Two types of constitutive heterochromatin in the chromosomes of some Fritillaria species

A Giemsa banding technique has been used to study C-banding in mitotic chromosomes in root tips of Fritillaria graeca, F. crassifolia and F. rhodocanakis, all diploids (2n=24) belonging to the graeca group. In the first two the C-bands were of two types, diverging in respect of staining regularly and specifically within chromosomes. In one type it was weak, being intermediate between that of intensely stained ones, representing the other class, and the euchromatin. In F. graeca the pale bands were proximally localized and confined to 5 pairs, whereas in F. crassifolia they occurred only in the 4 M chromosomes, in each within the centromeric constriction as a large inclusion. The interphase nuclei of both species contained pale and heavily stained chromocentres. No pale ones occurred in such nuclei of F. rhodocanakis. The probability is discussed that the two classes of C-band represent distinct types of heterochromatin, differing both in respect of condensation throughout the whole mitotic cycle and in the repetitive DNA sequences they most likely contain. In all 3 species pairs of Giemsa-positive centromeric dots, representing the centromeres, were masked both by proximally or centromerically localized bands, irrespective of the class of heterochromatin they represented.     

Cytogenetic study of certain Tilia species]

The number of chromosomes, and mitosis and microsporogenesis were studied in Tilia europaea, T. tomentosa, T. cordata and T. platyphyllos under natural conditions of Voronezh region. Significant mixoploidy of meristematic tissue cells in seedling root tips, mitotic activity and meiosis have been demonstrated for the first time. The number of chromosomes in somatic cells varied from 28 to 140-146. The number 2n = 82 was modal for all the studied species. The number of chromosomes in T. europaea has been determined for the first time. The numbers of chromosomes in the genus Tilia are analysed on the basis of the literature and our own data. The peak of mitotic activity in seedlings and juvenile leaves (8-10%) fell on the night: 0-1 a.m. according to the winter time. Microsporogenesis is simultaneous and asynchronous. In some individual trees various abnormalities of meiosis were found: lagging in time in 1 to 5-6 chromosomes, bridges, fusions of spindles. Variations in pollen dimensions, shape and pore number were detected in many trees.     

Antimicrobial activity of some Salvia species essential oils from Iran

The aerial parts of Salvia multicaulis, S. sclarea and S. verticillata were collected at full flowering stage. The essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analyzed by combination of capillary GC and GC-MS. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the essential oils were studied against eight Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumulis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and three fungi (Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger). The results of antibacterial activity tests of the essential oils according to the disc diffusion method and MIC values indicated that all the samples have moderate to high inhibitory activity against the tested bacteria except for P. aeruginosa which was totally resistant. In contrast to antibacterial activity, the oils exhibited no or slight antifungal property, in which only the oil of S. multicaulis showed weak activity against two tested yeasts, C. albicans and S. cerevisiae.     

New chromosome counts in some species of Asteraceae from Iran

Seven chromosome counts of six species from the family Asteraceae are reported. All taxa were collected from Hamedan province, Iran. One count is a new report (viz Inula aucheriana ), three are not in accordance with previous counts (viz Senecio glaucus, Tanacetum chiliophyllum and Tanacetum polycephalum ) and the others (viz Tripleurospermum disciforme, Tanacetum polycephalum , T. parthenium ) are confirmations of very limited (one to eight records) previous data. Most of the studied taxa have the basic number x=9, but Senecio glaucus has x = 10, with ploidy levels ranging from 2x to 8x. Both diploidy and triploidy were found in T. chiliophyllum and may be regarded as a sign of ongoing speciation.     

A karyological study of some Dianthus L. species (Caryophyllaceae) in Northeast of Iran

This study focuses on karyological investigation of four taxa of Dianthus (Caryophyllaceae) including D. crossopetalus, D. orientalis subsp. stenocalyx, D. orientalis subsp. gorganicus, and Dianthus sp. distributed in Northeast of Iran. The karyotype asymmetry/symmetry was evaluated using two methods: 1) CVCL (coefficient of variation of chromosome length) and CVCI (heterogeneity of the centromeric index); and 2) MCA (mean centromeric asymmetry). The karyotype asymmetry was also used to investigate the relationships among the taxa. Results obtained from the current study revealed that there are two different ploidy levels (2n = 2x = 30 and 2n = 4x = 60) among the investigated taxa. The indices CVCL and MCA described karyotype asymmetry correctly based on variation in chromosome length. Diagram of CVCL vs. MCA seems to be appropriate for karyological delimitation and taxonomic relationships among the Dianthus taxa under study. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Karyotype analysis in some species of Consolida (Ranunculaceae) from Iran

Consolida (dc .) S. F. Gray belongs to Ranunculaceae. The genus includes about 52 species worldwide. Here we report the diploid chromosome number and chromosome size and morphology for six Consolida species. For C. anthoroidea, C. leptocarpa, C. paradoxa and C. rugulosa the diploid chromosome number is reported for the first time. All investigated species have a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 2x = 16, except for C. persica having 2n = 2x = 14. The karyotypes of all six taxa are asymmetric, consisting of all four major chromosome types: metacentric, submetacentric, subtelocentric and telocentric chromosome type. However, considering the karyotype formula, all six species could be distinguished. In all taxa, metacentric chromosome pair 1 possesses a satellite. The only exception is C. rugulosa having an additional satellite positioned on metacentric chromosome pair 2. Karyotype data allow the separation of Aconitella from Consolida. Karyotype data plus morphological evidence support the reduction of C. paradoxa to formae level of C. rugulosa. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

几种银莲花光合特性的初步分析

采用LI6400便携式光合仪分析昆明室外栽培的几种野生银莲花光合作用特性。净光合速率(Pn)和蒸腾速率(Tr)日变化均呈单峰曲线,前者的峰值出现在10～11点,后者的峰值出现在13点前后。在光强0～2000μmol·m2·s1条件下,Pn呈S曲线,光合补偿点为60～80μmol·m2·s1,饱和点为800μmol·m2·s1左右,但光强继续增加到1800μmol·m2·s1,Pn仍有少许提高;Tr随PAR的增加而缓慢地增加。在环境CO2浓度为0～350μmol·mol1条件下,Pn直线上升,草玉梅、秋牡丹和野棉花的光合CO2补偿点均为50μmol·mol1左右;Tr在环境CO2浓度25～350μmol·mol1范围内几乎呈水平线。野生银莲花的Pn和Tr表现较明显的种间差异。     

Cytogenetic studies on Brazilian Xyris species (Xyridaceae)

Cytological features are presented for the first time for 12 species and one natural hybrid from 16 Brazilian populations of the genus Xyris , including members of two sections ( Xyris and Nematopus ). The results are compared with a review of all available chromosome numbers previously reported for the genus. All analysed species show semi-reticulate interphase nuclei and prophase to prometaphase chromosomes with heterogeneous condensing behaviour. Chromosome numbers varied between 2 n = 26 and 2 n ≈ 108. In Brazil especially, the karyological differentiation of Xyris seems to be generally characterized by dysploid and polyploid increase of the chromosome number, possibly after interspecific hybridization. This is the first cytological study including species of the section Nematopus and the first karyological investigation including South American species of the genus Xyris . © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 138 , 245–252.     

中国贝母属(Fritillaria)7种植物的核型研究

通过对7种国产贝母属（Fritillaria）植物的染色体核型进行观察和研究,报道了小白花贝母（F.albidoflora Duan&Zheng）、川贝母（F.cirrhosa Don）、伊贝母（F.pallidiflora Schrenk ex Fischer&Meyer）、华西贝母（F.sichuanica Chen）、托里贝母（F.tortifolia Duan&Zheng）、新疆贝母（F.walujewii Regel）、裕民贝母（F.yuminensis Duan）等7种植物的染色体数目及核型,其中3种为首次报道。结果显示,7种国产贝母属植物的核型均具有高度不对称性。此外,小白花贝母与已报道的黄花贝母（F.verticillata Willdenow）的核型存在明显差异,提示Flora of China将小白花贝母归并入黄花贝母的分类处理可能并不恰当,二者的关系需进一步研究。     

Cytology and morphometry study of Alhagi (Leguminosae) species in Iran

Karyotypic and morphometric studies were performed on Alhagi species and populations. Morphometric analyses revealed the occurrence of two species in Iran. Both species possessed 2n = 16 chromosome number. Inter-population and inter-specific variation was observed in karyotypic features indicating that such data are not useful in taxonomy of the Alhagi species.     

Cytogenetic comparison of N-genome Aegilops L. species

Differential C-banding and in situ hybridization were employed in a cytogenetic comparison of thee N-genome Aegilops species: diploid Ae. uniaristata, tetraploid Ae. ventricosa, and hexaploid Ae. recta. The formation of Ae. recta was shown to involve only minor functional modifications of the parental genomes, while intraspecific divergence was accompanied by large genome rearrangements, namely, translocations involving the total chromosome arms of all of the three genomes. The formation of tetraploid Ae. ventricosa involved substantial structural chromosome rearrangements, including a partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5D, including the nucleolus-organizing region; a redistribution of C bands on chromosomes of the D and N genomes along with a reduction of the heterochromatin content; and a considerable decrease in the hybridization intensity of the pAs1 repeat. Chromosomes of the Ae. ventricosa D genome were more similar to chromosomes of the Ae. crassa D1 genome than to Ae. tauschii chromosomes.     

Karyotaxonomic study of some species ofPeucedanum (Umbelliferae)

A study of morphometric karyotype characters was carried out in 14 species ofPeucedanum s. lat. (Umbelliferae — Apioideae) and in one species of the related genusLomatium. The differences of the species in their karyotype characters are correlated only to a limited degree with their similarities of dissimilarities in morphological (i. a. carpological) characters, and thus with their taxonomic position. The evolution of these two sets of characters seems to have proceeded not synchronously or even in different directions in the group of platycarpousUmbelliferae united in the genusPeucedanum. Therefore, it is unlikely that morphometric chromosome characters revealed by monochrome staining can be used appropriately in the taxonomic revision of the polymorphous genusPeucedanum.     

Numerical taxonomy of some charophytes in Iran

Morphological characters of 10 species of Chara from different localities in northern, western and central Iran have been analyzed, with Nitella hyalina and Tolypella glomerata as outgroups. Phenetic and cladistics analyses of populations belonging to the 10 Chara species were undertaken to reveal their inter‐population morphological variation and inter‐specific relationships. Clustering was based on 54 characters (41 qualitative and 13 quantitative). This produced two major clusters, grouping Chara crassicauliss, C. vulgaris var. longibracteata, C. vulgaris var. vulgaris and C. contraria separate from C. grovesii, C. gymnophylla var. gymnophylla, C. gymnophylla var. rohlenae, C. kirghisorum and C. tomentosa. A smaller cluster of C. socotrensioides, C. fibrosa and Chara sp. was separate from these two clusters. A factor analysis identified the most variable morphological characters as type of cortification, prescence and length of the spine cells, stipulode length, type of branchlet cortication, bract cells length, placement of the gametangia, character of end segment, length of branchlet and internode, development of posterior bract cells, oogonia length and width, oospore length, width and length/width ratio, fossa breath, and number of striae.