Epidermal Characters of Rattan Stems and Their Taxonomic Implications

The stem epidermal characters of 21 species belonging to three genera (Calamus, Daemonorops, Plectocomia) from China were investigated. The results show that the arrangement of epidermal cells, stomatal types and occurrence of reflective body are of taxonomic significance. Based on these features, epidermal cells of rattan stems can be divided into three types and three subtypes. (1) Plectocomia-type: epidermal cells rectangle, wall-like arranged; stomata tetracytic, found in P.himalayana Griff., P.microstachys Burret. (2) Daemonorops-type: epidermal cells irregularly quadrilateral, net-like arranged; stomata tetracytic, found in D. margaritae(Hance) Becc., D. jenkinsiana (Griff.) Mart. (3) Calamus-type: Subtype A: epidermal cells hexagonal, net-like arranged; stomata tetracytic or paracytic, found in C. henryanus Becc., C. tetradactylus Hance, C. viminalis Willd. var. fasciculatus(Roxb.) Becc., C. flagellum Griff., C. gracilis Roxb., C. dioicus Lour., C. melanoloma Mart., C. yunnanensis S. J. Pei et S. Y. Chen, C. nambariensis Becc. var. yingjiangensis S. J. Pei et S. Y. Chen, C. multinervis Becc., C. nambariensis Becc. var. xishuangbannaensis S. J. Pei et S. Y. Chen, C. balansaeanus Becc. Subtype B: epidermal cells rectangle, wall-like arranged, with the long axes parallel to stem axes; stomata shuttle tetracytic, found in C. australis Mart., C. bonianus Becc., C. rhabdocladus Burret, C. compsostachys Burret. Subtype C: epidermal cells rectangle, anticlinal wall curved, wall-like arranged, with the long axes parallel to stem axes, found in C. caryatoides Becc. In addition, the taxonomic implications of epidermal characters are dis-cussed. It is possible to distinguish Calamus and Daemonorops by stem epidermal characters.     

棕榈藤茎的表皮特征及其分类意义

本文对国产棕榈藤3属21种茎的表皮组织进行了系统的比较观察,首次报道了棕榈藤茎表皮细 胞的排列式样,并结合表皮细胞类型和气孔、“反射体”的有无等特征,将国产棕榈藤茎的表皮组织划分 为3种类型3种亚型。(1)钩叶藤型:表皮细胞为长方形,细胞交错排列呈砖墙状。(2)黄藤型:表皮细 胞为不规则的四边形,细胞排列呈不规则网状,如龟背。(3)省藤型:A亚型,表皮细胞六边形,细胞排列 呈网状,气孔平列型或四轮列型;B亚型,表皮细胞四边形,细胞交错排列呈砖墙状,细胞长轴平行于茎轴,气孔梭状四轮列型;C亚型,表皮细胞四边形,垂周壁呈波浪状,细胞交错排列如砖墙状,细胞的长轴.平行于茎轴。本文还讨论了棕榈藤茎表皮组织的特征及其在分类上的意义。     

Suitability of four palm species for the development of the invasive pest Brontispa longissima (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the field

The coconut hispine beetle Brontispa longissima (Gestro) supposedly originated in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is a serious invasive pest of the coconut palm Cocos nucifera L. in Southeast and East Asia. In Japan, it has established itself using Satakentia liukiuensis (Hatushima) H.E. Moore as a main host on Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands where C. nucifera is rare. To assess the probability of further establishment of B. longissima in novel habitats where C. nucifera and S. liukiuensis are not available, we examined the suitability of four common palm species in Japan for oviposition and immature development of B. longissima: Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Bory) H. Wendl., Phoenix roebelenii O'Brien, S. liukiuensis and Washingtonia filifera (Linden ex André) H. Wendl. When seedlings of the four palm species were placed in pots in an experimental field on Ishigaki Island, all four species were inhabited and infested by wild B. longissima adults. Oviposition and immature development were observed on P. roebelenii and S. liukiuensis but not on C. lutescens and W. filifera. When field‐collected adults were released into mesh bags enclosing the potted seedlings, they oviposited on all four species. The eggs developed into adults on P. roebelenii, S. liukiuensis and W. filifera. On C. lutescens, however, hatched larvae died during the first or second instar.     

A revision of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Heterospathe elegans</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arecaceae</Emphasis>) complex in New Guinea

Summary  Three closely affiliated species of Heterospathe Scheff. (H. elegans (Becc.) Becc., H. humilis Becc. and H. versteegiana Becc.) from New Guinea are revised. They are reduced to a single species which is divided into two subspecies, and the new combination H. elegans subsp. humilis (Becc.) M. S. Trudgen & W. J. Baker is made. The subspecies can be readily distinguished by their growth habit. Epitypes are designated for the three previously published names, as informative material on the habit is not included in the existing type specimens. A new, potentially related species is described as H. pullenii M. S. Trudgen & W. J. Baker.     

New species and new record of Tetranychus Dufour from Australia, with a key to the major groups in this genus based on females (Acari: Prostigmata: Tetranychidae)

A new species of spider mite, Tetranychus bunda sp. n., is described and illustrated from Australia. It was found damaging the foliage of Desmodium tortuosum (Sw.) DC. (Fabaceae) in Darwin, Northern Territory. In addition, the geographical range of Tetranychus fijiensis Hirst is extended to include Australia. This species was found in the Northern Territory feeding on frangipani ( Plumeria sp., Apocynaceae), betel palm ( Areca catechu L., Arecaceae) and Macarthur feather palm ( Ptychosperma macarthurii [H. Wendl. ex Veitch] (H. Wendl. ex Hook. f., Arecaceae)). Details of the biology of T. bunda sp. n. and T. fijiensis are given. A key to the major groups of Tetranychus Dufour of the world, based on females, is presented and species known to occur in Australia are outlined.     

福建棕榈科原生植物资源分布与保护

棕榈科植物应用广泛,对其展开原生资源调查,有助于对其进行更为合理的保护与利用。该研究经过野外调查、收集整理有关资料,确定福建原生棕榈科资源为8属10种,其中鱼尾葵(Caryota maxima)为福建分布新记录。福建省棕榈科植物呈全省分散分布,南部种类更加丰富,以漳州市为最多(有8种),其次是龙岩、福州(各有4种)。棕榈、毛鳞省藤在福建省各市均有分布,属福建省广分布种;大叶蒲葵、鱼尾葵、刺葵、变色山槟榔、白藤仅见漳州分布,属福建省狭分布种。福建原生棕榈科植物大部分生长在亚热带常绿阔叶林中、林缘、山谷水沟旁等地,人为采伐利用或生境丧失是其导致濒危主要因素,就地保护、迁地保护、加强相关科学研究等是当前主要的保护措施。     

Are the palms Washingtonia filifera and Chamaerops humilis suitable hosts for the red palm weevil,Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Col. Curculionidae)?

The red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), is a widely distributed pest which has recently become the major pest of palms in the Mediterranean Basin. This weevil has been recorded on 19 different palm species, however, the host status of Washingtonia filifera and Chamaerops humilis remains unclear. The present study was carried out to check whether these species had either antixenotic or antibiotic mechanisms of resistance against this pest. Our results show that both W. filifera and C. humilis are resistant to R. ferrugineus. Resistance in W. filifera is based on antibiosis whereas in C. humilis resistance is based on antixenosis.     

Triatoma sordida St?l 1859 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae: Triatominae) in palms of northeastern Argentina.

Several palms species provide an important habitat for triatomines and associate vertebrates in tropical America. The objective of this work is to identify the triatomine species living in the palms of rural areas in the Province of Corrientes, and to estimate the potential epidemiological risk they represent for the residents of nearby houses. The survey was carried out in a palm community in Colonia Laurel, Department San Roque, Province of Corrientes, Argentina. Samplings were performed in October, November and December 1998; January, February and March 1999; May and June 1999. Thirty palms: 27 (90%) Butia yatay (Mart.) Becc. and 3 Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd ex Mart. were dissected. Triatoma sordida St?l 1859 was found in 96.2% of B. yatay and in all the A. aculeata palms. A total of 272 live T. sordida was collected; 36 of them (13.2%) were found in bird nests in the frond and the remainder in other locations of the tree. The mean number of triatomines per palm was 9.6 (range 1-60, mode 2). T. sordida was collected during all the sampling months and all stages were present at all seasons. The highest population density was reached in spring and the lowest in autumn. Trypanosoma cruzi was detected in 38.5% in feces of 174 examined insects and identified as such, both by microscopical examination and PCR. This is the first finding of T. sordida populations in B. yatay, an endemic palm of South America distributed in southern Brazil, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina. The high infection prevalence found in this work suggests that T. sordida plays an essential role in the maintenance of the wild T. cruzi transmission cycle in northeastern Argentina.     

yatay椰子果实和果汁芳香成分分析

yatay椰子〔Butia yatay(M art.)Becc.〕原产于阿根廷、乌拉圭、巴拉圭及巴西南部,树干高3~6 m,直径约40 cm,羽状叶,叶柄两侧有齿状刺,雌雄同株,-7℃下能生存[1,2],属耐寒性椰子。果实黄色,秋天成熟,直径4~5 cm,能散发出强烈的香气;果肉酸甜可口,与柑橘和橙子味道相近。在巴西,yatay椰子除作为水果食用外,还可经发酵制成具有椰子香气的酒类饮料。除Rodenste in[3]曾经报道过yatay椰子果实的核与果肉的物化特性外,几乎没有关于yatay椰子的相关研究报道。为此,作者利用顶空吸附萃取-气相色谱-质谱〔HSSE(Head space sorptive extraction)-…     

The effect of land-use on the local distribution of palm species in an Andean rain forest fragment in northwestern Ecuador

The northern Andes is extremely rich in plant species, but this diversity is threatened by extensive deforestation. This study reports on how five palm species respond to human disturbance in an area of montane forest in Ecuador. The abundance of each species was determined in 250 40 × 30m plots, established in disturbed and undisturbed forest within an area of 3 × 3km and altitudes spanning 1248–1938m. Aiphanes erinacea (H. Karst.) H. Wendl. and to a lesser degree Geonoma undata Klotzsch were negatively affected by even moderate human disturbance, while Chamaedorea linearis (Ruiz & Pav.) Mart. and C. pinnatifrons (Jacq.) Oerst. benefitted from such disturbance and Prestoea acuminata (Willd.) H.E. Moore was unaffected given time enough to replenish its population after disturbance. At the scale of the plots, species richness was maximized in undisturbed forest. Aiphanes erinacea is endemic to northern Ecuador and southern Colombia and must be considered threatened by the extensive deforestation here. If the behaviour of these palms is representative of Andean rain forest plans in general, the negative effect of moderate anthropogenic disturbance on plant biodiversity at scales of 1km2 might be negligible. Thus, biologically sustainable logging could be possible.     

Cotesia invirae,sp. nov., from South Brazil: a new gregarious microgastrine wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared from Opsiphanes invirae (Nymphalidae) feeding on palms

A new species of microgastrine wasp, Cotesia invirae Salgado-Neto & Whitfield, sp. nov., is described from southern Brazil in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. This species is a koinobiont gregarious larval endoparasitoid and spins a common mass of cocoons underneath the host caterpillars of Opsiphanes invirae (Huebner, 1818) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), feeding on the palm trees Syagrus romanzoffianum (Cham.) Becc.; Livistona chinensis (N.J. Jacquim) R. Brown; Roystonea regia (HBK) O.F. Cook; Archontophoenix cunninghamiana Wendland & Drude (Palmaceae). Morphological, molecular, biological, ecological and geographical data are integrated to describe the new species.     

Botanical characterisation of Mexican honeys from a subtropical region (Oaxaca) based on pollen analysis

Melissopalynological analysis of 39 honey samples from Oaxaca, Mexico, enabled us to establish the important plant sources exploited by bees during the principal harvest in four districts of the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. A total of 64 taxa belonging to 29 families were recorded. These subtropical honeys were characterised by their botanical origin as follows: (a) monofloral honeys of Bursera simaruba, Clethra mexicana, Cordia alliodora, Lonchocarpus sp., Mangifera indica, Miconia argentea, Orbignya cohune and Quercus sp.; (b) bifloral honeys with an association of Heliocarpus donnell-smithii and Ceiba sp., Lonchocarpus sp. and Mimosa pudica, H. donnell-smithii and Mangifera indica, Miconia argentea and Miconia tenuiflora; (c) oligofloral honeys of Asteraceae; and (d) multifloral honeys with three or four species ≥10%. Monofloral honeys were placed in classes I, II, III, IV and V. Oligofloral were class II, bifloral were classes I and II, and polyfloral honeys were assigned to classes I, II and III. Honey samples of Apis mellifera had a diversity index range of 0.3 to 2.7. It is well known that this bee is polylectic and has a heterogeneous foraging behaviour. In the State of Oaxaca, it prefers resources of secondary vegetation from low deciduous forest, although taxa of economic importance were also utilised, for instance, Mangifera indica and Citrus sinensis. Oaxaca has important and diverse native resources, and beekeeping activity needs to be promoted because of its potential to develop new types of honey.     

Mineral cycling in a tropical palm forest

Nutrient cycling and biomass characteristics of a tropical palm forest dominated byOrbignya cohune were found to be different from thsoe of hardwood dominated forests. The cohune palm forest had a high proportion of biomass in leaves (5%), a reduced sapling layer, a large amount of standing forest litter and an exceptionally low decomposition rate factor (0.1 year^–1). Mineral concentrations in palm leaves were generally lower than in hardwood species with the exception of Na, which was exceptionally high inOrbignya cohune. Biomass was estimated at 226 tons ha^–1 containing 1173 kg ha^–1 N; 126 kg ha^–1 P; 437 kg ha^–1 K; 1869 kg ha^–1 Mg; 125 kg ha^–1 Ca, and 2177 kg ha^–1 Na. Soils of cohune association did not differ significantly from those of neighbouring hardwood dominated associations with the exception of Na which occurred in higher concentration because of bioaccumulation in the dominant. The results suggest that the growth habits and physiology of a dominant can strongly influence some of the ecological parameters used to describe aforest association.     

Notes and lectotypification of names based on Brazilian collections of Prince Maximilian of Wied

In the course of reconstructing the Brazilian herbarium of Prince Maximilian of Wied, several species were found in the literature which need either correction or clarification. Problems include priority considerations, authority of species names, conflicting typifications and other errors. This paper reports 12 currently accepted species collected by Prince Maximilian in Brazil, commenting on their taxonomic status and nomenclature. Included are type specimens of Andromeda ambigua Schrad. (lecto and isolectotypes; = Agarista revoluta (Spreng.) Hook. f. ex Nied.), Andromeda crassifolia Nees (lecto and isolectotypes; = Agarista revoluta), Aphelandra marginata Nees & Mart. (lecto and isolectotypes), Aphelandra maximiliana (Nees) Benth. (lecto and isolectotypes), Ceiba ventricosa (Nees & Mart.) Ravenna (lectotype), Cinnamodendron axillare (Nees) Endl. ex Walp. (lecto and isolectotypes), Croton gnaphaloides Schrad. (lecto and isolectotype), C. klaenzei Müll. Arg. (holotype), Geissomeria nitida (Nees & Mart.) Nees & Mart. (lecto and isolectotypes), Nectandra squarrosa Nees var. pyrifolia Nees (lecto and isolectotypes; = Ocotea squarrosa (Nees) Mez), Ocotea squarrosa (lecto and isolectotypes), Pavonia semiserrata (Schrad.) Steud. (lecto and isolectotypes), Stenandrium serpens Nees (lecto and isolectotypes), Zollernia falcata Wied-Neuw. & Nees (lecto and isolectotypes; = Z. glabra (Spreng.) Yakovlev) and Z. splendens Wied-Neuw. & Nees (lectotype; = Z. glabra). Additionally, a new name, Aphelandra verrugensis P. L. R. Moraes, is proposed to replace Synandra amoena Schrad., which is the oldest name of the taxon currently known as Aphelandra ignea Nees.     

Six new species ofAcourtia (Asteraceae) and a historical account ofAcourtia mexicana

Six Mexican species ofAcourtia are described. One of these novelties seems to be related toAcourtia mexicana (Lag. ex D. Don) H. Rob., whose nomenclature has been misunderstood for decades; an exhaustive literature review and examination of herbarium material supports Robinson’s combination.

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Resumen  Se describen seis nuevas especies mexicanas deAcourtia. Una de estas novedades parece estar relacionada conAcourtia mexicana (Lag. ex D. Don) H. Robinson, especie cuya nomenclatura ha sido mal interpretada por décadas; una exhaustiva revisión de la literatura así como de material de herbario, apoyan la combinación de Robinson.

     

Fate of epiphytes on phorophytes with different architectural characteristics along the perturbation gradient of Sabal mexicana forests in Veracruz,Mexico

Question: Vascular epiphytes and hemiepiphytes (E/HE) in neotropical forests account for a large fraction of plant richness, but little is known of how the interplay between phorophyte architectural characteristics and habitat perturbation affect communities of E/HE. Location: Sabal mexicana forests in a coastal area of Veracruz, Mexico. Methods: We compared communities of E/HE on phorophytes with different architectural characteristics – the palm S. mexicana and non‐palm phorophytes – in three environments: conserved sites, perturbed sites and small regenerated forest fragments. We combined traditional (abundance, species richness, similarity and complementarity indices) and more recent (phylogenetic diversity) metrics to describe the communities of E/HE. Results: Overall, we recorded 924 E/HE individuals (nine families, 16 genera and 21 species). The abundance and species richness of E/HE was higher on palms than on non‐palm phorophytes. Abundance‐based complementarities between phorophytes and sites were high. We detected clear changes in community structure of E/HE with habitat perturbation, but there were no effects on the phylogenetic diversity of the E/HE community. Palm phorophytes hosted a more phylogenetically diverse community of E/HE than did non‐palm phorophytes. Conclusions: Palm phorophytes are key elements supporting the conservation of resilient communities of E/HE in S. mexicana forest. Habitat fragmentation has a strong effect on the structure of the E/HE community in S. mexicana forests. Ferns are the group of epiphytes most severely affected by habitat perturbation, but we detected no significant effect on the phylogenetic diversity of the community.     

Using leaf anatomy to solve taxonomic problems within the Anemopaegma arvense species complex (Bignonieae,Bignoniaceae)

Anemopaegma is a monophyletic lineage included in the tribe Bignonieae. The genus is taxonomically problematic, especially in the Anemopaegma arvense species complex, a group whose taxa have been delimited on the basis of leaf external morphology. Here we study the leaf anatomy of all three species and nine varieties currently included in this species complex (A. acutifolium DC., A. arvense (Vell.) Stellf. ex de Souza and A. glaucum Mart. ex DC.) in search for additional characters that may help circumscribe taxa within this group. For comparison, this study also investigated the leaf anatomy of two species that are morphologically similar to representatives of the species complex but currently placed outside it (A. album Mart. ex DC. and A. scabriusculum Mart. ex DC.). All taxa were analyzed using standard anatomical procedures and light microscopy. In addition, leaves of A. acutifolium and Anemopaegma album were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Overall, stomata position, composition of the vascular system of the petiole, midrib, lateral veins and margin constitution represented the most important anatomical features for the recognition of the species and varieties. The study also demonstrated that A. scabriusculum presents leaf anatomical traits that differ from those encountered in species of the Anemopaegma arvense complex, corroborating earlier anatomical and molecular phylogenetic results and indicating that A. scabriusculum is indeed best placed outside the A. arvense species complex. Leaf anatomical data also support the synonymization of some varieties of A. mirandum with A. arvense, as well as varieties of A. glaucum into this species.     

Aluminium accumulation by some cerrado native species of central Brazil

Summary Among thirty species belonging to seventeen families common in the cerrado region of central Brazil, eight species belonging to three families were found to accumulate aluminium in their leaves in considerable amounts (4,310 to 14,120 mg/kg on dry weight basis) from a dark red latossol which is strongly-acid and low in available nutrient cations. The aluminium-accumulating species areMiconia ferruginata (DC.) Cogn.,Miconia pohliana Cogn. (Melastomataceae);Palicourea rigida H. B. K. (Rubiaceae);Qualea grandiflora Mart.,Qualea multiflora Mart.,Qualea parviflora Mart. (Vochysiaceae);Vochysia elliptica (Spr.) Mart., andVochysia thyrsoidea Pohl (Vochysiaceae). High levels of aluminium in the leaves of these plants were not associated with low foliar levels of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, manganese, zinc, or phosphorus as compared to the other species which do not accumulate aluminium. In spite of the low pH and the low base saturation of the soil the aluminium-accumulating species seem to have an efficient mechanism for absorbing all cations from the soil.     

The Effect of Dung and Dispersal on Postdispersal Seed Predation of Attalea phalerata (Arecaceae) by Bruchid Beetles1

Low postdispersal mortality of palm seeds in tapir dung is hypothesized to result from the mechanical barrier provided by dung against bruchid infestation and/or from the distance to adult palms at which seeds are dispersed. We tested these hypotheses by distributing endocarps of Attalea phalerata Mart. ex Spreng. in experimental dung piles in Beni, Bolivia. Predation rates were significantly lower for seeds covered by dung than for exposed or partially covered seeds, but did not differ between seeds placed below and 50 m away from palms. Thus, dung, not short‐distance dispersal, protects seeds against bruchid beetles, and may ultimately promote survival of palm seeds.