The neotropical genera of Marantaceae. Circumscription and relationships

The delimitation of the neotropical genera of the Marantaceae has been revised, using evidence mainly from the morphology of inflorescences and flowers. It is concluded that the generic concepts of Schumann in "Das Pflanzenreich", often questioned by 20th century American authors, are essentially sound, but that his grouping of the genera into two tribes is quite artificial. Main deviations from the treatment of Schumann are the rearrangement of the genera, somewhat different stress on diagnostic characters and a much narrower concept of the genus Myrosma. A new genus, Koernickanthe is proposed for the long known species Maranta orbiculata (Koern.) Schum. The genera are arranged into informal groups and the groups and genera recognized are: Maranta group (Maranta L., Monophyllanthe Schum.), Myrosma group (Myrosma L. f., Saranthe (Regel et Koern.) Eichl., Hylaeanthe Jonker et Jonker, Ctenanthe Eichl., Stromanthe Sond.), Calathea group (Calathea G. F. W. Meyer, lschnosiphon Koern., Pleiostachya Schum.), Monotagma group (Monotagma Schum., Koernickanthe gen. nov.) and Thalia "group" (Thalia L.). It is suggested, that each group has its closest affinities with Old World genera and that this indicates that the diversification of the marantaceous stock was far–reaching already before the Old and the New World became effectively isolated. It is further suggested that the early diversification of the family took place in Africa, the flora of which, although poor in species, is morphologically very diverse. Two new combinations are made, viz. Stromanthe stromanthoides (Macbr.) Anderss. and Koernickanthe orbiculata (Koern.) Anderss.     

The identity of Ctenophrynium K. Schum. (Marantaceae)

Ctenophrynium unilaterale (Baker) K. Schum. was described from cultivated material reported to have been brought from Madagascar. It has recently been recollected in the state of Bahía, SE Brazil. A reexamination shows good agreement with the Brazilian genus Saranthe (Regel & Koern.) Eichl. The recombination Saranthe unilateralis (Baker) L. Anderss. is made and the genus Ctenophrynium is reduced to a synonym of Saranthe . The plant is redescribed and illustrated.     

Chromosome numbers of some North American Salix

Chromosome numbers are reported for 19 species of North AmericanSalix, one natural hybrid, and one introduced species. The following 17 species are here examined cytologically for the first time:Salix amygdaloides Anderss.,S. arbusculoides Anderss.,S. brachycarpa Nutt.,S. Candida Willd.,S. discolor Muhl.,S. exigua Nutt.,S. kumilis Marsh.,S. interior Rowlee,S. lutea Nutt.,S. maccalliana Rowlee,S. monticola Rydb.,S. myrtillifolia Anderss.,S. pellita Anderss.,S. petiolaris J. E. Sm,S. scouleriana Barr.,S. silicicola Raup, andS. subcoerulea Piper. Of the 19 native North American species 11 are diploid, four are tetraploid, one is triploid, one hexaploid, one dodecaploid, and one exhibits more than one ploidal level.     

Dimethylmorpholinium Chloride Analogs and Their Effect on Plants

Relations between the chemical structure of new analogs of dimethylmorpholinium chloride (DMC) and their growth retardant activity were investigated. Some of these substances exerted a specific impact on the growth of individual organs in monocot (Triticum aestivum L., Hordeum vulgare ssp. distichon (L.) Koern.) and dicot (Phaseolus vulgaris L., Brassica napus L.) plants. Within the group of bis-quaternary ammonium salts, the derivatives of N-methylmorpholinium (1-DMC) and N-benzylmorpholinium (3-DMC) manifested high retardant activity on growth of barley and wheat plants. The molecules of these compounds comprise the chain of two methylene groups bridging the nitrogen atoms. An N-acetylmorpholinium derivative 17-DMC, with nitrogen atoms in morpholinium rings linked by two methylene groups with a CHOH group between them, produced a physiological effect on rape and kidney bean plants.     

营属(Themeda Forsskal)及其有关属的分类与考证

对菅属（ThemedaForsskal）的命名与合法性历史进行了考订,确定合法的属并列出了异名录;鉴于原AnthistiriaLinn．f.属较庞杂,属的概念（范畴）有较大变化,本文采用P．Forsskal及E．Hackel和W．D．Clayton的Themeda属的范畴,对已发表的原归用于Anthistiria和Themeda等属的种（双名）逐一作了考订,以明确它们的隶属关系并转隶于10个不同的局;对Themedan属自P．Forsskal（1775）建立以来的系统分类研究状况作简短的回顾,并对所存在的问题作了简述．     

Processing and macroinvertebrate colonization of detritus in an Alaskan subarctic stream

Monument Creek, a second-order Alaskan subarctic stream, experiences a severe thermal regime, with water temperatures of 0°C for six months. Leaching, long-term decomposition and macroinvertebrate colonization of 5 g leaf packs were studied using leaves of the major riparian tree species, alder Alnus tenuifolia Nutt., birch Betula papyrifera Marsh. and willow Salix alaxensis (Anderss.) Cov. subsp. alaxensis and Salix arbucolides Anders. var. glabra Anderss. The processing rates of birch (k = 0.0080) and willow (k = 0.0063) were moderate while alder was processed very rapidly (k = 0.0513). Leaching rates did not differ significantly among the three leaf species, and accounted for 10–15% of total weight loss. Densities and biovolume of colonizing insects increased from fall to winter. Shredders dominated insect biovolume by midwinter, but were a small fraction of total biovolume in leaf packs that had frozen over winter and were sampled following spring thaw. This may be a function of low food quality in spring and/or the timing of shredder life histories. Limited allochthonous input and constriction of the stream channel due to freezing, with resultant high shredder densities, may explain the relatively rapid detritus processing rates in Monument Creek, despite cold stream temperatures.     

On the Classification of Ixeris Group (Compositae) from China

Ixeris Cass., strinctly speaking, is confined to plants which have achenes with sharply winged ribs. Ixeridium (A. Gray ) Tzvel. contains plants which have persistent radical leaves at anthesis and achenes with obtuse ribs and a fine rostrum at its apex. Paraixeris Nakai is restricted to plants which are of the same achenes as in the genus Ixeridium (A. Gray) Tzvel., but rostra of achenes are robust and radical leaves deciduous in flowering in the former. The Chorisis DC., a monotypic genus, is characterized by ternate palatisect leaves. In the light of the above mentioned understanding of these genera, the author thinks that the division of Chinese Ixeris group, a comparatively complex one, into four genera would be more reasonable than merging them into one genus, namely, Ixeris Cass. Based on the examination of specimens in the Herbarium of the Institute of Botany, Academia Sinica (PE), the author found that there are four species in the genus Ixeris Cass., including one new combination in China. They are I. polycephala Cass., I. dissecta (Makino) Shih, I. japonica (Burm. f. ) Nakai and I. stolonifera A. Gray. The genus Ixeridium (A. Gray ) Tzvel. has 13 species, including five new combinations and three new species in China, namely, I. sagittaroides (C. B. Clarke) Shih, I. gramineum (Ledb.) Tzvel., I. yunnarense Shih,I. graminifolium(Ledb.)Tzvel.,I, biparum Shih,I.aculeolatum Shih,I. chinense( Thunb. ) Tzvel., I. strigosum( Fisch. ) Tzvel., I. elegans( Franeh. ) Shih, I. sonchifolium (Maxim.)Shih,I. laevigatum (BI.)Shih,I. dentatum(Thunb. )Nakai and I. gracile(DC.)Shih, in China. There are six species in the genus Paraixeris Nakai, including One new combination, namely, P. denticulata(Houtt.) Nakai, P. humifusa(Dunn) Shih, P. cheldonifolia( Makino) Nakai, P. saxatilis( Baran. ) Tzvel., P.pinnatipartita (Makino)Tzvel. and P.serotina(Maxim.)Tzvel.in China.     

基于RNA-seq的能源植物芒转录组分析

芒(Miscanthus sinensis Anderss)是多年生C4草本植物,可为能量和纤维素产品生产提供高品质的木质纤维素材料,是一种理想的能源植物。采用Illumina Hi Seq?2000高通量测序技术,对芒花芽和叶芽进行转录组分析。经拼接组装共获得98 326个Unigene,序列平均长度822 bp,N50为1 337 bp。将Unigene序列与NR、NT、Swiss-Prot、KEGG、GO和COG数据库进行比对(Evalue1e-5),共有74 134条Unigene获得了基因注释,占总Unigene的75.40%。其中,通过GO功能分类,45 507个Unigene映射到GO不同的功能节点上;通过KEGG pathways分析,共有36 710个Unigene参与了128个代谢通路;比对到同源序列比例最高的物种分别为高粱(37 731,60.86%)、玉米(16 258,26.22%)、水稻(3 065,4.94%),共占所有同源序列的92.02%。此外,获得了芒C4关键酶相关基因24个。这些注释信息的完成为芒功能基因及相关候选基因的发掘提供了重要依据。     

CHROMOSOME NUMBERS IN CENCHRUS (GRAMINEAE)

Gametic chromosome numbers are reported for 22 populations representing 6 taxa in the genus Cenchrus. Numbers of n = 17 were obtained for C. incertus M. A. Curtis, C. longispinus (Hack.) Fern., and for the previously unreported C. mitis Anderss. Populations of C. echinatus L. have the number n = 34, and C. myosuroides H.B.K. n = 35. Irregular meiosis was observed in 2 chromosomal races of C. ciliaris L. having numbers of n = 18 and n = ca. 16, respectively.     

Establishment of four Salicaceae species on river bars in interior Alaska

Patterns of seed and vegetative reproduction were investigated for three floodplain species, balsam poplar Populus balsamifera L., feltleaf willow Salix alaxensis (Anderss.) Cov. and sandbar willow Salix interior Rowlee, and one upland species, trembling aspen Populus tremuloides Michx., in interior Alaska. All four species have similar patterns of seed germination in response to moisture stress and high salt concentrations when tested under laboratory conditions. In field experiments, percent germination of all four species was also very similar, ranging from 0% on dry sandy sites, to greater than 60% on mesic silty sites. Germination on salt crusts ranged from 0–40% for all species, depending on the physical characteristics of the soil surface. Colonization of mesic silty sites was almost exclusively by seed, whereas colonization of dry sandy sites was limited to those species which were able to root sucker under floodplain conditions. Root suckering was also an important means of establishment on frequently inundated sites where establishment by seed was limited by flooding. Differences between the species in their distribution on the floodplain were related to differences in patterns of vegetative reproduction, but not seed germination.     

The parapatric distribution and contact zone of two forms showing different male-to-male aggressiveness in a social spider mite, Stigmaeopsis miscanthi (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Two forms showing different male-to-male aggressiveness, different male morphologies and different diapause attributes are known in Stigmaeopsis miscanthi (Saito), a social spider mite infesting Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis Anderss). Reproductive isolation exists between the forms, although it is not always complete, and the details of their distributional patterns are unknown, but expected to be parapatric. We searched for the contact zone at Mt. Unzen (Nagasaki Pref., Japan) where both forms are known to occur at different altitudes. We found the two forms together in several M. sinensis stands, suggesting there is frequent contact between the forms in their boundary area. We discuss the mechanism(s) that maintain the parapatry related to their frequent contact and the pattern of reproductive isolation between them.     

Bioethanol production from dedicated energy crops and residues in Arkansas, USA

Globally, one of the major technologic goals is to achieve cost-effective lignocellulosic ethanol production from biomass feedstocks. Lignocellulosic biomass of four dedicated energy crops [giant reed (Arundo donax L.), elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum (Schumach), Miscanthus × giganteus (Illinois clone), and (clone Q42641) {hybrid of Miscanthus sinensis Anderss. and Miscanthus sacchariflorus (Maxim)}, Hack. called giant miscanthus, and sugarcane clone US 84-1028 (Saccharum L. spp. hybrid)] and residues from two crops [soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) litter and rice (Oryza sativa L.) husk] were tested for bioethanol production using cellulose solvent-based lignocellulose fractionation (CSLF) pretreatment and enzymatic (cellulase) hydrolysis. Giant miscanthus (Illinois), giant reed, giant miscanthus (Q42641), elephantgrass, and sugarcane all yielded higher amount of glucose on a biomass dry weight basis (0.290-0.331 g/g), than did rice husk (0.181 g/g) and soybean litter (0.186 g/g). To reduce the capital investment for energy consumption in fermentation, we used a self-flocculating yeast strain (SPSC01) to ferment the lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysates. Bioethanol production was ～0.1 g/g in dedicated energy crops and less in two crop residues. These methods and data can help to develop a cost-effective downstream process for bioethanol production.     

The genus Iphiona (Compositae-Inuleae)

The genus Iphiona Cass. emend. A. Anderb. (Compositae-Inuleae-Inulinae) is revised and considerably amended. The former genera Grantia Boiss. (= Perralde-riopsis Rauschert) and Hirschia Baker are included as well as the major part of Iphiona Cass. s.str. and the species Inula grantioides Boiss., and Pulicaria phillipsiae S. Moore. Five new combinations are made: I. anthemidifolia (Baker) A. Anderb., I. arachnoidea (Boiss.) A. Anderb., I. grantioides (Boiss.) A. Anderb., I. phillipsiae (S. Moore) A. Anderb., and I. senecionoides (Baker) A. Anderb. The new species I. teretifolia A. Anderb. is described. A discussion of the phylogeny of the group and a cladogram, involving reticulation, of the Iphiona species are presented. The 11 species are distributed in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Peoples Democratic Republic Yemen, Oman, Iran and Pakistan.     

New, rare or remarkable microfungi in the Italian Alps (Carnic Alps)--part II--other microfungi

In addition to the collection of Ascomycotina in the Carnic Alps (see New, rare or remarkable microfungi in the Italian Alps (Carnic Alps) part I ) we were able to treasure about 300 species of parasitic and saprophytic microfungi. Among them Basidiomycetes, Ascomycetes and Deuteromycets like Bostrichonema polygoni (UNGER) SCHROT. on Polygonum viviparum L., Chrysomyxa rhododendri DE BY on Picea abies (L.) KARSTEN, Coleosporium tussilaginis (PERS.) BERK. I=C. cacaliae OTTH.] on Adenostyles glabra (MILL.) DC., Dasyscyphus barbatus (KUNZE) MASSEE on Lonicera nigra L., Leptosphaeria coniothyrium (FUCKEL) SACC. on Rosa canina L., Leptotrochila brunellae (LIND) DENNIS on Prunella grandiflora (L.) SCHOLLER., Marssonina kriegeriana (BES.) MAGNUS on Salix reticulata L., Puccinia alpina FUCKEL on Viola biflora L., Puccinia maculosa (STRAUSS.) ROHLING and Erysiphe cichoracearum DC. On Prenanthes purpurea L., Septoria microsora SPENG. on Gentianella germanica (WILLD.) BORNER, Urocystis orobranches (FR.) FISCH. V. WALDH. on Orobranche gracilis SM., Urocystis violae (J. SOWERBY) A. FISCHER VON WALDHEIN on Viola biflora L. and Uromyces phyteumatum (DC.) UNG. on Phyteuma spicatum L. were dominant. All samples are located in the Herbarium ESS Mycotheca Parva, Collection G.B. Feige/N. Ale-Agha.     

New subgenus of the genus Schizoprymnus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Japan, having a unique abdominal carapace structure

A new subgenus of the genus Schizoprymnus Foerster is described and figured from Honshu, Japan. The subgenus, Ibarakius subgen. nov., comprises three species, S. (I.) gotoi sp. nov. (type species), S. (I.) kaizawus sp. nov., and S. (I.) honshuensis sp. nov. A pair of long, curved posteroventral processes on the carapace is unique to Ibarakius subgen. nov. The variability of frontal protuberances and sutures of the carapace in the brachistine genera Triaspis Haliday and Schizoprymnus Foerster is discussed.     

Volatile constituents of four Inula species of Bulgarian origin

In this study the volatile components of four Inula species (Inula germanica L., I. bifrons (L.) L., I. ensifolia L., and I. salicina L.) were analysed by GC-FID/MS. A total of 141 chemical compounds were identified. A distinct volatile chemical profiles with high variation in the type of compounds was observed. Inula germanica was rich in oxygenated monoterpenes (54.7%), with cis-carvyl acetate (20.7%) and 1,8-cineole (14.6%) as main components. Sesquiterpenoids dominated in I. bifrons (60.3%), while the relatively high percentage of fatty acids characterized the other two species I. ensifolia and I. salicina (44.1 and 39.8%, respectively). Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used to investigate the variations in the volatiles of different Inula species.     

Introduction and establishment ofApanteles flavipes [Hym.: Braconidae] onDiatraea saccharalis [Lep.: Pyralidae] in texas

The braconid parasite,Apanteles flavipes (Cameron), was introduced into the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in 1977 and has become established onDiatraea saccharalis (F.) attacking 4 species of host plants. Approximately 71% of the 26,971 adult parasites released were released in sugarcane,Saccharum officinarum L., with the remainder being released on field corn,Zea mays L., broomcorn,Sorghum vulgare technicum (Koern.) and Johnson grass,Sorghum halepense (L.). Recoveries indicate dispersal of at least 4 km from release sites.     

国产姜科植物的染色体计数(5)

<正> 本文继续对7属15种国产姜科植物作染色体计数观察,其中10种是染色体计数的新纪录(表、图)。通过对黄花大苞姜(Caulokaempferia coenobialis)和大苞姜(C.yunnanensis)以及凹唇姜(Bosenbevgia rotunda)和心叶凹唇姜(B.fallax)的染色体观察,确定了大苞姜属(Caulokaempferia)和凹唇姜属(Bosenbergia)的染色体基数分别为12和9。