Sphaerotylos C. J. Chen—A Remarkable New Genus of Urticaceae from China,with Notes on Stigmas of the Family

A new subtribe of the family Urticaceae, Sphaerotylinae C. J. Chen, a new genus, Sphaerotylos C. J. Chen and its type species S. medogensis C. J. Chen from south-eastern Xizang (Tibet) in China are described and illustrated. The subtribe is regarded as a primitive group in the tribe Boehmerieae. The ring-shaped stigma and the ball-like connective are the first discovery in the family Urticaceae. The types of the stigma of the family, their taxonomic significance and their evolution are also discussed in the present paper.     

SD-RLK28 positively regulates pollen hydration on stigmas as a PCP-Bβ receptor in Arabidopsis thaliana

Pollen hydration on dry stigmas is strictly regulated by pollen–stigma interactions in Brassicaceae. Although several related molecular events have been described, the molecular mechanism underlying pollen hydration remains elusive. Multiple B-class pollen coat proteins(PCP-Bs) are involved in pollen hydration. Here, by analyzing the interactions of two PCP-Bs with three Arabidopsis thaliana stigmas strongly expressing S-domain receptor kinase(SD-RLK), we determined that SD-RLK28 directly intera...     

Scholarship serving the Nazi State I: Studying the East

Michael Burleigh, GERMANY TURNS EASTWARDS: A STUDY OF OSTFORSCHUNG IN THE THIRD REICH, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988, xii + 351 pp., £25.00.     

Reproductive strategies of Strobilanthes kunthianus, an endemic, semelparous species in southern Western Ghats, India

Strobilanthes kunthianus (Acanthaceae) is a semelparous species with synchronized flowering and mast seeding once in 12 years. As semelparous plants have only one chance to reproduce, they are expected to develop effective strategies to prevent reproductive failure. The reproductive strategies of S. kunthianus were investigated by studying the floral traits, pollination biology, and breeding system that are critical for reproductive success. The species exhibits a series of floral traits: (1) gregarious flowering attracts a large number of Apis cerana indica , the major pollinator; (2) the stigma is sensitive to touch by the pollinator; in fresh flowers, the receptive surface faces the entry path of the incoming bee, facilitating pollen deposition; as an immediate response, the stigma curves backwards moving the receptive surface away from the path of the exiting bee, thus preventing autogamy and interference in pollen transfer; (3) flowers remain fresh for 2 days with receptive stigma and nectar and pollen reward. These traits render the species 100% pollination efficient to ensure a high seed set. As the species is self-compatible, the prevailing high degree of geitonogamous pollinations does not interfere with fruit set. The evolution of the adaptive floral traits has facilitated mast seeding in the species.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 157 , 155–163.     

Effects of fixatives on the antigenicity ofBrassica S-locus specific glycoproteins and rapid immunolocalization by using the tissue print technique

Summary The tissue print technique has been used in this study rapidly localize in stigma papillae the S-locus specific glycoproteins (SLSG) which are involved in the self-incompatibility response. The immunolabelling of SLSG was confirmed at the tissue level by the use of cryosections adhered on nitrocellulose. Pretreatment of both stigma prints or cryosections with buffers and fixatives used in conventional immunocytochemistry influenced immunolabelling of SLSG. The labelling was maintained following incubation in buffer alone or in buffered paraformaldehyde but was strongly decreased by addition of glutaraldehyde even at low concentrations. This experimental approach was useful to test the influence of parameters of chemical fixation on antigenic preservation of SLSG and may be applied to other plant antigens to facilitate or improve their immunocytochemical detection.     

The effect of wild radish floral morphology on pollination efficiency by four taxa of pollinators

The effects of floral morphology on rates of pollen removal and deposition by different pollinators in generalist plant species are not well known. We studied pollination dynamics in wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum, a plant visited by four groups of pollinators: honey bees, small native bees, butterflies, and syrphyd flies. The effects of anther position and other factors on pollen removal during single visits by all four pollinator taxa were measured. Flowers with high anther exsertion (i.e., anthers placed higher above the opening of the corolla tube) tended to have the highest numbers of pollen grains removed, but this effect was strongest for honey bees and butterflies. For all pollinator taxa, pollen removal increased with the number of pollen grains available on a flower and whowed a positive, decelerating relationship with the duration of the visit. The effects of stigma position and other factors on pollen deposition during single visits by honey bees and butterflies were also studied. The nectar-feeding butterflies had a higher pollination efficiency (percentage of pollen grains removed from anthers that were subsequently deposited on a stigma) than the nectar- and pollen-feeding honey bees. Flowers with intermediate stigma exsertion had the highest numbers of pollen grains deposited on their stigmas by butterflies, but stigma exsertion had no effect on deposition by honey bees. For both butterflies and honey bees, pollen deposition on the recipient flower increased with the amount of pollen removed from the donor flower, and there was a positive, decelerating relationship between deposition and time spent at the flower; these results are analogous to those for pollen removal. The effects of anther and stigma exsertion on pollen removal and denosition did not fit predictions based on patterns of floral correlations, but results for morphology, pollen availability, time spent per visit, and pollinator efficiency are in broad agreement with previous studies, suggesting the possible emergence of some general rules of pollen transfer.     

多花刺槐花粉与柱头形态及授粉亲和性研究

运用扫描电子显微镜对多花刺槐不同发育时期的花粉与柱头形态进行观察分析;采用人工控制授粉方法,将多花刺槐花粉分别与异株多花刺槐和刺槐优良无性系(‘鲁刺152’)授粉,并用苯胺蓝试剂染色法观察多花刺槐花粉管的萌发过程,分析其授粉亲和性,以探究多花刺槐自然结实率低的原因,为多花刺槐杂交育种提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)多花刺槐花粉粒大小平均为32.08μm×19.55μm(极轴长×赤道轴长),形状为长椭球形、略方,具3个萌发沟,花粉粒大小在开花当时(花朵旗瓣微微张开,花药开始散粉)达到最大(33.71μm×20.11μm),且形状饱满,此时为采粉的最佳时间。(2)柱头表面具粘液和凸起,开花前12h可授性最好,开花后48h柱头开始分解,可授性已很差;柱头的可授期从开花前24h至开花后24h,约为3d。(3)多花刺槐花粉在异株多花刺槐和‘鲁刺152’为母本的植株上均可萌发,并伸长至子房,但在前者的柱头上萌发较晚,伸长速度较慢,说明它们之间均具有亲和性,但与异株多花刺槐的亲和性较差。     

Cleistogamy and phylogenetic position of Viola uliginosa (Violaceae) re‐examined

Viola uliginosa is an endangered species throughout its range in Central Europe. Based on an unusual combination of morphological characters, including a reported lack of cleistogamous (CL) flowers, it was previously placed in the monotypic subsection Repentes, section Viola. Available individual phylogenetic analyses identify V. uliginosa as a lineage deeply embedded in section Viola, but hitherto its exact position was unknown. Here we confirm the occurrence of cleistogamy in V. uliginosa. Unlike other species of section Viola, V. uliginosa produced both chasmogamous and CL flowers at the same time, not at different times of the year (seasonal cleistogamy). The two flower types differed conspicuously in morphology and microstructure, especially in size and shape of the pistil and stamens as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Secondly, we resolved the phylogenetic position of V. uliginosa as a lineage deeply embedded in subsection Rostratae by means of a multigene multispecies coalescent analysis using *BEAST. In this analysis, V. mirabilis and V. uliginosa were successive sisters to the rest of subsection Rostratae and, because allopolyploids exist between V. mirabilis and the last one, subsection Rostratae needs to comprise all these taxa to be monophyletic. The evolution of key morphological traits is briefly discussed.     

Sociocultural aspects of disorders of sex development

Disorders of sex development (DSD) is a congenital condition in which the development of chromosomes, gonads, hormones, and reproductive structures are atypical. DSD brings with it a psychological impact on the affected individual and their families. The consensus statement on management of DSD strongly advised an integrated and multidisciplinary approach in providing care to the affected individuals. Studies have been conducted focusing on medical intervention, and more recently, there is increasing attention paid to psychological aspects of DSD. However, studies reporting cultural aspects of DSD are lacking. This review provides an overview on how culture impacts the affected individuals in coping with DSD and making decisions with regard to gender assignment or reassignment, help‐seeking behavior for medical treatments, attitudes toward medical treatment, religious beliefs, and values concerning marriage and fertility. The involvement of social scientists is needed to study sociocultural aspects of DSD from more diverse cultures, to help affected individuals and their families in gaining better social acceptance. Birth Defects Research (Part C) 108:380–383, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The mean and variability of a floral trait have opposing effects on fitness traits

Background and Aims Floral traits are essential for ensuring successful pollination and reproduction in flowering plants. In particular, style and anther positions are key for pollination accuracy and efficiency. Variation in these traits among individuals has been well studied, but less is known about variation within flowers and plants and its effect on pollination and reproductive success.Methods Style deflexion is responsible for herkogamy and important for pollen deposition in Passiflora incarnata. The degree of deflexion may vary among stigmas within flowers as well as among flowers. We measured the variability of style deflexion at both the flower and the plant level. The fitness consequences of the mean and variation of style deflexion were then evaluated under natural pollination by determining their relationship to pollen deposition, seed production and average seed weight using structural equation modelling. In addition, the relationship between style deflexion and self-pollen deposition was estimated in a greenhouse experiment.Key Results We found greater variation in style deflexion within flowers and plants than among plants. Variation of style deflexion at the flower and plant level was positively correlated, suggesting that variability in style deflexion may be a distinct trait in P. incarnata. Lower deflexion and reduced variation in that deflexion increased pollen deposition, which in turn increased seed number. However, lower styles also increased self-pollen deposition. In contrast, higher deflexion and greater variability of that deflexion increased variation in pollen deposition, which resulted in heavier seeds.Conclusions Variability of style deflexion and therefore stigma placement, independent from the mean, appears to be a property of individual P. incarnata plants. The mean and variability of style deflexion in P. incarnata affected seed number and seed weight in contrasting ways, through the quantity and potentially quality of pollen deposition. This antagonistic selection via different fitness components may maintain diverse style phenotypes.