A revision ofTaraxacum sect.Piesis (Compositae)

On the basis of allozyme and cultivation data, and of additional herbarium material, a taxonomic and nomenclatural revision ofTaraxacum sect.Piesis A.J. Richards exKirschner et?těpánek is provided. The section is made up of halophilous, sexually reproducing taxa. InT. stenocephalum Boiss. etKotschy,T. pindicum Kirschner et?těpánek, sp. nov., andT. perenne Kirschner et?těpánek, sp. nov., a tetraploid chromosome number has been recorded, representing the only known case of sexuality at the tetraploid level in the genus. The complex ofT. stenocephalum, includes some geographically and morphologically extreme populations treated as subspecies: subsp.gumusanicum (Soest)Kirschner et?těpánek, comb. nov., subsp.magnum Kirschner et?těpánek, subsp. nov., and subsp.daralagesicum (Schischk.)Kirschner et?těpánek, comb. nov. In addition toT. bessarabicum (Hornem.)Hand.-Mazz., a widely distributed Eurasian species,T. stenocephalum, a complex centred in Transcaucasia and Anatolia, andT. pachypodum H. Lindb., a North African endemic, four new species are described:T. salsum Kirschner et?těpánek, sp. nov., a diploid endemic confined to E Crimea,T. perenne Kirschner et?těpánek, sp. nov., a tetraploid sexual species known only from SW Crimea,T. pindicum Kirschner et?těpánek, sp. nov., a remarkable tetraploid endemic to the Pindos Mts., Greece, andT. salsitatis Kirschner, ?těpänek etYirdirimli, sp. nov., an Anatolian diploid species. Furthermore, a hybrid betweenT. salsum andT. bessarabicum from Crimea (documented on the basis of allozyme data elsewhere) is given a binomial,T. xmesohalobium Kirschner et?těpánek, nothosp. nov.     

Annotated chromosome numbers of selected asiaticPotentilla species

Chromosome numbers are reported for 19 collections representing 16 AsiaticPotentilla taxa. The first chromosome records are reported forP. desertorum Bunge var.arnavatensis Wolf (2n=28),P. festiva Soják (2n=28),P. griffithii Hook f. subsp.beauvaisii (Cardot) Soják (2n=42),P. micropetala D. Don subsp.byssitecta (Soják) Měsí?ek etSoják (2n=14),P. mollissima Lehm. (2n=28),P. moorcroftii Wall. exLehm. (2n=42),P. multicaulis Bunge (2n=14),P. [x]omissa Soják (2n=35, 56, 70) andP. stanjukoviczii Ovcz. exKoczk. (2n=14). Counts differing from those previously recorded are given forP. algida Soják (2n=56) andP. flagellaris Willd. exSchlecht. (2n=42). Chromosome numbers of the following species were confirmed:P. [x]agrimonioides Bieb. (2n=42),P. chinensis Ser. in DC. (2n=14),P. fragarioides L. (2n=14),P. lineata Trev. (2n=14) andP. sericea L. (2n=28). Taxonomy is briefly discussed. A new combinationP. micropetala D. Don subsp.byssitecta (Soják) Měsí?ek etSoják stat. nov. is proposed.     

Karyological and taxonomic observations onDracocephalum foetidum Bunge andKoenigia islandica L.

Chromosome numbers are reported for two Mongolian species,Dracocephalum foetidum Bunge (2n=12) andKoenigia islandica L. (2n=14). The relationship ofD. foetidum toD. moldavica L. (2n=10) and some patterns of phenotypic variation inK. islandica are briefly discussed. The following new combinations are proposed:K. cyanadra (Diels) Měsí?ek etSoják,K. forrestii (Diels) Měsí?ek etSoják,K. hubertii (Lingelsh.) Měsí?ek etSoják, andK. nummularifolia (Meisn.) Měsí?ek etSoják.     

Bemerkungen zur Variabilität vonSaxifraga marginata

Saxifraga marginata Sternb. is divided into three subspecies:S. m. subsp.marginata, S. m. subsp.bubakii (Rohlena)Chrtek etSoják,S. m. subsp.karadzicensis (Degen etKo?anin)Chrtek etSoják (environments of Skopje, Macedonia).     

Chromosome counts of some MongolianPotentilla species

Chromosome numbers are reported for 26 collections representing 12 MongolianPotentilla taxa. The first chromosome records are reported forP.[x]agrimonioides Bieb. (2n = 42, 49–50),P. [x]chionea Soják (2n = 64, 74+1B, 84–86, 86),P. [x]stepposa Soják (2n = 62) andP. supina, L. subsp.costata Soják (2n = 42). Tetraploid and pentaploid populations ofP. sericea L. (2n = 28, 34, 35) and hexaploid populations ofP. omithopoda Tausch (2n = 42) were found in Mongolia. Chromosome numbers of the following species were confirmed:P. longifolia Willd. exSchlecht. (2n = 14),P. multifida L. (2n = 28),P. sanguisorba Willd. exSchlecht. (2n = 28),P. sericea L. (2n = 42),P. supina L. subsp.paradoxa (Nutt.) Soják (2n = 28 China) andP. tanacetifolia Willd. exSchlecht. (2n = 28). Taxonomic observations are briefly discussed.     

Bemerkungen zu einigen balkanischenOxytropis-Arten

The present paper deals with the following three mountainOxytropis species:Oxytropis urumovii Jáv. inUrumov, an endemic species of the Pirin (Bulgaria);O. dinarica (Murb.) Wettst. distributed predominantly in Yugoslavia, andO. campestris which is common in the East Alps, but very rare in the Balkans. Three subspecies ofO. dinarica were distinguished: subsp.dinarica, subsp.weberi Chrtek etChrtková, and subsp.velebitica Chrtek etChrtková. In addition, a new combinationO. halleri Bunge exKoch subsp.korabensis (Kümmerle etJáv.)Chrtek etChrtková is given.     

A new savanna-like community of the sierra del rosario mountains,Cuba

This communication describes a new savanna-like community, theBletio purpureae-Andropogonetum gracilis Balátová-Tulá?ková etR. Capote ass. nov., found in the woodless eastern part of the Sierra del Rosario Mountains (western part of Cuba). From the phytosociological point of view, it belongs to the allianceAchlaenion piptostachyae Balátová-Tulá?ková all. nov., the orderAchlaenetalia piptostachyae Balátová-Tulá?ková ord. nov., and the classSclerio baldwinii-Andropogonetea gracilis Balátová-Tulá?ková cl. nov. In the area under study four subassociations were distinguished: theBletio-Andropogonetum typicum Balátová-Tulá?ková et.R. Capote subass. nov., theB.-A. rhynchosporetosum fascicularis Balátová-Tulá?ková etR. Capote subass. nov., theB.-A. cassietosum aeschynomenes Balátová-Tulá?ková etR. Capote subass. nov., and theB.-A. stenandrietosum droseroidis Balátová-Tulá?ková etR. Capote subass. nov.     

The variability of critical species ofLotus L. in Iran and in the neighbouring countries II

The paper deals with some problems of distribution and variability of the speciesL. angustissimus L.,L. halophilus Boiss. etSprun.,L. laricus Rech. fil.,Aellen etEsfandiari, L.,schimperi Steud.,L. compactus Chrtková-?ertová,L. garcinii DC.     

New and critical species ofVicia in Iran and neighbouring countries 1. TheVicia variegata group

In Iran and the neighbouring regions of Turkey, Iraq, U.S.S.R. and Afghanistan, eight already known species belonging to the subsectionVariegatae Radzhi, occur:V. persica Boiss.,V. armena Boiss.,V. variegata Willd.,V. akhmaganica Kazar.,V. gregaria Boiss. etHeldr.,V. aucheri Jaub. etSpach and the two new species described here,V. rechingeri Chrtková-?ertová andV. afghanica Chrtková-?ertová. The occurrence of most species is restricted to a limited area which may be one of the evolutionary centres of this subsection.     

Selected chromosome counts of the Czechoslovak flora III

Chromosome numbers compared with as yet published data are given for the following 12 Phanerogams (both native species and aliens) from Czechoslovakia:Ambrosia trifida L.,Cardamine chelidonia L.,Dephne cneorum L.,Epipactis albensis Nováková etRydlo,Linum flavum L.subsp flavum, Lunaria rediviva L.,Nepeta grandiflora M.BIEB.,Reseda luteola L.,Thlaspi montanum L.,Tithymalus salicifolius (Host)Klotzsch etGarcke,Tithymalus virgultosus (Klokov) Holub andVerbascum speciosum Schrad. subsp.speciosum. The chromosome number 2n=40 is presented for the first time in autogamousEpipactis albensis Nováková etRydlo. New chromosome numbers were found inCardamine chelidonia L. (2n=32) and inTithymalus salicifolius (Host) Klotzch etGarcke (2n=40). Known but less frequent cytotypes are reported inLinum flavum L. subsp.flavum (2n=28) and inVerbascum speciosum Schrad. subsp.speciosum (2n=30).     

The trilobiteProtostygina and the composition of the Styginidae, with two new genera

The Styginidae is regarded as an exclusively Ordovician family of trilobites, separate from the Scutelluidae. The hitherto poorly known genusProtostygina Prantl &P?ibyl, 1949 is revised. It is recorded with certainty only from the Llanvirn of the Czech Republic, and the type species is a senior synonym of“Raymondaspis” rubensi rubensi P?ibyl &VANěK, 1968 and“R.” rubensi lybar ?najdr, 1976. Two new styginid genera are proposed:Cyrtocybe, with type species“Raymondaspis” turgida Whittington, 1965, is known from the upper Arenig and lower Llanvirn of Newfoundland, Maine and Norway; andPromargo, with type speciesP.forteyi n. sp., occurs in the Arenig of Newfoundland and Spitsbergen.Turgicephalus Fortey, 1980 is regarded as a junior synonym ofRaymondaspis P?ibyl inPrantl &P?ibyl, 1949. Three genera are excluded from the Styginidae:Kirkdomina Tripp, 1962,Pseudostygina Zhou inZhou et al., 1982 andStyginella P?ibyl &Vaněk, 1971.     

Studien über dieJungermannioideae (Hepaticae) 5.Jungermannia Subg.Plectocolea und Subg.Solenostoma: Afrikanische Arten

Die fünfte Studie aus der Serie, der vorbereiteten Studien über die SubfamilieJungermannioideae (Jungermanniaceae, Hepaticae) ist den Arten der GattungJungermannia L. emend.Dum. gewidmet, die in Afrika und auf den benachbarten Inseln (Makaronesien, Kerguelen, Marion-I. u. a.) vorkommen. Im genannten Gebiet wurden 16 Arten der GattungJungermannia L. emend.Dum. festgestellt. Die ArtenJ. (P.) balfourii sp. nova,J. (P.) dusenii (Steph.) Steph.,J. (P.) onraedtii sp. nova,J. (P.) renauldii Steph. J. (S.) abyssinica Nees,.J. (S.) perloi (Gola) Váňa,J. (S.) borgenii Gott,J. (S.) coniflora Schiffn. undJ. (S.) mildbraedii Steph. sind taxonomisch eingehend bearbeitet, die verbliebenen 7 Arten mit dem, Verbreitungszentrum in anderen Gebieten (J. atrovirens Dum.,J. leiantha Grolle undJ. pumila With.) wurden bereits in früheren Studien oder werden in weiteren bearbeitet (J. gracillima Sm.,J. hyalina Lyell,J. obovata Nees undJ. sphaerocarpa Hook.). Die anderen aus dem Gebiet von Afrika bekannten Arten sind mit den oben erwähnten synonymisiert oder zu anderen Gattungen gestellt. Die ArtenJ. (P.) balfourii sp. nova undJ. (P.) onraedtii sp. nova wurden neu beschrieben, die NeukombinationLophozia tristaniana (S. Arnell) comb. nova wurde vorgeschlagen.     

Lichenes novi quorum isotypi in fasciculo sexagesimo septimo collectionis “Lichenes selecti exsiccati” distribuentur

Diagnoses of the following 6 new lichen species are presented:Bacidia colchica Vězda sp. n.Buellia multispora Kalb etVězda sp.n.,Huilia circumnigrata Vězda sp.n.,Pyrenopsis sojakii Vězda sp.n.,Ramalina euxini Vězda sp.n. andStrangospora senecionis Lambinon etVězda sp.n. The isotypes will be distributed in fasc. 67 of the “Lichenes selecti exsiccati” (issued by the Botanical Institute, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Pr?honice near Praha).     

Flechtensystematische Studien VII.Gyalideopsis,eine neue Flechtengattung

Die beschriebene GattungGyalideopsis gen. nov. umfasst vier bisher festgestellten Arten:G. peruviana Merr. exVězda sp. n.,G. anastomosans P. James etVězda sp. n.,G. athalloides (Nyl.) Vězda comb. n. undG. muscicola P. James etVězda sp. n. Die Einreihung der GattungGyalideopsis in die FamilieAsterothyriaceae (sensuSantesson) sowie die systematische Stellung dieser Familie werden kurz behandelt.     

Chromosome numbers in selectedHieracium species in the Krkonoše Mts. (the West Sudeten)

Chromosome numbers are given of 15 species of the genusHieracium L. s. str., representing seven species groups (in the sense of Flora Europaea, roughly corresponding to Zahn's “species principales”) from the Krkono?e Mts., N. Bohemia and SW Poland. For the first time chromosome numbers are reported forH. melanocephalum Tausch (2n=27),H. tubulosum Tausch (2n=36),H. schustleri Zlatník (2n=36),H. fritzei F. Schultz (2n=27),H. rohlenae Zlatník (2n=27),H. nigrescens Willd. (2n=36),H. decipiens Tausch (2n=36),H. atrellum Juxip inSchischkin etBobrov (2n=27),H. subnigrescens (Fries exNorrlin)Dahlst. (2n=36),H. sudeticum Sternberg (2n=36),H. pedunculare Tausch (2n=36),H. glandulosodentatum Uechtr. (2n=36),H. wimmeri Uechtr. (2n=27). InHieracium alpinum L. s. str. the number 2n=27 has been confirmed. The results show a high proportion of tetraploid taxa; no diploids have been found.     

Characterization of a recombinant l-rhamnose isomerase from Bacillus subtilis and its application on production of l-lyxose and l-mannose

The gene of an l-rhamnose isomerase (RhaA) from Bacillus subtilis was cloned to the pET28a(+) and then expressed in the E. coli ER2566. The expressed enzyme was purified with a specific activity of 3.58 U/mg by His-Trap affinity chromatography. The recombinant enzyme existed as a 194 kDa tetramer and the maximal activity was observed at pH 8.0 and 60°C. The RhaA displayed activity for l-rhamnose, l-lyxose, l-mannose, d-allose, d-gulose, d-ribose, and l-talose, among all aldopentoses and aldohexoses and it showed enzyme activity for l-form monosaccharides such as l-rhamnose, l-lyxose, l-mannose, and l-talose. The catalytic efficiency (k _cat/K _m) of the recombinant enzyme for l-rhamnose, l-lyxose, and l-mannose were 7,460, 1,013, and 258 M/sec. When l-xylulose 100 g/L and l-fructose 100 g/L were used as substrates, the optimum concentrations of RpiB were determined with 6 and 15 U/mL, respectively. The l-lyxose 40 g/L was produced from l-xylulose 100 g/L by the enzyme during 60 min, while l-mannose 25 g/L was produced from l-fructose 100 g/L for 80 min. The results suggest that RhaA from B. subtilis is a potential producer of l-form monosaccharides.     

Lichenes novi quorum isotypi in fasciculo quinquagesimo tertio collectionis “Lichenes selecti exsiccati” distribuentur

Diagnoses of the following 5 new lichen species are presented:Lecanora casimceana Vězda sp. n.,Lecanora prominens Asta, Clauzade etRoux sp. n.,Ramalina pontica Vězda sp. n.,Usnea pseudoceratina Motyka sp. n. andUsnea tanzanica Motyka sp. n. The isotypes will be distributed in fasc. No. 53 of the “Lichenes selecti exsiccati” (issued by the Botanical Institute, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Průhonice near Praha).     

Notes on the incidence and biology of some parasites of the pine cone-borers in Pakistan

Trichogrammatoidea sp. nov.,Telenomus sp.?kolbei Mayr (egg parasites),Liotryphon sp.,Lissonota sp. nr.deversor Gravenhorst,Zemiotes sp. (larval parasites) andDibrachys sp. nr.affinis Masi (pupal parasite) parasitized the pine cone-borersCateremna cedrella Hamp.,Dioryctria abietella (Schiff.),Cydia ethelinda Meyr. andEucosma pylonitis Meyr. in Pakistan. The incidence and some aspects of the life-history of these parasites are briefly described.L. sp. nr.deversor andZemiotes sp. were more common throughout the investigation areas.