Observations on the fruits and seeds of neotropical Lecythidaceae

Fruit characteristics, embryo types, and funicle-aril features are described for the genera of neotropical Lecythidaceae. Their bearing on the taxonomy of the family is discussed and a generic key based on fruit and seed features is provided. The anomalous seed structure ofAsteranthos brasiliensis is pointed out. Known fruit and seed adaptations for dispersal are described.     

New species and combinations in neotropical Lecythidaceae

Lecythis barnebyi Mori andCorythophora amapaensis Pires ex Mori & Prance are described and the following new combinations are coined:Lecythis brancoensis (R. Knuth) Mori,L. schwackei (R. Knuth) Mori,L. alutacea (A. C. Smith) Mori,L. lurida (Miers)Mori, L. holcogyne (Sandwith)Mori, L. corrugata Poiteau subsp.rosea (Spruce ex Berg) Mori, andCorythophora labriculata (Eyma) Mori & Prance.     

Nomenclatural notes on neotropical Marantaceae

Two new combinations are made:Stromanthe macrochlamys (Woodson & Standley), transferred fromCalathea, andCtenanthe amabilis (Morren), transferred fromStromanthe. Calathea crotalifera S. Watson from Guatemala is an earlier name forC. insignis Petersen.     

Floral organogenesis and floral evolution of the Lecythidoideae (Lecythidaceae)

The subfamily Lecythidoideae of Lecythidaceae (Brazil nut family) is a dominant group in neotropical forests, especially those of Amazonia. New World members of the family have large showy flowers that are either polysymmetric or monosymmetric. In this study, floral organogenesis of all 10 neotropical genera was examined using SEM. Our observations of floral development are put into the context of a molecular phylogeny based on sequences of the ndhF and trnL-F genes (Am. J. Bot. 94: 289-301). Floral evolution of the subfamily is explained as having undergone four different levels of complexity in regard to floral symmetry. The basal most genera, Grias and Gustavia, have polysymmetric flowers. At level two, represented only by Couroupita, monosymmetry is established through the expression of abaxial dominance and the development of an androecial hood; at this level, abaxial dominance impacts the perianth and androecium, but not the gynoecium. At the third level, monosymmetry is developed in groups of Couratari and Cariniana domestica; but, in the Allantoma/Cariniana decandra lineage, a reversal back to polysymmetric flowers, resulting from a gradual weakening of abaxial dominance, and the loss of the hood has occurred. Finally, in level four, including Bertholletia, Corythophora, Eschweilera, and Lecythis, monosymmetry is so strongly expressed that the gynoecium is also influenced by abaxial dominance. In this group, the hood is complicated in both structure and function, and the floral axis is changed from straight to slightly inclined. This study demonstrates that the development of floral abaxial dominance is the proximate cause of monosymmetry in the Lecythidoideae. We suggest that monosymmetric flowers are more efficiently pollinated, and therefore the bees and bats that pollinate the monosymmetric flowers in this group are ultimately responsible for the monosymmetry.     

中国野牡丹科植物补充订正

报道了中国野牡丹科Melastomataceae尖子木属Oxyspora一新记录种——柑叶尖子木O. curtisii King,并绘制了特征线条图。另基于花序和花特征的不同, 将翅茎异形木Allomorphia eupteroton Guillaumin var. teretipetiolata C. Y. Wu ＆ C. Chen由变种提升为种, 归入尖子木属, 即翅茎尖子木Oxyspora teretipetiolata （C. Y. Wu ＆ C. Chen） W. H. Chen ＆ Y. M. Shui, 并补充描述了其花部特征。通过扫描电镜观察了它们的花粉和种子形态, 为分类处理提供了佐证。     

中国兰科植物研究杂记

中国西藏墨脱县位于东喜马拉雅和印缅交界地区,是雅鲁藏布江大峡谷国家级自然保护区的核心区域,是喜马拉雅生物多样性热点地区之一。该文通过对中国西藏墨脱的科学考察,报道了中国兰科植物2个新记录种,即西藏牛角兰(Ceratostylis radiata)和格当石豆兰(Bulbophyllum psychoon),并提供了描述和图片。西藏牛角兰花为纯白色,花辐射对称,唇瓣3裂,茎长2~2.5 cm,明显区别于该属内其他种。格当石豆兰与齿瓣石豆兰(Bulbophyllum levinei)相似,但不同之处在于格当石豆兰的花瓣卵形,先端锐尖。凭证标本分别保存于西藏自治区高原生物研究所(XZ)和中国科学院植物研究所(PE)标本馆中。2个新记录种原分布均在印度、缅甸和越南等地区,在中国西藏的发现说明了中国西藏墨脱的植物区系和原分布地有一定的关系,同时也印证了中国西藏墨脱属于亚热带地区,且2个新记录种的分布海拔超出了原分布地范围,开花的时间也相对推迟。此新记录种的发现对摸清该区植物种类和丰富中国西藏植物区系提供了更加详实的资料。     

中国炭墩菌属的补充记载（英文）

本文报道了核菌纲炭墩菌属的3个种,其中米勒炭墩菌K.milleri和夏威夷炭墩菌K.sandvicensis为中国新记录种。螺纹炭墩菌K.zonata过去仅在中国台湾省有记载,现在我国其他省份也发现该种。米勒炭墩菌采自湖南省,其主要特征是具有开放的子囊壳孔口;夏威夷炭墩菌采自云南省和湖南省,此菌牙缝长度接近孢子全长易于识别;螺纹炭墩菌K.zonata采自云南省、海南省和浙江省,其孢子较黑且较小。本文对此3个种的形态进行了描述,并提供了子座照片和显微照片。     

云南兰科植物拾零

报道了云南兰科1个新记录属及4个新记录种,确定了文山石仙桃(PholidotawenshanicaS.C.ChenetZ.H.Tsi)的具体野外产地,并对石仙桃属一种和厚唇兰属一种的文献进行了订正。     

中国兰科植物资料增补

报道了中国兰科Orchidaceae植物4个新种——短距叉柱兰Cheirostylis calcarata X. H. Jin ＆ S. C. Chen、麻栗坡叉柱兰C. malipoensis X. H. Jin ＆ S. C. Chen、膜翅盆距兰Gastrochilus alatus X. H. Jin ＆ S. C. Chen、麻栗坡盆距兰G. malipoensis X. H. Jin ＆ S. C. Chen和7个新记录种——高山卷瓣兰Bulbophyllum rolfei、卵唇石豆兰Bulbophyllum ovatilabellum、三脊毛兰Eria cristata、二脊盆距兰Gastrochilus affinis、三裂对叶兰Listera micrantha、紫唇钗子股Luisia macrotis、圆柱叶鸢尾兰Oberonia teres。短距叉柱兰C. calcarata与扇唇叉柱兰C. spathulata相似, 但本种的根状茎直立, 唇瓣具距, 蕊柱附属物长于蕊喙等与后者区别; 麻栗坡叉柱兰C. malipoensis与云南叉柱兰C. yunnanensis相似, 不同之处在于该种的根状茎节间两端收狭, 后唇具纵向的隔膜, 蕊柱附属物短于蕊喙; 膜翅盆距兰G. alatus与列叶盆距兰G. distichus形态上相似, 但以花黄色, 前唇宽、膜质并且中部具纵向的脊而易与列叶盆距兰区别; 麻栗坡盆距兰G. malipoensis与盆距兰G. calceolaris相似, 但该种具总状花序, 前唇光滑并为半圆形而易与后者进行分别。高山卷瓣兰Bulbophyllum rolfei的中萼片为侧萼片的一半长, 花序与叶等长或超过叶长, 侧萼片至少有一部分贴生; 卵唇石豆兰Bulbophyllum ovatilabellum中萼片的侧脉分叉, 唇瓣具一U形的胼胝体; 三脊毛兰Eria cristata的花苞片紫色反折, 唇瓣白色到乳黄色并具3条褶片; 二脊盆距兰Gastrochilus affinis的前裂片边缘具齿, 并具2条从基部到顶部的脊; 三裂对叶兰Listera micrantha的唇瓣前部三裂; 紫唇钗子股Luisia macrotis的侧萼片与唇瓣等长, 花瓣不宽于5 mm, 唇瓣紫色, 前唇心形; 圆柱叶鸢尾兰Oberonia teres叶子圆柱形, 唇瓣中裂片先端2裂.     

Anatomy of the floral nectaries of some neotropical Salacioideae (Celastraceae)

Floral nectaries have contributed to the systematics of different taxonomic groups. Since those of the neotropical genera included in subfamily Salacioideae—Cheiloclinium Miers, Peritassa Miers, Salacia L. and Tontelea Aubl.—have different forms and positions, we explored their anatomy to delimit more precisely the genera of subfamily Salacioideae. Buds and open flowers of six species were treated following the usual techniques in plant anatomy. The obtained data were helpful in characterizing the floral nectary anatomy of the studied species. Furthermore, some features such as form, position and surface of nectaries; form of their epidermal cells; presence and distribution of stomata; occurrence of idioblasts containing druses in the nectariferous parenchyma; and absence of nectary vascularization can contribute to the taxonomy and phylogeny of the Salacioideae studied. In most of the studied species the nectar is probably released by both the stomata and the nectary epidermal surface. In Cheiloclinium cognatum, the structure acknowledged as nectary is actually a vestigial tissue and the functions of attracting and rewarding pollinators has phylogenetically migrated to the stigmatic region. The druses and phenolic substances observed in the nectariferous parenchyma probably help defend flowers against herbivore attacks. The minute size of the nectaries of Salacioideae may explain the absence of vascularization. The floral nectaries of Salacia elliptica are epithelial while those of the other species are mesenchymal.     

部分蜥蜴类牙齿特征补充

The characteristics of modern lizard teeth have often been overlooked as an aid to classification. In order to i-dentify isolated teeth or rows of teeth on the jaws of Quaternary lizard fossils, we observed many modern lizard skulls with complete tooth rows, and thereby discovered that there are different patterns of tooth arrangement which are a significant aid to classification and also valuable in distinguishing lizard tooth fragments or isolated teeth. Our observations suggest that lizard teeth can be divided into three major types: 1 ) Homodont, pleurodont with single-cusp. This kind of teeth is usually slender and closely spaced. Teeth number 20 - 30 or more. The smaller-sized lizards, such as Gekkos gecko, G.Japonicus, Eumeces chinensis (Fig. 1 :A, a), E. xanthi, Leiolopisma tsinlingensis (Fig. 1 :B, b), L. reevesii, Ly-gosoma indicum, Platyurus platyurus and Hemidactylus frenatus, have this kind of arrangement. 2) Heterodont, sub-acrodont or pleurodont, with single-conical cusp teeth at the anterior of the tooth row and with flat-conical bicuspid teeth posteriorly. There are about 18 - 19 check teeth. Eremias argus (Fig. 1:C,c), E. multiocellata and E. brenchltyi have this kind of arrangement. 3 ) Heterodont, with single-conical cusp teeth in the anterior part of the tooth row and with tricuspid, subacrodont teeth posteriorly. There are vertical grooves between the teeth on the external side of the low-er jaw. The fourth tooth in most species is canine-like. There are 16 or less check teeth. The larger-sized lizards, such as Phrynocephalus przewalski, P. frontalis (Fig. 1:D,d), Japalura splendida, J. flaviceos (Fig. 1 : E, e), Calotes versicolor and Leioleps belliana etc. possess this kind of arrangement. Evolutionary trends in lizard teeth are briefly dis-cussed.     

Evolution of Lecythidaceae with an emphasis on the circumscription of neotropical genera: information from combined ndhF and trnL-F sequence data

The Lecythidaceae comprise a pantropical family best known for the edible seeds of the Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) and the cannon-ball tree (Couroupita guianensis), which is planted as a botanical curiosity in subtropical and tropical gardens. In addition, species of the family are often among the most common in neotropical forests, especially in the Amazon Basin. The Brazil nut family is diverse and abundant in the Amazon and is considered to be an indicator of undisturbed or scarcely disturbed lowland forests; thus, what is learned about its evolution, ecology, and biogeography may suggest similar patterns for other Amazonian tree families. We used combined data sets derived from the ndhF and trnL-F genes to elucidate relationships of genera in both the Old and New Worlds that have been associated with Lecythidaceae. Our molecular tree agrees with the recognition of Napoleonaeaceae and Scytopetalaceae. Within the Lecythidaceae, there is molecular support for recognizing three subfamilies: Foetidioideae, Planchonioideae, and Lecythidoideae. We then focused on genera of the Lecythidoideae and found support for recognizing Allantoma (when the actinomorphic-flowered species of Cariniana are included in it), Grias, Gustavia, Corythophora, Couratari, and Couroupita, but conclude that Cariniana, Lecythis, and Eschweilera are not monoyphyletic. Because the position of the monotypic Bertholletia excelsa in relation to the other zygomorphic-flowered genera is not resolved, we are not able to comment on its generic relationships.