A taxonomic survey of the generaPetasites andEndocellion

The paper summarizes all accepted species and subspecies of the generaPetasites andEndocellion, together with important synonyms, type quotations, main diacritical characters, and an outline of their distribution. The new taxa described in this study are as follows: subgen.Capillopetalum, sect.Cricostigma, sect.Schistostigma, sect.Trichostigma, sect.Sceptrostigma, further ser.Japonici, ser.Orientales, ser.Fragrantes, ser.Spurii, ser.Imberbes, ser.Sagittati, and subspeciesPetasites frigidus subsp.sibiricus. New combinations:Petasites radiatus (J. F. Gmel.),P. rubellus (J. F. Gmel.)P. hybridus subsp.georgicus (Manden.),P. nivalis subsp.vitifolius (L. E. Greene),P. nivalis subsp.hyperboreus (Rydb.),P. palmatus subsp.speciosus (Nutt.),Endocellion sibiricum (J. F. Gmel.) andE. glaciale (Ledeb.).     

Comparative reproductive biology of Primula merrilliana Schltr. and P. cicutariifolia Pax

The reproductive biology of Primula merrilliana Schltr. and P. cicutariifolia Pax that are sister taxa and the only two members of Primula sect. Ranunculoides were studied. The results showed that P. merrilliana is typically a distylous species not only in morphology but also in function; it has an incompatibility system that restricts the legitimate pollination to that between pin and thrum flower morphs, but self-fertilization may occur under certain conditions. P. cicutariifolia is self-compatible. The pin morph of P. merrilliana has longer stigma papillae and smaller pollen than the thrum morph. The results stated above support the view that P. filchnerae should be moved from sect. Pinnatae to sect. Auganthus.     

Molecular evolution of 35S rDNA and taxonomic status of Lycopersicon within Solanum sect. Petota

To clarify the taxonomic status of tomatoes (“Lycopersicon”) and their relationship to the members of sect. Petota of genus Solanum L., organization of the rDNA external transcribed spacer (5′ ETS) was studied in 33 Solanum and “Lycopersicon” species. Phylogenetic reconstruction revealed that three major groups can be distinguished. Non-tuber-bearing species of ser. Etuberosa as well as tuber-bearing Central American diploids appeared as a paraphyletic group. The first of two well-defined clades embraced all tuber-bearing South American species and Central American polyploids. The other clade (named “tomato clade”) contains non-tuber-bearing species of ser. Juglandifolia and tomato species of ser. Neolycopersicon, which appears to be imbedded in sect. Petota. The new 5′ ETS variant D characterized by a cluster of downstream subrepeats is characteristic for the tomato clade. The variant D originated directly from the most ancestral variant A found in ser. Etuberosa and the Central American diploids, whereas variants B and C specific for the tuber-bearing South American species and Central American polyploids represent a parallel lineage of molecular evolution. The sequence analysis demonstrates the existence of an evolutionary trend of parallel multiplication of specific motifs in 5′ ETS in different groups of sect. Petota.     

云南楼梯草属二新系和八新种

描述了自云南东南部发现的荨麻科楼梯草属2新系和8新种。     

Increments to the genus Mimosa (Mimosaceae) from South America

Four new species are described and discussed: from BoliviaM. (sect.Habbasia ser.Setosae)huanchacae; from SE brazilM. (sect.Habbasia ser.Pachycarpae)chiliomera andM. (sect.Mimosa)murex; and from EcuadorM. (sect.Mimosa subser.Polycarpae)Loxensis. The two Brazilian species are illustrated.     

云南东南部楼梯草属二新种

描述了从云南东南部发现的荨麻科楼梯草属二新种,其中黄连山楼梯草隶属于骤尖楼梯草组骤尖楼梯草系,腺点楼梯草隶属于骤尖楼梯草组盘托楼梯草系。     

Two new taxa in dalea (Fabaceae: Amorpheae) from southern Mexico and Northern Chile

Dalea acracarpica, from Chiapas, Mexico is described, illustrated, and referred to sect. Parosela ser. Lasiostomae: the var. chilensis is a yellow-flowered Chilean counterpart of purple Peruvian D. pennellii var. pennellii.     

Three new species of Mimosa sect. Mimosa (Leguminosae,Mimosoideae) from the campos rupestres of Minas Gerais,Brazil

Three new species of Mimosa sect. Mimosa ser. Mimosa subser. Polycephalae (Leguminosae, Mimosoideae) are described and illustrated. Mimosa canastrensis, Mimosa chrysothrix, and Mimosa decumbens are all from the campos rupestres of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Discussions about the distributions, habitat, and phenology of the species are provided, in addition to comparisons with similar taxa.     

Increased Corneal Epithelial Turnover Contributes to Abnormal Homeostasis in the Pax6+/? Mouse Model of Aniridia

We aimed to test previous predictions that limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) are quantitatively deficient or qualitatively defective in Pax6^+/− mice and decline with age in wild-type (WT) mice. Consistent with previous studies, corneal epithelial stripe patterns coarsened with age in WT mosaics. Mosaic patterns were also coarser in Pax6^+/− mosaics than WT at 15 weeks but not at 3 weeks, which excludes a developmental explanation and strengthens the prediction that Pax6^+/− mice have a LESC-deficiency. To investigate how Pax6 genotype and age affected corneal homeostasis, we compared corneal epithelial cell turnover and label-retaining cells (LRCs; putative LESCs) in Pax6^+/− and WT mice at 15 and 30 weeks. Limbal BrdU-LRC numbers were not reduced in the older WT mice, so this analysis failed to support the predicted age-related decline in slow-cycling LESC numbers in WT corneas. Similarly, limbal BrdU-LRC numbers were not reduced in Pax6^+/− heterozygotes but BrdU-LRCs were also present in Pax6^+/− corneas. It seems likely that Pax6^+/− LRCs are not exclusively stem cells and some may be terminally differentiated CD31-positive blood vessel cells, which invade the Pax6^+/− cornea. It was not, therefore, possible to use this approach to test the prediction that Pax6^+/− corneas had fewer LESCs than WT. However, short-term BrdU labelling showed that basal to suprabasal movement (leading to cell loss) occurred more rapidly in Pax6^+/− than WT mice. This implies that epithelial cell loss is higher in Pax6^+/− mice. If increased corneal epithelial cell loss exceeds the cell production capacity it could cause corneal homeostasis to become unstable, resulting in progressive corneal deterioration. Although it remains unclear whether Pax6^+/− mice have LESC-deficiency, we suggest that features of corneal deterioration, that are often taken as evidence of LESC-deficiency, might occur in the absence of stem cell deficiency if corneal homeostasis is destabilised by excessive cell loss.     

Increments to genus Chamaecrista (Caesalpiniaceae: Cassiinae) from Bolivia and from Atlantic and Planaltine Brazil

Six taxa of genusChamaecrista are described: In sect.Apoucouita (Bentham) Irwin & Barneby,Ch. amorimii Barneby andCh. pteropoda Barneby, both from Atlantic Bahia; in sect.Absus ser.Incurvatae Irwin & Barneby,Ch. caspariifolia Barneby andCh. linearifolia var.latifolia Barneby, both from interior Minas Gerais; in sect.Absus ser.Hedysaroides Irwin & Barneby,Ch. fulgida Barneby, from northern Goiás; and in ser.Prostratae (Bentham) Irwin & Barneby,Ch. chiquitana Barneby, from lowland Bolivia. The affinities and differential characters of each are pointed out, and all but var.latifolia are illustrated.     

The genus Dalea (Fabaceae tribe Amorpheae) in Departamento de Cajamarca,Peru, with description of three new species

Three new species ofDalea (Fabaceae tribe Amorpheae) discovered in the Andes of Cajamarca, Peru by Prof. I. Sánchez Vega are described, illustrated, and discussed. All (Dalea glumacea, D. isidori, D. tridactylites) belong to sect.Parosela ser.Coeruleae, 14 members of which are currently known from the Department, the principal focus of speciation for the series. A key to the 16 taxa ofDalea found hitherto in Departmento de Cajamarca is provided.