How does the meristem of sunflower capitulum cope with tissue expansion and floret initiation? A quantitative analysis

The coordination between floret initiation and tissue expansion has been studied and quantified in the apical meristem of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) plants grown under different light availability. A method was developed to quantify tissue expansion in the meristem during floret initiation from measurements of meristem area, number of florets and primordium size. Initially, floret initiation and tissue expansion occurred simultaneously at the meristem surface. The duration of this phase remained unchanged across environments, whereas the rate of tissue expansion varied greatly. Floret initiation rate depended on meristem initial size and tissue-expansion rate. Thereafter, floret initiation continued without tissue expansion in the meristem, resulting in a rapid decrease of meristem area. A set of equations was proposed to predict floret initiation rate and floret number as a function of the rates of tissue expansion in the meristem before and during floret initiation. This formalism demonstrated the role of tissue expansion in determining the final number of florets, and provided a framework to analyse the response of floret initiation to genotype and environment.     

楼梯草属研究随记

在该文中首次给出革叶楼梯草的雄头状花序描述;还给出樱叶楼梯草雄头状花序的修正描述和兜苞墨脱楼梯草的修正特征集要;写出托叶楼梯草和南川楼梯草二种的分类学修订,其中包括2新变种和2新等级;描述了小叶楼梯草组的1新种和骤尖楼梯草组的3新种;数年前被归并为异名的兜苞墨脱楼梯草和五肋楼梯草得到恢复。     

Floral sex ratios and gynomonoecy in Solidago (Asteraceae)

Gynomonoecy is the sexual system in which individual plants bear both female and bisexual flowers. Little attention has been paid to the adaptive significance of this sexual system, which is particularly prevalent in the Asteraceae. We investigated one hypothesized advantage of having two flower types, namely that this arrangement permits flexibility in allocation of resources to male and female reproductive functions. We examined six species of goldenrod ( Solidago ), a genus of gynomonoecious, perennial herbs. In greenhouse experiments, we varied one or more of three environmental variables – light, nutrients and water – and/or examined heads in different positions on the plants. Most variables had little or no effect on the proportion of ray flowers. Significant effects were found for light in 0 of 5 experiments, for nutrients in 4 of 9 experiments and for water in 0 of 3 experiments. Heads in different positions in the inflorescence differed in the proportion of ray flowers in half of the experiments, though the differences were small. We also monitored temporal patterns in four species and found that the proportion of ray flowers increased significantly over the blooming period and the number of flowers per head declined. Because of the small number of significant effects and their modest magnitude, we conclude that the presence of two flower types in goldenrods is probably not advantageous in allowing flexibility in sex expression. It seems likely that this sexual system has been more important either in increasing pollinator attraction or in reducing pollen–pistil interference. The small observed changes in floral ratios were generally accompanied by changes in disc size in a manner consistent with an explanation based on allometry.  © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 77 , 413–422.     

Cachiporrini, a remarkable new tribe of Lamprosomatinae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) from South America

A new genus and species of Lamprosomatinae, Cachiporra extremaglobosa Chamorro & Konstantinov, is described from Brazil. A new tribe, Cachiporrini, is proposed. The first phylogenetic analysis of Lamprosomatinae based on adult morphological caharacters is conducted. Comparisons are made among lamprosomatine tribes and genera. A key to tribes is provided.     

楼梯草属研究随记

在该文中首次给出革叶楼梯草的雄头状花序描述; 还给出樱叶楼梯草雄头状花序的修正描述和兜苞墨脱楼梯草的修正特征集要; 写出托叶楼梯草和南川楼梯草二种的分类学修订,其中包括2新变种和2新等级; 描述了小叶楼梯草组的1新种和骤尖楼梯草组的3新种; 数年前被归并为异名的兜苞墨脱楼梯草和五肋楼梯草得到恢复。     

Evolution of St Helena arborescent Astereae (Asteraceae): relationships of the genera Commidendrum and Melanodendron

The cladistic relationships of endemic Commidendrum (four species) and Melanodendron (one species) from St Helena were inferred from sequences of ITS1 and ITS2 of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Despite showing a range of morphological and ecological variation, the four species of Commidendrum , C. spurium , C. robustum , C. rotundifolium , and C. rugosum , form a closely related monophyletic group with percentage sequence divergence between 0.2 and 0.9%. Melanodendron integrifolium is sister to Commidendrum indicating that the two genera may have evolved from a common ancestor that arrived in St Helena via a single dispersal event. The closest relatives of Commidendrum and Melanodendron appear to be South African, in the predominantly shrubby genus Felicia , although further sampling of South African Astereae is required. We discuss the evolution and adaptive radiation of these rare and threatened species with particular reference to the possible role of heterochrony.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 144 , 69–83.     

Morphological Comparison and Taxonomic Utility of Copulatory Structures of Selected Nematode Species

Spicules of 9 Meloidogyne, 2 Heterodera, 3 Globodera, and 12 other plant-parasitic, insect-parasitic, and free-living nematodes were excised and examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Gubernacula of some of the species were also excised, and their structure was determined. The two spicules of all species examined were symmetrically identical in morphology. The spicule typically consisted of three parts: head, shaft, and blade with dorsal and ventral vela. The spicular nerve entered through the cytoplasmic core opening on the lateral outer surface of the spicule head and generally communicated with the exterior through one or two pores at the spicule tip. Spicules of Xiphinema sp. and Aporcelaimellus sp. were not composed of three typical parts, were less sclerotized, and lacked a cytoplasmic core opening and distal pores. Spicules of Aphelenchoides spp. had heads expanded into apex and rostrum and had very arcuate blades with thick dorsal and ventral edges (limbs). Gubernaculum shapes were stable within a species, but differed among species examined. The accessory structures of Hoplolaimus galeatus consisted of a tongue-shaped gubernaculum with two titillae at its distal end and a plate-like capitulum terminating distally in two flat, wing-like structures. A comparison of spicules of several species of Meloidogyne by SEM and light microscopy revealed no striking morphological differences.     

菊花CmTCP7基因的克隆及表达分析

前期转录分析发现TCP7-like基因在菊花舌状花中较特异地高表达,为了明确菊花头状花序形态建成中舌状花的有无及其分子调控机制,该研究以菊花‘粉地毯’(Chrysanthemum morifolium ‘Fen Ditan’)为材料,用RT-PCR和RACE的方法克隆了TCP7-like基因,命名为CmTCP7(登录号:MK140598)。CmTCP7开放阅读框全长为786 bp,编码261个氨基酸。CmTCP7蛋白具有典型的螺旋-环-螺旋的TCP结构域,属植物特有的TCP转录因子家族Ⅰ类成员,为亲水性不稳定蛋白,主要定位于细胞核中。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,CmTCP7在菊花小花花芽分化时期表达量较高,可能参与小花花芽的形成;而在头状花序开放时期,CmTCP7在舌状花尤其是舌状花花瓣中高表达,推测其能够促进舌状花花瓣的生长,参与形成两侧对称的舌状花。