Taxonomic importance of seed macro‐ and micro‐morphology in Abelmoschus (Malvaceae)

Seed morphology of Abelmoschus is known to be variable, but patterns of variation have never been critically studied. We studied seed macro‐ and micro‐morphological characters, including seed shape/size, seed coat pattern and trichome density/structure in multiple samples to evaluate the taxonomic significance of seed characters. Among the studied characters, seed shape and trichome structure were found to have major taxonomic importance and proved to be valuable characters for separating taxa. Two main seed types were present: seeds with deciduous trichomes and seeds with persistent trichomes. These characters offer significant evidence to the distinctness of certain species (A. esculentus, A. moschatus subsp. moschatus, A. moschatus subsp. tuberosus, A. crinitus and A. angulosus). Further, our results indicate that A. moschatus subsp. tuberosus should be maintained as a separate subspecies while A. manihot subsp. tetraphyllus var. pungens may be merged in A. angulosus. No significant intraspecific variation was observed, except in A. esculentus. We conclude that seed coat sculpturing and seed trichomes do indeed provide stable and diagnostic characters for many morphologically closely related taxa of Abelmoschus and that LM/SEM techniques can be useful in solving systematic problems and management of Abelmoschus genetic resources.     

A new subspecies ofArenaria grandiflora (Caryophyllaceae) from the Rif mountains (Northern Morocco)

A new subspecies,A. grandiflora subsp.gomarica (Caryophyllaceae), is described from the mountains of northern Morocco. The new taxon is tetraploid and has been confused in the past either with the Balearic endemicA. grandiflora subsp.glabrescens or with the widespreadA. grandiflora subsp.grandiflora, which is also present in the African continent. Detailed morphological analysis showed that plants from the Rif mountains are closely related toA. grandiflora subsp.glabrescens, but differ from it in having a longer calyx, smaller seed size, and a glandular indument on pedicels, leaves and calyx.Arenaria grandiflora subsp.gomarica can be distinguished from all infraspecific taxa of theA. grandiflora complex by the combined presence of a heterotrichous (simple and pluricellular eglandular hairs, glandular hairs) indument on the inflorescences and glandular hairs on the calyx.     

Micromorphological and chemical characterisation of Stachys recta L. subsp. serpentini (Fiori) Arrigoni in comparison to Stachys recta L. subsp. recta (Lamiaceae)

Stachys recta L. is a very polymorphous species in which numerous subspecies were recognised. S. recta L. subsp. serpentini (Fiori) Arrigoni is a typical endemism growing on serpentine soils in northern Apennines and particularly in Tuscany (Italy). In order to contribute to a better knowledge of this plant and to its differentiation with respect to S. recta L. subsp. recta, the micromorphological characters (non-glandular and glandular trichomes) and the essential oil composition of the two subspecies were investigated. Micromorphological characters were studied using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, while light microscopy was used for histochemical observations. Essential oil analysis was carried out by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.In the two examined taxa, the morphology and distribution of glandular and non-glandular trichomes, and the different essential oil composition, may be considered distinctive characters at subspecies level. This is consistent with the taxonomic classification considering S. recta subsp. serpentini a subordinate taxon of S. recta.     

A new opuntioid cactus from the Cayman Islands, B.W.I., with a discussion and key to the genus Consolea Lemaire

A new subspecies ofConsolea millspaughii is described from the eastern bluff of Cayman Brac and northern coastal terrace of Little Cayman (Cayman Islands, British West Indies). This taxon has been mistakenly identified asConsolea spinosissima since its first collection in 1938. However, the smooth surface of its stem segments, not being demarcated by a network of depressed lines, its pitted areoles, and the fairly reduced pedicellate area of the pericarpel set is apart from this Jamaican endemic. Because the novelty here described brings to three the number ofConsolea taxa that are characterized by very closely set, pitted areoles, an informal “C. millspaughii species-group” is recognized. This assemblage of Western Caribbean opuntioids includesConsolea corallicola, C. millspaughii subsp.millspaughii, andC. millspaughii subsp.caymannnsis. The new subspecies is described, illustrated, and compared withC. spinosissima and with kindred taxa within the species-group. A key to all species and subspecies ofConsolea is provided.     

Extensive yellow crusts below limestone overhangs: a new taxon close to a minute epiphytic lichen

A conspicuous yellow crust forming extensive covers on some dry and shaded limestone rocks in Europe is described here as Caloplaca substerilis subsp. orbicularis M. Haji Moniri, Vondrák & Malí?ek subsp. nov. Based on nuITS rDNA, 28S nuLSU rDNA and mtSSU rDNA sequence data, the new taxon is closely related to Caloplaca substerilis and C. ulcerosa. The three taxa form a supported clade in the subfamily Xanthorioideae (Teloschistaceae), but none of the recently seggregated genera are suitable for them. In the ITS phylogeny, the new taxon forms a monophylum nested within C. substerilis. However, its extensive yellow thalli and absence of vegetative diaspores clearly distinguish it from Caloplaca substerilis (subsp. substerilis). Indeed, if it had not been for the molecular evidence, we would have described it at the rank of species. We suggest that the substrate switch and accompanying processes are responsible for the striking phenotypic difference between Caloplaca substerilis subsp. substerilis and C. substerilis subsp. orbicularis.     

Genetic diversity and phylogeography in two diploid ferns,Asplenium fontanum subsp. fontanum and A. petrarchae subsp. bivalens,in the western Mediterranean

Asplenium fontanum subsp. fontanum and A. petrarchae subsp. bivalens are diploid rock ferns of limestone outcrops of the western Mediterranean region. Asplenium fontanum subsp. fontanum occurs from Valencia through northeastern Spain to the Alpes‐Maritimes and Swiss Jura. Asplenium petrarchae subsp. bivalens occurs only on Majorca, in Valencia and possibly in southern Spain. We analysed allozyme and chloroplast genetic marker diversity in 75 populations of A. fontanum subsp. fontanum and 12 populations of A. petrarchae subsp. bivalens sampled from across their respective ranges. The two species show similar levels of species and population genetic diversity to one another and to other diploid European Asplenium taxa. Both are predominantly outbreeding, as indicated by F_IS = 0.108 and 0.167 respectively. Substantial between‐population differentiation results largely from differentiation between regions. Isolation by distance operates over limited geographic ranges, up to 50 km. In A. fontanum subsp. fontanum, the major geographical differentiation between Valencia and the rest of the taxon range probably represents an ancient range fragmentation. A less pronounced differentiation divides populations in the SW from those in the NE of the range, with evidence for a biogeographic link between the eastern Pyrenees and southeastern France. High diversity in the Pyrenees may either represent ancient population differentiation, or a suture zone. In A. petrarchae subsp. bivalens, populations on Majorca exhibit a subset of the genetic diversity present in Valencia, although the two regions are strongly differentiated by differing allele frequencies. Dispersal from the mainland may have founded Majorcan populations, although a role for in situ island survival cannot be excluded.     

Trichome micromorphology in Turkish species of Ziziphora (Lamiaceae)

Ziziphora L. is represented by 5 species and 2 subspecies in the flora of Turkey: Z. clinopodioides, Z. capitata, Z. persica, Z. tenuior, Z. taurica subsp. taurica, Z. taurica subsp. cleonioides. It is difficult to distinguish between some Ziziphora taxa because of their morphological similarities. In this study, the leaf and calyx trichomes of Ziziphora taxa in Turkey were studied in order to assess anatomical variations that may serve as distinguishing characters. Their micromorphological features were surveyed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM). Trichomes on leaves and calyx can be divided into two general types: non‐glandular trichomes and glandular (secretory) trichomes. The non‐ glandular trichomes are simple, acicular or curved with cuticular micropapillae. They usually consist of one or more additional cells. The glandular trichomes are divided into two types: peltate and capitate and Ziziphora taxa can easily be distinguished by presence/absence, density and types of glandular trichomes on leaves and calyx. The peltate trichomes consist of 12 or 18 secretory head cells in a single disc; four or six central cells surrounded by eight or twelve peripheral ones. Peltate trichomes are absent on the adaxial leaf surface of Z. capitata and Z. persica. Two types of capitate trichomes are present in Ziziphora. The capitate trichomes are only absent on the calyx surface of Z. persica. In addition, the trichome micromorphology provides some support for separating the two subspecies of Z. taurica. In conclusion, Ziziphora taxa can easily be distinguished by cell number, cell shape presence/absence and density of the glandular trichomes on leaves and calyx.     

Morphological analysis,chorology and ecology of Juniperus navicularis Gand. in the Iberian Peninsula

Juniperus navicularis is an endemic taxon of Iberian Peninsula that develops on paleodunes of coastal ecosystems and whose distribution range is not well defined. In this paper, we present the results of the morphological analysis in populations attributed to J. navicularis of southern Spain. In order to assess the similarity between Portuguese and Spanish populations, the Mann–Whitney U test was performed, the same test was also applied between this taxon and Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus. In order to distinguish this species from other taxa of the Juniperus oxycedrus group (subsp. oxycedrus, subsp. badia, subsp. macrocarpa) in the southwestern Mediterranean region, a principal component analysis has been carried out. New data about the chorology and ecology of Spanish populations considered as a priority habitat in the Habitat Directive as well as number of individuals and conservation status are provided.     

Musci Austro-Africana III. Alpine mosses of Lesotho

Abstract

The ecology in western Norway of twelve taxa within the moss genus Andreaea has been investigated. Taxon abundances along environmental. gradients were recorded in 568 sample units. Numerical methods were used to estimate the realized niches of each taxon separately by regression analyses, and the realized niches for all the taxa simultaneously by constrained ordination.

The genus Andreaea is restricted to hard rocks with a low calcium ‘concentration, although it can also grow on mildly basic rock types. In addition, lithosols and phyllite are alternative substrates at high altitudes.

The main environmental factor differentiating between the niches of the Andreaea taxa is moisture, although the taxa are separated more along the altitudinal gradient. A general trend for Andreaea taxa is an interaction between moisture-controlling environmental factors; a low degree of flushing correlates with a high degree of shelter or cracks, or with low radiation. At high altitudes snow-persistence interacts with the moisture gradient. Taxa normally occurring in late snow-beds receive less water from sources other than snow-melt, whereas taxa occurring in sites free of snow early have a wider range of water sources. The second major environmental factor for niche differentiation is chemistry, namely soil pH. However, all taxa occur in sites with low values for soil pH. Other environmental factors mainly differentiate between pairs of taxa: hard rock — lithosols (A. rupestris var. rupestris — A. alpestris), degree of slope (A. rothii ssp. falcata — A. rothii ssp. rothii), and number of cracks (A. rothii s.1. — A. megistospora ssp. megistospora). All Andreaea taxa found within the study area are ecologically distinct in relation to one or more environmental factor. The ecological difference between A. rupestris var. rupestris and A. alpestris is, however, weak within the study area.

In general, taxa with a wide morphological variability have a wide ecological tolerance and a wide geographical and altitudinal distribution. Explanation of distributional patterns at different spatial scales requires consideration of the dispersal strategies.

Taxa that are regarded as pleisomorphous tend to occur in sites experiencing high humidity (A. nivalis, A. frigida), whereas there is a dominant trend towards a higher drought tolerance in apomorphous taxa (A. rothii s.1., A. megistospora ssp. megistospora, A. rupestris s.1.). A. blyttii is a special case, probably with an early departure from the other taxa in section Nerviae. It grows mainly in late or extremely late snow-beds. Within the section Andreaea, forms of A. obovata show some signs of ecological convergence towards pleisotypic ecology (flood-zone habitats), although A. obovata favours an intermediate humidity. A. alpina, a lowland taxon favouring high humidity, probably separated early from other taxa in this section.     

Taxonomic revision of the genusPinguicula L. in the Iberian Peninsula

In this paper, the genusPinguicula is revised in the Iberian Peninsula. The taxa studied areP. vulgaris, P. nevadensis, P. grandiflora subsp.grandiflora, P. dertosensis, P. vallisneriifolia, P. longifolia subsp.longifolia, P. mundi, P. alpina andP. lusitanica. Five taxa are endemic to the area studied (P. nevadensis, P. dertosensis, P. vallisneriifolia, P. longifolia subsp.longifolia andP. mundi). Two of them are confined to restricted areas:P. nevadensis is endemic to the Sierra Nevada (S Spain) andP. longifolia subsp.longifolia is endemic to the central Pyrenees (N Spain). Taxonomical, nomenclatural, morphological, chromosomal, biogeographical and ecological data are reported for each taxon. A new combination is proposed:Pinguicula Sect.Longifolia (Casper) G. Blanca, M. Ruíz-Rejón etR. Zamora.     

Aucubinartige glucoside als systematische merkmale bei labiaten — I. Lamiastrum

Lamiastrum (Lamium) galeobdolon occurs in Europe with the two diploid taxa subsp. galeobdolon and subsp. flavidum and with one tetraploid taxon, subsp, montanum. The latter is supposed to have had an allopolyploid origin. Chromosome counts demonstrated that subsp, montanum is by far the most common taxon in the Netherlands. Leaves of many plants of several countries of Europe were investigated for aucubin-like glycosides. Subspecies galeobdolon contains harpagide, acetylharpagide and an unknown aucubinoid constituent. Many plants of subsp, montanum contained galiridoside in addition. Galiridoside is also present in small amounts in subsp, flavidum; in this taxon, however, the unknown compound seems to be lacking. It seems likely, in the light of leaf aucubinoids, that subsp, montanum is of allopolyploid origin with the two diploid taxa as parents. The distribution and systematic meaning of iridoid constituents in Labiatae is discussed. Lamiastrum differs from Lamium by accumulating predominantly aucubin-like glycosides of the C-9-aglycon group.     

Lomatogonium cherukurianum sp. nov. (Gentianaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya

Populations of an unknown taxon of Lomatogonium A. Braun have been found during floristic surveys in the alpine pasture of north Sikkim, India. Comparison with morphologically similar taxa (Lomatogonium stapfii (Burkill) Harry Smith and L. longifolium Harry Smith) revealed that the new populations represent a species new to science, which is described as L. cherukurianum. Data on phenology, ecology and distribution of the new species is provided together with illustrations.     

Trichome morphology provides phylogenetically informative characters for Tremandra, Platytheca and Tetratheca (former Tremandraceae)

Summary Trichomes of Tremandra R.Br. ex DC., Platytheca Steetz and Tetratheca Sm. (Elaeocarpaceae, former Tremandraceae), together with two outgroup species of Elaeocarpus L., are illustrated using scanning electron microscopy, and their distribution on various plant organs is documented. Various trichomes types were identified that relate taxa: simple hairs, stellate hairs, short glandular trichomes, long glandular trichomes, and three forms of tubercules. Both outgroup and ingroup taxa have simple hairs. Stellate hairs are confirmed as unique to Tremandra. Prominent and sculptured multicelled tubercules, some bearing a stout hair, are characteristic of Platytheca. Smaller multicelled tubercules occur in both Platytheca and Tetratheca, except for the Western Australian taxon Te. filiformis Benth. (possibly plesiomorphic). Unicellular tubercules (papilla) characterise two species of Tetratheca. Short glandular trichomes, usually found on the ovary, also occur in both of these genera but not in all species (possibly secondary losses), while long glandular trichomes, usually on stems and leaves, occur only in some groups of Tetratheca. Within Tetratheca, Western Australian taxa that have five-merous flowers fall into three ‘groups’: seven species (together with one from South Australia) that have short glandular trichomes but no long glandular trichomes; six species that have long glandular trichomes but no short glandular trichomes; and four species that have both trichome types. All other species of Tetratheca have four-merous flowers and form two ‘groups’: 12 eastern species (including one from South Australia) that have both short glandular trichomes and long glandular trichomes; 4 western species and six eastern species that lack short glandular trichomes. On the basis of these characters, a phylogenetic hypothesis for the three genera is presented.     

PALEOZOIC LYCOPSID FRUCTIFICATIONS. III. CONSPECIFICITY OF BRITISH AND NORTH AMERICAN LEPIDOSTROBUS PETRIFACTIONS

A study was made of 30 apparently similar microsporangiate cone specimens of the lycopsid fructification Lepidostrobus found in coal balls of Middle Pennsylvanian age from Illinois and Kansas. None of these specimens was a complete cone, but at least 19 were large enough and well enough preserved to provide information regarding variation both within one cone and among several specimens. The data obtained substantiated the original assumption that all 30 specimens represented one species. Attempts to equate this one species with any of the similar, previously described North American taxa, Lepidostrobus coulteri, L. pulvinatus and Lepidocarpon magnificum-microsporangiate form, and the British taxon Lepidostrobus oldhamius, including the forms (α), (β), (γ) and pilosus, revealed that no significant differences existed among any of these taxa. Furthermore, all characteristics described for these taxa were referable to, and well within the range of variation of, the one species here analyzed. Differences among the taxa were found to represent only differences in maturation or normal variation. All these taxa are, therefore, conspecific and are assigned to one species which by priority is named Lepidostrobus oldhamius. The common association of the megasporangiate Lepidocarpon lomaxi with all these miorosporangiate cones, now recognized as representing the single taxon Lepidostrobus oldhamius, is strong evidence for the probability that Lepidocarpon lomaxi and Lepidostrobus oldhamius were produced by the same parent plant species.     

Seed traits and germination behaviour of four Sardinian populations of Helichrysum microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum (Asteraceae) along an altitudinal gradient

• Helichrysum microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum (Asteraceae) is an endemic taxon of Sardinia and Corsica, where it grows at different altitudes. The objective of this study was to investigate the seed traits and germination behaviour of four Sardinian populations of this taxon located at different altitudes.
• Seed traits were evaluated, and germination tests were carried out by incubating seeds at a range of constant (5–30 °C) and alternating (25/10 °C) temperatures. The dry after‐ripening (DAR) pre‐treatment was also applied by storing seed in dry conditions for 3 months at 25 °C. Seed traits and germination behaviour data were statistically analysed to identify if there was a correlation with altitude.
• Differences in seed size, area and mass among populations were recorded, however, no relationship was found with altitude. High germination percentages were obtained in all populations, both in untreated and DAR seeds, and were positively affected by alternating temperatures. The final germination percentage and time required to reach 50% final germination (T₅₀) showed no relationship with altitude.
• The differences in seed traits and germination detected among the studied populations of H. microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum were not correlated with altitude. This study provides new and important knowledge for this taxon. H. microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum is characterised by high germination percentages and low T₅₀ values and does not seem to require any dormancy‐breaking treatment. This species represents a high‐potential native plant species that should be considered within environmental management plans.