Species Delimitation of Pterygiella (Orobanchaceae), a Genus Endemic to Southwestern China on the Basis of Morphometric and Molecular Analyses

Pterygiella, a genus endemic to southwestern China, belongs to hemiparasitic rhinanthoid Orobanchaceae. Since P.bartschioides was segregated as an independent genus of its own, i.e. Xizangia, the genus was treated to include four species, P.duclouxii, P.nigrescens, P.cylindrica, and P.suffruticosa. However, the discriminative characters are obscure among these species, and the delimitation of the two varieties in P.duclouxii remains problematic. To revise the taxonomy of the genus, thirteen populations from the four species were collected for both morphometric and molecular systematic analyses. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis via unweighted pair group method with an arithmetic average (UPGMA) were used. In addition, four chloroplast sequences (i.e., atpB rbcL, psbA trnH, trnD trnT and trnS trnG) and nuclear ITS region were studied. The results showed that Pterygiella includes only three species, namely P.nigrescens, P.duclouxii, and P.cylindrica, while P.suffruticosa should be merged into P.cylindrica as a variety. The previous delimitation of the two varieties within P.duclouxii was probably caused by imperfect analysis of morphological characters. Thus, a lectotype was designated for P.duclouxii and the plants formerly treated as P.duclouxii that bear eglandular stem hairs should be put into P.nigrescens, while the individuals with glabrous stem should remain in P.duclouxii. A new key to the three species in the genus reflecting the results of this study was presented, and a taxonomic revision was given.     

中国西南特有翅茎草属的种间界定——基于形态学和分子系统学分析

翅茎草属(Pterygiella)是中国西南地区特有的半寄生植物.翅茎草属4种植物形态差异不显著,种的界定依据较模糊;此外,杜氏翅茎草2变种的划分依据也存在疑问.本研究选取了翅茎草属4种13个居群,通过数量性状的主成分分析和质量性状的非加权组平均法聚类分析;结合叶绿体4个片段(即atpB-rbcL、trnD-trnT、trnS-trnG和sbA-trnH)和核基因组的ITS片段研究,对该属下的种类划分作了重新界定.研究表明:翅茎草属应包括3种,即翅茎草、杜氏翅茎草和圆茎翅茎草;川滇翅茎木应作为圆茎翅茎草的变种.对杜氏翅茎草指定了后选模式,该种仅包括茎无毛的个体,而茎疏被毛的个体应归入翅茎草中.基于以上研究结果,本文提出了一个新的翅茎草属分种检索表,并做了分类修订.     

宽带蕨属（水龙骨科）的系统学研究

对喜马拉雅和横断山地区特有的水龙骨科的宽带蕨属Platygyria Ching&S.K.Wu植物进行了形态学、分类学、生态和植物地理学的观察与分析,探讨了该属植物的系统位置、亲缘关系和生态适应性,推测宽带蕨属是随着喜马拉雅山脉的隆升,由瓦韦属Lepisorus（J.Sm.）Ching网眼瓦韦群植物适应高寒生态环境演化而来的新生类群。确定宽带蕨属有5种,即川西宽带蕨P.soulieana（Christ）X.C.Zhang&Q.R.Liu、多变宽带蕨P.variabilis Ching&S.K.Wu、耳基宽带     

The genus Koenigia L. emend. Hedberg (Polygonaceae)

Pollen morphological studies revealed the occurrence of the characteristic spinulose pollen type of Koenigia not only in the three species earlier recognized in the genus (A" islandka, K. nepalensis and K. pilosd) but also in three additional species earlier treated under Polygonum , viz. K delicatula (Meisn.) Hara, K. forrestii (Diels) Mesicek & Soják, and A" nummularifolia (Meisn.) Mesicek & Soják. Further studies of flower morphology, fruit and petiole anatomy, basic chromosome number, etc., revealed additional similarities between those species, which led to a taxonomic revision of the genus Koenigia. This genus seems to be most closely related to Persicaria Mill, sections Cephalophilon (Meisn.) Gross and Echinocaulon (Meisn.) Gross, with Koenigia delicatula as a connecting link. There arc also interesting similarities with the genus Aconogonon (Meisn.) Rchb. Koenigia exemplifies the derivation from montane ancestors of a high mountain-dwelling genus displaying adaptive radiation to fit diverse alpine niches. Five species out of six are confined to high mountain areas in southeastern Asia, primarily in the Himalayas, whereas the sixth has spread to Arctic and alpine areas in the northern hemisphere and even penetrated to southern South America. The latter species shows progressive reduction in size in combination with adaptation to a very short summer under severe climatic conditions.     

A revision of the Paeonia suffruticosa complex (Paeoniaceae)

The taxonomical concept of the Paeonia suffruticosa complex i.e. Sect. Moutan Subsect. Vaginatae, has changed greatly since 1990. Six species and four subspecies have been described as new and two subspecies raised to specific level. Five species and two subspecies are recognized in the present revision, viz. P. suffruticosa subsp. suffruticosa and subsp. yinpingmudan, P. jishanensis, P. qiui, P. ostii, P. rockii subsp. rockii and subsp. taibaishanica. P. yananensis, P. ridleyi, P. spontanea, P. moutan subsp. atava, P. suffruticosa subsp. atava, P. rockii subsp. linyanshanii and P. ostii var. lishizhenii are treated as synonyms. P. papaveracea and P. baokangensis are proposed to be interspecific hybrids. A key to the recognized species and subspecies is provided. Biological features of the species are described and their distributions are mapped. The relationships between species are inferred and the origins of commonly cultivated tree peonies ( P. suffruticosa and P. ostii ) are discussed.     

Microsatellite markers in the tree peony, Paeonia suffruticosa (Paeoniaceae)

? Premise of the study: Microsatellite primers were developed in the tree peony, Paeonia suffruticosa, to perform paternity tests as well as assignment to variety in special Austrian collections. ? Methods and Results: Using SSR-enriched libraries and EST-mining, 8 polymorphic primer sets were identified in Austrian collections of Paeonia sect. Moutan DC. The primers amplified di- and trinucleotide repeats with 2-6 alleles per locus. All primers also amplified in P. ostii, P. pontaninii var. trolloides, P. delavayi, and P. lutea, and in the herbaceous species P. peregrina and P. tenuifolia (Paeonia sect. Paeon). ? Conclusions: These results show the usefulness of primers in P. suffruticosa for population genetic studies and their ability to cross amplify in related taxa across the genus.     

Taxonomical history and revision of Paeonia sect. Moutan (Paeoniaceae)

The taxonomical history of the woody group(peonies) in the genus Paeonia is reviewed in the present paper. The group is endemic to China, but Paeonia suffruticosa is commonly cultivated throughout the north temperate region and has long been known as “the King of Flowers” in China. However, the taxonomy of the group had been neglected before the 1990' s. Since 1990, a number of new species and subspecies have been published. With the support from the National Geographic Society, the senior author of the present paper and his coworkers have made expeditions to all parts of the distribution area of the group, visited all the type localities and sampled a total of 64 populations. Based on the character analysis and examination of the type specimens or photos, each taxon is reviewed with its name checked nomenclaturally, and finally the taxonomy of the whole group is revised. As a result, eight species, three of which each contains two subspecies, are recognized. They are Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews subsp. suffruticosa and subsp. yinpingmudan D. Y. Hong, K. Y. Pan et Z. W. Xie, P. jishanensis T. Hong et W. Z. Zhao, P. qiui Y. L. Pei et D. Y. Hong, P. ostii T. Hong et J. X. Zhang, P. rockii (S. G. Haw et L. A. Lauener )T. Hong et J. J. Li subsp. rockii and subsp. taibaishanica D. Y. Hong, P. decomposita Hand.-Mazz. Subsp. decomposita and subsp. rotundiloba D. Y. Hong, P. delavayi Franeh. and P. ludlowii (Stern et Taylor)D. Y. Hong. P. baokangensis Z. L. Dai et T. Hong and P. yananensis T. Hong et M. R. Li are considered as hybrids between P. rockii and P. qiui and between P. rockii and P. jishanensis respectively. In addition, the reduction of a number of names recently published to synonyms is explained.     

The morphology and systematic status of Khawia rossittensis (Szidat, 1937) and K. parva (Zmeev, 1936) (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), parasites of cyprinid fishes

The morphology of the two little-known fish cestodes of the genus Khawia Hsü, 1935, K. rossittensis (Szidat, 1937) and K. parva (Zmeev, 1936) from cyprinid fishes, were studied on the basis of newly collected specimens from goldfish Carassius auratus auratus (L.) and museum specimens, respectively. This paper provides the first detailed species diagnosis for K. rossittensis from Slovakia, which is compared with specimens from different geographical regions and K. parva, a somewhat similar Far Eastern species from the same host. The two species differ in scolex morphology, anterior extent of the vitelline follicles, shape of the ovary and size of the eggs. Based on these differences, K. rossittensis and K. parva are considered to be separate taxa. K. parva, listed among the "species incertae sedis" by Mackiewicz (1972) and even within Caryophyllaeus Gmelin, 1790 by Schmidt (1986), should be considered a valid species of Khawia. The results support the previous conclusions of Kulakovskaya (1961), Dubinina (1971) and Protasova et al. (1990).     

Yinpingmudan,the Wild Relative of the King of Flowers,Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews

Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews subsp. spontanea (Rehder) S. G. Haw et L. A. Lauener ( ＝P. spontanea ＝ P. jishanensis) has been considered as the wild form of widely cultivated P. suffruticosa. However, the subspecies differs from the cultivated one in shape, division and indumentum of leaves and reproductive biology. As a result of extensive field work, a form with two individuals in Yinping Shan, Caohu, Anhui, and Songxian, Henan, are found to be extremely similar to P. suffruticosa, but apparently different from P. jishanensis. The form is considered to be the wild one of P. suffruticosa and described as new: P. suffruticosa subsp, yinpingmudan Hong, K. Y. Pan et Z. W. Xie.     

银屏牡丹——花王牡丹的野生近亲

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A new species of Karydomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) and a systematic re-evaluation of this rare Eurasian Miocene hamster

We describe a new species of the rare and enigmatic cricetid genus Karydomys from the middle Miocene Ville Formation of the Hambach lignite mine in north-west Germany. The locality Hambach 6C has yielded the first substantial records of Karydomys from central Europe. For the first time, all molar positions are well-documented, including the previously unknown m2. The excellent molar material allows us to distinguish Karydomys wigharti sp. nov. from the western European species K. zapfei. Karydomys wigharti predominantly occurs at localities that are correlated with the upper part of the Mammalian Neogene biozone MN 5. The new finds are of palaeobiogeographic significance for the genus Karydomys , since Hambach 6C represents the north-westernmost outpost of terrestrial Miocene faunas in Europe. In addition, the locality has yielded the first lower jaws and incisors of the genus. Both the jaw morphology, and the ornamentation and microstructure of the incisor enamel offer new arguments for a systematic classification of Karydomys into the subfamily Democricetodontinae. We assume that the scarcity of the two large European Karydomys species can be explained by their special adaptation to wet habitats, which are poorly documented in the fossil record.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Kerianthera longiflora</Emphasis> (Rubiaceae), a remarkable new species from eastern Brazil,with some observations on <Emphasis Type="Italic">K. preclara</Emphasis>

A new species of Kerianthera, K. longiflora Zappi & C. T. Oliveira (Rubiaceae), has been discovered in relicts of Atlantic Forest in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, Brazil. This genus was, until now, thought to be monotypic and to occur only in the Amazon. The morphology, phenology and habitat of the new species are discussed and the IUCN conservation status of this and K. preclara are provided.     

New taxa and name changes in tropical Asiatic Rubiaceae

Four new genera, viz. Deccania Tirveng., Dioecrescis Tirveng., Fagerlindio Tirveng., Kailarsenia Tirveng., one new subgenus, viz. Aidia subgen. Lankaidia Tirveng., seven new species and thirty four of new combinations for South and South East Asia are published, pending the publication of the generic delimitation and revision of the Rubiaceae–Gardenieae in forthcoming flora treatments. New combinations are also included for a few taxa from Malesia, Indonesia and the Philippines.     

牡丹一新种——中原牡丹,及银屏牡丹的订正

分子证据和新增加的形态证据显示,银屏牡丹Paeonia suffruticosa ssp．yinpingmudan作为新亚种发表时所依据的两份标本实为两个实体,产自安徽巢湖的（潘开玉和谢中稳9701,模式）实为凤丹户P.ostii的成员,而产自河南嵩县的（洪德元等H97010）实为一个新分类群。本文把P.suffruticosa ssp．yinpingmudan处理为P．ostii的异名,并依据河南的标本描述了一个新种——中原牡丹P.cathayana D．Y Hong＆K．Y.Pan。中原牡丹与风丹和矮牡丹P.jishanensis近缘,区别在于前者下部叶有ll-15片小叶,花白色：后者小叶背面有毛,裂片多,萼片顶端圆钝,花白色。     

中国木犀属花粉形态研究及其系统学意义

观察了中国木犀属4组21种植物的花粉形态。花粉为圆球形或近长球形,外壁表面均具网状纹饰。大多数种类都具有三孔沟的萌发孔,极少四孔沟,或六萌发孔。内孔明显或不明显,有9种植物同时存在具三孔沟和具三沟二种类型的花粉及中间过渡类型(显脉木犀同时存在具三拟孔沟和具四拟孔沟)。很多特点表明,木犀属花粉的萌发孔在木犀科中处于由简单萌发孔向复合萌发孔过渡的阶段。根据网眼从沟间区中央到沟边是否变细,可将本属花粉分为两大类型,与分组有一定的对应关系。综合一些花粉特征,可发现本属花粉形态差异较明显,与一般形态差异有一定的相关性。花粉形态在木犀属具有一定的系统学意义。     

The Restoration of the Genus Cyclocodon ( Campanulaceae) and Its Evidence from Pollen and Seed-coat

The genus Cyclocodon Griff. was reduced by C. B. Clarke in 1881 into a section of the genus Campanumoea. Our LM and SEM observations on pollen morphology show that the pollen of all the three species in the former is 3-colporate with the exine sparsely high-spinulose, whereas that of the two species in the latter is 5～8-colpate with the exine relatively densely short-spinulose. SEM observations on seed-coat indicate that the primary ornamentation of the seed-coat of the two species in Campanumoea (s. str. ) is characterized by regular and polygonal areoles which are much larger than the radial walls in diameter and by the bead-like secondary ornamentation on the radial walls, while that of the three species in Cyclocodon is characterized by irregular-shaped areoles which are nearly equal to the radial walls in diameter and by the rope-like secondary ornamentation on the radial walls. Thus, the pollen morphology is closely correlated with the seed-coat morphology. Taking the characteristics of pollen, seed-coat and gross morphology into consideration, the genus Cyclocodon is restored, separate from Campanumoea (s. str. ). One new combination, Cyclocodon celebicus (B1.)Hong, is made in the present paper. The genus Cyclocodon is con-sidered closely related to Platycodon rather than to Campanumoa.     

Phylogenetic relationships in Ephedra (Ephedraceae) inferred from chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequences

Sequences of the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region 1 and the chloroplast-encoded genes maturase K and ribulose-1,5 biphosphate carboxylase large subunit were obtained from species of Ephedra (Ephedraceae) representing the geographic range and morphological diversity of the genus. Phylogenetic analyses of the DNA data indicate that relationships within the genus are better predicted by geographic region of origin than by ovulate cone characters. The sampled species with dry, winged (versus fleshy) ovulate cone bracts or single-seeded cones do not form monophyletic groups and therefore the previous classification systems of Ephedra based on these aspects of bract morphology appear to be largely unnatural. Three groups were identified among the Old World species studied, one comprising European and Mediterranean species and two including only Asian species. The sequence data suggest a possible early divergence of a New World clade of Ephedra from among the Old World groups. The South American species form a distinct clade apparently related to one of two groups of North American species, which accords with a frequent floristic pattern of close relationships between species groups in western South America and southwestern North America.