Species Of Subgen Research Articles

Genetic variation and structure of complete chloroplast genome in alien monoecious and dioecious Amaranthus weeds

Amaranthus is a complex taxon with economic importance as well as harmful weeds. We studied the genetic variation and structure of the chloroplast genomes of 22 samples from 17 species of three subgenera. It was found that the length of the chloroplast genome of Amaranthus varied from 149,949 bp of A. polygonoides to 150,757 bp of A. albus. The frequencies of SNPs and InDels in chloroplast genomes were 1.79% and 2.86%, and the variation mainly occurred in the non-coding regions. The longest InDel was 387 bp, which occurred on ycf2, followed by 384 bp InDel on psbM-trnD. Two InDels in ndhE-I on the SSC make the three subgenera clearly distinguished. In LSC, SSC and IRs regions, there were four 30 bp forward and reverse repeats, and the repeats in SSC and LSC were in nearly opposite positions in circular genome structure, and almost divided the circular genome into symmetrical structures. In the topological tree constructed by chloroplast genome, species in subgen. Amaranthus and subgen. Acnida form monophyletic branches separately and cluster together. A. albus, A. blitoides and A. polygonoides were separated from subgen. Albersia, and the rest of subgen. Albersia were clustered into a monophyletic branch. The rpoC2, ycf1, ndhF-rpl32 were good at distinguishing most amaranths. The trnk-UUU-atpF, trnT-UGU-atpB, psbE-clpP, rpl14-rps19, and ndhF-D can distinguish several similar species. In general, the chloroplast genome is of certain value for the identification of the similar species of Amaranthus, which provides more evidence for clarifying the phylogenetic relationships within the genus.

Lysimachia caloneura (Primulaceae), a New Species from Hunan, China

Lysimachia caloneura G. Hao, X.L. Yu & A. Liu sp. nova (Primulaceae) is described and illustrated from Hunan, China. In general morphology it resembles the species in subgen. Lysimachia sect. Nummularia ser. Drymarifoliae, characterized by leaves with black glandular punctuations or striations, yellow corolla, filaments being longer than anthers and basally connate into a short tube, and a dorsifixed anther opening by lateral slits. Lysimachia caloneura is to some extent similar to L. patungensis, but differs from the latter by its tiny size and by having a strikingly dark green abaxial leaf surface and narrow light green bands along the main veins on the adaxial surface.

<p><strong>A new species of Capparidastrum (Capparaceae Juss.) from the Cauca inter Andean valley of Colombia</strong></p>

We describe and illustrate a new species of Capparidastrum subgen. Pulviniglans (Capparaceae). Capparidastrum dugandii occurs in tropical dry forest fragments of the Colombian inter-Andean valley of the Dagua River, near the municipality of Santa Fe de Antioquia. Capparidastrum dugandii is distinguished from other species of subgen. Pulviniglans molecularly and by the lowest number of stamens (18–20). In addition, the species is endemic to the Cauca biogeographic province.

Taxonomic novelties in Amaryllidaceae from the Department of Ancash, Peru, and a new combination in Clinanthus.

Clinanthus inflatus (Amaryllidaceae) and Ismene parviflora are described from Ancash Department in Peru. The flower of C. inflatus is urceolate, and resembles that of Urceolina (Amaryllidaceae tr. Eucharideae), a unique morphology for the genus. Ismene parviflora, with its small, loosely formed, narrowly funnelform-tubular perigone with a ventricose limb, appears to have some affinity to subgen. Pseudostenomesson and may represent an intermediate form between the former and species of subgen. Ismene. Stenomesson rubrum is transferred to Clinanthus as C. ruber on the basis of its narrowly lorate leaf morphology.

Sectional Relationships in the Eurasian Bearded Iris (subgen. Iris) Based on Phylogenetic Analyses of Sequence Data

Abstract Subgenus Iris is wholly Eurasian, distributed in temperate regions from northeastern China to eastern and southern Europe where they occur in mountainous and/or dry rocky sites from near sea level to elevations of 4,500 m. These species have an easily discerned synapomorphy, a multicellular beard on each petaloid sepal. Currently two large and relatively well known and four smaller and less known sections are recognized in the subgenus. This study investigated the monophyly of circumscribed sections and relationships among these sections. Seventy-one taxa, representing each of the six sections and about 80% of the recognized species in subgen. Iris, and 11 outgroup taxa were included in the study. Also included were five Asian species that share some morphological characteristics with subgen. Iris but are typically considered in other subgenera. Phylogenetic analyses of sequence data recovered six major clades but sects. Psammiris, Pseudoregelia, and Regelia, are not monophyletic as currently cir...

Using multi-locus sequence data for addressing species boundaries in commonly accepted lichen-forming fungal species

Accurate species delimitations are of great importance for effectively characterizing biological diversity. Our criteria for delimiting species have changed dramatically over the last decades with the increasing availability of molecular data and improvement of analytical methods to evaluate these data. Whereas reciprocal monophyly is often seen as an indicator for the presence of distinct lineages, recently diverged species often fail to form monophyletic groups. At the same time, cryptic species have repeatedly been detected in numerous organismal groups. In this study, we addressed the species delimitation in the crustose lichen-forming fungal genus Diploschistes using multilocus sequence data from specimens representing 16 currently accepted species. Our results indicate the presence of previously undetected, cryptic species-level lineages in the subgenus Limborina. In the subgenus Limborina, samples from different continents currently classified under the same species were shown to be only distantly related. At the same time, in parts of subgen. Diploschistes characterized by short branches, none of the currently accepted species formed monophyletic groups. In spite of the lack of monophyly in phylogenetic reconstructions, a multispecies coalescent method provided support for eight of the nine accepted species in subgen. Diploschistes as distinct lineages. We propose to reduce D. neutrophilus to synonymy with D. diacapsis and point out that additional sampling will be necessary before accepting additional species in subgen. Limborina.

Chrysosplenium arunachalense (Saxifragaceae), a new species from India

Summary. Chrysosplenium arunachalense Bhaumik from Arunachal Pradesh, India is described and illustrated. This species forms a small colony as the flowering stem bears new plantlets at the axils of cauline leaves and the colony spreads gradually. It differs from other species of subgen. Gamosplenium Maxim. emend. J. T. Pan in plants glabrous throughout, leaf blade oblong to elliptic-oblong with cordate base and the cauline leaf axil bears new plantlets. The type locality is covered with snow for 3 – 5 months each year.

Arenaria microcalyx (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from Turkey

Arenaria microcalyx M.Koç & Hamzaoğlu (Caryophyllaceae) is described as a new species of subgen. Arenaria L. in Turkey. The specimens were collected from Kaş (Antalya). The new species is related to Arenaria leptoclados (Rchb.) Guss. and is an endemic species that has a distribution in the Mediterranean region. The differences between the species are discussed. Description, distribution, illustration, and conservation status of the new species are given. Seeds structures were examined by scanning electron microscopy.

Cerasus xueluoensis(Rosaceae), a New Species from China

Cerasus xueluoensis C.H. Nan & X.R. Wang, a new species from Hubei and Jiangxi provinces, China, is described, illustrated and compared with its congeners. It is somewhat similar to C. tomentosa and C. tianshanicae, but it is distinguished by its 2–4-flowered umbellate inflorescences, much longer pedicels (0.6–2.5 cm), a glabrous pistil and black drupes. A key to distinguish it from the other species of subgen. Microcerasus in China is provided.

Flavonoids in Selected Primula Spp.: Bridging Micromorphology with Chemodiversity

A combined study was carried out on the micromorphology and chemistry of glandular trichomes with focus on Primula vialii and P. vulgaris, respectively. Epifluorescence microscopy was applied to study the auto-fluorescent properties of flavonoids and their localization in glandular trichomes. Both species differed in the morphology of the glandular trichomes and in the exudate flavonoid composition. Leaf glands from P. vialii and from some species of subgen. Primula exhibited uniform glandular fluorescence, but notable differentiation was observed within a single leaf of P. vulgaris. Our observations indicate that exudate flavonoids are not transported from the tissue to the glandular hairs. Conversely, only the newly isolated glycoside 1 (kaempferol 3-O-(2"'-rhamnosyl)-robinobioside) was obtained from leaf tissue of P. vialii after removal of the exudate. Its structure was confirmed by NMR and mass spectrometry. This glycoside was not detected in tissue extracts of P. vulgaris after similar treatment. The observed chemical diversity is discussed, with focus on possible correlation with glandular structures and tissue differentiation in Primula, and also against other studied species. Aspects of biosynthesis in relation to tissue-specific flavonoid diversification are shortly addressed.

Chemical composition of essential oil of Artemisia nanschanica Krasch. from Tibetan plateau

The chemical composition of the essential oil of Artemisia nanschanica (Krasch) from the centre of Tibetan plateau was reported for first time. Thirty-four compounds (92.26% of total composition) were identified. The major constituents of the oil were terpenoids (70.86%), thujone (21.3%), heptadiene (16.52%), and linalool (10.94%). The content of 1,8-cineole (9.43%), and camphor (6.66%) was more than 6%. When compared with 30 other species of Artemisia from the Hindu Kush–Himalayan region, they have the same major essential oil compounds. However, A. nanschanica has some significant characteristics as a species of subgen. Dracunculus, and has a large amount of aromatic compounds in its essential oil. A. nanschanica is a good raw source of chemical products and medicinal compounds, such as bisabolol, guaiene, and 1-ethylidene-1H-indene, that will be further enhanced by more study and development.

Pollen morphology of Campanula (Campanulaceae) and allied genera in Iran with special focus on its systematic implication

Pollen grains of 47 taxa of Campanulaceae including 35 taxa of Campanula that represent its five subgenera and nine sections are investigated. Moreover, five species and three subspecies representing three sections in Asyneuma and one species of each genera Legousia, Michauxia, Zeugandra and Theodorovia were studied by light and scanning electron microscopy. The basic shape of the pollen grains was spheroidal. The apertures vary from tri- to hexa-porate. The sculpturing pattern of exine was rugulate-echinate, rugulate-microechinate or in few species rugulate-microreticulate and microechinate. The most valuable characters for subgeneric classification were the length and density of echini. The length of echini were significantly long (> 2μm) in C. sclerotricha, Legousia falcata and Michauxia laevigata. Pollen grains show low variation in different species of subgen. Rapunculus, but were variable among different species of some groups, such as sect. Rupestres, probably indicating their non-monophyly despite homogeneity with respect to other morphological characters. Pollen morphology does not support recognition of Asyneuma, Legousia, Michauxia, Symphyandra, Theodorovia, and Zeugandra as separated from Campanula, since none of them exhibit any unique feature.

Pollen Diversity and its Systematic Implications in Lespedeza (Fabaceae)

Abstract The genus Lespedeza (Fabaceae) contains about 41 species distributed disjunctly in East Asia and North America. The pollen morphology of 46 samples representing 39 species of Lespedeza and three species of the two most closely related genera from China, Japan, and America was examined with both a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope. Pollen morphology in Lespedeza is diverse in germination organs and exine sculptures. The germination organs in Lespedeza can be divided into three types based mainly on the size of the colpi and the morphology of ora. Most species in subgen. Lespedeza have either type II or III germination organs and species in subgen. Macrolespedeza have only type I or II germination organs. The pollen morphology in Lespedeza is stable at the infraspecific level. The pollen data support the division of Lespedeza into two subgenera. In detail, the polar axes in subgen. Macrolespedeza (18.94–23.07 µm long) and are normally shorter than those in subgen. Lespedeza (25.04...

New Taxa from the Mamberamo River of Papua Province, Indonesia:Ardisia lammersiana(Myrsinaceae) andPsychotria leptothyrsaVar.Defretesiana(Rubiaceae)

Abstract. Ardisia lammersiana (Myrsinaceae) and Psychotria leptothyrsa var. defretesiana (Rubiaceae) are described from the Conservation International Mamberamo River Expedition. The new plants are locally common understory shrubs from tributaries of the lower drainage, occurring primarily in seasonally flooded forest. Among the New Guinea species in subgen. Akosmos, Ardisia lammersiana is easily identified by its long peduncles (7.0–10.5 cm), long pedicels (13–20 mm), and white flowers. The second novelty (Psychotria leptothyrsa var. defretesiana) is distinguished by its architectural form, obtuse leaf-blades, erect panicles, and 3–4-ridged pyrenes.

A new Notacanthurus Tshernova, 1974 and a new Rhithrogena Eaton, 1881 (subgenus Tumungula Zhou & Peters, 2004) from Thailand (Heptageniidae, Ephemeroptera)

Notacanthurus baei sp. n. (larva) and Rhithrogena (Tumungula) siamensis sp. n. (male, female and assumed larva) are described from northern Thailand. Diagnoses and line drawings of key characters are provided. Larvae of Southeast Asian Notacanthurus n.sp. resemble those of Palearctic Notacanthurus spp. in having a median ridge of spines directed posteriorly on terga, a similar patterning of terga with oblique stripes sloping inward, femoral cross bands and caudal filaments with whorls of small spines. Contrastingly, larvae of the new species bear claws with denticles, while the mature male larva exhibits prospective penis with distally paired portions of rounded lobes like those in most Electrogena Zurwerra and Tomka, 1984. Imagines of R. (T.) siamensis represent a second species of subgen. Tumungula Zhou and Peters, 2004. Males have balloon-shaped hypertrophied foreclaws, with first tarsal segment about 1.4x the length of the second, and divergent penis lobes without titillators. In contrast to R. (T.) unica the male styliger plate shows two sharp, inside directed projections, submedian lobes of the penis have circular gonopores lacking subapical spines.

Pollen morphology ofRhododendronsubgen.Tsutsusiand its systematic implications

Eighty-four pollen samples were obtained for 80 taxa, of which, 13 species and one variety are from sect. Brachycalyx Sweet, 58 species and two varieties from sect. Tsutsusi Sweet, and six species from subgen. Pentanthera (G. Don) Pojarkova, respectively. Pollen morphology of all samples was observed using LM and SEM. Pollen grains are revealed to be spheroidal and tetrahedral with tricolporate apertures. Pollen sizes of subgen. Tsutsusi (Sweet) Pojarkova range from 37.67 μm to 61.06 μm, and the exine sculptures are more or less compactly granulated. Pollen sizes are significantly different between sect. Brachycalyx and sect. Tsutsusi of subgen. Tsutsusi. Rhododendron tashiroi Maxim. of sect. Tsusiopsis Sleumer shows a close affinity to sect. Brachycalyx. Pollen size and exine are consistent with general morphology in differentiating species in sect. Tsutsusi. Rhododendron huadingense B. Y. Ding & Y. Y. Fang, once placed as a member of sect. Brachycalyx, should be considered as a species in subgen. Pentanthera.

Xylose in the nectar of Puya raimondii (Bromeliaceae), the Queen of the Puna

1. Subject and sourcePuya raimo ndii Harm s is the largest bromel iad in the world, reachin g up to 12 m in height (F oste r,1950; Hornung-Leoni and Sosa, 2005 ). It gro ws at high altitudes in the Puna of scatte red loca tions in the Ande s of Peru and Boli viaand is kno wn as the OOQueen of the PunaO O (Raimondi , 1874 ; Smith and Do wns , 1974 ). Only a few plan ts of everypopulation of this monocar pic species produc e insoresc ences in a given year or even in a period of 2 or 3 year sand plan ts take from 80 to 150 year s to s ower (F oster ,1984; Benzing, 2000; Hor nung-Le oni and So sa, 2004 ). Nectarof P. raimondi iwas collec ted in two areas of Peru to determin e quantity ,sugar concentr ation and com position. Theywere Huascar a«n P ark, in the OOCordil lera BlancaO O (around 6000 m); and Canchay llo, in the OOCordil lera Ne graO O(3600 e 4100 m), 147 km from Lima. In Huascar a«n three indi vidua ls from four populations were blooming, inCanchay llo only one plant was bloomi ng. V oucher speci mens hav e been deposit ed in Peru at the USM herba rium(Hornun g 1118; Hor nung 1120 e 1126).2. Pre vious wor kPre vious studies of nect ar in bromelia ds sho wed difference s in sugar conce ntration (8.2 e 45.2% ) and volume(0.06 e 43.2 ml) in species such as Dyckia ragones ei, Puya alpes tris and Puy a soccosa (Galet to and Bernard ello,1992; Scogi n and Freeman ,1984; Ba ker and Ba ker ,1990 ). In Puya ,differences in nectar com position hav e repor tedthat in species of subgen us Puya ,the nectar is dominated by hexoses (glucose and fructose) and in speci es of subgen usPuyopsi s the nect ar is dominated by sucr ose (Scog in and Freeman , 1984 ; Baker and Baker , 1990 ). In P. raimondi i,which belongs to subgen us Puy a,a sugar ratio (Sucrose/ Glucose ! Fruct ose) of 0.05 was reporte d, while P. soccosafrom subgen us Puyopsi s a sugar ratio of 1.13 was accou nted (Baker and Ba ker , 1990 ). Ho we ver , analyses with thinlayer chrom atograph y or gas chromatogr aphy hav e never been conduc ted in the nect ar of P. raim ondii to determ ineother sugars in the nectar in addi tion to sucr ose, glucose or fruc tose.

A systematic study of the genus Rhododendron (Ericaceae) using micromorphological characters of fruit surface and seed coat

Micromorphological characters from fruit surface of 24 species and seed coat of 21 species, 6 subgenera of Rhododendron from China, i.e., Azaleastrum, Hymenanthes, Pentanthera, Rhododendron, Therorhodion and Tsutsusi, were examined under the scanning electron microscope. Ledum palustre was also examined to compare with the species of Rhododendron. The micromorphological characters of fruit surface and seed coat in Rhododendron are described in this paper. Different types are distinguished here on the basis of morphological characters such as scale, trichome, stomatal apparatus of fruit surface, and ornamentation of seed coat. Compared with seeds of extant and fossil Rhododendron species, some new seed types in Rhododendron species from South China are found. R. redowskianum of subgen. Therorhodion has sparse short setas on the fruit surface without stomatal apparatus. Outline of its slightly flattened and unwinged seed is narrowly oblong. Subgen. Rhododendron, the lepidote rhododendron, with scales on fruit surface, as well as brain-line ridge on the seed coat, differs distinctly from the elepidote rhododendron. Fruit surface of the species in subgen. Hymenanthes belongs to R. fortunei-type, which is characterized as the irregular cuticular membrane without trichome, with stomatal apparatus rarely seen. In the species of subgen. Tsutsusi, the type of fruit surface belongs to R. mariae-type, which is characterized as the compact cuticular membrane with thick trichomes. As far as seed coat is concerned, only one type is found in subgen. Hymenanthes (i.e., R. fortunei-type), whereas two types occur in subgen. Tsutsusi (i.e., R. meridionale-type and R. mariae-type). The species of subgen. Azaleastrum show the great divergence on morphological characters. Separately, sect. Choniastrum and sect. Tsutsusi exhibit their own micromorphological characters. According to the morphological characters of fruit surface, R. molle of subgen. Pentanthera differs distinctly from the species of other subgenera. However, its R. molle-type seed is similar to R. fortunei-type seed. The above-mentioned morphological characters support the results frommolecular systematic studies: except for subgen. Therorhodion, the lepidote rhododendron (subgen. Rhododendron) plus Ledum, is monophyletic; subgen. Tsutsusi from China and subgen. Hymenanthes are both monophyletic; subgenera Azaleastrum and Pentanthera are both polyphyletic; and in subgen. Azaleastrum, sect. Choniastrum and Tsutsusi are both monophyletic. Furthermore, the relationships between the closely related taxa are also inferred from micromorphological characters and molecular data. This study provides micromorphological evidence to support the separation of R. bachii from R. ovatum as a distinct species.

Leaf epidermal features of Rhododendron Ericaceae from China and their systematic significance

Rhododendron is the largest genus within the subfamily Rhododendroideae, which has about 1000 known species in the world and more than 500 species in China. Since the genus was established by Linnaeus, its infrageneric relationships have been well studied by many taxonomists on the basis of morphological characters and molecular data. In 1996, Chamberlain et al. proposed a new system of Rhododendron with eight subgenera, i.e., Azaleastrum, Candidastrum, Hymenanthes, Mumeazalea, Pentanthera, Rhododendron, Therorhodion, and Tsutsusi. In this paper, micromorphological characters of leaf epidermis in 4 varieties, 48 species, 6 subgenera of Rhododendron from China were examined using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Leaf epidermal features are described and micromorphological types are distinguished here according to morphological characters such as scale, gland, foliar trichome and stomatal apparatus of leaf epidermis. It is shown that the leaf epidermal cells are usually irregular or polygonal in shape. The patterns of anticlinal walls are straight, arched or undulate. The stomatal apparatuses are anomocytic and are usually found on abaxial, not adaxial, epidermis. The results also show that: (1) the lepidote rhododendron (i.e., subgen. Rhododendron), which has both scales and papillae on leaf epidermis, differs distinctly from the elepidote rhododendron; (2) three types of leaf epidermis are identified in subgen. Hymenanthes (i.e., R. fortunei-type, R. chihsinianum-type and R. simiarum-type), whereas four in subgen. Tsutsusi (i.e., R. mariesii-type, R. simsii-type, R. mariae-type and R. flosculum-type); (3) except for R. westlandii and R. henryi, the species of subgen. Azaleastrum show similar morphological characters, i.e., dense stomatal apparatuses surrounded by ringed or discontinuous striates; (4) R. molle of subgen. Pentanthera differs from the species of other subgenera on morphological characters such as foliar trichomes, dense stomatal apparatuses with asymmetrical outer stomatal rims surrounded by undulate-striates, and no gland; (5) only R. redowskianum is found with distinct T-pieces at the polar region of guard cells in Rhododendron. The results support the conclusion inferred from molecular systematic studies that subgen. Therorhodion is the basal clade of Rhododendron. Finally, the relationships between the closely related species are also discussed on the basis of leaf epidermal features.

A new species of Passiflora (Passifloraceae) from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract Passiflora boticarioana, a new species of subgen. Passiflora, supersect. Stipulata, sect. Dysosmia, from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, is described, illustrated, and compared with morphologically similar species.