Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society

EBIHARA, ATSUSHI; IWATSUKI, KUNIO; ITO, MOTOMI; HENNEQUIN, SABINE; DUBUISSON, JEAN-YVES

doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00684.xpmid: N/A

AbstractTo establish a basis for future taxonomic revisions and to infer the evolutionary traits of Trichomanes s.l., one of two large filmy fern genera, molecular phylogenetic analyses were conducted using chloroplast rbcL sequences. Sampling covered most of the global distribution range of this genus throughout the tropical and temperate zones, as well as all taxonomically significant species by the addition of 51 samples principally from Asia. The evolution of eight selected characters, which were adopted as taxonomic keys and/or putatively reflect morphological regression, was optimized on the retrieved most parsimonious rbcL trees, together with new observations on the stem anatomy of 45 species. The eight robust clades retrieved within Trichomanes in the rbcL phylogeny conflict with the existing classifications. Our results also suggest that the cup-shaped sorus, the primary diagnostic character of the genus, appears in parallel in the Hymenophyllum lineage, as demonstrated by Pleuromanes (typified by Trichomanes pallidum) included in the lineage. The suggestion that the regressive character states are homoplastic apomorphies in the evolution of the frond size, stem thickness, root system, and stem anatomy (stele and cortex) probably illustrates a strong tendency towards adaptive evolutionary transition in Trichomanes.

FURNESS, CAROL A.

doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00694.xpmid: N/A

AbstractApertures are key characters of pollen grains with systematic importance in angiosperms. They function as sites for pollen tube exit, water uptake, transfer of recognition substances and accommodation of volume changes. Not all pollen has apertures; inaperturate pollen (lacking obvious apertures) characterizes many angiosperm groups, especially in early divergent angiosperms and monocots, but also eudicots. In order to expand our knowledge of the systematic distribution, possible functional significance and development of inaperturate pollen in angiosperms, this review focuses on inaperturate and cryptoaperturate (with hidden apertures) pollen in the large eudicot clade, which comprises about 75% of present-day angiosperm species. It includes new TEM observations of inaperturate pollen from four exemplar taxa selected from different parts of the eudicot phylogeny. Two categories of inaperturate (including cryptoaperturate) pollen occur in eudicots. (1) Sterile attractant or feeding pollen associated with functional dioecy has evolved iteratively at least six times in conjunction with complex breeding systems in the core eudicots. (2) Fertile pollen has evolved numerous times independently throughout eudicots, though generally in a relatively small number of individual taxa. Notable exceptions are the petaliferous crotonoid Euphorbiaceae s.s., in which fertile inaperturate pollen occurs in c. 1500 species, and two subfamilies of Apocynaceae s.l. (Secamonoideae and Asclepiadoideae) with c. 2500 species with fertile inaperturate pollen in pollinia. Fertile inaperturate pollen is sometimes (but not always) associated with an aquatic habit, parasitism, insectivory, heterostyly, anemophily or pollinia. Most fertile inaperturate pollen has a thin exine, or the exine is largely restricted to isolated components (muri, protuberances, subunits) separated by thinner areas which probably function as apertures. In cryptoaperturate pollen, the aperture is covered by continuous exine which probably has a protective function, similar to an operculum. Developmentally, inaperturate pollen is not associated with any particular tetrad type or meiotic spindle orientation (unlike some apertures) due to the absence of a colpal shield of endoplasmic reticulum or other organelles and hence is independent of microsporogenesis type. The lack of a colpal shield during the tetrad stage of development permits complete deposition of first primexine and then exine around each microspore, possibly mediated by the action of the DEX1 protein.

TERRAB, ANASS; GARCÍA-CASTAÑO, JUAN L.; ROMERO, JOSE M.; BERJANO, REGINA; DE VEGA, CLARA; TALAVERA, SALVADOR

doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00673.xpmid: N/A

AbstractNectar samples were collected from Silene colorata Poiret (Caryophyllaceae), in three different populations from south-western Spain: Zahara de la Sierra (Cádiz), Bornos (Cádiz) and Bormujos (Seville). Samples were analysed for amino acids by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with precolumn phenylisotiocyanate (PITC) derivatization. The method has the advantage of being highly sensitive, capable of detecting nanogram (ng) quantities of amino acids. Eighteen amino acids were identified and quantified. The mean number of amino acids in a nectar sample was 14 (SD = 2.8). Six amino acids (threonine, alanine, arginine, proline, tyrosine and methionine) were detected in all samples, accounting for 83% of the total amino acids content; proline and arginine were the most abundant amino acids, accounting for 40% and 20% of the total amino acids, respectively. The mean amounts of amino acids in nectar samples per population were 824, 782 and 356 µm in Zahara de la Sierra, Bornos and Bormujos, respectively. Environmental variations such as temperature and sunlight are factors influencing the metabolic processes of nectar production. Our results may contradict the theory that the chemical constituents of floral nectar vary according to the kinds of pollinators.

JUAN, ROCIO; PASTOR, JULIO; ALAIZ, MANUEL; VIOQUE, JAVIER

doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00665.xpmid: N/A

AbstractThe seed protein profiles of 11 Amaranthus taxa (Amaranthaceae) from Spain were studied. These profiles were evaluated as a chemical character to clarify the taxonomic complexity in the genus. Tricine-sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) profiles of the Amaranthus seed proteins studied showed a range of peptides varying from 64 to 12 kDa, with a larger number of protein bands observed between 25.1 and 12 kDa. For the taxonomic study, 14 bands, some of them subdivided into several isoforms, were considered. The similarity analysis based on the SDS-PAGE profile is a useful character for the discrimination of species in Amaranthus, except for A. cruentus and A. hypochondriacus, for which a hybrid population was found.

MUÑOZ-CENTENO, LUZ M.; DELGADO-SÁNCHEZ, LUIS; SANTOS-VICENTE, MARÍA; MARTÍNEZ-ORTEGA, M. MONTSERRAT

doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00674.xpmid: N/A

AbstractVeronica subsect. Veronica in the western Mediterranean area is revised taxonomically in light of new karyological, palynological, and further diagnostic morphological features. The data confirm that the subsection comprises only two species and a hybrid taxon. Many previously recognized species are reduced to synonyms. An updated taxonomic treatment is supplied, including detailed descriptions of the taxa involved, as well as a list of synonyms, types of name, selected representative specimens, and a distribution map.

RANARIVELO-RANDRIAMBOAVONJY, TIANJANAHARY; ROBBRECHT, ELMAR; RABAKONANDRIANINA, ELISABETH; DE BLOCK, PETRA

doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00688.xpmid: N/A

AbstractThe Malagasy representatives of the large African genus Tricalysia (tribe Coffeeae s.l.) are revised. Three Malagasy species were hitherto recognized in the genus, namely T. cryptocalyx, T. madagascariensis, and T. ovalifolia. In this study, two species, T. boiviniana and T. leucocarpa, are transferred from the genus Hypobathrum and seven new species and two new subspecies are described, raising the species number for Tricalysia to a total of 12. This marked increase in species number is a recurring pattern for many Malagasy genera in systematically poorly known families such as Rubiaceae. All the species are described in detail and illustrated, and a list of exsiccatae and a distribution map are provided. Furthermore, the characters of the Malagasy taxa are compared with those of the continental African species, and their infrageneric status is discussed. With the exception of T. ovalifolia, a member of subgenus Empogona, all Malagasy species belong to subgenus Tricalysia. Because of their unisexual flowers, these species cannot be accommodated within one of the four existing sections in subgenus Tricalysia. A new section, Androgyne, is therefore recognized.

MANCHESTER, STEVEN R.; XIANG, QIU-YUN (JENNY); XIANG, QIAO-PING

doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00680.xpmid: N/A

AbstractFossil remains of Curtisia Aiton (Cornales) are recognized for the first time from the Tertiary of Europe, based on early Eocene anatomically preserved fruits from the London Clay and Poole Formations of southern England. The modern distribution of this monotypic genus is limited to the cape of South Africa. Curtisia quadrilocularis (Reid & Chandler) comb. nov. fruits have globose tetralocular endocarps composed of isodiametric sclereids with a single seed per locule, a prominent axial vascular canal, apical placentation, and four germination valves. All of these characters, as well as size, correspond to extant Curtisia. Although many fossil taxa from the Eocene of Europe have been shown to have their closest extant relatives in Asia, this occurrence of Curtisia highlights Tertiary floristic exchange between Europe and Africa. The newly recognized fossil occurrences suggest a Laurasian origin for Curtisia, in conformity with the fossil record for several other genera of the Cornales. In addition, our rejection of the former assignment of this species to Leucopogon causes us to question whether Epacridaceae were present in the Tertiary of Europe.

STPICZYŃSKA, MALGORZATA; DAVIES, KEVIN L.; GREGG, ALAN

doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00681.xpmid: N/A

AbstractThe elaiophores of Trichocentrum cavendishianum (Bateman) M.W. Chase & N.H. Williams, Oncidium loefgrenii Cogn., and Gomesa recurva R. Br. display considerable morphological and anatomical diversity. Oil secretion by flowers of T. cavendishianum and O. loefgrenii can be related to the presence of saddle-like, labellar elaiophores and the labellar callus, respectively, whereas, in G. recurva, although oil is present, no obvious structure appears to be involved in its secretion. In the first two species, the secretory tissue consists of palisade-like cells, whereas, in G. recurva, these cells are oval. Many Oncidiinae are thought to mimic members of the Malpighiaceae, and the elaiophores of that family also contain palisade-like cells that may indicate evolutionary convergence. As oils accumulate below the elaiophore cuticle, that of T. cavendishianum becomes distended, whereas that of the other two species does not. Full discharge of oil from the elaiophores of T. cavendishianum probably occurs only after the cuticle is ruptured by a visiting insect, and this may contribute towards pollinator selection.

JOSHI, YOGESH; UPRETI, DALIP K.

doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00683.xpmid: N/A

AbstractThe warm, dry climate in central India provides suitable conditions for the growth of many crustose lichens, including Caloplaca species. A new species, Caloplaca awasthii Joshi, Y. & Upreti, is described from this region, where it is found growing in rocky areas of Madhya Pradesh (Bedinagar Hills and Bhimbetka) and Rajasthan (Mount Abu). The new taxon belongs to the section Gasparrinia and is characterized by the presence of blastidia, but lacks apothecia and pycnidia. It is a saxicolous species and is similar to C. decipiens (Arnold) Blomb. & Fross., but differs in having blastidia instead of soredia which are present in C. decipiens. Another closely related species, C. fuerteventurae van den Boom & Etayo, belonging to the C. flavescens complex, differs from the new taxon in having numerous apothecia and citriform spores.

GROPPO, MILTON

doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2007.00679.xpmid: N/A

AbstractA new species, Ilex mucugensis Groppo sp. nov. (Aquifoliaceae), is described and illustrated. The species is known only from ‘campos rupestres’ (vegetation of rock outcrops at high altitude) in the vicinity of Mucugê, Bahia State, Brazil, in the mountains of the Espinhaço Range. Comments on affinities, geographical distribution and phenology of the new species are also provided.