Phylogenetic systematics of the monotypic genus Hayataella (Rubiaceae) endemic to Taiwan

Hayataella (Rubiaceae) is a monotypic genus endemic to Taiwan that comprises H. michelloides. In recent years, Hayataella was considered to be synonymous with Ophiorrhiza; however, no specific data have been reported, and the systematic treatment of Hayataella has been unclear. To elucidate the systematic treatment of Hayataella, molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ITS of nrDNA, atpB–rbcL, and trnK/matK of cpDNA were conducted with four Ophiorrhiza species. In the Bayesian and the most parsimonious trees, H. michelloides was included in the Ophiorrhiza clade. The monotypic status of Hayataella is, therefore, not considered appropriate, and the combination Ophiorrhiza michelloides (Masam.) H. S. Lo is supported.     

Revision and typification of Brazilian Augusta (Rubiaceae, Rondeletieae), with ecological observations on the riverine vegetation of the cerrado and Atlantic forests

A revision of Brazilian Augusta and general comments on the systematics of this genus are presented. The complex taxonomic history of this taxon has caused confusion over its correct nomenclature. The peculiar geographic distribution of Augusta has stimulated field observations and analysis of the ecology of the Brazilian ecosystems where this taxon occurs, which are here presented. The five Brazilian species of Augusta described by Pohl are here treated as ecotypes of A. longifolia. This species has two distinct varieties: var. Longifolia, widespread throughout the Brazilian cerrado, and var. parvifolia, endemic to the Atlantic forest near Rio de Janeiro. Typification, list of representative specimens, and distribution map of A. longifolia are also included.     

Agouticarpa, a new neotropical genus of Tribe Gardenieae (Rubiaceae)

Agouticarpa, a new genus of the informalAlibertia group (Rubiaceae), is described and illustrated. It comprises six species, and occurs from Costa Rica to Bolivia. Three species are here described as new:Agouticarpa grandistipula, A. hirsuta, andA. velutina. Additionally, three new combinations are made:A. curvifolia andA. williamsii (previously inGenipa) andA. isernii (previously inAlibertia). Agouticarpa is characterized by being dioecious, having elliptic to abovate, membranaceous stipules, male flowers in a branched dichasial or thyrse-like inflorescence, a poorly developed cup-shaped calyx, pollen grains with 3–7 apertures, and large globose fruits.     

Peratanthe is a synonym of Nertera (Rubiaceae, Anthospermeae)

The two species ofPeratanthe, a genus allegedly endemic to the greater Antilles, are shown to be entirely within the variation range ofNertera granadensis (L.f.) Druce var.granadensis, a widespread, often weedy species.     

Notes on Galianthe (Spermacoceae, Rubiaceae) in the Bolivian flora

Four new species ofGalianthe (G. boliviana, G. chiquitosana, G. sudyungesis, andG. kempffiana) for Bolivia are described and illustrated.Galianthe kempffiana is also known from Brazil.Galianthe laxa andG. bisepala are reported for the first time for Bolivia.     

Riodocea (Rubiaceae, Gardenieae), a new genus from the Brazilian Atlantic forest

The genusRiodocea is here described from material collected in the várzea forest of the Rio Doce Valley, northern Espírito Santo.Riodocea is a monotypic genus probably related to the Amazonian endemicKutchubaea. A line drawing shows general morphology and photomicrographs show pollen morphology ofRiodocea pulcherrima. Distribution maps ofRiodocea andKutchubaea are included. The valley of the Rio Doce is here included in the Bahian Hylaea, defined as a subregion of the Brazilian Atlantic forest. The connections between the Amazonian Hylaea and the Bahian Hylaea are discussed.     

The structure of colleters in several species of Simira (Rubiaceae)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Colleters are secretory structures consisting of a parenchymatic middle axis surrounded by a layer of palisade-like epidermal cells. Colleters occur in a large number of rubiaceous species. Their function is to protect the developing shoot apex. They are also taxonomically useful in the Rubiaceae. This study characterized the structure of the colleters of Simira glaziovii, S. pikia and S. rubra and the biochemistry of secretions in S. glaziovii. METHODS: Stipules of the shoot apices of the three species studied were collected at Barragem de Saracuruna, in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. The samples were fixed according to the usual methods for light and electron microscopy. Secretion stipules of S. glaziovii were washed with 0.1 m Tris-HCl plus 0.1 %Triton X-100 to extract proteins and carbohydrates. KEY RESULTS: Colleters in these species are located at the base of the stipule. Each species shows a different pattern of distribution. They form as emergentia from the stipules. Simira glaziovii was different from the other two species because it exhibited vascular traces. The epidermal cells of colleters have dense cytoplasm, nuclei, small vacuoles, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria and extraplasmic spaces if they are secretory. The outer cell wall of the mature colleters differs from the outer cell wall of stipule cells and immature colleters. Both carbohydrates and proteins were found in secretions from the stipules of S. glaziovii. CONCLUSIONS: Few ultrastructural differences were noted among the three species. These secretory structures not only protect the shoot apex, but also have taxonomic importance below the genus level.     

Phylogenetic relationships of the monotypic Peruvian genus Laccopetalum (Ranunculaceae)

Laccopetalum giganteum (Ranunculaceae) is a rare endemic buttercup from the montane regions of the Peruvian Andes. The systematic position of this monotypic genus within Ranunculaceae was investigated using cpDNA matK sequence data. Our findings indicate that L. giganteum forms a highly supported clade together with Krapfia. Several morphological characters are shared by these genera; large subglobose and fleshy flowers, presence of androgynophore with a separated staminal and carpellate region and many tiny achenes. The Laccopetalum-Krapfia clade is sister to the core Ranunculus group with a high bootstrap support. The number of sepals and similar characteristics of achene morphology support an affinity of Laccopetalum with Ranunculus s.s tr.     

Nested clade analysis of Dunnia sinensis (Rubiaceae), a monotypic genus from China based on organelle DNA sequences

Dunnia sinensis, a monotypic genus of theRubiaceae endemic to the southeast mainlandChina, is an endangered species due to habitatdestruction over the past decades. Informationon levels and apportionment of geneticvariation across populations and geographicalregions is fundamental to conservation. In thepresent study, we used organelle DNA variationand nested phylogeographic analyses to test theisolation-by-distance model in this specieswith wind-mediated seed-dispersal and todistinguish ongoing gene flow from historicalprocesses. As expected, low levels of geneticvariation were detected at the ribosomal ITSregion of mtDNA ( = 0.0019± 0.0002) and the atpB-rbcLintergenic spacer of cpDNA ( =0.0022 ± 0.0009) in the rare species. Sixand seven haplotypes of mt- and cpDNA wereidentified from 125 individuals, respectively,according to the reconstructed neighbor-joiningtrees. Both data sets suggested consistentphylogenies that recovered two differentiatedlineages corresponding to western (Yangchun)and eastern (four others populations) portionsof the range. Hierarchical analyses of themolecular variance (AMOVA) of mt- and cpDNAindicated that molecular variance wasattributable to the difference between regions(ct = 0.911 and 0.771 for mt- and cpDNA,respectively) in D. sinensis. Based ongeographic distributions of haplotypes in thehaplotype networks, significant geneticdifferentiation between the two geographicregions, which can be seen as evolutionarilyconservation units, was associated withhistorical fragmentation. In contrast, limitedgene flow with occasional long-range dispersalshaped the apportionment of organelle DNAalleles among populations of the easternregion, within which two incompletely isolatedphylogeographic groups can be recognized asconservation units for management.     

A new species of Remijia (Rubiaceae) from Amazonian Brazil

Remijia hubbardiorum B. M. Boom, endemic to white sandcampinas orerra firme forest in the Rio Uatumã region in the State of Amazonas of north central Brazil, is described and illustrated, and its morphological differentiation with respect toR. asperula Standley is discussed.     

Novelties in spermacoceae (Rubiaceae) from Bolivia and Paraguay

One new Bolivian species (Borreria pazensis) and three new varieties (Borreria densiflora var.minima, Richardia, scabra var.chacoensis andStaelia virgata var.killeenii) are described and illustrated. The genusDiodella, with three species (D. apiculata comb. nov., D. radula comb. nov., andD. teres), is reported for the first time.Borreria limae, B. wunschmannii, B. scabiosoides var.scabiosoides, andB. scabiosoides var.anderssonii are also reported as new to Bolivia.     

国产尖叶蛇根草(茜草科)的订正

中国文献中记载的尖叶蛇根草（Ophiorrhiza hispida Hook.f.）以及采自中国鉴定为该种的标本均实为近簇花蛇根草（O.pseudofasciculata Schanzer）,在此予以纠正。     

中国纤细蛇根草(茜草科)的订正

通过标本考证和野外研究,证实中国文献记载的纤细蛇根草（Ophiorrhiza gracilis Kurz）实为尾瓣蛇根草（O. caudipetala Deb & Monda）错误鉴定,而后者之前仅被报道分布于印度,因此为中国新记录。尾瓣蛇根草具有明显不等大的对生叶片, 花冠裂片背部具长0.6~1 mm的角状突起,易与中国蛇根草属其它种类区分。     

Iridoid glucosides from the stems of three bioactive Brazilian Faramea species (Rubiaceae)

In this paper our previous chemical study of the anti-dengue active species Faramea bahiensis, Faramea hyacinthina and Faramea truncata (synonym of Faramea caudata) (Rubiaceae) is complemented by isolating from their stems, through a combination of silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and reversed-phase solid-phase extraction, the known iridoid glucosides monotropein (1), monotropein methyl ester (2) and 10-deacetylasperulosidic acid (3). The structures were established by HPLC-DAD-MS/MS analysis, NMR spectroscopy and comparison with literature data. This is the first report on the occurrence of these compounds in the genus Faramea Aubl. This work contributes to expand the knowledge of the chemical diversity of this botanical genus, of which a limited number of identified compounds have been reported.