Foliicolous species of pringsheimia from india

Summary In this paper foliicolous species ofPringsheimia from India have been revised and recorded with addition of one more species. The relationship withLeptosphaerulina has been discussed.     

New hyphomycete genera on Qualea species from the Brazilian cerrado

As part of studies on cerrado fungi three new hyphomycetes are described in association with trichomes on leaves of native species of Qualea (Vochysiaceae). These are: Trichomatomyces gen. nov. (type species: T. byrsonimae comb. nov.), Trichosporodochium gen. nov. (type species: T. cerradensis sp. nov.), and Phaeoidiomyces gen. nov. (type species: P. qualeae).     

New Stenella and Parastenella species from the Brazilian cerrado

Five new Stenella species were found on native cerrado plants. Stenella erythroxyli-campestris, S. erythroxyli-suberosi and S. erythroxylicola were associated with plant species belonging in the family Erythroxylaceae; S. cyrtopodii was found infecting the rare Cyrtopodium eugenii (Orchidaceae), and S. ocoteae occurred on Ocotea sp. (Lauraceae). Finally Parastenella callisthenis-fasciculatae was collected on a Vochysiaceae (viz. Callisthene fasciculate) endemic to the cerrado.     

Trait diversity on the phylogeny of cerrado woody species

During the Neogene, the Brazilian cerrado became established as a large‐scale vegetation type. Cerrado lineages started to diversify less than 10 million years ago, coinciding with the rise to dominance of flammable C₄ grasses and the expansion of the savanna biome. Cerrado lineages are strongly associated with adaptations to fire and have sister groups in fire‐free nearby forests, implying that the cerrado formed in situ via adaptive shifts to resist fire. By including phylogeny into the analysis of biological traits, we investigated trait diversity of cerrado woody species in a phylogenetic context, sampling a cerrado site in central Brazil. Decomposing trait diversity along the nodes of a phylogenetic tree of cerrado woody species, we found that the rate of trait diversification was higher in the past, coinciding with the major species diversification of angiosperms in mid‐Cretaceous, long before the cerrado originated. Some more recent adaptive shifts to resist fire, however, must have occurred during the origin and expansion of the cerrado woody flora. Analysing values of each trait separately at the tips of the phylogenetic tree, we found that most trait values were randomly distributed, probably because we analysed only species that had already been filtered by drought, fire, and soil. Analysing values of all traits simultaneously at the tips, we found close to root events and broad, macro‐evolutionary patterns, called ‘global structures’, opposing some lineages, especially Fabaceae and Myrtaceae, with different ecological strategies. Fabaceae presented compound, large, tender leaves, with high nitrogen content due to symbiosis with nitrogen‐fixing bacteria, and Myrtaceae presented simple, small, tough leaves, with low nitrogen and high potassium content. We also found relatively recent events that induced divergence of the evolutionary strategies close to the tips, called ‘local structures’, involving more recent changes in most lineages.     

Fingerprinting of cerrado species based on cork lipophilic constituents

Cerrado is a savanna ecosystem of central and southeastern Brazil. Many woody species of cerrado have thick layers of cork. The present work aimed to characterize, by GC/MS analysis, the constituents of n-hexane extracts from the cork of common species from cerrado. Cork samples from 31 individuals, corresponding to 14 species and six families, were analyzed. Similarities and differences were noticed between cork and cuticular waxes regarding profiles of lipophilic constituents. The distribution of cork constituents was analyzed using the UPGMA clustering method and DICE coefficient. All clusters in the dendrogram obtained comprise individuals from a same species, suggesting that the distribution of lipophilic cork constituents is useful for species characterization and possibly also for species identification, resembling results commonly obtained with molecular markers. Seven samples of Bignoniaceae, corresponding to two genera and seven species, emerged in a common cluster, in an arrangement in accordance with the recent segregation of Tabebuia species to a new genus Handroanthus. The markers analyzed were not efficient regarding characterization of other families.     

Hyphomycetes on the Vochysiaceae from the Brazilian cerrado

New hyphomycetes are described in association with leaves of native plants of the family Vochysiaceae, as part of studies of cerrado fungi. Six new species are described belonging to genera Alternaria (A. qualeae sp. nov.), Janetia (J. salvertiae sp. nov.), Passalora (P. qualeae sp. nov.) and Periconiella (P. longispora sp. nov., P. qualeae-grandiflorae sp. nov. and P. campo-grandensis sp. nov.). A key to the species of Periconiella on Qualea is provided.     

Cyclopentene dialdehydes from Tabebuia impetiginosa

The isolation of two cyclopentene dialdehydes, 2-formyl-5-(4'-methoxybenzoyloxy)-3-methyl-2-cyclopentene-1-acetal dehyde, and 2-formyl-5-(3', 4'-dimethoxybenzoyloxy)-3-methyl-2-cyclopentene-1-acetaldehyde, from the bark of Tabebuia impetiginosa is reported. The structures were established by analysis of spectroscopic data. These compounds showed anti-inflammatory activity.     

Endophytic fungi isolated from medicinal plants: future prospects of bioactive natural products from Tabebuia/Handroanthus endophytes

Medicinal plants are a rich source of natural products used to treat many diseases; therefore, they are the basis for a new drug discovery. Plants are capable of generating different bioactive secondary metabolites, but a large amount of botanical material is often necessary to obtain small amounts of the target substance. Nowadays, many medicinal plants are becoming rather scarce. For this reason, it is important to point out the interactions between endophytic microorganisms and the host plant, because endophytes are able to produce highly diverse compounds, including those from host plants that have important biological activities. Thence, this review aims at presenting the richness in bioactive compounds of the medicinal plants from Tabebuia and Handroanthus genera, as well as important aspects about endophyte-plant interactions, with emphasis on the production of bioactive compounds by endophytic fungi, which has been isolated from various medicinal plants for such a purpose. Furthermore, bio-prospection of natural products synthesized by endophytes isolated from the aforementioned genera used in traditional medicine could be used to treat illnesses.

     

Iridoid Glycosides from Tabebuia avellanedae

Five novel iridoid glycosides, avellanedaesides A‐E ( 1  –  5 ) were isolated from the H₂O extract of Tabebuia avellanedae. Their structures were determined on the basis of NMR and MS analysis. Isolated compounds suppressed inflammatory cytokine, tumor‐necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐1β production in cultured human myeloma THP‐1 cells co‐stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In addition, the study revealed iridoid glycosides inhibited the activity of cytochrome CYP3A4 enzyme.     

Constituents from the bark of Tabebuia impetiginosa

The bark of Tabebuia impetiginosa afforded nineteen glycosides, consisting of four iridoid glycosides, two lignan glycosides, two isocoumarin glycosides, three phenylethanoid glycosides and eight phenolic glycosides. Their structures were determined using both spectroscopic and chemical methods. Iridoid glycosides, phenylethanoid glycosides and lignan glycosides had ajugol, osmanthuside H and secoisolariciresinol 4-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside as their structural elements, respectively, whereas the aglycone moieties of the isocoumarin glycosides were considered to be (-)-6-hydroxymellein. Phenolic glycosides had 4-methoxyphenol, 2,4-dimethoxyphenol, 3,4-dimethoxyphenol, 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenol and vanillyl 4-hydroxybenzoate as each aglycone moiety. Additionally, the sugar chains of these isocoumarin glycosides and phenolic glycosides were concluded to be beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside as well as those of osmanthuside H and above phenylethanoid glycosides.     

Influence of leaf epicuticular waxes from cerrado species on substrate selection byAtta sexdens rubropilosa

The influence of leaf epicuticular waxes of nine woody species from cerrado (a savanna ecosystem of Brazil) on the foraging behavior of the leaf-cutting antAtta sexdens rubropilosa Forel, 1908 (Formicidae, Attini) was investigated. Some waxes showed neither inhibitory nor attractive effect over a series of tests, while a second group caused a delayed rejection. Waxes of two species were shown to be strongly deterrent to the ants. Since different waxes caused different responses, it is concluded that their chemical composition, rather than hydrophobicity or mechanical constraints, accounts for the observed effects. Plant species with leaves rejected by the ants did not necessarily have repellent waxes. On the other hand, no species with acceptable leaves yielded waxes with deterrent effects.     

Pollination biology of two species ofKielmeyera (Guttiferae) from Brazilian cerrado vegetation

The pollination biology and breeding systems ofKielmeyera coriacea andK. speciosa, two sympatric woody species common in the cerrado vegetation of C. Brazil, were studied. Both species have similar nectarless, polystemonous Papaver-type flowers which are visited by a similar spectrum of insects, though they bloom in different seasons and are thus phenologically isolated. Large carpenter bees seem to be the most important pollinators and these and other bees effect buzz pollen retrieval despite the fact that anthers are not poricidal. Both species ofKielmeyera possess strong xenogamous breeding systems. The presence of staminate flowers and andromonoecy inK. coriacea, as well as the longevity ofK. speciosa flowers are discussed as alternative strategies to improve pollination success and reproductive efficacy.     

A comparison of the wood anatomy of 11 species from two cerrado habitats (cerrado s.s. and adjacent gallery forest)

A comparative study of the secondary xylem (wood) anatomy of 11 species (38 specimens) occurring in cerrado s.s. and the adjacent gallery forest (both cerrado s.l. habitat) was made with the aim of identifying the anatomical characteristics of ecological value and correlating them with the environmental conditions. The anatomical features that vary, in general, between the two habitats are: growth ring distinctness (well or poorly defined); tyloses and deposits (more abundant in cerrado specimens); gelatinous fibres (more evident in cerrado specimens and in different patterns between habitats); variation in paratracheal and banded parenchyma (more abundant in cerrado); and more cells per parenchyma strand in cerrado. In general, gallery forest specimens have wider vessels, fewer vessels per square millimetre and larger intervessel pits, indicating more efficient water conduction, whereas cerrado s.s. specimens are the opposite, with low vulnerability and mesomorphy indices, demonstrating greater safety under conditions of water stress. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, ?? , ??–??.     

Monocentric fungi on species of rhizosolenia from saline habitats

Summary Eight monocentric fungi are reported in two provisionally identified species ofRhizosolenia from sea-water. Only two species are assigned specific names. These areRhizophydium planktonicum Canter andR. fragilariae Canter. A fungus with depressed-globose sporangia is included as a form ofR. fragilariae. Two unidentified species ofChytridium are reported. A fungus tentatively assigned toZygorhizidium and a form provisionally assigned toPetersenia are also reported and described insofar as their characteristics are known.