A cladistic analysis ofAnisopappus (Asteraceae: Inuleae)

A cladistic analysis of the genusAnisopappus (Asteraceae: Inuleae) has been undertaken. A hypothesis of species interrelationships in the genus is presented for the first time. The analysis also includedArctotis (Arctoteae), used as outgroup, and five additional genera from theInuleae: Geigeria, Calostephane, Asteriscus, Buphthalmum, Pulicaria, andInula. It is concluded thatAnisopappus is a monophyletic group situated at the base of the tribe, diagnosed by, e.g., their obtuse stylar sweeping-hairs. The species with acute sweeping-hairs were found to be derived within the genus. Problems concerning species delimitation, biogeography and character evolution in the genus are briefly discussed.     

Keratinolysis and its morphological expression in hair digestion by airborne fungi

The morphological expression of keratinolysis in fungi isolated from the air of Torino (98 isolates belonging to 36 species) was studied. Light microscopy on whole material and on semithin sections, as well as scanning electron microscopy was used. There were 19 keratinolytically active species, with seven in the genusChrysosporium (C. indicum, C. keratinophilum, C. pannicola, C. tropicum, C. an.Arthroderma cuniculi, C. an.Pectinotrichum llanense, C. an.Renispora flavissima), four in the genusMalbranchea (M. arcuata, M. fulva, M. sulphurea, M. st.Uncinocarpus reesii), and three in the genusTrichophyton (T. mentagrophytes, T. rubrum, T. terrestre). In addition there wereAphanoascus fulvescens, Beauveria bassiana, Geomyces pannorum v.pannorum, Gymnoascus umbrinus andMyceliophthora vellerea. Most of these species were capable of developing structures related to surface erosion and radial penetration contemporaneously. HoweverGymnoascus umbrinus, Myceliophthora vellerea, an isolate ofC. indicum, C. tropicum andTrichophyton mentagrophytes demonstrated only surface erosion. Different isolates of one species can vary in their production of invasive structures and in degree of keratinolytic activity. Thus such activity, like many biochemical activities of fungi, does not appear to be a constant or rigorously species-specific character.     

Die GattungKarschia — Bindeglied zwischen bitunicaten Ascomyceten und lecanoralen Flechtenpilzen?

The genusKarschia, in the earlier sense, including saprophytes and parasites on lichens, has been thought to be a non-lichenized parallel genus of the lichen genusBuellia. Modern workers included it on the one hand inBuellia, on the other hand combined it with bitunicate ascomycetes. It is now proved thatKarschia is heterogeneous and contains but superficially similar members both of the genusBuellia of theLecanorales and of typical or masked bitunicateAscomycetes. Therefore, it can not be regarded as a link betweenLecanorales andDothideales. The type species ofKarschia belongs to theDothideales.

     

Notes on new and noteworthy plant-inhabiting fungi from Japan (1)

Six fungi isolated from plant materials in Japan are described. The first isPseudohalonectria aomoriensis sp. nov. (Lasiosphaeriaceae). It differs from other known species of the genusPseudohalonectria in the dimensions of its asci and ascospores. The second,Monodictys abuensis, is newly added to the mycoflora of Japan. Its host,Zelkova serrata, is also newly recorded. Three others found on new host plants areDictyochaeta simplex onQuercus myrsinaefolia andBladhia crispa, Colletotrichum dematium onAucuba japonica var.borealis, andNectria mammoidea var.rubi onCercidiphyllum japonicum. The sixth,Trochophora fasciculata, aDaphniphyllum sooty leaf spot fungus renamed by Goos fromT. simplex, is reported with a full list of synonyms.     

Karyotypic evolution,morphological variability and phylogeny inMedicago sect.Intertextae

Karyotype and external morphological analyses were conducted onMedicago ciliaris, M. intertexta, M. muricoleptis andM. granadensis which comprise theIntertextae section of the genusMedicago. All species were found to have 2n = 16 chromosomes (= 2 ×), including one pair of satellite chromosomes in each respective complement. Karyotypic evolution in theIntertextae involves changes in absolute chromosome size and in centromeric and relative size symmetry. Numerical taxonomic analyses were conducted independently on 17 karyotypic features and on 16 features of external morphology. The results of the two sets of analyses proved comparable, withM. ciliaris andM. intertexta forming a fairly close pair, and the remaining two species appearing to have more distant relationships to each other and to the first pair. These observations are consistent with the infertility relationships and chorologies of the species. It is suggested thatM. muricoleptis andM. granadensis are derived from theM. ciliaris/intertexta species complex withM. granadensis arising fromM. muricoleptis, or these two species independently evolving from a common species complex. Chromosomal and numerical analyses suggest thatM. ciliaris is the most primitive andM. granadensis the most derived species of theIntertextae.     

Catapyrenium (Verrucariaceae) species from South America

13 species of the lichen genusCatapyrenium are reported from South America. Five species (C. analogicum, C. andicolum, C. exaratum, C. lachneoides, andC. podolepis) are described as new. A key to the species known from South America is presented. Remarks on taxonomy, ecology and distribution of the species are given.Studies on the lichen genusCatapyrenium (Verrucariaceae) III. For second part seeBreuss (1991).     

Biogeography, geographical variation and taxonomy of the Andean hummingbird genusMetallura GOULD, 1847

Summary Biogeography and taxonomy of the High-Andean hummingbird genusMetallura were analysed on the basis of geographical variation of morphometric and plumage colour characters. The genusMetallura is considered to consist of nine species and 15 subspecies. Within the speciesMetallura tyrianthina seven subspecies are recognized (smaragdinicollis [includingperuviana],septentrionalis, quitensis, tyrianthina, districta, oreopola, chloropogon).M. tyrianthina andM. iracunda are considered to be sister species and to be closely related toM. phoebe and to the members of theM. aeneocauda superspecies. The latter consists of six species as follows:M. aeneocauda (with subspeciesaeneocauda andmalagae),M. eupogon, M. theresiae (with subspeciestheresiae andparkeri),M. odomae, M. baroni andM. williami (with subspecieswilliami, atrigularis, primolina, recisa).M. tyrianthina andM. iracunda exhibit plesiomorphic character states (dimorphism, colour of throat feathers, short bill), that link the genusMetallura to its sister genusChalcostigma. The disjunct distribution of similar phenotypes, and the progression of morphological characters suggest fairly recent allopatric speciation processes in allMetallura taxa. High-Andean habitat fragmentations due to climatic changes during Late-Pliocene and Pleistocene presumably caused geographical isolation and differentiation of mostMetallura populations. The south-north phenotype progression regarding chin and gorget coloration ofM. tyrianthina females, paralleled by a transition from weak to strong sexual dimorphism, suggest for the genusMetallura a centre of origin in the Andes of north-eastern Bolivia or south-eastern Peru.Dedicated to Hans Hudde, Essen, for his friendship and support.     

Synopsis of the tribe Bocageeae (Annonaceae), with revisions of Cardiopetalum,Froesiodendron, Trigynaea,Bocagea, and Hornschuchia

The tribal name Bocageeae Endlicher is reestablished and the tribe is circumscribed on the basis of solitary internodal ebracteate pedicels that are articulated at the base, and pollen shed in polyads of eight or more grains. Septate anther locules, large pollen size, and seed appendages are prevalent in the tribe. Intectate pollen with free-standing columellae, rare in Annonaceae, occurs not only in the genusTrigynaea but also in some species ofBocagea andHornschuchia. As defined here, the Bocageeae include seven neotropical genera:Cymbopetalum, Porcelia, Bocagea, Cardiopetalum, Froesiodendron, Hornschuchia, andTrigynaea. The latter five genera are revised and the treatments include ten new species:Cardiopetalum plicatum, Froesiodendron urceocalyx, Hornschuchia lianarum, H. santosii, H. leptandra, Trigynaea cinnamomea, T. lanceipetala, T. triplinervis, T. lagaropoda, andT. axilliflora, all from tropical South America. A new combination,Froesiodendron longicuspe, changes the rank of that taxon from subspecies to species.Cardiopetalum surinamense is removed fromFroesiodendron and reassigned toCardiopetalum on the basis of its connate petals, dehiscent monocarps, and seeds with bilobed arils. A cladogram provides an explicit hypothesis of intergeneric relationships in the tribe. The new combinationOnychopetalum periquino, based onTrigynaea periquino, is made.     

Sero-systematics ofCytisus sect.Trianthocytisus (Fabaceae)

The serological reaction of seed proteins provides evidence for a partly new systematic arrangement ofCytisus sect.Trianthocytisus and ofCytisus s.l. Proposed modifications agree with recent advances in morphological taxonomy. Sect.Trianthocytisus includes only two species,C. villosus andC. aeolicus. Its position is central within the genus, and this fact agrees with the proposed retypification ofCytisus (type species:C. villosus).C. emeriflorus, formerly included in the same section, constitutes the monospecific sect.Emeroides, which is intermediate towards the genusLembotropis. This is serologically isolated and includes onlyL. nigricans. It is confirmed thatC. sessilifolius should be removed from the genusCytisus as a monospecific genus:Cytisophyllum Lang which is closely allied toHesperolaburnum and toPodocytisus, the most primitive genera ofGenisteae.     

Cissus pinnatifolia (Vitaceae), a new species from the Atlantic coast of Brazil

A new species of Vitaceae is described and illustrated:Cissus pinnatifolia, the eighth species of the genus with pinnately compound leaves; an emended key to this group of species is also presented.     

A re-evaluation of the Abutilothamnus complex (Malvaceae) I. Two new species and two new genera,Sidasodes and Akrosida

A revision of certain generic boundaries within the tribe Malveae is made. A new genus,Sidasodes, is described with two species, one of which is new,Sidasodes colombiana.Akrosida is segregated as a new genus, based onBastardia macrophylla. The new realignment also recognizesTetrasida as a distinct genus, and describes as newTetrasida serrulata. New combinations includeSidasodes jamesonii (based onSida jamesonii),Akrosida macrophylla (based onBastardia macrophylla), andTetrasida chachapoyensis (based onSida chachapoyensis)     

The natural delimitation ofCentaurea (Asteraceae: Cardueae): ITS sequence analysis of theCentaurea jacea group

Taxonomic complexity has hindered partitioning the genusCentaurea into natural subdivisions, even though it has long been recognized as an unwieldy, artificial assemblage. Most of the remaining difficulties center in theCentaurea jacea group, whose taxa share a common advanced type of pollen. Because it comprises half the species of the genusCentaurea, as well as five other disputed genera previously segregated fromCentaurea (Chartolepis, Cheirolepis, Cnicus, Grossheimia andTomanthea), theCentaurea jacea group is a significant taxonomic challenge. Newer molecular approaches are useful for resolving complex relationships because they provide more precise inferences of evolutionary relationships than traditional morphological characters. Sequences of the Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA were analyzed for a comprehensive sample of this group. Results indicated that theCentaurea jacea group is monophyletic and includes the segregated genera, but not two other genera (Oligochaeta andZoegea), whose inclusion in theCentaurea jacea group was doubtful. In addition to pollen morphology, the ITS phylogeny is also supported by karyological evidence and by good correlation with biogeographic distribution of the species. The monophyly of theCentaurea jacea group suggests that a natural delimitation ofCentaurea that minimizes nomenclatural changes is possible, but only if a new type of the genus is designated.     

Three new species and a new combination in the genusTorulomyces from soil

Seven isolates ofTorulomyces from Asian and Australian soil samples were studied in comparison with known taxa of the genus and withMonocillium indicum, the type species ofMonocillium. Three new species,Torulomyces parviverrucosus, T. laevis, andT. ovatus, are described, andT. brunneus is described as a new combination. Conidial characteristics, especially their shape and surface structure, are useful taxonomic criteria for distinguishing species ofTorulomyces. Monocillium is considered to be a distinct genus.     

The branching of the inflorescence and vegetative shoot and taxonomy of the genusKummerowia (Leguminosae)

A study of the branching of the inflorescence and the vegetative shoot of the genusKummerowia, consisting ofK. stipulacea (Maxim.) Makino andK. striata (Thunb.) Schindler, has led to the following conclusions: (1) the inflorescences of both species are reduced compound cymes, (2) the branching system of the inflorescence ofKummerowia is not clearly different from that of the vegetative shoot and there are some transitional forms between both systems, and (3) the inflorescence ofKummerowia is different from the racemose inflorescences ofLespedeza andCampylotropis. Based on the differences found in the branching system of the inflorescence,Kummerowia is distinctly separated fromLespedeza andCampylotropis and is more correctly treated as a distinct genus from the latter two.     

Revision of the bulbous Iridaceae of North America

The native bulbous Iridaceae of North America excluding Mexico comprise seven species in four genera. The type species ofAlophia Herb. (1836) is shown to belong toEustylis Engelm. & Gray (1836), hence the latter genus is reduced to synonymy. The well known genusAlophia (sensu auct. non Herb.) (Herbertia Sweet) now takes the nameTrifurcia. As a result of the new interpretation ofAlophia, new combinations are made for the North American and Latin American species ofTrifurcia andAlophia. New chromosome counts are given forNemastylis floridana (2n = 56) andTrifurcia lahue (2n = 56).     

ADH and phylogenetic relationships ofDrosophila lebanonensis (Scaptodrosophila)

Summary Increasing data onDrosophila alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) sequences have made it possible to calculate the rate of amino acid replacement per year, which is 1.7×10^–9. This value makes this protein suitable for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships within the genus for those species for which no molecular data are available such asScaptodrosophila. The amino acid sequence ofDrosophila lebanonensis is compared to all of the already knownDrosophila ADHs, stressing the unique characteristic features of this protein such as the conservation of an initiating methionine at the N-terminus, the unique replacement of a glycine by an alanine at a very conserved position in the NAD domain of all dehydrogenases, the lack of a slowmigrating peptide, and the total conservation of the maximally hydrophilic peptide. The functional significance of these features is discussed.Although the percent amino acid identity of the ADH molecule inDrosophila decreases as the number of sequences compared increases, the conservation of residue type in terms of size and hydrophobocity for the ADH molecule is shown to be very high throughout the genusDrosophila. The distance matrix and parsimony methods used to establish the phylogenetic relationships ofD. lebanonensis show that the three subgenera,Scaptodrosophila, Drosophila, andSophophora separated at approximately the same time.     

Phylogenetic relationships in the genera<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Zostera</Emphasis> and<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Heterozostera</Emphasis> (Zosteraceae) based on<Emphasis Type="Italic"> matK</Emphasis> sequence data

Phylogenetic analysis of the plastid (chloroplast) DNA matK gene of Zosteraceae species was undertaken. A molecular phylogenetic tree based on matK sequence data showed the monophyly of Heterozostera tasmanica and subgenus Zosterella and did not support the separation of Heterozostera from the genus Zostera. The tree based on matK supported the monophyly of the subgenus Zostera, and showed that Zosteraceae consist of three main groups: Phyllospadix, which is clearly defined by being dioecious; the subgenus Zosterella and Heterozostera; and the subgenus Zostera. Character-state reconstruction of chromosome number and geographic distribution for our molecular phylogenetic tree showed that 2n=12 is a plesiomorphic character for Zostera and Heterozostera, that the chromosome number was doubled or tripled in two lineages, and that the initial speciation of Zostera and Heterozostera occurred in the Northern Hemisphere. The matK tree showed the close affinity of Z. noltii and Z. japonica, which have disjunct distributions. Zostera marina, which is the only widely distributed species in the subgenus Zostera, also occurring in the northern Atlantic, was shown to be embedded within other subgenus Zostera species.     

A new combination in Modiolastrum (Malvaceae) and remarks about the genus in South America

A key to the seven species of the South American genusModiolastrum is presented. In addition, variation within the genus and the relationship betweenModiola andModiolastrum are briefly discussed. The new combinationModiolastrum sandemanii is proposed, based onMalvastrum sandemanii Sandwith.