Diterpene composition of Cupressus dupreziana and Cupressus sempervirens

The heartwood of Cupressus dupreziana and C. sempervirens were shown to contain similar mixtures of diterpenes.     

Cupressus sempervirens L.

The online version of the original article can be found at     

Karyotype Analyses in Cupressus gigantea

The chromsomal number and karyotype of Cupressus gigantea Cheng et L. K. Fu is reported for the first time. The number of somatic chromosome in root tip cell of the species was found to be 2n=22. According to the terminology defined by Levan et al, the karyotype is 2n=22= 4m(SC)+16m+2sm, belonging to Stebbin's "A" type of karyotypic symmetry which is generally considered as primitive one. By comparing karyotypes of Cupressus gigantean with other four species of Cupressaceae, the author discovered that Cupressus gigantea is a primitive species in Cupressaceae.     

Sesquiterpenes from Cupressus macrocarpa foliage

Ten sesquiterpenes, many with unusual carbon skeletons, were identified in foliage of Cupressus macrocarpa. These are (-)-10-epi-beta-acoradiene; ent-widdra-2,4(14)-diene; (E)-iso-gamma-bisabolene, i.e., (4E)-4-(1,5-dimethylhex-5-enylidene)-1-methylcyclohexene; (-)-cumacrene, i.e., (4S)-4-[(1R,2S)-2-isopropenyl-1-methylcyclobutyl]-1-methylcyclohexene; (-)-alpha-chamipinene, i.e., (1S,6S,7S)-2,2,6,8-tetramethyltricyclo[5.3.1.01,6]undec-8-ene; and five sesquiterpenes with a 3,3,4'-trimethyl-1,1'-bi(cyclohexyl) skeleton for which the trivial name macrocarpane is proposed. The possible single-enzyme biogenesis of these sesquiterpenes is discussed.     

Pollen production of the genus Cupressus

The study of potential pollen emission in the genus Cupressus was carried out in the city of Córdoba (Spain). Pollen production of 227 trees of the represented species of Cupressus in the area (Cupressus sempervirens, C. macrocarpa and C. arizonica) was studied by counting the number of pollen grains per flower, the number of flowers per branch, and the number of branches per m² of surface area. Total surface area was estimated by considering the shape of the tree as a cone and estimating the average height and radius of each species. Results indicated that there was little variation in the number of pollen grains produced by a flower within each species. Equally, there were few differences in the number of grains per flower among the species, although C. arizonica had slightly fewer than the other species because it possessed fewer stamens per flower. However, there were clear differences in the number of flowers per branch, with C. macrocarpa having the highest floral density, considerably lower in C. arizonica and even lower in C. sempervirens. All of this indicates that the pollen contribution of C. macrocarpa to the atmosphere is far greater than that of C. arizonica and C. sempervirens. The results indicate a different potential emission in each species, and this must be taken into account when determining the quantity of pollen present in the atmosphere. The maximum amount of pollen grains that one individual can spread is provided in this study and would provide useful data in the development of an airborne forecasting system.     

The Peroxidase Isoenzymes of Cupressus Linn.

By means of disc polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, peroxidase isoenzymes of 9 species of Cupressus Linn, were analysed. The interspecific zymogramatic differences are obvious. Each species possesses its specific zymogram, distinguishable form the others. According to the zymogramatic similarity among these species calculated with the method of polar ordination, they may be grouped into 5 groups, which may be grouped in turn into two categories. C. gigantea Cheng et L. K. Fu, C. torulosa D. Don, C. duclouxiana Hichel, C. chengiana S. Y. Hu, and C. jiangeensis N. Chao. fall into one category. The second category contains C. sempervirens, C. arizonica Greene, C. lusitanica and C. funebris Endl. The experimental result about peroxidase comfirms the interspecific relationships of Cupressus suggested by the previous works. A positive relation is found between the peroxidases isoenzyme zymogramatic similar degree and the geographical vicarism of the related species, which has been used for analysing the regularity of phytogeographical vicarism. The mean zymogram distance of Cupressus Linn. among species is 0.75, from which it is inferred that the divergency took place the Jurassic. The advantage of polar ordination method in the study of iso-enzyme zymogram is discussed.     

Organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis in Cupressus sempervirens

Adventitious buds of Cupressus sempervirens L., were formed on excised mature embryos cultured for 10 days on half-strength Quoirin and Lepoivre medium (1/2QP) with 10 M N⁶-benzyladenine. For shoot development, embryos were transferred to 1/2QP without growth regulators. Axillary shoot formation and rooting occurred spontaneously as adventitious shoots aged and transfer intervals were increased. Embryogenic tissue was obtained from immature embryos on induction media consisting of von Arnold and Eriksson (AE) or Gupta and Durzan (DCR) salts with 10 or 20 M 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Cultures were maintained on DCR with 5 M -naphthaleneacetic acid and 5 M BA.Abbreviations BA N⁶-benzyladenine - 2,4-d 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - IBA indole-3-butyric acid - ABA absicic acid - AC activated charcoal - NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid - QP Quoirin & Lepoivre (1977) - AE von Arnold & Eriksson (1981) - DCR Gupta & Durzan (1985)     

我国岷江柏林分类及群落特征

调查了位于马尔康县、金川县、小金县、丹巴县和理县的37个岷江柏样地中的乔木、灌木和草本层的信息.利用TWINSPAN将37个样地划分为8个群丛,NMDS的结果与之相似;在群落结构方面,岷江柏乔木层郁闭度约55.68％,3m以上植株密度1 518 ind/hm2,高度分布和直径分布均呈倒“J”型分布,位于金川的群落乔木层...     

四个不同居群岷江柏叶精油组分比较研究

使用GC-MS仪对大渡河和岷江流域的四个不同居群的岷江柏叶精油进行了化学组分研究.四个居群精油样品化学组成基本相同.精油组分的多变量分析得到汶川县的人工林与其它居群的相似性最小.各组分含量和居群间相关性分析结果显著,此方法可以应用于在岷江柏居群间关系的研究.     

Cupressus arizonica pollen wall zonation and in vitro hydration

The structure of Cupressus arizonica pollen at different degrees of hydration was examined by using cytochemical staining and light (LM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopy. Most pollen grains are inaperturate and a minority are provided with an operculate pore enveloped by a concave annulus. Intine consists of: 1) a thin polysaccharidic outer layer, 2) a large polysaccharidic middle layer that is spongy and bordered by a mesh of large and branched fibrils, and 3) an inner cellulosic thick layer with callose concentrated on the inner side, which forms a shell around the protoplast. The protoplast is egg-shaped with PAS positive cytoplasm and prominent nucleus. Exine splits during hydration and is cast off according to three major steps: 1) the split opens like a mouth and the underlying intine is expelled by swelling like a balloon, 2) the protoplast enveloped by the inner intine is sucked in the outgrowing side, and 3) the backside of the intine gets rid of the exine shell. In water containing salts, exine is rapidly released and the middle intine may expand up to break the outer layer, with disgregation of the spongy material and release of the intine shell including the protoplast. In water lacking salts, the sporoderm hydration and breaking are negatively influenced by the population effect. Pollen when air dried after the exine release become completely flat owing to disappearance of the middle intine layer which may be restored by dipping pollen in water. The results are discussed in relation to the functional potentialities of the sporoderm.     

Novel polymorphic nuclear microsatellites in Cupressus sempervirens L.

We report the characterization and optimization of nine polymorphic nuclear microsatellites from Cupressus sempervirens L. using an enriched library method. A total of 24 individuals from four different populations were used to estimate genetic diversity parameters. High level of allelic diversity was found with a number of alleles ranging from two to 13. These markers will prove very useful in screening diversity at different geographical scales and in monitoring gene flow in cypress orchards.     

The Cultivation of Tissues of Cupressus lusitanica in vitro

Conditions for In vitro culture of initial explants of Cupressus lusitanica were determined as the first step of an investigation of physiological differences between tissues obtained from plants, or plant parts, of different ages. Explants proliferated well on a basal agar medium containing only Heller's mineral salts and sucrose. Addition of several vitamins, phytohormones, and coconut water to this basal medium stimulated callus growth only slightly or not at all, and transplanted callus soon died. Proliferation of initial explants was considerably stimulated by increasing the concentration of mineral salts in the medium, and the growth habit changed from compact to friable. Callus could be transplanted to, and maintained on, a high-salt medium enriched by vitamins. Whereas added auxins still stimulated proliferation of initial explants and transplanted callus only slightly, added coconut water was considerably more effective than on basal medium. Thus results confirm observations by others with tobacco tissues: Additions of phytohormones and other organic substances may not exert their potential effects if growth is limited by sub-optimal mineral nutrition.     

Unreduced diploid nuclei in Cupressus dupreziana A. Camus pollen

Size and DNA content of pollen of Cupressus dupreziana A. Camus, a highly endangered Mediterranean conifer, were assessed by cytomorphological observations and flow cytometric analyses and then compared to C. sempervirens L. pollen. Mature C. dupreziana pollen was composed of two uninucleated types of pollen grains differing in size. Around 35% of the grains exhibited a size similar to C. sempervirens pollen, while 65% exhibited a larger diameter. However only one peak of fluorescence was detected by flow cytometry. DNA content of C. dupreziana pollen was twice the DNA content of C. sempervirens pollen. Comparison of DNA contents of mature and germinating pollen revealed that mature pollen of both species were arrested in the G2 phase. Comparison with the DNA content of somatic tissue (2C) provided evidence for the production of unreduced pollen in C. dupreziana. This unexpected feature in gymnosperms is discussed in terms of reproductive strategy of this species. Received: 11 December 1999 / Accepted: 22 December 1999     

Hydration, sporoderm breaking and germination of Cupressus arizonica pollen

I n vitro and in vivo rehydration and germination in Cupressus arizonica pollen were examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. Shed pollen has 12.6% water content, which reduced to 8.2% after dispersal, and this latter pollen survived for some months at room temperature and for years at −10 °C. Rehydration requires breaking of the sporoderm walls and depends on the composition and pH of the rehydration medium. Acidity restrains the breakage, while alkalinity promotes it. Pollen division follows exine shedding and requires the persistence of the mucilaginous layer; hence, pH values countering these outcomes prevent division. Division results in a large and a small cell separated by a callosic wall. A pollen tube develops from the innermost intine of the large cell, which is callosic, and extends into the mucilaginous middle intine. The percentage germination never exceeded 17% in all tested media. In vivo , pollen rehydrates and casts off the exine in the micropylar drop. Drop withdrawal brings pollen to the apical nucellar cells that degenerate in the meantime, and it leaves a deposit on the surface of the micropylar canal. After contaction of the nucellar cells, the pollen flattens and its mucilaginous layer shrinks and disappears. This occurs simultaneously with sealing of the micropylar canal. During this time, pollen divides asymmetrically without the callosic wall, and the larger cell develops a tube in the interface with the nucellus. Only some pollen grains accomplish adhesion to the nucellus and germinate. The in vitro and in vivo developmental stages are discussed.     

Insights into a hydration regulating system in Cupressus pollen grains

Background and Aims

Hydration, rupture and exine opening due to the sudden and large expansion of intine are typical of taxoid-type pollen grains. A hemispheric outgrowth external to the exine was observed on Cupressus and Juniperus pollen grains before the intine swelling and exine release. However, the actual existence of this permanent or temporary structure and its precise role in pollen hydration is still being debated. The aim of this paper is to collect information on the actual presence of this peculiar outgrowth on the surface of the Cupressus pollen grain, its structure, composition and function.

Methods

Pollen grains of several Cupressus species were observed using various techniques and methodologies, under light and fluorescence microscopy, phase-contrast microscopy, confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and an environmental scanning electron microscope. Observations were also performed on other species with taxoid-type pollen grains.

Key Results

A temporary structure located just above the pore was observed on Cupressus pollen grains, as well as on other taxoid-type pollens. It is hemispheric, layered, and consists of polysaccharides and proteins. The latter are confined to its inner part. Its presence seems to regulate the entrance of water into the grains at the beginning of pollen hydration.

Conclusions

The presence of a temporary structure over the pore of taxoid-type pollen grains was confirmed and its structure was resolved using several stains and observation techniques. This structure plays a role in the first phases of pollen hydration.     

Application of petG-trnP sequence to systematic study of Chinese Cupressus species

Chinese Cupressus L. includes five species. The molecular phylogenetic relationship of the Cupressus species and Chamaecyparis L. were determined by comparing 417–479 bp of chloroplast petG-trnP intergenic spacer sequence. In PAUP^* analysis, Platycladus orientalis was used as the functional out group. By using the maximum likelihood method 1 077 trees were examined and the result showed that one tree had a best score of -Ln=2 232.47. The phylogenetic tree clearly showed that Chamaecyparis nootkatensis was diverged from other Chamaecyparis species. Based on the results, together with evidences from other aspects, we consider that Cupressus funebris and Chamaecyparis nootkatensis should be placed in the genus Cupressus. The use of cpDNA intergenic spacer petG-trnP in Cupressus was also discussed.