Comparative morphology of the foliage leaf epidermis, with emphasis on papillae characters, in key taxa of woody bamboos of the Asian tropics (Poaceae: Bambusoideae)

The foliage leaf epidermis of 35 species representing 12 key genera of woody bamboos of the Asian tropics was investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that papillae forms and distributional patterns around the stomatal apparatus of the abaxial foliage leaf epidermis were usually constant and were of great taxonomic significance at the specific and generic levels. However, papillae characters were not suitable for dividing subtribes within woody bamboos of the Asian tropics. On the basis of papillae characters, Schizostachyum s.s. and Cephalostachyum were confirmed, but their delimitations should be modified. The transfer of Leptocanna chinensis and Schizostachyum sanguineum into Cephalostachyum was supported, and Cephalostachyum virgatum and C .  pergracile were confirmed to be members of Schizostachyum s.s. The subtribe Racemobambosinae did not obtain support and Racemobambos appeared to be better placed in subtribe Bambusinae. Neomicrocalamus was supported as a close relative and better treated as a synonym of Racemobambos . Gigantochloa was closely related to Dendrocalamus .  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 156 , 411–423.     

Multi-gene region phylogenetic analyses suggest reticulate evolution and a clade of Australian origin among paleotropical woody bamboos (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae)

The paleotropical woody bamboo subtribe Bambusinae has not been satisfactorily circumscribed and remains a major taxonomic problem. Genera such as Holttumochloa, Mullerochloa and Temburongia have not been confidently assigned to this subtribe. The phylogenetic relationships among genera hitherto placed in or near the Bambusinae, together with the related subtribes Racemobambosinae and Melocanninae, were investigated using three chloroplast DNA markers (rps16-trnQ, trnC-rpoB and trnD-T intergenic spacers) and a nuclear DNA marker (granule-bound starch synthase I, GBSSI) for a sample of 51 ingroup species and 2 outgroup species. Phylogenetic analyses revealed four distinct lineages among the members of the currently recognized Bambusinae: (1) the Bambusa-Dendrocalamus-Gigantochloa (BDG) complex, (2) the Holttumochloa-Kinabaluchloa clade, (3) the Dinochloa-Mullerochloa-Neololeba-Sphaerobambos (DMNS) clade and (4) Temburongia simplex. The BDG complex, which comprises the core of the Bambusinae, appears to have a complex evolutionary history as indicated by incongruence between the cpDNA and the nuclear gene topologies. Introgressive hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting are possible underlying causes for this complexity. The distinction of the climbing-scrambling bamboo lineages from the core Bambusinae and Racemobambosinae suggests directions for investigating the possible existence of further subtribes with increased taxon and geographical sampling. Possible biogeographic scenarios associated with the Holttumochloa-Kinabaluchloa clade and the DMNS clade are discussed.     

Plastid phylogenomics shed light on intergeneric relationships and spatiotemporal evolutionary history of Melocanninae (Poaceae: Bambusoideae)

Melocanninae is sister to other subtribes of Paleotropical woody bamboos with some 90 species mainly concentrated in Asia. However, phylogenetic relationships within the subtribe are poorly known. Here, we filled the gaps in complete plastome data of Melocanninae, reconstructed the phylogeny of Melocanninae, and further estimated divergence time and ancestral distribution range. Our results showed that the two major genera, Cephalostachyum Munro and Schizostachyum Nees, were paraphyletic. Species of Cephalostachyum were resolved in two successive basal clades, whereas Annamocalamus H. N. Nguyen, N. H. Xia, & V. T. Tran was embedded in the Schizostachyum clade. Different plastid regions provided inconsistent signals for the relationship of Melocanna and Pseudostachyum. Conservative loci supported a successive divergence rather than sister relationship between them and the difference may be caused by long-branch attraction. We infer that Melocanninae originated in the East Himalaya to northern Myanmar in the early Miocene. Three routes were revealed in forming its present biogeographic pattern: in situ diversification on the Asian mainland, dispersing southwest to Sri Lanka and to the Western Ghats in South India, and spreading southeast to Malesia and Oceania by way of the Indo-China Peninsula. The rapid uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and the intensification of Asian monsoons since the Miocene and the sea level fall events since the Late Miocene might be potential driving forces for diversification of Melocanninae and, particularly the latter event, for the species radiation of Schizostachyum.     

Revision on Cephalostachyum Munro (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) in China

Species of Cephalostachyum Munro (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) from China are distributed in Yunnan and Tibet, mainly in Yunnan. In this paper, we discussed species of Cephalostachyum and compiled a key to species from China, based on recent studies on micromorphological characters of leaf epidermis and molecular phylogenetics of paleotropical woody bamboos. There is a total of seven species of Cephalostachyum distributed in China, all in Yunnan: Cchinense (Rendle) DZ. Li et HQ. Yang, Cfuchsianum Gamble et Hook. f., Cmannii (Gamble) Stapleton et DZ. Li, Cpallidum Munro, Cpingbianense (Hsueh et YM. Yang ex Yi et al.) DZ. Li et HQ. Yang, Csanguineum (WP. Zhang) DZ. Li et HQ. Yang and Cscandens Bor. Leptocanna Chia et HL. Fung and Cvirulentum YM Yang et F. Du are synonyms of Cephalostachyum Munro and Cfuchsianum Gamble et Hook. f. respectively. On the other hand, Cpergracile Munro and Cvirgatum (Munro) Kurz are morphologically closer to Schizostachyum Nees than to Cephalostachyum, and they should be treated as members of Schizostachyum. This paper is of significance to a worldwide revision of Cephalostachyum.     

Non-monophyly of the woody bamboos (Bambuseae; Poaceae): a multi-gene region phylogenetic analysis of Bambusoideae s.s.

The taxonomy of Bambusoideae is in a state of flux and phylogenetic studies are required to help resolve systematic issues. Over 60 taxa, representing all subtribes of Bambuseae and related non-bambusoid grasses were sampled. A combined analysis of five plastid DNA regions, trnL intron, trnL-F intergenic spacer, atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer, rps16 intron, and matK, was used to study the phylogenetic relationships among the bamboos in general and the woody bamboos in particular. Within the BEP clade (Bambusoideae s.s., Ehrhartoideae, Pooideae), Pooideae were resolved as sister to Bambusoideae s.s. Tribe Bambuseae, the woody bamboos, as currently recognized were not monophyletic because Olyreae, the herbaceous bamboos, were sister to tropical Bambuseae. Temperate Bambuseae were sister to the group consisting of tropical Bambuseae and Olyreae. Thus, the temperate Bambuseae would be better treated as their own tribe Arundinarieae than as a subgroup of Bambuseae. Within the tropical Bambuseae, neotropical Bambuseae were sister to the palaeotropical and Austral Bambuseae. In addition, Melocanninae were found to be sister to the remaining palaeotropical and Austral Bambuseae. We discuss phylogenetic and morphological patterns of diversification and interpret them in a biogeographic context.     

The Morphology of Fruits and Starches in Bamboos,and Its Relation to Systematic Position

In this article, 30 speceis of bamboos, including 19 genera in 5 tribes, were collected and the morphology of fruits and starches of them was studied. The results are as follows. I. The morphology of fruits is important in studies of systematic position in bamboos. According to the systems of W. Munro and G. Bentham whether the pericarp is adhesive to or free from the seed coat may be taken as a basis of classification. It is also confirmed in this article. It is found in this work that all taxa with a binding pericarp and seed coat are of caryopsis that also has a ventral suture and hilum, while all others with a separated pericarp and seed coat are of bacca or nut, which has no ventral suture and hilum. The former has a hard and thin pericarp and rich endosperm, while the latter has a fleshy and thick pericarp and no endosperm. These characteristics form a basis of classification of major groups. II. In 1907, Brandis found that no any endosperm in matured fruit of Dinochloa, Melocalamus, Melocanna and Ochlandra. It has been proved by Stapf in at least one genus. We found that the baccae of Qiongzhuea, Melocanna, Ferrocalamus and Chimonobambusa Subg. Oerocalama were empty, with no endosperm. This may be a common character of the bacca. We believe, therefore, that the systematic position of Qiongzhuea, Ferrocalamus and Chimonobambusa Subg. Oreocalama is close to Melocanneae. III. Starch grains of bamboo fruits are complex in structure. They are round or ellipsoidal, consisting of 3-22 polyhedral or apple-like small grains. The morphology of starch grains is not so important as fruit in bamboo classification, but some characteristics are of a high value in the identification of genera and species, when they are combined with other features. In Cephalostachyum, the starch grain is very big, with 20-40 μm in diam, and the starch small grain is polyhedral or apple-like with 7.5-22.5 μm in diam, while in Dendrocalamus, the starch grain is small, with 10-28.9 μm in diam. and the starch small grain is only polyhedral, with 3-11.9 μm in diam. The morphology and size of the starch grain and starch small grain are also different in Melocanna and Chimonobambusa Subg. Oreocalama. IV. W. Munro’s system divided Bambuseae into three major groups according to the morphology of flower and fruit. Because the material was not sufficient at that time, the system wrongly put Cephalostachyum, Dendrocalamus into the group Bacciferea. Now it is found that both Cephalostachyum and Dendrocalamus have a nut. Later G. Bentham found this problem and divided the Bambuseae into four subtribes, treating Dendrocalamus as a separate subtribe, Dendrocalamae, and putting the bacca group into another subtribe, Melocannae. It is better, but it also has some shortcomings. Hackel, Gamble, E. G. Camus, A. Camus and Keng Pojie all accepted the view of Bentham, placing Dendrocalamus and Melocanna into different subtribes or tribes.     

Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetic Utility of the Chloroplastrpl16Intron inChusqueaand the Bambusoideae (Poaceae)

Phylogenetic relationships withinChusquea,a diverse genus of neotropical woody bamboos, and among selected members of the Bambusoideae were explored usingrpl16intron sequence data from the chloroplast genome. Mechanisms of mutation, including slipped-strand mispairing, secondary structure, minute inversions, and base substitutions, were examined within therpl16intron, and their effects on sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis were investigated. Thirty-five bamboo sequences were generated and two separate matrices were analyzed using maximum parsimony. In the first, 23 sequences fromChusquea,1 ofNeurolepis,and 3 outgroups were included.Neurolepiswas supported as sister toChusquea, Chusqueawas strongly supported as a monophyletic lineage, and three species ofChusqueasubg.Rettbergiawere resolved as the most basal clade within the genus. In the second analysis, 15 sequences, 14 from across the subfamily and 1 outgroup, were included. A Bambusoideae clade was recovered with the Olyreae/Parianeae (herbaceous bamboos) and the Bambuseae (woody bamboos) each supported as monophyletic. Two clades corresponding to temperate and tropical woody bamboos were derived within the Bambuseae and the tropical taxa were further split into New World and Old World clades. Therpl16intron in bamboos was found to be susceptible to frequent length mutations of multiple origins, nonindependent character evolution, and regions of high mutability, all of which created difficulties in alignment and phylogenetic analysis; nonetheless therpl16intron is phylogenetically informative at the inter- and intrageneric levels in bamboos.     

Molecular phylogeny of the arthrostylidioid bamboos (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae: Arthrostylidiinae) and new genus Didymogonyx

We present the first multi-locus chloroplast phylogeny of Arthrostylidiinae, a subtribe of neotropical woody bamboos. The morphological diversity of Arthrostylidiinae makes its taxonomy difficult and prior molecular analyses of bamboos have lacked breadth of sampling within the subtribe, leaving internal relationships uncertain. We sampled 51 taxa, chosen to span the range of taxonomic diversity and morphology, and analyzed a combined chloroplast DNA dataset with six chloroplast regions: ndhF, trnD-trnT, trnC-rpoB, rps16-trnQ, trnT-trnL, and rpl16. A consensus of maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference analyses reveals monophyly of the Arthrostylidiinae and four moderately supported lineages within it. Six previously recognized genera were monophyletic, three polyphyletic, and two monotypic; Rhipidocladum sect. Didymogonyx is here raised to generic status. When mapped onto our topology, many of the morphological characters show homoplasy.     

竹亚科系统学和生物地理学研究进展及存在的问题

对近年来在竹亚科作为一个单系类群的界定、其系统位置的确定、内部系统演化趋势以及地理分布和起源方面研究所取得的进展进行了评述。竹亚科作为一个单系类群仅包括了木本的竹族（Bambuseae)和一个草本的莪利竹族（Olyreae),其中莪利竹族分布在新几内亚的伊里安竹（Buergersiochloa)处于Olyreae最基部。禾本科12个亚科中除了3个亚科为基部类群以外,其余9个亚科分成PACCAD（包括黍亚科,狭义的芦竹亚科,广义的虎尾草亚科,假淡竹叶亚科,三芒草亚科和扁芒草亚科）和BOP单系分支（包括竹亚科,稻亚科和早熟禾亚科）。在BOP支中,竹亚科与早熟禾亚科相近缘,共同组成稻亚科的姐妹群。竹亚科分成草本和木本两个单系类群,木本竹子又分成热带和温带支系,热带支系进一步分成新世界热带和旧世界热带两个单系类群。从现有的化石证据和基部类群的地理分布推断,竹亚科很可能起源于晚白垩纪的冈瓦纳古陆。最后,本文就竹亚科研究尚存在的问题做了初步探讨。     

The evolution and utility of ribosomal ITS sequences in Bambusinae and related species: divergence, pseudogenes, and implications for phylogeny

Ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences are commonly used for phylogenetic reconstruction because they are highly reiterated as components of rDNA repeats, and hence are often subject to rapid homogenization through concerted evolution. Concerted evolution leads to intragenomic uniformity of repeats even between loci on nonhomologous chromosomes. However, a number of studies have shown that the ITS polymorphism within individuals is quite common. The molecular systematics of Bambusinae and related species were recently assessed by different teams using independently generated ITS sequences, and the results disagreed in some remarkable features. Here we compared the ITS sequences of the members of Bambusa s. l., the genera Dendrocalamus, Dinochloa, Gigantochloa, Guadua, Melocalamus, Monocladus, Oxytenanthera, Thyrsostachys, Pleioblastus, Pseudosasa and Schizostachyum.We have reanalysed the ITS sequences used by different research teams to reveal the underlying patterns of their different results. After excluding the sequences suspected to represent paralogous loci, a phylogenetic analysis of the subtribe Bambusinae species were performed using maximum parsimony and maximum-likelihood methods. The implications of the findings are discussed. The risk of incorporating ITS paralogues in plant evolutionary studies that can distort the phylogenetic signal should caution molecular systematists.     

中国竹类植物馆藏标本现状与地理分布

馆藏标本是分类学研究的主要凭证, 对特定类群标本的采集信息进行细致整理和分析, 有助于理解该类群研究的历史、现状和不足。此外, 结合最新的系统学研究成果和相应的环境数据构建生态位模型, 可以加深人们对特定类群分类与分布状况的认识。被子植物的分类鉴定常基于繁殖性状进行, 然而, 竹类植物一般进行克隆繁殖, 只有在经过长期的营养生长之后, 才会进行有性生殖并同时死亡。因此, 国内的竹类标本大多仅记录了营养性状, 具有繁殖性状的标本数量稀少。由于这一特殊的生物学习性, 竹类植物是当今分类学研究中最为困难的类群之一。本研究基于全国竹类植物馆藏标本的采集数据, 分析了我国竹类标本的采集和保藏现状; 利用比值法和斜率法从采集地理偏差和采集类群偏差两方面评估了竹类植物标本的采集完整度; 结合气候数据, 利用模型模拟的方法分析了影响不同竹类分支分布的主要因素。采集信息分析结果表明, 国内标本馆对竹类标本的收集和保藏存在很大的不均衡性, 且对研究团队具有较高的依赖性; 其次竹类标本的采集量的变化较好地反映了国内植物分类学研究的历史; 而对类群和地理采集完整度的评估结果表明, 中国竹类标本的采集和整理工作仍任重道远。模型模拟结果表明, 温度限定了竹类植物两大分支各自的分布北界, 水分对温带木本竹类分支(temperate woody bamboos, TWB)的限制作用比旧世界热带木本竹类分支(paleotropical woody bamboos, PWB)强, 而温度对PWB的限制性更强。生态位模拟的结果进一步显示, 中国温带和旧世界热带木本竹类两大分支的适生区出现了明显的分化, 但在亚热带区域仍有部分重叠。植物标本记录了特定类群在时间和空间上的分布格局, 相关的信息一方面可以促进物种灭绝风险评估、可持续利用和综合保护, 另一方面也可助力大尺度生物多样性分布格局及全球变化对多样性的影响研究。     

The Complete Chloroplast Genome of Guadua angustifolia and Comparative Analyses of Neotropical-Paleotropical Bamboos

To elucidate chloroplast genome evolution within neotropical-paleotropical bamboos, we fully characterized the chloroplast genome of the woody bamboo Guadua angustifolia. This genome is 135,331 bp long and comprises of an 82,839-bp large single-copy (LSC) region, a 12,898-bp small single-copy (SSC) region, and a pair of 19,797-bp inverted repeats (IRs). Comparative analyses revealed marked conservation of gene content and sequence evolutionary rates between neotropical and paleotropical woody bamboos. The neotropical herbaceous bamboo Cryptochloa strictiflora differs from woody bamboos in IR/SSC boundaries in that it exhibits slightly contracted IRs and a faster substitution rate. The G. angustifolia chloroplast genome is similar in size to that of neotropical herbaceous bamboos but is ~3 kb smaller than that of paleotropical woody bamboos. Dissimilarities in genome size are correlated with differences in the lengths of intergenic spacers, which are caused by large-fragment insertion and deletion. Phylogenomic analyses of 62 taxa yielded a tree topology identical to that found in preceding studies. Divergence time estimation suggested that most bamboo genera diverged after the Miocene and that speciation events of extant species occurred during or after the Pliocene.     

Phylogenetics of the Thamnocalamus group and its allies (Gramineae: Bambusoideae): inference from the sequences of GBSSI gene and ITS spacer

Phylogenetics of 33 species (35 species in the ITS analysis) of the Thamnocalamus group and its allies inferred from partial sequences of the nuclear GBSSI gene and from those of the nuclear ribosomal ITS spacer was discussed in the present paper. The analyses of two separate data and combined data sets were performed using the parsimony method. Two species from Arundinaria and Acidosasa were used as outgroups. All three analyses supported the monophyly of the Thamnocalamus group and its allies, which have pachymorph rhizomes and semelauctant synflorescences with three stamens. The two sampled species of Chimonocalamus were resolved as a strongly supported monophyletic group and as basal in the Thamnocalamus group and its allies in the ITS and combined analyses. The resolution of the Thamnocalamus group and its allies in the GBSSI-gene-based tree was generally poor, while the gene still identified some clades with strongly internal supports, i.e., the Chimonocalamus clade, the Ampelocalamus clade, the clade of Thamnocalamus spathiflorus and its variety, that of Fargesia porphyrea and Yushania bojieana, and the clade of Fargesia edulis and Fargesia fungosa. The topology resulting from the GBSSI and ITS combined data analysis had a better resolution than those from the two separate data sets. T. spathiflorus and its variety comprised another strongly supported basal clade and may be next to the Chimonocalamus clade. The positions of the African Thamnocalamus tessellatus and Arundinaria (Yushania) alpina, and the monotypic Chinese endemic Gaoligongshania were problematic. The Thamnocalamus group per se was resolved as polyphyletic. Most species of Fargesia and Yushania formed a group with no bootstrap support. This assemblage was heterogeneous according to the morphological characters and further investigation is needed. This study implicated that the current limitation of three genera of Thamnocalamus, Fargesia (incl. Borinda) and Yushania may not reflect the true phylogenetic relationships of the complex. The phylogenetic utility of GBSSI gene in closely related woody bamboos was also evaluated.     

[竹思]簩竹属及其近缘属叶表皮微形态特征

用扫描电镜和光学显微镜对[竹思]簩竹属（Schizostachyum Nees）7个种,及其近缘的梨竹属（Melocanna Trin．）、泡竹属（Pseudostachyum Munro）、薄竹属（Lepzocanna Chia et H．L．Fung）各1个种以及空竹属（Cephalostachyum Munro）6个种的叶表皮微形态特征进行了观察。结果表明竹叶下表皮乳突的形状和在气孔器上及周围的排列式样在这5个属中各有不同,具有重要的分类学和系统学价值。同时我们的结果不支持广义的笃竹属;而梨竹属、空竹属和泡竹属则被支持独立成属。另外,薄竹（Leptocanna chinensis）和红毛[竹思]簩竹（Schizostachyum sanguineum）的叶表皮微形态特征非常接近空竹属;香糯竹（Cephalostachyum pergracile）和金毛空竹（C．virgatum）的叶表皮微形态特征则十分接近[竹思]簩竹属。     

Unraveling the phylogeny of polygrammoid ferns (Polypodiaceae and Grammitidaceae): exploring aspects of the diversification of epiphytic plants

We explore the phylogeny of the polygrammoid ferns using nucleotide sequences derived from three plastid loci for each of 98 selected species. Our analyses recovered four major monophyletic lineages: the loxogrammoids, two clades consisting of taxa restricted to the Old World, and a largely neotropical clade that also includes the pantropical Grammitidaceae. The loxogrammoid lineage diverges first and is sister to a large clade comprising the three remaining species-rich lineages. One paleotropical clade includes the drynarioid and selligueoid ferns, whereas the second paleotropical clade includes the platycerioids, lepisoroids, microsoroids, and their relatives. The grammitids nest within the neotropical clade, although the sister taxon of this circum-tropic, epiphytic group remains ambiguous. Microsorum and Polypodium, as traditionally defined, were recovered as polyphyletic. The relatively short branch lengths of the deepest clades contrast with the long branch lengths leading to the terminal groups. This suggests that the polygrammoid ferns arose through an old, rapid radiation. Our analysis also reveals that the rate of substitution in the grammitids is remarkably higher relative to other polygrammoids. Disparities in substitution rate may be correlated with one or more features characterizing grammitids, including species richness, chlorophyllous spores, and an extended gametophytic phase.     

Molecular phylogeny, character evolution, and biogeography of the grammitid fern genus Lellingeria (Polypodiaceae)

? Premise of the study: The recognition of monophyletic genera for groups that have high levels of homoplastic morphological characters and/or conflicting results obtained by different studies can be difficult. Such is the case in the grammitid ferns, a clade within the Polypodiaceae. In this study, we aim to resolve relationships among four clades of grammitid ferns, which have been previously recovered either as a polytomy or with conflicting topologies, with the goal of circumscribing monophyletic genera. ? Methods: The sampling included 89 specimens representing 61 species, and sequences were obtained for two genes (atpB and rbcL) and four intergenic spacers (atpB-rbcL, rps4-trnS, trnG-trnR, and trnL-trnF), resulting in a matrix of 5091 characters. The combined data set was analyzed using parsimony, likelihood, and Bayesian methods. Ninety-six morphological characters were optimized onto the generated trees, using the parsimony method. ? Key results: Lellingeria is composed of two main clades, the L. myosuroides and the Lellingeria s.s. clades, which together are sister to Melpomene. Sister to all three of these is a clade with two species of the polyphyletic genus Terpsichore. In the L. myosuroides clade, several dispersal events occurred between the neotropics, Africa, and the Pacific Islands, whereas Lellingeria s.s. is restricted to the neotropics, with about 60% of its diversity in the Andes. ? Conclusions: Overall, our results suggest that Lellingeria is monophyletic, with two clades that are easily characterized morphologically and biogeographically. Morphological characters describing the indument are the most important to define the clades within the ingroup. A small clade, previously considered in Terpsichore, should be recognized as a new genus.     

Use of flowering gene <Emphasis Type="Italic">FLOWERING LOCUS T</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">FT</Emphasis>) homologs in the phylogenetic analysis of bambusoid and early diverging grasses

A nuclear gene, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) homolog, was cloned from Phyllostachys meyeri as PmFT. Its putative copy number was estimated as four by Southern blot analysis, and the two copies were completely sequenced. Twenty-seven FT homolog sequences of bambusoid and early diverging grasses comprised 172-bp exons, and 357- to 785-bp introns exhibited 0-58.9% pairwise divergence with six modal levels. Parsimony analyses of the FT homologs rooted at Pharus virescens produced six equally parsimonious trees. In the strict consensus tree, five clades were resolved; they were affected by divergence of the intron region rather than exon region. The basal clade was Puelioideae, followed by Olyreae clade including Oryza sativa. Streptogyneae clade combined the Olyreae clade with terminal sister clades of the Bambuseae, i.e., pantropical bamboos and East Asiatic temperate bamboos. The global topology suggested that FT homologs are significant for resolving the tribe level. However, the phylogeny of FT homologs does not resolve monophyly in Bambusoideae because of intercalary positioning by Streptogyneae clade. We discussed the role of FT homologs in controlling the inflorescence architecture and position of Streptogyneae in the bamboo phylogeny.     

Re-evaluation of the enigmatic species complex Saprolegnia diclina-Saprolegnia parasitica based on morphological, physiological and molecular data

The phylogenetic relationships among isolates of the Saprolegnia diclina-Saprolegnia parasitica complex were investigated based on ITS rDNA sequences, and correlated with morphological and physiological characters. The isolates studied belong to five phylogenetically separate clades. The majority of presumed parasitic isolates, mostly isolated from fish lesions, fell within a clade that comprises isolates which has been variously named as S. diclina Type 1, S. parasitica, Saprolegnia salmonis or just as unnamed Saprolegnia sp. Presence of bundles of long-hooked hairs on secondary cysts, high frequency of retracted germination, and oogonia production at 7 degrees C (when occurring) were characteristic of this clade. A single isolate identified as S. diclina Type 2 clustered in a clade along with Saprolegnia ferax isolates. The isolates identified as S. diclina s. str. (S. diclina Type 3) distributed in two clades and appeared closely related to Saprolegnia multispora and to a number of Chilean isolates identified as Saprolegnia australis. The ITS sequences of clade I were almost identical even though the isolates were of diverse geographical origins and showed physiological and morphological differences and variations in their pathogenicity. This suggest these species reproduces clonally even in apparently sexually competent isolates. Adaptation to parasitism in Saprolegnia might have occurred at spore level by the development of long-hooked hairs to facilitate host attachment and selection of a retracting germination. The use of the name S. parasitica should be assigned to isolates of clade I that contained isolates forming cysts with bundles of long-hooked hairs.