Lauraceae Species Research Articles

Complete plastid genome sequences of three tropical Alseodaphne trees in the family Lauraceae

Abstract Alseodaphne is a genus of timber trees (ca. 40 spp.) belonging to the Persea group of the Lauraceae. It is widely distributed in tropical Asia, but is often confused with Dehaasia and Nothaphoebe, and the systematics of the genus is unclear. Here, the complete chloroplast genome sequences of A. semecarpifolia will be reported, the type species of Alseodaphne, and two China-endemic species, A. gracilis and A. huanglianshanensis. The three plastomes were 153 051 bp, 153 099 bp and 153 070 bp, respectively. Comparative genomic analyses indicate that the three Alseodaphne plastomes have similar genome size and those are very different with previously published plastomes of Lauraceae in length. The length difference is directly caused by inverted repeats expansion/contraction. Four highly variable loci including psbD-trnM, ndhF-rpl32, rpl32-trnL and ycf1 among the three Alseodaphne species were identified as useful plastid candidate barcodes for Alseodaphne and Lauraceae species. Phylogenetic analyses based on 12 complete plastomes of Lauraceae species confirm a monophyletic Persea group comprising species of Alseodaphne, Phoebe, Persea and Machilus.

New butyrolactone and other metabolites from the bark of Endlicheria arenosa against of the phytopathogen Colletotrichum tamarilloi

In this work, screening of Lauraceae species for their antifungal activity against Collectotrichum tamarilloi was carried out and the ethanol extract derived from the bark of Endlicheria arenosa was found to be the best candidate. From the ethanolic extract of the bark of E. arenosa, the hexane and chloroform fractions were found to be active, from these five fatty acids were identified and two lactones were isolated. The most active fatty acid was the dodecanoic acid with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 78.0 μM. The butyrolactone 3R,4R-licunolide A, it has not previously reported, and licunolide B show both the lowest MIC (55.3 μM). This is the first report of compounds of natural origin as growth inhibitors of C. tamarilloi.

A new species of Cinnamomum and notes on the status of C. palghatensis in Western Ghats, India

Cinnamomum gamblei, a new species of Lauraceae is described from Western Ghats, India. The new species resembles C. macrocarpum by having large fruit, but is easily recognized by its habit, leaf morphology, shape and size of tepals and 4-locellate stamens in whorl III. A detailed description along with images, distribution details, comparison with related species and other relevant notes are provided for its easy identification. The status of C. palghatensis is also discussed here.

Resource tracking and its conservation implications for an obligate frugivore (Procnias tricarunculatus, the three‐wattled bellbird)

AbstractIn Monteverde, Costa Rica, the vulnerable Three‐wattled Bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus) feeds primarily upon the fruit of Lauraceae species during its reproductive and post‐reproductive seasons. To understand and advance appropriate conservation measures, this study identified the bellbird's foraging challenges in its search for a temporally and spatially fluctuating resource. Although there are at least 96 species of Lauraceae found in the five life zones of Monteverde, the distinct distributions of tree species both among and within life zones require the bellbirds to track seasonal fruiting across the various zones. In this 6‐year study, we monitored the fruiting of tree species and bellbird abundance in 24 study plots within its post‐reproductive life zone, the Premontane Wet forest, to identify preferred bellbird food resources and how the fruiting of these species drives the spatial distribution of the bellbird. Our research revealed phenological patterns of annual, biennial, and triennial fruiting with high levels of fruiting synchrony within several identified key fruit species. Of critical conservation importance is that no single species of Lauraceae produced a consistent food supply for bellbirds each year. Therefore, even within life zones, the bellbird's survival depends on its mobility to search for and obtain fruit, as well as the availability of fruits of multiple tree species. The conservation implications include focused attention on multiple core areas within given life zones, protection of existing forest and remnant trees, and forest restoration with plantings of multiple tree species. We suspect that other tropical frugivorous species face similar conservation challenges.

Caracterização anatômica macroscópica do lenho de árvores de espécies de canela, Ocotea e Nectandra (Lauraceae) ocorrentes no estado de Santa Catarina

As árvores conhecidas popularmente por “canela”, pertencentes aos gêneros Ocotea e Nectandra (Lauraceae), são de difícil separação tanto em nível de gênero como de espécie, pela anatomia do seu lenho. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo descrever os caracteres anatômicos macroscópicos e organolépticos do lenho e sua aplicação na identificação dos gêneros e das espécies desta família. Foram coletados discos do lenho à altura do peito (1,30 m) do tronco das árvores de Nectandra megapotamica, N. lanceolata, Ocotea porosa, O. puberula, O. pulchella e Ocotea sp. ocorrentes em quatro municípios do interior do estado de Santa Catarina. As características anatômicas macroscópicas e organolépticas do lenho foram descritas de acordo com as normas usuais para estudos em anatomia da madeira, cujos resultados indicam a possibilidade de separação de Nectandra e de Ocotea tais como visibilidade do parênquima axial, arranjo diagonal dos vasos, cor e cheiro do lenho. Apresenta-se, ainda, uma chave dicotômica que permite a separação das árvores das espécies de Lauráceas estudadas. No trabalho, conclui-se que as seis espécies analisadas podem ser identificadas pela estrutura anatômica observada macroscopicamente e propriedades organolépticas do seu lenho, não sendo encontrados, no entanto, caracteres que propiciem a distinção dos gêneros Ocotea e Nectandra entre si.

ANÁLISIS MORFOANATOMÍCO FOLIAR EN GRUPOS HORTÍCOLAS DE AGUACATE (Persea americana) DEPOSITADOS EN LA COLECCIÓN DEL INIA-CENIAP, VENEZUELA

<p>The avocado (<em>Persea americana</em> Mill.) is the most important species of Lauraceae in America due to its exploitation as food for pre-Columbian and modern cultures. It is a very important seasonal crop in Venezuela based on a perennial fruit tree management. From a selection of 76 accessions (45 cultivars) of avocados cultivated at the Germplasm Bank of INIA-CENIAP, a morphoanatomical analysis was performed to identify attributes of taxonomic resolution (diagnostic characters) which allow to characterize sets and / or <em>culta</em>. Morphological study was carried out from each accession herborized sample. Information was obtained by freehand transverse leaf sections (epidermis, mesophyll and midvein) as well as paradermic preparations, and observed data was recorded in DELTA System. New morphoanatomical characters and discriminating attributes between cultivars were identified and described, especially to discriminate the Mexican group, and a close relationship within West Indian and Guatemalan cultivars was observed due to the variability identified from the latter group. Indument- related attributes were highly informative to discriminate among cultivars, along with the outline, apical angle and projections at the base of the leaf blades, stem cross section and presence of anise odor, progress and joining of the secondary nerve branches, tertiary venation pattern, abaxial contour and thickness of the sclerenchymatous sheath and compaction of the phloem in the vascular bundle, adaxial contour of the median nerve, and thickness, outline and uniformity of the anticlinal walls of adaxial and abaxial epidermal cells. </p>

Three new species of Lauraceae from the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil

Three South-American new species belonging to Cinnamomum, Mezilaurus, and Williamodendron, are described and illustrated from specimens collected in the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil. The new species are Cinnamomum baitelloanum, Mezilaurus sessiliflora, and Williamodendron itamarajuensis. Their putative relationships within the respective genus are discussed.

Tree diversity and elevational gradient: The case of Lauraceae in the Atlantic Rainforest

Lauraceae have an ancient evolutionary history and wide distribution, providing a great model for studies of the biogeographical distribution patterns of plant species. The effects of elevational variation on plant diversity in tropical forests have been the subject of many studies. We investigated the following question: How does the Lauraceae family contribute to the diversity of the tree community in the Atlantic Rainforest, along an elevational gradient? Data from 15 floristic surveys (plots of one ha) were analyzed, comparing the variation in the patterns of Lauraceae richness to the richness of the whole tree community. The similarity relations of the plots were analyzed based on Lauraceae species, and the distribution patterns of the family were tested through null distribution models of the species. The surveys recorded 22,895 live individual trees in total, distributed among 859 species belonging to 70 families. Lauraceae contributed 4.3% of the total abundance and presented the third highest species richness (6.4% of the total). In general, Lauraceae diversity was highest in the Montane region and their composition changed along the elevational gradient, presenting four elevational belts. The Lauraceae diversity has a strong positive relationship with abundance. We found an exponential positive correlation between elevation and the richness of the family, differing from the tree community pattern. The results showed a new pattern of species variation along elevational gradients for the tree component in the Tropical Forest. Thus, we suggest that patterns of diversity variation in tree communities should be analyzed separately among the richest families.

Nova espécie de Lauraceae da Floresta Ombrófila Densa Alto Montana, Serra da Mantiqueira, Pindamonhangaba, SP, Brasil

Resumo Uma nova espécie de Lauraceae é descrita para a região sudeste do Brasil, estado de São Paulo, município de Pindamonhangaba. Ocotea mantiqueirae enquadra-se no complexo "Ocotea floribunda" de Rohwer (1986), mas difere por detalhes não descritos nas espécies com flores pistiladas desse complexo, especialmente gineceu e ovário glabros; abscisão de parte do receptáculo, toda extensão das tépalas e os verticilos de estaminódios após a fecundação; cúpula de margem simples e engrossada, sem remanescentes das tépalas, caracteristicamente canelada-lamelada em toda a sua extensão por longas lenticelas e; fruto globoso de dimensões muito maiores. Até o momento a espécie é endêmica e restrita à Floresta Ombrófila Densa Alto Montana da Serra da Mantiqueira no estado de São Paulo.

Lauraceae: A promising family for the advance of neotropical dendrochronology

The botanical family Lauraceae is ecologically and physiognomically very important in neotropical forests. It is one of the most frequent and distributed family both in number of individuals and species. Despite of this, we have noticed that a very few Lauraceae species have been considered in dendrochronological investigations. In order to analyze the potential of Lauraceae species in dendrochronology and to facilitate future studies we: (1) reviewed the literature on wood anatomy, cambial activity, tree growth and dendrochronology and compiled a list of species’ tree-ring features throughout the Neotropics; (2) Investigated wood anatomy, growth synchronism and climate-growth relationship using dendrochronological standard techniques in 14 species from subtropical forests of southern Brazil. Our review pointed out that the majority of Lauraceae forms distinct tree-rings in several biomes and climates in the Neotropics. Seasonal growth pattern related to water stress and to seasonal air temperature were identified in Amazonia and in subtropical high elevation sites, respectively. Time series of tree-ring width of Lauraceae species were successfully cross-dated and were already used in reconstruction of fire and vegetation dynamics. Our own dendrochronological investigations brought to light that all the 14 studied species form distinct tree-rings in seasonal or even rainforests. By analyzing time series of tree-ring width we found the same growth tendency within trees of Cinnamomum amoenum and Ocotea pulchella. Moreover, year-to-year variation in the growth time-series was linked to climate variations of temperature and precipitation, showing growth decreases when summer water stress occur. We evinced Lauraceae has distinct, synchronic and climate-sensitive tree-rings. Therefore, since Lauraceae has wide distribution and high frequency in the Neotropics and since many species become centenary, we strongly encourage the use of Lauraceae’s tree-rings in autoecology, climatology and on the reconstruction of vegetation and disturbance dynamics.

Breeding, Feeding and Status of the Torres Strait Pigeon at Low Isles, North-eastern Queensland

The feeding and breeding biology of a colony of the migratory Torres Strait Pigeon Ducula spilorrhoa, comprising 20,000 to 25,000 birds, was studied at Low Isles, north-eastern Queensland, briefly at the end of the 1970-71 breeding season but more intensively in the 1971-72 and 1972-73 seasons. Like most islands favoured by these birds, Low Isles has mangroves. The mangrove trees provide nesting sites but food is obtained from the mainland rainforest to and from which the buds fly each day. A monthly record of diet, analysed from droppings, is presented. There were differences between the diets in the 1971-72 and 1972-73 breeding seasons, which could be related to the availability of fruit m the forest on the mainland. The nest is large for a pigeon and is the centre of a feebly defended territory of a mated pair. Clutch size is one. Incubation and fledging periods are about twenty-eight days each. Hatching success was ninety-one per cent. Density of nests was correlated with the density of the vegetation and was different each year. The years of high nesting density corresponded with years of good fruit production particularly by species of Lauraceae; low density occurred when fruit production was poor, suggesting that food may be a regulat- ing factor for the population. Direct disturbance by man has probably caused the bird's decline this century.

Clasificación de extractos etanólicos de especies de la familia Lauraceae por cromatografía en capa fina bidimensional y análisis estadísticos multivariado CCD-2D/ PCA-cluster

Se caracterizaron los extractos etanólicos de hojas y cortezas de 13 especies de la familia Lauraceae mediante cromatografía en capa fina de dos dimensiones (2D-CCD). Los datos posteriores se analizaron mediante técnicas de análisis estadístico multivariado (cluster y análisis de componentes principales (PCA)). Lo anterior permitió hacer una distinción entre los extractos obtenidos de diferentes partes de la planta (hojas y cortezas). Se observó, además, que la metodología usada es capaz de diferenciar entre extractos obtenidos a partir de especies de Lauraceae y los de otras familias de plantas.

Phylogeny and biogeography of Caryodaphnopsis (Lauraceae) inferred from low‐copy nuclear gene and ITS sequences

AbstractCaryodaphnopsis is a small genus of the Lauraceae. It contains 16 known species with a disjunct tropical amphi‐Pacific distribution; 8 species in tropical Asia and 8 species in tropical America. In the present study, RPB2, LEAFY and ITS sequences of 9 Caryodaphnopsis species and 22 other Lauraceae species were analyzed with maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. Divergence time estimation employed the Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method under a relaxed clock. Ancestral area reconstructions were conducted by using both the statistical dispersal‐vicariance analysis and likelihood approach under the dispersal‐extinction‐cladogenesis model. Based on the results of the phylogenetic analyses, the monophyly of Caryodaphnopsis is strongly supported. Asian and American Caryodaphnopsis species form two well‐supported monophyletic clades, respectively. Independent lineages for Caryodaphnopsis, Neocinnamomum and Cassytha are also suggested. According to the divergence time estimations and ancestral area reconstructions, we suggest that Caryodaphnopsis originated in Late Cretaceous Laurasia and its amphi‐Pacific disjunction results from the disruption of ancestral boreotropical lineages between Eurasia and North America during the first cooling period of the Eocene.

Subcellular Lipid Droplets in Vanilla Leaf Epidermis and Avocado Mesocarp Are Coated with Oleosins of Distinct Phylogenic Lineages.

Subcellular lipid droplets (LDs) in diverse plant cells and species are coated with stabilizing oleosins of at least five phylogenic lineages and perform different functions. We examined two types of inadequately studied LDs for coated oleosins and their characteristics. The epidermis but not mesophyll of leaves of vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) and most other Asparagales species contained solitary and clustered LDs (<0.5 μm), some previously studied by electron microscopy and speculated to be for cuticle formation. In vanilla leaves, transcripts of oleosins of the U lineage were present in both epidermis and mesophyll, but oleosin occurred only in epidermis. Immuno-confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the LDs were coated with oleosins. LDs in isolated fractions did not coalesce, and the fractions contained heterogeneous proteins including oleosins and diverse lipids. These findings reflect the in situ structure and possible functions of the LDs. Fruit mesocarp of avocado (Persea americana) and other Lauraceae species possessed large LDs, which likely function in attracting animals for seed dispersal. They contained transcripts of oleosin of a novel M phylogenic lineage. Each avocado mesocarp fatty cell possessed one to several large LDs (5 to 20 μm) and at their periphery, numerous small LDs (<0.5 μm). Immuno-confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that oleosin was present mostly on the small LDs. LDs in isolated fractions coalesced rapidly, and the fraction contained oleosin and several other proteins and triacylglycerols as the main lipids. These two new types of oleosin-LDs exemplify the evolutionary plasticity of oleosins-LDs in generating novel functions in diverse cell types and species.

La arquitectura foliar de las especies de Lauraceae Nativas de Misiones, Argentina.

La arquitectura foliar de 12 especies leñosas de la familia Lauraceae que crecen en la Provincia de Misiones (Argentina) fueron estudiadas con el objetivo de contribuir al conocimiento de las acuminado y con o sin domacios. Los patrones de venación de primero, segundo, tercero, cuarto y quinto orden fueron descriptos e ilustrados para las especies estudiadas; éstas presentan una venación secundaria de varios tipos: broquidódroma (Nectandra megapotamica, Cryptocarya aschersoniana, Ocotea diospyrifolia, Endlicheria paniculata, Ocotea puberula y Ocotea sp.), acródroma suprabasal imperfecta-broquidódroma (Cinnamomum amoenum, Ocotea pulchella), craspedódroma (Ocotea acutifolia) y eucantódromo-broquidódroma (Nectandra lanceolata, Nectandra angustifolia, Ocotea lancifolia). La densidad de areolas fue observada como un carácter diagnóstico importante; no siendo el caso del número de lados que éstas poseen. Todas las especies presentaron estomas paracíticos. Los caracteres analizados, junto con los morfológicos y epidérmicos, permitieron la diferenciación de las 12 especies estudiadas, evidenciando la importancia de la arquitectura foliar en el reconocimiento en estadovegetativo. Por primera vez para la flora Argentina, Endlicheria paniculata es citada en esta contribución.

ITS and trnH-psbA as Efficient DNA Barcodes to Identify Threatened Commercial Woody Angiosperms from Southern Brazilian Atlantic Rainforests.

The Araucaria Forests in southern Brazil are part of the Atlantic Rainforest, a key hotspot for global biodiversity. This habitat has experienced extensive losses of vegetation cover due to commercial logging and the intense use of wood resources for construction and furniture manufacturing. The absence of precise taxonomic tools for identifying Araucaria Forest tree species motivated us to test the ability of DNA barcoding to distinguish species exploited for wood resources and its suitability for use as an alternative testing technique for the inspection of illegal timber shipments. We tested three cpDNA regions (matK, trnH-psbA, and rbcL) and nrITS according to criteria determined by The Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL). The efficiency of each marker and selected marker combinations were evaluated for 30 commercially valuable woody species in multiple populations, with a special focus on Lauraceae species. Inter- and intraspecific distances, species discrimination rates, and ability to recover species-specific clusters were evaluated. Among the regions and different combinations, ITS was the most efficient for identifying species based on the ‘best close match’ test; similarly, the trnH-psbA + ITS combination also demonstrated satisfactory results. When combining trnH-psbA + ITS, Maximum Likelihood analysis demonstrated a more resolved topology for internal branches, with 91% of species-specific clusters. DNA barcoding was found to be a practical and rapid method for identifying major threatened woody angiosperms from Araucaria Forests such as Lauraceae species, presenting a high confidence for recognizing members of Ocotea. These molecular tools can assist in screening those botanical families that are most targeted by the timber industry in southern Brazil and detecting certain species protected by Brazilian legislation and could be a useful tool for monitoring wood exploitation.

The Lauraceous Collections of Carl Friedrich Philipp Von Martius in theFlora brasiliensis

Abstract. This study refers to specimens of Lauraceae collected in Brazil by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius between 1817 and 1820. He collected 57 currently accepted species of Lauraceae, which belong to nine genera: Aniba, Cassytha, Cinnamomum, Cryptocarya, Dicypellium, Licaria, Nectandra, Ocotea, and Persea, for which Martius is known to have made about 99 different collections. The vast majority of them are nomenclatural types and, taking into account the synonyms involved, encompassing 26 holotypes, 23 lectotypes, and 30 syntypes. Besides Martius himself, early descriptions and citations of these materials were made by Nees von Esenbeck, Meissner, and Mez, the first monographers of the family. Martius's collections were the basis for the Flora Brasiliensis, where the taxonomic treatment of Lauraceae was made by the Swiss botanist Carl Daniel Friedrich Meissner in 1866, being of particular interest for indicating all the collections examined and available at that time. Here, we provide an annotated...

Litsea udayanii (Lauraceae): A new species from the southern Western Ghats, India

Litsea udayanii, a new species of Lauraceae from the Anamalai phytogeographical zone of southern Western Ghats is described and illustrated here. The new species resembles L. cubeba in its clustered inflorescence and L. beddomei in fruits. Litsea udayanii differs from L. cubeba by its coriaceous leaves, 12 staminodes in the female flowers, ellipsoid fruits, and an enlarged and cup-shaped perianth tube; it differs from L. beddomei by its elliptic-oblong leaves with cuneate to rounded base and abaxially prominent tertiary veins, and by its clustered inflorescence. In contrast, L. cubeba is characterized by chartaceous leaves, 8–9 staminodes in the female flowers, subglobose fruits, and a small and flattened perianth tube and L. beddomei is distinguished by linear-oblong leaves with acute to attenuate base and abaxially inconspicuous tertiary veins, and by inflorescences arranged on 1–5 cm long brachyblasts.

Comparative wood anatomy of 56 species of Lauraceae from Yunnan, China

Wood anatomy of 56 species from 11 genera of Lauraceae collected from Yunnan, China were investigated by light and scanning electron microscopy. Detailed descriptions and comparisons of wood anatomy of different species are given in the paper to help better identification of Lauraceae wood. The qualitative and quantitative data show that wood structures are very similar among the Lauraceae studied. They are almost diffuse-porous, mainly solitary, minority radial, or diagonal multiples. Vessels have simple perforation and scalariform perforation, and the bars of scalariform perforation have bifurcations. The intervessel pits are almost alternate. Wood rays are uniseriate and multiseriate, with the former being relatively rare. All species have axial parenchyma, most of which are vasicentric. The species of Beilschmiedia and Syndiclis marlipoensis also have marginal parenchyma. Oil and mucilage cells are common in axial parenchyma and ray cells. Wood fibers are composed of libriform fibers and fiber tracheids. Many species have abundant septate fibers. Individual differences are found in several species, which may be related to genetic or environmental factors. We have roughly concluded that Beilschmiedia and S. marlipoensis have a close affiliation for they both have simple perforated plates and marginal parenchyma but with no septate fibers. Almost all species of Litsea, Neolitsea, and Actinodaphne obovata have septate fibers, simple and scalariform perforate plate, and scanty paratracheal and vasicentric parenchyma, indicating that they might be sister taxa.

The Laurisilva as a cultural heritage: proposal for the protection of the relict of laurel forest near Ponte Renaro

The name Laurisilva was introduced by Humboldt to indicate mixed broadleaved evergreen forests, with a consistent presence of Lauraceae, widespread in the subtropical-humid zone of South America; similar vegetation was successively described for SE-Asia, China, Japan, SW-Pacific Islands and S. Africa; besides, remnants of laurophyllous forests occur in the Canary Islands and Madeira. In the Mediterranean basin only one species of Lauraceae occurs: the endemic Laurus nobilis. The discontinuous distribution of L. nobilis can be interpreted as the relict of an ancient continuous presence from the Iberian Peninsula to Caucasus, fragmented during the salinity crisis of Messinian and the cold phases of Pleistocene. Very few occurrences of L. nobilis in the natural vegetation are recorded along the Tyrrhenian coast of Italy and in Sicily. In the Castelporziano area near Rome L. nobilis is relatively frequent in mixed (evergreen-deciduous) stands: the Lauro-Carpinetum betuli a plant community with peculiar ecological requirements, well distinct from the surrounding oak forests (Quercus cerris, Q. frainetto, Q. ilex). The area of Valle Renaro, where the laurel forest occupies large areas of natural appearance is proposed as a wildlife sanctuary, to preserve a valuable record of this rare relic vegetation. The structure of the forest and the particular microclimatic and edaphic conditions are discussed. The population of L. nobilis in Valle Renaro is witnessing the palaeogeographic vicissitudes of an area that along a millenary history became, as well, an important cultural heritage.