Four 6-hydroxylated alkaloids in the crinine series from Crinum augustum

The structures of five alkaloids present in Crinum augustum were elucidated by spectral arguments. Four of them were shown to be new and constitute two pairs of epimers: 6-α- and 6-β-hydroxybuphanisine and 6-α- and 6-β-hydroxycrinine. The fifth alkaloid was identified as crinamine.     

石蒜科黑脉葱之模式产地考证及补充资料

该研究考证了石蒜科葱属植物黑脉葱(Allium rhabdotum Stearn)的主模式标本采集地,指出该地点位于中华人民共和国西藏自治区错那县,而不在不丹王国境内,因此黑脉葱并非不丹特有种。该研究还报道了近年在西藏隆子县采集到黑脉葱的记录,提供了黑脉葱分布的新资料。此外,该文为黑脉葱拟定了汉语名,补充了形态、生境记载,讨论了其识别特征、系统学地位、开发价值、保护级别和潜在分布区。     

The allopolyploid origin of Narcissus obsoletus (Alliaceae): identification of parental genomes by karyotype characterization and genomic in situ hybridization

Karyological and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) approaches provided evidence of the parentage and origin of the hybrid species Narcissus obsoletus. Here, we demonstrate that the putative parental species, N. serotinus L. and N. elegans (Haw.) Spach, recently proposed because of their intermediate morphological traits, have participated in the hybridization process forming this taxon. Karyotype characterization of parental genomes in populations from S Spain and N Morocco has revealed differences in chromosome length and karyotype asymmetry, highlighting their diploid nature. Multicolour GISH on metaphase plates of N. obsoletus, with N. serotinus and N. elegans DNA used as probes, showed differential fluorescent staining of 10 and 20 chromosomes from parental genomes, respectively. Both parental genomes were detected in the allopolyploid, albeit in a duplicated manner. Secondary hybridization between N. obsoletus and N. serotinus was also detected karyologically. Little karyological differentiation between different geographic regions was found in either N. serotinus or N. obsoletus. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 159 , 477–498.     

石蒜属植物生物碱成分研究进展

石蒜属为东亚特有属。该属植物富含生物碱,且此类次生代谢产物具有细胞毒、抗疟疾、抗病毒以及对乙酰胆碱酯酶的抑制作用等活性。本文概述了该属中生物碱类成分的化学结构、药理活性及其生源途径。     

Herkogamy and mate diversity in the wild daffodil Narcissus longispathus: beyond the selfing–outcrossing paradigm in the evolution of mixed mating

Spatial separation of male and female reproductive structures (herkogamy) is a widespread floral trait that has traditionally been viewed as an adaptation that reduces the likelihood of self‐pollination. Here we propose that increased herkogamy may also influence another important aspect of plant mating: the diversity of pollen donors siring seeds within fruits. We test this hypothesis in Narcissus longispathus, a wild daffodil species with extensive variation in anther–stigma separation. To study the morphological basis of variation in herkogamy, floral measurements were undertaken in 16 populations of N. longispathus. We then quantified multilocus outcrossing rates and the correlation of outcrossed paternity in three of these populations sampled over several years. Mating system estimates were calculated for each population and year, and also separately for groups of plants that differed markedly in herkogamy within each population and year. In N. longispathus herkogamy was much more variable than other floral traits, and was more closely related to style length than to anther position. Averaged across populations and years, plants with high herkogamy had similar outcrossing rates (0.683) to plants with intermediate (0.648) or low herkogamy (0.590). However, a significant linear trend was found for correlation of outcrossed paternity, which increased monotonically from high herkogamy (0.221), through intermediate herkogamy (0.303) to low herkogamy (0.463) plants. The diversity of pollen donors siring seeds of high herkogamy Narcissus flowers was thus consistently greater than the diversity of pollen donors siring seeds of low herkogamy flowers. Results of this study contribute to the emerging consensus that floral traits can simultaneously influence several aspects of plant mating system in complex ways, thus extending the traditional focus centred exclusively on patterns and relative importance of self‐ and cross‐fertilisation.     

Genetic diversity of Narcissus tortifolius,an endangered endemic species from Southeastern Spain

In this work, we analyzed inter-simple sequence repeat markers from 10 populations (298 individuals) spanning the whole distribution range of the endemic Narcissus tortifolius. We assessed genetic variation levels and distribution by estimates of genetic diversity, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), principal coordinates and Bayesian methods. N. tortifolius showed moderate genetic diversity at intrapopulation level and low genetic differentiation of populations. In general, Almerian populations showed slightly higher levels of genetic diversity than Murcian populations. Our results indicate that habitat fragmentation has not caused genetic depauperation in N. tortifolius but did reveal moderate genetic differentiation. Indeed, principal coordinate analysis and Mantel test revealed a slight tendency to separate populations into two groups (Murcian vs. Almerian). A recent isolation event of populations, together with the perennial nature of this species could be the main reasons for this low to moderate differentiation. Our findings could be used to establish management guidelines for the conservation of this rare species.     

Embryo growth and seed germination of four taxa of Narcissus (section Pseudonarcissi) conserved under non-recalcitrant seed conditions in germplasm banks

The aim of this study was to determine the germinative ability of the seeds of four Narcissus taxa belonging to Section Pseudonarcissi after they had been conserved under the conditions of non-recalcitrant seed storage protocols. For each taxon (N. alcaracensis, N. longispathus, N. radinganorum and N. pseudonarcissus subsp. munozii-garmendiae), one seed lot was desiccated to 4% moisture content (MC) and stored under laboratory conditions (22°C, 40–50% relative humidity (RH), whereas another was dehydrated to 3% MC and stored at −10°C. The latter treatment simulated standard conservation conditions for non-recalcitrant seeds. After 26 months, embryo growth and germination were evaluated. Seed responses were correlated with their MC upon dispersal. Seeds of N. alcaracensis, N. longispathus and N. radinganorum left to dry on the mother plant during maturation had 8–10% MC when dispersed, tolerated non-recalcitrant seed conservation and germinated to >90% under the most favorable incubation conditions. Narcissus pseudonarcissus subsp. munozii-garmendiae seeds did not undergo maturation drying and had 46.7% MC upon dispersal. They reached 100% germination after being desiccated to 4% and stored at 22°C, were not recalcitrant, but failed to germinate when stored at −10°C under non-recalcitrant seed conservation conditions. Therefore, N. alcaracensis, N. longispathus and N. radinganorum seeds can be conserved under non-recalcitrant seed conditions in germplasm banks, whereas those of N. pseudonarcissus subsp. munozii-garmendiae are moderately recalcitrant. Seed storage behavior is influenced primarily by the extent of maturation drying of the seeds on the mother plant.     

Generic relationships among the baccate-fruited Amaryllidaceae (tribe Haemantheae) inferred from plastid and nuclear non-coding DNA sequences

Using sequences from the plastid trnL-F region and nrDNA ITS, we investigated the phylogeny of the fleshy-fruited African tribe Haemantheae of the Amaryllidaceae across 19 species representing all genera of the tribe. ITS and a combined matrix produce the most resolute and well-supported tree with parsimony analysis. Two main clades are resolved, one comprising the monophyletic rhizomatous genera Clivia and Cryptostephanus, and a larger clade that unites Haemanthus and Scadoxus as sister genera to an Apodolirion/Gethyllis subclade. One of four included Gethyllis species, G. lanuginosa, resolves as sister to Apodolirion with ITS. Relationships among the Clivia species are not in agreement with a previous published phylogeny. Biogeographic analysis using the divergence/vicariance method roots the tribe in Eastern South Africa, with several subsequent dispersals to the winter rainfall Western Cape region. Chromosomal change from an ancestral 2n=22 (characteristic of Clivia) is associated with each main clade. Reduction in number has occurred in all but Cryptostephanus, which has 2n=24 chromosomes. Increasing the sampling across all of the species in the tribe will allow a more detailed understanding of the biogeographic patterns inherent in the parsimony topology, which undoubtedly reflect Quaternary climatic changes in Southern Africa.