Primulina moi sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from a limestone area in northern Guangdong,China

A new species of Primulina, P. moi, from Guangdong, China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to P. lijiangensis in leaf shape, but can be distinguished by several characters, such as base of corolla tube constricted, lobes of adaxial lip ovate, abaxial lip 3‐lobed from base, lobes elliptic or oblong elliptic with cuspidate apex, yellow corolla and filaments, two non‐adhesive anthers when corolla is open, adnate only before anthesis and 2 stamnoides.     

两种广西特有报春苣苔属(苦苣苔科)植物传粉生物学研究

通过野外观察和室内试验,对两种广西特有的桂林小花苣苔和阳朔小花苣苔的传粉生物学进行比较研究。结果表明:两种报春苣苔属植物花期从7月底至8月初;单花花期内花粉具有较高的活性,最高可达92.6%和94.5%;柱头可授性最高时可达90%和95%;花粉/胚珠比率(P/O)分别为110.28±17.45和229.65±18.00;柱头与花药之间存在着空间隔离,可防止自花授粉;在单花花冠裂片张开后第3天,花药开始散粉,但雌蕊在花朵刚开始开放时已伸长,待第3天时柱头已伸长到位于花冠筒口部,高于花药,便于接受异花花粉;该两种植物均不存在无融合生殖现象;两种报春巨苔属植物均高度自交亲和,但很难发生自发的自花授粉,必须依靠外力,因此传粉媒介对于结实率有重要影响,自然条件下基本不发生自花授粉;在自然状态下结实率明显低于两种人工授粉的结实率;小蜂和淡脉隧蜂是目前已知仅见的两种传粉者。     

Plastid Ontogeny in the Corolla Cells of Digitalis purpurea L. cv. Foxy

Initially the corolla plastids of Digitalis purpurea containsmall grana with negatively stained thylakoids. Degenerationof the grana, loss of chlorophyll and the transient accumulationof starch accompany corolla expansion Starch disappears by thetime the anthers dehisce and granular and amorphous phytoferrtindeposits become prominent in the stroma Concomitant with theseparation of the stigmatic lobes the thylakoid system is reducedto a central membranous network enveloping the phytofemtm aggregatesJust prior to corolla abscission the stroma becomes packed withplastoglobuh Although this developmental sequence closely resemblesthat for chromoplasts in yellow and red flowers, fruits andautumn leaves there is no synthesis of carotenoid pigments inthe corollas of Digitalis purpurea At maturity the plastidsare therefore best described as elaioplasts. Digitalis purpurea L., foxglove, corolla, plastids, elaioplasts, phytofemtin, ultrastructure, X-ray microanalysis     

Manipulus Rubiacearum IV. Kerianthera (Rubiaceae), a new genus from Amazonian Brazil

A new genus,Kerianthera, and its single new species,K. preclara, are presented.Kerianthera is a member of tribe Condamineeae and is easily distinguished from related genera by its 4-merous calyx, 7 or 8-merous corolla, stamens separating from the corolla tube at its apex, anthers with approximately 300 locelli, septicidal capsules, and seeds irregularly biwinged. It is most similar phenetically to the genusPinckneya with which it shares foliar calyx lobes on some flowers, corolla lobes densely pubescent on the inner surface, and winged seeds.     

PATTERNS OF FLORAL DEVELOPMENT IN AGALINIS AND ALLIES (SCROPHULARIACEAE). II. FLORAL DEVELOPMENT OF AGALINIS DENSIFLORA

Initiation of floral primordia begins in Agalinis densiflora with production of two lateral adaxial calyx lobe primordia followed by a midadaxial primordium, and then primordia of two abaxial calyx lobes. Initiation of three abaxial corolla lobe primordia is succeeded by that of two stamen pairs and then by primordia of two adaxial corolla lobes. The primordium of the abaxial carpel appears before the adaxial one. Except for the calyx, initiation of primordia proceeds unidirectionally from the abaxial to the adaxial side of the floral apex. Zygomorphy in the calyx, corolla, and androecium is evident during initiation of primordia and is accentuated during organogenesis. The calyx undergoes comparatively rapid organogenesis, but the inner three floral series undergo a protracted period of organogenesis. The perianth series reach maturation prior to meiosis in the anthers. Maturation of the androecium and gynoecium are postmeiotic events.     

Pollination and Reproductive Biology of Rauvolfia grandiflora (Apocynaceae): Secondary Pollen Presentation, Herkogamy and Self-Incompatibility

Abstract: The pollination and reproductive biology of Rauvolfia grandiflora were studied in natural populations in the forest of the Recife Botanical Garden. R. grandiflora is a shrubby species (2 to 5 m), the flowers are hermaphrodite and salverform. The corolla tube is white and the five free lobes of the corolla are flushed with violet. The five stamens are attached to the corolla tube; the anthers are introrse and form a cone situated immediately above the stigmatic head. There is a space between the anthers and the stigmatic head, where the pollen is deposited. The stigmatic head has three functional regions: a) an upper sterile region; b) a median region that produces a sticky substance and c) a lower receptive region, which is located beneath a basal collar. The secondary pollen presentation and the herkogamy mechanisms are discussed. Sugar concentration in nectar was, on average, 31.7%. The pollen viability was 97.4%. R. grandiflora is melittophilous and in the study area was found to be pollinated by only one species of long-tongued bee, Exaerete smaragdina. R. grandiflora was found to be self-incompatible, and the percentage of fruit set under natural conditions was low.     

Picrorhiza tungnathii sp. nov. from western Himalaya,India

The new species Picrorhiza tungnathii Pusalkar is described and illustrated from the western Himalaya, India. It is distinguished from the allied P. kurrooa Royle ex Benth. by being 10–25 cm tall, having a moderately dense, (10–)15–25‐flowered spike, a zygomorphic, 2‐lipped, glandular‐ciliate corolla that is equaling or slightly exceeding the calyx and partly visible or sub‐exserted between the calyx lobes, a conspicuously long (longer than the corolla lobes), curved corolla tube (1/2–4/5 the length of the calyx), unequal corolla lobes that are ovate‐lanceolate to lanceolate, acute to sub‐acuminate and moderately ciliate, a mid‐lobe of the upper lip that is obliquely erect, galeate with retuse or emarginate apex, lateral corolla lobes that are slightly smaller than the mid‐lobe of the upper lip, a lower corolla lip that is slightly shorter than the lateral lobes, obliquely erect or spreading, didynamous, long‐exserted (2–3 times the corolla) stamens, pollen of the Paederota‐type and a style that is 2–3 times as long as the corolla.     

Randia lorenceana (Rubiaceae,Gardenieae), una especie nueva del bosque mesófilo de montaña en el estado de Guerrero,México

Randia lorenceana (Rubiaceae), a new species from the cloud forest in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, is described and illustrated. The new species is related to R. matudae, but it differs from that species in having larger stipules, peduncles and calyx lobes, smaller corolla lobes, anthers, and hypanthium in the staminate flowers, and distinctly pendulous fruits due the of the bending of the peduncles.     

Rubovietnamia coronula sp. nov. (Rubiaceae: Gardenieae) from the Philippines

Rubovietnamia coronula Alejandro and Meve, a new coastal Rubiaceae species from Davao del Sur, Philippines is here described and compared with Rubovietnamia nonggangensis and R. sericantha. This third species of Rubovietnamia is distinct from the two known species by its long leaf petioles, prominently keeled stipules, reduced calyx and corolla, outward curling of corolla lobes in anthesal flowers, included anthers and stigma, glabrous fruits with nectariferous disk, and numerous seeds.     

Heterostyly in the Canarian endemic Jasminum odoratissimum (Oleaceae)

Jasminum odoratissimum is a Madeira and Canary Islands endemic showing classic heterostyly, i.e. with long-styled flowers with anthers at a low level in the corolla tube and short-styled flowers with anthers at a high level in the corolla tube. Short-styled flowers have large pollen, whereas long-styled flowers have small pollen. The two types are present in equal frequencies in the population.     

Corolla wilting facilitates delayed autonomous self-pollination in Pedicularis dunniana (Orobanchaceae)

Structural changes associated with corolla wilting may serve as a mechanism for effecting self-pollination. Low pollinator visitation, high seed production and a corolla that persists after anthesis indicates that Pedicularis dunniana is autogamous. Delayed autonomous self-pollination is facilitated by corolla wilting. Wilting of the upper lip (galea) brought the pollen laden anthers into contact with the stigma resulting in the deposition of self pollen on the stigma. The seed set of flowers either emasculated, or with restrained galeae thus preventing anthers brushing against the stigma, was significantly lower than that of open-pollinated flowers. This demonstrates that autogamy occurs in this species through corolla wilting. Germination experiments indicated that outcross seedlings were more vigorous than selfed seedlings as a result of inbreeding depression. It is likely that autogamy provides reproductive assurance for P. dunniana under conditions of pollinator scarcity.     

Swietenia (Meliaceae) flower in Late Oligocene Early Miocene amber from Simojovel de Allende, Chiapas, Mexico

The amber of Simojovel de Allende, Chiapas, Mexico, of Late Oligocene-Early Miocene age, has yielded a new flower representing the Meliaceae. The flower of Swietenia miocenica Casta?eda-Posadas & Cevallos-Ferriz sp. nov. is characterized by small size; free calyx composed of five glabrous lobes, ciliolated along the margin lobes; corolla composed of five free, contortedly inserted petals with ciliolated margins; cylindrical staminal tube ending in 10 acuminate or toothed accessories and 10 sessile anthers; and a discoid stigma divided in five lobular stigmatic glands. The morphology of S. miocenica is well represented among Meliaceae. Although the new species shares many characters with Swietenia microphylla, small differences in the length and width of petals and the length of staminal tube support its recognition as a new species. The presence of this genus demonstrates the establishment of tropical communities in southern Mexico by the early Miocene and highlights the influence of the northern hemisphere flora on the extant neotropical flora of the area.     

Taxonomy of the Genus Oreocharis (Gesneriaceae)

The genus Oreocharis as circumscribed here consists of 27 species including 5 varieties, of which 5 species and 4 varieties are described as new in the present paper. In the work analysed were the external morphology and geographic distribution and examined under SEM were pollen exine of 22 species and seed coat of 16 species. As a result, three types of the corolla, two types of the anther, three types of the pollen exine and three types of the seed coat are distinguished here in the paper. It is discovered that the corolla in the genus is relatively stable, though diverse, and highly correlated with the characters of pollen grains and seeds. The corolla clearly bilabiate but constricted at the throat, occurring in O. auricula, O. cordatula, O. aurantiaca, etc., for an example, is correlated with smooth, reticulate pollen exine and partial tectum and the reticulate and smooth seed coat. For this reason the subdivision of the genus in the paper is mainly based on the characters of the corolla, but combined with those of the anther, pollen and seed coat. The genus is divided into four sections in the present classification. Dasydesmus Craib, based on a single species. O. bodinieri, is reduced here, and the reasons are given. The genus is distributed mainly in the subtropics, and less frequently in the tropics, of China south of 32.5°N and east of 98.5°E, with only two species beyond the border, O. hirsuta in Thailand (only a single locality in Chiengmai) and O. aurea also found in north Vietnam (see Fig. 1, Table 3). Sect. 1. Stomactin (Clarke) Fritsch. Corolla urceolate-tubular, constricted at the throat, with limb distinctly bilabiate; anthers broad-oblong; seed coat reticulate, smooth, rarely minutely tuberculate; pollen exine fine-reticulate, tectum partial and smooth, luminae slightly unequal in size. Sect. 2. Orthanthera K. Y. Pan Corolla campanulate or campanulate-tubular; anthers broad-oblong; seed coat reticulate, muri smooth, rarely spiny-processed; pollen exine fine-reticulate, with partial and smooth tectum and luminae slightly unequal in size, rarely exine insular and fine-tuberculate, tectum perforate. Setc. 3. Oreocharis Corolla thin-tubular; anthers broad-oblong; seed coat densely spinyprocessed, rarely fine-tuberculate; pollen exine insular, densely spiny-processed, rarely finereticulate and smooth, luminae unequal in size. Sect. 4. Platyanthera K. Y. Pan Corolla campanulate; anthers hippocrepiform; seed coat densely spiny-processed; pollen exine fine-reticulate, tectum perforate, luminae small, nearly equal in size. In the section Stomactin, although the constriction of corolla at its throat is a specialized character, the characters of seed coat, pollen grains and anthers are apparently primitive. Therefore it may be said at least that more primitive characters are preserved in the section. In the section Oreocharis, on the contrary, the characters of corolla, seed coat and pollen exine are all advanced. And in the section Platyanthera, the seed coat, pollen (with perforate tectum) and anthers have developed rather specialized characters.     

Comparative Studies on Pollination Biology of Mosla hangchouensis and M.chinensis (Labiatae)

Mosla hangchouensis Matsuda and M. chinensis Maxim. are sibling species. The former is endemic to the coastal areas of Zhejiang Province, and the latter occupies southern China. Their morphological differences were associated with their different breeding systems indicated by pollen-ovule ratio (P/O). M. hangchouensis was predominantly outcrossing with P/O ranging from 756 to 6163 due to the variation among populations. Floral characters also showed that M. hangchouensis is an outcrosser: corolla tube 5～10 mm long, 3~5 mm wide, bright red: style 6～15 mm long; stigma 1.5～2.0 mm horizontally away from anthers. On the contrary, M. chinensis was predominantly a selfer with a low P/O ratio (P/O= 110). Its floral parameters contrasted sharply with M. hangchouensis: corolla tube 3.0 mm long, 1.0 ～ 1.5 mm wide, pale colored; style 2.5 mm long. stigma close to or touching anthers. The pollinators of M. hangchouensis most frequently seen are: Bombus trifascitus Smith., Scolia spp., Apis cerana Fabricius, Hylaeus sp. and Lasioglossum spp. These pollinators began to visit flowers at about 8:00 am, when flower buds were ready to open. When insects entered corolla tube for honey and (or) pollen, the stigmata touched the insects body hairs to which pollen grains adhered, and pollen grains were transferred to the stigmata. Meanwhile the hairs collected pollen from anthers under the upper lips of corolla as the insects thrusted their bodies forward. Bumble bees and honey bees were considered more efficient pollinators because they were hair-rich and their body size fitted corolla tube fairly well. Due to the'short flight distance of pollinators between two visits (average flight distances of honey bees and solitary bees were 0.52 m and 0.32 m respectively), pollen dispersal was probably restricted. Pollen vectors were important for the reproductive success of M. hangchouensis because 84.3 % of its seed-set depended on the pollinators' visitation. Although insects did pay visits to M. chinensis occasionally, such visitation was insignificant in seed-set due to cleistogamy. Discussions are made on the evolutionary significance of breeding system divergence between M. hangchouensis and M. chinensis, and the contribution of studies on pollination biology to conservation biology. Further studies are suggested for more thorough understanding of pollination biology of M. hangchouensis.     

Caralluma lamellosa (Apocynaceae), a remarkable new species from Somalia

The new species Caralluma lamellosa, from a rocky limestone slope about 200 m a.s.1. in north-eastem Somalia is described and illustrated. The plant is reminiscent of C. furta in habit, but its outer corona, with undivided linear-oblanceolate lobes opposite to the anthers and at first examination looking like lamellae on the corolla tube, is unparalleled among stapeliads.     

Dionysia assadii sp. nov. (Primulaceae: sect. Dionysiopsis) from southern Iran

The new species Dionysia assadii (Primulaceae) from the Irano–Turanian region in Fars province, Iran, is described and illustrated. It is compared with its closest relative Dionysia esfandiarii Wendelbo and differs from it in leaf shape, leaf margin, hair density of leaves and other organs, shape of calyx and bracts, color of corolla and status of lobes, form and color of seeds, as well as the length of anthers and style in longistylous flowers.     

Gentianella tumailica (Gentianaceae) – A new species from cold deserts of northwest Himalaya,India

A new species of Gentianella, G. tumailica sp. nov., from Tumail in the Kargil district of Ladakh, northwest Himalaya, India is described and illustrated. This novelity is morphologically similar to the sympatric G. stoliczka in inflorescence pattern, calyx and corolla shapes, sagitate anthers, more or less rounded seeds, but differs in smaller size of vegetative and floral structures, larger basal leaves, few cauline leaves, leaf apex obtuse to rounded, calyx lobes unequal (2 longer, 3 shorter), inflorescence enveloped by 4 foliaceous bracts, capsule elliptic to oblong and seed coat smooth. In addition, a diagnostic key to all Indian species of Gentianella is presented.     

Population-level variation in the expression of heterostyly in three species of Rubiaceae: does reciprocal placement of anthers and stigmas characterize heterostyly?

Heterostyly (i.e., reciprocal placement of anthers and stigmas between two or three floral morphs) is hypothesized to enhance outcrossing and reduce selfing. However, few studies have documented reciprocity among individual plants; instead, mean anther and stigma heights for floral morphs are usually reported, masking interindividual variation. We measured eight floral dimensions for individuals in five populations of three heterostylous Rubiaceae. The three methods used to quantify reciprocity yielded different conclusions regarding the degree to which populations conformed to expectations for heterostylous plants. Only Psychotria poeppigiana had stigma and, to a lesser degree, anther heights in discrete classes. Variation among plants of Bouvardia ternifolia and Psychotria chiapensis yielded a continuum of anther and stigma heights across populations. Comparison of distances between stigma and anthers indicated that only flowers of B. ternifolia had, as expected, a constant value for this distance. Finally, regression relationships between anther and stigma heights and corolla length showed that only in one population each of B. ternifolia and P. poeppigiana, and in P. chiapensis, was distance between anthers and stigmas the same across the range of corolla sizes for both floral morphs. Variation among these species in expression of heterostyly was not clearly linked to phylogenetic relationship or pollinator syndromes. Two approach herkogamous (AH) species were studied for comparison. Flowers of Psychotria brachiata were consistently AH, but flowers of P. pittieri were highly variable. Determining fitness consequences of population-level variation in sexual systems requires studies linking floral morphology to pollinator behavior and pollen transfer.     

Dioecy in the endemic genusDendrocacalia (Compositae) on the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands

Dendrocacalia crepidifolia Nakai (Compositae, Senecioneae), the only species of this arboreal genus endemic to Haha Island in the Bonin Islands, was found to be dioecious. Male flowers differ from female ones in having a stunted style (style in female exserted from corolla and deeply bifurcating) and anthers filled with fertile pollen (anthers in the female lacking pollen). The size of the corolla and number of florets per head were similar between male and female flowers. The crown area of this arboreal species was also similar in male and female plants. The sex ratio was 0.55 male, not significantly different from 0.5. Both sexes produced nectar of similar sugar concentration (ca. 50%). The flowers are pollinated by feral honeybees (Apis mellifera), but they are thought to have been pollinated by small, lesshairy, endemic solitary bees before honeybees were introduced and subsequently became the dominant bee species on the island. The evolution of dioecy ofDendrocacalia on the island is thought to stem from the deleterious effects of inbreeding that are inherent in plants with geitonogamy. The increased geitonogamy on the island has resulted from increased woodiness (i.e., increased number of flowers per plant) and the original dependence on endemic bee pollinators, which are now endangered.