A new savanna-like community of the sierra del rosario mountains,Cuba

This communication describes a new savanna-like community, theBletio purpureae-Andropogonetum gracilis Balátová-Tulá?ková etR. Capote ass. nov., found in the woodless eastern part of the Sierra del Rosario Mountains (western part of Cuba). From the phytosociological point of view, it belongs to the allianceAchlaenion piptostachyae Balátová-Tulá?ková all. nov., the orderAchlaenetalia piptostachyae Balátová-Tulá?ková ord. nov., and the classSclerio baldwinii-Andropogonetea gracilis Balátová-Tulá?ková cl. nov. In the area under study four subassociations were distinguished: theBletio-Andropogonetum typicum Balátová-Tulá?ková et.R. Capote subass. nov., theB.-A. rhynchosporetosum fascicularis Balátová-Tulá?ková etR. Capote subass. nov., theB.-A. cassietosum aeschynomenes Balátová-Tulá?ková etR. Capote subass. nov., and theB.-A. stenandrietosum droseroidis Balátová-Tulá?ková etR. Capote subass. nov.     

Contribution to the phytosociological characteristics of the Yaguaramas savanna (Cienfuegos Province,Cuba)

The contribution presents phytosociological analyses of the savanna vegetation of Yaguaramas belonging to the classCuratello-Byrsonimetea Borhidi 1979. According to the plant composition, the plant communities under study belong to the orderByrsonimo crassifoliae-Andropogonetalia teneris Bal.-Tul. ordo nov., where two alliances were distinguished, namely theGuillemineo brittonii-Aristidion refractae Bal.-Tul. all. nov. and theByrsonimo crassifoliae-Andropogonion teneris Bal.-Tul. all. nov. The associationsSclerio interruptae-Rhynchosporetum subimberbis Bal. Tul. ass. nov., andPolygalo omissae-Andropogonetum diodontis Bal.-Tul. ass. nov. (both endemic) were classified in the former alliance while the associationByrsonimo crassifoliae-Andropogonetum teneris Bal.-Tul. ass. nov. is a representative of the latter. The following subassociations were distinguished: theSclerio interruptae-Rhynchosporetum subimberbis utricularietosum fimbriatae Bal.-Tul. subass. nov., theByrsonimo crassifoliae-Andropogonetum teneris typicum Bal.-Tul. subass. nov., and theByrsonimo-Andropogonetum sclerietosum interruptae Bal.-Tul. subass. nov.     

Contribution to the knowledge of the savanna and forb-rich communities of Pinar del Rio Province (Cuba)

Phytosociological analysis of savanna and forb-rich communities in the Pinar del Rio Province was done in the area of Remates de Guane; one locality lies on the seashore in the western part of the province. Altogether six associations were distinguished. Five of them, viz.Sclerio curtissii-Centelletum erectae, Schultezio guianensis-Rhynchosporetum fascicularis, Cassio diphyllae-Hypericetum stypheloidis, Polygalo squamifoliae-Dichromenetum seslerioidis andPhyllantho juncei-Aristidetum, all newly described in this paper, are classified into the order ofAcoelorapho-Colpothrinacetalia Bal.-Tul. inBal.-Tul. etCapote 1985 with two alliances. One association, thePaspalo debilis-Asteretum grisebachii Bal.-Tul. etCapote 1992, was put into the order ofAsteretalia grisebachii Bal.-Tul. inBal.-Tul. etCapote 1992 with one alliance bound to inland moving dunes. The plant composition reflects soil quality, above all the water regime. Very interesting is the presence of theByrsonimo crassifoliae-Andropogonetalia teneris-species in the association ofPolygalo-Dichromeneteum seslerioidis indicating the rich presence of stones in the upper part of the soil profile.     

Properties of the sugar carrier in Baker's yeast

Incubation ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae cells withd-galactose induced the formation of galactose-utilizing enzymes, among them a monosaccharide carrier, apparently synthesized as a proteinde novo. The synthesis of the carrier preceded that of galactokinase by as much as 2 h. The inducible carrier shows a preference for monosaccharides with an axial hydroxyl group at carbon 4 of theC1 chair conformation or at carbon 2 of the1C chair conformation. Through its mediation, some sugars normally poorly transported (d-galactose,d-fucose,l-xylose,l-arabinose) can enter into the entire cell water, occupying then one more kinetic (and morphological ?) compartment than before induction. Some other monosaccharides, readily transported even by a constitutive carrier system (e.g.l-sorbose,d-xylose,d-arabinose) share the newly synthesized carrier.     

The communities of the orderHalostachyetalia topa 1939 in the area of western substeppe ilmens of the Volga delta

Investigation of halophyte communities of Western substeppe ilmens of the Volga delta and their classification by theBraun-Blanquet method enabled us to distinguish 5 associations in this area:Suaedo salsae-Halocnemetum, Limonietum suffruticosi, Kalidietum foliati, Suaedo-Frankenietum, Suaedo-Petrosimonietum. These associations were united in the new allianceClimacoptero-Suaedion previously included in the orderHalostachyetalia ?opa 1939, the classPuccinellio-Salicornietea ?opa 1939.     

Two interesting algae from Czech reservoirs

Paulschulzia pseudovolvox (Schulz)Skuja, a member of theTetrasporales, is recorded for the first time for Czechoslovakia.Amphidinium radiatum Javorn., a member of theGymnodiniales is recognized. Further information about its variability is supplemented. The algae were studied in two reservoirs.     

The systematic significance of seed morphology and anatomy in thePortulacaceae (Centrospermae)

Nyananyo B. L. (1988): The systematic significance of seed morphology and anatomy in thePortulacaceae (Centrospermae).—Folia Geobot. Phytotax., Praha, 23: 275–279.—The seeds of 115 species in eighteen genera of the familyPortulacaceae were examined with the scanning electron microscope. Longitudinal sections of seeds of representatives of all the genera were examined with the light microscope. Two broad groups based on shape of the seeds, ornamentation of the external surface of their testa, and the position of the embryo relative to the endosperm were recognised. The first group comprising three genera:Anacampseros L.,Grahamia Gillies andTalinopsis A. Gray, have seeds which are pyriform with wings and trichomes, and an embryo that is more or less parallel to the endosperm, while the second of fifteen genera:Calandrinia H.B.K.,Calyptridium Nuttall,Calyptrotheca Gilg,Ceraria Pearson etStephens,Claytonia L.,Lenzia Philippi,Lewisia Pursh,Lyallia Hooker fil.,Montia L.,Portulaca L.,Portulacaria Jacquin,Silvaea Philippi,Talinella Baillon,Talinum Adanson, andWangerinia Franz, are reniform without wings and with an embryo that is horse-shoe shaped around the endosperm.     

Parasites of rice stemborers in Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo)

Observations on parasites were made during a study of the following rice stem-borers in Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo):Tryporyza incertulas (Walker),T. innotata (Walker),Chilo suppressalis (Walker)C. auricilia (Dudgeon), andSeamia inferens (Walker). Egg-parasitism was often high, but that of the larval and pupal stages generally very low. Between 40–80% of theTryporyza eggs were parasitised byTelenomus rowani (Gahan), while 30–50% were attacked byTetrastichus schoenobii Ferrière. About 40–90% of the eggs ofChilo were parasitised byTrichogramma? japonicum Ashmead and 5–26% byTelenomus dignus (Gahan). Only 0.4–3% of theTryporyza larvae were parasitised by a Braconid,Rhaconotus schoenobivorus (Rohwer), whileBracon chinensis Szepligeti attacked 0.2–0.7% of the larvae ofC. suppressalis. Parasitism ofSesamia larvae byApanteles flavipes Cameron was equally low, never exceeding 2%. Pupal parasitism was somewhat higher.Tetrastichus israeli (Mani & Kurian) attacked 8% and 18% of the pupae ofC. suppressalis andS. inferens, respectively, while the Ichneumonid,Xanthopimpla stemmator (Thunberg) attacked up to 3% of the pupae of the former species. The immature stages of some of these parasites are described.     

Notes on some African hepatic genera 1–5

The present study deals with five genera of hepatics in Africa, Isotachis Mitt., Anastrophyllum (Spruce) Steph., Tritomaria Schiffn. ex Loeske, Gymnocoleopsis (Schust.) Schust. and Lophozia (Dum.) Dum. All African populations of the genus Isotachis Mitt. are considered to be one species, I. aubertii (Schwaegr.) Mitt. Four species of Anastrophyllum (Spruce) Steph. (s.l.), A. auritum (Lehm.) Steph., A. piligerum (Nees) Spruce, A. subcomplicatum (Lehm. et Lindenb.) Steph. and A. minutum (Schreb.) Schust., and two species of Tritomaria Schiffn. et Loeske, T. camerunensis S. Arnell and T. exsecta (Schrad.) Schiffn. ex Loeske occur in Africa. Gymmocoleopsis multiflora (Steph.) Schust. represents a genus and species hitherto unreported for the African flora. Finally, five Lophozia (Dum.) Dum. species, L. argentina (Steph.) Schust., L. capensis S. Arnell, L. decolorans (Limpr.) Steph., L. hedbergii S. Arnell and L. tristaniana (S. Arnell) Váňa, are reported from central and southern Africa; two of these (L. argentina (Steph.) Schust. and L. decolorans (Limpr.) Steph.) represent the first reports from Africa.     

Inoceramids from Kreibitz-Zittauer area (Saxony and northern Bohemia): revision ofAndert’s (1911) descriptions

Andert’s (1911) inoceramids (Bivalvia) from the topmost Turonian and Lower and lowermost Middle Coniacian (Cretaceous) of the Kreibitz-Zittauer area (Saxony and northern Bohemia) are revised, partially redescribed and newly illustrated. Ten species are discussed. Of the forms described as new byAndert,Inoceramus weiset is shown to represent deformed representatives ofCremnoceramus crassus (Petrascheck), andI. winkholdioides Andert should probably be synonymized withC. brongniarti (Mantell).Andert’s interpretation ofFlegel’s (1904) species, i.e.I. frechi andI. glaziae, is not correct; the former should be referred toMytiloides scupini (Heinz), while the latter includesC. inconstans (Woods),I. vistulensis Walaszczyk,C. rotundatus (Tröger nonFiege), andM. cf.turonicus Walaszczyk. The speciesI. subquadratus Andert representsC. rotundatus (Tröger nonFiege), and hisI. cuvieri var.planus is referred toC. inconstans (Woods) and toC. cf.transilvanicus (Simionescu). The speciesI. protractus Scupin is referred toC. waltersdorfensis (Andert). The main source localities toAndert (1911), i. e. Sonnenberg near Waltersdorf and “Dachsloch” quarry near Innozenzidorf (Czech: Lesne), are of latest Late Turonian/Early Coniacian (theMytiloides scupini andCremnoceramus rotundatus Zones) and late Early Coniacian (C. deformis- C. crassus Zone) age respectively. The third locality, i. e. railway cutting at Tannenberg station (Czech: Jedlová), is probably or late Early Coniacian or early Middle Coniacian age.     

Das asymptotische Wachstum der Fische — ein Nonsens?

Considering an incomplete growth curve of the codGadus morhua,Knight (1968) questioned the asymptotic curvature of growth in fishes, which easily may be shown in complete growth curves illustrating the attainment of maximum size. It is also possible to calculate maximum size employing theFord-Walford formula. Maximum size, calculated in this manner, may also be used in theBertalanffy function. For other mathematical growth formulations different maximum sizes would be obtained. The numerical value of the maximum size depends upon the mathematical interpretation of the growth process. Therefore it always represents a mathematical parameter without biological meaning. It is shown that data ofKetchen (Forrester 1966) on growth in ♂ ♂ of the flat fishEopsetta jordani may be much better represented by the new growth formula (Krüger 1965) than by theBertalanffy function.     

Synthesis of 3-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-l-serine (xylosylserine) andO-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1-4)-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-l-serine (galactosylxylosylserine) and use of the synthetic products for detection of galactosyltransferase I activity in rat liver

3-O-β-d-Xylopyranosyl-l-serine (xylosylserine) was synthesized by the following three-step procedure: 1) 2,3,4-tri-O-benzoyl-α-d-xylopyranosyl bromide (benzobromoxylose) was condensed withN-carbobenzoxy-l-serine benzyl ester using the silver triflate-collidine complex as promoter; 2) theN-carbobenzoxy and benzyl ester groups in the resultant glycoside were cleaved by transfer hydrogenation with palladium black as catalyst and ammonium formate as hydrogen donor; and 3) the benzoyl groups were removed with methanolic ammonia. Xylosylserine was obtained in an overall yield of 70%. O-β-d-Galactopyranosyl-(1-4)-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1-3)-l-serine (galactosylxylosylserine) was also synthesized by this methodology and was characterized by 2-dimensional (2D) NMR spectroscopy techniques. The two serine glycosides (xylosylserine and galactosylxylosylserine) were used in detection and partial purification of galactosyltransferase I (UDP-d-galactose:d-xylose galactosyltransferase) from adult rat liver.     

Ploidy variation in the group ofMyosotis palustris andM. laxa in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

In 74 natural populations of theMyosotis palustris andM. laxa groups from former Czechoslovakia three euploid and one aneuploid cytotypes were found that belong to the following species:M. nemorosa Besser, 2n=22,M. palustris (L.)Nath. em.Reichenb. inSturm, 2n=66,M. laxiflora Reichenb., 2n=66,M. radicans Opiz, 2n=66(64),M. brevisetacea (Schuster) Holub, 2n=66(64), andM. caespitosa C.F. Schultz, 2n=88. With the exception ofM. nemorosa, the chromosome numbers are published for the first time for the Czech Republic. The chromsome numbers, 2n=66, 2n=64 are found inM. brevisetacea, are new for the literature. The correlation between pollen size and ploidy level has been studied as well, and statistically significant differences were found between cytotypes belonging to different ploidy levels.     

Ein Beitrag zur Nomenklatur sphinctozoider Schwämme (Porifera)

The sphinctozoid sponge generaFania Senowbari-Daryan 1990 andSpica Termier &Termier 1977 are preoccupied.Fania is replaced byFanthalamia nom. nov. andSpica by the younger synonymFistulispongia Termier &Termier 1977. The invalid subfamily name FaniinaeSenowbari-Daryan 1990 is replaced by Fanthalamiinae n. subfam. The invalid family and subfamily names SpicidaeTermier &Termier 1977 and SpicinaeSenowbari-Daryan 1990 respectively are replaced by FistulispongiidaeTermier atTermier 1977 and FistulispongiinaeSenowbari-Daryan 1990. The generaWaagenium de Laubenfels 1957 andCatubria Merla 1931 were previously overlooked.Waagenium DeLaubenfels 1957 is a younger synonym ofColospongia Laube 1865. The position ofCatubria Merla 1931 is uncertain. Most probablyCatubria is an alga.     

Chromosome counts and chromosome morphology of some selected species

In the years 1976–1981 we studied chromosome counts and karyotypic formulae of the following 29 species of plants from 41 localities (of these 6 from Bohemia, 32 from Moravia, 3 from Slovakia):Batrachium baudotii (Godron) F. W. Schultz,Chenopodium rubrum L.,C. polyspermum L.,C. murale L.,C. ficifolium Sm.,C. opulifolium Schrader ex DC. inLam. et DC.,C. strictum Roth [subsp.strictum, subsp.glaucophyllum (Aellen)Aellen inJust etAellen, subsp.striatiforme Uotila],Arenaria grandiflora L.,Illecebrum verticillatum L.,Spergula morisonii Boreau inDuchartre,Spergularia marginata (DC. inLam. et DC.)Kittel S. marina (L.)Griseb.,S. rubra (L.) J. etC. Presl,Silene conica L.,Sisymbrium loeselii L.,S. volgense Bieb. exE. Fourn.,S. orientale L. [subsp. orientale, subsp.macroloma (A. Pomel)Dvo?ák],S. officinale (L.)Scop.,Descurainia sophia (L.)Webb exPrantl inEngler etPrantl,Nasturtium officinale R. Br. inAiton,Barbarea arcuata (Opiz inPresl J. et C.)Reichenb.,Lunaria annua L.,Soldanella montana Willd.,S. carpatica Vierh. inUrban etGraebner,Lotus tenuis Waldst. etKit. exWilld.,L. uliginosus Schkuhr,Trigonella monspeliaca L.,Geranium sibiricum L.,Lactuca tatarica (L.)C. A. Meyer.