Evolution of taxodiaceous Cupressaceae (Coniferopsida)

The evolution of taxodiaceous Cupressaceae has been discussed controversially, because phylogenetic analyses using non-molecular data show major differences to molecular analyses. To solve this problem, we used non-molecular data with a high probability of homology. With these type of data, we could show for the first time in taxodiaceous Cupressaceae that phylogenetic trees of molecular and non-molecular data share the same topology. Investigation of female cone development also contributes to better understanding of morphology and anatomy in taxodiaceous Cupressaceae. Additional developmental, fossil and cone configuration data support the topology constructed by using the molecular and non-molecular data.     

Tropical African cedars (Widdringtonia, Cupressaceae): systematics, ecology and conservation status

Phenetic analyses of 24 morphological characters, collected in the field for 150 trees of Widdringtonia in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and northern South Africa, show two distinct clusters. One can be identified as W. whytei , a tall, wide-crowned forest tree endemic to Mt Mulanje in Malawi, while the other is W. nodi/bra , a multi-stemmed shrub or narrow-crowned tree, which is common on Mulanje and widespread in southern Africa. These two sympatric species are distinct on phenetic, phylogenetic, ecological and biological grounds. The distinguishing characters of the two species are analysed and discussed and the differences are related to different responses to fire. Widdringtonia whytei is a forest pioneer with limited fire survival ability, while W. nodiflora coppices after fire and is common in fire-prone heathlands. To date it has been assumed that there is a single species of Widdringtonia on Mt Mulanje, and this has led to faulty management and exploitation decisions. Extensive plantations of the economically useless W. nodiflora have been established, in the belief that they are the economically desirable Mulanje cedar, W. whytei , which is now in danger of extinction.     

Flora Palinologica Italiana,Sezione Aeropalinologica-Specie esotiche S229:Thuja orientalis L. (Cupressaceae); S230:Cryptomeria japonica (L. fil.) D. Don (Taxodiaceae)

Summary The morphopalynological cards ofThuja orientalis L. and ofCryptomeria japonica (L. fil.) D. Don were illustrated as part of a more comprehensive study on ornamental Pinophyta. Pollens from the original area of the two species were also compared with grains coming from plants cultivated in Italy. In the case ofCryptomeria japonica (L. fil.) D. Don DV, D01, D02, exine, min. and max. diameters, calculated on a japanese sample, differed significatively from the italian sample. In the case ofThuja orientalis L. no significant differences were observed. Pollen from the two italian sites did not show significative differences in size and shape. Pollens acetolysed with the traditional method (Erdtman, 1960) were compared with pollens treated with the Tatzreiter method (1985). Morphometric analysis showed similar values for both species.     

Commercial utilization of Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides,Cupressaceae)

Utilization of Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) is examined throughout the range of the species. The most important production area is North Carolina, with New Jersey and panhandle Florida-southern Alabama as secondary centers. The wood is used where its light weight, resistance to decay, and fragrance are of value—as siding and paneling for houses, planking for small- to mediumsized boats, fencing, decking, and lawn furniture, with smaller quantities used for such specialities as shingles and duck decoys. Harvest and manufacturing strategies are examined. Wholesale value of the manufactured products is calculated at $10 to $11.5 million. Annual production is estimated as 19 million board feet. The present forest inventory of standing trees is believed to be between 170 and 180 million board feet.     

广西翠柏属(柏科)植物小志

订正了广西翠柏属(柏科)植物,确定了广西分布有2种,即翠柏和岩生翠柏,其中分布于广西石灰岩山顶的翠柏属植物为岩生翠柏,该种与翠柏不同在于鳞叶先端钝状或宽钝状,球果宽卵形,具极短的柄,种鳞4,可育种鳞先端弯曲、圆形,表面粗糙,无尖头.最后根据IUCN的评估标准对广西翠柏属植物进行了濒危等级的评估,并提供了两种植物的地理分...     

柏科4个属(Fokienia、Cupressus、Chamaecyparis和Juniperus)植物雌球果的发育(英文)

通过扫描电镜和常规石蜡切片技术,观察了柏科4个属(Fokienia、Cupressus、Chamaecyparis和Juniperus)植物雌球果中胚珠的发育及苞片的结构变化。在所有研究的种类中,可育苞片腋部最先观察到的结构是一扁平的突起,并在其上分化出发育为胚珠的胚珠原基。在雌球果的发育过程中,未观察到独立的珠鳞发育。不同的种中,胚珠的数量和发育顺序有所不同,但苞片的发育是相似的。传粉前,苞片的结构与叶相似。传粉后,由于剧烈的居间生长,苞片发育为盾形,形成球形的球果。另外,在发育后期,苞片内维管系统变得复杂,并且在近轴面有反向的维管束发育。我们还对柏科植物雌球果的形态学特性及其可能的演化趋势进行了讨论。     

柏科4个属(Fokienia、Cupressus、Chamaeyparis 和Juniperus)植物雌球果的发育

通过扫描电镜和常规石蜡切片技术,观察了柏科4个属(Fokienia、Cupressus、Chamaeyparis 和Juniperus)植物雌球果中胚珠的发育及苞片的结构变化.在所有研究的种类中,可育苞片腋部最先观察到的结构是一扁平的突起,并在其上分化出发育为胚珠的胚珠原基.在雌球果的发育过程中,未观察到独立的珠鳞发育.不同的种中,胚珠怕数量和发育顺序有所不同,但苞片的发育是相似的.传粉前,苞片的结构与叶相似.传粉后,由于剧烈的居间维管束发育.我们还对柏科植物雌球果的形态学特性及其可能的演化趋势进行了讨论.     

DNA variation in a conifer,Cryptomeria japonica (Cupressaceae sensu lato)

We investigated the nucleotide variation of a conifer, Cryptomeria japonica, and the divergence between this species and its closest relative, Taxodium distichum, at seven nuclear loci (Acl5, Chi1, Ferr, GapC, HemA, Lcyb, and Pat). Samples of C. japonica were collected from three areas, Kantou-Toukai, Hokuriku, and Iwate. No apparent geographic differentiation was found among these samples. However, the frequency spectrum of the nucleotide polymorphism revealed excesses of intermediate-frequency variants, which suggests that the population was not panmictic and a constant size in the past. The average nucleotide diversity, pi, for silent sites was 0.00383. However, values of pi for silent sites vary among loci. Comparisons of polymorphism to divergence among loci (the HKA test) showed that the polymorphism at the Acl5 locus was significantly lower. We also observed a nearly significant excess of replacement polymorphisms at the Lcyb locus. These results suggested possibilities of natural selection acting at some of the loci. Intragenic recombination was detected only once at the Chi1 locus and was not detected at the other loci. The low level of population recombination rate, 4Nr, seemed to be due to both low level of recombination, r, and small population size, N.     

Early Oligocene Callitris and Fitzroya (Cupressaceae) from Tasmania

This paper documents Early Oligocene fossilized foliage and ovulate cones from Lea River, Tasmania and identifies them as belonging to two extant southern hemisphere Cupressaceae genera, Callitris and Fitzroya. Most importantly, it sheds some light on evolutionary trends within Callitris, a genus with numerous extant Australian species and two extant New Caledonian species. Callitris has a very poor fossil record and, because of the present absence of a molecular data set that includes all species, its phylogeny remains somewhat ambiguous. Although Fitzroya foliage has previously been described from a number of Tasmanian sites, this is the first recording of fertile material. The ovulate cones of the Callitris and Fitzroya macrofossils are characterized by bract-scale complexes in two whorls of three and are subtended by scale-like leaves in whorls of three. The fossilized foliage specimens consist of scale-like leaves in whorls of three. These morphological characteristics are only exhibited by three extant southern hemisphere cupressaceous genera, Callitris, Actinostrobus, and Fitzroya. The assignment of the fossils to extinct Callitris and Fitzroya species is made by comparisons with species from these three extant genera. Although much of the Lea River flora are wet rainforest taxa, the Callitris fossils have characteristics of both wet- and dry-adapted extant species.     

侧柏雌球果及其胚珠的发育

观察了侧柏（Ｐｌａｔｙｃｌａｄｕｓ ｏｒｉｅｎｔａｌｉｓ（Ｌ．）Ｆｒａｎｃｅ）胚珠的发育过程及后期球果苞片的结构变化。在北京,雌球果原基７月分化。通常一个球果有４对苞片,中部两对可育,靠球果顶端一对各产生一枚胚珠,其下一对各两枚。胚珠的发育顺序是向顶的,下部可育苞片腑部的两枚胚珠源于同一原基。胚珠原基分化成珠心和珠被,在发育过程中,珠被逐渐包围珠心,最后形成２烧瓶状的胚珠。１１月至次年１月,球果处     

侧柏雌球果及其胚珠的发育

Seed cone in Platycladus orientalis (L.) France consists of four or five pairs of decussate bracts. Usually, two pairs of the fertile bracts in the middle of the cone subtend six ovules, which initiate in an acropetal manner. Only one ovule presents on each of the upper fertile bract, while two ovules initiate from a common primordium in the axil of lower bracts. In Beijing, most female cones initiated in July. All parts of the cone formed before dormancy, which occurred during November to the next January. After pollination in March, bract morphology changed dramatically; intercalary growth of the bract base formed a conspicuous protuberance, in which inverted vascular system developed. Furthermore, ovules on different pairs of bracts initiated in an acropetal manner and two ovules in each lower fertile bract initiated from a common primordium, which was different from the basipetal initiation of ovules and independently formed single ovule as reported by Takaso in Calltris.     

Ehrendorferiana, a new genus of Neotropical jumping plant lice (Insecta: Hemiptera: Psylloidea) associated with conifers (Cupressaceae)

Ehrendorferiana and its two included new species, E. austrocedri (the type species) and E. fitzroyae, are diagnosed. The new genus is a member of the predominantly temperate Neotropical subfamily Aphalaroidinae (Psyllidae). Based on the absence of metabasitarsal spurs it forms a likely monophyletic group with Baccharopelma, Panisopelma and Russelliana. The absence or paucity of long dorsal or marginal setae on the wing pads and caudal plate suggests a probable sister-taxon relationship with Russelliana. Apart from two species of Triozidae from New Zealand on Podocarpaceae, Ehrendorferiana is unique within Psylloidea in its host association with conifers, viz. Austrocedrus and Fitzroya (both Cupressaceae).

See also Electronic Supplement at: http://www.senckenberg.de/odes/05-12.htm     

Betulaceae, Corylaceae, Cupressaceae, Fagaceae and Salicaceae around Parma (Northern Italy): Pollen calendars from 1995 to 1997

Many seasonal respiratory allergies are caused byairborne pollens. There is an evident correlationbetween allergic attacks and the amount of pollens inthe atmosphere at any time. The airbornetree pollen concentration and the relevantrepercussions on pollinotics hasnot yet been extensively reported for all Italian regions.We present the results of a 3-year, weekly, tree pollen count byBurkard spore trap from the atmosphere of Parma,Italy. Annual pollen calendars were made from theresults. The study has been conducted because, in Europe,an increasing frequency of allergic sensitisation to thesepollens has been observed.     

Somatic mutations at microsatellite loci in western Redcedar (Thuja plicata: Cupressaceae)

A per-generation somatic mutation rate for microsatellites was estimated in western redcedar (Thuja plicata, Donn ex D. Don.: Cupressaceae). A total of 80 trees representative of the average size and age of reproductive trees were sampled in four natural populations in southwestern British Columbia. Samples of bulked haploid megagametophytes were collected from two or three positions on each tree, assuming that the collections were far enough apart that the same mutant sector was not sampled twice. All samples were genotyped at eight microsatellite loci. A single mutation corresponding to a stepwise increase in one dinucleotide repeat was detected. The estimated mutation rate for microsatellites was 6.3 x 10(-4) mutations per locus per generation (or 3.1 x 10(-4) per allele per generation), with a 95% confidence interval of 3.0 x 10(-5) to 4.0 x 10(-3) mutations per locus. Somatic mutations can contribute to a greater mutational load in trees, as compared to shorter lived plants, and genotypic mosaics within an individual have important implications for plant defense strategies and plant evolution.     

Papuacedrus (Cupressaceae) in Eocene Patagonia: A new fossil link to Australasian rainforests

The 51.9 Ma Laguna del Hunco (LH) and 47.5 Ma Río Pichileufú (RP) floras from Patagonia, Argentina are unusually rich, angiosperm-dominated assemblages with living relatives in the low-latitude West Pacific, neotropics, and temperate southern latitudes. The diverse gymnosperms in these floras are important for Gondwanan biogeographic history and paleoclimatic interpretations. "Libocedrus" prechilensis Berry 1938 (Cupressaceae), previously known only from the holotype (RP), a vegetative branch, is revised here based on new material from both localities, including a seed cone attached to a shoot with cuticle (LH). Characters of these fossils are diagnostic of monotypic Papuacedrus (highlands of New Guinea and Moluccas). Living P. papuana is most abundant in cloud forests receiving up to 4 m rainfall annually, whereas Austrocedrus (Libocedrus) chilensis, the basis of comparison when the fossil species was named, inhabits dry, cold steppe margins to mediterranean climates in southern South America. We establish Papuacedrus prechilensis comb. nov., which simultaneously invalidates a southern South American connection for the fossil floras and reveals a link to West Pacific montane rainforests. Combined evidence indicates a biome similar to extant subtropical, or tropical montane, rainforests that persisted for at least 4.4 Myr, linking elevated floral richness to abundant rainfall.     

Emergence, trapping, and seasonal abundance of adult Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) associated with Cupressaceae in Connecticut

Emergence, attraction to traps, and seasonal abundance of cerambycids (Coleoptera) whose larvae injure Cupressaceae were studied under natural conditions in southern Connecticut between 1999 and 2005. Adults of the Asian cerambycid Callidiellum rufipenne (Motschulsky) emerged from trunk sections of Thuja occidentalis L. between late March and mid-May. In contrast, the native Atimia confusa confusa (Say) emerged from trunk sections of Juniperus virginiana L. between late August and mid-October. Emerged adults of both cerambycids had a 1:1 sex ratio, and the emergence of Callidiellum rufipenne showed protandry. In a comparison of four trapping methods, sticky bands stapled to trap logs and dead trees of J. virginiana had the highest density of adults of A. confusa confusa and Callidiellum rufipenne. Based on adults trapped on sticky bands on trap logs, dead trees, or girdled trees of J. virginiana or T. occidentalis at different locations, Callidiellum rufipenne was active on hosts for 5-8 wk between April and June; Semanotus ligneus ligneus (Say) for 4 wk in April; Callidium frigidum Casey for 5 wk between early May and early June; and A. confusa confusa for approximately 12 wk between April and early July and again for 2-5 wk between September and late October. Catches of A. confusa confusa were significantly female-biased. Number of beetles captured usually was not correlated with the size of the sticky band on trap logs, cut trees, or girdled trees. This is the first quantitative study on emergence, trapping, and seasonal abundance of cerambycids associated with Cupressaceae in northeastern North America.