Bigeneric nomina: An historical and evolutionary perspective

It is suggested that the addition of bigeneric or bispecific nomina to designate fossils which are intermediate between two chronogenera or chronospecies is inadvisable, because the use of either of these categories to describe cases involving a single phyletic line, consisting of a continuous chain of time-sequential populations, misrepresents the nature of the evolutionary processes involved; and that in such cases fossils might best be referred to by specimen numbers.     

王莲(Victoria)杂交后代表型观察分析

以克鲁兹王莲ב朗伍德王莲自交后代’的58个后代为材料,观察分析了叶片卷边颜色、花蕾形状、萼片颜色、萼片着刺数、第1晚和第2晚花色等10个主要性状的分离情况,并对个体性状分离类型进行了聚类。结果表明,其后代性状分离极为广泛,主要表现为负向中亲优势、正向中亲优势和超亲优势。第1晚内瓣色、拟雄蕊尖色、第2晚内瓣色、第2晚外瓣色及第2晚内外瓣色差5个性状之间有高度或显著相关性,其余相关性较低;卷边色、蕾形、萼片颜色、着刺数及第1晚外瓣色5个性状独立遗传的可能性大。个体性状分离类型丰富,主要可分为7大类,绿叶粉花白芯型、红叶玫红花白芯型、绿叶玫红花深玫红芯型、红叶玫红花深玫红芯型、绿叶深玫红花白芯型、红叶粉花深玫红芯型、绿叶萼多刺玫红花白芯型。     

Bigeneric nomina: A proposal for modification of the rules of nomenclature

It is difficult to name fossils which are intermediate between chronospecies or chronogenera in general paleontology. A possible solution is proposed for discussion: namely, to utilize bigeneric nomina to designate a group of fossils which are intermediate between two consecutive genera, and bispecific nomina to designate fossils which are intermediate between two consecutive species.     

Orchid pollination biology

Orchids display many unsurpassed floral specializations, as both rewarders and frauds in their interaction with animal pollinators. Accumulating evidence indicates that their floral evolution is driven by pollinator traits and that expenditure for maximized sexual reproduction is parcelled out over their lifetimes in strategies for coping with pollinator and resource limitations. Recent advances in orchid pollination biology center mainly on floral evolutionary processes, pseudocopulation and other deceptive pollination systems, and flower and fruit production in relation to costs of sexual reproduction.     

Orchid industry of Singapore

Singapore is one of the leading countries in orchid cut-flower export. Considering the size of the country, it has done remarkably well. This achievement is supported by local interest in orchid hybridization producing new hybrids, in the strategic location as a center of air transport, and in the efforts of growers and exporters. Although the pressure on land use has reduced the acreage of orchid farms in recent years, the future prospects of this export cut-flower trade are still good.     

Respiratory Metabolism of Orchid Flower

In general, relatively few studies were made on the respiratory metabolism of flowers as compared to leaves and fruits. Understanding respiration as an internal metabolic control of floral senescence is important to proper postharwest handling of cut flowers(Coorts 1973, Rogers 1973, Halevy and Mayak 1979). The first extensive review of respiratory metabolism of cut flowers was done by Coorts(1973). The review, however, covered primarily roses, carnations, chrysanthemums and other temperate     

中国兰的组织培养

就中国兰组织培养中的形态建成 ,培养基和激素等因素与外植体诱导、种子非共生萌发、原球茎和根状茎的增殖及分化的关系 ,以及中国兰组织培养中存在的问题作了介绍。     

全国野生动植物保护及自然保护区建设工程——兰科植物种质资源保护中心

兰科植物（俗称兰花）是植物界最大的家族之一,是自然界生物多样性的重要组成部分,具有极高的观赏、药用、科研、文化和生态价值。由于长期以来特别是近二十年来的乱采滥挖,我国兰科植物资源数量急剧减少,大量种类处于濒危状态,挣扎在灭绝的边缘。因此,全科均为国际公约保护植物,占保护植物总数的90%以上,     

Orchid sexual deceit provokes ejaculation

Sexually deceptive orchids lure pollinators by mimicking female insects. Male insects fooled into gripping or copulating with orchids unwittingly transfer the pollinia. The effect of deception on pollinators has been considered negligible, but we show that pollinators may suffer considerable costs. Insects pollinating Australian tongue orchids (Cryptostylis species) frequently ejaculate and waste copious sperm. The costs of sperm wastage could select for pollinator avoidance of orchids, thereby driving and maintaining sexual deception via antagonistic coevolution or an arms race between pollinator learning and escalating orchid mimicry. However, we also show that orchid species provoking such extreme pollinator behavior have the highest pollination success. How can deception persist, given the costs to pollinators? Sexually-deceptive-orchid pollinators are almost exclusively solitary and haplodiploid species. Therefore, female insects deprived of matings by orchid deception could still produce male offspring, which may even enhance orchid pollination.     

Microbiota of the Orchid Rhizoplane

Six bacterial strains isolated from the underground roots of the terrestrial orchid Calanthe vestitavar. rubro-oculatawere found to belong to the genera Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Mycobacterium, and Pseudomonas.Strains isolated from the aerial roots of the epiphytic orchid Dendrobium moschatumwere classified into the genera Bacillus, Curtobacterium, Flavobacterium, Nocardia, Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, and Xanthomonas.The rhizoplane of the terrestrial orchid was also populated by cyanobacteria of the genera Nostocand Oscillatoria, whereas that of the epiphytic orchid was populated by one genus, Nostoc.In orchids occupying different econiches, the spectra of the bacterial genera revealed differed. The microbial complex of the terrestrial orchid rhizoplane differed from that of the surrounding soil.     

Microbiota of the Orchid rhizoplane

Six bacterial strains isolated from the underground roots of the terrestrial orchid Calanthe vestita var. rubrooculata were found to belong to the genera Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Mycobacterium, and Pseudomonas. Strains isolated from the aerial roots of the epiphytic orchid Dendrobium moschatum were classified into the genera Bacillus, Curtobacterium, Flavobacterium, Nocardia, Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, and Xanthomonas. The rhizoplane of the terrestrial orchid was also populated by cyanobacteria of the genera Nostoc and Oscillatoria, whereas that of the epiphytic orchid was populated by one genus, Nostoc. In orchids occupying different econiches the spectra of the bacterial genera revealed differed. The microbial complex of the terrestrial orchid rhizoplane differed from that of the surrounding soil.     

Potential Challenges of Climate Change to Orchid Conservation in a Wild Orchid Hotspot in Southwestern China

Southwestern China including Guangxi Province is one of nine world hotspots for orchid. Warming in the region in the past century was around 0.5°C, slightly lower than the global average of 0.7°C, while rainfall has remained the same. It is projected that the warming trend will continue for the next two centuries, while precipitation will increase slightly, and soil moisture level will decrease. We identify a number of threats due to climate changes to orchid community in the Yachang Orchid Nature Reserve in Guangxi (hereafter refer to as Yachang Reserve), a good representative of the region. Firstly, decreased soil moisture is likely to have a negative effect on growth and survival of orchids, especially terrestrial and saprophytic ones. Sixty eight (50%) orchid species in the Yachang Reserve are in this category. Secondly, the greater majority of the orchids in Yachang Reserve (72%) have populations on or close to the limestone mountain tops. These populations are likely to shrink or even become extinct as the warming continues because they have no higher places to which they are able to migrate. Natural poleward migration is unlikely for these populations because of the complex terrain, small size of the reserve and human-dominated surroundings. Species with narrow distributions (14%) and/or small population sizes (46%) will be the most vulnerable. In addition, populations represent the southern limit of the species (24%) are also prone to local extinction. Thirdly, extreme rainfall events are projected to occur more frequently, which can exacerbate erosion. This may impact orchid populations that grow on steep cliffs. Fifty seven species (42%) of the orchids in Yachang have cliff populations. Fourthly, the majority of orchid species have specialized insect pollination systems. It is unknown whether the change or lack of change in plant phenology will be in synchrony with the potential phenological shifts of their pollinators. Fifty four (40%) orchid species in Yachang Reserve flower in the spring and are potentially subject to this threat. Finally, mycorrhizal fungi are vital for seed germination for all orchids and important for post-seedling growth for some species. Yet there is a lack of knowledge of the nature of mycorrhiza on all orchids in the region, and little is known on the responses of these vital symbiotic relationships to temperature and soil moisture. Overall, 15% of the orchid species and a quarter of the genera bear high risk of population reduction or local extinction under the current projection of climate change. While studies on predicting and documenting the consequences of climate change on biodiversity are increasing, few identified the actual mechanisms through which climate change will affect individual species. Our study provides a unique perspective by identifying specific threats to a plant community.     

Orchid conservation: making the links

Orchidaceae, one of the largest families of flowering plants, present particular challenges for conservation, due in great part to their often complex interactions with mycorrhizal fungi, pollinators and host trees. In this Highlight, we present seven papers focusing on orchids and their interactions and other factors relating to their conservation.