A two-way gas transport system in Nelumbo nucifera

Abstract The aquatic vascular plant Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. is able to improve its oxygen supply to the submerged and buried organs by a thermo-osmotic gas transport. Investigations with tracer gas and oxygen measurements have shown that thermo-osmotic gas transport exists in N. nucifera when there is a temperature difference between the lacunar air of the leaves and the surrounding atmosphere. The gas transport was increased by up to 935% when a temperature difference of 2.9 ± 1.0 K was detected. Lacunar pressure of up to 166 ± 44 Pa was measured in both young and old leaves. In contrast to the flow-through ventilation system recently described for Nuphar lutea and Nymphoides peltata, a two-way flow in separate air canals in the petioles of both young and old Nelumbo leaves may carry oxygen-rich air down to the rhizome and excess air back to the atmosphere. Anatomical investigations have shown that, in Nelumbo, the two largest air canals of the petiole end directly under the mesh system of the centre plate. These large air canals are proposed to be predominant in the upward flow of air in sunlight. The other air canals of the petiole veer into the leaf blade well below the centre plate. The gas flow system through fresh leaves may carry as much as 10.3 ± 4.5 cm³ air per minute to the buried rhizome.     

Leaf epidermal micromorphology of Cercis (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae)

The micromorphology of leaf epidermal cells and stomata of all eight species and one form (11 samples) of Cercis were observed by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Both the adaxial and abaxial epidermal cells are polygonal or irregular in shape; the anticlinal walls are straight and arched or undulate. Two types of stomata, which occur only on the abaxial surface of the leaves, are found in the genus. The atypical paracytic type is present in only one species, Cercis chingii, and the anomocytic type is present in all other species. Interspecific differences are minor in the genus with regard to leaf epidermal characters, except for C. chingii, which is characterized by atypical paracytic‐type stomata, a two‐lipped outer stomatal rim, the highest stomatal density and undulate and densely pitted anticlinal walls in the adaxial epidermis. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 539–547.     

Development and characterization of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in the water lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed in the water lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) from an SSR-enriched genomic library. Of the SSR markers tested, 11 primer pairs produced clearly distinguishable DNA banding patterns. Forty-three alleles were detected with the 11 markers. The allele number per locus ranged from 2 to 5 with an average of 3.9. Polymorphism values ranged from 0.11 to 0.66 with an average of 0.51. These primers were also applicable to another Nelumbo species, Nelumbo lutea (Willd.) Pers. (American lotus) and hybrids between N. nucifera and N. lutea. These results indicate that the SSR markers developed in this study are informative and will be useful for genetic analysis in Nelumbo species.     

CUTICULAR ANALYSIS OF EOCENE LEAVES OF OCOTEA OBTUSIFOLIA

Dilcheb , David L. (Yale U., New Haven, Conn.) Cuticular analysis of Eocene leaves of Ocotea obtusifolia. Amer. Jour. Bot. 50(1): 1–8. IIlus. 1963.—Several specimens of Ocotea obtusifolia collected from the Eocene clays at Puryear, Tennessee, were examined in detail. The megascopic and cuticular features of the leaves are described and their variations discussed. The lower epidermis was found to be less variable and a better tool to use in the cuticular analysis of this species than the upper epidermis. The cuticle of several genera and species of modern Lauraceae were also examined. Since none could be identified with the fossil cuticle, the designation Ocotea obtusifolia as based on megascopic characters is satisfactory.     

A new species of Nelumbo from South China and its palaeoecological implications

A new species of Nelumbo Adanson is described from the Eocene of the Changchang Basin, Hainan Island, South China. This is the first comprehensive report on a fossil Nelumbo species from the Eocene of the Changchang Basin, Hainan Island. The co-occurrence of fruits, tubers, rhizomes with numerous adventitious roots, leaves, and receptacles indicates that the plants grew where they are preserved. These specimens, combined with palynological assemblage and other macrofossils, indicate a tropical or subtropical humid climate in the Changchang Basin from the late early Eocene to early late Eocene.     

Improving Nelumbo nucifera genome assemblies using high‐resolution genetic maps and BioNano genome mapping reveals ancient chromosome rearrangements

Genetic and physical maps are powerful tools to anchor fragmented draft genome assemblies generated from next‐generation sequencing. Currently, two draft assemblies of Nelumbo nucifera, the genomes of ‘China Antique’ and ‘Chinese Tai‐zi’, have been released. However, there is presently no information on how the sequences are assembled into chromosomes in N. nucifera. The lack of physical maps and inadequate resolution of available genetic maps hindered the assembly of N. nucifera chromosomes. Here, a linkage map of N. nucifera containing 2371 bin markers [217 577 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)] was constructed using restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing data of 181 F₂ individuals and validated by adding 197 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Additionally, a BioNano optical map covering 86.20% of the ‘Chinese Tai‐zi’ genome was constructed. The draft assembly of ‘Chinese Tai‐zi’ was improved based on the BioNano optical map, showing an increase of the scaffold N50 from 0.989 to 1.48 Mb. Using a combination of multiple maps, 97.9% of the scaffolds in the ‘Chinese Tai‐zi’ draft assembly and 97.6% of the scaffolds in the ‘China Antique’ draft assembly were anchored into pseudo‐chromosomes, and the centromere regions along the pseudo‐chromosomes were identified. An evolutionary scenario was proposed to reach the modern N. nucifera karyotype from the seven ancestral eudicot chromosomes. The present study provides the highest‐resolution linkage map, the optical map and chromosome level genome assemblies for N. nucifera, which are valuable for the breeding and cultivation of N. nucifera and future studies of comparative and evolutionary genomics in angiosperms.     

Ultrastructure of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eucalyptus grandis</Emphasis> × <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. urophylla</Emphasis> plants cultivated ex vitro in greenhouse and field conditions

The young and expanded leaf micromorphology and ultrastructure of Eucalyptus grandis 2 E. urophylla juvenile plants, cultivated in greenhouse and field conditions, were analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. In greenhouse leaves epicuticular wax needles covered the abaxial and adaxial surfaces. On the adaxial surface, the needles form an atypical arrangement in lines, mainly over the anticlinal wall of epidermis cells. After plant transfer to field conditions, the organization of epicuticular wax was altered forming amorphous layers on the adaxial leaf surface, in contrast to the abaxial surface, which maintained the wax needle cover. In both culture conditions the lamellar cuticle formed on the young leaves surface disappeared during leaf enlargement. The ex vitro environment induced the development of hypostomatic leaves. The dorsiventral organization of greenhouse leaves was replaced by an isobilateral arrangement in field conditions with concomitant aerial space reduction. Results suggest that those structural changes may be some of the strategies to avoid excessive plant transpiration during Eucalyptus hybrid plants' acclimatization.     

Analyses of genetic relationships in Nelumbo nucifera using nuclear ribosomal ITS sequence data,ISSR and RAPD markers

Despite the economic importance of Nelumbo nucifera, there have been no molecular studies on genetic relationships among cultivars in the species. In the present study 38 accessions were sampled including 37 accessions of N. nucifera or hybrids between N. nucifera and Nelumbo lutea and a single accession of N. lutea. In the ITS analyses, Chinese and Japanese lotus comprise a single cluster with a moderate bootstrap support 68% indicating there is very high similarity between them. Moreover, these ISSR and RAPD results also indicate that there is very close genetic relationship between Chinese and Japanese lotus. In the ISSR and RAPD analyses, although 38 accessions all are distinctly separately into two groups, viz. N. nucifera and N. lutea, there is a high Jaccard similarity coefficient (0.785 and 0.656) between the two species. In N. nucifera the two different groups of the species, viz. flower lotus and rhizome lotus accessions show clear genetic variations. Seed lotus accessions do not form a distinct cluster but are interspersed among the flower accessions indicating that seed lotus is phylogenetically close to flower lotus and they might originate from close wild lotus in genetic relationship. In flower lotus, big-flower type accessions and medium-small type accessions have obvious genetic variation, indicating height is an important criterion in the classification system of flower lotus.     

Hepatics from Rovno amber (Ukraine), 6. Frullania rovnoi,sp. nov.

A fossil species of the extant liverwort genus Frullania Raddi is described and illustrated, based on a single inclusion in a piece of Rovno amber (Ukraine) that shares its age with Late Eocene Baltic amber, its northern contemporary. Frullania rovnoi is characterised by leaves with a rounded dorsal lobe and the absence of ocelli. The ventral lobe is inflated and forms a saclike lobule, which is bell-shaped and somewhat constricted above the mouth. The bifid underleaves have several blunt teeth or angulations along the shoulder. The Rovno fossil differs sufficiently from morphologically similar species preserved in Baltic and Bitterfeld amber as to be described as new to science. The shape of the lobules and underleaves, as well as the absence of ocelli, indicate an affiliation to F. sect. Australes, hitherto represented in Eocene amber inclusions solely by F. schumannii (Casp.) Grolle. The Rovno fossil is distinguished from extant species of F. subg. Australes and from F. schumannii by having roughly and irregularly dentate-angulate underleaf margins.     

Seed micro‐morphology and its systematic significance in Gypsophila (Caryophyllaceae) and allied genera

In order to examine the systematic application of seed‐coat micro‐morphology in Gypsophila and allied genera, seed surfaces of 30 species and two varieties representing four genera of tribe Caryophylleae were examined with scanning electron microscope. The seeds of examined species range between 0.5–2.1 mm in length and 0.3–2.4 mm in diameter. The exomorphology of the seed coat shows two distinctive cell patterns. The epidermis is constructed either of elongated polygonal or of broad polygonal cells. The elongated type is the most common among the studied species, but the variation in alignment of testa cells, their size and shape as well as the density of protuberances may provide further information and useful diagnostic characters at generic and specific rank. The testa cells in Gypsophila and Saponaria are shallowly undulate, deeply undulate, lobed and armed at anticlinal walls. Deeply undulate anticlinal walls were observed in both Gypsophila and Ankyropetalum and a few species of Saponaria. Non‐ or indistinctly grooved anticlinal walls is the more common type in Allochrusa. Seed‐coat characters support the separation of Gypsophila and Saponaria to some extent but disagree with recognition of Ankyropetalum as a genus separate from Gypsophila.     

Eocene handfishes from Monte Bolca,with description of a new genus and species,and a phylogeny of the family Brachionichthyidae (Teleostei: Lophiiformes)

The family Brachionichthyidae, commonly known as the handfishes, is a small group of lophiiform fishes, the living species of which are restricted in distribution mostly to shallow temperate and subtropical waters of Tasmania and southern and eastern Australia. Despite their narrow present‐day distribution, and the extreme rarity of lophiiforms in the fossil record, handfishes are well represented in the Eocene of Monte Bolca, Italy. A revision of the known fossil material shows the presence of two fossil species in two monotypic genera, ?Histionotophorus and ? Orrichthys gen. nov. Diagnoses of the family Brachionichthyidae, the two fossil genera, as well as two recognized extant genera Brachionichthys and Sympterichthys are provided. An osteological analysis of ?Histionotophorus bassani revealed many new features as well as reinterpretations of some previously described skeletal parts. A phylogenetic analysis of brachionichthyid genera and representatives of the antennarioid families Antennariidae, Tetrabrachiidae, and Lophichthyidae, using 36 morphological characters, strongly supported monophyly of brachionichthyids and antennarioids, the former taxon representing the sister group of the other families of the latter. Within the Brachionichthyidae, the two extant genera Brachionichthys and Sympterichthys form a species pair, as do the extinct genera ?Histionotophorus and ? Orrichthys gen. nov. Biogeographical considerations suggest that the present geographical range of handfishes can be considered a residual distribution of a temporally and spatially dynamic range shift. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 160 , 621–647.     

A new species of Zelkova (Ulmaceae,Ulmoideae) with leaves and fruits from the Oligocene of South China and its biogeographical implications

A new fossil species of Zelkova is described from the Oligocene Ningming Formation of Guangxi, South China. Zelkova ningmingensis sp. nov. is characterized by leaves with craspedodromous venation pattern and drupaceous fruit type. The new species possesses elliptical to ovate leaves, bearing 7–12 pairs of secondary and simple toothed margin, as well as epidermal cells with straight or rounded anticlinal walls. The species is compared with extant and other fossil species hitherto reported of the genus. It is most similar to the living Zelkova schneideriana in the leaf gross morphology and epidermal characters, which may be suggested to be the ancestral type of Zelkova schneideriana. The discovery of Zelkova ningmingensis sp. nov. in Guangxi indicates that Zelkova has already existed in southern China as early as the Oligocene. In combination with Zelkova material from the Oligocene of Europe, it can be inferred that Eurasian Zelkova had begun to diversify by at least the Oligocene. Because China is the biodiversity centre of modern Zelkova, the fossil herein provides new insights into Zelkova biogeography.     

Micromorphological studies of the leaf epidermis of Iranian Cotoneaster Medik

In this study, micromorphological features of the leaf epidermal cells of 17 species of Iranian Cotoneaster were determined. The studied species were compared with each other and with phylogenetic relationships established by previous studies. Three populations of C. integerrimus and C. multiflorus were studied as representatives of C. subgen. Cotoneaster and Chaenopetalum, respectively. To evaluate quantitative and qualitative characters, multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and factor analysis of mixed data (FAMD) were performed. Finally, relationships among the taxa were illustrated by hierarchical clustering analysis. Three stomatal types were identified, i.e. anomocytic, stephanocytic and actino‐stephanocytic. The wax and cuticle density was higher in species from semi‐moist habitats than in those from dry and semi‐dry habitats. The patterns formed by the anticlinal walls of the epidermal cells were sinuous, repand and straight‐curved. Interestingly, there was a significant relationship between the length of leaves, the density of the indumentum and the pattern formed by the anticlinal cell walls. The leaves of species with large leaves also have lower hair density and more curved anticlinal cell walls. It appears probable that climatic conditions affected the evolution of leaf micro‐morphological characters during the early diversification of the genus, but that these characters have subsequently been permanently fixed by phylogenetic constraints and thus appear diagnostic for extant species.     

Paleobotanical remains from the Paleocene–lower Eocene Vagadkhol Formation, western India and their paleoclimatic and phytogeographic implications

A small assemblage of macro- and micro floral remains comprising fossil leaf impressions, silicified wood, spores, and pollen grains is reported from the Paleocene–lower Eocene Vagadkhol Formation (=Olpad Formation) exposed around Vagadkhol village in the Bharuch District of Gujarat, western India. The fossil leaves are represented by five genera and six species, namely, Polyalthia palaeosimiarum (Annonaceae), Acronychia siwalica (Rutaceae), Terminalia palaeocatapa and T. panandhroensis (Combretaceae), Lagerstroemia patelii (Lythraceae), and a new species, Gardenia vagadkholia (Rubiaceae). The lone fossil wood has been attributed to a new species, Schleicheroxylon bharuchense (Sapindaceae). The palynological assemblage, consisting of pollen grains and spores, comprises eleven taxa with more or less equal representation of pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. Angiospermous pollen grains include a new species Palmidites magnus. Spores are mostly pteridophytic but some fungal spores were also recovered. All the fossil species have been identified in the extant genera. The present day distribution of modern taxa comparable to the fossil assemblage recorded from the Vagadkhol area mostly indicate terrestrial lowland environment. Low frequency of pollen of two highland temperate taxa (Pinaceae) in the assemblage suggests that they may have been transported from a distant source. The wood and leaf taxa in the fossil assemblage are suggestive of tropical moist or wet forest with some deciduousness during the Paleocene–early Eocene. The presence of many fungal taxa further suggests the prevalence of enough humidity at the time of sedimentation.     

INTERCONNECTED REPRODUCTIVE AND VEGETATIVE REMAINS OF POPULUS (SALICACEAE) FROM THE MIDDLE EOCENE GREEN RIVER FORMATION,NORTHEASTERN UTAH

A new specimen from the Middle Eocene Evacuation Creek Member of the Green River Formation in northeastern Utah shows a twig with several leaves of Populus wilmattae Cockrell and a fruiting raceme attached. This specimen establishes for the first time the type of fruits borne by P. wilmattae and provides additional characters with which to assess its taxonomic and evolutionary status. An associated seed shows attached placental hairs like those of extant species of Populus. The Green River fossil differs from extant Populus species in having basically palmate leaf venation and in bearing its fruiting axis on a young twig. In other aspects, the fossil species is remarkably similar to the extant species Populus mexicana.     

Alkaloids of Nelumbo nucifera

The alkaloids of leaves of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. were examined using combined GLC-MS. The occurrence of four new alkaloids, dehydroroemerine (XII), dehydronuciferine (XI), dehydroanonaine (XIII) and N-methylisococlaurine (III) were revealed, besides the known roemerine (V), nuciferine (VI), anonaine (VII), pronuciferine (IV), N-nornuciferine (VIII), nornuciferine (IX), amepavine (I) and N-methylcoclaurine (II).     

MORPHOLOGY OF THE DIATOM GENUS CAMPYLONEIS (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE,BACILLARIOPHYTA), WITH A DESCRIPTION OF CAMPYLONEIS JULIAE SP. NOV. AND AN EVALUATION OF THE FUNCTION OF THE VALVOCOPULAE1

A revision of the monoraphid pennate diatom genus Campyloneis Grunow was carried out based on LM and EM observations. The material examined originated from various herbarium collections and from extant epiphytic diatom communities on leaves of Posidonia spp. We also examined the generitype C. grevillei (Smith) Grunow and the fossil material of C. gheyselinchi Reinhold from which the author extracted the type. Our results clarified the fine structure of C. grevillei and C. gheyselinchi. Of the various varieties of C. grevillei, only the variety argus (Grunow) Cleve was retained. This differs from the nominate variety in the arrangement and shape of the areolae adjacent to the sternum of the araphid valve. The newly described taxon Campyloneis juliae De Stefano differs from all Campyloneis species in areolae ultrastructure and morphology of the valvocopulae. As for the fossil species C. gheyselinchi, the sternum valve areolae are similar to those of C. grevillei, but scarcity of frustules in the type material prohibited evaluation of its variability. For this reason we provisionally maintained its rank of species. The elaborate linking systems among the valvocopulae and valves in Campyloneis species appear to provide structural reinforcement against pressure from neighboring epiphytic diatoms and scouring of seagrass leaves.     

Chemical constituents from Nelumbo nucifera leaves and their anti-obesity effects

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nymphaeaceae), commonly called lotus, is widely distributed throughout Eastern Asia. It has been used for food and medicine for a long time. A phytochemical investigation of N. nucifera leaves led to the isolation of 13 megastigmanes (1–13), including a new megastigmane, nelumnucifoside A (1), and a new eudesmane sesquiterpene, nelumnucifoside B (14), eight alkaloids (15–22), and 11 flavonoids (23–33). Their chemical structures were determined based on spectroscopic methods including 1D, 2D NMR and MS spectrometry. The relative and absolute stereochemistry of the compounds was determined by NOESY and CD spectrometry, respectively. Compounds 19 and 22 significantly inhibited pancreatic lipase, whereas compounds 15 and 16 showed a strong inhibitory effect on adipocyte differentiation. Therefore, the leaves of N. nucifera have potential as an anti-obesity agent by inhibiting pancreatic lipase and adipocyte differentiation.     

Macrosiagon deuvei n. sp. (Coleoptera: Ripiphoridae) from the French Eocene amber

Macrosiagon deuvei n. sp., the second fossil representative of this extant genus of Ripiphoridae: Ripiphorinae: Macrosiagonini is described from the lowermost Eocene amber of Oise (France). The new species is compared with the extant species of the genus. Taxonomic position of other two fossil representatives of the family described from France by Perrichot et al. (2004) is discussed. The genus Paleoripiphorus Perrichot et al. 2004 is tentatively transferred from Ripiphorinae to Ripidiinae.