<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phuphanochloa,</Emphasis> a new bamboo genus (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Poaceae</Emphasis>: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bambusoideae</Emphasis>) from Thailand

Summary  A new monotypic bamboo genus Phuphanochloa (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) from north-eastern Thailand is described, together with a new species, P. speciosa.     

A revision of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Podococcus</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arecaceae</Emphasis>)

Summary  A taxonomic revision of the palm genus Podococcus (Arecaceae) is presented. Two species are recognised: P. barteri, a species relatively widespread in a coastal band from Nigeria to the D. R. Congo and P. acaulis, a species previously considered conspecific to P. barteri, almost exclusively confined to Gabon. The taxonomic history, morphology, distribution and conservation status of the genus and each species are discussed     

Clavicipitaceous entomopathogens: new species in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metarhizium</Emphasis> and a new genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nigelia</Emphasis>

In several surveys in the tropical forests in Thailand, specimens that looked morphologically similar to Metarhizium martiale and Cordyceps variegata, as well as other Metarhizium species were collected and cultured in vitro. A combined phylogeny of several genes including the small (18S) and large (28S) subunits of the ribosomal DNA, elongation factor 1-α (TEF), RNA polymerase II subunits 1 and 2 (RPB1, RPB2) genes has shown these to be new taxa in the Clavicipitaceae. Nigelia is described as a new genus closely related to Metarhizium, to the scale insect pathogens Aschersonia (Hypocrella), Samuelsia and Moelleriella, and to plant pathogens in Claviceps and Balansia, and other relatives. Nigelia comprises M. martiale and a new species Nigelia aurantiaca, which has been found infecting lepidopteran larvae and which produces pseudoimmersed, obliquely arranged, obpyriform perithecia with curved or bent ostioles and with whole (non-separating) cylindric ascospores. Metarhizium chaiyaphumense, M. kalasinense, M. prachinense, M. samlanense, and M. takense are described as new species of Metarhizium. Metarhizium martiale is transferred to Nigelia, and Paecilomyces reniformis is transferred to Metarhizium.     

The Madagascan genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vaughania</Emphasis> is reduced to synonymy under <Emphasis Type="Italic">Indigofera</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Leguminosae-Papilionoideae-Indigofereae</Emphasis>)

Summary  Eleven species comprising the Madagascan genus Vaughania are subsumed within the large pantropical genus Indigofera. Six new combinations are made; the remaining species were originally described in Indigofera.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macroptilium</Emphasis> (Benth.) Urb. (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Leguminosae</Emphasis>: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Papilionoideae</Emphasis>: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolinae</Emphasis>) from North-Eastern Brazil

Summary  A new species of Macroptilium sect. Microcochle (Benth.) J. A. Lackey is herein described from the states of Piauí and Bahia, Brazil. Macroptilium cochleatum is characterized by few-flowered inflorescences, calyx teeth longer than the tube, a tightly four-coiled keel, and linear, patent fruits. The discovery of this unique Macroptilium species, with its distally coiled keel, expands the diagnostic features of the genus. A key to the Brazilian species of sect. Microcochle is provided.     

A new methanol assimilating yeast, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ogataea</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">parapolymorpha</Emphasis>, the ascosporic state of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">parapolymorpha</Emphasis>

Ogataea parapolymorpha sp. n. (NRRL YB-1982, CBS 12304, type strain), the ascosporic state of Candida parapolymorpha, is described. The species appears homothallic, assimilates methanol as is typical of most Ogataea species and forms hat-shaped ascospores in asci that become deliquescent. O. parapolymorpha is closely related to Ogataea angusta and Ogataea polymorpha. The three species can be resolved from gene sequence analyses but are unresolved from fermentation and growth reactions that are typically used for yeast identification. On the basis of multiple isolates, O. angusta is known only from California, USA, in association with Drosophila and Aulacigaster flies, O. parapolymorpha is predominantly associated with insect frass from trees in the eastern USA but O. polymorpha has been isolated from various substrates in the USA, Brazil, Spain and Costa Rica.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>1<Emphasis Type="Italic">/copia</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>3<Emphasis Type="Italic">/gypsy</Emphasis>-like DNA sequences in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus </Emphasis>species

Two repeated DNA sequences isolated from a partial genomic DNA library of Helianthus annuus, p HaS13 and p HaS211, were shown to represent portions of the int gene of a Ty3 /gypsy retroelement and of the RNase-Hgene of a Ty1 /copia retroelement, respectively. Southern blotting patterns obtained by hybridizing the two probes to BglII- or DraI-digested genomic DNA from different Helianthus species showed p HaS13 and p HaS211 were parts of dispersed repeats at least 8 and 7 kb in length, respectively, that were conserved in all species studied. Comparable hybridization patterns were obtained in all species with p HaS13. By contrast, the patterns obtained by hybridizing p HaS211 clearly differentiated annual species from perennials. The frequencies of p HaS13- and p HaS211-related sequences in different species were 4.3x10(4)-1.3x10(5) copies and 9.9x10(2)-8.1x10(3) copies per picogram of DNA, respectively. The frequency of p HaS13-related sequences varied widely within annual species, while no significant difference was observed among perennial species. Conversely, the frequency variation of p HaS211-related sequences was as large within annual species as within perennials. Sequences of both families were found to be dispersed along the length of all chromosomes in all species studied. However, Ty3 /gypsy-like sequences were localized preferentially at the centromeric regions, whereas Ty1/ copia-like sequences were less represented or absent around the centromeres and plentiful at the chromosome ends. These findings suggest that the two sequence families played a role in Helianthusgenome evolution and species divergence, evolved independently in the same genomic backgrounds and in annual or perennial species, and acquired different possible functions in the host genomes.     

Actinomycetemcomitin: a new bacteriocin produced by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aggregatibacter</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Actinobacillus</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">actinomycetemcomitans</Emphasis>

Aggregatibacter (Actinobacillus) actinomycetemcomitans P_7–20 strain isolated from a periodontally diseased patient has produced a bacteriocin (named as actinomycetemcomitin) that is active against Peptostreptococcus anaerobius ATCC 27337. Actinomycetemcomitin was produced during exponential and stationary growth phases, and its amount decreased until it disappeared during the decline growth phase. It was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation (30–60% saturation), and further by FPLC (mono-Q ionic exchange and Phenyl Superose hydrophobic interaction) and HPLC (C-18 reversed-phase). This bacteriocin loses its activity after incubation at a pH below 7.0 or above 8.0, following heating for 30 min at 45°C, and after treatment with proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin, α-chymotrypsin, and papain. Actinomycetemcomitin has a molecular mass of 20.3 KDa and it represents a new bacteriocin from A. actinomycetemcomitans.     

New combinations and typifications in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bistorta</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Persicaria</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polygonum,</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rumex</Emphasis> (Polygonaceae)

New combinations are proposed in anticipation of the Polygonaceae treatment in the forthcoming volume of Intermountain Flora: Polygonum kelloggii var. esotericum, P. kelloggii var. watsonii , Rumex densiflorus var. pycnanthus , R. salicifolius var. utahensis, and R. occidentalis var. tomentellus. Typifications are proposed to facilitate ongoing studies in Polygonaceae and to maintain current usage.     

Re-evaluation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Psidium acutangulum</Emphasis> (Myrtaceae) and a new combination in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Psidium</Emphasis>

Psidium acutangulum has been previously understood as a widespread and variable species. Here, it is proposed that populations east of the Andes should be divided into two species: P. acutangulum and P. acidum based on characters of the leaves, anthers, fruits and seeds. The new combination Psidium acidum is made here and the species is described, illustrated and contrasted with P. acutangulum and P. friedrichsthalianum. Psidium acutangulum as now understood remains variable and seems to be related to a mainly Amazonian group of species. Populations from western Ecuador, once thought to belong to P. acutangulum are now considered a new species.     

A revision of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Talbotiella</Emphasis> Baker f. (Caesalpinioideae: Leguminosae)

A revision of the genus Talbotiella Baker f. (Caesalpinioideae: Leguminosae) is presented. Four species from Cameroon are described as new and a species of Hymenostegia, also from Cameroon, is transferred to Talbotiella bringing the number of species in Talbotiella to eight: T. bakossiensis Cheek, T. batesii Baker f., T. breteleri (Aubrév.) Mackinder & Wieringa, T. ebo Mackinder & Wieringa, T. eketensis Baker f., T. gentii Hutch. & Greenway, T. korupensis Mackinder & Wieringa and T. velutina Burgt & Wieringa. The centre of diversity is Cameroon where six of the eight species occur, five of which are country endemics. Vegetative characters that can be used to distinguish the species are provided in tabular form. Species distributions are mapped and all species are assessed for conservation status.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Funastrum rupicola</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Apocynaceae:</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">Asclepiadoideae</Emphasis>), a new species from Bolivia

Summary   Funastrum rupicola Goyder, a new species of Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae from Bolivia, is described and illustrated. The conservation status of this species is assessed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In silico</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> characterization of the zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">gnrh3</Emphasis> (sGnRH) gene

Background

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is responsible for stimulation of gonadotropic hormone (GtH) in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG). The regulatory mechanisms responsible for brain specificity make the promoter attractive for in silico analysis and reporter gene studies in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Results

We have characterized a zebrafish [Trp⁷, Leu⁸] or salmon (s) GnRH variant, gnrh 3. The gene includes a 1.6 Kb upstream regulatory region and displays the conserved structure of 4 exons and 3 introns, as seen in other species. An in silico defined enhancer at -976 in the zebrafish promoter, containing adjacent binding sites for Oct-1, CREB and Sp1, was predicted in 2 mammalian and 5 teleost GnRH promoters. Reporter gene studies confirmed the importance of this enhancer for cell specific expression in zebrafish. Interestingly the promoter of human GnRH-I, known as mammalian GnRH (mGnRH), was shown capable of driving cell specific reporter gene expression in transgenic zebrafish.

Conclusions

The characterized zebrafish Gnrh3 decapeptide exhibits complete homology to the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) GnRH-III variant. In silico analysis of mammalian and teleost GnRH promoters revealed a conserved enhancer possessing binding sites for Oct-1, CREB and Sp1. Transgenic and transient reporter gene expression in zebrafish larvae, confirmed the importance of the in silico defined zebrafish enhancer at -976. The capability of the human GnRH-I promoter of directing cell specific reporter gene expression in zebrafish supports orthology between GnRH-I and GnRH-III.

     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> propagation of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clivia</Emphasis>

We have developed a protocol for the in vitro propagation of the genus Clivia. Shoots were regenerated when fragments of the peduncle-pedicel junction (PP junction) from young inflorescences were used as explants. The optimal media for PP junction were Murashige and Skoog (MS)-based medium containing 10 M of 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 10 M of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or MS supplemented with 5 M BA, 10 M -naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 250 mg l^-1 glutamine and 500 mg l^–1 casein hydrolysate and their usage depended on the breeding lines. Multiplication from initiations and in vitro seedlings was the best when the explants were cut longitudinally through the meristem and placed on MS plus 44 M BA. Plantlets were transferred on to hormone -free MS medium with charcoal for rooting.     

Three new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stigmidium</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sphaerellothecium</Emphasis> (lichenicolous ascomycetes) on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stereocaulon</Emphasis>

Sphaerellothecium stereocaulorum sp. nov., Stigmidium beringicum sp. nov., Stigmidium stereocaulorum sp. nov. and goniocysts are described on Stereocaulon species from the northern Holarctic. Endococcus nanellus is reported new to Alaska and Mongolia. Taxonomical novelties Sphaerellothecium stereocaulorum Zhurb. & Triebel, Stigmidium beringicum Zhurb. & Triebel, Stigmidium stereocaulorum Zhurb. & Triebel.