Rhododendron aureum Georgi formed a special soil microbial community and competed with above‐ground plants on the tundra of the Changbai Mountain,China

Rhododendron aureum Georgi is a perennial evergreen dwarf shrub that grows at all elevations within the alpine tundra of northern China. Previous research has investigated the plant communities of R. aureum; however, little information is available regarding interspecific competition and underground soil microbial community composition. The objective of our study was to determine whether the presence of R. aureum creates a unique soil microbiome and to investigate the relationship between R. aureum and other plant species. Our study site ranged from 1,800 to 2,600 m above sea level on the northern slope of the Changbai Mountain. The results show that the soil from sites with an R. aureum community had a higher abundance of nitrogen‐fixing bacteria and a higher resistance to pathogens than soils from sites without R. aureum. We emphasize that R. aureum promotes a unique soil microbial community structure that is distinct from those associated with other plants. Elevation and microbial biomass were the main influencing factors for plant community structure. Analysis of interspecific relationships reveals that R. aureum is negatively associated with most other dominant shrubs and herbs, suggesting interspecific competition. It is necessary to focus on other dominant species if protection and restoration of the R. aureum competition is to occur. In the future, more is needed to prove whether R. aureum decreases species diversity in the tundra ecosystems of Changbai Mountain.     

长白山苔原带凋落物生态化学计量特征及其对模拟氮沉降的响应

长白山苔原是我国乃至欧亚大陆东部独有的高山苔原,根据前人调查植被以灌木苔原为主要类型。在全球变暖背景下,近30年来,长白山岳桦林下的草本植物侵入苔原带,原生灌木苔原分化为灌木苔原、灌草苔原和草本苔原,形成了灌木、灌草混合和草本3种不同类型的凋落物,凋落物数量和质量发生显著改变。与此同时长白山苔原氮沉降量也在逐年增加,导致了土壤中氮的累积,势必影响凋落物的分解。凋落物作为连接植物和土壤的纽带,其分解过程中碳（C）、氮（N）、磷（P）等化学组分和化学计量比的变化直接和间接影响着土壤养分有效性和植物养分利用策略。为揭示氮沉降增加对长白山苔原带不同类型凋落物化学组分及生态化学计量特征早期变化的影响,开展了为期8个月的模拟氮沉降室内凋落物分解实验。在苔原带采集灌木优势种牛皮杜鹃和草本优势种小叶章的凋落物带回实验室,模拟灌木牛皮杜鹃群落、灌草混合的牛皮杜鹃-小叶章群落和草本小叶章群落的3种不同类型凋落物,设置三个施氮处理：对照（CK,0 g N m^-2 a^-1）、低氮（LN,10 g N m^-2 a^-1）、高氮（HN,20 g N m^-2 a^-1）。研究表明：（1）不施氮处理时,3种凋落物的C、P均呈释放状态,木质素（Li）呈先累积再略有降解趋势;牛皮杜鹃凋落物的N元素富集而其余两种凋落物N元素呈释放状态;灌草混合和草本凋落物比原生的灌木凋落物C和N元素释放快、Li累积少;而灌木凋落物的P释放略快于灌草和草本凋落物。3种植被类型凋落物的C/N、C/P、Li/N大小表现为：牛皮杜鹃凋落物>牛皮杜鹃-小叶章混生群落凋落物>小叶章凋落物;N/P表现为：小叶章凋落物>牛皮杜鹃凋落物>牛皮杜鹃-小叶章混生群落凋落物。（2）氮沉降促进3种类型凋落物分解过程中C、N和P化学组分的释放,且氮浓度越高促进作用越显著。在牛皮杜鹃凋落物分解过程中,氮素添加到达某一阈值后,其C/N、C/P、N/P、Li/N的降幅最大,后续若再增加氮素,其对化学计量比的影响均会减弱;本实验中的氮素添加量增加促进了小叶章凋落物的C/N、Li/N下降。（3）草本植物入侵引起凋落物类型的变化带来凋落物分解加快,将导致长白山苔原带养分循环的变化;氮沉降增加对小叶章凋落物化学组分的释放及C/N、Li/N的下降更为促进,小叶章凋落物内难分解化合物减少,分解受到促进。高氮沉降加快了小叶章凋落物与土壤、草本植物之间的养分循环。因此,随着未来苔原带氮沉降量的增加,将更有利于小叶章在与牛皮杜鹃的竞争中获胜,使苔原带呈现草甸化趋势。     

THE DISTRIBUTION OF DICTYOSTELID CELLULAR SLIME MOLDS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH TAXONOMIC NOTES ON SELECTED SPECIES

The occurrence and distribution of Dictyostelid cellular slime molds in southern California were investigated by means of a clonal isolation technique that permitted quantitative sampling of populations. Thirteen species were isolated. These include (in approximate order of decreasing frequency): Dictyostelium rosarium Raper and Cavender, D. mucoroides Brefeld, D. sphaerocephalum (Oud.) Sacc. and March., D. aureum Olive, Polysphondylium pallidum Olive, D. minutum Raper, D. giganteum Singh, D. purpureum Olive, P. violaceum Brefeld, D. mucoroides variant, Acytostelium leptosomum Raper and Quinlan, D. polycephalum Raper, and a new species of Dictyostelium. D. rosarium and D. aureum, both rarely reported in the literature, were common and widespread. Trends in habitat preference of the Dictyostelids encountered are discussed. Selected taxonomic details are provided for D. rosarium, D. aureum and members of the “D. mucoroides complex“—D. mucoroides, D. sphaerocephalum, D. giganteum, and a D. mucoroides variant.     

Dexhowardia tetraspora: A new hyphomycete with possible basidiomycete affinity

Dexhowardia tetraspora gen. et sp. nov. was isolated as a contaminant in a culture received asSporotrichum aureum. It produces conidiophores which resemble those infrequently observed in conidial states ofFomitopsis annosus andF. insularis. Because it entirely lacks ampullate conidiophores, it cannot be considered congeneric withOedocephalum glomerulosum. A perfect state is unknown.

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Zusammenfassung Dexhowardia tetraspora gen. et sp. nov. war als ein Kontaminant in einer Kultur die alsSporotrichum aureum erhalten worden ist, isoliert. Sie bringt Konidiophoren hervor, die denen ähnlich sind, wie man sie in der Konidialform vonFomitopsis annosus undF. insularis selten beobachtet. Da sie blasenförmige Konidiophoren völlig missen läßt, kann sie mitOedocephalum glomerulosum nicht als congenerisch betrachtet werden. Status perfectus ist unbekannt.

     

DICTYOSTELIUM AUREO-STIPES AND DICTYOSTELIUM TENUE: NEW SPECIES OF THE DICTYOSTELIACEAE

Three new cellular slime molds, Dictyostelium aureo-stipes sp. n., D. aureo-stipes var. helvetium var. n. and D. tenue sp. n., are described which possess characteristics heretofore unrecorded in the Dictyosteliaceae. The two species are unlike in dimensions and complexity of form, yet show a number of features in common, and may in fact be closely related. D. aureo-stipes var. helvetium is relatively large and robust, forming multiple-branched fruiting bodies without the regularity of form found in Polysphondylium, yet tending toward symmetry when well-developed. The golden-yellow stipe is a distinguishing feature of D. aureo-stipes and is even more pronounced in var. helvetium. D. tenue is smaller and simpler in form. The degree of branching is much reduced, and oftentimes a solitary sorus terminates a delicate stipe composed of a single tier of cells. Both species are quite sensitive to environmental conditions, particularly temperature, for optimum development occurs within relatively narrow ranges.     

Phosphorylation of photosystem II core proteins prevents undesirable cleavage of D1 and contributes to the fine‐tuned repair of photosystem II

Photosystem II (PSII) is a primary target for light‐induced damage in photosynthetic protein complexes. To avoid photoinhibition, chloroplasts have evolved a repair cycle with efficient degradation of the PSII reaction center protein, D1, by the proteases FtsH and Deg. Earlier reports have described that phosphorylated D1 is a poor substrate for proteolysis, suggesting a mechanistic role for protein phosphorylation in PSII quality control, but its precise role remains elusive. STN8, a protein kinase, plays a central role in this phosphorylation process. To elucidate the relationship between phosphorylation of D1 and the protease function we assessed in this study the involvement of STN8, using Arabidopsis thaliana mutants lacking FtsH2 [yellow variegated2 (var2)] and Deg5/Deg8 (deg5 deg8). In support of our presumption we found that phosphorylation of D1 increased more in var2. Furthermore, the coexistence of var2 and stn8 was shown to recover the delay in degradation of D1, resulting in mitigation of the high vulnerability to photoinhibition of var2. Partial D1 cleavage fragments that depended on Deg proteases tended to increase, with concomitant accumulation of reactive oxygen species in the mutants lacking STN8. We inferred that the accelerated degradation of D1 in var2 stn8 presents a tradeoff in that it improved the repair of PSII but simultaneously enhanced oxidative stress. Together, these results suggest that PSII core phosphorylation prevents undesirable cleavage of D1 by Deg proteases, which causes cytotoxicity, thereby balancing efficient linear electron flow and photo‐oxidative damage. We propose that PSII core phosphorylation contributes to fine‐tuned degradation of D1.     

Identification of a rust fungus onPinus pumila collected in the North Kurils, Russia

Morphological examination and PCR-RFLP analysis of the D1/D2 region in nuclear LSU rDNA were carried out to identify a rust fungus onPinus pumila collected in the North Kurils, Russia. Morphologically, the rust from the North Kurils was similar toPeridermium kurilense andEndocronartium sahoanum var.hokkaidoense in the spore surface structure, dimension and shape. In the RFLPs of the D1/D2 region it was identical toE. sahoanum var.hokkaidoense andE. sahoanum var.sahoanum, but distinct fromCronartium ribicola. Therefore, the rust fungus onP. pumila collected in the North Kurils was identified asE. sahoanum var.hokkaidoense. It was also clarified that a rust reported previously asP. kurilense was also identical withE. sahoanum var.hokkaidoense.     

Chromosomal polymorphism in the yeast species Debaryomyces hansenii

Pulse field gel electrophoresis karyotypes of 41 strains of the genus Debaryomyces, including 35 strains confirmed as D. hansenii species by D1/D2 ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, were performed. Electrophoretic karyotypes of the 41 strains exhibited 4 to 10 chromosomal bands ranging between 0.7 Mb and 4.2 Mb. Among D. hansenii species, the patterns of strains obtained from the CBS collection and cheese isolates differed strongly from D. hansenii var. hansenii CBS767^T. Both D. hansenii var. hansenii and D. hansenii var. fabryii showed chromosome length polymorphism. Electrophoretic karyotypes of the D. hansenii strains were analyzed by Southern hybridization with various species-specific probes isolated from D. hansenii var. hansenii CBS767^T. Repeated sequences including the F01pro, M18pro, the Ty1-copia retrotransposon Tdh5 and hypothetical telomeric sequence hybridized to several chromosomal bands, while a D1/D2 probe derived from the large ribosomal sub-unit hybridized only to the largest chromosome. Unique probes such as those hybridizing to actin ACT1, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase GPD1 and β-glucosidase LAC4 encoding genes were assigned to specific chromosomal bands of D. hansenii var. hansenii CBS767^T. These probes failed to hybridize to D. hansenii var. fabryii strongly suggesting that strains of this variety actually represent a different taxon. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Chromosomal polymorphism in the yeast species Debaryomyces hansenii

Pulse field gel electrophoresis karyotypes of 41 strains of the genus Debaryomyces, including 35 strains confirmed as D. hansenii species by D1/D2 ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, were performed. Electrophoretic karyotypes of the 41 strains exhibited 4 to 10 chromosomal bands ranging between 0.7 Mb and 4.2 Mb. Among D. hansenii species, the patterns of strains obtained from the CBS collection and cheese isolates differed strongly from D. hansenii var. hansenii CBS767^T. Both D. hansenii var. hansenii and D. hansenii var. fabryii showed chromosome length polymorphism. Electrophoretic karyotypes of the D. hansenii strains were analyzed by Southern hybridization with various species-specific probes isolated from D. hansenii var. hansenii CBS767^T. Repeated sequences including the F01pro, M18pro, the Ty1-copia retrotransposon Tdh5 and hypothetical telomeric sequence hybridized to several chromosomal bands, while a D1/D2 probe derived from the large ribosomal sub-unit hybridized only to the largest chromosome. Unique probes such as those hybridizing to actin ACT1, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase GPD1 and β-glucosidase LAC4 encoding genes were assigned to specific chromosomal bands of D. hansenii var. hansenii CBS767^T. These probes failed to hybridize to D. hansenii var. fabryii strongly suggesting that strains of this variety actually represent a different taxon. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cytological and Reproductive Studies of Japanese Diplazium (Woodsiaceae; Pteridophyta). III. The Cytological Complexity of Species Groups with Simply Pinnate to Bipinnatifid Leaves

Diplazium with simply pinnate or bipinnatifid leaves. Diplazium wichurae var. wichurae, D. wichurae var. amabile, D. okudairae, and D. pin-faense are sexual diploids (2n=82; n=41II); D.× kidoi and D. × okudairaeoides are sterile diploids (2n= 82; meiosis irregular); D. donianum var. donianum is an apomictic triploid (2n=123; n=123II); D. donianum var. aphanoneuron is a sterile triploid (2n=123; meiosis irregular); D. crassiusculum, D. cavalerianum, D. incomptum, D. longicarpum, and D. pullingeri are sexual tetraploids (2n= 164; n=82II); and D. lobatum is an apomictic tetraploid (2n=164; n=164II). This is the first report of the chromosome numbers of D. lobatum, D. crassiusculum, D. incomptum, D. longicarpum, D. pullingeri, and D. × okudairaeoides, as well as the mitotic chromosome numbers of D. wichurae var. amabile, D. okudairae, D. pinfaense, and D. ×kidoi. The mitotic chromosome number, meiotic behavior, sterility, and allozyme analysis confirm that D. × kidoi and D. × okudairaeoides are hybrids between D. pin-faense and D. wichurae var. wichurae and D. okudairae and D. wichurae var. wichurae, respectively. Diplazium with simply pinnate to bipinnatifid leaves displayed an extraordinary cytological and reproductive complexity: a polyploidal series with diploids to hexaploids, sexual and apomictic reproduction, and natural hybridization. Received 14 August 2001/ Accepted in revised form 1 October 2001     

中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(十四):光序翠雀花二新异名

广布于中国-喜马拉雅地区的毛茛科光序翠雀花（Delphinium kamaonense Huth）在我国甘肃、青海、四川和西藏具有相当连续的分布区,在分布区内颇为常见,几为杂草。通过标本室和野外观察,发现根据西藏波密、察隅标本描述的展毛光序翠雀花[D. kamaonense var. glabrescens（W. T. Wang）W. T. Wang]和根据西藏类乌齐标本描述的倒心形翠雀花（D. obcordatilimbum W. T. Wang）与光序翠雀花没有本质区别,故将二者均处理为光序翠雀花的异名。     

On the morphology and life-history of a form of gloeocapsa showing some new stages

Summary A new variety of Gloeocapsa, G. crepidinum Thuret var. ghazipurensis n. var., has been isolated from enrichment cultures of paddy field soils of Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, India. The alga has been studied in detail. The form is especially interesting since it showed certain growth-stages recorded in G. alpina Naeg.The authors are thankful to Rev. Dr. H. Santapau for rendering the Latin diagnosis of the new variety.     

中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(三):拟澜沧翠雀花、磨顶山翠雀花和粗距蓝翠雀花的名实订正(英文)

通过标本室和野外观察,发现根据云南西北部德钦标本描述的拟澜沧翠雀花(Delphinium pseudothibeticum W.T.WangM.J.Warnock)与同样根据德钦标本描述的短角萼翠雀花(D.ceratophorum Franch.var.brevicorniculatum W.T.Wang)属于同一植物,故将前者处理为后者的异名;而根据德钦标本描述的磨顶山("磨顶"应为德钦县羊拉乡茂顶,故"磨顶山"实应为"茂顶山")翠雀花(D.motingshanicum W.T.WangM.J.Warnock)和粗距蓝翠雀花(D.caeruleum Jacq.ex Camb.var.crassicalcaratum W.T.WangM.J.Warnock)均与云南西北部颇为常见的宽距翠雀花(D.beesianum W.W.Smith)属于同一植物(磨顶山翠雀花为宽距翠雀花的高大个体),故将磨顶山翠雀花和粗距蓝翠雀花均处理为宽距翠雀花的异名。     

El género Perinereis (Annelida,Polychaeta, Nereidae) en Chile

The present work is a systematic study of the species oí Perinereis in Chile. A new species, P. longidonta n.sp. is described.

The characterizations were based on material collected by the authors (P. falklandica, P. longidonta n.sp., P. nuntia var. vallata) and specimens deposited in the U.S. National Museum, Smithsonian Institution, collected in Easter Island and Juan Fernández archipelago (P. helleri, P. camiguinoides). The characterization of P. pseudocamiguina is taken from the literature, since specimens were not available. P. gualpensis Jeldes 1963 is probably related to P. nuntia var. vallata but it was not possible to compare them due to lack of material.

A key for the 6 valid species of Perinereis in Chile is included: P. camiguinoides, P. falklandica, P. helleri, P. longidonta n.sp., P. nuntia var. vallata, and P. pseudocamiguina.     

Cytological and Reproductive Studies on Japanese Diplazium (Woodsiaceae; Pteridophyta): Apomictic Reproduction in Diplazium with Evergreen Bi- to Tripinnate Leaves

Diplazium , including polymorphic terrestrial species with evergreen bi- to tripinnate leaves. Diplazium hachijoense, D. virescens var. virescens, var. conterminum, var. okinawaense, and two other unnamed varieties, D. kawakamii var. kawakamii, D. dilatatum var. heterolepia, D. taiwanense, D. × kawabatae (=D. dilatatum × taiwanense), D. × takii (=D. hachijoense × virescens var. virescens), and D.× nakamurae (= D. hachijoense × virescens var. conterminum) are apomictic triploids (2n=n=123). Diplazium amamianum and D. esculentum are sexual diploids (2n=82, n=41) and D. subtripinnatum is a sexual tetraploid (2n= 164, n=82). Diplazium dilatatum var. dilatatum includes both sexual diploid and apomictic triploid populations. Cultivated gametophytes of six triploid taxa produced sporophytes apogamously, confirming their apomictic reproduction. All three putative hybrids, D. × kawabatae, D. × takii, and D. × nakamurae, are triploid, apomictic, and fertile taxa, therefore they are not the result of hybridization between known pairs of Japanese Diplazium plants. Received 16 March 1999/ Accepted in revised form 30 September 1999     

Phylogenetic analysis of ITS2 sequences suggests the taxonomic re‐structuring of Dunaliella viridis (Chlorophyceae,Dunaliellales)

We analyzed the ITS2 primary and secondary structure (including Compensatory Base Changes (CBCs)) of 17 new Dunaliella strains (11 D. viridis, two D. tertiolecta, and four Dunaliella sp.), and compared these with other Dunaliella sequences available from the ITS2 database to circumscribe their taxonomic position. The ITS2 primary and secondary structure analysis positioned the majority of D. viridis strains in four main clades, showing that D. viridis is polyphyletic. The detection of at least one CBC among these clades strongly suggests that they could correspond to different biological species. Unexpectedly, while D. viridis var. euchlora (CCAP19/21) was positioned within the subgenus Dunaliella, D. viridis var. palmelloides (CCAP11/34) was positioned clearly outside this subgenus, suggesting that this taxon may not be properly placed in Dunaliella. Furthermore, the detection of at least three compensatory base changes (CBCs) between D. viridis var. palmelloides (CCAP11/34) and the other strains analyzed, confirm that this strain is a different species. For these reasons we propose re‐naming D. viridis var. palmelloides (CCAP11/34) to incertae sedis, and D. viridis var. euchlora (CCAP19/21) to Dunaliella sp. Therefore, the ITS2 primary and secondary structure data suggest a taxonomic re‐structuring of D. viridis.     

Serological Distinctness of Bromus pseudosecalinus P. SMITH sp. nov.

Immunoelectrophoretic studies of the seed proteins of material provisionally referred to B. secalinus var. or f. hirsutus have revealed that it is serologically distinct from B. secalinus. The plant has many of the characters of B. secalinus fitting that species to life as a contaminant of cereal fields, but the floret and seed sizes are much smaller, and the sheaths are normally hairy. In Britain the plant appears to contaminate small-seeded pasture grasses which are sown on roadsides. The chromosome number of this plant is 2n = 14, unlike typical B. secalinus which has 2n = 28. The plant seems to be introduced in Britain, but its native distribution is not known. In view of its distinctive morphology and its serological difference from B. secalinus and other bromes, it is proposed to name it as a new species: Bromus pseudosecalinus P. SMITH sp. nov.     

Karyotypes of metaphase chromosomes in diploid populations of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Dendranthema zawadskii</Emphasis> and related species (Asteraceae) from Korea: diversity and evolutionary implications

Although the Dendranthema zawadskii complex has been known to comprise a series of polyploids (4×, 6×, 8×), we found diploid individuals (with 2n=18) to occur in four populations of D. zawadskii var. latilobum in the southern region of Korea. Karyotypes of metaphase chromosomes were diverse because numbers of metacentric, submetacentric, and acrocentric chromosomes differ even within a population. A total of 17 karyotypes were found in 31 diploid individuals collected from the four populations. The karyotypes were also diverse in the presence or absence of chromosomes with a secondary constriction on a short or long arm and, if present, in the number of such chromosomes. They were further diverse in the presence or absence of non-homologous chromosome(s), the presence or absence of a chromosome with a satellite, and, if present, how many and where satellites are present. Almost the same pattern of diversity was found in diploid individuals (with 2n=18) of D. boreale and D. indicum as well, irrespective of whether they occur together with D. zawadskii var. latilobum or not. Structural features of chromosomes in the variously different karyotypes suggest that reciprocal translocation and the hybridization between individuals with different karyotypes had repeatedly occurred not only in D. zawadskii var. latilobum, but also in D. boreale and D. indicum. Morphologically intermediate individuals between D. zawadskii var. latilobum and D. indicum suggests that the hybridization occur with different species as well. Electronic Publication     

Comparative analysis of chloroplast DNA variability in wild and cultivated<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Citrullus</Emphasis> species

PCR amplification and restriction site analysis of chloroplast (cp) DNA regions was used to detect inter- and intraspecific differences in the genus Citrullus. More than 55 C. lanatus and 15 C. colocynthis accessions collected from diverse geographical areas, C. ecirrhosus and C. rehmii were used. Most of the cpDNA variation within Citrullus was the result of large indels and transitions and transversions. Indels at the ndhA, trnS-trnfM and trnC-trnD regions and several substitutions at restriction enzyme sites can be used to separate C. colocynthis from the other Citrullus species. A nucleotide substitution at a restriction enzyme site at the 3 flanking region of ndhF provided a diagnostic haplotype for C. lanatus var. lanatus, the cultivated watermelon. Similarly, a nucleotide substitution at an intergenic spacer region of the trnC-trnD region resulted in a diagnostic haplotype for citron, C. lanatus var. citroides. Several C. lanatus var. citroides accessions showed the var. lanatus haplotype. C. rehmii showed almost the same haplotype as C. lanatus var. citroides with the exception of a unique insertion at a cpSSR site. Since C. ecirrhosus lacks the derived diagnostic nucleotide substitutions of C. lanatus, it is probably the progenitor of the cultivated watermelon. Intraspecific haplotypes detected within C. colocynthis were associated with geographic origin.Communicated by J. Dvorak     

Pollination biology of Lilium japonicum var. abeanum and var. japonicum: evidence of adaptation to the different availability of diurnal and nocturnal pollinators

Floral traits such as color and size are highly diversified in lilies, but their adaptive significance remains uncertain. In the present study, we compared pollination processes between Lilium japonicum var. abeanum and var. japonicum to clarify how the two varieties are adapted to different pollinators. Lilium japonicum var. japonicum is known to be pollinated by moths, and we hypothesized from its flower traits that var. abeanum is pollinated by diurnal insects. Using waterproof digital cameras set to a recording interval of 10–30 s, we recorded flower visitors for 7–9 flowers of var. japonicum and 4–6 flowers of var. abeanum over 24‐h periods. We also recorded the number of versatile (T‐shaped) and rigid (I‐shaped) anthers per flower. For var. abeanum, we observed flowers at 05.00 and 17.00 hours to determine flower opening time and measured the intensity of floral scent using a metal‐oxide semi‐conductor odor sensor. Both diurnal and nocturnal insects visited flowers of the two varieties, but visitation of diurnal insects was more frequent in var. abeanum. Anthers of var. abeanum are usually rigid, as in many bee‐pollinated flowers, whereas those of var. japonicum are mostly versatile. Although flowers of var. japonicum are known to open in the evening, 32% of the flowers of var. abeanum started to flower during the day. Lilium japonicum var. abeanum emitted scent at night, with a maximum intensity at 20.00 hours, just as in var. japonicum. These findings suggest that the floral traits of the two varieties are adapted to the different relative availabilities of nocturnal versus diurnal pollinators. The flower of var. abeanum is more adapted to diurnal pollinators, but retains adaptations to nocturnal pollinators, particularly with regard to its scent.