Preliminary phylogenetic analysis of the fern genus Lomariopsis (Lomariopsidaceae)

A preliminary phylogenetic analysis is presented forLomariopsis based on sequence data from the chloroplast intergenic spacertrnL-trnF. The analysis includes 27 (60%) of the approximately 45 species in the genus. A strict consensus of six most parsimonious trees supports two main clades—theSorbifolia-group and theJapurensis-group—previously proposed based on heteroblastic leaf development. TheSorbifolia-group is entirely neotropical and includes all the Antillean species. The species in this clade had either smooth or crested spores, but the tree was ambiguous whether these spore types define two separate clades. TheJapurensis-group consists of two clades, one primarily neotropical and the other entirely paleotropical. Within the neotropical clade nests a clade of two African species, which have long-spiny spores typical of the neotropical clade and unlike those found in the African-Madagascan clade. The occurrence of these two species in Africa is best explained by longdistance spore dispersal of their ancestral species from the neotropics to Africa. Within the paleotropical clade of theJapurensis-group, a clade of three African species is nested among seven species from Madagascar (all the species from that island). Within the genus as a whole, a derived character—the abortion of the rachis apex and its replacement by the distal lateral pinna assuming a terminal position—was found to have evolved separately in each of the four species with this kind of leaf apex. A scanning electron microcope study of the spores revealed five types, and a transformation series for these different types is proposed. Characters of spore morphology and heteroblastic leaf development agreed with many of the clades in the phylogenetic tree. This study represents the first phylogeny for the genus.     

P-type sieve-element plastids and the systematics of theArales (sensuCronquist 1988)—with S-type plastids inPistia

The sieve-element plastids of 126 species of theArales were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. With the exception ofPistia (with S-type plastids) all contained the monocotyledon specific subtype-P2 plastids characterized by cuneate protein crystals. While the species studied from bothAcoraceae andLemnaceae have form-P2c plastids (i.e., with cuneate crystals only), those of theAraceae belong to either form P2c (14 species), P2cs (the great majority) or P2cfs (Monstera deliciosa, only, with form-P2cs plastids in the otherMonstera species studied). The form-P2cs plastids of theAraceae are grouped into different categories according to the quantity and quality of their protein and starch contents. The subfamilyLasioideae is redefined to comprise all aroid P2c-taxa and those P2cs-genera that contain only one or very few starch grains. Only little starch is also recorded in the sieve-element plastids ofGymnostachys (Gymnostachydoideae), with the other plastid data denying a close relationship toAcorus. While equal amounts of starch and protein are generally present in sieve-element plastids of the subfamiliesPothoideae, Monsteroideae, Colocasioideae, Philodendroideae, andAroideae, maximum starch content and only very few protein crystals are found in form-P2cs plastids ofCalla (Calloideae),Ariopsis (Aroideae), andRemusatia (Colocasioideae?). In the latter, both morphology and size of sieve-element plastids are close to those ofPistia.—In theAraceae the diameters of the sieve-element plastids exhibit a great size range, but are consistent within a species and within a defined part of the plant body. Comparative data are mainly available for stem and petiole sieve-element plastids.—The accumulated data are used to suggest an affiliation of the species to subfamilies and to discuss the phylogeny of theArales. Forms and sizes of their plastids support a separation of bothAcoraceae andLemnaceae from theAraceae. The presence of S-type plastids inPistia does not favour direct and close relationships to the form-P2c genusLemna.—The prevailing form-P2cs plastids might support proposals that place theArales (together with also form-P2cs plastid containingDioscoreales) in the neighbourhood of basal dicotyledons. BesidesAsarum andSaruma (Aristolochiaceae), with monocotyledonous form-P2c plastids,Pistia (with dicotyledonous S-type plastids) gives another example for a link between the two angiosperm classes.     

Revision and affinities ofGalium (Rubiaceae) in Madagascar

The only representatives ofRubiaceae-Rubieae in Madagascar are five species ofGalium. G. thunbergianum andG. chloroionanthum are essentially afromontane species, ± widely distributed in both the African mainland and Madagascar. The new speciesG. andringitrense andG. ankaratrense are endemic to Madagascar but show close affinities to two afromontane—afroalpine groups from the African mainland, theG. simense—G. ruwenzoriense andG. glaciale complex respectively.G. polyacanthum (new combination) exhibits certain primitive morphological traits and appears to be an old Madagascan endemic without close allies. New chromosome counts for populations from the African mainland demonstrate thatG. chloroionanthum andG. simense are 4x (x=11). Distribution patterns and origins of theGalium species in Madagascar and their relationships with African taxa are discussed.     

The high-rank syntaxa of the rock-cliff and scree vegetation of the mainland Greece and Crete

A revision was undertaken of the high-rank syntaxa of the vegetation occurring in rock fissures, ledges and screes of mainland Greece and Crete. All published phytosociological relevés available were collected and subjected to numerical classification and ordination. Four orders (Androsacetalia vandelii, Onosmetalia frutescentis, Potentilletalia speciosae andPetromaruletalia pinnatae) comprising 8 alliances (one of them new) were distinguished within theAsplenietea trichomanis (rock fissures, clefts, and ledges). The scree vegetation was classified partly within theThlaspietea rotundifolii (Drypidetalia spinosae with 2 alliances) and partly within theDaphno-Festucetea (Saturejo-Scutellarietalia—a new order, with 2 alliances). Ordination revealed clear differences in floristic composition of the alliances distinguished. The studied chasmophytic vegetation of Greece contains a very high proportion of endemics which serve as diagnostic species of the syntaxa. Further, an analysis of chorological species spectra suggested that the chorological homogeneity of a syntaxon should be considered an important diagnostic feature at high-syntaxon levels.     

Telomere sequence localization and karyotype evolution in higher plants

Data for chromosomal localization of theArabidopsis-type of telomeric sequence repeats (TTTAGGG)_n are compiled for 44 species belonging to 14 families of angiosperms, gymnosperms and bryophytes. For 23 species and seven families this is the first report. Species of all families, except theAlliaceae, revealed these sequences at their chromosome termini. This indicates thatArabidopsis-type telomeric repeats are highly conserved. It is inferred that they represent the basic telomere sequence of higher plant phyla. In theAlliaceae, a deviating sequence (and mechanism?) for the stabilization of chromosome termini has possibly evolved secondarily. Nine species revealed interstitial telomeric sequences in addition to the terminal ones, in three species (Vicia faba, Pinus elliottii, P. sylvestris) also at centromeric positions. Interstitial telomeric sequences may indicate karyotype reconstructions, in particular alterations of chromosome numbers by chromosome fusion — or inversions with one breakpoint within the terminal array of repeats. They may contribute to stabilization of chromosome breaks, especially centric fissions, and increase the frequency of meiotic and illegitimate recombination.     

Floristic summary ofManual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada,second edition

The second edition of theManual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada by Gleason and Cronquist (1991) is the most recent and up-to-date taxonomic treatment of the flora of that region. Since no floristic summary of theManual was included in the publication, a computer analysis of the taxonomic data of theManual was performed in order to generate a floristic summary. Totals of 4285 species, 1091 genera, and 191 families were tabulated. The largest genus wasCarex, with 230 species; the largest family was the Asteraceae, with 528 species. Comparisons made with earlier floras of the same region indicated small declines on the order of 10% for these taxonomic groups.     

Habitat preference of the Preuss's guenon<Emphasis Type="Italic">(Cercopithecus preussi), on Bioko island,Equatorial Guinea</Emphasis>

The Press's guenon (Cercopithecus preussi) is considered to be one of the most threatened African primates. There is little information on the ecology and status of this primate on Bioko island, where it is found in the form of an endemic subspecies. The Press's, guenon shows preference for theSchefflera forest and the mountain habitat on Bioko island. As on the mainland they also have semitterrestrial habits and are found usually at the understorey of the forest. Competitive exclusion between this guenon and other guenon species could be an explanation of these ecological preferences. Habitat use and vertical stratification of the activity in the forest canopy seem to reduce competition with other sympatric primate species that inhabit on the island. Habitat destruction, and isolation in a reduced habitat, show to be the major threats for the survival of this primate on Bioko island.     

Species structure of the ichthyofauna of the inland waters of Phu Quoc Island, Gulf of Thailand, Vietnam

We performed the first large-scale study of the species structure of the fishes living in the inland water bodies of Phu Quoc Island and identified 97 species of bony fishes, which represent 41 families of 13 orders. Taking into account the results of earlier studies, we compiled a total checklist of the island’s ich-thyofauna, which includes 99 species; one more species recorded in a previous publication on the ichthyo-fauna of the island can be added to this number, as well as 15–20 mostly euryhaline species, which needed clarification of their states. Only one species on the checklist, Oreochromis niloticus, has been introduced to the island; 14 species, mostly of the family Gobiidae, have never been recorded in the faunas of other regions of Vietnam. Two new species, probably endemic to the island, have been found and described (in the genera Rasbora and Barbucca). Two more species of the order Siluriformes should probably also be described as new.     

Une espéce nouvelle ďophisaurus (lacertilia,anguidae) de ľoligocène des phosphorites du quercy. révision de la sous-famille des anguinae

Ophisaurus roqueprunensis is a new anguine species (Lacertilia, Anguidae) from the Oligocene of the Phosphorites du Quercy (France). Blade-like teeth are the main feature of the new taxon. Several characters demonstrate the monophyletic nature of the Anguinae subfamily. The Anguinae subfamily is now subdivided into three groups: the genusPseudopus, with enlarged (molariform) teeth at the rear of the dental row; the anguine lizards with blade-like teeth (caniniform) or theAnguis —Ophisaurus harti lineage and the AmericanOphisaurus lizards, a group that shares no derived character and, thus, is a metataxon.Ophisaurus roqueprunensis is placed within theAnguis- Ophisaurus harti lineage. Phyletic relationships within those three taxons are envisaged.     

Spontanvegetation Nordgriechischer Bergdörfer

The synanthropic vegetation in seven villages of Northern Greece (N Pindhos and Olympus massif)—situated either in theQuercion confertae or in theFagetalia zone—is analyzed on the basis of about 100 phytosociological relevés. The most important vascular plant species of ruderal sites have also been mapped floristically. Nineteen plant communities are discernible, some of which are mentioned for the first time here. Nevertheless, the author refrains from hastily describing new associations, unless a more detailed phytosociological data basis on ruderal vegetation in the Southern Balkans is available. A table refers to differences and similarities between the recognized plant communities in Greek villages and those which correspond to them in Central Europe. Non-industrial methods of agriculture and animal husbandry are among the most important conditions for the remarkable rich vegetation in Greek mountain villages.     

Additive partitioning as a tool for investigating the flora diversity in oceanic archipelagos

This paper introduces the integration of additive partitioning with species—area relationships to island biogeography in order to address the question “How are the pteridophyte and spermatophyte native and endemic flora of different oceanic archipelagos partitioned across islands?”.Species richness data of all endemic species and all native species of pteridophytes and spermatophytes were obtained for the Azores, Canaries and Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean and Galápagos, Hawaii and Marquesas in the Pacific Ocean. Additive partitioning of species diversity was used to quantify how much of the total diversity of an oceanic archipelago flora (γ-diversity) is due to (i) the mean species richness of the flora of each island (α-diversity), (ii) the variability in species richness of the floras across islands (β_Nestedness) and (iii) the complementarity in species composition of the floras of different islands (β_Replacement). The analysis was separately performed for the native and endemic pteridophyte and spermatophyte floras.The diversity partitioning of the six archipelagos showed large differences in how the flora of each archipelago is partitioned among the α, β_Nestedness and β_Replacement components, for pteridophytes and spermatophytes and for all endemic species and all native species. The α-diversity was more important for all native species than for endemic species and more important for pteridophytes than for spermatophytes, with the Azores showing outstanding high values of α-diversity. The β_Nestedness was higher for pteridophytes than for spermatophytes and higher for endemic species than for all native species in both pteridophytes and spermatophytes. The values of β_Replacement suggested that: (i) the spermatophyte native flora is more differentiated across islands than the pteridophyte native flora and (ii) the pteridophyte endemic flora and, especially, the spermatophyte endemic flora are more differentiated across islands than the corresponding native flora. An outstanding value of β_Replacement for endemic and all native spermatophytes was found in Hawaii, confirming the biogeographical island differentiation in this archipelago.     

The relationships between quantitative characteristics of stomata and epidermal cells of leaf epidermis

Negative linear correlations were established inMagnolia soulangeana Soul. —Bod. andLigustrum vulgare L. leaves between the frequency and the size (length) of the stomata and between the frequency of the stomata and the area of epidermal cells. Most correlations were statistically significant at theP = 0.01 level. Positive linear correlations were established between the area and the thickness of epidermal cells. These correlations were near to theP = 0.05 level of statistical significance. A high variation coefficient “v%” of the total number of stomata per leaf was found in both plant species.     

Late Miocene marine ostracods from Santa Maria island,Azores (NE Atlantic): Systematics,palaeoecology and palaeobiogeography

The nine oceanic islands that comprise the Azores archipelago are located in the middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean. In this isolated archipelago, there is a rich fossil record in one of the islands, Santa Maria. In this island, samples were collected in the Upper Miocene composite section of Malbusca outcrop, located in the southern shore of the island, and the fossil marine Ostracoda were studied. This work represents the first report of fossil ostracods from the Azores archipelago. Thirteen species were found, representing seven families and 12 genera (Xestoleberis, Loxoconcha, Callistocythere, Leptocythere, Dameriacella, Aurila, Heliocythere, Pachycaudites, Neonesidea, Cyamocytheridea, ?Quadracythere and Paracypris). Among the identified species, one new species, Leptocythere azorica n. sp., is described. Loxoconcha (two species) was the most diversified genus. The collected species are mainly ornamented and typical of warm waters and epi-neritic habitats (～ 10–50 m of depth).     

A review of the genusChironomus (Diptera,Chironomidae)

Two cytologically distinguishable species have been found in material ofChironomus australis. These species have been calledCh. australis andCh. duplex. Both belong to thepseudothummi-cytological grouping because they have the chromosome arm combinations AE, BF, CD, G.Ch. duplex shows a modified arm pattern due to a tandem fusion of arm G to arm E.—The banding patterns of the polytene chromosomes of the two species are compared to each other and to the Australian standard species,Ch. oppositus. Ch. australis is very close cytologically toCh. oppositus, whileCh. duplex, which is considered a derived species because of the tandem fusion, shows a number of inversion differences from the morphologically similarCh. australis. Ch. duplex is polymorphic for six inversions, four of which are simple inversions, the other two are complex involving also the transposition of some bands.Ch. australis appears to be monomorphic.     

Confirmation of identity ofPleurotus abalonus withPleurotus cystidiosus by scanning electron microscopy of anamorphs

A species ofPleurotus cultivated on a commercial scale in Taiwan was described asP. abalonus Han, Chen etCheng. However, both cultures and fruiting bodies, when compared with those ofP. cystidiosus O.K. Miller, were found to be identical. Since in cultures of these two species a very rare type of anamorphs — the coremia—appears, we studied this phenomenon by scanning electron microscopy and found no difference in morphogenesis of anamorphs of the organisms kept under the two names. This contributes to the opinion thatP.abalonus is not a new species and it should be considered asP.cystidiosus. Similar vague examples in thePleurotus ostreatus complex that call for an application of a new approach in identification are pointed out.     

ThePulmonaria dacica group: Its affinities with central and south-east European allies and with the genusParaskevia (Boraginaceae)

Comparative morphological, karyological and chorological studies prove the distinctness of the SE European and Asiatic populations ofPulmonaria mollis s.l., to be treated asP. dacica (Figs. 4, 5).P. mollis s.str. is interpreted as a relatively young taxon, which probably has evolved from an older stock ofP. dacica ancestors during the Pleistocene (Figs. 6, 8) and might have migrated, perhaps with oak woodland communities, from SE to C. Europe. A similar evolution can be postulated for S—SE European dysploidP. rubra-carnica-stiriaca-vallarsae group; this may have involved still unknown tetraploids (P. carnica?, Fig. 7). This group is linked via the hypertriploid speciesP. vallarsae with theP. saccharata group and at least the eastern species of theP. australis group. The monotypic genusParaskevia apparently marks the earliest divergence from the common Tertiary ancestral stock (Fig. 8). It exhibits a tetraploid chromosome number (2n = 28) but has preserved the most primitive characters. — Some comments on the systematics and nomenclature ofP. australis andParaskevia are added.