A new species of Allium (Liliaceae)

Allium stoloniferum, a new species from southern Mexico, belongs to theA. kunthii alliance on the basis of the appearance of the perianth segments and the presence of long slender rhizomes, but differs by the presence of bulbils.     

中国郁金香属一新种

皖郁金香 新种 图1Tulipa anhuiensis X. S. Sheng, sp. nov. TYPE: Anhui (安徽),Qianshan county (潜山县),Tianzhu Mount.(天柱山),alt. 1000-1200 m, 1998-04-01, Shen Xian-sheng 98006 (holotype, PE). Fig. 1.A T. erythronioide Baker tepalis lanceolatis, antheris purpurascentibus, stylo 1-2 mm longo, stigmate oblique truncato differt.Herba perennis , 10-15 cm alta; bulbi ovoidei. Caulis singulus, simplex. Folia 2, opposita, oblanceolata glabra crassa, 10~15 cm longa, 1-1.5 cm lata, integra apice…     

Morphologic and AFLP analysis of relationships between tulip species Tulipa biebersteiniana (Liliaceae)

In populations of four species of tulips (Tulipa biebersteiniana, T. patens, T. scytica and T. riparia) from the Volgograd, Kurgansk, Orenburg, and Chelyabinsk regions and the Republic of Bashkortostan, genetic diversity was studied by means of morphological and AFLP analysis. A morphological analysis of seven quantitative and two qualitative criteria was carried out. Three selective EcoRI/MseI primer pairs allowed one to genotype 81 individuals from 13 tulip populations with 87 loci. The low level of variability by AFLP loci were revealed in all species, including T. biebersteiniana (P = 20.41%, UH _e = 0.075), T. patens (26.97%, 0.082), T. scytica (27.53%, 0.086), and T. riparia (27.72%, 0.096). According to the AMOVA results, the variability proportion that characterizes the differences between the four Tulip species was lower (F _CT = 0.235) than between populations within species (F _ST = 0.439). Tulipa patens is well differentiated by means of Nei’s distances, coordination, and analysis in the STRUCTURE program. An analysis in the STRUCTURE revealed four genetic groups of tulips that are not completely in accordance with the analyzed species. This acknowledges the presence of complicated genetic process in the tulip population.     

B-Chromosomes inAllium flavum (Liliaceae) and some related species

B-Chromosomes ofAllium flavum, A. stamineum andA. carinatum were C-banded. InA. flavum different types of B's were found, one of them possessing a nucleolus organizer. In the B's ofA. flavum andA. stamineum the banding patterns resemble those found in the standard chromosomes. The B inA. carinatum is only terminally banded. InA. flavum chiasma localization in the B's appears to be dependent on C-band location, just as is the case in the A-chromosomes. An increase in B's was found to cause a small (but significant) increase in chiasma frequency in the PMC's. This may result from an alteration in the nucleotype by the B's.     

Micropropagation and Somaclonal Variation of Tulipa suaveolens (Liliaceae) in vitro

Russian Journal of Developmental Biology - The research was aimed at regenerating the Tulipa suaveolens Roth plants in vitro, examining their morphogenesis, and evaluating the plants’ genetic...     

A new lectin from tulip (Tulipa) bulbs

A lectin was isolated from tulip (Tulipa) bulbs by affinity chromatography on fetuin-agarose and partially characterized. The tulip lectin is a tetrameric protein composed of four identical subunits of M_r 28 000, which are not held together by disulphide bonds. It is not glycosylated and has an amino-acid composition typified by a high content of asparagine-aspartic acid, leucine, glycine and serine. Tulip lectin agglutinates human red blood cells, but has a much higher specific activity with rabbit erythrocytes. In hapten-inhibition assays with the latter type of red blood cell the lectin exhibits a complex specificity, whereas its agglutination with human erythrocytes is readily inhibited by N-acetylgalactosamine, lactose, fucose and galactose.Abbreviations DEAE diethylaminoethyl - PBS phosphate-buffered saline - TL Tulipa lectin - M_r relative molecular mass - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

Six new species ofGagea (Liliaceae) from the Flora Iranica area

Six new species are described:Gagea anonyma, G. Staintonii, G. siphonantha, G. Grey-Wilsonii, G. chloroneura. All belong to subgen.Platyspermum (Boiss.)Miscz. Florae Iranicae praecursores63–68. — Praecursores praecurrentes: Pl. Syst. Evol.151, 281–293 (1986).     

The role of the epidermis as a stiffening agent in Tulipa (Liliaceae) stems

We investigated the hypothesis that the epidermis is a tension-stressed "skin' whose contribution to stem stiffness depends on the turgor pressure exerted on it by an hydrostatically inflated inner "core' of tissues. This hypothesis was tested by relying on the intensities of bending stresses due to stem flexure, which must reach their maximum levels at the outer surface of epidermis such that damage to the surface of the stem should produce the most significant decrease in overall flexural stiffness. We discerned whether the principal tension supporting members at the stem surface (cellulosic microfibrils) were oriented parallel or normal to stem length by comparing the bending stiffness of stems before and after their surface cells first received three parallel longitudinal incisions followed by one helical incision, and by comparing the bending stiffness of stems for which the sequence of cuts was reversed. The same protocol was also applied to stems with various water potentials to determine the effect of hydrostatic pressure on stem stiffness contributed by the surface. Based on the behavior of 82 turgid Tulipa stems, parallel cuts reduced, on average, stem stiffness by 8%, whereas a subsequent helical incision further reduced stiffness by 42%. In contrast, an initial helical incision reduced stem stiffness by 50%, while three subsequent parallel cuts through the same stems did not significantly further reduce stiffness. These results suggested that the net orientation of cellulose microfibrils in the outer epidermal walls was parallel to stem length. This was confirmed by microscopic observations of cells with dichroic staining and polarized light. The responses to surgical damage were directly proportional to stem water potential. We thus conclude that the epidermis, probably in conjunction with a single layer of subepidermal collenchyma cells, acts as a tension-stiffening agent that can contribute as much as 50% to overall stem stiffness We present a simple mechanical model that can account for all our observations.     

Kniphofia monticola (Liliaceae), a new species from Malawi

Kniphofia monticola Blackmore sp. nov., from Mulanje Mountain in Malawi is described. This new species is most closely related to K. splendida E. A. Bruce, a widely distributed species in tropical and southern Africa.     

A new polyploidScilla (Liliaceae) from the Cretan area (Greece)

Scilla talosii Tzanoudakis etKypriotakis from the islet of Dia is described as a new species. It is an autumn-flowering taxon related toScilla autumnalis L. andS. obtusifolia Poiret but distinct morphologically and cytologically from both these taxa.S. talosii is polyploid with 2n=ca. 150 chromosomes.     

Allozyme variation in Japanese species ofChionographis (Liliaceae)

Allozyme variation was examined in three diploid taxaChionographis japonica var.japonica, var.kurokamiana, andC. koidzumiana and three tetraploid taxaC. japonica var.kurohimensis, ssp.hisauchiana, and ssp.minoensis. Results show thatC. japonica var.kurokamiana is genetically closer toC. koidzumiana than to var.japonica. In the tetraploid taxa, fixed heterozygosities were found at several loci, and this supports the hypothesis that these taxa are allotetraploids. Furthermore, the tetraploid taxa have many unique alleles not found in the diploid taxa. This suggests that sufficient time has passed since the origin of tetraploids for new mutations to have been fixed.     

A new Trillium (Liliaceae) from the northwestern United States

A new species,Trillium parviflorum, is described inTrillium subgen.Phyllantherum Raf.Trillium parviflorum is easily distinguished fromT. albidum Freeman, which it superficially resembles, by its overall smaller size, much smaller linear-lanceolate petals, clove-like fragrance, and dark maroon fruit.     

Tulipa kolbintsevii Zonn., a new species from Eastern Kazakhstan

The white-flowered Tulipa kolbintsevii (Liliaceae), section Biflores, occurs in SE Kazakhstan, Dzjungarian Ala-Tau, Taskora valley. So far only T. aff. altaica and T. brachystemon (sect. Kolpakowskianae) both with yellow flowers, flushed greenish–violet or red on the outside, were known to be present there. It differs in that it is not only the easternmost species of the section Biflores, and has different placement of hairs on the tepals, but also has the lowest genome size of the species in this section with 2C?=?48?pg. The other 14 species have 51.5–59.4?pg. Flow cytometry supported morphological differences. This method is useful for identification of dormant bulbs or sterile plants and is therefore important for monitoring of the trade in bulbous species.     

Fritillaria rixii (Liliaceae), a new species from Euboea, Greece

A new Fritillaria species, F rixii , with yellow flowers is described from the island Euboea, Greece. Comparison on some metric variables revealed that the species is closer morphologically to F. drenowskii Degen. & Stoj. and very different from F. euboeica Rix, although the new taxon is connected with the latter through some intermediate forms.     

Trillium sulcatum (Liliaceae), a new species of the southern Appalachians

Trillium sulcatum, a new species with two petal color forms, was first circumscribed by Barksdale as a variety in 1938, but without a Latin diagnosis. It superficially resembles the mainly northernT. erectum and appears to be closely related to the primarily midwesternT. flexipes. Its distinguishing features are ringent flowers, short sepals, and long pedicels; additional characters are presented in a chart contrasting it with species with which it has been confused. Distribution suggesting relictual significance is documented. Except that intermediates withT. flexipes are occasional,T. sulcatum maintains its distinctiveness throughout its southern Appalachian range.     

Heterochromatin and chromosome variation in cultivated species ofTulipa subg.Leiostemones (Liliaceae)

The chromosomes of several cultivatedTulipa species of subg.Leiostemones were examined in conventionally stained and C-banded preparations. The heterochromatin content varied from almost none to 45%. Several chromosome types were recognized with respect to chromosome morphology and heterochromatin distribution, and groups of species with common chromosome characteristics could be identified. These karyological relationships are discussed with respect to the groups formed on the basis of floral and bulb charateristics.     

Heterochromatin and chromosome variation in cultivated species ofTulipa subg.Eriostemones (Liliaceae)

The chromosomes of several cultivatedTulipa species belonging to the subg.Eriostemones were examined using conventional staining and C-banding techniques. Most of the species have lightly banded chromosomes with heterochromatin content varying from nil to about 15%. The banding patterns of several taxa are described and discussed in regard to species relationships.     

Allium runemarkii (Liliaceae), a new species from the island of Ewia (W Aegean, Greece)

Allium runemarkii , from the island of Ewia (W Aegean area, Greece), is illustrated and described as a species new to science. This species belongs to Allium sect. Scorodon and is related to the Greek species A. thessalicum and A. erythraeum in the A. obtusiflorum group. It is diploid with 2n=2x=16. Details of its karyotype are given.