NEW TAXODIACEOUS SEED CONES FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS OF NEW JERSEY

Nephrostrobus cliffwoodensis gen. et sp. nov., Nephrostrobus bifurcatus sp. nov., and Rhombostrobus cliffwoodensis gen. et sp. nov. are described based on anatomical studies of seed cone fragments from the Upper Cretaceous Magothy Formation of New Jersey. These species belong to the Taxodiaceae. As in Sequoia, Sequoiadendron. and Metasequoia, the vascular strands supplying the scale and bract in Nephrostrobus are about equal. These vascular strands are arranged in a reniform pattern resembling that found in Metasequoia, but the orientation differs by 180 degress. Nephrostrobus cliffwoodensis and Nephrostrobus bifurcatus differ from each other in the branching of the complex trace and associated resin canals. Rhombostrobus cliffwoodensis resembles Cunninghamia in the arrangement of vascular strands and associated resin canals in its bract-scale complexes. However, the relative amount of bract and ovuliferous scale making up the complex is more like that in Sequoia. This combination of cone features does not occur in any of the extant genera. Nephrostrobus and Rhombostrobus are not considered to be ancestral to any of the extant taxodiaceous genera, but are extinct members of an ancestral complex from which the extant genera were derived.     

CHLORANTHUS-LIKE STAMENS FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS OF NEW JERSEY

Fossil angiospermous stamens with in situ pollen from the Turonian (ca. 90 million years before present, Late Cretaceous) of New Jersey are described and assigned to the Chloranthaceae. The fossil stamens, which are three-parted and bear two bisporangiate thecae on the central lobe and one bisporangiate theca on each lateral lobe, are indistinguishable from stamens of several extant species of Chloranthus. The pollen is spheroidal, 13–18 μm in diameter, with a reticulate exine and apparently elongate/elliptical apertures. The pollen is similar to that in extant Chloranthus in grain size, shape, exine sculpture, and aperture structure. Like pollen of some extant species of Chloranthus, aperture number in the fossil pollen appears to be variable. Because fossil pistillate chloranthoid reproductive structures have not been found at this locality it is unknown whether the fossil stamens described here were borne on the side of the ovary, as in extant Chloranthus, or in another arrangement. The three-parted stamen of Chloranthus is unique in angiosperms and there has been considerable debate concerning the origin and evolutionary significance of the structure. Uncertainty as to whether the three-parted stamen represents a synapomorphy for the genus or a retained plesiomorphy in angiosperms is the primary reason why these fossil stamens are not assigned to the extant genus Chloranthus.     

PITYOSTROBUS PUBESCENS,A NEW SPECIES OF PINACEOUS CONES FROM THE LATE CRETACEOUS OF NEW JERSEY

This new species is based on a single semifusinized cone from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of New Jersey. The cone is flattened but essentially complete. It is 55 mm long and 8 by 13 mm in diam. Scale apices are thin, rounded, and entire, lacking evidence of an umbo or spine. The vascular cylinder of the cone axis is organized as a series of separate strands. The scale is made up of a basal portion that stands out nearly perpendicular to the cone axis and a sharply upturned distal portion. The bract base has a pronounced abaxial keel. Bract and scale traces diverge from the vascular cylinder of the cone axis separately from one another. A poorly developed interseminal ridge is present at the chalazal end of the seeds. An unusual feature of the cone is the presence of a trichome-bearing epidermis on the cone axis, bract-scale complex, and near the scale apex. Resin canals diverge into the bract-scale complex abaxial to the scale trace with branches becoming adaxial to the scale trace outward. A number of features of the new species occur in cones of Abies, Cedrus, Keteleeria, Larix, Picea, Pseudolarix, Pseudotsuga, and Tsuga as well as in the extinct genus Pseudoaraucaria. Features of Pinus are absent. This suggests that Pseudoaraucaria may have served as an ancestral source for modern genera other than Pinus with Pityostrobus pubescens representing an evolutionary intermediate.     

DISC ELECTROPHORETIC STUDY OF POLLEN PROTEINS FROM NATURAL POPULATIONS OF BETULA POPULIFOLIA IN NEW JERSEY

Pollen proteins from individual trees of eight natural populations of B. populifolia Marsh. located in diverse physiographic provinces of New Jersey were separated by disc electrophoresis with 7 % acid and basic acrylamide gels. Specific stains and substrates for detecting general proteins, esterase, and leucine aminopeptidase isoenzymes were utilized. Average Rp values, 95 % confidence intervals, and percentage similarity values were calculated. Dendrograms were constructed to illustrate protein similarity among populations. The effects of increasing the concentration of protein samples subjected to electrophoresis and storage of pollen (4 C over 16 months) were investigated. After statistical analysis we concluded that: each protein system investigated revealed different amounts of intra- and interpopulation variation, different population ranking (determined by amount of variation), and different population similarity groupings; conclusions based on the comparisons of numbers of protein bands were not always valid; disc electrophoretic data revealed information about natural selection and gene flow; the effect of increasing pollen protein concentration was quantitative; with storage pollen proteins increased in overall positive charge.     

浙江产植物一新变种

<正> 无腺野海棠(野牡丹科) Bredia amoena Diels var.eglandulata B.Y.Ding,var.nov.(Melastomaceae) A var.amoena recedit inflorescentis,pedicellis et calycibus hirsutis brunneo-ferrugineis 3-6 mm longis dense tectis;calyce majore 6-7 mm longo,saepe3-lobis. Zhejiang:Taishun Xian(泰顺县),Wuyanling(乌岩岭),22 Oct,1972,H.S.Guo(郭汉身)Te401(Typus,ZJMU;模式标本存浙江医科大学植物标本室);TaishunXian,Huangquiao(黄桥)L.H.Lou et al.(楼炉焕等)460(ZJFC)。     

DECOMPOSITION DYNAMICS OF SPARTINA ALTERNIFLORA AND SPARTINA PATENS IN A NEW JERSEY SALT MARSH

Decomposition dynamics of two salt marsh species, Spartina alterniflora tall (SAT) form and Spartina patens (SP), were investigated at Mud Cove, near Manahawkin, Ocean County, New Jersey. Decomposition rates were determined monthly over 371 days by measuring the amount of material lost from plastic net litter bags. Litter bags containing SP material were placed in both SP and SAT vegetation zones; litter bags containing SAT material were also placed in both of these zones. The material was analyzed for ash content, total carbon, Kjeldahl nitrogen, caloric content, fat, and crude fiber. Final weight loss values were as follows: SAT in SAT zone 72.4%, SP in SAT zone 56.9%, SAT in SP zone 46.7%, and SP in SP zone 26.4%. When SAT and SP material were placed in the same location (SAT or SP sites), the SAT material decomposed at a greater rate. If the same vegetation type (SAT or SP) were placed in both SAT and SP locations, the material at the SAT location decomposed at a greater rate than similar material in the SP location. The results indicate that while environmental characteristics (e.g., flooding) at a site influence the rate at which these two species will decompose, Spartina patens is inherently more resistant to decomposition.     

A NEW INSECTIVORE FROM HAINAN

In the spring of 1957, a collecting party from the Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica,visited Hainan Island in South China, and collected mammals for the Institute. A totalof some 600 specimens were gathered from varioug localities in this region, of whichseveral species or subspecies are new distributional records, and the following is consideredas being new to science.     

福建一种新的蝙蝠蚤

头部 头部引长。额部呈均匀的弯曲,额三角突(Frontal tuberle)明显,紧靠在第一个颊栉刺的前方。额部具4根额鬃,第一根位于额三角突的后方,第二根位于第一根的后上方,第三根在触角沟的前方,第四根位于触角沟的前上缘。第二第三根额鬃较第一第四根者为粗。此外,额部尚有若干极小细鬃。颊栉(Genal ctenidium)由2根末端尖锐的刺组成,第二根比第一根更为尖锐。眼退化,留下近圆形的痕迹。雌雄触角梗节(Pedicel)上的     

广西一种新的苏铁

广西一种新的苏铁韦发南（广西植物研究所,桂林５４１００６）关键词苏铁新种;广西ＡＮＥＷＣＹＣＡＤＦＲＯＭＧＵＡＮＧＸＩ￥ＷｅｉＦａｎａｎ（ＧｕａｎｇｘｉＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＢｏｔａｎｙ,Ｇｕｉｌｉｎ５４１００６）Ｋｅｙｗｏｒｄｓ：Ｎｅｗｓｐｅｃｉｅ...     

A REMARKABLE NEW RED SEAWEED FROM NEW ZEALAND

A remarkable new sublittoral red alga is described from New Zealand. A detailed account of its morphology is provided. A new genus, Pseudoanemonia, is proposed for it and the specific epithet P. tentacula. It is placed in a new family, Pseudoanemoniaceae.     

广西雀舌木属一新种

<正> 灌木,高达2米;小枝褐色,圆柱形,近无毛。叶互生,革质,圆形至卵形或卵状椭圆形,长2—5厘米,宽1.5—2.5厘米,先端圆形或钝,基部圆形或阔楔形,两面无毛,边全缘,中肋上面消凹,下面突起;侧脉不明显,3—5对;叶柄增厚,长3—4毫米,无毛;托叶微小。花单性;雌雄同株,单生于叶腋。雄花:花柄长2—2.5厘米,无毛;萼片5枚,     

广西植物一新种和二新变种

<正> 1.百色黄精新种 图2(百合科) Polygonatum longistylum Y. Wan ex C. Z. Gao,sp.nov. (Liliaceae) Haec species P. cathcartii Baker affinis, sed laminis foliorum apice circinatis,filamentis apice non sacciformibus,stylo ovario fere(?)-plo longiore facile differt.