New unicapitate species of Rhynchospora (Cyperaceae) from South America

Resolution of species delimitations in theRhynchospora globosa complex has revealed three species new to science from South America:R. bracteovillosa, R. leucoloma, andR. melanocarpa. Each species is described and illustrated and its geographical distribution discussed.     

New species and a new combination in Myrtaceae from northeastern South America

Three new species of Myrtaceae (Calyptranthes bracteata, Eugenia gonglycocarpa, andMyrcia rupta) from northeastern South America are described and illustrated, and a new combination (Eugenia tetramera) is proposed. The closed-calyx and the completely or partially fused cotyledons ofMyrcia rupta, unusual features for the genus, are discussed and compared with related species inMyrcia andMarlierea.     

Synopsis of the tribe Bocageeae (Annonaceae), with revisions of Cardiopetalum,Froesiodendron, Trigynaea,Bocagea, and Hornschuchia

The tribal name Bocageeae Endlicher is reestablished and the tribe is circumscribed on the basis of solitary internodal ebracteate pedicels that are articulated at the base, and pollen shed in polyads of eight or more grains. Septate anther locules, large pollen size, and seed appendages are prevalent in the tribe. Intectate pollen with free-standing columellae, rare in Annonaceae, occurs not only in the genusTrigynaea but also in some species ofBocagea andHornschuchia. As defined here, the Bocageeae include seven neotropical genera:Cymbopetalum, Porcelia, Bocagea, Cardiopetalum, Froesiodendron, Hornschuchia, andTrigynaea. The latter five genera are revised and the treatments include ten new species:Cardiopetalum plicatum, Froesiodendron urceocalyx, Hornschuchia lianarum, H. santosii, H. leptandra, Trigynaea cinnamomea, T. lanceipetala, T. triplinervis, T. lagaropoda, andT. axilliflora, all from tropical South America. A new combination,Froesiodendron longicuspe, changes the rank of that taxon from subspecies to species.Cardiopetalum surinamense is removed fromFroesiodendron and reassigned toCardiopetalum on the basis of its connate petals, dehiscent monocarps, and seeds with bilobed arils. A cladogram provides an explicit hypothesis of intergeneric relationships in the tribe. The new combinationOnychopetalum periquino, based onTrigynaea periquino, is made.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Galactia dimorphophylla</Emphasis> (Leguminosae: Phaseoleae), a new species from southeastern South America

Galactia dimorphophylla, a new species from northeastern Argentina and northern Uruguay, is described and illustrated. This new species is assigned to sect. Odonia. A table distinguishing it from similar species in Southern South America is presented, and its relationships and distinguishing characters including karyological features are discussed.     

Cissus xerophila (Vitaceae), a new species from the xerophytic vegetation of northeastern Minas Gerais, Brazil

A new species of Vitaceae is described and illustrated:Cissus xerophila, a simple-leaved species similar toC. verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C. E. Jarvis and related species. A key to the group in South America is presented.     

Catapyrenium (Verrucariaceae) species from South America

13 species of the lichen genusCatapyrenium are reported from South America. Five species (C. analogicum, C. andicolum, C. exaratum, C. lachneoides, andC. podolepis) are described as new. A key to the species known from South America is presented. Remarks on taxonomy, ecology and distribution of the species are given.Studies on the lichen genusCatapyrenium (Verrucariaceae) III. For second part seeBreuss (1991).     

Molecular phylogeny of Armillaria from the Patagonian Andes

A number of species in the plant pathogen genus Armillaria are known from South America where they cause root rot disease on a wide variety of hosts. Knowledge pertaining to phylogenetic relationships of these species with those of other Armillaria species is almost non-existent. In addition, very few cultures representing these species are available, making DNA-based phylogenetic analyses impossible. The aim of this study was to characterise a collection of Armillaria isolates from the Patagonian Andes using DNA sequences and to determine their phylogenetic relationships with other Armillaria species. DNA sequences were obtained from the internal transcribed regions (ITS1, 5.8S and ITS4) and ribosomal large subunit (LSU) gene and used in phylogenetic analyses. Phylogenetic trees generated from the sequences separated the Armillaria isolates into four lineages. Lineages I and II represented A. novae-zelandiae and A. luteobubalina, respectively. Isolates belonging to A. novae-zelandiae from Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia and South America showed considerable intra-clade sub-structure. Lineages III and IV are probably distinct species and are most closely related to A. hinnulea and an unnamed species isolated from New Zealand and Kenya. This is the first comprehensive study of the phylogenetic relationships of Armillaria species from Patagonia and it provides a foundation for future research in this region.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paloue</Emphasis> (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae: Detarieae) from Guyana,South America

Paloue sandwithii is described and illustrated from Kaieteur region, Guyana, South America. Characters that distinguish it from the other species of Paloue are the presence of five subequal petals and large coriaceous leaves with prominent venation on the underside of the lamina.     

Species of Pleuroxus (Anomopoda,Chydoridae) from the subantarctic islands and southernmost South America: a partial unravelling of the Pleuroxus aduncus problem

Whereas previously all populations of Pleuroxus (now P.) known from the subantarctic islands and southernmost South America were considered to belong to a subspecies of P. aduncus (described from France), now there are five distinct species, only one of which resembles P. aduncus to any significant extent, but even it is a good species. Thus, the taxa are all distinctly different, and none of them could possibly be considered an infraspecies of P. aduncus sens. str. P. macquariensis from Macquarie Island and P. paroplesius and P. varidentatus from South America are new. Of the five species, P. varidentatus resembles P. aduncus most closely, but is separated from it by a number of significant characters. P. wittsteini is presently known from five islands in the south Indian Ocean, but there is considerable uncertainty as to whether all these populations really are the same taxon, because they differ somewhat in the shape of the labrum and in the intensity of sculpturing of the carapace and head. P. scopuliferus from South America is the most distinctive species of the group, having 9 gnathobasic filter setae on trunklimb III instead of the usual 8, a weak ridge on the shell, and a recurved rostrum extending beyond the tip of the labrum. No species of Pleuroxus (or of P., another subgenus of animals formerly assigned simply to Pleuroxus are known from the islands in the Scotia Arc between South America and Antarctica. The patterns of distribution cannot be explained by an on-going passive dispersal of resting eggs. No populations of species on the subantarctic islands are known from any of the southern land masses. Conditions on these islands intuitively must have been more severe during the glacial ages than during the present interglacial, suggesting that any anomopods present were eliminated during the severe glacial periods. Yet, the presence of isolated populations of endemic species on some islands and the complete lack of Pleuroxus on others (e.g. those in the Scotia Arc) argues that conditions, although more severe, still provided opportunities for the maintenance of active populations. Moreover, the morphological differences between populations of P. wittsteini on islands from a few hundred to several thousand kilometers apart likewise argue for genetic isolation over a very long period of time. Deceased     

Notes on Bursera in South America,including a new species. Studies in Neotropical Burseraceae VII

Bursera inversa is the first new species of the genus to be described from South America in 90 years. The ecology of this species is remarkable because it is a large (to 25 m × 40 cm or greater) canopy tree of primary moist to wet lowland forest. It is easily distinguished from its congeners by its large, obovoid fruits and bony pyrene. A key to the South American species ofBursera is provided.     

Molecular phylogeny supports a Northern Hemisphere origin of Golovinomyces (Ascomycota: Erysiphales)

Golovinomyces is a strictly herb-parasitic genus in the Erysiphaceae. Host–parasite co-speciation was reported recently between the genus Golovinomyces and Asteraceae from molecular phylogenetic analyses. The Asteraceae originated in South America and latterly expanded their geographic distribution into the Northern Hemisphere. If the co-speciation between Golovinomyces and Asteraceae originated in South America, the geographic origin of Golovinomyces could be assumed to be South America. To address this question, Golovinomyces species from hosts of the tribe Mutisieae, an asteraceous tribe endemic to South America, were collected and the ITS and 28S rDNA regions sequenced. Results indicate that Oidium mutisiae and Golovinomyces leuceriae isolated from the Mutisieae do not belong at the base of the Golovinomyces tree. Instead, they are situated separately within two different clades of Golovinomyces isolates from the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, the tribe Mutisieae is not the most early host of Golovinomyces. Present results suggest that Golovinomyces originated in the Northern Hemisphere, and not in South America. The new species Oidium reginae for the previous O. mutisiae on Mutisia decurrens is proposed.     

A genetic contribution to the taxonomy ofOenothera sect.Oenothera (including subsectionsEuoenothera,Emersonia, Raimannia andMunzia)

Based on an analysis of results from experimental hybridization, the plants assigned byMunz toOenothera subg.Oenothera and subg.Raimannia, now divided into approximately 76 species, are referred to a single section,Oenothera. This section is in turn divided into five subsections:Euoenothera, Munzia, Raimannia, Emersonia, and an undescribed group of three species related toOenothera pubescens. Euoenothera is maintained in the traditional sense, and includes about 14 species of North America, widely naturalized elsewhere.Munzia consists of 45 species, comprising three series, and native to South America.Raimannia is restricted to a group of approximately 11 North American species.Emersonia comprises four rather heterogenous species of northern Mexico and southern New Mexico, of whichOenothera macrosceles, O. maysillesii, andO. organensis have been described. Within these four subsections, interspecific hybrids can be made in general, although plastid differentiation often leads to incompatibilities. With varying degrees of difficulty, hybrids were produced in all intersectional combinations involvingEuoenothera, Emersonia, Munzia, andRaimannia, the most difficult being those betweenEmersonia andRaimannia. Based on their habit and distribution,Emersonia species, and especiallyOenothera maysillesii, appear to resemble most closely the common ancestor of the section,Euoenothera andMunzia to have been derived from it or its common ancestor, andRaimannia perhaps to be more closely related to the phylogenetic branch that leads toEuoenothera.     

Chromosomal evolution inEpilobium sect.Epilobium (Onagraceae)

WithinEpilobium sect.Epilobium, a cytological analysis of 121 experimental hybrids, involving 40 species, indicates the presence of a widespread BB chromosome arrangement in Eurasia, Africa, and Australasia, as well as in North and South America less commonly. The AA chromosome arrangement, which differs from BB by one reciprocal translocation, occurs in North America, South America, and in at least three European species. The CC arrangement, which differs from AA by two reciprocal translocations, characterizes theAlpinae, a circumboreal group. Distinctive or only partly worked out chromosome arrangements occur in the EuropeanE. duriaei andE. nutans and in the North AmericanE. luteum, E. obcordatum, E. oregonense, andE. rigidum. With earlier results, the chromosome arrangements of some 65 of the estimated 185 species of the section have been established fully or partly.     

Molecular phylogeny and phylogeography ofLupinus (Leguminosae) inferred from nucleotide sequences of therbcL gene and ITS 1 + 2 regions of rDNA

Total DNA was extracted from 55 species of theLeguminosae (including 29 species ofLupinus). The chloroplast generbcL and the ITS 1 + 2 regions of nuclear RNA genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced directly. The sequences obtained were evaluated with character state (Maximum Parsimony) and distance methods (Neighbour Joining). Phylogenetic trees obtained with both data sets and methods are mostly congruent.Genisteae andCrotalarieae are sister groups and share ancestry with theThermopsideae/Podalyrieae. The genusLupinus, which forms a monophyletic clade within theGenisteae, shows a distinct Old-New World disjunction and appears to be divided into several more or less distinct groups: (1) The species from the eastern part of South America. (2) The homogeneous rough-seeded group (Scabrispermae) of the Old World species which is well distinguished from the smooth-seeded group (Malacospermae). (3) Within the rather heterogeneous smooth-seeded lupins a smaller subgroup withL. angustifolius, L. hispanicus andL. luteus is recognized. (4) Also separated are North American lupins and South American species with a western distribution. Genetic distances imply that the genusLupinus evolved during the last 12–14 million years, ruling out the hypothesis that the present Old-New World disjunction can be interpreted as a result of the continental drift. The genetic data suggest an origin in the Old World and an independant colonisation of the Eastern parts of South America as opposed to North America and the Western parts of South America.     

New species of Hypolytrum Rich. (Cyperaceae) from the Neotropics

Five new species ofHypolytrum Rich. from South America are described and illustrated.Hypolytrum amorimii andH. jardimii, both of sect.Bullata T. Koyama, are species with pseudopetioles and colored leaves, and endemic to the rain forest of southeastern Brazil.Hypolytrum bahiense (sect.Hypolytrum), a species with a lax synflorescence and two, free and lightly scabridulous floral bracts, is endemic to the rain forest of southeastern Bahia, Brazil.Hypolytrum leptocalamum (sect.Hypolytrum), a species with lax synflorescence and spike ellipsoid to cylindrical, is restricted to area of tepuis in the Guayana Highland (Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela).Hypolytrum paraense (sect.Hypolytrum), a species with three, partly connate and densely scabridulous floral bracts, is restricted to the rain forest of the Amazon Basin, in the state of Pará, Brazil.     

Virulence of entomopathogenic hypocrealean fungi infecting <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anoplophora glabripennis</Emphasis>

Twenty isolates of four species of entomopathogenic hypocrealean fungi (Beauveria bassiana, Beauveria brongniartii, Isaria farinosa, and Metarhizium anisopliae) were found to be pathogenic to adults of the Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis. Survival times for 50% of the beetles tested (ST₅₀) ranged from 5.0 (M. anisopliae ARSEF 7234 and B. brongniartii ARSEF 6827) to 24.5 (I. farinosa ARSEF 8411) days. Screening studies initially included strains of B. brongniartii, which is registered as a microbial control agent in Europe, Asia and South America but not in North America. At that time, we could not confirm that this fungal species is native to North America which added uncertainty regarding future registration of this species for pest control in the USA. Therefore, subsequent bioassays documented median survival times for three M. anisopliae isolates (5–6 days to death) and two of these isolates are suggested for further development because they are already registered for pest control in the USA. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Diversity of seed storage protein patterns in wild peanut (Arachis,Fabaceae) species

55 accessions of wild peanuts (Arachis spp.) introduced from South America were analyzed for seed storage protein composition using SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The objectives of the study were to evaluate variability within sect.Arachis and to classify taxa based on protein composition. 25 different band positions were resolved. Individual accessions had 11 to 18 bands which included the conarachin region (MW > 50 kD), two to five bands in the acidic arachin region (MW 38–49.9 kD), three to seven in the intermediate MW region (23 to 37.9 kD), two to five bands in the basic arachin region (18–22.9 kD), and one to three bands in the low MW protein region (14–17.9 kD). These data were utilized in a principal coordinate analysis based on the matrix of genetic distances between all pairs of the 55 accessions. Several groups of accessions conformed to expected species classification includingA. batizocoi, A. stenosperma, andA. monticola; whileA. duranensis, A. cardenasii, A. helodes, andA. correntina did not form good groups. The study showed that great diversity exists for protein profiles and seed storage proteins have potential for aiding species classification and for serving as markers for interspecific hybridization studies.     

Plumatella mukaii,a new phylactolaemate bryozoan from Asia and South America

A new freshwater bryozoan species, Plumatella mukaii, is recognized from eastern Asia and western South America. Colonies and statoblasts both bear a resemblance to P. emarginata, and have often been confused with that species, especially in Japanese studies. Floatoblasts and sessoblasts are enclosed within a tough, wrinkled, membrane which resists removal by mechanical means. Floatoblasts are generally smaller than those of P. emarginata, but display unusually high variability in their overall dimensions. The species has been reported from both lentic and lotic habitats. In Asia, the range includes Japan, Korea, China, India and Indonesia. It has most recently also been found at several sites in Chile. The recognition of P. mukaii narrows the previously reported range of P. emarginata and invites a re-inspection of that species worldwide.     

Molecular Phylogenetics and Biogeography of the Caribbean-Centered <Emphasis Type="Italic">Croton</Emphasis> Subgenus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Moacroton</Emphasis> (Euphorbiaceae s.s.)

Initial molecular phylogenetic studies established the monophylly of the large genus Croton (Euphorbiaceae s.s.) and suggested that the group originated in the New World. A denser and more targeted sampling of Croton species points to a South American origin for the genus. The nuclear and chloroplast genomes indicate a different rooting for the phylogeny of Croton. Although we favor the rooting indicated by the chloroplast data our conclusions are also consistent with the topology inferred from the nuclear data. The satellite genera Cubacroton and Moacroton are embedded within Croton. These two genera are synonimized into Croton and a new subgenus, Croton subgenus Moacroton, is circumscribed to include them and their allied Croton species. Croton subgenus Moacroton is morphologically characterized by a primarily lepidote indumentum, bifid or simple styles, and pistillate flowers with sepals that are connate at the base. This newly circumscribed subgenus is found from North America to South America, and in contrast to the majority of Croton species most of its members are found in mesic habitats. The group is most diverse in the greater Caribbean basin. A molecular clock was calibrated to the phylogeny using the available Euphorbiaceae fossils. The timing and pattern of diversification of Croton is consistent with both the GAARlandia and Laurasian migration hypotheses. A single species, Croton poecilanthus from Puerto Rico, is placed incongruently by its nuclear and chloroplast genomes. The possibility of this species being of hybrid origin is discussed.