Five new species of the genus Liparia (Fabaceae) from South Africa

Schutte, A.L. 1995. Five new species of the genus Liparia (Fabaceae) from South Africa. - Nord. J. Bot. 15: 149–156. Copenhagen. ISSN 0107–055X.
Five distinct new species of the genus Liparia are described, namely L. bonaespei, L. confusa, L. congesta, L. rafnioides and L. triata . These species are, like many of the species included in the recently enlarged generic concept of Liparia , also localized, and are all endemic to the Cape Province of South Africa.     

多倍化——白刺属的系统分类、进化特征及应用前景

在回顾白刺属研究历史的基础上,根据白刺属种间染色体倍数特征并结合形态学、生物地理学等方面的研究文献,提出新的白刺属种间分类系统：二倍体组(2n= 2X=24) 和四倍体组 (2n=4X=48)。多倍化(2X→4X)是白刺属内种间进化的基本特征。白刺属的起源中心可能是古地中海沿岸地区;中亚及我国西北地区是白刺属的现代分布中心。并指出将该属作为模式系统开展荒漠植物分子生态学研究的前景。     

Studies in African Cyperaceae 20. New taxa and combinations in Pycreus Beau v.

One new species, five new subspecies and one variety of the genus Pycreus , are described from East Africa, viz. Pycreus micromelas Lye, P. sanguinolenlus (Vahl) Nees ssp. nairobiensis Lye, P. longistolon Kükenthal ssp. airofusca Lye, P. lanceolatus (Poiret) C. B. Clarke ssp. ugandensis Lye, P. flavescens (L.) Reichenb. ssp. laevinux Lye, P. flavescens (L.) Reichenb. ssp. microglumis Lye, and P. flavescens (L.) Reichenb. var. castaneus Lye.
In addition eight new combinations are made, viz. P. alms (Turrill) Lye, P. af–rozonatus Lye, P. niger (Ruiz & Pavon) Cufod. ssp. elegantulus (Steudel) Lye, P. macrostachyos (Lam.) J. Raynal ssp. tremulus (Poiret) Lye, P. flavescens (L.) Reichenb. ssp.fallaciosus (Cherm.) Lye, P. flavescens (L.) Reichenb. ssp. intermedius (Steudel) Lye, and P. flavescens (L.) Reichenb. ssp. tanaënsis (Kükenthal) Lye.     

The genus Phaeophyscia in East Africa

Eight species of the lichen genus Phaeophyscia are recorded from East Africa. Two species, P. confusa Moberg and P. fumosa Moberg, are described as new. The delimitation of the genus is discussed and the publication date of the combinations P. hirsuta (Mereschk.) Moberg, P. hispidula (Ach.) Moberg and P. rubropulchra (De–gel.) Moberg is stated.     

The genus Pyrus L. (Rosaceae) in south-west Europe and North Afkica

A multivariate morphometric study of the genus Pyrus in south-west Europe and North Africa shows that five species may be recognized in the area: P. bourgaeana Decne., P. communis L., P. cordata Dew., P. spinosa Forssk, and P. nivalis Jacq. Some valuable characters for identification of these species are proposed. In particular the width of fruit peduncle, petal size, leaf width and petiole length served to discriminate the taxa. Several names such as P. gharbiona Trab., P. cossonii Rehder (|M= P. longipes Balansa ex Coss. & Durieu) and P. boisseriana Buhse, are regarded as synonyms of P. cordata , while P. marnormis Trab. of P. bourgaeana. Consequently a check-list and a key to these species are provided.     

On Medinilla Gaudich. of China in Relation to the Drift of the Indian Plate

In this paper, the present writer has discussed the lemurian intercontinental discontinuous distribution of the genus Medinilla of Melastomataceae between Tropical Asia and Tropical Africa. It appears to be that the genus was first brought to Eurasia continent from Africa continent as a result of Indian Plate drift. Therefore we conjecture that the genus probably occurred in Upper Cretaceous and its birthplace is probably in the southern part of Gondwanaland. In addition, we have reduced the genus Pseudodissochaeta M. P. Nayar published in 1969, because in this taxon the extra-ovarial chambers may go down to the middle or to the base of the ovary, as in other genera of Melastomataceae. Besides, no differences in pollen have been found between the taxon and the genus Medinilla.     

Ngari virus is a Bunyamwera virus reassortant that can be associated with large outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever in Africa

Two isolates of a virus of the genus Orthobunyavirus (family Bunyaviridae) were obtained from hemorrhagic fever cases during a large disease outbreak in East Africa in 1997 and 1998. Sequence analysis of regions of the three genomic RNA segments of the virus (provisionally referred to as Garissa virus) suggested that it was a genetic reassortant virus with S and L segments derived from Bunyamwera virus but an M segment from an unidentified virus of the genus Orthobunyavirus. While high genetic diversity (52%) was revealed by analysis of virus M segment nucleotide sequences obtained from 21 members of the genus Orthobunyavirus, the Garissa and Ngari virus M segments were almost identical. Surprisingly, the Ngari virus L and S segments showed high sequence identity with those of Bunyamwera virus, showing that Garissa virus is an isolate of Ngari virus, which in turn is a Bunyamwera virus reassortant. Ngari virus should be considered when investigating hemorrhagic fever outbreaks throughout sub-Saharan Africa.     

槭属的系统演化与地理分布

槭属（ＡｃｅｒＬ）属槭树科（Ａｃｅｒａｃｅａｅ）,２００种,分布于亚、欧、北美和非洲北缘。本文研究了槭属的系统演化、地理分布、起源与扩散。认为：（１）槭树科与无患子科关系密切,槭属是槭树科２属中较进化的类群。（２）在原始而典型的槭属植物的基础上,槭属沿花的各部减少,有的器官甚至向完全退化的方向演化,但也有少数向增加数目的方向特化。（３）讨论了槭属４亚属２３组的演化趋势,并绘制出其系统演化图。（４）槭属起源于侏罗纪的中国四川东部、湖北、湖南及其邻近地区,并向西、东北和南方扩散而进入西亚、欧洲、非洲北缘、北美洲和马来半岛至印尼。     

Lystrosaurus species composition across the Permo–Triassic boundary in the Karoo Basin of South Africa

Lystrosaurus is one of the few therapsid genera that survived the end-Permian mass extinction, and the only genus to have done so in abundance. This study identifies which species of Lystrosaurus have been recovered from Permian and Triassic strata to determine changes in the species composition across the Permo–Triassic (P–T) boundary in the Karoo Basin of South Africa. Data generated from museum collections and recent fieldwork were used to stratigraphically arrange a total of 189 Lystrosaurus specimens to determine which species survived the extinction event. Results reveal that L. curvatus and L. maccaigi lived together on the Karoo floodplains immediately before the extinction event. L. maccaigi did not survive into the Triassic in South Africa. L. curvatus survived, but did not flourish and soon became extinct. Two new species of Lystrosaurus , L. murrayi and L. declivis , appeared in the Early Triassic. It is possible that L. murrayi and L. declivis occupied different niches to L. maccaigi and L. curvatus , and had special adaptations that were advantageous in an Early Triassic environment. We suggest that L. maccaigi may be used as a biostratigraphic marker to indicate latest Permian strata in South Africa and that, in support of previous proposals, the genus Lystrosaurus should not be used as a sole indicator of Triassic-aged strata. Our field data also show that L. curvatus may be regarded as a biostratigraphic indicator of the P–T boundary interval.     

3. NOTES ON OSPREY,EGYPTIAN COOSE AND SPECKLED PICEON

Rich, P. V. &; Walker, C. A. 1983. A new genus of Miocene flamingo from East Africa. Ostrich 54:95-104.

Study of fossil flamingo (Phoenicopteridae) remains from the Miocene of East Africa suggests that a new genus, Leakeyornis, should be recognized to include Phoenicopterus aethiopicus Harrison &; Walker 1976. Osteologically this new genus is a mosaic between the three genera of living flamingoes, clearly distinct from all fossil forms, and possibly most closely related to Phoeniconaias, the Lesser Flamingo of East Africa.     

The black widow spider genus Latrodectus (Araneae: Theridiidae): phylogeny, biogeography, and invasion history

The spider genus Latrodectus includes the widely known black widows, notorious because of the extreme potency of their neurotoxic venom. The genus has a worldwide distribution and comprises 30 currently recognized species, the phylogenetic relationships of which were previously unknown. Several members of the genus are synanthropic, and are increasingly being detected in new localities, an occurrence attributed to human mediated movement. In particular, the nearly cosmopolitan range of the brown widow, Latrodectus geometricus, is a suspected consequence of human transport. Although the taxonomy of the genus has been examined repeatedly, the recognition of taxa within Latrodectus has long been considered problematic due to the difficulty associated with identifying morphological features exhibiting discrete geographic boundaries. This paper presents, to our knowledge, the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the Latrodectus genus and is generated from DNA sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I. We recover two well-supported reciprocally monophyletic clades within the genus: (1) the geometricus clade, consisting of Latrodectus rhodesiensis from Africa, and its is sister species, the cosmopolitan L. geometricus, and (2) the mactans clade containing all other Latrodectus species sampled, including taxa occurring in Africa, the Middle East, Iberian Peninsula, Australia, New Zealand, and North and South America. Recovery of the geometricus and mactans clades is consistent with previous designations of species groups within the genus based on female genitalic morphology. All L. geometricus sampled, consisting of specimens from Africa, Argentina, North America, and Hawaii, were recovered as a strongly supported monophyletic group with minimal amounts of genetic divergence, corroborating the hypothesis that human transport has recently expanded the range of this species.     

A new genus and three new species of cockroaches (Blattaria: Dictyoptera) from Africa

A new genus Princisaria belonging to family Blaberidae is described from Africa. A key to the African genera of the subfamily Laxatinae is given. Three new species, P. carvalhoi, P. ugandana and P. curta are described.     

Lopholaena festiva, a new species from the Transvaal, South Africa (Asteraceae)

A new species of Lopholaena, L. festiva , is described from the northern Transvaal, South Africa. It's affinities are discussed. A distribution map is presented. The tribal disposition of the genus Lopholaena is reviewed.     

The Classification and Distribution of the Genus Calligonum L. in China

The genus Calligonum L. includes a total number of 35 species in the world, of which 24 are in China. They are grouped into four sections, of which Sect. Calliphysae (Fisch. et Mey.) Borszcz. is the most primitive and Sect. Medusae Sosk. et Alexender. is the most progressive. The Calligonum L. is an ancient genus in the arid desert flora, and central Asia is the place of its origin. Some species migrated to the Middle Asia and Iran, developing into a second center there. Also, some newly occurred species of the Middle Asia emigrated eastwards to central Asia, so the genus Calligonum L. in China comprises components of both central Asia and the Middle Asia. The genus Calligonum L. is distributed in North Africa, south Europa and Asia, and China is the eastmost part of the distribution range. They grow in Nei Monggol, Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang. There are 12 species in the Zhuengar Basin, covering 50 percent of the total number of species in China, amd thus the genus is the most abundant there.     

Pentzia (Asteraceae-Anthemideae) in the Horn of Africa region

The two new species Pentzia somalensis , from areas of gypseous soil in northern Somalia, and P. arabica from the limestone plateau of Hadramaut in southern Yemen, are described and illustrated. P. somalensis is the only member of Anthemideae known from Somalia, and the occurrence of Pentzia on both sides of the Gulf of Aden in the Horn of Africa region represents a major extension of the distribution of the genus that is otherwise restricted to southern Africa except for two species in Morocco, Algeria and Tchad.     

A new species of Mombasinia (Hom.: Pseudococcidae) from South Africa

The monotypic genus Mombnsinia was established by the writer (De Lotto, 1964) for the inclusion of Pseudococcus pulcherrimus De Lotto, 1960; a very peculiar mealy bug collected in Mombasa, Kenya, on the underside of leaves of Flacourtia indica L. To the genus is referred here the following new species, very closely related to the type, which has recently been collected in South Africa on a host belonging to the same plant family.     

A numerical analysis of Sideritis L. (Lamiaceae) from North Africa

REJDALI, MOH, 1992. A numerical analysis of Sideritis L. (Lamiaceae) from North Africa. A numerical analysis is shown to be useful means of discriminating taxa at all levels of the hierarchy in the genus Sideritis. This analysis supports both the separation of the genus into the two sections recognized by Bentham, the three groups of Briquet's treatment and the four groupings as suggested by various lines of evidence presented by Rejdali (1988).     

Lijndenia, a re–established paleotropical genus of the Melastomataceae–Memecyleae

The genus Lijndenia Zoll. & Mor. is re–established and emended to include four species, L. laurina Zoll. & Mor. from W Malesia and Java, L. capitellata (Arn.) Bremer from Ceylon, L. gardneri (Thw.) Bremer from Ceylon, and L. barteri (Hook. f.) Bremer from tropical W Africa. The latter three names are new combinations.     

Monophyly and phylogenetic placement of the spider genus Labulla Simon, 1884 (Araneae, Linyphiidae) and description of the new genus Pecado

The genus Labulla Simon is circumscribed in phylogenetic terms to include the species Labulla thoracica (Wider), L. flahaulti Simon and L. machadoi sp. nov. The genital anatomy of the genus is described in detail and the taxonomy of the genus is reviewed. The monophyly of Labulla is supported by numerous morphological apomorphies of the male palp and female epigynum. Based on a cladistic analysis, a new genus, Pecado gen. nov. , is erected to place Labulla impudica Denis, from Northern Africa. Lepthyphantes insularis Saito and ' Labulla ' nepula Tikader, both formerly included in Labulla , are not congeneric with the type species of Labulla .  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 143 , 359–404.