Pandanus tectorius Parkins, in Australia: a conservative view

Pandanus tectorius Parkins, is a widespread and variable species with many forms, often local, some of which have been considered as distinct species. Fourteen binomials are here considered as synonyms of P. tectorius, but several of them warrant retention at varietal rank. Comments on the variability and its relation to a species concept in the genus Pandanus are included.     

Microfungi on the Pandanaceae: Linocarpon lammiae sp. nov., L. siamensis sp. nov. and L. suthepensis sp. nov. are described with a key to Linocarpon species from the Pandanaceae

Linocarpon species are reported from Pandanaceae in Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Seychelles, Thailand and Vanuatu. Linocarpon lammiae sp. nov. were collected on decaying leaves of Pandanus tectorius in Hong Kong. Linocarpon siamensis sp. nov. and L. suthepensis sp. nov. were collected from decaying leaves of P. penetrans in Thailand. These taxa are described, illustrated and compared with Linocarpon species with similar ascospore morphology and dimensions. Included are a synoptic table, which compares the new species to similar known species, and a dichotomous key to species of Linocarpon known from members of the Pandanaceae.     

Pandanus subg. Martellidendron (Pandanaceae) part II: revision of sect. Martellidendron Pic. Serm. in Madagascar

This paper provides a taxonomic revision of Pandanus sect. Martellidendron , which so far comprises six species of which only one is known from both staminate and pistillate plants. Research in herbaria and in the field in Madagascar has provided the data on which a revision of the unclear taxonomy of this section can be based. Based on micromorphology, architecture and phytogeography, the number of these dioecious species is reduced. One new species (P. gallinarum Callmander) from the Biosphere reserve of Mananara-North on the east coast is described, and P. karaka Martelli is transferred to this section 30 years after it was assigned to section Dauphinensia. A key to all species of subg. Martellidendron is provided. Finally, the important role of the section for the understanding of the phylogeny of the Pandanaceae is discussed in the context of Indian Ocean biogeography.     

红树林植物露兜树营养成分分析

本文对红树林植物露兜树的营养成分进行了分析,结果表明,露兜树中含有多种营养成分,丰富的矿质元素和维生素及其β-胡萝卜素。露兜树中至少含有17种氨基酸。旨在为开发利用植物资源提供科学依据。     

A new endemic species of Pandanaceae from India: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pandanus palakkadensis</Emphasis>

Pandanus palakkadensis, a new species from the Palakkad, Kerala state, India is described and illustrated. The new species can be easily distinguished from the other members of the genus it most closely resembles, P. canaranus Warb. and P. furcatus Roxb. in having a drupe with flat pileus, endocarp broadly truncate, concave on either side with distinctly elevated shoulders, a sharp, obliquely pointed stigma and cylindrical fruit. This distinctive species is endemic to the region of collection and is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) based on the IUCN Red List criteria.     

Observations on the genus Pandanus in Madagascar

The sections of the genus Pandanus which occur in Madagascar are the main subject of this paper. There are 75 species in the island, of which all, or all but one, are endemic. They can be grouped into 12 sections, of which six are endemic, and one is a local endemic subsection. The other sections occur elsewhere, mainly in Africa, but two to the east. A key to the sections is given, and a discussion of field recognition characters is included. One new section and one new subsection are proposed. New lectotypifications for Sections Sussea and Vinsonia are suggested. The Madagascar species of Thouars are discussed. Finally a resume of some recent collections is presented.     

An experimental system to study ecophysiological responses of submerged macrophytes to temperature and light

An experimental growth system was devised to study the ecophysiological responses of submerged macrophytes to temperature and light. Using the system, a pilot study was conducted to compare responses to light of three representative species common to the littoral zone of Lake Biwa: Vallisneria asiatica Miki var. biwaensis Miki, which is endemic to Japan, Potamogeton maackianus A. Benn., a dominant submerged macrophyte in Lake Biwa, and Elodea nuttallii (Planch.) St. John, one of the most influential submerged exotic macrophytes naturalized in Japan. Different relative growth rate responses and other growth parameters among the species were observed. We ascertained the experimental system to be useful for the comparison of ecophysiological responses of submerged macrophytes.     

基于天然更新性能筛选海南岛木麻黄海防林混交树种

基于对海南木麻黄(Casuarina equisetifolia L.)海防林天然更新情况的实地调查,采用更新数量、更新分布范围和更新结构3项单目标评价方法和熵权综合评价方法,对不同树种在木麻黄林下的天然更新性能进行评价和排序,据此筛选出适宜在木麻黄林下天然更新的树种。结果显示,更新能力较强的树种有:乔木树种潺槁木姜子(Litsea glutinosa(Lour.)C.B.Rob.)、大叶相思(Acacia auriculiformis A.Cunn.ex Benth)、苦楝(Melia azedarace L.)和鹊肾树(Streblus asper Lour.);小乔木鸦胆子(Brucea javanica(Linn.)Merr.)、露兜树(Pandanus tectorius Sol.)和暗罗(Polyalthia suberosa(Roxb.)Thw.);灌木酒饼簕(Atalantia buxifolia(Poir.)Oliv.)、调料九里香(Murraya koenigii(L.)Spreng.)、刺篱木(Flacourtia indica(Burm.F.)Merr.)和基及树(Carmona microphylla(lam.)G.Don)。具有一定更新潜力的树种有:乔木树种榄仁树(Terminalia catappa L.)、红厚壳(Calophyllum inophyllum L.)等;小乔木粗糠柴(Mallotus philippensis(Lam.)Muell.Arg.)、八脉臭黄荆(Premna octonervia Merr.et Metc.)等;灌木苦郎树(Clerodendrum inerme(L.)Gaertn.)、九节(Psychotria rubra(Lour.)Poir.)等。小乔木和灌木是海防林的伴生树种,适当保留和种植可提高木麻黄林的物种多样性和层次结构。选用天然更新良好的树种与木麻黄混交,最终可实现海防林由人工林向“近自然”林的转化。     

荨麻科三新种

该文描述了荨麻科三新种:(1)自中国重庆市发现的荨麻科荨麻属一新种,城口荨麻。此种与异株荨麻有亲缘关系,区别特征为此种的茎被少数刺毛,叶片多为心形,雄、雌花序均不分枝,瘦果在中央稍凹陷。(2)自中国广西发现的荨麻科赤车属一新种,来宾赤车。此种与特产云南东南部的富宁赤车相近缘,与后者的区别在于本种茎的毛开展或向上弯曲,叶片长椭圆形,基部斜楔形,雌花具3~4枚花被片,其中1~2枚较大花被片在背面顶端具一长筒状突起。(3)自缅甸北部发现的荨麻科楼梯草属一新种,克钦楼梯草。此种在体态上与骤尖楼梯草甚为相似,与后者的区别在于本种的每一茎节具正常叶和一退化叶,托叶狭披针状条形和无脉,雌总苞苞片无角状突起,雌小苞片较大,呈楔状长圆形,雌花具一小花被片,以及雌蕊具一宽倒卵球形柱头。     

Distribution anomalies in avian haemosporidian parasites in the southern Lesser Antilles

We compared the haemosporidian parasite faunas (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) of small land birds on the islands of St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenada in the southern Lesser Antilles. The islands differ in distance from the South American source of colonists, proximity to each other, and similarity of their avifaunas. On each island, we obtained 419–572 blood samples from 22–25 of the 34–41 resident species. We detected parasite infection by PCR and identified parasite lineages by sequencing a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Parasite prevalence varied from 31% on St Lucia to 22% on St Vincent and 18% on Grenada. Abundant parasite lineages differed between the three islands in spite of the similarity in host species. As in other studies, the geographic distributions of the individual parasite lineages varied widely between local endemism and broad distribution within the West Indies, including cases of long‐distance disjunction. St Vincent was unusual in the near absence of Plasmodium parasites, which accorded with low numbers of suitable mosquito vectors reported from the island. Parasites on St Vincent also tended to be host specialists compared to those on St Lucia and Grenada. Similarity in parasite assemblages among the three islands varied in parallel with host assemblage similarity (but not similarity of infected hosts) and with geographic proximity. Parasite prevalence increased with host abundance on both St Lucia and St Vincent, but not on Grenada; prevalence did not vary between endemic and more widespread host species. In addition, the endemic host species harbored parasites that were recovered from a variety of non‐endemic species as well. These results support the individualistic nature of haemosporidian parasite assemblages in evolutionarily independent host populations.     

Positive indirect interactions between neighboring plant species via a lizard pollinator

In natural communities, species are embedded in networks of direct and indirect interactions. Most studies on indirect interactions have focused on how they affect predator-prey or competitive relationships. However, it is equally likely that indirect interactions play an important structuring role in mutualistic relationships in a natural community. We demonstrate experimentally that on a small spatial scale, dense thickets of endemic Pandanus plants have a strong positive trait-mediated indirect effect on the reproduction of the declining endemic Mauritian plant Trochetia blackburniana. This effect is mediated by the endemic gecko Phelsuma cepediana moving between Pandanus thickets, a preferred microhabitat, and nearby T. blackburniana plants, where it feeds on nectar and pollinates the plants. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering plant-animal interactions such as pollination at relatively small spatial scales in both basic ecological studies and applied conservation management.     

FUNCTIONAL DIOECY AND ANDROMONOECY IN SOLANUM

Field and laboratory studies of 19 diclinous species endemic to Australia help to clarify the nature and evolution of andromonoecy, androdioecy, and dioecy in the genus Solanum. Ten species are andromonoecious; typically these species bear inflorescences with a single, large basal hermaphroditic flower and 12–60 distal, smaller staminate flowers. We suggest that the andromonoecious condition was derived from hermaphroditic-flowered ancestors in part by hemisterilization of flowers but largely by addition of staminate flowers. The resultant larger inflorescences are hypothesized to serve both to attract and to entrain pollinators, yielding more or higher-quality seed set in hermaphroditic flowers and/or greater dispersion of pollen from staminate flowers. We suggest that andromonoecy may also serve to reduce selling. Nine other species are morphologically androdioecious but functionally dioecious. In these species, staminate flowers, like those of the andromonoecious species, bear anthers with copious tricolporate pollen and a highly reduced gynoecium. The morphologically hermaphroditic flowers are functionally pistillate and borne singly in inflorescences, and they bear anthers with inaperturate pollen. The inaperturate pollen, although viable, never germinates and is hypothesized to be retained in pistillate flowers as a reward to pollinators in the nectarless Solanum flowers. All other species of Solanum studied with pollen dimorphism in which one pollen morph is inaperturate are also best treated as functionally dioecious. We conclude that there is no evidence for androdioecy in Solanum. A review of other families suggests that there is little support for this unusual breeding system in any other angiosperm group either. Preliminary analyses suggest that andromonoecy and dioecy are polyphyletic in Solanum. Furthermore, dioecy is as likely to have arisen from hermaphroditic as from andromonoecious ancestors.     

A new species of Carex section Ovales (Cyperaceae) occurring in the Ozark Mountain region

Carex ozarkana, a new species from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and extreme northeasternmost Texas is described and illustrated. It is a distinctive regional endemic of mineral soil wetlands most similar to the widespreadCarex albolutescens andC. longii but differing in its elongate, nodding inflorescences (on robust plants), prominently clavate spikes with elongate staminate bases, reddish brown pistillate and staminate scales, and wider achenes with a long apiculum.     

On the morphological position of Paepalanthus subgenus Psilandra (Eriocaulaceae)

Paepalanthus subgen. Psilandra comprises two species known only from the type collections. The aim of this study is to evaluate their unique floral morphology within a given phylogenetic context and its implications for taxonomy. Flowers of both species were analyzed, described, and photographed using a digital microscope. Taxonomically relevant characters were mapped on previous molecular phylogenies. The flowers of both species fit the Paepalanthoideae pattern and are quite similar to each other. The petals of the pistillate flowers, although free, show evidence of previous fusion in the middle. The free condition is interpreted to be secondary, probably because of the handling of the specimens or to the current developmental stage. Character mapping indicates that both species share floral features with Syngonanthus but not with Paepalanthus. Therefore, based on the median fusion of the pistillate flower petals, absence of floral bracts, petals of the pistillate flower being shorter than the sepals, simple stigmas in the commissural position, the pedicellate pistillate flower, and the glabrous petals and sepals, we transfer P. subgen. Psilandra to synonymy of Syngonanthus sect. Syngonanthus and combine both species in this genus.     

Flower structure and potential bisexuality in Freycinetia reineckei (Pandanaceae), a species of the Samoa Islands

In Freycinetia reineckei the staminate flower (on the staminate spikes) comprises 3 or 4 (sometimes 2) stamens and a pistillode with 2 (sometimes 4) carpellodes, and the pistillate flower (on the pistillate spikes) is formed of a pistil with 2 (sometimes 4) carpels and of 3 or 4 (sometimes 2) staminodes. This perfect floral homology, also observed in all the other species that were studied with both pistillate and staminate material, strongly suggests that the flower of Freycinetia is basically and potentially bisexual, and may explain the occasional sexual lability and bisexuality of that flower (occurrence of both pistillate and staminate inflorescences, and/or of bisexual inflorescences with bisexual flowers and/or unisexual flowers, on the same individuals) in some species, and also the frequent occurrence of bisexual spikes in this species. These may be partitioned into pistillate, staminate, mixed and sterile zones. In the pistillate zones the flowers have the same aspect and structure as the pistillate flowers. In the staminate zones the flowers generally comprise 3 or 4 (sometimes 2) stamens and a ‘semi-pistil’ some have both stamens and staminodes. The semi-pistils are intermediate between pistils and pistillodes in length, aspect and structure, but always have placentas and ovules. In the mixed zones the flowers are generally formed of a pistil and 3 or 4 (sometimes 2) stamens, and are therefore true hermaphrodite flowers; some have both stamens and staminodes. In the sterile zones the flowers comprise a semi-pistil and 3 or 4 (sometimes 2) staminodes. The staminodes are anatomically very similar to the stamens, especially in the staminate, mixed, and sterile zones, in which they exhibit a wide range of variation in length, aspect and structure. The perfect floral homology as generic character on one hand, and the occasional bisexuality both with and without bisexual flowers and other aspects of sex expression (e.g. occurrence of both pistillate and staminate shoots on the same individuals) in some species on the other hand, seem to indicate that Freycinetia is a basically monoecious, sex changing genus.     

来宾赤车, 广西荨麻科一新种

描述了自广西发现的荨麻科赤车属一新种,来宾赤车。此种与特产云南东南部的富宁赤车相近缘,与后者的区别在于本种茎的毛开展或向上弯曲,叶片长椭圆形,基部斜楔形,雌花具3～4枚花被片,其中1～2枚较大花被片在背面顶端具一长筒状突起。     

西藏荨麻科二新种

描述了自西藏发现的荨麻科二新种:拉格艾麻(Laportea lageensis)和拉格冷水花(Pilea lageensis),并给出了与其近缘种的区别特征。     

Impact of Women’s Harvest Practices on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pandanus guillaumetii</Emphasis> in Madagascar’s Lowland Rainforests<Superscript>1</Superscript>

Impact of Women’s Harvest Practices on Pandanus guillaumetii in Madagascar’s Lowland Rainforests. Pandanus guillaumetii B.C. Stone is endemic to the east coast rainforests of Madagascar. The plant is an important non-timber forest product (NTFP) for the local population living near these forests, and its leaves are collected by women to be woven into mats. These mats have economic value and are also used for daily activities. At present, little is known about how local harvesting practices impact this plant species. In this study, we describe women’s local harvest practices and quantify their impact on the P. guillaumetii population. We carried out plant inventories as well as interviews and participatory observations with local people harvesting P. guillaumetii in two villages with different population densities in the Manompana region. Inventories were conducted at varying distances from the villages in order to better understand the influence of human pressure on the plant population. The results suggest that local communities apply practices that tend to minimize the harvest impact on the plant. Harvesting seems to have no effect on the actual density of P. guillaumetii. However, the availability of plants with leaves of sufficient quality for mat production is influenced by human pressure. Considering the decreasing number of plants suitable for handicraft, we assume that their availability in the long term may not fulfill the needs of the local people.     

应用RAPD特异标记分析拟鹅观草属部分物种的基因组组成

选用小麦族中8个基本基因组(E、H、I、P、St、W、Ns、R)的特异RAPD引物进行PCR扩增检测,分析Pseudoroegneriagracillima、P.kosaninii、Roegneriaalashanica和R.magnicaespes这4个四倍体物种的基因组组成。结果表明:P.gracillima、P.kosaninii、R.alashanica和R.magnicaespes中除了含有St或经修饰的St基因组外,都不含E、H、I、P、W、Ns和R基因组,由此推断P.gracillima和P.kosaninii至少含有一个St或经修饰的St基因组,另一个基因组是否为Y基因组,需要进一步研究证实。结合前人细胞遗传学研究的结果,推断R.alashanica和R.magnicaespes为同源四倍体或部分同源四倍体,其基因组组成为StStStSt或St1St1St2St2。因此,结合外部形态特征以及前人细胞遗传学、分子标记研究和核型分析的结果,推断R.alashanica和R.magnicaespes与P.elytrigioides一样,也可能是在中国分布的四倍体拟鹅观草属物种,为系统整理和研究国产拟鹅观草属物种及其地理分布提供了DNA分子水平上的资料。