Three new species of Mitrephora (Annonaceae) from Sabah, Malaysia

Three new species of Mitrephora (Blume) Hook. f. & Thomson, M. clemensiorum, M. vittata and M. woodii , are described from Sabah, Malaysia. Mitrephora clemensiorum is related to M. korthalsiana Miq., but is distinguished by having long inflorescences, long flowering and fruiting pedicels, and fruits with sessile monocarps. Mitrephora vittata is related to M. reflexa Merr., but has lanceolate, subcoriaceous leaves, and densely pubescent inflorescence rachides, flowering pedicels and bracts. Mitrephora woodii is similar to M. heyneana (Hook. f. & Thomson) Thwaites, but has smaller flowers and fruits with sessile monocarps     

Primula zhui (Primulaceae) sp. nov. from south Yunnan,southwest China

Primula zhui a new species of Primula endemic to the Yunnan Province, China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to P. intanoensis from Thailand, and P. calyptrata from southeast Yunnan, affiliated to Primula sect. Carolinella (Hemsl.) Pax. However, it is easily distinguished from the Thailand species by its longer corolla tube and distylous flowers, and it differs from the Chinese species by its leaf ovate to ovate‐elliptic blade and distylous flowers.     

The Thrips orientalis group from South-east Asia and Australia: some species identities and relationships (Thysanoptera, Thripidae)

Abstract  A thrips associated in Thailand with the flowers of Paederia foetida , a rubiaceous weed in Florida that is a threat to Australia, is here recognised as Thrips morindae Priesner, a species previously considered a synonym of T. javanicus Priesner. Systematic relationships of these species with others in South-east Asia and the Australasian region are discussed. Two new species-groups are designated: the T. obscuratus group of six species from New Zealand and New Caledonia, and the T. orientalis group of 12 South-east Asian species that are associated with scented white flowers such as Gardenia . Four species of this second group are recorded from tropical Australia.     

Piperprotrusum (Piperaceae), a new species from southern Thailand based on morphological and molecular evidence

Piper protrusum Chaveer.& Tanee,sp.nov.is described and illustrated.It dominantly comprises three branching types with three different types of leaf blades,bases,and apexes.The critical distinguishing character is the protruded receptacle having a bract and nine stamens.Individual plants have been discovered in areas of Southern Thailand since 2004 without reproductive parts.The investigated sites were revisited several times,and an individual with flowers was finally found in July 2009.Phylogenetic analysi...     

Thottea sasidharaniana sp. nov. (Aristolochiaceae) from Peninsular India

Thottea sasidharaniana (Aristolochiaceae), a new species from the southern part of the Western Ghats, India is described and illustrated. The new species is phenotypically close to the Indian species T. dinghoui. However, it differs from the latter in its ovate and glossy leaves, larger bracts, uniseriate stamens, 6 anthers, short and pubescent filaments and fewer seeds per fruits. It resembles T. tomentosa in having 6 distinct anthers, but the non‐urceolate flowers and the inflorescence architecture distinguish T. sasidharaniana from T. tomentosa. The latter species is distributed from Bangladesh, India (i.e. Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Manipur), Thailand, Malaysia, Java, Sumatra to the Philippines.     

Piper protrusum (Piperaceae), a new species from southern Thailand based on morphological and molecular evidence

Abstract Piper protrusum Chaveer. & Tanee, sp. nov. is described and illustrated. It dominantly comprises three branching types with three different types of leaf blades, bases, and apexes. The critical distinguishing character is the protruded receptacle having a bract and nine stamens. Individual plants have been discovered in areas of Southern Thailand since 2004 without reproductive parts. The investigated sites were revisited several times, and an individual with flowers was finally found in July 2009. Phylogenetic analysis of the new species and five similar species is carried out based on DNA fingerprinting. The genetic distances between the new species and five similar species range from 0.25 to 0.35, supporting new species designation. Molecular data conform to morphological data in validating that it is a new species. Additionally, its DNA barcodes have been provided for further identification in case the morphological data is unclear. The sequence data have been submitted to the GenBank database under accession numbers GU980898 (rpoB gene), GU980899 (rpoC1 gene), and GU980900 (psbA‐trnH region).     

Sparassis cystidiosa sp. nov. from Thailand is described using morphological and molecular data

Sparassis cystidiosa, collected recently from a primary montane cloud forest in northern Thailand is described as new. It is distinct from all others species in the genus because of the presence of hymenial cystidia, relatively large basidiospores and flabellae composed of six distinct layers of tissue. Analyses of a combined dataset of DNA sequences from three genes support its distinction and suggest that the S. cystidiosa lineage is the sister group of all other Sparassis.     

中国囊萼花属一新记录种——茎花囊萼花

首次报道了囊萼花属(Cyrtandromoea Zoll.)的1个中国新记录种——茎花囊萼花(Cyrtandromoea grandis Ridl.),该种原记载产于泰国、马来半岛和苏门答腊岛,2019年在中国云南省勐海县布朗山地区发现有分布。茎花囊萼花与囊萼花(Cyrtandromoea grandiflora C.B.Clarke)最为相似,但前者聚伞花序生于老茎上,每一花序3～18朵花,二者容易区别。     

A New Species of Streptocephalus Fairy Shrimp (Crustacea,Anostraca) with Tetrahedral Cysts from Central Thailand

A new species of fairy shrimp, Streptocephalus siamensis n. sp., is described from five temporary pools in Suphan Buri and Kanchana Buri Provinces, central Thailand. It sometimes co‐occurs with its congener, S. sirindhornae . This new species belongs to the subgenus Parastreptocephalus which is defined by bearing tetrahedral cysts. This is the third anostracan species reported from Thailand. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A new species of Spermacoce (Rubiaceae) from the Manika high plateau (Katanga; R. D. Congo)

Spermacoce manikensis , a new species from Katanga (R. D. Congo) is described and illustrated. Special attention is given to anatomy of the primary root and pollen and seed morphology. The species is mainly characterised by the geoxylic habit, large flowers arranged in two-or three-flowered inflorescences, and seeds with a basal elaiosome. It is closely related to Spermacoce stipularis , from which it differs in its more robust taproot and habit, longer leaves, larger fruits, and 10–13(-14)- aperturate pollen grains. The species is found on the Kalahari sands of the Manika high plateau in suffrutex grassland.     

Heterostemma trilobatum sp. nov. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae) from Thailand

A new species, Heterostemma trilobatum A. Kidyoo & Thaithong has been discovered in northern, northeastern and southeastern Thailand. It is here described, illustrated and meticulously compared with a morphologically similar species, H. xuansonense T. B. Tran & J. Hw. Kim. Both species resemble each other, having sessile to subsessile cymes, five glands on the inside of the calyx and dark red to purplish red ovate corona lobes. However, H.trilobatum is markedly differentiated by much smaller size of flowers and the presence of peculiar trilobed corona appendages.     

Worldwide translocation of teak—origin of landraces and present genetic base

Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.) is one of the major plantation timbers of the world. The species is native to India, Myanmar, Thailand and Laos in South East Asia but was translocated to several countries in Africa and Central and South America during the past century. Today, large areas of plantations are grown outside the species native range. It is speculated that genetic bottlenecks and founder effects combined with new selection pressures under new growing conditions have led to the formation of distinct landraces; this hypothesis is supported by results from international provenance tests. In the present study, we apply genetic markers to identify the likely origin of teak grown outside its native range and examine if the landraces show signs of reduced genetic diversity. We find large variation in the level of diversity among landraces, although not larger than that observed among native populations. We conclude that variation in the studied teak landraces probably reflects their areas of genetic origin rather than severe founder effects created during their introduction. The genetic data suggests that the studied landraces originated from either the semi-moist east coast of India, southern Myanmar or western Thailand. These results indicate that translocation of teak has mainly come from a certain part of the native distribution and that this did not include the widespread natural teak areas of southern, dry interior or western India or northern Myanmar.     

Asaia lannaensis sp. nov., a new acetic acid bacterium in the Alphaproteobacteria

Asaia lannaensis sp. nov. was described for two strains isolated from flowers of the spider lily collected in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The isolates produced acetic acid from ethanol on ethanol/calcium carbonate agar, differing from the type strains of Asaia bogorensis, Asaia siamensis, and Asaia krungthepensis, but did not grow in the presence of 0.35% acetic acid (v/v). The new species is the fourth of the genus Asaia, the family Acetobacteraceae.     

Sirindhomia, a new orchid genus from Southeast Asia

The new orchid genus Sirindhomia , named after H. R. H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand, is established to accommodate three species from Thailand (Chiang Mai and Tak provinces), Myanmar (Shan State), and China (Yunnan province). Two new species are described and a new combination, based on Habenaria monophylla Collett & Hemsl., is made; all of the three species are illustrated, and a distribution map is provided. Sirindhomia belongs to subtribe Orchidinae and has an overall similarity with Ponerorchis, Hemipilia , and Amitostigma. However, it significantly differs in its column morphology which is more reminiscent of that found in the vegetatively distinct genus Orchis. The new species, Sirindhomia pulchella and S. mirabilis , seem to be local endemics, as they are only known from the Thai mountains Doi Chiang Dao and Khao Hua Mot, respectively. Sirindhomia monophylla , on the other hand, is known from a very large part of the range of the genus. All Sirindhomia species known are restricted to limestone mountains at 800–2200 m alt., mainly growing in rock crevices and among scrub as well as on grassy slopes. They flower from April to June.     

Metschnikowia lochheadii and Metschnikowia drosophilae, two new yeast species isolated from insects associated with flowers

Two new haplontic heterothallic species of Metschnikowia were isolated from floricolous insects and flowers. Metschnikowia lochheadii was recovered from insects found in various flowers on the Hawaiian Islands of Kauai and Maui, and from Conotelus sp. (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in northwestern Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. The morphology, physiology, and sexual cycle are typical of the large-spored Metschnikowia species, and the partial ribosomal DNA large subunit (D1D2) sequences suggest that the new species is most closely related to Candida ipomoeae. Metschnikowia lochheadii is nearly indistinguishable from its ascogenous relatives and conjugates freely with Metschnikowia continentalis, forming sterile asci. It also exhibits asymmetric mating with Metschnikowia hawaiiensis. Metschnikowia drosophilae was found in morning glory (Ipomoea sp.) flowers and associated Drosophila bromeliae on Grand Cayman Island. Its nutritional profile is atypical of the genus, being the only species that does not utilize sucrose or maltose as carbon sources, and one of the few that does not utilize melezitose. D1D2 sequences show that Metschnikowia drosophilae is a sister species to Candida torresii, to which it bears considerable similarity in nutritional profile. The type cultures are: Metschnikowia lochheadii, strains UWO(PS)00-133.2 = CBS 8807 (h+, holotype) UWO(PS)99-661.1 = CBS 8808 (h-, isotype); and Metschnikowia drosophilae, strains UWO(PS)83-1135.3 = CBS 8809 (h+, holotype) and UWO(PS)83-1143.1 = CBS 8810 (h-, isotype).     

Spiradiclis jingxiensis sp. nov. (Rubiaceae) from Guangxi,China

The new species Spiradiclis jingxiensis R. J. Wang is described here. It is similar to S. danxiashanensis with respect to its prostrate habit, small leaves, and terminal inflorescence with 1–3 salverform flowers, but is readily distinguished by pinkish flowers, and included stamens and stigmas in long‐ and short‐styled flowers. The conservation status of the new species was preliminarily assessed as ‘EN’ according to IUCN categories and criteria.     

Bauhinia chrysophylla, a new species from Thailand (Leguminosae–Caesalpinioideae)

A new species of Bauhinia from Peninsular Thailand is described as B. chrysophylla. It appears to be endemic to an isolated mountain and must be regarded as a rare and endangered species. Its pollen morphology is studied and its relationships discussed.     

Studies on Mexican Cactaceae. VI. A new species of Weberocereus (Cactaceae) from Oaxaca,Mexico

Weberocereus alliodorus, a new cactus species from the southern slopes of the Sierra Madre del Sur, Oaxaca, Mexico, is described, illustrated, mapped, and compared to its putative closest relative, W. glaber. The new species is characterized by its three-winged stems with rigid and setose, relatively long spines, relatively large flowers, and fruits with a penetrating onion-like odor.     

Cycas pranburiensis (Cycadaceae), a new cycad from Thailand

A new species of cycad allied to theC. circinalis group,Cycas pranburiensis, is described from the southeast karst area of Thailand near Pranburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. It is distinguished by its short leaves with broad, coriaceous leaflets and mostly unarmed petioles, and the extended, gently curved sterile apices of the microsporophylls. The cone beetle fauna of the new species, believed to be involved in pollination, is distinct from that of other southeast Asian species ofCycas.     

Ovary starch reserves and flower development in apricot (Prunus armeniaca)

In histerant species where flowering takes place prior to leaf emergence, a flower lifespan occurs in the absence of new photoassimilates and at the expense of pre-stored reserves either in the plant as a whole or in the flower itself. In the present study, the role that the photoassimilates stored in the flowers might play in flower development from anthesis to fertilization in Prunus armeniaca L. (apricot), a histerant species, was explored. Starch content in individual flowers was measured with the help of an image analysis system. Starch content decreased from its highest value at anthesis and disappeared from the ovary 9 days later. This decrease was inversely related to an increase in ovary size and in cell number in the pericarp, suggesting an intraflower, self-supported development. This process is conserved in both pollinated and nonpollinated flowers and therefore seems to be inherent to the flower at anthesis. The onset of fruiting is preceded by the establishment of large differences among ovaries; while some experience continuous growth, others stop growing and eventually drop. Interestingly, large differences in starch content are found among flowers at anthesis. These results are discussed in terms of the possible implications of pre-stored starch in the flower supporting initial flower development.