Taxonomic notes on Senecio tomentosus and its allies (Asteraceae)

Distribution maps, specimen citations and taxonomic commentary are provided for 14 species ofSenecio in temperate North America allied withS. tomentosus (the “Tomentosi”). These data support the author’s treatment of the group inNorth American Flora.     

Crocus sativus and its allies (Iridaceae)

Crocus sativus is an autumn-flowering species, unknown as a wild plant but long-cultivated for its scarlet style branches which yield Saffron, the dye and flavouring agent. There are several naturally-occurring related species from southern Europe and south western Asia which form a natural group within the genus.C. niveus from Greece is similar to these morphologically and is included here but is less closely related. The characters of the group are defined, a key to the taxa is provided and their relationships discussed.     

Chemotaxonomy of Veroniceae and its allies in the Plantaginaceae

In a chemosystematic investigation of tribe Veroniceae (Plantaginaceae), representatives of Camptoloma, Sibthorpia, Veronica subg. Pentasepalae and subg. Hebe, Veronicastrum, Wulfenia, and the related Ellisiophyllum and Globularia were examined for non-flavonoid glycosides. From the 14 species studied, 28 different iridoid glucosides and 10 caffeoyl phenylethanoid glucosides (CPGs), as well as salidroside and arbutin were isolated and characterized by NMR; of these, five compounds were previously unknown. It was found that the representatives of Veroniceae, as well as Globularia, were characterized by mannitol, aucubin, catalpol and catalpol esters. Each of the three studied species of Veronica subg. Hebe contained at least one of the 6-O-catalpol esters typical for Veronica s. str. (verminoside), supporting the inclusion of Hebe in Veronica. However, their main constituents were esters of 6-O-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol; a CPG, hebeoside (2'-beta-xylopyranosyl-verbascoside) was isolated from V. (Hebe) salicifolia. The two species of Veronicastrum also contained 6-O-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol esters, including the previously unknown 2',3'- and 3',4'-dicinnamoyl derivatives and, in contrast to the earlier reports, they lacked 6-O-catalpol esters. The main iridoid constituents in the three investigated species of Wulfenia were 10-O-aucubin and 10-O-catalpol esters (isoscrophularioside or globularin) while baldaccioside (10-O-cinnamoyl asystasioside E) was isolated from W. baldaccii. Globularia vulgaris contained 10-O-catalpol esters (e.g., globularin) and, in addition, asperuloside together with its benzoyl analogue named besperuloside. The representatives of Sibthorpia and Ellisiophyllum were almost completely devoid of iridoids; this, however, together with the CPGs present implied a close relationship between the two genera. Camptoloma lyperiiflorum lacked hexitols but contained esters of 6-O-rhamnopyranosylcatalpol different from those found in Veroniceae but known from Buddleja, Scrophularia and Verbascum (Scrophulariaceae s. str.).     

座囊菌目及相关类群属间关系的系统学初探

本研究对座囊菌纲部分类群的18S和28SnrDNA部分序列片段进行分析,探讨它们属间的系统学关系。邻接法和简约法分析结果显示,座囊菌纲供试类群为单起源,形成三个独立的分支并获得较强的支持率,分别代表座囊菌目、葡萄座腔菌目和格孢腔菌目。结果还显示,座囊菌纲中分类地位不确定的属Macrovalsaria与Botryosphaeria的关系相对接近,应该归于葡萄座腔菌目;历史上分类地位有疑问的Neopeckia和Dothidotthia两个属处于不同的目中,前者属于座囊菌目,后者为葡萄座腔菌目的成员;座囊菌目的Plowrightia属并非单系群,该属成员分别与Dothidea、Neopeckia和Sydowia三个属聚类在一起;现行的Botryosphaeria属也非单系群,其属的概念有待澄清。格孢腔菌目参试的7个属形成一个单系群,但属间的支持率非常低,表明它们应该在较高的分类等级上予以区分;序列分析的结果支持了基于形态学特征将Phragmogibbera纳入格孢腔菌目的分类观点。     

Cytology ofCrocus sativus and its allies (Iridaceae)

Populations ofC. cartwrightianus, C. hadriaticus andC. thomasii from the Balkans have 2n = 16 as has the Middle EasternC. pallasii subsp.haussknechtii. C. dispathaceus andC. pallasii subsp.pallasii have 2n = 14 whileC. pallasii subsp.turcicus has 2n = 12.C. niveus has 2n = 28 andC. sativus is an autotriploid with 2n = 24. Karyotype variation was found between populations ofC. pallasii subsp.pallasii in Central Turkey and also inC. pallasii subsp.turcicus.     

Taxonomy ofCryptococcus Neoformans and its varietyUniguttulatus

Summary A comparative study of a number of strains of the speciesCr. neoformans and its varietyuniguttulatus showed that capsule formation was inappropriate as a character to differentiate species and variety. The ability to grow at 37°C. and to use dulcitol andD-arabinose as source of carbon appeared to be more suitable. A definition of species and variety on this basis was given.     

宽叶金粟兰及其近缘类群的修订

在标本室研究和野外考察的基础上,对宽叶金粟兰Chloranthus henryi及其近缘种进行了分类学修 订。确认了宽叶金粟兰、及己C．serratus、华南金粟兰C．sessilifolius和台湾金粟兰C．oldhami,将单穗金 粟兰C．monostachys、湖北金粟兰C．hupehensis 、C. philippinensis、C．verticillatus和台湾及己C．serratus var．taiwanensis处理为新异名。通过研究合模式及有关照片,指定了宽叶金粟兰、多穗金粟兰C.multis-tachys和湖北金粟兰的后选模式。     

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Senecio longilobus and Senecio glabellus

TLC, capillary GC, packed column and capillary GC-MS, and¹H NMR were used to characterize pyrrolizidine alkaloids fromSenecio longilobus andS.glabellus.S.glabellus contained senecionine and integerrimine, andS.longilobus contained senecionine, integerrimine, seneciphylline and retrorsine, all present predominantly asN-oxides. Alkaloid content varied greatly in collections ofS.longilobus. This is the first report of integerrimine in these plants.     

Contributions to the Cytotaxonomy of the Commelinaceae. Gibasis linearis and its allies

Species of the Gibasis linearis alliance collected in Mexico in 1976 are shown to have a chromosome constitution of x = 6, but x = 5 has also been found in some populations of G. rhodantha and G. speciosa. These two basic numbers are associated with distinctive karyotypes, 2M + 4A and 3M + 2A respectively, which show a Robertsonian relationship with each other. The existence of 2n = 22 in G. speciosa , combining both basic numbers at the amphidiploid level provides evidence of pairing between metacentrics and acrocentrics in such a way as to substantiate the view that fusion or fission of chromosomes is responsible for the modification of basic number. This survey provides a basis for other studies which will determine the chromosome relationships of the species irrespective of chromosome number in this family.     

Origins of the new allopolyploid species Senecio cambrensis (asteraceae) and its relationship to the canary islands endemic Senecio teneriffae

The distribution of a 330 bp cpDNA insertion was reexamined in British material of Senecio cambrensis (2n = 6x = 60), its two putative parental taxa, S. squalidus (2n = 2x = 20) and S. vulgaris (2n = 4x = 40), and the closely related Canary Islands' endemic S. teneriffae (2n = 6x = 60). This formed part of a test of the hypothesis that the Welsh form of S. cambrensis is derived from introduced S. teneriffae rather than having originated in Wales via allopolyploidy as previously supposed. It was established that the 330 bp insertion was carried by all plants of Welsh S. cambrensis and also S. teneriffae, but was absent from the cpDNA of Edinburgh S. cambrensis and all plants of British S. squalidus and S. vulgaris var. vulgaris surveyed. However, two of 19 individuals tested of S. vulgaris var. hibernicus also possessed the cpDNA insertion, indicating that it is present in British material of S. vulgaris, although at low frequency. The close similarity between S. teneriffae and S. cambrensis, especially the Welsh form of S. cambrensis, was confirmed by the results of a restriction analysis of rDNA, and also morphometric and crossing studies. However, isozyme analysis showed that S. teneriffae is monomorphic for βEST-3 and ACO-1 phenotypes that are not present in Welsh and Edinburgh S. cambrensis, nor in S. squalidus and S. vulgaris material surveyed. It is concluded that S. teneriffae and S. cambrensis are two closely related allohexaploid taxa that have very similar, but different origins. It is postulated that whereas S. cambrensis (in Wales and Edinburgh) is the allohexaploid of S. vulgaris and S. squalidus, S. teneriffae is possibly the allohexaploid of S. vulgaris and S. glaucus, the latter being a diploid species closely related to S. squalidus.     

A contribution to the cyto-taxonomy of Brassica (Cruciferae) and its allies

Material of 85 species of Brassica and genera closely related to it was examined cytologically, and the chroiftosome counts are reported. These confirm records published by other workers for 42 species, two contradict earlier records, and 41 counts are believed to be new. Different species with the same chromosome number have been cross-pollinated, and those found to be interfertile have been grouped into cytodemes. For the most part species found to be interfertile have long been regarded as closely akin, but three cases of interfertile intergeneric hybrids are reported. Altogether the material has been classified into 45 cytodemes: 35 diploids with chromosome numbers ranging from n= 7 to n= 13, and 10 derived tetraploids. This enumeration is possibly not exhaustive of the world's genomes closely related to the crop Brassicas and a list is appended of the wild species which need examination before the enumeration might be considered to be complete.