed autoparasitism in both taxa. Dodders are multihost obligate holoparasites, which suggests that their infesting mechanism is universal and adjustable to a particular host. As shown by our study, Cuscuta spp. can be also the host for other dodder species. This points to the lack of cellular and behavioral defense mechanisms protecting against attack of other dodders. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on dodder-dodder epiparasitism. Dodder species have dissimilar host and habitat requirements, accounting for their spatial isolation and the rarity of interactions. Habitats of the populations studied here partially overlap in river valleys, enabling occasional epiparasitism. In general, the parasites are more strongly affected by epiparasites than the autotrophs (Heide-Jorgensen 2008). Accordingly, C. lupuliformis is more severely affected than autotrophic hosts, and its stems dry out when parasitized by C. europaea. The dodder-dodder epiparasitism seems to be unprofitable for both species, the host and the parasite.

Revision and Morphological Phylogeny of Ephedranthus, a Neotropical Genus of Annonaceae

Ephedranthus S. Moore is a Neotropical genus of Annonaceae distributed from Colombia and the Guianas to Bolivia and southeastern Brazil, comprised of seven species: E. amazonicus R. E. Fr., E. boliviensis Chatrou & Pirie, E. colombianus Maas & Setten, E. dimerus J. C. Lopes, Chatrou & Mello-Silva, E. guianensis R. E. Fr., E. parviflorus S. Moore, and E. pisocarpus R. E. Fr. The genus is recognized by the combination of leaves with impressed adaxial veins, short pedicels, two to five bracts, androdioecy (i.e., some plants with only staminate flowers, other plants with only bisexual flowers), and 1-seeded monocarps. This revision updates the knowledge about the genus, providing a morphological phylogenetic analysis of Ephedranthus species, with a key, descriptions, distribution maps, and illustrations of the diagnostic characters of the species. The phylogenetic analysis shows Ephedranthus defined by having staminate flowers and basal placentation, and the seven species related as ((E. colombianus, E. boliviensis) ((E. guianensis, E. amazonicus) (E. dimerus (E. parviflorus, E. pisocarpus)))); based on this, the current subdivision of Ephedranthus is not monophyletic, and the sections are here synonymized.

Polyalthia khaoyaiensis (Annonaceae), a new species from Thailand

A new species, Polyalthia khaoyaiensis, is proposed based on materials from central Thailand. The species appears most similar to Polyalthia meghalayensis and Polyalthia evecta, differing from these taxa in having shorter pedicels and usually two (rather than one) ovules per carpel. From P. meghalayensis it differs further in absence of a claw from the inner petals. The new species is described and illustrated. The conservation status of the species is considered and it is given an assessment of Least Concern (LC), as it is locally common in the hill evergreen forest of Khao Yai National Park.

A marattialean fern, Scolecopteris libera n. sp., from the Asselian (Permian) of Inner Mongolia, China

Scolecopteris libera n. sp. is established on partial three-dimensionally preserved materials containing both sterile and fertile fronds collected from the volcanic tuff at the top of the Taiyuan Formation at the Wuda Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, China. It is characterized by tripinnate fronds with rachises over 200mm in diameter; and long lanceolate or falciform pinnules with thick veins. Pinnules are of the pecopterid-type, with those at the base of the ultimate pinnae usually divided into small lobes. Eight to twelve circular synangia are arranged in two rows along the midvein. Synangia are borne on a short pedicel attached to the middle of lateral veins. A synangium is composed of 7–10 fusiform exannulate sporangia with pointed apices. The sporangia are free among each other beyond the base of synangia. In situ microspores of the Cyclogranisporites leopoldii type differ from all other in situ Paleozoic marattialean spores.

A narrowly endemic new species of Calliandra series Racemosae (Fabaceae) from Sinaloa, Mexico

Calliandra estebanensis, a new species of Fabaceae, mimosoid, from a remote locality of Sinaloa, Mexico, is here described and illustrated. The new species is probably closely related to C. grandiflora, an extremely common species frequently found in oak, pine and pine-oak forests, from northwestern Mexico, in Durango, Sinaloa and Sonora, to Honduras and El Salvador. The new species is distinguished from C. grandiflora by its flowers with longer peduncles, shorter pedicels, and larger calyces and corollas, and by the much denser white-sericeous vestiture covering all reproductive structures. Excluding the longer pedicels, C. grandiflora has smaller flower parts, which are covered with a finer vestiture of shorter, variably-colored trichomes.

Comparison of the change in quality indices during distribution period by import season in three grape cultivars

As a result of analyzing the quality of imported grapes during the 2018 season, the hardness of the grape berry was found to be 10 N or less in total. In the case of Chilean grapes, the soluble solids tended to be lower as imports and distribution periods were delayed. The berry weight was the largest at 14.4 - 14.8 g for the 'Red Globe', 7.1 - 7.4 g for the 'Thompson Seedless' and 6.0 - 7.0 g for the 'Crimson Seedless'. The 'Crimson Seedless' grapes imported from Chile, which had a high berry shatter rate, had a shorter pedicel length, pad width and brush length than that of the other 2 varieties. Regardless of the grape varieties, the weight loss during the distribution at room temperature ( $25^{\circ}C$ ) increased rapidly as the import season was delayed. Additionally, it was found that the later the distribution seasons, a higher stem browning index was observed regardless of the variety. The 'Thompson Seedless' was revealed to be more susceptible to browning than that of the other varieties. The shrinkage of the stem and the pedicel browning progressed within a short time during shelf-life as the distribution time was delayed. The incidence of berry decay of the imported grapes tended to increase with the progression of the distribution period. In the fruits distributed on April, except for the 'Crimson Seedless', the grapes were rapidly corrupted in the second half of the distribution. The 'Red Globe' grapes completely lost marketability due to a berry decay of 26.1% and 69.9% at 9 and 12 days after shelf-life, respectively.

Neoastrosphaeriella aquatica sp. nov. (Aigialaceae), a new species from freshwater habitat in southern Thailand

Neoastrosphaeriella aquatica (Aigialaceae, Dothideomycetes) is a new species isolated from submerged wood in freshwater habitats in southern Thailand. The species is characterized by black, carbonaceous, semi-immersed ascomata, bitunicate, fissitunicate, cylindric-clavate or obclavate, short pedicellate asci and fusiform, hyaline to grayish brown, ascospores tapering to pointed apices, and surrounded by thin, distinct sheaths. Neoastrosphaeriella aquatica can be distinguished from other species of Neoastrosphaeriella by its large, hyaline to grayish brown, guttulate ascospores. Phylogenetic analysis of a combined sequence dataset of the ITS, LSU, SSU and TEF1-α indicates that it is closely related to N. krabiensis and N. sribooniensis, but N. aquatica has sufficient nucleotide differences to be recognized as a new species.

A new species and new record of Lophiotrema (Lophiotremataceae, Dothideomycetes) from karst landforms in southwest China

During fungal diversity studies on ascomycetes from karst landforms in southwest China, two taxa were collected and morphologically identified as Lophiotrema species based on their immersed ascomata, crest-like ostioles, cylindrical, short pedicellate asci and fusiform ascospores. Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses based on a combined LSU-TEF1-α-SSU-ITS-RPB2 sequence data also confirmed their phylogenetic placement within the family Lophiotremataceae, where they clustered with reported Lophiotrema species with strong statistical support. Lophiotrema hydei sp. nov. is introduced and the species forms a distinct lineage which is sister to L. neohysterioides. Morphologically, Lophiotrema hydei differs from L. neohysterioides by its unique appearance of ascomata and different ascospore ornamentation. Another species is identified as L. neohysterioides based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic data, and it is reported as the new record from China.

A New Quararibea (Malvaceae) from the Caribbean Lowlands of Costa Rica

We describe and illustrate a new species of Quararibea Aubl. from Costa Rica. Quararibea reflexipetala Cascante, J. Sanchez-Gonz. & W. S. Alverson is distinguished by its pleated petals with strongly reflexed and coiled apices. Quararibea pendula W. S. Alverson also has pleated petals, which are spreading or somewhat reflexed, but its petal apices are not coiled and its flowers are borne on very long, pendulous pedicels (vs. the short pedicels of Q. reflexipetala). This new species seems to be restricted to the Rio Bananito watershed of the Caribbean slopes in the eastern part of Costa Rica.

Phylogeny and taxonomy of Habenaria leprieurii, H. alpestris and H. sect. Microdactylae (Orchidaceae), with descriptions of two new taxa

Habenaria leprieurii and H. alpestris both have histories of misleading and conflicting taxonomic identifications. We investigated the taxonomy, phylogenetic relationships, and sectional classification of those and related species. Examinations of type specimens and large numbers of additional live and herborized samples revealed that H. schwackei, H. amazonica, and H. platydactyla are conspecific with H. leprieurii and are characterized by having a white corolla and a long pedicel. The species previously treated as H. leprieurii, is H. cruegerii, of which H. culmiformis is a synonym and are characterized by the green flowers, short pedicel and the straight ovary, parallel to the inflorescence axis, curved only in the apex. A species from central-western Brazil, previously treated as H. alpestris, corresponds to a new species, described here as H. omissa, while H. alpestris is conspecific with H. melanopoda. We propose a new circumscription for H. sect. microdactylae, including H. leprieurii, H. heptadactyla, H. cruegerii, and the newly described H. omissa and H. cruegeri var. flaviflora—which now form a morphologically homogeneous section. An identification key, plus descriptions, notes, illustrations, and lists of specimens for each species are presented.

A reassessment of the Renealmia chrysotricha (Zingiberaceae) species complex based on morphological evidence and nomenclatural notes

Based on field observations of several natural populations of Renealmia chrysotricha (Zingiberaceae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and comparison with other specimens in different herbarium collections, the morphological circumscription of this species was broadened with the inclusions of Alpinia humilis, R. angustifolia, R. brasiliensis, R. longipes, R. petasites, and R. reticulata as synonyms. The expanded analysis of the morphological characteristics, such as the presence of sessile leaves, reticulation patterns of its leaf-sheaths, flowers with short pedicels, and membranous bracts, suggest that these species share the same characteristics used to circumscribe them.

A new species of Palaeocarya (Juglandaceae) from the Ningming Basin in Guangxi, South China

A new species of fossil winged fruits of Palaeocarya (Juglandaceae) is recognized from the Oligocene Ningming Formation in Guangxi, South China. The fruits of Palaeocarya huashanensis sp. nov. consist of a trilobate wing with an oblong median lobe, pinnate and eucamptodromous lobe venation, a hispid nutlet, and a very short pedicel. This new species, along with other four species reported previously from the same locality, represents the Oligocene Palaeocarya occurrence in the lowest latitude and provides additional evidence of diversity of Juglandaceae in the Paleogene in South China, and new data for the investigation of the origin and evolution of the tribe Engelhardieae.

Drosanthemum decumbens (Aizoaceae), a New Status for an Obligatory Cremnophyte from the Western Cape, South Africa

An obligatory cremnophyte, Delosperma expersum var. decumbens is transferred to the genus Drosanthemum and raised to species level. Drosanthemum decumbens grows on upper quartzitic sandstone cliff faces of the Table Mountain Group (Cape Supergroup) in the Ceres and Worcester region of the Western Cape, South Africa. It differs from Drosanthemum expersum by its re-sprouting lignotuber, procumbent to pendent stems, shorter pedicels 10–15 (–35) mm long, and fruiting capsules turning reddish before drying.

Morosphaeria muthupetensis sp. nov. (Morosphaeriaceae) from India: morphological characterization and multigene phylogenetic inference

Abstract A novel species of Morosphaeria, Morosphaeria muthupetensis, saprobic on intertidal mangrove wood of Rhizophora mucronata from Muthupet mangroves on Kaveri River Delta, Tamil Nadu along the East coast of India, is described in this paper. Morosphaeria muthupetensis is characterized by large sub-globose to lenticular ascomata; long cylindrical to clavate, short pedicellate asci; small, fusiform to ellipsoidal ascospores with acute ends when compared to other Morosphaeria species. A multigene phylogeny obtained from a combined nuclear large subunit, small subunit, internal transcribed spacers rDNA and translation elongation factor 1-alpha sequence analysis revealed that M. muthupetensis is phylogenetically distinct and nested in between Morosphaeria velatispora and Morosphaeria ramunculicola and all these species constitute a strongly supported monophyletic clade sister to the genus Helicascus. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of M. muthupetensis are presented and compared with other Morosphaeria species.

A new species of Eugenia (Myrtaceae) from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

A new species of Eugenia from Atlantic forest of Rio de Janeiro State is described, illustrated, and discussed. Eugenia circumdata is characterized by its inflorescences with tomentose, brown-yellowish indumentum, bracteoles orbiculate or obovate, concave, surrounding the flower bud, and deciduous at anthesis. Eugenia circumdata is most similar to Eugenia myrobalana, from which it differs mainly by its smaller leaf blades, axillary inflorescences, and shorter pedicels. Moreover, the species described here is known only from collections in Reserva Biológica União, in the municipality of Rio das Ostras. Data on its conservation status are presented.

A new species of Chrysophyllum (Sapotaceae) from the Brazilian Atlantic forest

The new species Chrysophyllum pubipetalum from the Brazilian Atlantic forest of Espírito Santo state is described and illustrated. This new species is characterized by the presence of trichomes on both surfaces of the corolla (a character unique in the genus), channeled petioles, a relatively short pedicel length, and various characters of the fruits and seeds. A distribution map and a table distinguishing the new species from morphologically similar species are also included. As based on IUCN criteria, the species is considered critically endangered.

Lectotypification of the name Gleadovia ruborum Gamble & Prain (Orobanchaceae)

The genus Gleadovia was described by J.S Gamble and D. Prain (1900: 488) including a single species, G. ruborum Gamble & Prain (1900: 489) on the base of plants collected in 1898 from Bodyar, Jauansar in N.W. Himalaya. The genus is represented now by 3 species distributed in India and China. These species are: G. ruborum Gamble & Prain (India and China), G. mupinense Hu (1939: 2) (China) and G. banerjiana Deb (1956: 799) (India). G. ruborum is characterized by ovate or oblong leaves, 3- to several pedicelate flowers clustered at stem apex, obovate bract, spatulate-oblanceolate bracteoles, a tubular-campanulate calyx funnelform upward, much shorter than corolla, to 1.8 cm in diam., comparatively shorter pedicel, to 2.5 cm long and by corolla glabrous abaxially, villous adaxially (J.S. Gamble 26949-K! (K000999865, K000999866); CAL! (Acc. No. 329959)), whereas G. mupinense is characterized by oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate leaves, 3- to several pedicelate flowers borne on upper part of stem, oblong-lanceolate bract, linear-lanceolate bracteoles, a tubular calyx slightly enlarged upward, much shorter than corolla, to 1.2 cm in diam., longer pedicel, to 9 cm long and by densely villous corolla lobes on both sides (T.T. Yu 2189-PE! (PE - 1643589-00032337)), while G. banerjiana is characterized by lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, spatulate leaves, 1–3 subsessile, ebracteate, ebraceolate flower(s) borne at the stem apex, a spathaceous calyx more or less equal to corolla, to 4.5 cm in diam. and densely hairy corolla lobes inside (D.B. Deb 2247A-CAL! (Acc. No. 329964)). When Gamble and Prain (1900) described G. ruborum, they mentioned in the protolouge the collections of J.S. Gamble, F. Gleadow, J.F. Duthie and Duthie’s collectors collected in 1898 from Bodyar, Jaunsar in N.W. Himalaya. Thus the cited authentic collections consist of several elements collected by different collectors. Therefore it warrants the typification under Art. 9.5 of the International Code of Nomenclature (McNeill et al. 2012). Hence a lectotype is designated here from the original collections.

Sciaphila sugimotoi (Triuridaceae), a new mycoheterotrophic plant from Ishigaki Island, Japan

A new species of Sciaphila (Triuridaceae), S. sugimotoi Suetsugu & T. Nishioka, is described and illustrated from Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The new species is similar to S. arfakiana in having a stipitate globose to ellipsoid knob without hairs in apices of all male perianth segments. However, it is clearly distinguishable by its shorter pedicel, filament-connective not extended and thick stem. A key to the Japanese Sciaphila based on the whole flower characteristics and stylar characteristics, are provided for easy identification of these rare mycoheterotrophic plants.

A new diminutive euphyllophyte from the Middle Devonian of West Junggar, Xinjiang, China and its evolutionary implications

Xu, H.-H., Wang, Y., Tang, P. & Wang, Y., May 2017. A new diminutive euphyllophyte from the Middle Devonian of West Junggar, Xinjiang, China and its evolutionary implications. Alcheringa 41, 524–531. ISSN 0311-5518.A diminutive euphyllophyte, Douaphyton levigata gen. et sp. nov., is described from the upper Middle Devonian (Givetian) Hujiersite Formation of West Junggar, Xinjiang, China. The plant consists of more than three orders of axis branching, each axis being less than 2 mm wide. The second-order axes are short, laterally and alternately attached to the main axis. The third-order axes are paired and anisotomously divided, bearing the vegetative appendages or the fertile units. The fertile unit consists of a short recurved axis giving off up to four short pedicels along one side, each of which bears one to four pairs of terminal sporangia. Douaphyton has a three-dimensional branching system that has an intermediate form in the evolutionary context of euphyllophytes and lignophytes. It is also proposed that complex branching developed in multiple groups in the Middle Devonian.*Hong-He Xu [hhxu@nigpas.ac.cn], Yao Wang [yaowang@nigpas.ac.cn], Peng Tang [pengtang@nigpas.ac.cn], Yi Wang [yiwang@nigpas.ac.cn] State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210,008, PR China. Yao Wang [yaowang@nigpas.ac.cn] University of Science and Technology of China. 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230,026, PR China.