The Flora of the Bahamas,Donovan Correll,and the Miami University Connection

The Flora of the Bahama Archipelago was published in 1982 by Donovan and Helen Correll and included illustrations by Priscilla Fawcett as well as others. This treatment included 1,350 species incorporated in 660 genera and 144 families. The Flora replaced the dated 1920 The Bahama Flora published by Britton and Milspaugh. A flora is an ever changing entity and although it is only 30 years since the publication the Corrells’ work much has changed. One unfortunate omission from the Corrells’ flora was an adequate treatment of the work of William T. Gillis (1933–1979) who produced many important papers that were already in the literature at the time (Kass & Eshbaugh, 1993). Subsequent to the publication of the Flora of the Bahama Archipelago individuals affiliated with Miami University published a plethora of scholarly works on the flora of the Bahamas. This contribution attempts to set forth a record of the relationship and impact of Miami University and its affiliated scholars, both students and instructors, who with their work have transformed and updated our knowledge of the flora of the Bahamas. This is a continual process that will be ongoing into the foreseeable future.     

Plant Hunting Expeditions of David Fairchild to The Bahamas

The plant hunting expeditions made by David Fairchild on board the research boat Utowana represented some of the most important contributions in the history of plant exploration. These expeditions targeted all the continents except Australia and Antarctica and provided germplasm for the United States Department of Agriculture. As part of our current research to document the details and outputs of David Fairchild’s plant hunting expeditions, in this paper we present an account pertinent to the three trips that he made to The Bahamas. Two of these trips were on board the Utowana and were part of larger expeditions that David Fairchild undertook to the West Indies, Central America and the Guianas between December 1931 and April 1933. No plant material was collected on the third trip when David Fairchild and his wife flew to Nassau in April 1939. We believe that the main focus of this last trip was to meet with Anne Archbold to make arrangements for the Chêng Ho expedition to the East Indies. This Asian endeavor was the only major expedition undertaken by David Fairchild to collect plant material for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (FTBG). During the Bahamian expedition eleven islands/cays were visited, 94 germplasm accessions (73 species) were collected, and 132 photographs were taken. Our research has been largely based on documents and photographs that belonged to David Fairchild and that are deposited at the Library and Archives of FTBG. “The more than ten years that I spent in the office that Fairchild founded for our Department of Agriculture made me a great admirer of Dr. Fairchild and to appreciate even more the work that he, Wilson Popenoe, and others in the Division had done for our country. Among their accomplishments was the encouragement or establishment as a crop or industry the date, fig, avocado, mango, pistachio, and other lesser known crops. These explorers were also concerned with introducing germ plasm, or breeding stock, for the improvement of traditional field crops, vegetables, and fruit plants, as well as the introduction and establishment of ornamental and other economic plants such as bamboos and Meyer’s Zoysia grass.” [Donovan Correll, from his unpublished autobiography “Notes from a Singing Plant Explorer," January 1983 (Korber et al., 2013)].     

Itinerary of Truman G. Yuncker’s expeditions

Many of the systematically and historically valuable collections in the DePauw University Herbarium (DPU), Greencastle, Indiana, were made by Truman G. Yuncker during his numerous expeditions. He collected in large, and until then unexplored, areas of Honduras, and undertook several expeditions to islands in the South Pacific (Manua, Niue, and Tonga) and Hawaii. In his late years he collected in the West Indies and in Brazil. His extensive collections ofCuscuta (Cuscutaceae) and Piperaceae each became among the largest in the world. In this article an itinerary of his expeditions is presented.     

A new species of Eupatorium (Compositae) endemic to Grand Bahama Island

A new species,Eupatorium correlliorum, is described from Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas, where it is apparently endemic.     

Hilgendorf’s (1863) dissertation on the steinheim planorbids (Gastropoda; Miocene): The development of a phylogenetic research program for paleontology

Hilgendorf’s (1866) publication on the phylogenyof Planorbis multiformis from Steinheim, Swabian Mountains, is one of the most important contributions of paleontology to early Darwinism. At the same time it helped to lay the foundation for paleontological phylogenetics. Hilgendorf’s unpublished dissertation of 1863, the newly rediscovered collection to his dissertation and the document-file ofHilgendorf’s graduation from Tübingen University help to trace back the origin of Hilgendorf’s ideas.Hilgendorf’s collection contains the oldest phylogenetic tree, which is known so far.     

Censusing primate populations in the reserved area of the Pacaya and Samiria Rivers,Department Loreto,Peru

Four expeditions were made from February 1973 through March 1974 to the Samiria and Pacaya Rivers, which drain the zone between the Lower Ucayali and Huallaga/Marañón, principal constituents of the Amazon. This area is protected as part of the management program for the fishing ofArapaima gigas; however, there has been chronic hunting pressure from poachers, the government's guardians, and sailors, and, recently and most importantly, the petroleum exploration workers. Strip-censusing is extensively discussed. We employed a combination of three techniques: observations from our boat, observations from canoe or on foot, and intensive work in an area with mapped trails (Maldonado Peninsula, Samiria River). The Middle Samiria and Middle Pacaya were faunally the most rewarding. Relatively abundant wereSaimiri sciureus, Alouatta seniculus, probablyPithecia monachus, andSaguinus (probablyfuscicollis illigeri); somewhat less so wereCebus apella (often associated withSaimiri) andC. albifrons; Lagothrix lagotricha required deeper penetration, andAteles is seriously threatened (A. paniscus was seen andA. belzebuth was reported present). Also reported present wereAotus trivirgatus, Cebuella pygmaea, andCallicebus moloch andC. torquatus, though the latter two species may have been confused. Crude density estimates were developed from the Maldonado Peninsula data.     

Flocculation phenomenon of Candida albicans by lysozyme

Young colonies of Sabouraud's glucose agar room temperature culture ofCandida species from human isolation were suspended in distilled water. The suspension was mixed with a solution of lysozyme and incubated in a 37° C water bath. Within 3–5 hours, various species ofCandida cells showed flocculation to varying degrees which occurred at varying periods of onset. Among sevenCandida species,Candida albicans andCandida stellatoidea showed the strongest flocculation, earliest onset and most solution clarity than did any other species.Candida stellatoidea was indistinguishable fromCandida albicans in its degree of flocculation, and in the clarity of solution.Candida species may be arranged in the following order according to their decreasing positivity in flocculation:

1. Candida albicans
2. Candida stellatoidea
3. Candida tropicalis
4. Candida krusei
5. Candida pseudotropicalis
6. Candida parapsilosis
7. Candida guilliermondii
8. Saccharomyces species may be placed afterCandida guilliermondii.

It seems possible to separate theCandida species into 3 groups by the rate of flocculation, and clarity of solution. Group I.Candida albicans andCandida stellatoidea. Group II.Candida tropicalis, C. krusei andCandida pseudotropicalis. Group III.Candida parapsilosis andCandida guilliermondii. Saccharomyces specimens (S. cerevisiae and others) were placed after group III.     

Systematics,Taxonomy, and the New Flora of the Bahamian Archipelago

A history of botanical exploration in the Bahama Archipelago is given, and is presented in three sections. The first section begins with the earliest botanical collections in 1700 by Thomas Walker and describes, in chronological order, botanical collections made up to 1920, when Britton and Millspaugh published the first Bahama flora. The second section chronicles botanical research in the archipelago after 1920, up until the publication by Correll and Correll of the Flora of the Bahama Archipelago in 1982. The third section describes plant research in the archipelago between 1982 and the present day. Following a brief rationale for the need for a new flora, the present research toward the flora is discussed, and an example of changes in the flora since 1982 is presented, with changes in the fern flora tabulated.     

Wanted! Dead or alive: the tale of the Brown’s Grayling (Pseudochazara amymone)

The Brown’s Grayling (Pseudochazara amymone) is one of the most enigmatic and sought after species among European butterflies. Hiding its exact distribution for almost 40 years with the idea of protecting it, resulted in an increasing collector’s interest, with market prices reaching up to 1,000 euro for a single female after its discovery in Albania. Aiming to demystify this butterfly and enable entomologists and conservationists to see the species in its natural environment, we provide detailed information on its distribution in south-eastern Albania. In addition, we modelled the potential species distribution to facilitate further surveys within its potential range. The modelled range of P. amymone is highly fragmented stretching from the central part of eastern Albania to northern Greece and is strongly bound to ophiolite geological strata. The species was re-assessed as Endangered according to the IUCN criteria, with a predicted population decline due to construction of hydroelectric power plants in one of the locations. We argue that hiding valuable information regarding threatened insect species may have negative effects and we advocate publishing available distribution data so that conservation measures may be undertaken where and when necessary.     

Abnormalities of blood selenium and glutathione peroxidase activity in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and aids-related complex

Severe protein-calorie malnutrition is common in patients with AIDS and could contribute to the progressive deterioration characteristic of that disease. Selenium deficiency could also have a negative impact on immune function and other organ functions vital for recovery from infectious diseases. Therefore, to assess any role for selenium in AIDS, we determined plasma and erythrocyte selenium levels and glutathione peroxidase activity in 13 patients with AIDS compared to 8 patients with AIDS-related complex (ARC) and 14 healthy controls. Plasma selenium levels were significantly reduced in AIDS patients compared to controls (p<.0001) and to ARC (p<.02). Erythrocyte selenium levels in both AIDS and ARC were also reduced compared to controls (p<.02), but not to each other. Glutathione peroxidase activity in AIDS was 28.9±1.4 U/g Hb vs 38.4±6.9 in ARC (p=NS) and 52.3±1.7 in controls (p<.0001 vs AIDS;p<.02 vs ARC). When all groups were combined, there were significant correlations between total lymphocyte count and both plasma selenium (r=.53;p<.002) and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity (r=.65;p<.0001). In addition, strong correlations were noted between plasma selenium and serum albumin (r=.68;p<.0001), plasma selenium and glutathione peroxidase (r=.77;p<.0001), and glutathione peroxidase and hematocrit (r=.66;p<.0001). In AIDS or ARC, no correlations between selenium with disease duration or weight loss were present. We conclude that, in comparison to normals, patients manifesting infection with human immunodeficiency virus have evidence of selenium deficiency as determined by diminished plasma and erythrocyte levels and glutathione peroxidase activity. These abnormalities are most marked in patients with AIDS, but are also present in patients with AIDS-related complex. Selenium deficiency has important implications for the progression and pathogenesis of clinical disease in AIDS.     

Gossypium Germplasm conservation augmented by tissue culture techniques for field collecting

Conservation and utilization ofGossypium germplasm for crop improvement depend on field-collecting seed from wild and feral populations. Since the availability of viable seed cannot always be assured during botanical expeditions, a simple tissue culture method was developed to allow the collection of living vegetative material from the field. Field-testing of this culture method in western Mexico resulted in 10% overall shoot formation from six Gossypium species; seed was not available from four of these species. Rooting the cuttings was possible, but more effective rooting procedures need to be developed for general utilization by field botanists, at least with Gossypium. The methodology will probably be broadly applicable to other plant species, particularly those that easily root from cuttings.     

Type specimens of vascular plants in the T.G. Yuncker Herbarium of Depauw University (DPU), now deposited at the New York Botanical Garden (NY)

A list of 226 vascular plant type specimens, representing 220 basionyms, found during the incorporation of the DePauw University Herbarium (DPU) into the New York Botanical Garden Herbarium (NY), is presented. Included are the types from Truman G. Yuncker's numerous expeditions to Honduras and the South Pacific. Lists of the types found in the Piperaceae, Cuscutaceae, and cryptogamic collections are being published elsewhere or have already appeared.     

The antibody response during amphibian ontogeny

The maturation of the anti DNP-response in adult and larval amphibians has been compared in two species of anurans,Rana catesbeiana andXenopus laevis. IgM responses were very similar in larvae and adults of both species. Specific IgG antibody synthesis, studied inRana catesbeiana only, was not obvious in larval primary response but was easily detectable in adults. Although metamorphosis results in profound changes in the lymphoid system associated with the apparent acquisition of self tolerance to new antigens, immunological memory of antigens injected during larval life ofRana andXenopus persists after the metamorphosis period.     

Notes onPatasson lameerei [Hym.: Mymaridae], an egg parasitoid ofSitona spp. [Col.: Curculionidae] in the mediterranean region

Patasson lameerei Debauche is the most important of three egg parasitoids found onSitona spp. attacking lucerne and annual medics in the North-Western Mediterranean. The mymarids were lacking in eggs extracted from the soil in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The biology and the behaviour of the egg parasitoid are described. In Central Europe, adults ofP. lameerei are recorded from May to September, but in the Montpellier region (Southern France), this species aestivates in the larval stage within the eggs of its hosts during the same period.     

The Indigo of Commerce in Colonial North America

It can be demonstrated that the Indigo of Commerce in Colonial North America consisted of three species in the genusIndigofera. One of these was a native plant,I. Caroliniana Mill, while the other two were introduced.Indigofera tinctoria L. (French Indigo), an Old World species, andI. Suffruticosa Mill. (Guatemala Indigo), a New World species, were both introduced into South Carolina in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Their cultivation flourished until the American Revolution. Neither of the introduced species has become naturalized in the Carolinas.     

Biodiversity and physiological characteristics of Antarctic and Arctic lichens-associated bacteria

The diversity and physiological characteristics of culturable bacteria associated with lichens from different habitats of the Arctic and Antarctica were investigated. The 68 retrieved isolates could be grouped on the basis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences into 26 phylotypes affiliated with the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Deinococcus-Thermus, and Firmicutes and with the classes Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. Isolates belonging to the Alphaproteobacteria were the most abundant, followed by those belonging to Actinobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Deinococcus-Thermus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that approximately 21 % of the total isolates represented a potentially novel species or genus (≤97 % sequence similarity). Strains belonging to the genera Sphingomonas, Frondihabitans, Hymenobacter, and Burkholderia were recovered from lichen samples from both geographic locations, implying common and important bacterial functions within lichens. Extracellular protease activities were detected in six isolates, affiliated with Burkholderia, Frondihabitans, Hymenobacter, Pseudomonas, and Rhodanobacter. Extracellular lipase activities were detected in 37 isolates of the genera Burkholderia, Deinococcus, Frondihabitans, Pseudomonas, Rhodanobacter, Sphingomonas, and Subtercola. This is the first report on the culturable bacterial diversity present within lichens from Arctic and Antarctica and the isolates described herein are valuable resources to decode the functional and ecological roles of bacteria within lichens. In addition, the low similarity (≤97 %) of the recovered isolates to known species and their production of cold-active enzymes together suggest that lichens are noteworthy sources of novel bacterial strains for use in biotechnological applications.     

Morphological and phylogenetic diversity of thermophilic cyanobacteria in Algerian hot springs

Geothermal springs in Algeria have been known since the Roman Empire. They mainly locate in Eastern Algeria and are inhabited by thermophilic organisms, which include cyanobacteria forming mats and concretions. In this work, we have investigated the cyanobacterial diversity of these springs. Cyanobacteria were collected from water, concretions and mats in nine hot springs with water temperatures ranging from 39 to 93 °C. Samples were collected for isolation in culture, microscopic morphological examination, and molecular diversity analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Nineteen different cyanobacterial morphotypes were identified, the most abundant of which were three species of Leptolyngbya, accompanied by members of the genera Gloeocapsa, Gloeocapsopsis, Stigonema, Fischerella, Synechocystis, Microcoleus, Cyanobacterium, Chroococcus and Geitlerinema. Molecular diversity analyses were in good general agreement with classical identification and allowed the detection of additional species in three springs with temperatures higher than 50 °C. They corresponded to a Synechococcus clade and to relatives of the intracellularly calcifying Candidatus Gloeomargarita lithophora. The hottest springs were dominated by members of Leptolyngbya, Synechococcus-like cyanobacteria and Gloeomargarita, whereas Oscillatoriales other than Leptolyngbya, Chroococcales and Stigonematales dominated lower temperature springs. The isolation of some of these strains sets the ground for future studies on the biology of thermophilic cyanobacteria.     

Plant Conservation Challenges in the Bahama Archipelago

The Bahamian archipelago has a rich flora with 89 endemic species. An international symposium held at Nassau in October 2012 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the publication of the “Flora of the Bahama Archipelago” provided a forum to discuss plant conservation issues on these islands. This article builds on conclusions from this symposium and results from joint plant conservation research projects among the authors. The two main conservation challenges for these islands are: (1) environmental uncertainties derived from global warming and associated sea level changes and (2) the need for increased plant conservation awareness among the predominant urban population of the archipelago. Legal tools and biodiversity international agreements in place for The Commonwealth of the Bahamas can facilitate mechanisms for effective plant conservation. Further legal developments need to be established in The United Kingdom Overseas Territory of The Turks and Caicos Islands. There is an urgent need to redevelop the Botanic Garden of Nassau and designate it as the national botanic garden of The Bahamas. Further research related to the taxonomy, biology, conservation status, and distribution of the endemic species is urgently needed. Research initiatives pertinent to the detrimental effect and biology of invasive species are also lacking. The heterogeneous environments and uneven distribution of human populations across the archipelago are major challenges for conservation. Finally because of the political and economic status of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos, conservation agencies from the archipelago do not have easy access to international or British/European Union funds for global conservation initiatives.