Three new Brazilian species of chamaecrista moench (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae)

Chamaecrista (sect.Apoucouita) aspidiifolia Irwin & Barneby from Bahia,Ch. (sect.Absus) glischrodes Irwin & Barneby from Minas Gerais andCh. (sect.Absus)didyma Irwin & Barneby from Brazilian Amazonia are described, figured, and discussed in terms of affinity. Several incidental new combinations inChamaecrista are proposed.     

New genera and species of ericaceae (Vaccinieae) from Costa Rica and Panama

Two new monotypic genera,Didonica andUtleya, are described, withD. pendula from Panama andU. costaricensis from Costa Rica.Disterigma trimera (Panama),D. utleyorum (Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador),Lateropora santafeensis (Panama),Lysiclesia panamensis (Panama),Macleania talamancensis (Costa Rica),Themistoclesia costaricensis (Costa Rica) andT. horquetensis (Panama),Vaccinium costaricense andV. orosiense (both from Costa Rica) and V.jefense (Panama) are all described as new. New combinations are provided for the PanamanianVaccinium floccosum (=Symphysia floccosa) and the West IndianVaccinium racemosum (=Symphysia racemosa). Keys are provided for the Central American species ofDisterigma andThemistoclesia, the species ofLateropora andLysiclesia, and the Costa Rican and Panamanian species ofVaccinium. Six new species are illustrated.     

Novae Gesneriaceae neotropicarum VI: five new Gesneriaceae from northwestern South America

Columnea chrysotricha, C. cuspidata (bothColumnea sect.Collandra), andGasteranthus recurvatus are described from Colombia;C. sulcata (Columnea sect.Collandra) from Ecuador and Colombia; andDrymonia anisophylla from the Amazonian lowland rain forests of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.     

New taxa of Consolea Lemaire (Cactaceae: Opuntioideae) from Cuba

The ranges ofConsolea nashii andC. moniliformis were found to extend from the Bahamas and Hispaniola, respectively, into Cuba. Two new subspecies are now recognized on the basis of morphological and geographical discontinuities of populations:Consolea nashii subsp.gibarensis from the coastal thickets between Manatí and Maisí, northeastern Cuba, andC. moniliformis subsp.guantanamana from the cacti thorn-woodlands and thickets of Guantánamo and Santiago de Cuba Provinces, on the southern coast and adjacent dry plains of eastern Cuba. A key to the Cuban species ofConsolea is provided.     

A new series and three new species of Passiflora subgenus Astrophea from the Guianas

A new series,Passiflora ser.Carneae, and three new species are described inPassiflora subg.Astrophea:P. ascidia from Guyana and Venezuelan Guayana;P. balbis from Guyana, Venzuelan Guayana, and Amazonian Brazil; andP. saulensis from central French Guiana. A key to the 19 Guiana species ofPassiflora subg.Astrophea is provided.     

Identification and in vitro anti-esophageal cancer activity of a series of halogenated monoterpenes isolated from the South African seaweeds Plocamium suhrii and Plocamium cornutum

Five known (1, 2, 4, 6 and 7) halogenated monoterpenes together with 1Z,3R^∗,4S^∗,5E,7Z)-1-bromo-3,4,8-trichloro-7-(dichloromethyl)-3-methylocta-1,5,7-triene (3) and (3R^∗,4S^∗)-3,4,6,7-tetrachloro-3,7-dimethyl-octen-1-ene (5) were isolated from the red macroalga Plocamium suhrii and their structures deduced from their spectroscopic data. The seven compounds from P. suhrii together with five related compounds from Plocamium cornutum have been evaluated for their cytotoxic effects on an esophageal cancer cell line (WHCO1). Compounds 1-6 showed greater cytotoxicity in this assay as compared to the known anticancer drug cisplatin.     

Toward a census of genus Mimosa (Mimosaceae) in the Americas: a new species from Mexico (Baja California Sur) and two from planaltine Brazil (Goiás, Minas Gerais)

Three new species of Mimosa are described: M. (sect. Batocaulon) epitropica Barneby & León de la Luz from Mexico (Baja California Sur); and two from planaltine Brazil, M. (sect. Habbasia) bispiculata Barneby and M. (sect. Mimosa) demissa Barneby. The affinity of each is discussed, and all are illustrated.     

The origin of the H, St, W, and Y genomes in allotetraploid species of Elymus L. and Stenostachys Turcz. (Poaceae: Triticeae)

Based on sequences from two single-copy nuclear genes (DMC1 and EF-G), four plastid genes (rbcL, rpoA, matK, and ndhF), and one mitochondrial gene (coxII), we investigate the origin of the H, St, W, and Y genomes in four allotetraploid species of Elymus and two allotetraploid species of Stenostachys. Despite significant incongruence between the two nuclear genes and between the nuclear and organelle data partitions, individual and combined analyses of the data partitions unequivocally show that the St and H genomes of the tetraploid American species of Elymus are derived from Pseudoroegneria and Hordeum, respectively, with Pseudoroegneria serving as the female parent, and that the H and W genomes of Stenostachys are derived from Hordeum and Australopyrum, respectively, with Hordeum serving as the female parent. The analyses equally clearly demonstrate that the St genome of the tetraploid Asiatic Elymus species is derived from Pseudoroegneria, with the latter serving as the female parent, but the relationship of the Y genome is less clear. Individual analyses of the nuclear genes provide conflicting results, but combined analysis of all data suggests a sister group relationship to Heteranthelium, albeit without any jackknife support.     

Antitumoral and antileishmanial dioncoquinones and ancistroquinones from cell cultures of Triphyophyllum peltatum (Dioncophyllaceae) and Ancistrocladus abbreviatus (Ancistrocladaceae)

From the methanolic extracts of solid callus cultures from two species of the closely related palaeotropical plant families Dioncophyllaceae and Ancistrocladaceae seven new natural naphthoquinones were isolated, dioncoquinones A (4) and B (5) from Triphyophyllum peltatum, and ancistroquinones B (6), C (7), D (9), E (10), and F (12) from Ancistrocladus abbreviatus. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic, chemical, and computational methods. Furthermore, the already known naphthoquinones plumbagin (2), droserone (3), malvone A (8), and nepenthone A (11) were found in the extract of A. abbreviatus. Dioncoquinones A (4) and B (5) showed good - and specific - activity against Leishmania major, while they were not active against other protozoic parasites. Moreover, treatment with 4 and 5 strongly induced apoptosis in human tumor cells derived from two different B cell malignancies, B cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma, without any significant toxicity towards normal peripheral mononuclear blood cells.     

Absolute configuration of tropane alkaloids from Schizanthus species by vibrational circular dichroism

The absolute configuration (AC) of 6β-hydroxy-3α-senecioyloxytropane (1), 3α-hydroxy-6β-tigloyloxytropane (2), 3α-hydroxy-6β-senecioyloxytropane (3), and 3α-hydroxy-6β-angeloyloxytropane (4) was assigned as (1R,3R,5S,6R) using density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/DGDZVP level of theory in combination with experimental vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) measurements and comparison with the spectra of similar tropanes. The AC of 1 followed from a sample isolated from Schizanthus grahamii, while those of the mixture of 2 and 3, isolated from the same source, were determined by comparing the VCD measurement to a weighted calculation of the individual VCD spectra according to a 69:31 ratio of 2:3 determined by ¹H NMR signal integration. In turn, Schizanthus pinnatus provided a 7:3 mixture of 1:4 whose AC was determined using the experimental VCD absorptions in the 1150-950 cm⁻¹ spectral region which were compared with those observed for 1-3 and with those described for other 3α,6β-tropanediol derivatives.     

New species of cryptochloa and piresia (Poaceae: Bambusoideae)

Two new species are added toCryptochloa,C. unispiculata from Peru andC. capillata from Brazil, the latter transferred from the genusOlyra. The genusPiresia is also augmented by two new species,P. macrophylla from Peru andP. leptophylla from Bahia, Brazil. These species represent, respectively, the westernmost and easternmost limits of distribution of the genus.     

Development of somatic hybrids Solanum × michoacanum Bitter. (Rydb.) (+) S. tuberosum L. and autofused 4x S. × michoacanum plants as potential sources of late blight resistance for potato breeding

Key message

Phytophthora infestans resistant somatic hybrids of S. × michoacanum (+) S. tuberosum and autofused 4 x S. × michoacanum were obtained. Our material is promising to introgress resistance from S. × michoacanum into cultivated potato background.

Abstract

Solanum × michoacanum (Bitter.) Rydb. (mch) is a wild diploid (2n = 2x = 24) potato species derived from spontaneous cross of S. bulbocastanum and S. pinnatisectum. This hybrid is a 1 EBN (endosperm balance number) species and can cross effectively only with other 1 EBN species. Plants of mch are resistant to Phytophthora infestans (Mont) de Bary. To introgress late blight resistance genes from mch into S. tuberosum (tbr), genepool somatic hybridization between mch and susceptible diploid potato clones (2n = 2x = 24) or potato cultivar Rywal (2n = 4x = 48) was performed. In total 18,775 calli were obtained from postfusion products from which 1,482 formed shoots. The Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR), Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences (CAPS) and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses confirmed hybrid nature of 228 plants and 116 autofused 4x mch. After evaluation of morphological features, flowering, pollen stainability, tuberization and ploidy level, 118 somatic hybrids and 116 autofused 4x mch were tested for late blight resistance using the detached leaf assay. After two seasons of testing three somatic hybrids and 109 4x mch were resistant. Resistant forms have adequate pollen stainability for use in crossing programme and are a promising material useful for introgression resistance from mch into the cultivated potato background.     

New species of Pectis (Asteraceae) from the West Indies,Mexico, and South America

Four new species ofPectis are described:P. ericifolia from Barbuda,P. luckoviae from west-central Mexico,P. arida from Ecuador and Peru, andP. cajamarcana from Peru. Chromosome counts forP. ericifolia (n=48) andP. luckoviae (n=12) are presented. Relationships of the newly described taxa are discussed.     

Some ascomycetes (fungi) occurring on tropical ferns

The new combination Eudimeriolum cyathearum is proposed for Dimeriella cyathearum; the fungus is found on pinnae of Cyathea caudata in the Philippine Islands. Dimeriella polypodii is described from scales on pinnae of Polypodium montigenum and P. madrense in Mexico. Bioscypha cyatheae, on pinnae of Cyathea sp. in Costa Rica, is redescribed. Bioscypha pteridicola is described from pinnae of Cnemidaria uleana var. abitaguensis in Colombia. Crocicreas sessilis is described from pinnae of Cyathea divergens var. tuerckheimii in Mexico.     

Withanolides from Withania aristata and their cytotoxic activity

Seven new withanolides (1-7), along with three known ones (8-10), were isolated from the leaves of Withania aristata. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, including 2D NMR experiments and spectrometric techniques, and the absolute configuration of 1 and 2 was established by CD analysis. In the search for new cytotoxic compounds from Withania species, the isolated compounds 1-9, along with two derivatives, were assayed for their cytotoxicity against HeLa, MCF-7 and A-549 human tumor cell lines. Derivative (4S,20R,22R)-27-acetoxy-4-p-bromobenzoyloxy-1-oxo-witha-2,5,16,24-tetraenolide (13) showed cytotoxicity against all the cell lines assayed with IC₅₀ values ranging from 2.8 to 3.6 μM, and (4S,20R,22R)-4,27-diacetoxy-4-hydroxy-1-oxo-witha-2,5,16,24-tetraenolide (12) exhibited an IC₅₀ value of 5.4 μM on the MCF-7 cell line.     

QTL mapping for salt tolerance and domestication-related traits in Vigna marina subsp. oblonga,a halophytic species

Key message

QTL mapping in F ₂ population [ V. luteola × V. marina subsp. oblonga ] revealed that the salt tolerance in V. marina subsp. oblonga is controlled by a single major QTL.

Abstract

The habitats of beach cowpea (Vigna marina) are sandy beaches in tropical and subtropical regions. As a species that grows closest to the sea, it has potential to be a gene source for breeding salt-tolerant crops. We reported here for the first time, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) mapping for salt tolerance in V. marina. A genetic linkage map was constructed from an F₂ population of 120 plants derived from an interspecific cross between V. luteola and V. marina subsp. oblonga. The map comprised 150 SSR markers. The markers were clustered into 11 linkage groups spanning 777.6 cM in length with a mean distance between the adjacent markers of 5.59 cM. The F_2:3 population was evaluated for salt tolerance under hydroponic conditions at the seedling and developmental stages. Segregation analysis indicated that salt tolerance in V. marina is controlled by a few genes. Multiple interval mapping consistently identified one major QTL which can explain about 50 % of phenotypic variance. The flanking markers may facilitate transfer of the salt tolerance allele from V. marina subsp. oblonga into related Vigna crops. The QTL for domestication-related traits from V. marina are also discussed.     

Three new sterigmatocystin analogues from marine-derived fungus Aspergillus versicolor MF359

During the systematic screening of active compounds from marine-derived fungi, the extract of a strain of Aspergillus versicolor MF359 isolated from a marine sponge of Hymeniacidon perleve was identified for detailed chemical investigation. Three new secondary metabolites, named hemiacetal sterigmatocystin (1), acyl-hemiacetal sterigmatocystin (2), and 5-methoxydihydrosterigmatocystin (3), together with a known compound, aversin (4), were characterized. 1 represents a first structure of sterigmatocystin hemiacetal from nature. The antibacterial activities of these identified compounds were evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Compound 3 showed activity against S. aureus and B. subtilis with MIC values of 12.5 and 3.125 μg/mL, respectively.     

Phomoeuphorbins A-D, azaphilones from the fungus Phomopsis euphorbiae

Four azaphilones, named phomoeuphorbins A-D (1-4) were isolated from cultures of Phomopsis euphorbiae, an endophytic fungus isolated from Trewia nudiflora. Structures of 1-4 were established on the basis of spectroscopic analyses, including application of 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques. Phomoeuphorbins A and C exhibited very weak inhibitory activities against HIV replication in C8166 cells in vitro.     

Nonenzymic,biogenetic-like cyclization of a trienic acetal

The stereoselective synthesis of the trans,trans trienic acetal 9 is described. Alkylation of the lithio derivative of 2-methyl-1-hexene-5-yne (10) with ethylene oxide gave the acetylenic alcohol 11, which on reduction with sodium in liquid ammonia afforded the trans diene 12. Alkylation of the sodium enolate of acetylacetone with 13, the mesylate derived from 12, gave the dione 14; chlorination of 14 and deacylation of the resulting chloro dione 15 provided the α-chloro ketone 16. Conversion of 16 to the trans,trans acetal 9 was accomplished by means of a Cornforth olefin synthesis. Thus, stereoselective attack by the Grignard reagent derived from 1-ethylenedioxy-4-chlorobutane afforded from 16 the chlorohydrin 17, which on treatment with methanolic base was converted to the trans epoxide 18. Deoxygenation of 18 to give the trans,trans acetal 9 was accomplished via the intermediacy of the iodohydrin 19.