Allozyme variation and genetic relationships among species in the Carex willdenowii complex (Cyperaceae)

A taxonomic study by Naczi, Reznicek, and Ford (American Journal of Botany, 85, 434-447, 1998) has determined that three species (Carex willdenowii, C. basiantha, and C. superata) can be recognized within the C. willdenowii complex. To determine the amount of genetic divergence within and between these species, allozyme analyses were conducted on 14 populations distributed from Pennsylvania to eastern Texas. Seventeen loci were surveyed, 13 of which were polymorphic, with all populations being polymorphic at one or more loci. Interspecific genetic identities ranged from 0.560 (C. willdenowii and C. basiantha) to 0.807 (C. basiantha and C. superata). Alleles for the isozymes Aat-1, Dia-1, Idh-2, Mdh-2, Per-1, Pgm-1, and Pgm-2 served to distinguish C. willdenowii from C. basiantha and C. superata. Carex basiantha and C. superata were recognized by alleles of Mdh-2, Pgm-1, and Tpi-2. The genetic identities of populations within species were high and exceeded 0.957. A caespitose growth habit and perigynia in close proximity to the staminate flowers suggest adaptations for selfing and therefore low levels of heterozygosity. Paradoxically, the values for expected heterozygosities (Hexp) were always lower than those obtained by direct count (Hobs): F values were highly negative, indicating heterozygous excess. Disassortative mating and selection are discussed as possible mechanisms for maintaining heterozygous excess within populations.     

A new species of Carex section Ovales (Cyperaceae) occurring in the Ozark Mountain region

Carex ozarkana, a new species from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and extreme northeasternmost Texas is described and illustrated. It is a distinctive regional endemic of mineral soil wetlands most similar to the widespreadCarex albolutescens andC. longii but differing in its elongate, nodding inflorescences (on robust plants), prominently clavate spikes with elongate staminate bases, reddish brown pistillate and staminate scales, and wider achenes with a long apiculum.     

Carex yandangshanica sp. nov. (Cyperaceae; C. sect. Rhomboidales) from Zhejiang,China

Carex yandangshanica C. Z. Zheng & X. F. Jin, a new species of Carex sect. Rhomboidales Kükenth. from Zhejiang, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to C. thibetica Franch. and C. brevicuspis C. B. Clarke, but differs from the former by having trabeculate leaves, pistillate spikes with 6–10 staminate flowers or without staminate flower at the apex, and achenes at apex contracted into a slightly curved beak, and from the latter by having lateral culms, trabeculate leaves, and elliptic, rubiginous and awned pistillate scales. SEM microphotographs of perigynia and achenes are provided for the new species and related taxa.     

中国莎草科新记录种对马薹草及其与近缘种的比较研究

报道了中国莎草科薹草属一新记录种：对马薹草（Carex tsushimensis（Ohwi）Ohwi）。该种现知分布于日本九州的对马岛和中国浙江省遂昌县的九龙山国家级自然保护区,生长于林下水沟边。根据小坚果先端具僧帽状膨大的环盘特征,对马薹草属于灰帽薹草组（sect.Mitratae）,形态接近中华薹草（C.chinensis）、伴生薹草（C.sociata）和龙奇薹草（C.longkiensis）。对马薹草与伴生薹草最为近缘,区别主要在于前者叶片宽2~4 mm,小穗较少,4或5个,顶生雄小穗与其下的侧生小穗稍疏远,雌花鳞片先端延伸成长约3 mm的粗糙长芒。     

Carex damiaoshanensis X. F. Jin & C. Z. Zheng,a new species of Cyperaceae from Guangxi,China

Carex damiaoshanensis X. F. Jin & C. Z. Zheng, a new species of Cyperaceae from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. This new species resembles C. scaposa C. B. Clarke in its arundinaceous leaves and spikes arranged in a compound panicle, but differs from the latter in having glabrous culms, cauline leaves, and rachises of secondary inflorescences, panicle with fewer secondary inflorescences, and spikes with sparse pistillate flowers. Micromorphology of culms, cauline leaves, peduncles of secondary inflorescences, and achenes under SEM supports the recognition of this new species as well.     

中国广西薹草属(莎草科)一新种——大苗山薹草

描述了我国广西大苗山莎草科Cyperaceae一新种——大苗山薹草Carex damiaoshanensis X. F. Jin ＆ C. Z. Zheng。本种形态上与花葶薹草C. scaposa C. B. Clarke接近, 区别主要在秆、秆生叶和支花序轴均无毛, 支花序数较少, 小穗疏生雌花。对秆、支花序梗、秆生叶和小坚果扫描电镜观察也显示了这二者的区别。     

Carex fumosimontana (Cyperaceae), a new endemic from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

Carex fumosimontana (Great Smoky Mountain Sedge), a new and narrowly endemic species of section Phacocystis, is described from the southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. It differs from the closely related C. gynandra in its dark reddish-brown pistillate scales that are strongly retuse apically, shorter spikes, narrower leaves, and strongly red-scabrous proximal sheath faces. It is locally abundant and sometimes the dominant sedge where it occurs in spite of being completely restricted to high-elevation spruce-fir forests and associated environs of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.     

Monograph of Carex section Schiedeanae (Cyperaceae): Unexpected taxonomic and ecological diversity in a Mexican sedge clade

Carex section Schiedeanae (subg. Euthyceras) has long been thought to comprise at most five species of Mexican sedges. Our morphological studies in the field and herbarium, however, supported by more recent DNA sequencing work, demonstrate that the section is, in fact, three times as species-rich, making it one of the largest sections in Mexico. Its 15 species range from Chihuahua to Tamaulipas south to Veracruz and Oaxaca; a single species, Carex muriculata, extends into the United States. The section has unusual inflorescences with simple (except in Carex complexa), uniformly androgynous, sessile spikes, utriculiform cladoprophylls, and perigynia with a unique combination of pubescence types composed of papillae; unicellular, simple hairs; and (in many species) multicellular tubercles. We recognize five previously described species (C. muriculata,Carex perstricta,Carex schiedeana, Carex stellata, and Carex vizarronensis) and describe 10 additional species (Carex angustilepis, Carex cabralii, Carex complexa, Carex dentata, Carex gypsophila, Carex mesophila, Carex paneroi, Carex planilamina, Carex revoluta, and Carex tehuacana). We have expanded the morphological features used in the section to include particularly anther, staminate scale, and style features, and more detailed micromorphology of the perigynia, especially indumentum. In total, 13 of the 15 species recognized herein, with a total of 32 individuals, were examined for ETS and ITS for phylogenetic reconstruction. Phylogenetically, the xeric species (plus C. paneroi) form a grade leading to a clade of the more mesophytic species adapted to forest understories, plus the unique cliff dwelling C. complexa.     

Carex zhejiangensis sp. nov. (Cyperaceae) from Zhejiang,eastern China

Carex zhejiangensis X. F. Jin, Y. J. Zhao, C. Z. Zheng & H. W. Zhang, a new species of Carex sect. Rhomboidales sensu Kükenthal (Cyperaceae) from Zhejiang, eastern China, is described with illustrations. This new species is morphologically similar to C. filipes and C. macroglossa. Compared to C. filipes, C. zhejiangensis has elongated rhizomes, scattered culms, rather densely flowered pistillate spikes, achenes shortly stipitate at the base, and styles erect at the base. In contrast, C. filipes has short rhizomes, caespitose culms, sparsely flowered pistillate spikes, achenes obscurely stipitate at the base, and styles curved at the base. C. zhejiangensis differs from C. macroglossa by having elongated rhizomes and scattered culms, pistillate scales awned at apex, and perigynia contracted to a narrowly infundibuliform beak at apex. Diagnostic morphological characters, which are based upon population sampling, were analyzed in Carex zhejiangensis sp. nov., C. filipes and C. macroglossa.     

Carex yunyiana sp. nov. (Cyperaceae) from Zhejiang, China

Carex yunyiana X. F. Jin & C. Z. Zheng, a new species of Carex L. (Cyperaceae) is described from Zhejiang, eastern China. The new species has solitary, terminal, androgynous spikes, pale green pistillate glumes, 3 stigmas, and belongs to Carex subgen. Carex sect. Rhizopodae . It is allied to C. densicaepitosa , which only grows in the Longsheng County of Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region. However, it differs in having perigynia compressed–trigonous, obovoid, and acutely constricted to a short beak, while the achenes are loosely enveloped, broadly obovoid, trigonous or quadrangular, excavated on lateral surfaces, and evidently stipitate at base. A key to the species of Carex sect. Rhizopodae and a map showing their distribution is also provided.     

Leaf flushing during the dry season: the paradox of Asian monsoon forests

Aim Most deciduous species of dry monsoon forests in Thailand and India form new leaves 1–2 months before the first monsoon rains, during the hottest and driest part of the year around the spring equinox. Here we identify the proximate causes of this characteristic and counterintuitive ‘spring‐flushing’ of monsoon forest trees. Location Trees of 20 species were observed in semi‐deciduous dry monsoon forests of northern Thailand with a 5–6‐month‐long severe dry season and annual rainfall of 800–1500 mm. They were growing on dry ridges (dipterocarp–oak forest) or in moist gullies (mixed deciduous–evergreen forest) at 680–750 m altitude near Chiang Mai and in a dry lowland stand of Shorea siamensis in Uthai Thani province. Methods Two novel methods were developed to analyse temporal and spatial variation in vegetative dry‐season phenology indicative of differences in root access to subsoil water reserves. Results Evergreen and leaf exchanging species at cool, moist sites leafed soon after partial leaf shedding in January–February. Drought‐resistant dipterocarp species were evergreen at moist sites, deciduous at dry sites, and trees leafed soon after leaf shedding whenever subsoil water was available. Synchronous spring flushing of deciduous species around the spring equinox, as induced by increasing daylength, was common in Thailand's dipterocarp–oak forest and appears to be prevalent in Indian dry monsoon forests of the Deccan peninsula with its deep, water‐storing soils. Main conclusions In all observed species leafing during the dry season relied on subsoil water reserves, which buffer trees against prolonged climatic drought. Implicitly, rainfall periodicity, i.e. climate, is not the principal determinant of vegetative tree phenology. The establishment of new foliage before the summer rains is likely to optimize photosynthetic gain in dry monsoon forests with a relatively short, wet growing season.     

浙江薹草属（莎草科）一新种——近头状薹草

报道了浙江薹草属一新种,即近头状薹草Carex subcapitata X.F.Jin,C.Z.Zheng&B.Y.Ding。新种以秆侧生,叶片狭,小穗1-2个生于各节及小穗雄雌顺序,而与大舌薹草C.grandiligulata K kenth.相近,区别在于苞鞘无毛,小穗宽卵形,近头状,长5-7mm,具4-7 朵雌花,雌花鳞片近卵形,果囊的喙长1.5-2mm。     

Germination and establishment of forest sedges (Carex, Cyperaceae): tests for home-site advantage and effects of leaf litter

We investigated aspects of germination and seedling establishment that might influence the distribution and diversity of Carex species growing in the forest understory. We tested the ability of Carex communis and C. platyphylla to germinate and establish at plots where adult individuals of one of these two species, or one of two other Carex species (C. backii and C. plantaginea), occurred in an old-growth forest in southern Québec, Canada. We also tested for effects of leaf litter on germination and establishment of these sedges. From a series of experiments in the field and in a lath house, we found no evidence of home-site advantage with respect to germination or seedling establishment. Leaf litter had a negative effect on germination and establishment. The results emphasize the importance of dispersal and colonization events in determining local diversity and distribution of Carex species in upland forests. High frequency of occurrence of C. communis at our study site may result from relatively wide dispersal provided by ants, and a suite of traits associated with ant dispersal in some understory Carex species.     

Carex jianfengensis (Carex sect. Rhomboidales,Cyperaceae), a New Species from Hainan,China

A new species of Carex sect. Rhomboidales, C. jianfengensis, is described and illustrated from Hainan, China. The new species is similar to C. zunyiensis but differs in having involucral bracts sparsely hispid and with ca.1 cm long sheaths; inflorescence with 4 spikes, terminal spike ca. 2.5 cm long, lateral spikes 2–3.5 × 0.7–1 cm; staminate glumes narrowly ovate, ca. 5 mm; pistillate glumes triangular-lanceolate, 5–7 mm; perigynia 6–8 × 3 mm and pubescent on veins; nutlet 4–5 mm long, rhombic-ovoid, trigonous, base with shortly stipitate, apex abruptly contracted into a erect short beak, and not expanding into an annulate orifice.     

Carex subcapitata，a new species of the Cyperaceae from Zhejiang，China

Carex subcapitata X.F.Jin,C.Z.Zheng&B.Y.Ding,a new species of Cyperaceae from Zhejiang,China,is described and illustrated.It is related to C.grandiligulata K kenth.in having lateral culms,narrow leaves,spikelets androgynous,1-2arising from each node,but d     

Carex nodosa (Cyperaceae), a new species of C. sect. Occlusae from southwest China

Carex nodosa (Cyperaceae), a new species from Chongqing and Sichuan, southwest China, is described and illustrated. The new species resembles C. hebecarpa C. A. Mey., but differs in having sheath‐like bracts, 4.0–7.5 cm long male spikes, oblanceolate 7.1–8.6 mm long male scales, and perigynia that are glabrous except for ciliate beaks.     

中国薹草属二柱薹草亚属（莎草科）增补

报道了发现于新疆布尔津的一个中国新记录种——卵形薹草Carex leporina L.,提供了其形态描述和线描图。该种因具有雌雄顺序的小穗和鳞片状的苞片而与卵果薹草C. maackii Maxim.近缘,但花序较短、小穗较少而与后者不同。这两种植物隶属于薹草属二柱薹草亚属卵形薹草组subgen. Vignea sect. Ovales。     

Numerical analysis of morphology of natural hybrids between Carex hostiana and the members of Carex flava agg. (Cyperaceae)

Uni‐variate and multi‐variate statistical methods, based on data taken from dried specimens, were used to determine the morphological variance of Carex hostiana 3 Carex flava agg. hybrids and to establish their parents among members of the C. flava complex. The following hybrids were found: C. demissa 3 hostiana [C. 3 fulva], C. hostiana 3 lepidocarpa [C. ×leutzii] and C. flava 3 hostiana [C. 3 xanthocarpa]. The least variable traits, namely beak length, utricle length, ratio of beak length to the overall utricle length, female spike width, and width of the lowest bract, proved to be the most useful in delimiting the hybrids. Carex flava 3 hostiana specimens usually have long utricles and beaks, wide male and female spikes, as well as wide bracts and leaf blades. Carex hostiana 3 lepidocarpa specimens are characterized by relatively short beaks (with low ratio of beak length to the overall utricle length) and narrow bracts. Common features of C. demissa 3 hostiana specimens, on the other hand, are male spikes with long peduncles, usually longly parted female spikes and a long beak compared to the overall utricle length.     

中国莎草科一新记录种——菊芳薹草

报道了中国莎草科(Cyperaceae)薹草属一新记录种——菊芳薹草(Carex trongii K.K.Nguyen)。该种分布于我国广西与越南交界地区的石灰岩地区。菊芳薹草与宽叶薹草组(Carex sect.Siderostictae Ohwi)的种类在形态上近似,但以秆中生和果囊密被糙毛而易于区别。提供了菊芳薹草的形态描述和线条图。     

The intermediate disturbance hypothesis applies to tropical forests, but disturbance contributes little to tree diversity

The intermediate disturbance hypothesis (IDH) predicts local species diversity to be maximal at an intermediate level of disturbance. Developed to explain species maintenance and diversity patterns in species-rich ecosystems such as tropical forests, tests of IDH in tropical forest remain scarce, small-scale and contentious. We use an unprecedented large-scale dataset (2504 one-hectare plots and 331 567 trees) to examine whether IDH explains tree diversity variation within wet, moist and dry tropical forests, and we analyse the underlying mechanism by determining responses within functional species groups. We find that disturbance explains more variation in diversity of dry than wet tropical forests. Pioneer species numbers increase with disturbance, shade-tolerant species decrease and intermediate species are indifferent. While diversity indeed peaks at intermediate disturbance levels little variation is explained outside dry forests, and disturbance is less important for species richness patterns in wet tropical rain forests than previously thought.