福建荸荠属果皮微形态学研究

本文报道了在立体显微镜和扫描电子显微镜下对福建荸荠属8种、1变种植物果实表皮微形态特征的观察结果。根据果皮纹饰的不同,可分为两种类型:网状纹饰、拟网状纹饰;荸荠属植物果实表皮微形态特征具有丰富的多样性,表型可塑性小,不同类群之间具有明显的种间差异。观察结果表明:荸荠属果实表皮微形态特征是该属分类与系统研究中不可忽视的性状。     

中国棱子芹属16种1变种的果实特征及其分类学意义

采用石蜡切片法对中国棱子芹属植物16种1变种进行了果实外部形态和解剖特征观察,研究了分生果大小、果棱形状、油管数目、胚乳形状等特征,文中探讨了部分棱子芹属植物的分类地位,为该属的系统分类研究及分类问题的解决提供了佐证。主要结论如下:(1)棱子芹属植物果实解剖特征在种间存在明显差异,在种内性状比较稳定。(2)所研究的棱子芹属植物果实在外部形态和解剖结构表现出较高的多态性和一定的规律性,可以为棱子芹属近缘种的鉴定提供重要的参考性状。(3)结合果棱性状、油管数目等解剖结构和前人分子系统学研究证据,研究认为真正的棱子芹属植物其成熟果实外果皮膨胀,果棱远端具空囊,中果皮和维管束形成的内棱较不显著。     

变豆菜属15种植物的果实微形态特征及其分类学意义

采用扫描电镜对来自北美和东亚的变豆菜属植物(美国7个种,中国8个种)的果实表面微形态进行观察,结合前人对伞形科其他类群果实微形态特征的研究及近年来分子系统学证据,对变豆菜属的种间分类进行研究。结果显示,变豆菜属植物果实的形态大小、皮刺弯曲程度和果柄蜡质纹饰丰富多样。研究表明变豆菜属是一个自然类群,果实表面钩刺结构有利于该属植物的传播及扩散,果实微形态特征具有分类学价值,可作为种间分类的依据。根据变豆菜属果实表面微形态特征,编制了该属植物分种检索表。     

膜叶铁角蕨属的形态系统学研究

膜叶铁角蕨属隶属于铁角蕨科,全世界约有30种,我国分布有18种,是该属植物的分布中心之一。到目前为止,膜叶铁角蕨属的物种数目和物种分类还存在很大争议,一些物种的界限和定义还模糊不清,为了得到一个自然的膜叶铁角蕨属分类系统,还需要对膜叶铁角蕨属的物种分类做进一步研究。该文在前人研究的基础上,对膜叶铁角蕨属10种植物的形态特征,包括孢子形态特征、叶柄和根状茎上的鳞片形态特征、叶片形态、羽片形状以及叶脉特征等进行详细观察分析,探讨了各个形态特征间的关系以及膜叶铁角蕨属植物的物种分类。结果表明:膜叶铁角蕨属植物的叶片及羽片等形态特征存在很大区别,叶柄和根状茎上的鳞片以及孢子形态的种间差异虽然不大,但其在大小、形状、颜色等方面的细微差别仍可作为部分种类的鉴定依据。该研究结果为膜叶铁角蕨属植物的物种分类及进一步研究提供了重要依据。     

国产委陵菜属植物果实形态及其分类学意义

对国产委陵菜属Ｐｏｔｅｎｔｉｌｌａ３２种及变种植物的果实形态在实体解剖镜和扫描电镜下进行了研究。结果表明：在扫描电镜下,本属植物果实表面纹饰有５种不同的类型,即网纹型,疣状突起型,波纹型,帽状突起型和不规则型;果实形态特征,特别是电镜下的果皮表面纹饰对本属植物的分类具有较重要价值;根据果实形态,支持将金露梅、银露梅、小叶金露梅做为独立的种。     

23种伞形科植物果实形态及其分类学意义

该实验采用徒手切片法对伞形科17属23种植物的果实进行了外部形态和解剖特征的观察,结果表明:伞形科果实有背腹压扁、两侧压扁和不压扁3种类型;侧棱有宽、有窄;油管的分布有棱槽单油管型和棱槽多油管型;花柱基多数为圆锥状,少数种的花柱基为扁平垫状;萼齿明显或不明显。通过进一步对属间和属内果实解剖特征的比较得出:(1)果实表面被钩刺或刚毛及果棱特征在属间差异明显,在属内表现出一致性,可作为伞形科属间分类的依据。(2)果实横切面的形状、胚乳腹面的凹凸以及萼齿的形态特征在属内种间的分类研究中有重要的意义。基于果实形态特征,编制了17属23种植物的分种检索表。     

国产木蓝属的系统研究

本文叙述了木蓝属系统研究的简史,对该属形态特征的演化趋势及属下分类进行系统研究,根据植物习性、叶的特征、果实形态及含种子数,将国产木蓝属80种,1变种归纳为3亚属,并将木蓝亚属分为14亚组,其中包括9个新亚组,对其中一些种类作了归并及处理,并编写了分种检索表。     

山东菊科莴苣亚族植物花粉形态研究

应用光镜和扫描电镜对山东菊科莴苣亚族11属18种、1变种植物的花粉形态进行了观察研究。结果表明:莴苣亚族植物的花粉呈球形,具3~4沟孔,花粉表面具有网状纹饰,粗网眼15~21个,网脊上具1行刺,属于蒲公英(Taraxacum)型,与已报道的莴苣亚族其它属种的花粉形态相一致。通过莴苣亚族属间花粉形态的比较,认为花粉形态在属间分类上意义不大。     

鹅膏属真菌形态特征的主成分与聚类分析

本研究选取了《中国真菌志·第二十七卷·鹅膏科》中27个物种及变种,对这些分类单元的菌托形状、菌褶颜色、担子大小等形态学特征进行统计,依据这些形态学特征进行主成分和聚类分析,得到各物种及变种与各个形态学特征之间的关联程度。通过聚类分析将27个物种及变种分为四大类,最终结果与鹅膏属分类情况一致,验证了上述分析方法在鹅膏属分类研究领域具有可行性与准确性。     

鸢尾属部分种种子微形态特征与系统演化关系

用HITACHI S-520型扫描电子显微镜对鸢尾属植物10个种及1变种、1外类群的种子微形态进行观察、比较分析,探讨了鸢尾属植物部分种种子微形态特征分类学意义及系统演化关系。结果表明：鸢尾属植物种子表面微形态特征具有种的稳定性,与分布区无关;同一种的种子凹、凸面微形态差异很大,同一类群比较时应选择相同部位观察。所研究的鸢尾种都为网状（网纹或负网纹）文饰,种间差异明显,微形态特征可用于鸢尾属间、属下系的等级划分,但不适于种下等级鉴别。研究给出了鸢尾属植物种子表面纹饰的系统进化关系,证明了种子表面微形态对鸢尾属植物分类及系统演化关系具有重要意义。     

Evolution of obligate pollination mutualism in New Caledonian Phyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae)

About half a dozen obligate pollination mutualisms between plants and their seed-consuming pollinators are currently recognized, including fig-fig wasp, yucca-yucca moth, and the recently discovered Glochidion tree-Epicephala moth mutualisms. A common principle among these interactions is that the pollinators consume only a limited amount of the seed crop within a developing fruit (or fig in the case of fig-fig wasp mutualism), thereby ensuring a net benefit to plant reproduction. A novel obligate, seed-parasitic pollination mutualism between two species of New Caledonian Phyllanthus (Euphorbiaceae), a close relative of Glochidion, and Epicephala moths (Gracillariidae) is an exception to this principle. The highly specialized flowers of Phyllanthus are actively and exclusively pollinated by species-specific Epicephala moths, whose larvae consume all six ovules of the developing fruit. Some flowers pollinated by the moths remain untouched, and thus a fraction of the fruits is left intact. Additional evidence for a similar association of Epicephala moths in other Phyllanthus species suggests that this interaction is a coevolved, species-specific pollination mutualism. Implications for the evolutionary stability of the system, as well as differences in mode of interaction with respect to the Glochidion-Epicephala mutualism, are discussed.     

Glochidion kingii sp. nov. (Phyllanthaceae) from Saddle Peak National Park,Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India

Glochidion kingii M. V. Ramana, Sanjappa, Venu & Alok Chorghe, a new species from the scrub forests of North Andaman Islands, is described and illustrated. Its morphological similarities/dissimilarities in relation to G. rubrum Blume from the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra is discussed and information about the distribution and conservation status for the new species is provided.     

COSPECIATION ANALYSIS OF AN OBLIGATE POLLINATION MUTUALISM: HAVEGLOCHIDION TREES (EUPHORBIACEAE) AND POLLINATING EPICEPHALA MOTHS(GRACILLARIIDAE) DIVERSIFIED IN PARALLEL?

Species-specific obligate pollination mutualism between Glochidion trees (Euphorbiaceae) and Epicephala moths (Gracillariidae) involves a large number of interacting species and resembles the classically known fig-fig wasp and yucca-yucca moth associations. To assess the extent of parallel cladogenesis in Glochidion-Epicephala association, we reconstruct phylogenetic relationships of 18 species of Glochidion using nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences (internal and external transcribed spacers) and those of the corresponding 18 Epicephala species using mitochondrial (the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene) and nuclear DNA sequences (the arginine kinase and elongation factor-1alpha genes). Based on the obtained phylogenies, we determine whether Glochidion and Epicephala have undergone parallel diversification using several different methods for investigating the level of cospeciation between phylogenies. These tests indicate that there is generally a greater degree of correlation between Glochidion and Epicephala phylogenies than expected in a random association, but the results are sensitive to selection of different phylogenetic hypotheses and analytical methods for evaluating cospeciation. Perfect congruence between phylogenies is not found in this association, which likely resulted from host shift by the moths. The observed significant discrepancy between Glochidion and Epicephala phylogenies implies that the one-to-one specificity between the plants and moths has been maintained through a complex speciation process or that there is an underestimated diversity of association between Glochidion trees and Epicephala moths.     

中国算盘子属植物（大戟科）2新记录种

报道了2种算盘子属植物多室算盘子(Glochidion multiloculare (Rottler ex Willd.) Voigt)和南亚算盘子(Glochidion moonii Thwaites)在中国的分布新记录。     

Fruit Traits in Baboon Diet: A Comparison with Plant Species Characteristics in West Africa

Primate fruit choice among plant species has been attributed to different morphological plant and fruit characteristics. Despite a high abundance of animal-dispersed plant species in the savanna–forest mosaic of West Africa, few data are available on the interplay between morphological fruit traits and primate fruit consumers in this ecosystem. We tested whether olive baboons (Papio anubis) at Comoé National Park, north-eastern Ivory Coast, prefer fruit species with particular characteristics relative to the availability of these traits among the woody plant species at the study site. Specifically we were interested in the suites of traits that best predict fruit choice and seed handling by baboons. The baboons ate fruit/seeds from 74 identified plant species, representing 25 percent of the regional pool of woody plant species. They preferred trees to shrubs and lianas as fruit sources. Otherwise, baboons seemed to consume whatever fruit type, color, and size of fruit and seeds available, though they especially included larger fruit into their diet. Against expectations from the African bird–monkey fruit syndrome of brightly colored drupes and berries, baboons ate mostly species having large, dull-colored fruit. Fruit type and color best described whether baboons included a species into their diet, whereas fruit type and seed size best predicted whether baboons predated upon the seeds of their food plant species. As most plant species at the study site had medium-sized to large fruits and seeds, large frugivores like baboons might be particularly important for plant fitness and plant community dynamics in West African savanna–forest ecosystems.     

Fruit characters as a basis of fruit choice and seed dispersal in a tropical forest vertebrate community

Summary Interactions between a large community of vertebrate frugivore-granivores (including 7 species of large canopy birds, 19 species of rodents, 7 species of ruminants, and 6 species of monkeys), and 122 fruit species they consume, were studied for a year in a tropical rainforest in Gabon.The results show how morphological characters of fruits are involved in the choice and partitioning of the available fruit spectrum among consumer taxa. Despite an outstanding lack of specificity between fruit and consumer species, consideration of simple morphological traits of fruits reveals broad character syndromes associated with different consumer taxa. Competition between distantly related taxa that feed at the same height is far more important than has been previously supposed. The results also suggest how fruit characters could have evolved under consumer pressure as a result of consumer roles as dispersers or seed predators. Our analyses of dispersal syndromes show that fruit species partitioning occurs more between mammal taxa than between mammals and birds. There is thus a bird-monkey syndrome and a ruminant-rodent-elephant syndrome. The bird-monkey syndrome includes fruit species on which there is no pre-dispersal seed predation. These fruits (berries and drupes) are brightly colored, have a succulent pulp or arillate seeds, and no protective seed cover. The ruminant-rodent-elephant syndrome includes species for which there is pre-dispersal predation. These fruits (all drupes) are large, dull-colored, and have a dry fibrous flesh and well-protected seeds.     

中国特有植物艾比湖沙拐枣(Calligonum ebi-nuricum)居群内果实性状的变异

以中国荒漠特有植物艾比湖沙拐枣(Calligonum ebi-nuricum)果实形态特征为研究对象,对分布于原产区的同一居群12个样株的果实进行形态特征比较研究。通过每株30粒果实的喙长、果实长度、果实宽度、果实形状、瘦果长度、瘦果宽度、瘦果形状、刺毛长度、头部刺毛长度、两肋间距、两刺间距11个性状指标的数值分析表明：在株内与株间均有变异,株间果实性状变异较株内果实性状变异大;代表果实和瘦果大小指标正相关性极显著（p＜0.01）;两肋间距与瘦果形状呈负相关（r=-0.297**,p＜0.01）。研究结果证明：其果实形状和瘦果形状（长度、宽度及长宽比）较为稳定,可作为艾比湖沙拐枣的分种依据,而其它果实性状可塑性较大,只能作为分类的参考。该研究结果可供沙拐枣属其它种的准确分类参考。     

Assessment of the diversity and species specificity of the mutualistic association between Epicephala moths and Glochidion trees

The obligate mutualisms between flowering plants and their seed-parasitic pollinators constitute fascinating examples of interspecific mutualisms, which are often characterized by high levels of species diversity and reciprocal species specificity. The diversification in these mutualisms has been thought to occur through simultaneous speciation of the partners, mediated by tight reciprocal adaptation; however, recent studies cast doubt over this general view. In this study, we examine the diversity and species specificity of Epicephala moths (Gracillariidae) that pollinate Glochidion trees (Phyllanthaceae), using analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of Epicephala moths associated with five Glochidion species in Japan and Taiwan reveal six genetically isolated species that are also distinguishable by male genital morphology: (i) two species specific to single host species (G. acuminatum and G. zeylanicum, respectively); (ii) two species that coexist on G. lanceolatum; and (iii) two species that share two, closely-related parapatric hosts (G. obovatum and G. rubrum). Statistical analysis shows that the two species associated with G. lanceolatum are not sister species, indicating the colonization of novel Glochidion host in at least one lineage. Behavioural observations suggest that all six species possess the actively-pollinating habit, thus none of the studied species has become a nonmutualistic 'cheater' that exploits the benefit resulting from pollination by other species. Our results parallel recent findings in ecologically similar associations, namely the fig-fig wasp and yucca-yucca moth mutualisms, and contribute to a more general understanding of the factors that determine ecological and evolutionary outcomes in these mutualisms.     

Reproductive lability in pre-dispersal biology ofRhamnus alaternus L. (Rhamnaceae)

Summary Rhamnus alaternus L. is a dioecious, fleshy-fruited shrub, typical of Mediterranean vegetation, which has been recorded from the region since the tropical Tertiary. Reproductive biology of this species has been studied in Southern Italy over a period of 4 years with both field and laboratory experiments. In all the studied populations male plants predominate over the females, have a higher flower density and flower regularly every year while females are usually alternate-bearing. A strong negative association between fruit formation and vegetative growth has been found indicating that the presence of fruits on a branch reduces the growth of new shoots. This phenomenon, together with alternate-bearing, is evidence of a strong competition between vegetative growth and reproductive activity and indicates resource limitation. Flower morphology and quantity of pollen produced are typical of insect pollinated species, and flies of the Empididae and Muscidae were trapped bearing pollen at female plants but pollen is also dispersed by wind. Field experiments on pollination success showed that the exclusion of insects as pollen vectors produces a significant decrease in fruit development. Excess pollen provided by hand-pollination increases fruit set over open-pollination and reproductive success in the field is therefore pollen limited. The variability of sex expression, male fitness, fruit production, regrowth and pollination presented here suggests that these predispersal characteristics ofR. alaternus have been subject to evolutionary change since the tropical Tertiary climate was replaced by a Mediterranean one. This points to the possibility that reproductive, as well as morphological and physiological characteristics, may be equally selected for in extreme environments such as the Mediterranean.