Effect of storage time and pretreatment on seed germination of the threatened coniferous species Fokienia hodginsii

We report the effects of storage time and pretreatment on seed germination of Fokienia hodginsii. Lower mean germination was observed in seeds stored for 2 years (6.41 ± 1.23 seeds/replicate) compared with those stored for 1 year (8.52 ± 1.06 seeds/replicate). Seeds collected from a southern location had statistically higher mean germination (9.67 ± 1.28 seeds/replicate) than those collected from a northern location (7.99 ± 1.36 seeds/replicate). Higher mean T₅₀ was observed in seeds stored for 2 years (37.02 ± 4.43 days) compared with those stored for 1 year (30.69 ± 5.06 days). Mean germination of untreated fresh seeds was 9.97 ± 1.34 seeds/replicate and that of treated fresh seeds in 60°C water was 12.95 ± 1.24 seeds/replicate. Fresh seeds treated with 50°C and 70°C water had a significantly lower mean germination compared with untreated seeds and seeds treated in 60°C water. Mean T₅₀ was lowest in seeds treated with 60°C water.     

The genus Chaerilus Simon, 1877 in Vietnam (Scorpiones; Chaerilidae): A possible case of a vicariant species

A new species of the genus Chaerilus Simon, 1877 is described from a cave in Dien Bien District, West of Dien Bien Phu city in northern Vietnam. The new species is morphologically similar to other Chaerilus species distributed only in the south of Vietnam and Cambodia and suggests a case of a vicariant species between northern and southern populations in the Southeast Asian peninsula.     

Vietnamese species of Taumacera viridis–group with a description of new species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae)

The species of Taumacera viridis species–group from Vietnam are revised. Four species are recognized. Taumacera indica (Jacoby, 1889), T. occipitalis (Laboissière, 1933) and T. variceps (Laboissière, 1933), are redescribed. Taumacera phuquoca sp. nov. from Phu Quoc National Park (southern Vietnam) is described. An identification key is provided for all Vietnamese species.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:396862F9-8A47-4101-A27C-CD0625E68FA1.     

Scorpions from the Island of Côn Son (Poulo Condore), Vietnam and description of a new species of Chaerilus Simon, 1877 (Scorpiones, Chaerilidae)

The scorpion fauna of the Island of Côn Son (Poulo Condore), Vietnam is briefly discussed and a new species, Chaerilus phami sp. n. is described. The new species is morphologically distinct from all the other species of Chaerilus described from the mainland in Vietnam.     

‘Pho’ Phai and faux phais: The market for fakes and the appropriation of a Vietnamese national symbol

When Hanoi's favorite painter Bui Xuan Phai died in 1988, he became a legend in Vietnamese art circles. He was known as much for his paintings of ‘Old’ Hanoi streets ‐ earning him the nickname of Pho'Phai or ‘street’ Phai‐ as for his frequent visits to the underground cafes where banned writers spent their evenings drinking and philosophizing. As the Vietnamese economy improved in the early 1990s, a clientele for his paintings began to develop among Westerners visiting Hanoi. Gradually, it became increasingly clear that most of the paintings on the market attributed to Phai were in fact forgeries. This article will discuss the expectations of Westerners and their interest in an ‘authentic’ Vietnamese painting and its contrast to Vietnamese visions of their city in decay. The article illustrates how opposite notions of ‘authenticity’ and history define the cultural production of taste and alter perceptions about art and the ‘Orient.’     

The Sino-Vietnamese Agreement on Maritime Boundary Delimitation in the Gulf of Tonkin

This article addresses the recently ratified Sino-Vietnamese Boundary Delimitation Agreement in the Gulf of Tonkin and its implications for bilateral cooperation and development of friendly and neighboring relations between China and Vietnam. As the first maritime boundary line for China, the delimitation in the Gulf of Tonkin is indicative of China's positive attitude towards the resolution of other maritime issues with Vietnam and other neighboring countries.     

Analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of Phytophthora tropicalis causing quick wilt disease of black pepper in Vietnam

Phytophthora quick wilt is a devastating disease of black peppers in Vietnam. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA of four Phytophthora samples isolated from the diseased vines in Daknong province of the central highland part of Vietnam was Polymerase chain reaction-amplified, cloned, sequenced and characterised. Database search have showed that they are most closely related to an isolate of Phytophthora tropicalis from Taiwan. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic analyses based on the ITS region of the four Vietnamese and other GenBank isolates of P. tropicalis and a closely related species, P. capsici, provide strong evidences that the Vietnamese isolates are all different isolates of P. tropicalis.     

Chemical Constituents of the Vietnamese Marine Sponge Gelliodes sp. and Their Cytotoxic Activities

A new decenoic acid derivative, gelliodesinic acid, and a naturally new alkaloid, together with three known furanoterpenoids and two known indole alkaloids, were isolated from the MeOH extract of the marine sponge Gelliodes sp. collected in Vietnam. The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were determined by analyses of 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR and MS data and by comparisons of the data with those reported in the literature. The cytotoxicity assay against HeLa, MCF‐7, and A549 cancer cell lines revealed that the three known furanoterpenes exhibited cytotoxic activities with IC₅₀ values ranging from 23.6 to 75.5 μM against the three cell lines, and that 1H‐indole‐3‐carboxylic acid showed cytotoxicity with an IC₅₀ value of 89.2 μM against A549 cancer cell lines.     

Argostemma bachmaense (Rubiaceae,Rubioideae, Argostemmateae), a new species from central Vietnam

Argostemma bachmaense, a new species from central Vietnam, is described and illustrated here. The new species is most similar to A. laoticum and A. vietnamicum but can be distinguished from the latter two by having a well-developed internode with leaf pairs separately arranged along stem, isophyllous or slightly anisophyllous leaves, an oblanceolate to spatulate lamina with attenuate base and lateral veins with 4–5 pairs prominent on abaxially, a terminal, solitary flower, an absent bract, narrowly ovate or broadly lanceolate, 8.5–10.5 × 2.8–4.2 mm petals, 6.5–7.5 mm long stamen with yellow anther, a 8.5–9.5 mm long, exerted style and a globose stigma. Information on ecology, phenology and preliminary conservation assessment of the proposed new species are provided. In addition, we also provide an identification key to the nine Argostemma species found in Vietnam.