The genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crataegus</Emphasis> L.: An ecological and molecular study

This study aimed at the indentification of the species and genotypes of the genus Crataegus in Syria and determination of the genetic relationships among them based on the analysis of genomic and chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) using ISSRs and CAPS techniques. Morphological characterization carried out on 49 Crataegus samples collected from different geographical regions of Syria revealed four Crataegus species: momogyna, C. sinaica, C. aronia and C. azarolus. In the dendrogram constructed for those samples based on ISSRs (20 primers), all samples that belong to C. monogyna were clustered in one cluster. Samples of the other three species were overlaped in another cluster. Two samples of these were the most distant from all other samples in the dendrogram and were suggested to represent hybrid species or subspecies. When CAPS technique was applied on four Crataegus samples that represent the four suggested species using 22 cpDNA regions and 90 endonucleases, no polymorphism was detected neither in amplification products sizes nor in restriction profiles. The inability of detection of variation in cpDNA among species suggested can be attributed to the low level of evolution of the cpDNA in the genus, and to the possibility that some of these species are either subspecies or hybrids since the cpDNA is inherited through one parent only.     

A molecular phylogenetic study of ecological diversification in the Australian lizard genus Ctenophorus.

We present phylogenetic analyses of the lizard genus Ctenophorus using 1,639 aligned positions of mitochondrial DNA sequences containing 799 parsimony-informative characters for samples of 22 species of Ctenophorus and 12 additional Australian agamid genera. Sequences from three protein-coding genes (ND1, ND2, and COI) and eight intervening tRNA genes are examined using both parsimony and maximum-likelihood analyses. Species of Ctenophorus form a monophyletic group with Rankinia adelaidensis, which we suggest placing in Ctenophorus. Ecological differentiation among species of Ctenophorus is most evident in the kinds of habitats used for shelter. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the ancestral condition is to use burrows for shelter, and that habits of sheltering in rocks and shrubs/hummock grasses represent separately derived conditions. Ctenophorus appears to have undergone extensive cladogenesis approximately 10-12 million years ago, with all three major ecological modes being established at that time.     

Intergeneric hybrids between Crataegus L. and Mespilus L.: a fresh look at an old problem

A brief outline is given of the history and nomenclature of the sexual and graft hybrids (chimeras) between Crataegus and Mespilus. An investigation has been made of some aspects of the macromorphology, the pollen fertility and exine characters, cytology and physiology of the plants growing in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It is suggested that in the past too much emphasis has been laid on the anatomy of the epidermal layers and the separation of parental characters in chimeras. Observations made during the study show the presence of intermediate characters in the graft hybrid as well as in the sexual hybrid and there is evidence that most parts of the graft hybrids are probably influenced by both the parental genotypes.     

A preliminary study on the classification,distribution and ecological nature of genus Stipa L. of China

24 species and 4 varietes of genus Stipa L. of China have been studied and described in this paper. It has been noted that these different species have various geographical distributions, depending on the changes of climatic and edaphic factors of their environments. Based on the study of floral morphology together with ecological and distributional factors, the genus have been divided into 5 sections: 1. Sect. Regelia Tzvel. 2. Sect. Leiostipa Dum. 3. Sect. Barbatae Junge 4. Sect. Stipa 5. Sect. Smirnovia Tzvel. It should be pointed out that the section Regelia as well as two members of section Barbatae, S. purpurea and S. roborowskyi, belong to frigori-xerophilous ecotype, distributing over Qinghai-Xizang Plateau above the forest line. The section Leiostipa belongs to euxerophilous and mesoxerophilous ecotype, distributing widely in northwest, southwest, northeast and east and extends to the forest-steppe vegetational Zone of China. The section Smirnovia and other two members of section Barbatae, S. breviflora and S. orientalis, belong to euxerophilous ecotype, with the latitudinal distribution as far as Nei-Mongo and the yellow soil plateau, with the altitudinal distribution as far as the desert steppe of Sinkang and Qinghai-Xizang plateau. The section Stipa belongs to euxerophilous ecotype, only distributes to the mountain steppe of north Xingkang and the last, section Barbatae is an artificial group having plumes overof the awn only, and its four species have already been mentioned above.     

An ecological study of fucus spiralis L.

An ecological study of Fucus spiralis L. has been made at Jaffrey Point, Newcastle, New Hampshire and the adjacent Great Bay Estuary System from 1972–1975. The distribution, growth, reproductive periodicity, attrition and longevity of the plants are described in relation to a variety of environmental factors. F. spiralis shows a broad but discontinuous estuarine distribution within the Great Bay Estuary System. The presence or absence of appropriate substrata is considered to be a factor determining its discontinuous distribution, since it is usually associated with metasedimentary or metavolcanic rock outcrops. The maximum growth and reproduction of F. spiralis are during the summer. The summer growth rates ranged from 1.9 to 2.8 cm/month while the average growth rate throughout the year was 1.2 cm/month.F. spiralis populations showed two periods of major attrition, namely, during the winter and summer. The average longevity of F. spiralis plants is ≈ 2 yr. The F. spiralis zone lies in the uppermost intertidal area between +2.12 and +2.31 m above M.L.W. There is a micro-stratification of biomass, stature, and reproductive activity within this zone. Average plant weight, length, and fertility tend to decrease with increasing elevation.     

The genus Cynara L. (Asteraceae-Cardueae)

WIKLUND, A., 1992. The genus Cynara L. (Asteraceae-Cardueae). This study includes a taxonomic revision of the genus Cynara. Eight species and four subspecies are recognized, viz. C. algarbiensis, C. auranitica, C. baetica including subsp. baetica and subsp. maroccana (formerly known as C. hystrix), C. cardunculus including subsp. cardunculus and subsp. flavescens, C. cornigera, C. cyrenaica, C. humilis (formerly sometimes in the genus Bourgaea) and C. syriaca. The cultivated artichoke (formerly C. scolymus) and cardoon are both included in C. cardunculus. One species, C. tournefortii , is excluded from Cynara. A cladistic study of the genus is also undertaken and its morphology, anatomy and phytogeography are discussed.     

Lamina shape variability in species of the genus Ficus L. in different ecological conditions

The morphological variability of the leaf apparatus in response to different levels of light is determined not only by the available solar irradiance, but also by a complex of preadaptations to some other environmental factors. Data on the influences of climatic characteristics for natural ranges on manifested differences in leaves of light and shadow allocations remain insufficient. This paper investigates the differences in lamina shapes among fifteen species of the genus Ficus L. Relationships between the determined plasticity and climatic conditions of the native habitats of species have been ascertained. Positive dependences on the annual cycle amplitude and amount of precipitation, as well as temperature seasonality, have been revealed.     

Application of the names Crataegus calycina Peterm. and C. oxyacantha L.

Authentic herbarium material of Crataegus calycina Petermann (1849) supports Hrabetová-Uhrová's contention in 1969 that this is conspecific with C. macrocarpa Hegetschweiler; the name C. calycina , for which a Petermann specimen in Musée Botanique Cantonal, Lausanne is designated as lectotype, had been incorrectly applied in Flora Europaea.
Examination of the specimens in the Linnaean Herbarium has led to acceptance of Dandy's proposal in 1946 that sheet 643.12 should be designated as the lectotype of C. oxyacantha L. (1753). This specimen is not, as frequently assumed, C. laevigata (Poiret) DC. (C oxyacanthoides Thuill.) but the species described in Flora Europaea as "C. calycina Peterm. subsp. curvisepala (Lindman) Franco". It is suggested that the name C. oxyacantha L. is a source of confusion and should be rejected under Article 69 of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. This gives priority to the name C. curvisepala Lindman, which should replace C. calycina Peterm. in Flora Europaea.     

A study on pollen morphology of the genus Vitis L.

The pollen grains of 32 species, 1 subspecies and 4 varieties of Vitis and 1 species of Muscadinia were scanned with Hitachi S-800 scanning electron microscope and described in the present paper. In Vitis, the pollen morphology is found to be valuable for the identification of species, though it is of little significance in supraspecific classification and systematic consideration. The ornamentation of Vitis could be divided into four types: ( 1 ) The pollen grains are oblate or rarely spheroidal (P/E =0.97 ～ 1.08) in shape, with colpi wide enough to show dense granulae inside. The pollen grains of V. coignetiae Pull. Ex Planch. belong to this type. (2) The pollen grains are prolate to subprolate (P/E = 1.25 ～ 1.76 ), with sparse granulae within the colpi. This type includes l0 species, 1 subspecies and 3 varieties, such as V. hui Cheng etc. (3) The pollen grains of V. romanetii Roman du Caill. ex Planch. and V. davidii (Roman du Caill. ) Foex. var. ferruginea Merr. et Chun are prolate (P/E= 1.87 ～ 2.1), with colpi narrow and linear-shaped, but rhombic in the equational region. (4) The pollen grains are prolate or perprolate (P/E= 1.30 ～ 2. 0), with narrow and linear-shaped colpi. The species with this type of pollen grains are Muscadiniarotundifolia (Michx.) Small and 20 species of Vitis.     

葡萄属植物花粉形态的研究

利用扫描电子显微镜对葡萄属Vitis L．37个类群(包括32种、1亚种和4变种)以及其近缘属麝香 葡萄属Muscadinia(Planch．)Small一种植物的花粉进行了观察,结果表明,葡萄属植物的花粉形态特征 在区别并鉴定属下的种类时有较大价值,但对种以上的分类以及研究系统演化无多大意义。葡萄属植 物的花粉形态特征可以分为4类：(1)花粉粒扁球形或圆球形(P/E值为O.97-1.08),沟较宽,可见被有 较密颗粒状突起的沟膜,属于该类的有紫葛V．coignetiae Pull．ex Planch．;(2)花粉粒长球形至近长圆球 形(P/E值为1.25～1.76),沟较宽,可见有较疏颗粒状突起的沟膜,该类型包括了庐山葡萄V．hui Cheng 等共10种1亚种3变种;(3)花粉粒长圆球形(P/E值为1.87～2.1),沟边缘紧靠合呈直线状,但在赤道 轴萌发孔处沟边缘分开呈菱形,该类型有秋葡萄V．romanetii Roman du Caill．ex Planch．和锈毛刺葡萄V． davidii(Roman du Caill．)Foex．var．ferruginea Merr．et Chun等1种1变种;(4)花粉粒长球形或超长球形 (P/E值为1.30～2.0),沟边缘紧靠成直线状,麝香葡萄Muscadinia rotundifolia(Michx .)Small等21种的花粉属于此类型。     

New Australian butterfly genus Jameela gen. nov. (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae: Polyommatini) revealed by morphological, ecological and molecular data

This paper proposes to split the Australian Polyommatini genus Erysichton Fruhstorfer, 1916 into two genera on the basis of molecular, morphological and early stage behavioral attributes. The utility of reflective eye pattern as a taxonomic character is discussed and a neotype of Lycaena lineata Murray, 1874 is designated.     

The ecological study of memory.

The study of memory has long been dominated by the structural tradition, and especially by the experimental analysis of mechanisms of information processing. That dominance may soon be brought to an end by the progress of neuroscience, which offers more direct ways of studying the mechanisms in question. At that point functional issues may move to centre stage. Those issues include the act of remembering and its social functions, the skills and presuppositions of the remembered, the interaction of those skills and presuppositions with the particular material being remembered, and the determinants of accuracy and confabulation in recall.     

Coping with multiple enemies: an integration of molecular and ecological perspectives

How plants respond to attack by the range of herbivores and pathogens that confront them in the field is the subject of considerable research by both molecular biologists and ecologists. However, in spite of the shared focus of these two bodies of research, there has been little integration between them. We consider the scope for such integration, and how greater dialogue between molecular biologists and ecologists could advance understanding of plant responses to multiple enemies.     

The genus Koenigia L. emend. Hedberg (Polygonaceae)

Pollen morphological studies revealed the occurrence of the characteristic spinulose pollen type of Koenigia not only in the three species earlier recognized in the genus (A" islandka, K. nepalensis and K. pilosd) but also in three additional species earlier treated under Polygonum , viz. K delicatula (Meisn.) Hara, K. forrestii (Diels) Mesicek & Soják, and A" nummularifolia (Meisn.) Mesicek & Soják. Further studies of flower morphology, fruit and petiole anatomy, basic chromosome number, etc., revealed additional similarities between those species, which led to a taxonomic revision of the genus Koenigia. This genus seems to be most closely related to Persicaria Mill, sections Cephalophilon (Meisn.) Gross and Echinocaulon (Meisn.) Gross, with Koenigia delicatula as a connecting link. There arc also interesting similarities with the genus Aconogonon (Meisn.) Rchb. Koenigia exemplifies the derivation from montane ancestors of a high mountain-dwelling genus displaying adaptive radiation to fit diverse alpine niches. Five species out of six are confined to high mountain areas in southeastern Asia, primarily in the Himalayas, whereas the sixth has spread to Arctic and alpine areas in the northern hemisphere and even penetrated to southern South America. The latter species shows progressive reduction in size in combination with adaptation to a very short summer under severe climatic conditions.     

The genus Pleurotus in Brazil: a molecular and taxonomic overview

Considering that the knowledge of Pleurotus in Brazil is very dispersed and fragmented, this work presents for the first time a discussion of the recognition of at least five species certainly known from the country. Maximum likelihood analysis was conducted with nrITS sequences to generate a phylogenetic tree with a better resolution, confirming the occurrence of P. albidus, P. djamor, P. fuscosquamulosus, P. pulmonarius, and P. rickii in Brazil. In addition, we present a list of all epithets that were recorded from Brazil and current update of their taxonomic status.     

A palynological study of the genus Nepeta L. (Lamiaceae)

The pollen morphology of forty taxa of the genus Nepeta L. was studied and documented in detail using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopy in this study. Nepeta L. pollen grains are small to large (P = 18.64–63.46 μm, E = 15.62–46.33 μm), suboblate to perprolate (P/E = 0.86–2.09) in shape and hexacolpate (very rarely tetracolpate) with granular membranes. Alternate position of colpi occurs in six Nepeta taxa, N. nuda ssp. glandulifera, N. concolor, N. crinita, N. congesta var. cryptantha, N. stricta var. stricta and N. sibthorpii ssp. tumeniana. In examinations of exine ornamentation with SEM, two types of pollen grains were recognized: (1) type I, with microreticulate sculpture; and (2) type II with bireticulate sculpture, type I and II to be divided into two and five subtypes, respectively. In the two taxa with microreticulate pattern, N. pilinux and N. sulfuriflora, a tendency towards a bireticulum could be recognized due to traces of secondary tectal connections. The bireticulate exine ornamentation is characterized with varying characteristics of the primary muri and secondary reticulum. Pollen morphology within the genus is compared with infrageneric relationships.     

A palynological study of the genus Mentha L. (Lamiaceae)

The pollen morphology and exine structure of 10 Mentha L . species were investigated using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The pollen grains of all 11 species were hexazonocolpate with granular membranes and a circular amb, varying in shape from prolate-spheroidal to suboblate. Different colpus shapes were recognized in M . ×  dumetorum . The exine was bireticulate in section Pulegium , and reticulate in section Menthae . A correlation was found between pollen size and chromosome number. The results indicate that the pollen characters of the genus Mentha are valuable for taxonomic applications and may be useful for classification.  © 2008 Uludag University. Journal compilation © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 157 , 141–154.