Deprea nubicola (Solanaceae), a new species from northern Colombia

A new species,Deprea nubicola, is described. Although the corolla is similar in some aspects to that ofD. bitteriana, D. nubicola is distinguished by its diminutive leaves, a low density of hairs in the corolla annulus, glabrous filaments, and a distinctive long-pedicellate, subulate-lobed fruiting calyx.Deprea nubicola shares withD. ecuatoriana a fruiting calyx that tightly invests the berry. The distribution ofD. nubicola is limited to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta of northern Colombia. A key to the species ofDeprea is provided.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Duranta neblinensis</Emphasis> (Verbenaceae,Duranteae): A new species from Sierra de la Neblina,Amazonas state,Venezuela

Duranta neblinensis, from Sierra de la Neblina, Amazonas state, Venezuela is described, illustrated, and its morphological relationships with allied species are discussed. This new species is similar to D. obtusifolia, but it differs by its stout spines; pubescent petioles and leaves; apiculate calyx lobes; and fruits with an open, slender, curved rostrum . An updated key to the six Venezuelan species of Duranta is presented, and phytogeographic information about Sierra de la Neblina is provided.     

Two new species of Mussaenda (Rubiaceae) from Panay Island,Philippines

Two new species of Mussaenda (Rubiaceae) from Aklan, Panay, Philippines are described and illustrated. Mussaenda ustii sp. nov. is distinct by its long pedicel (up to 7 mm), yellow with white margins corolla lobes forming a star and recurved stigma lobes which are always semi‐ or distinctly exserted in long‐styled morphs. Mussaenda viridiflora sp. nov. is characterized by its white, sweet‐scented corolla lobes, which are green tinged on the median ridges and bases, and strongly reflexed calyx lobes. A discussion of the relationships of the new taxa to closely related Philippine Mussaenda is provided. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 87–92.     

Morphological analysis of three equivocal sibling species of Deprea (Solanaceae)

Taxonomic confusion among closely related and morphologically similar Deprea species has persisted in the literature and in the identification of species. Morphological variation among three closely related, monophyletic Deprea species was studied to determine if and how they can be distinguished. Their sympatric occurrence in Venezuela afforded an opportunity to couple field study with analysis of herbarium specimens representing their entire geographic range. An analysis of 94 morphological characters resulted in five vegetative and 13 reproductive taxonomically informative traits. Canonical variates analysis clearly separated the three species using six quantitative traits. We conclude that these taxa, although quite variable and similar morphologically, are taxonomically distinct. Results of character analysis indicated that D. orinocensis is morphologically more similar to D. bitteriana than either are to D. paneroi. In D. paneroi, small, sterile anthers on fruit-bearing plants and the absence of fruits on plants possessing large, plllen-bearing anthers, suggest cryptic dioecy. Based on these data, D. granulosa is considered to be a synonym of D. orinocensis: Athenaea bitteriana, a misapplied synonym, is the correct basionym and is applicable to many specimens identified as D. granulosa. We submit a new combination, D. bitteriana (Werderm.) Sawyer & Benítez, and designate a lectotype to accommodate these findings.     

广东报春苣苔属一新种——黄进报春苣苔

该文报道了在广东丹霞山发现的报春苣苔属一新种——黄进报春苣苔(Primulina huangjiniana),并对其进行了描述。该新种与同属物种短序报春苣苔(P. depressa)最为相似,但两者在形态特征上能够很好地区别:黄进报春苣苔具有更短的、长2.5～6 mm的苞片(vs. 短序报春苣苔具有长15～30 mm的苞片,顺序下同); 花萼裂片等长(vs. 不等长),花丝基部附近膝状突起,中部以上具腺毛(vs. 于中部膝状突起且无毛); 柱头倒三角形,深2裂成2线形裂片(vs. 片状,稍2浅裂,裂片为三角形),侧膜胎座(vs. 中轴胎座)。加上该新种在内,丹霞山目前共记录有6种报春苣苔属植物,其中丹霞小花苣苔(P. danxiaensis)和该新种均为丹霞地貌特有植物。黄进报春苣苔目前在丹霞山的两个地方有发现,成年植株不超过200株,根据IUCN红色名录标准,属于极危种。     

Egg size,embryonic development time and ovoviviparity in Drosophila species

Lengths, widths and volumes of eggs from 11 species of Drosophila whose genomes have been fully sequenced exhibit significant variation that is not explained by their phylogenetic relationships. Furthermore, egg size differences are unrelated to embryonic development time in these species. In addition, two of the species, Drosophila sechellia and, to a lesser degree, D. yakuba, both ecological specialists, exhibit ovoviviparity, suggesting that female control over oviposition in these species differs from what is observed in D. melanogaster. The interspecific differences in these reproductive characters, coupled with the availability of whole genome sequences for each, provide an unprecedented opportunity to examine their evolution.     

Lycium amarum sp. nov. (Solanaceae) from Xizang,supported from morphological characters and phylogenetic analysis

Lycium amarum sp. nov. L. Q. Huang is described based on its general morphology and pollen micromorphology, which were compared with closely related Lycium species. The phylogenetic relationships among the new species and closely related Lycium species belonging to the tribe Lycieae were investigated based on the DNA sequence data of the granule‐bound starch synthase (GBSSI) gene. Morphologically, L. amarum is similar to L. chinense Mill. sharing lanceolate or linear‐oblanceolate leaves, three‐lobed calyx, villous ring slightly above the filament base, and adjacent corolla tube, however, L. amarum may be diagnosed by its prominent tubercles at the base of spines, thinly leathery leaves, and a two‐tine crack on the tip of calyx lobes. According to our results, the new species is close to L. barbarum L., L. chinense, L. dasystemum Pojark, and L. yunnanense Kuang & Lu.     

云南东南部苦苣苔科植物一新种——南溪蛛毛苣苔

中越边境的石灰岩地区不仅具有较丰富的植物多样性,而且特有现象十分突出。该文描述了中越边境石灰岩地区位于云南东南部河口境内的苦苣苔科一个植物新种——南溪蛛毛苣苔(Paraboea nanxiensis Lei Cai & Gui L. Zhang)。该新种在叶片的形状和毛被、花的颜色、花序短于叶片以及雌蕊无毛等性状上与产自广西那坡的垂花蛛毛苣苔(P. nutans D. Fang & D. H. Qin)最为相似。两者的主要区别在于:该新种的花萼裂片先端最宽且光滑无毛,花冠浅宽钟形、花冠筒不明显、花冠管内面基部白色,花丝无毛以及蒴果稍微扭曲; 该新种生于云南海拔530～610 m的河口及马关一带,而垂花蛛毛苣苔产于广西那坡的海拔900～1 150 m段的石灰山。此外还讨论了该新种与蛛毛苣苔属其他几种基生叶类型的近缘种[如三萼蛛毛苣苔(P. trisepala W. H. Chen & Y. M. Shui)、蔓耗蛛毛苣苔(P. manhaoensis Y. M. Shui & W. H. Chen)及河口蛛毛苣苔(P. hekouensis Y. M. Shui & W. H. Chen)]的区别,并提供了相关物种的彩色图片及区分说明,主模式标本存放于中国科学院昆明植物研究所标本馆(KUN)中。近年来,由于中越边境的石灰岩地区不断有新分类群或新记录物种的发现,所以很有必要加强对该区域的植物多样性考察。     

Molecular phylogenetics provides a novel hypothesis of chromosome evolution in Neotropical fishes of the genus Potamorhina (Teleostei,Curimatidae)

Potamorhina includes the largest species in the Neotropical fish family Curimatidae. They perform long-distance migrations in large schools and represent relative importance for regional fisheries in South American lowlands. A morphology-based phylogenetic study recognized five species and proposed interspecific phylogenetic relationships mostly based on osteology, squamation, and morphology of the gasbladder. Subsequent cytogenetic studies revealed extreme variability in diploid numbers and other cytomolecular structures and hypothesized multiple events of chromosome rearrangements with centric fissions followed by reversed fusions. However, neither the taxonomic revision and phylogeny nor the cytogenetic hypothesis of chromosome evolution in Potamorhina was tested using molecular phylogenetic approaches. Here, we use mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences to delimit species of Potamorhina with an extensive sampling across the Amazon basin and use phylogenetic methods to test prior hypothesis of multiple events of chromosome rearrangements during the evolution of the genus. Phylogenetic and species delimitation methods clearly support the presence of five species but reveal novel interspecific relationships allowing a reinterpretation of the morphological characters relative to the number of vertebrae, caudal peduncle pigmentation, and modifications in the gasbladder chambers. With the new phylogenetic arrangement, we propose a novel hypothesis of occurrence of a single chromosome fission in the lineage of P. latior followed by an extraordinary event that involved more than 20 chromosome-pair fissions during the evolution of the ancestor of P. altamazonica and P. squamoralevis. This novel hypothesis represents a simpler and more conceivable explanation for the achievement of these elevated chromosome numbers during the evolution of Potamorhina.     

Millettia weizhii (Fabaceae: Millettieae), a new species with four‐winged pods from a limestone area in Yunnan,China

Millettia weizhii sp. nov. (Fabaceae), a tree species bearing pods with 4 wings is described and illustrated from a limestone area in Yunnan, China. Fruiting specimens of the new species were previously identified as Millettia tetraptera Kurz, a species recorded from Myanmar and India (West Bengal), but examination of specimens and data from our field survey show that the new species is easily distinguished by having longer and stipitate pods, much shorter pseudoracemes with 2 flowers at each node, white and longer corolla, triangular calyx lobes and more and narrower leaflets. The new species should be placed in the Merrillii/Xylocarpa‐group of Millettia sect. Fragiliflorae Dunn based on morphological characters.     

Gentianella tumailica (Gentianaceae) – A new species from cold deserts of northwest Himalaya,India

A new species of Gentianella, G. tumailica sp. nov., from Tumail in the Kargil district of Ladakh, northwest Himalaya, India is described and illustrated. This novelity is morphologically similar to the sympatric G. stoliczka in inflorescence pattern, calyx and corolla shapes, sagitate anthers, more or less rounded seeds, but differs in smaller size of vegetative and floral structures, larger basal leaves, few cauline leaves, leaf apex obtuse to rounded, calyx lobes unequal (2 longer, 3 shorter), inflorescence enveloped by 4 foliaceous bracts, capsule elliptic to oblong and seed coat smooth. In addition, a diagnostic key to all Indian species of Gentianella is presented.     

Bredia reniformis (Melastomataceae), a new species from Guangxi,China

Bredia reniformis, a new species of Melastomataceae from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. Bredia reniformis is similar to B. plagiopetala (C. Chen) R. C. Zhou & Ying Liu and B. gracilis (Hand.-Mazz.) Diels by having axillary inflorescences and flowers with eight isomorphic stamens, but differs from the latter two in having glandular-puberulous indumentum, reniform calyx lobes and shortly falcate yellowish anthers with obconical dorsal appendages.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Symplocos</Emphasis> (Symplocaceae) from the Itatiaia Plateau of Brazil

Symplocos minima, a new species of Symplocos section Hopea from the Itatiaia Plateau in the Atlantic Rain Forest biome of southeastern Brazil, is described and illustrated. This species is distinguished by its densely compact shrubby habit, ascending leaves, fasciculate inflorescences with several persistent bracts, corolla with five to six erect lobes, pistillate flowers with the disc not thickened along the margin, fruiting calyx lobes obscuring the disc, and seeds sub-orbicular in cross section. The new species is morphologically related to S. itatiaiae and S. pentandra, but can be differenciated from them mainly due to the tree habit and fruiting calyx lobes not obscuring the disc in S. itatiaiae and the pistillate flowers with a disc that is thickened along the margin in S. pentandra.     

Didymocarpus dissectus sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from Fujian,eastern China

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Didymocarpus dissectus Fang Wen, Y. L. Qiu & Y. G. Wei, from Fujian province, China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to D. heucherifolius in flower shape, but can be easily distinguished by leaf blade shape, split extent of calyx and equal calyx lobes, indumentum of corolla and number of staminodes.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Leandra altomacaensis</Emphasis> (Melastomataceae), a new species from Brazil

Leandra altomacaensis (sect. Oxymeris), a new endemic species of Melastomataceae from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is described and illustrated. Diagnostic characteristics of the species are the leaves sparsely stellulate-lepidote, triplinerved, and calyx lobes small, with apex acute-apiculate. Leandra gracilis var. glazioviana is proposed as a synonym of this new species.     

中国假野菰属(列当科)一新记录种——泰国假野菰

报道了中国假野菰属(列当科)一新记录种——泰国假野菰(Christisonia siamensis Craib)。结果表明:该种与假野菰(C.hookeri Clarke)的主要区别是花萼黄色或白色,有时暗紫色,具有独特的三角状花萼齿;花冠裂片紫色,下唇裂片中部有一黄色斑点并延伸至花冠筒内侧;花丝光滑,花药一室,粘合,通常明显有距,距的基部具圆锥形的突起;顶端有开裂的毛孔。     

Oreocharis duyunensis (Gesneriaceae), a new species from Guizhou,China

Oreocharis duyunensis Z.Y. Li, X.G. Xiang et Z.Y. Guo (Gesneriaceae), endemic to Guizhou, China, is described as a new species. The new species is easily distinguished from other Oreocharis species by having a white, stellate ring‐like disc. Morphologically, the species is similar to Oreocharis chienii (Chun) Mich. Möller & A. Weber but differs by its densely white pilose leaves, mixed brown‐pilose, pubescent and glandular‐pubescent peduncle and pedicle, white stellate ring‐like disc, and linear‐lanceolate capsule. Based on phylogenetic reconstruction and interspecific genetic distances of nuclear ITS and chloroplast trnL‐F regions, O. duyunensis is a new species with uncertain phylogenetic position.