Bryophyte flora of Uganda. 3. Lophoziaceae

Abstract

We studied infraspecific morphological variation within European Dicranum majus Sm. A principal components analysis based on six leaf characters scored in 82 specimens revealed two distinct plant types. Plants with bistratose submarginal upper leaf lamina cells, numerous spine-like dorsal lamina projections, a costa that is dorsally rough far down and has two layers of guide cells in its basal part, and falcate or strongly falcate, long leaves are mainly of a relatively southern origin. Specimens with a unistratose, smooth upper leaf lamina, a costa that is dorsally rough only above and has one layer of guide cells, and with slightly curved to straight, short leaves were only collected in northern Europe. Even if most authors do not formally recognize variation within D. majus, our results suggest that the two kinds of plants should be recognized at least at the variety level. In view of the confusing nomenclature in Dicranum it is beyond the scope of this paper to find a name for the northern plant. Type material of D. majus var. orthophyllum A. Braun ex Milde, a name that was frequently used for northern North American plants, belongs to the southern phenotype.     

庐山蕨类植物区系研究

庐山共有蕨类植物39科87属247种(含变种、变型),其区系带有热带和温带双重性。其中鳞毛蕨科、水龙骨科、蹄盖蕨科、金星蕨科和铁角蕨科属种优势明显,共有38属160种,分别占总属数的43.7%和种数的64.8%,代表了该地区蕨类植物区系的一个重要特征。该区区系地理成分复杂,相互交错,其中热带性属占总属数的64.2%,温带性属占总属数的35.8%。东亚成分在该区系占有绝对优势,共有14属,占总属数的20.9%,中国特有属缺乏,特有种丰富,表明成分具有多样性并具有热带亲缘性,是亚热带向北温带的过渡地区。该区与井冈山、武夷山关系密切,与鼎湖山、秦岭和横断山关系疏远。     

Microbial flora of in-use soap products.

A comparison has been made of the in-use bacterial load of two bar soaps with and without antibacterials and two liquid soaps in five different locations over a 1-week period. Of the 25 samples taken from each soap, 92 to 96% of samples from bar soaps were culture positive as compared to 8% of those from liquid soaps. Bacterial populations ranged from 0 to 3.8 log CFU per sample for bar soaps and from 0 to 2.0 log CFU per sample for liquid soaps. The mean bacterial populations per sample were 1.96 and 2.47 log CFU for the two bar soaps, and 0.08 and 0.12 log CFU for the two liquid soaps. The difference in bacterial population between bar soaps and liquid soaps was statistically significant (P = 0.005). Staphylococcus aureus was isolated on three occasions from bar soaps but not from liquid soaps. S. aureus was isolated twice from the exterior of the plastic dispensers of liquid soap but not from the soap itself. Gram-negative bacteria were cultured only from soaps containing antibacterials. Bacterial populations on bar soaps were not high compared with bacterial populations on hands, and the flora was continually changing without evidence of a carrier state.     

Aerobic microbial flora of intertrigenous skin.

The incidence and density of intertrigenous microflora were determined in subjects using nonmedicated soap. The axilla, groin, toe web, and finger web were examined. The incidence of gram-negative rods was 17% for the axilla, 13% for the groin, 10% for the toe web, and 9% for the finger web. Klebsiella, Proteus, and Enterobacter were the predominant organisms, in that order. The highest incidence of Staphylococcus aureus was in the groin (12%) and toe web (11%). Lipophilic diphtheroids were the most prevalent bacteria in the groin (1.1 X 10(6)/cm2) and toe web (1.2 X 10(6)/cm2). Nonlipophilic diphtheroids were the predominant flora in the axilla (1.3 X 10(7)/cm. Micrococci had the highest counts in the toe web (7.6 X 10(5)/cm2). The incidence of coagulase-negative staphylococci was highest in the finger web, but the major flora were those of micrococci.     

A Bryophyte flora of Kent. I

Abstract

Gender expression and sporophyte frequency of Frullania tamarisci were compared between epiphytic woodland and exposed coastal colonies in an Atlantic region of western Britain. Corticolous colonies exhibited very high sporophyte frequency in mixed-sex colonies. Samples from well-grown epiphytic patches commonly had intimate mixtures of highly fertile female and male shoot networks, and fertilisation reduced gynoecia number. In marked contrast, colonies in exposed coastal habitats were found to be sub-fertile or non sex-expressing and sporophytes were rare. There was a distinct female bias among colonies on the coast where spatial segregation of the sexes and male scarcity appear to limit sporophyte frequency. It is suggested that the close association of males and sporophytic females in epiphytic colonies may be influenced by within-colony sporophyte frequency.     

A Bryophyte flora of Kent. II. Hepaticae

Abstract

The military training area on Salisbury Plain contains the largest area of chalk grassland in western Europe. The grassland swards, though relatively tall, are often rich in flowering plant species. The bryophyte flora of areas disturbed in five different ways (prehistoric earthworks, twentieth century rifle ranges, ant-hills, vehicle tracks and shell-holes) was compared to that of adjacent, relatively undisturbed grassland. There was no significant difference in bryophyte cover between quadrats on disturbed ground and the controls, but the disturbed sites supported more bryophyte species per quadrat. Of the 55 taxa recorded, 38 species were at least three times more frequent in the disturbed than the undisturbed sites, compared to four which were at least three times more frequent in the control sites. The species favouring disturbed conditions included several bryophytes characteristically associated with chalk soils in southern England, including some that fruit freely (e.g. Microbryum curvicollum, Tortula lanceola) and others that fruit very rarely (e.g. Abietinella abietina, Entodon concinnus). These results are discussed in relation to the conservation of bryophytes and other disturbance-tolerant and disturbance-dependent species on Salisbury Plain and in the wider context of the protection of the bryophytes of chalkland habitats.     

A Bryophyte flora of Cornwall. II. Sphagna

Abstract

The taxonomy of Anomobryum julaceum and allied species with axillary bulbils in Europe and Asia is reviewed. A. concinnatum is regarded as a distinct species, occurring in W. and C. Europe, SW., N. and C. Asia and N. America. A. bavaricum has often been confused with A. concinnatum, but differs in its more numerous, small, reddish bulbils and in leaf shape; it is known only from the European Alps. The Asian A. nitidum also has numerous small reddish bulbils but it differs from A. bavaricum in leaf shape and bulbil form. A lectotype is designated for A. nitidum, of which A. gemmigerum and other nominal taxa are regarded as synonyms. Information is presented on geographical ranges and habitats of the four valid species.     

Microbial flora on doctors' white coats.

OBJECTIVE--To determine the level and type of microbial contamination present on the white coats of doctors in order to assess the risk of transmission of pathogenic micro-organisms by this route in a hospital setting. DESIGN--Cross sectional survey of the bacterial contamination of white coats in a general hospital. SETTING--East Birmingham Hospital, an urban general hospital with 800 beds. SUBJECTS--100 doctors of different grades and specialties. RESULTS--The cuffs and pockets of the coats were the most highly contaminated areas. The level of bacterial contamination did not vary with the length of time a coat had been in use, but it increased with the degree of usage by the individual doctor. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from a quarter of the coats examined, more commonly from those belonging to doctors in surgical specialties than medical specialties. Pathogenic Gram negative bacilli and other pathogenic bacteria were not isolated. CONCLUSIONS--White coats are a potential source of cross infection, especially in surgical areas. Scrupulous hand washing should be observed before and after attending patients and it may be advisable to remove the white coat and put on a plastic apron before examining wounds. There is little microbiological reason for recommending a more frequent change of white coat than once a week, nor for excluding the wearing of white coats in non-clinical areas.     

Bdellovibrio and the intestinal flora of vertebrates.

Bdellovibrio strain MS7 force-fed to fish and frogs via an intragastric tube did not become an integral component of the intestinal microflora. Strain MS7 fed to mice in drinking water was not recovered from the intestinal tract of mice. However, in vitro, the organism multiplied in intestinal contents of frogs and mice. Bdellovibrio inoculated into rabbit ileal loops was greatly reduced in number within 24 h. It was concluded that strains MS7 could be considered nonpathogenic to animals, at least when introduced into the digestive tract, and that it is not feasible at the present time to lyse pathogenic, gram-negative bacteria in the alimentary tract with Bdellovibrio.     

Bdellovibrio and the intestinal flora of vertebrates.

Bdellovibrio strain MS7 force-fed to fish and frogs via an intragastric tube did not become an integral component of the intestinal microflora. Strain MS7 fed to mice in drinking water was not recovered from the intestinal tract of mice. However, in vitro, the organism multiplied in intestinal contents of frogs and mice. Bdellovibrio inoculated into rabbit ileal loops was greatly reduced in number within 24 h. It was concluded that strains MS7 could be considered nonpathogenic to animals, at least when introduced into the digestive tract, and that it is not feasible at the present time to lyse pathogenic, gram-negative bacteria in the alimentary tract with Bdellovibrio.     

Effect of intestinal flora on megaenteron of mice.

CF#1 germfree (GF) and conventional (CV) mice as well as offspring of conventionalized GF (GF-CV) mice were orally inoculated with Escherichia coli 0115a, c: K(B), a causative agent of megaenteron in mice. Although CV and GF mice showed no clinical signs and survived, all of the GF-CV mice died with diarrhea by day 14 after inoculation. Thickened wall of the large intestine, microscopically showing proliferation of crypt type cells, was seen in GF and GF-CV mice but not in CV mice. In addition, in GF-CV mice, hemorrhage and severe erosion with marked inflammatory reactions were observed. While the inoculated E. coli could not colonize in CV mice, a level of 10⁸ cells/g feces was maintained in GF mice from day 1 after inoculation to the end of examination (on day 28) and in GF-CV mice from day 5 to the time of death. Newly prepared germfree (GF-CV-GF) mice obtained hysterectomy from GF-CV mice showed a low sensitivity as comparable to that in GF mice. On the other hand, ex-germfree mice produced by oral administration of feces of GF-CV mice showed severe infection as comparable to that seen in GF-CV mice. These results suggest that the intestinal flora may play roles both on protecting from the infection of pathogenic E. coli and on enhancing the infection.     

Bacterial flora of the sea urchin Echinus esculentus.

A total of 85 isolates of mesophilic, aerobic, heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from the gut, peristomial membrane, and coelomic fluid from specimens of the sea urchin Echinus esculentus from the Clyde Sea area of Scotland. These isolates were compared with 26 isolates from sand and seawater in the same locality. Overall, strains of Pseudomonas and Vibrio predominated. Gut (with an average bacterial viable count of 2 X 10(7) per 3-cm section) and coelomic fluid (which was often sterile and rarely had more than 40 bacteria per ml) had similar distributions of genera, with Vibrio predominating and Pseudomonas and Aeromonas next in abundance. In contrast, the flora of the peristomial membrane (with an average count of detachable bacteria of 2.5 X 10(5) per membrane) resembled that of sand/seawater in having Pseudomonas predominating, gram-positive forms or Vibrio next in abundance, and smaller numbers of Aeromonas, Flavobacterium, Acinetobacter, and Moraxella.