Four new submontane species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Psychotria</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rubiaceae</Emphasis>) with bacterial nodules from Western Cameroon

Summary  Four new Psychotria species with conspicuous bacterial nodules in their leaf-blades, P. njumei Cheek, P. ngollengollei Cheek, P. darwiniana Cheek and P. babatwoensis Cheek are described, mapped and illustrated from the submontane forests of the Cameroon Highlands. Their taxonomic and conservation status are assessed.     

A new name in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pavetta</Emphasis> L. (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rubiaceae</Emphasis>)

Summary  The name Pavetta modesta (Hiern) S. E. Dawson is a later homonym of P. modesta Bremek. Pavetta crystalensis is proposed as a new name.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Strobilanthes pothigaiensis</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acanthaceae</Emphasis>) — a new species from southern Western Ghats,India

Summary   Strobilanthes pothigaiensis, a new species of Strobilanthes (Acanthaceae) allied to S. foliosus T. Anderson from southern Western Ghats, India, is described and illustrated.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eriocaulon epedunculatum</Emphasis>, a new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eriocaulaceae</Emphasis> from the Western Ghats,India

Summary  A new species of Eriocaulon, E. epedunculatum (Eriocaulaceae) is described and illustrated from the Western Ghats, India.     

A review of the tribe Phanerotomini (Hymenoptera,Braconidae, Cheloninae) in Turkey,with a new host record for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phanerotoma</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bracotritoma</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">permixtellae</Emphasis>

In this study, the Phanerotomini of Turkey collected between July 1959 and July 2004, are listed. A total of thirteen Phanerotomini species were determined, and six of these are reported for the first time from Turkey. Phanerotoma (Bracotritoma) permixtellae Fischer, 1968 was reared from a new natural host Recurvaria pistaciicola (Danilevskii, 1955) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). With this present study an illustrated identification key for the Phanerotomini of Turkey is given. The distribution of the Phanerotomini species is discussed according to the phytogeographical provinces of Turkey.     

Typification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metrosideros regelii</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Myrtaceae</Emphasis>) and consideration of its generic position

Summary  The type specimen of Metrosideros regelii is discussed. It contains a mixture of two species, representing different genera, and a lectotype is chosen. The generic position of the species is considered in the light of morphology and recent molecular evidence and the new combination, Mearnsia regelii, made.     

Muscular architecture of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Milnesium tardigradum </Emphasis>and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hypsibius </Emphasis>sp. (Eutardigrada,Tardigrada) with some data on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ramazottius oberhaeuseri</Emphasis>

The architecture of the musculature of the eutardigrade species Milnesium tardigradum Doyère, 1840, Hypsibius sp. and Ramazzottius oberhaeuseri (Doyère in Ann Sci Nat Zool Sér 2(14):269–369, 1840) is investigated by phalloidin staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy. There are methodological problems in staining eutardigrades due to physiological alterations under stress (anhydrobiosis) and due to penetration problems of the cuticle. It is helpful to fix specimens in the state of asphyxy, where animals are stretched following an oxygen shortage in their environment. The musculatures of all three species correspond in their general architecture, but differ in detail, such as in the number of muscles. All muscles are isolated muscle strands. There are on each body side two dorsal and one ventral muscle strands, in addition to a system of dorsoventral, lateral and lateroventral muscles. Seven median ventral attachment points give rise to dorsoventral, ventrolateral and appendage muscles. The appendages receive several muscles originating dorsally and ventrally. The number of muscles and the arrangement differ in each appendage. The fourth appendage shows the greatest differences with a far smaller number of muscles compared to other species. The musculature shows comparably few strict segmental patterns, for example, the musculature of each appendage differs from the other ones. By comparison with literature data on the same species and data of Macrobiotus hufelandi it can be shown that eutardigrades have a roughly comparable muscular architecture, but that there are several differences in detail. Dedicated to Professor Westheide on the occasion of his 70th birthday.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> selection and regeneration of chrysanthemum (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dendranthema grandiflorum</Emphasis> Tzelev) plants resistant to culture filtrate of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Septoria obesa</Emphasis> Syd

Callus cultures derived from leaf segments of chrysanthemum cultivar ‘Snow Ball’ which was susceptible to Septoria obesa were successfully used for in vitro selection for resistance to this pathogenic fungus. Resistant cell lines were selected by culturing callus on growth medium containing various concentrations of S. obesa filtrate. Resistant calluses obtained after two cycles (30 d each cycle) of selection were used for plant regeneration. About 30% of the plants regenerated from the resistant calluses and 70–80% of the plants raised from cuttings had acquired considerable resistance against the pathogen in the field. No phenotypic variation was observed in the selected regenerates.     

Decolourisation and dephenolisation potential of selected <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nigri</Emphasis> strains – <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus tubingensis</Emphasis> in olive mill wastewater

Aspergillus section Nigri strains Aspergillus aculeatus Ege-K 258, A. foeditus var. pallidus Ege-K156, A. niger Ege-K 4 and A. tubingensis Ege-K 265 were used to treat olive mill wastewater (OMW) in an investigation aimed at exploring their dephenolisation and decolourisation ability and, consequently, the economic feasibility of using any or all of these strains in a pre-treatment step in the processing of OMW. Of these strains A. tubingensis Ege-K 265 resulted in an 80% decolourisation of twofold-diluted OMW and a 30% decolourisation of undiluted OMW; in addition, it was able to remove approximately 30% of all phenolic compounds in both twofold-diluted and undiluted OMW. We conclude that A. tubingensis Ege-K 265 could be effectively used in the pre-treatment step of a combined aerobic-anaerobic process to solve the environmental problems caused by OMW in Mediterranean countries.     

In vitro propagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helleborus</Emphasis> species

A general in vitro cloning system was established for four Helleborus species: H. argutifolius, H. foetidus, H. niger and H. orientalis. The plant material was introduced in vitro from axillary buds. A Murashige and Skoog (MS)—based medium (Murashige and Skoog 1962) was used supplemented with 2% (w/v) sucrose, 2-isopentenyladenine (2-iP) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BA). Multiplication rates depended on the genotype and varied from 1.3 for H. foetidus till 3.8 for H. niger. The first results showed that the rooting phase could be done ex vitro. Rooting was induced by a drench for one week in a solution of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA -3 mg l⁻¹) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA-1 mg l⁻¹) at 5°C.     

The incidence of mistletoe (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Viscum album</Emphasis> ssp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">abietis</Emphasis>) on silver fir (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies alba</Emphasis>) in Croatia

The research on incidence of mistletoe (Viscum album ssp. abietis) on silver fir (Abies alba) was carried out in natural fir stands in Croatia. In the area of Gorski Kotar 32.8 % of the examined dominant fir trees were infected with mistletoe. The mistletoe incidence was presented according to the damage degrees of silver fir from 0 (healthy trees) to 4 (dead trees), rated by the crown defoliation and needle discoloration. With the increase of incidence, mistletoe spreads more onto more vital, i.e. less damaged trees. In the Dinaric Alps 28.6% of the examined fir trees were infected, this percentage amounting to 27.1% for the mountainous regions between the Sava and Drava rivers. The site and stand parameters (exposure, elevation, site quality, forest community and crown closure) were analysed in order to establish whether there was a correlation between these parameters and mistletoe incidence. There was a negative correlation between the elevation and mistletoe incidence. Among the compartments with a closed stands there were considerably less compartments with higher mistletoe incidence than among compartments with a sparsely closed and understocked stands. The other analysed site and stand parameters individually had no significant influence on mistletoe incidence. The correlation of silver fir mortality in 2004 and mistletoe incidence in 2002/03 was analysed, and their strong correlation was established. Mistletoe could be considered as a bioindicator of silver fir decline, and probably a significant contributor to that decline. In the areas where mistletoe incidence is great it can be presumed that silver fir is significantly damaged.     

New species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Geonoma</Emphasis> (Palmae) from Ecuador

Five new species of Geonoma from Ecuador, G. awaensis, G. ecuadoriensis, G. hollinensis, G. lanata, and G. skovii, are described and illustrated and are compared to similar species. Their distributions are mapped.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lecomtedoxa plumosa</Emphasis> (Sapotaceae), a new tree species from Korup National Park,Cameroon

Summary   Lecomtedoxa plumosa Burgt (Sapotaceae), a new tree species from the southern part of Korup National Park in Cameroon, is described and illustrated. The flowers show the characteristics of the genus Lecomtedoxa: for example the staminodes are free and placed alternately to the stamens and corolla lobes. The leaves of the new species are clearly different from other Lecomtedoxa spp., but they look similar to the leaves of Gluema ivorensis, especially to those of the collections from Cameroon. In total 26 trees ≥ 10 cm dbh were found. The largest trees found were 36 m high and 74 cm dbh. The trees grow in primary rain forest, in clusters of up to 10 trees on 2 ha, mixed with many other tree species. The seed dispersal is ballistic. The conservation status of the species is assessed as Endangered, EN D.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Septobasidium parviflorae</Emphasis> sp. nov. on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus parviflora</Emphasis> from Japan

Septobasidium parviflorae sp. nov. on Pinus parviflora is described and illustrated. This species is characterized by its whitish-gray, gray to dark gray-colored fungus body with an indeterminate margin, hyphal strands, and cylindrical basidia with long sterigmata. This is the first report of Septobasidium occurring on a member of the genus Pinus in Japan.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cardamine plumieri</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassicaceae</Emphasis>) confirmed to the Flora of Serbia

The south-European Cardamine plumieri Vill. (sect. Pteroneurum subsect. Cryptopterum) is confirmed for the Flora of Serbia. Several populations were discovered in the central and western part of country, exclusively on the serpentine bedrocks. Morphological, chorological and ecological characteristics of C. plumieri was studied.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Warneckea austro-occidentalis</Emphasis>, a new species from Cameroon and Nigeria,and re-evaluation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">W. fascicularis</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">mangrovensis</Emphasis> (Melastomataceae-Olisbeoideae)

Summary  Described and illustrated is Warneckea austro-occidentalis R. D. Stone, an endemic of tropical forests in Cameroon’s South West Province and adjacent Nigeria. The name W. mangrovensis (Jacq.-Fél.) R. D. Stone is also proposed at species level for the taxon originally described as W. fascicularis var. mangrovensis Jacq.-Fél. An IUCN (2001) status of endangered is assigned for both W. austro-occidentalis and W. mangrovensis.     

Micromorphological differences between some European and American <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fraxinus</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oleaceae</Emphasis>) species

Micromorphological differences in leaves and pollen between two American (Fraxinus americana L., F. pennsylvanica Marshall) and two European (F. angustifolia Vahl, F. excelsior L.) ash species were studied using scanning electron microscope. The types, dimensions and distribution of characteristic trichomes were established and measured. Capitate hairs on the leaves had the same shape in all researched ash species. Acicular hairs were regularly present in two American ash species, but very rarely in the glabrous phase of F. angustifolia and F. excelsior. Only F. americana had coronulate abaxial surface of leaves. Pollen of F. angustifolia and F. excelsior had 3 (tricolpate) apertures, and F. americana and F. pennsylvanica 4 (stephanocolpate) apertures. Based on the appearance of the reticulum it’s possible to clearly distinguish all four species. F. angustifolia and F. pennsylvanica had muri with transversal ridges and seldom granules. Muri of F. excelsior and F. americana had slightly visible transversal ridges, and because of that noticeable granules.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> propagation of ten threatened species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mammillaria</Emphasis> (Cactaceae)

Mammillaria species are the most numerous within Cactaceae family, and some of them are threatened with extinction as a result of human activities. In this work, results of in vitro propagation are presented for ten Mammillaria species, testing 20 combinations of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and kinetin. Best results on shoot formation were obtained using kinetin at two levels: 27.9 and 46.5 μM. All IAA levels tested were able to induce de novo shoot formation in M. bocasana, M. densispina, M. hahniana, M. hutchisoniana, M. orcutii, M. pectinifera, M. perbella, M. picta, M. rhodantha, and M. zephyranthoides. Depending on the IAA level tested, four responding groups were observed concerning their highest shoot-formation number. For all species, the highest average of shoot formation was achieved with 5.7:46.5 or 11.4:46.5 μM IAA/kinetin, yielding 4.8 and 4.7 shoots per explant, respectively, in 60 d. Rooting of regenerated shoots was achieved by leaving the explants in their shoot-induction medium or transferring them to half-strength MS medium. Hardening of regenerated plants was successfully achieved by planting them in peat moss substrate after a desiccation treatment at room temperature for 3 d.