Phylogenetic implications of endosperm cell wall morphology in Douglasia, Androsace, and Vitaliana (Primulaceae)

We investigated differences in endosperm cell wall thickening in three genera of Primulaceae; seven species of Douglasia , 28 species of Androsace representing the four sections of the genus, and the single species of the genus Vitaliana . Endosperm cell walls have irregular wall thickenings and narrow constrictions and characterize all Douglasia species and Vitaliana , whereas evenly thickened cell walls without constrictions were found in the endosperm of Androsace and Primula . The endosperm character supports the monophyly of Douglasia and Vitaliana , and we discuss the phylogenetic implications of this conclusion.     

Phylogenetic implications of endosperm cell wall morphology in Douglasia, Androsace, and Vitaliana (Primulaceae)

We investigated differences in endosperm cell wall thickening in three genera of Primulaceae; seven species of Douglasia , 28 species of Androsace representing the four sections of the genus, and the single species of the genus Vitaliana . Endosperm cell walls have irregular wall thickenings and narrow constrictions and characterize all Douglasia species and Vitaliana , whereas evenly thickened cell walls without constrictions were found in the endosperm of Androsace and Primulu . The endosperm character supports the monophyly of Douglasia and Vitaliana , and we discuss the phylogenetic implications of this conclusion.     

Tympanal organs of geometrid moths: a review of their morphology, function, and systematic importance

Abstract. The basic components of the tympanal organs of Geometridae are described against the background of the relevant literature. The work is prefaced by a summary of the occurrence of hearing organs within adult Lepidoptera as a whole, and the systematic value of these structures is assessed. A Latin-based nomenclature is proposed to standardize the terminology. An assessment of the morphological variation of these organs within the Geometridae was based on the study of over 230 species representing numerous examples from all the subfamilies. Morphological variation between and within the geometrid subfamilies is discussed.     

国产6种点地梅属植物的核型及其系统学意义

报道了点地梅属6种12个居群的染色体数目和核型。它们的染色体数目(2n)、核型公式(KF)、染色体相对长度组成(CRL)、核型不对称性系数(A．sK%)和核型类型(KT)分别为：点地梅在南京的2个居群都是2n=2x=20,KF=18m 2sm,CRL=2L 6M2 10M1 2S,核型KT属于1A型,但核型不对称性系数As．K%分别是55.04％和56．71％;北点地梅在内蒙古锡林郭勒和白音锡勒居群的2n=2x=20,KF分别为16m 2sm 2st 1b和16m 2sm 2st 4b,染色体相对长度组成分别是14M2 4M1 2S 1b和12M2 6M1 2S 4b,核型不对称性系数As．K％分别是57．65％和58．86％,属2A型和2B型;高原点地梅在青海玛沁县昌马河居群和兴海县温泉居群都是2n=2x=20,KF=10m 8sm 2st。但相对长度组成分别为12M2 8M1和4L 6M2 6M1 4S,As．K％分别是60．35％和62．57％,属2A型和2B型;雅江点地梅在青海玛多县巴颜喀拉山居群和大通县达坂山居群分别为2n=4x=40和2n=6x=60,KF=36m 2sm 2st和KF=46m 10sm 4st 2b,CRL=2L 20M2 14M1 4S和CRL=6L 30M2 16M1 8S 2b,As．K％分别为55．62％和58．31％,核型均属于2B;巴颜喀拉山北坡的鳞叶点地梅2n=40、60、80。西藏点地梅青海湖居群中有2种细胞型：①2n=2x=24,KF=12m 6sm 6st 4b,CRL=6L 6M2 8M1 4S 4b,As．K％=65．74％,核型属2B;②2n=2x=22,KF=14m 4sm(2SAT) 4st,CRL=4L 6M2 8M1(2sAT) 4S,As．K％=63．40％,核型也属于2B。西宁西山湾居群也有2种细胞型：①2n=3x=36,KF=36m,CRL=4L 12M2 20M1,As．K％=54．82％,核型属1A;②2n=3x=33,KF=33m,CRL=3L 12M2 18M1,As．K％=52．11％,核型属1A。点地梅属的染色体原始基数可能是x=10,在种间或种内观察到有3种核型变化：染色体非整倍性变化、多倍化和核型不对称性变化。将2倍体居群的核型和不对称性进行比较,可以看出点地梅是较对称的核型。因此,在研究的种中应是比较原始的类群。北点地梅的核型不对称性和进化程度高于点地梅而低于高原点地梅和西藏点地梅。染色体多倍化的雅江点地梅、鳞叶点地梅和西藏点地梅等在核型上也许是最进化的类群。     

Seed coat morphology of some Turkish Campanula (Campanulaceae) species and its systematic implications

The seed coat morphology of 10 Campanula species from Turkey, 3 of which are endemic, was studied using scanning electron microscopy. Characteristics of the seeds and their surface morphology were described and compared. Two different types were described based on seed surface features. The Type 1 seed surface was characterized by a reticulate pattern; only C. Olympica belonged to this type. The Type 2 seed surface had a striate testa and was the most common type. It included C. Lyrata subsp. lyrata, C. rapunculoides L. subsp. rapunculoides, C. glomerata L. subsp. hispida, C. involucrata, C. saxonorum, C. persicifolia, C. latiloba subsp. latiloba, C. lactiflora and C. Rapunculus L. var. lambertiana. However, some differences among these species were determined on the basis of their seed surface features at the microstructural level. These features were evaluated as possibly consistent parameters in the delimination of the Campanula taxa studied.     

Seed and gland morphology in Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) with focus on their systematic and phylogenetic importance, a case study in Iranian highlands

A comprehensive study based on gland and seed micromorphology in Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) for species distributed in Iranian highlands is presented. A total of 86 species were studied. The gland structure was examined by direct field observations. Taxonomically important characters of glands were observed and measured: size, texture, shape, color, and horns. For species out of Iran herbarium materials were studied. Seed characteristics were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as dissecting light microscopy. Significant features are: seed size, seed shape, presence of caruncle, shape of caruncle, and seed surface ornamentation. A phylogenetic study using Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Bayesian Inference (BI) was performed based on sequences of nuclear DNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS) for selected species representing the main clades known in Euphorbia and with special focus on the species distributed in Iranian highlands. ITS sequences for 20 accessions representing 19 species are provided for the first time, and 48 accessions of 47 species were used from GenBank. The topologies of both analyses were congruent. The results indicate: (1) four main clades with high supports in subgen. Esula which are appropriate to be recognized at sectional rank. (2) E. larica is nested within clade A including few members of subgen. Rhizanthium and is closely related to sect. Balsamis, which is suggested here to be transferred from subgen. Esula into subgen. Rhizanthium. (3) E. osyridea of the monotypic subsect. Osyrideae is closely related to E. buhsei and to the members of sect. Esula. Tracing morphological characters on the phylogenetic tree shows that several morphological characters, such as seed ornamentation applied in previous subgeneric classification of the subgen. Esula, are homoplasious, but the gland structure and capsule surface characters are more reliable for classification purposes.     

Pollen morphology of selected species from Annonaceae

The morphology of the pollen grains of 18 species representing nine genera of Annonaceae from China is described and illustrated based on observations from scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pollen grains are small, medium-sized, large or very large, elliptic, spherical or subspherical in monads (Artabotrys, Fissistigma, Miliusa, Trivalvaria, Uvaria and most Polyalthia), tetrads (Annona, Goniothalamus, Mitrephora and Polyalthia rumphii) or octads (Disepalum). Tetragonal, tetrahedral or rhomboidal tetrads were observed in Polyalthia rumphii. Ornamentation is psilate, foveolate, perforate, rugulate, reticulate or verrucate. Most species have no visible aperture, while Miliusa balansae, Polyalthia cerasoides, Polyalthia laui, Polyalthia oblique and Trivalvaria costata have one sulcus or 1–3 pores on proximal side or globally distributed. Disepalum lagioneurum (former Polyalthia lagioneurum) bearing octads confirms its isolation from Polyalthia, which so far has been observed monad. While the isolation of Trivalvaria costata (former Polyalthia nemoralis) from Polyalthia was not supported for the similarities of pollen characters.     

菝葜科种皮微结构特征及其分类学意义

在光学显微镜和扫描电镜下对菝葜科Smilacaceae3个属(菝葜属Smilax、肖菝葜属Heterosmilax和Ripogonum属)共53种5变种植物的种子形态及种皮微形态特征进行了研究。结果表明其种子形状为球形、半球形或钝三角形。在扫描电镜下种子表皮纹饰可分为7种类型,即脑纹型、粗脑纹型、网纹型、细网纹型、孔穴型、密孔穴型和细条纹型。根据种皮微形态的特征,对菝葜科内属间和属内组间的关系进行了探讨。种皮形态分析结果支持将Ripogonum属从菝葜科中分离、独立成科,支持将肖菝葜属与菝葜属合并的观点,这与孢粉学和分子证据的分析结果一致;推测肖菝葜属和菝葜属的土茯苓组sect.Coilanthus及草本组sect.Coprosmanthus的多数种类之间亲缘关系较近,菝葜组sect.China和圆锥组sect.Macranthae的大多数种类之间的亲缘关系较为密切,但种皮形态证据不支持Koyama将菝葜属分为6个组的观点。     

Pollen morphology and ultrastructure of selected species of Magnoliaceae

The pollen morphology and ultrastructure of 20 species, representing eight genera of the Magnoliaceae are described based on observations with light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The family represents a homogeneous group from a pollen morphological point of view. The pollen grains are boat-shaped with a single elongate aperture on the distal face. The tectum is usually microperforate, rarely slightly or coarsely rugulose. Columellae are often irregular, but well-developed columellae do occur in some taxa. The endexine is distinct in 14 species, but difficult to discern in the genera Parakmeria, Kmeria and Tsoongiodendron. Within the aperture zone the exine elements are reduced to a thin foot layer. The intine has three layers with many vesicular-fibrillar components and tubular extensions in intine 1. The symmetry of the pollen grains, shape, type of aperture and ultrastructure of the intine show a remarkable uniformity in the family. Nevertheless there is variety in pollen size, ornamentation and the ultrastructure of the exine. The pollen of Magnoliaceae is an example of an early trend of specialization, and supports the view that Magnoliaceae are not one of the earliest lines in the phylogeny of flowering plants.     

Chromosome counts and chromosome morphology of some selected species

In the years 1976–1981 we studied chromosome counts and karyotypic formulae of the following 29 species of plants from 41 localities (of these 6 from Bohemia, 32 from Moravia, 3 from Slovakia):Batrachium baudotii (Godron) F. W. Schultz,Chenopodium rubrum L.,C. polyspermum L.,C. murale L.,C. ficifolium Sm.,C. opulifolium Schrader ex DC. inLam. et DC.,C. strictum Roth [subsp.strictum, subsp.glaucophyllum (Aellen)Aellen inJust etAellen, subsp.striatiforme Uotila],Arenaria grandiflora L.,Illecebrum verticillatum L.,Spergula morisonii Boreau inDuchartre,Spergularia marginata (DC. inLam. et DC.)Kittel S. marina (L.)Griseb.,S. rubra (L.) J. etC. Presl,Silene conica L.,Sisymbrium loeselii L.,S. volgense Bieb. exE. Fourn.,S. orientale L. [subsp. orientale, subsp.macroloma (A. Pomel)Dvo?ák],S. officinale (L.)Scop.,Descurainia sophia (L.)Webb exPrantl inEngler etPrantl,Nasturtium officinale R. Br. inAiton,Barbarea arcuata (Opiz inPresl J. et C.)Reichenb.,Lunaria annua L.,Soldanella montana Willd.,S. carpatica Vierh. inUrban etGraebner,Lotus tenuis Waldst. etKit. exWilld.,L. uliginosus Schkuhr,Trigonella monspeliaca L.,Geranium sibiricum L.,Lactuca tatarica (L.)C. A. Meyer.     

Pollen morphology and ultrastructure of selected species from Annonaceae

The morphology and ultrastructure of fresh pollen from nine species, one including two varieties representing seven genera of Annonaceae are described based on observations with scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The pollen grains are elliptic with a single furrow, or disulculate. Some are globose with no visible aperture or any indication of a pole. Ornamentation is smooth, rugulate, echinate or verrucate. The tectum is usually continuous and of the same thickness over the whole grain except for the aperture zone, where the exine elements are very often imperceptible. The infratectum may be granular, or columellae and granules are mixed together. The foot layer consists of continuous or irregularly contorted foliations. The endexine is distinct and thin, and varies slightly in thickness in some species, but is vaguely distinguishable in others. The intine is two-layered and consists of an entexine with many vesicular-fibrillar components with tubular extensions, and a more homogeneous endintine. The controversy around the presence of an endexine in Annonaceae is discussed, but whether its presence is ancestral cannot be determined. Data on fresh pollen are compared with those from similar studies on dried pollen.     

Seed and trichome morphology of the Egyptian Fagonia (Zygophyllaceae) with emphasis on their systematic implications

Seed and trichome morphology of 13 taxa representing the genus Fagonia in Egypt have been studied using light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Macro‐ and micro‐morphological characters, including seed shape, seed size, seed coat sculpture, trichome density and structure were studied to evaluate their systematic significance. Seed shape and trichome density were found to have only minor taxonomic value, but seed coat sculpturing and trichome structure proved to be valuable characters. These characters offer evidence to combine certain species, e.g. Fagonia kassasii and F. schimperi in F. bruguieri, Fagonia microphylla in F. scabra and Fagonia thebaica in F. arabica. However, F. sinaica, F. tristis, F. boveana and F. isotricha should be maintained as separate species. Generally, the different patterns of seed and trichome morphology are useful in delimitation of species within the genus Fagonia, but they could not be used to characterize groups of related species.     

Seed coat morphology of Aizoaceae–Sesuvioideae, Gisekiaceae and Molluginaceae and its systematic significance

Macro- and micromorphological characters of the seeds of 32 species belonging to Aizoaceae (26 species), Gisekiaceae (one species) and Molluginaceae (five species) were analysed for their taxonomic value. Seed morphology is found to be of considerable taxonomic value within the taxa investigated, although additional criteria are usually necessary for distinguishing the species. However, a subgroup of Trianthema , consisting of T. cussackiana , T. megasperma , T. pilosa , T. rhynchocalyptra and T. oxycalyptra var. oxycalyptra (Aizoaceae) shares the synapomorphy of seeds with scattered idioblast cells (papillae). There is little infrageneric variation within Sesuvium and Zaleya in contrast to Trianthema , whose seeds are considerably polymorphic. The fairly different seed structures found in Aizoaceae s.s . and Molluginaceae support their treatment as two distinct families. However, the position of Lineum (Molluginaceae) remains uncertain. Moreover, seed characters support the independence of Gisekia (Gisekiaceae) in a family of its own.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 148 , 189–206.     

Pollen morphology of some selected plant species from Horton Plains,Sri Lanka

The pollen morphology of four species: Gaultheria leschenaultii (Ericaceae), Psychotria zeylanica (Rubiaceae), Rubus leucocarpus (Rosaceae) and Symplocos bractealis (Symplocaceae) from Horton Plains, Sri Lanka was investigated using LM and SEM. Psychotria zeylanica is endemic to Sri Lanka and the other three taxa are common in Horton Plains. Gaultheria leschenaultii has tetrads with 3-colporate, coarsely granular to granulo-rugulate pollen grains; in the polar region and at the colpus margin the exine is smooth with micro-rugulate structure. Psychotria zeylanica has 3- (or 4-) colporate, reticulate-spinulose to granular pollen grains. Rubus leucocarpus has 3-colporate, striate-perforate pollen grains and Symplocos bractealis has 3- (or 4-) colporate pollen grains with a verrucate-perforate exine. Pollen grains of these four species are very indicative of human impact and palaeoclimate.     

Studies of the morphology of chromosomes of some selected species

Karyotypes of twelve species from twenty-four localities in southern Moravia and one locality in Slovakia were investigated. Their counts or karyotypic formulae are as follows:Chenopodium foliosum (Moench) Ascherson: K (2n)=18=16 A^m+2 B^sm;Astragalus austriacus Jacq.: K (2n)=16=8 A^m+8 B^sm;Astragalus exscapus L.: K (2n)=16=10 A^m+4 B^sm+2 C^st;Astragalus cicer L.: K (2n)=64;Astragalus onobrychis L.: K (2n=64 and K (2n)=64+1;Vicia dumetorum L.: K (2n=14=10 A^m+4 B^sm;Vicia sylvatica L.: K (2n)=14=2 A^m+10 B^sm+2 C^st;Vicia pisiformis L.: K (2n)=12=8 A^m+4 B^sm;Vicia cassubica L.: K (2n)=12=4 A^m+6 B^sm+2 C^st;Vicia cracca L. (from five localities in southern Moravia): K (2n)=28=4 A^m+12 B^sm+12 C^st and K (2n)=28+1=5 A^m+12 B^sm+12 C^st;Vicia cracca L. (from one locality in Slovakia): K (2n)=14=2 A^m+6 B^sm+6 C^st;Vicia tenuifolia Roth: K (2n)=24=4 A^m+16 B^sm+4 C^st;Serratula lycopifolia (Vill.) Kern.: K (2n)=60.     

Seed morphology ofEuphorbia sectionTithymalopsis (Euphorbiaceae) and related species

Light and scanning microscopies were used to evaluate the sectional boundary of 17 species included by various authors inEuphorbia sectTithymalopsis. Based on seed shape, surface ornamentation, and mucilage formation, five seed morphological types were recognized in North American sectionTithymalopsis and related species. These results did not provide added support for recent treatment of the sectTithymalopsis s.s. However, a close relationship was suggested among species of theTithymalopsis subsectionCorollatae. In addition, including species from subsectionsInnocuae, Ipecacuanhae, andSphaerorhizae within sectTithymalopsis could not be justified, based on seed morphological data.     

On the identity of Jacquinia armillaris (Theophrastaceae) and related species

TheJacquinia armillaris group, a natural assemblage of chiefly Caribbean taxa, is revised. The group was found to include three species with different but slightly overlapping distributions:J. keyensis Mez, northern Caribbean,J. arborea Vahl, of central and southern Caribbean, andJ. armillaris Jacq., of southern Caribbean (Lesser Antilles), northern South America, and eastern Brazil. All taxa are described and illustrated. Nomenclature is discussed and most names are typified.     

中国干旱区柽柳科植物种子形态特征及其系统学意义

对中国干旱区柽柳科（Ｔａｍａｒｉｃａｃｅａｅ）植物３属７代表种的种子形态及种皮表面亚显微结构进行了观察,表明种子形态及种皮表面亚显微结构可为本科植物的分类提供有价值的信息。根据种子表皮毛着生的类型并结合外部形态特征可初步得出以下结论：（１）表皮毛可分为Ⅰ型表皮毛和Ⅱ型表皮毛,前者着生于种子表面,包括红砂属（ＲｅａｕｍｕｒｉａＬ．）和柽柳属（ＴａｍａｒｉｘＬ．）植物的一些种类;后者着生于种子顶端的芒柱上,包括柽柳属一些种类和水柏枝属（ＭｙｒｉｃａｒｉａＤｅｓｖ．）植物。（２）表皮毛的演化趋势是由Ⅰ型表皮毛向Ⅱ型表皮毛转化。（３）红砂属处于本科的原始地位,水柏枝属较为进化,柽柳属是联系两者的中间环节,本属内亦存在许多过渡类型。