A Study on the Genus Rubus of China

The genus Rubus is one of the largest genera in the Rosaceae, consisting of more than 750 species in many parts of the world, of which 194 species have been recorded in China. In the present paper the Rubus is understood in its broad sense, including all the blackberries, dewberries and raspberries, comprising the woody and herbaceous kinds. So it is botanically a polymorphic, variable and very complicated group of plants. The detailed analysis and investigation of the evolutionary trends of the main organs in this genus have indicated the passage from shrubs to herbs in an evolutionary line, although there is no obvious discontinuity of morphological characters in various taxa. From a phylogenetic point of view, the Sect. Idaeobatus Focke is the most primitive group, characterized by its shrub habit armed with sharp prickles, aciculae or setae, stipules attached to the petioles, flowers hermaphrodite and often in terminal or axillary inflorescences, very rarely solitary, druplets separated from receptacles. Whereas the herbaceous Sect. Chamaemorus L. is the most advanced group, which is usually unarmed, rarely with aciculae or setae, stipules free, flowers dieocious, solitary, druplets adhering to the receptacles and with high chromosome numbers (2n = 56). Basing upon the evolutionary tendency of morphological features, chromosome numbers of certain species recorded in literature and the distribution patterns of species, a new systematic arrangement of Chinese Rubus has been suggested by the present authors. Focke in his well-known monograph divided the species of Rubus into 12 subgenera, while in the Flora of China 8 sections of Focke were adapted, but some important revisions have been made in some taxa and Sect. Dalibarda Focke has been reduced to Sect. Cylactis Focke. In addition, the arrangement of sections is presented in a reverse order to those of Focke’s system. The species of Rubus in China are classified into 8 sections with 24 subsections (tab. 3) as follows: 1. Sect. Idaeobatus, emend. Yü et Lu(11 subsect. 83 sp.); 2. Sect. Lampobatus Focke (1 sp.); 3. Sect. Rubus (1 sp.); 4. Sect. Malachobatus Focke, emend. Yü et Lu (13 subsect. 85 sp.); 5. Sect. Dalibardastrus (Focke)Yü et Lu (10 sp.); 6. Sect. Chaemaebatus Focke (5 sp.); 7. Sect. Cylactis Focke, emend. Yü et Lu (8 sp.); 8. Sect. Chamaemorus Focke (1 sp.). In respect to the geographical distribution the genus Rubus occurs throughout the world as shown in tab. 2, particularly abundant in the Northern Hemisphere, while the greatest concentration of species appears in North America and E. Asia. Of the more than 750 species in the world, 470 or more species (64%) distributed in North America. It is clearly showm that the center of distribution lies in North America at present time. There are about 200 species recorded in E. Asia, of which the species in China (194) amount to 97% of the total number. By analysis of the distribution of species in China the great majority of them inhabit the southern parts of the Yangtze River where exist the greatest number of species and endemics, especially in southwestern parts of China, namely Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou (tab. 3. 4.). It is interesting to note that the centre of distribution of Rubus in China ranges From northwestern Yunnan to south-western Sichuan (tab. 5), where the genus also reaches its highest morphological diversity. In this region the characteristics of floristic elements of Rubus can be summarized as follows: it is very rich in composition, contaning 6 sections and 94 species, about 66% of the total number of Chinese species; there are also various complex groups, including primitive, intermediate and advanced taxa of phylogenetic importance; the proportion of endemic plants is rather high, reaching 61 species, up to 44% of the total endemics in China. It is noteworthy to note that the most primitive Subsect. Thyrsidaei (Focke) Yü et Lu, consisting of 9 endemic species, distributed in southern slopes of the Mts. Qin Ling and Taihang Shan (Fig. 4). From the above facts we may concluded that the south-western part of China is now not only the center of distribution and differentiation of Rubus in China, but it may also be the center of origin ofthis genus.     

A Study on Dichocarpum (Ranunculaceae)

The genus Dichocarpum was established by W. T. Wang and Hsiao in 1964, who divided the genus into 2 sections: Sect. Dichocarpum including 10 species distributed on the mainland of E. Asia, and Sect. Hutchinsonia including 9 species native to Japan. M. Tamura and L. A. Lauener made a revision of the genus in 1968, who divided the genus into 4 sections, three for the species of the mainland of E. Asia, including 3 series and 10 species, and the other for the species of Japan, including 2 subsections, 3 series and 9 species. In the present paper, the genus is divided into 2 sections and 6 series, including 15 species and 3 varieties, and a putative phylogeny of the genus is proposed. The genus may be close to the genus Asteropyrum, and these two genera are rather specialized in Thalictroides (Ranunculaceae), because they have three very similar characters: the petal with a long claw, the stephanocolpate pollen and the chromosome morphology. The genus has 2n=24, 35(36?), which indicates that its basic number is X=6, and the species on the mainland of E. Asia (Sect. Dichocarpum) may well be paleotetraploids, whereas those in Japan (sect. Hutchinsonia) are paleohexaploids. Most of the advanced species are distributed in Japan and the most primitive ones in China and the Himalayas, the distribution pattern seggests that the Japanese members of this genus might have immigrated from China in the Tertiary, and differentiated and evolved there. The putative phylogeny of the genus is shown in Fig. 2 (at series level)     

论世界蒿属植物区系

本文从多学科, 包括形态、地理分布、孢粉、古植物、谱系分支分析及化学成分等学科的研究, 论述了世界蒿属植物的系统分类及其种属地理、历史地理和区系地理.     

Taxonomy of the Chinese Orobanche and Its Relationships with Related Genera

The morphological characters in the genus Orobanche were evaluated from the taxonomic point of view. The author finds that the plants of this genus are relatively similar to each other in respect to characters of vegetative organs, fruits and seeds. But the differences in the floral structures can be served as a basis for delimitating infrageneric taxa. The seed coat of 18 species and pollen grains of 6 species were also examined under scanning electron microscope (SEM). They seem to have little significance for distinguishing species. The result supports G. Beck’s (1930) division of the genus Orobanche into 4 sections, of which 2 occur in China, based on the characters of the inflorescence, bracteoles and calyx. The author considers that some characters, such as anther hairy or not, upper lip of corolla entire or not, lower lip longer or shorter than the upper one, the state of corolla-tube inflec tion and the hair type of filaments and plants, are important in distinguishing Chinese species. A key to the species of Orobanche in China is given. This genus consists of about 100 species, and is mostly confined to Eurasia, with over 60 species found in Caucasus and Middle Asia of USSR, where may be the mordern distribu tional centre. Orobanche L. in China is represented by 23 species, 3 varieties and l forma. As shown in Table 1, most species (12 species) are found in Xinjiang, which clearly shows a close floristic relationship between this region and Middle Asia of USSR. 6 species are endemic to China, of which 4 are confined to the Hengduan Mountains (Yangtze-Mekong-Salwin divide). The relationships between this genus and related ones of Orobanchaceae are also discussed. The author holds the following opinions: the genus Phelypaea Desf. should be considered as a member of Orobanche L. Sect. Gymnocaulis G. Beck, the monotypic genus, Necranthus A. Gilli endemic to Turkey, is allied with Orobanche L. Sect. Orobanche, the monotypic genus, Platypholis Maxim, endemic to Bonin Is. of Japan, is far from Orobanche L. in relation and should be regarded as a separate genus. The 11 OTU’s, including all the sections of Orobanche L. and 7 genera of Orobanchaceae, and 15 morphological characters were used in the numerical taxonomic treatment to test the above-mentioned suggestions. After standardization of characters, the correlation matrices were computerized. The correlation matrices were made to test the various clustering methods. At last the UPGMA clustering method was chosen and its result is shown in a phenogram. The result of numerical analysis is basically in accordance with the suggestions.     

A Cytotaxonomic Study on Chinese Dioscorea L.—The Chromosome Numbers and Their Relation to the Origin and Evolution of the Genus

The chromosome numbers of 5 tuberous sections of Chinese Dioscorea, including 23 species and varieties, are reported in the present paper as a continuation of the previous reports. They are all polyploids with the basic number x=10. On the basis of analysis of chromosome numbers of whole genus, the rhizomatous diploid species of Sect. Stenophora Uline are presumed to be primitive taxa, while the polyploids of chromosome numbers 40-142 are considered derived groups as a result of hybridization between their ancestral diploids followed by chromosome doubling. Sect. Lasiophyton Pr. et Burk., Sect. Opsophyton UIine, Sect. Shannicorea Pr. et Burk., Sect. Combilium Pr. et Burk. and Sect. EnantiophylIum Uline may be the advanced groups. The chromosomal evolution and geographical distribution suggest that the primitivediploid might have originated in Hengduan Mountains of Asia, an old highland.     

猪毛菜属(Salsola L.)的系统与地理分布

本文论述了猪毛菜属系统分类的简史。依据该属的系统分类新资料,对我国猪毛菜属的分组系统作了进一步整理,将国产猪毛菜属植物归为6组5亚组。文中还讨论了该属的起源发生、迁移、分化以及地理分布等问题。     

栝楼属(葫芦科)植物的系统演化与地理分布

依据世界范围栝楼属植物种类的形态学、孢粉学、细胞学、系统发育研究资料,对栝楼属植物的系统演化和现代地理分布的形成进行了总结。栝楼组在栝楼属中处于原始地位,大苞组、叶苞组属于较进化类群,该属内的部分类群是在二倍体的水平上经过多倍化形成的。栝楼属在第三纪时期广布于欧洲、北美洲、亚洲、大洋洲,到第三纪晚期演化进程加快,南亚和中国西南山地逐步成为该属的起源中心与分化中心;受第四纪冰川期影响,该属在欧洲的种类逐渐消失,东亚成为该属的现代分布中心。栝楼属作为中国本地起源种,是中国植物区系中的重要组成部分。     

中国桂樱属植物的分类研究

桂樱属(Laurocerasus Tourn.ex Duh.)是蔷薇科李亚科的一个属。它是De Tournefort(Institutiones rei Herbariae 627.t.403.1700)以Prunus laurocerasus L.和P.lusitanica L.两种奠定基础,而至1755年由Duhmal代为正式发表而建立。自该属建立以后的二百多年来,各国植物学家对其分类位置各持不同观点。     

A Revision of Genus Yinshania (Cruciferae)

The genus Yinshania was established by Ma Yu-chuan and Zhao Yi-zhi in 1979, when only one species, Y. albiflora Ma et Y. Z. Zhao, was discribed from Nei Monggol. In the present paper the genus Yinshania is revised and four new species, two new varieties and four new combinetions are reported. There are so far eight species and two varieties in total in this genus. Important morphological characters of the genus are analysed, which shows that the lateral nectariferous glands positioned at lateral base of the brevistamens are triangularovoid; there are dense minute pustules on the surface of valves, which is easily neglected because the pustules disappear or shrinked when dry; simple or furcate hairs are present in the most species, seldom absent; the shape of pollen grains is relatively steady, elliptic or long-elliptic, with the polar view trifidcircular, the equatorial view elliptic or long elliptic, the aperture 3-colpate, exine reticular. The type of genus Yinshania is changed. Cochlearia acutangula O. E. Schulz was published in 1929, but Y. albiflora Ma et Y. Z. Zhao in 1979. They are the same species and a new combinetion, Y. acutangula (O. E. Schulz) Y. H. Zhang, is made. Thus, the type of genus Yinshania should be changed to Y. acutangula (O. E. Schulz) Y. H. Zhang. Besides, He Ye-qi 6121 (paratype, PE), which is different from Y. acutangula var. albiflora, is separated from it and transferred the typical variety, Y. acutangula. According to the characters of fruit shape the genus Yinshania is divided into two sections, namely, Sect. Microcarpa and Sect. Yinshania, and then Sect. Yinshania is subdivided into two series. Sect. 1. Microcarpa. Silicles widely ovoid or subglobose, 1-2.2 mm long, 0.8-2.2 mm wide, the ratio of length and width about 1.1. Sect. 2. Yinshania. Silicles oblong, oblong-ovoid or long-lanceolate, ellipsoidal, 1.5-4.5 mm long, 0.3-1.5 mm wide, the ratio of length and width about 2.5-3.3. Ser. 1. Henryanae. Raches flexuose; plants densely hairy; leaves 3-5-foliolate, seldom pinnatipartite or pinnatisect. Ser. 2. Yinshania. Raches non flexuose; plants sparsely hairy; leaves pinnatisect or pinnatipartite. The genus Yinshania is a genus endemic to China, with their range from eastern Xizang to western Hubei from northern Guizhou to central Nei Monggol. The taxa are mostly of a small area. Sect. Microcarpa is concentrated in Sichuan and southern Gansu; Sect. Yinshania is spread from Xizang and Sichuan, nouthwards to Gansu, Ningxia, Shanxi, Hebei and Nei Monggol (Ser. Yinshania); and from Sichuan south-eastwards to Guizhou and Hebei (Ser. Henryanae). There are five species in Sichuan. The present paper conjectures that the distribution centre of the genus is in the Hengduan Mountains and its adjacent areas.     

On the taxonomy of Phlegmariurus (Herter) Holub sect. Huperzioides H. S. Kung et L. B. Zhang (sect. nov.) with notes on the infrageneric classification of the genus Phlegmariurus in China

After the genus Phlegmariurus (Herter)Holub was proposed by J. Holub 1964, the repercussions are different, with some botanists accepting it, while others refusing. We take it as a separate genus since the related species from China are distinctly different from those of Huperzia Bernh. The plants of this genus in China are classified into three sections: Sect. Huperzioides H. S. Kung et L. B. Zhang, sect. nov.; Sect. Carinaturus (Herter)H. S. Kung et L. B. Zhang, comb. nov. and Sect. Phlegmariurus. A key to sections is given. The taxonomy on the new section, Sect. Huperzioides, is presented. Thirteen species are reported in China, involving 4 new combinations: Ph. petiolatus (Clarke)H. S. Kung et L. B. Zhang, Ph. cryptomerianus (Maxim.)Ching, Ph. ovatifolius (Ching)W. M. Chu, Ph. nylamensis (Ching et S. K. Wu)H. S. Kung et L. B. Zhang; and 7 names are considered for the first time as synonyms: Huperzia formosana Holub [ = Ph. taiwanensis Ching ], H. austrosinica Ching [ = Ph. petiolatus ], Lycopodium mingchgense Ching [ = Ph. mincheensis Ching ], Ph. mincheensis var. angustifolius C. Y. Ma [ = Ph. mincheensis ], Ph. longyangensis C. Y. Ma [ = Ph. fordii ], Ph. nanus C. Y. Ma [ ＝ Ph. fordii ], Ph. yandongensis Ching et C. F. Zhang [ ＝ Ph.fordii]. One new record in China is found: Ph.hamiltonii.     

中国石杉属(狭义)小杉兰组的分类学研究

本文将石杉科石杉属(狭义)分为两组,即小杉兰组Sect．Huperzia和蛇足石杉组Sect．Serratae (Rothm．)Holub,对小杉兰组的概念进行了修订并对国产有关种类进行了分类学研究。共记载国产小杉 兰组植物12种1变种,并包括1个新组合:Huperzia quasipolytrichoides(Hayata)Ching var. rectifolia (J．F．Cheng)H．S．Kung et L．B．Zhang,2个新异名:H．hupehensis Ching和H．whangshanensisChing et P．C．Chiu．     

A Revision of the Genus Ligusticum (Umbelliferae) in China

Ligusticum is a highly specialized genus in the tribe Ammineae Koch of the subfamily Apioideae. It is transitional between the tribe Ammineae Koch and the tribe Peucedaneae DC., and shows a very close affinity to the genus Selinum. In the present paper, the taxonomic history is reviewed; the external morphology, pollen morphology and geographic distribution are analysed, and its evolutionary tendencies are discussed. In addition, a key to the 34 species is provided, and economic uses reported in the literature are summarized. Ligusticum consists of over 60 species widely distributed in Eurasia and North America; the genus is typically temperate. There are two principal distribution centers, one in the Himalayas, including the Hengduan Mountains of western China, and the other in North America. Thirty-four species occur in China, most of which are distributed in the alpine belt of south-western China, with only a few species occurring in northern China. They usually grow in alpine thicket meadows or in alpine meadows. Among them are 28 species endemic to China, 4 of which are described as new in the present paper, i. e. L.yuayuanense, L.litanense, L.filifolium, and L.yunnanense. L.elatum (Edgew.) C. B. Clarke, a species of India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and L. thomsonii C.B.Clarke var. evolutior C. B. Clarke, of India, Pakistan and Kashmir, are reported from China for the first time. Some species are important in traditional Chinese medicine, for example, L. sinense Oliv., L. sinense Oliv. cv. Chuanxiong, L. sinense Oliv. cv. Fuxiong, L. delavayi Franch., L. jeholense (Nakai et Kitagawa) Nakai et Kitagawa, L. tachiroei (Franch. et Sav.) Hiroe et Constance, etc. The genus Tilingia was established by Regel in 1858, based on Tilingia ajanensis. The chief characters of the genus are distinct calyx teeth and carpels bearing a solitary vitta in each furrow. However, these characters do not differentiate Tilingia from Ligusticum, so that Tilingia was transferred to Ligusticum by Kozo-Poljansky in 1916. Tilingia tachiroei (Franch. et Sav.) Kitagawa was transferred to Ligusticum by Hiroe et Constance in 1958. Shan et Sheh in “F1. Reip. Pop. Sin.” Tom. 55 supported the treatment by Kozo-Poljansky and Hiroe and Constance The genus Ligusticopsis was separated from Ligusticum by Leute in 1969, based on the prominent calyx teeth of the former. Ligusticopsis included 14 species, all confined to China. But this genus has not been accepted by any other botanists since its establishment. The subdivision of Ligusticum in this paper is based mainly on the characters of involucel bracteoles and mericarps, combined with the shape and aperture types of pollen grains. The genus is divided into the following two sections. Sect.1 Ligusticum, Bracteoles linear or lanceolate, entire; mericarps slightly lateral-compressed to slightly dorsal-compressed; vittae solitary to numerous in each furrow; leaf-segments ovate, lanceolate, or linear; pollen grains mainly rhomboidal or ellipsoidal; apertures gonitreme. Sect. 2 Pinnatibracteola Pu. Bracteoles 1-3-pinnatisect or 2-3-lobed at apex; mericarps dorsal-compressed; vittae usually numerous in each furrow; leaf-segments usually linear, rarely ovate or lanceolate; pollen grains rectangular, elongate-rhomboidal, or equatorially constricted; apertures mainly peritreme, rarely gonitreme or intermediate.     

New Taxa of Festuca L. from China

Some new taxa of the genus Festuca (Gramineae) are described from China. They are Sect. Longiglumes S.L. Lu,Sect. Muticae S.L. Lu, Sect. Sinensis S.L. Lu, Sect, Nitidulae S.L. Lu, and Festuca pubiglumis S.L. Lu, F. longiglumis S. L. Lu, F.fascinata Keng, F. mutica S.L. Lu, F. sinensis Keng, F. subalpina Chang et Skvort. ex S.L. Lu, F. chelungkingnica Chang et Skvort. exS.L. Lu. In addition, one new name F. taiwanensis S.L. Lu is included.     

Systematic Study on Lomatogonium A. Br. (Gentianaceae)

The present paper deals with the infrageneric classification, phylogeny and geographic distribution of the genus Lomatogonium. A cladistic analysis was undertaken to establish the taxa and to evaluate the relationships between the taxa. The PAUP computer program was used in this analysis. The most parsimonious tree (Cladogram) of the rotate-corolla group of subtribe Gentianinae shows that Lomatogonium is closely related to Lomatogoniopsis and Swertia, but distantly to Veratrilla. Among them, Swertia is more primitive than Lomatogonium and hence Sect. Swertia was selected as the outgroup to polarize the character states of ingroup (Lomatogonium). A data matrix of 29 charaters of Lomatogonium was made for constructing the cladogram. Two most parsimonious trees were formed one of which, with the lowest f value, was at last selected as a shortest tree. In this tree 18 species fall into three groups, i.e. Sect. Sarcorhizoma, Sect. Lomatogonium and Sect. Pleurogynella. The former comes at a lower level with more plesiomorphies while the latter at a higher level with more apomorphies. Lomatogonium is distributed in the northern temperate zone. However, 16 species are centred in Asia and two extend to Europe, or further to the Arctic region, but none has been found from Africa, Australia and South erica. The analysis of distribution pattern of species shows that the Qinling-Hengduan Mountain region is both the frequence and diversity centers of Lomatogonium. From the cladogram of Lomatogonium (Fig. 5 ), L. perenne appears to occupy the most plesiomorphic node. This is an indication that it is the extant species closest to the ancestral form and it also implies that the ancestral species may reside in the habitat of this species (the Qinlin-Hengduan Mountain region). On the other hand, a umber of species of Swertia Sect. Swertia also occur in this region today, which indicates that the Qinlin-Hengduan Mountain region may well be the original center of Lomatogonium. From the distribution pattern of L. rotatum, it can be concluded that the time of the origin dates back at least before the Pliocene. After emergence, this genus had first developed and dispersed in the original center and adjacent region, then diverged into two lineages. One gave rise to the widespread species (northern temperate distribution species L. carinthiacum and L. rotatum), and the other formed the Himalayan species.A taxonomic revision of the whole genus Lomatogonium is presented. In this paper, one new section (Sect. Sarcorhizoma), one new species (L. zhongdianense S. W. Liu et T. N. Ho) and one new variety (L. forrestii var. densiflorum S. W. Liu et T. N. Ho) are described. The key to the species is given. Type studies are made for all the taxa.     

A Conspectus of the Genus Bergenia Moench

In this paper the classification of the genus Bergenia Moench is provided, its geographic distribution analysed, and the phylogeny also traced. Based on an analysis of morphological characters such as leaves, ocreas, branches of inflorescences, Pedicels, hypanthium, sepals, and glandular indumentum, thi genus is divided into 3 sections: 1. Sect. Scopulosae J. T. Pan, sect. nov., 2. Sect. Bergnia, 3. Sect. Ciliatae (A. Boriss.) J. T. Pan, stat. nov. The Sect. Scopulosae J. T. Pan may be considered as the primitive one, while Sect. Ciliatae (A. Boriss.) J. T. Pan may be regarded as the advanced one, with Sect. Bergenia in between. So far, the genus Bergenia Moench comprises 9 species in the total. Southeast Asia and North Asia (south and east Siberia, USSR) each have only 1 species, West Asia (Afghanistan) has 2, Central Asia (Kirghizia-Tajikistan-Uzbekstan area, USSR) 3, South Asia 4 (Nepal has 4, India, Pakistan and Kashmir area each has 3, Bhutan and Sikkim each has 2), East Asia 6. In East Asia, Mongolia and Korea each have only 1 species, but China has 6 (including endemic species 2 and new species 1). Sichuan Province and Xizang Autonomous Region each have 3, Yunnan Province 2, Shaanxi Province (Qinling Mountains) and Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang each have only 1. Thus the distribution centre of this genus should be in the region covering Sichuan, Yunnan and Xizang. Moreover, it is noteworthy that Bergenia scopulosa T. P. Wang in Sect. Scopulosae seems to have retained primitive characters, for example, non-ciliate leaves and ocreas, glabrous pedicels, hypanthium and sepals, and this primitive species is found in Qinling Mountains and Sichuan. According to the distribution of the primitive species, the author suggests that the centre of origin of this genus be in the region covering Qinling Mountains and Sichuan.     

The Origin,Dispersal and Formation of the Distribution Pattern of Swertia L. (Gentianaceae)

The genus Swertia is one of the large genera in Gentianaceae, including 154 species, 16 series and 11 sections. It is disjunctly distributed in Europe, Asia, Africa and N. America, but entirely absent from Oceania and S. America. According to Takhtajan’s (1978) regionalization of the world flora, Swertia is found in 14 regions. Eastern Asiatic region with 86 species, of which 58 are local endemics, 13 series and 9 sections, ranks the first among all the regions. The highest concentration of the taxa and endemics in Eastern Asiatic region occurs in SW China-Himalayan area (Sikang-Yunnan P. , W. Sichuan, W. Yunnan-Guichou Plateau of China and NE. Burma, N. Burmense P. , E. Himalayan P. and Khasi-Manipur P. ). In this area there are 74 species (48 endemics), 12 series, and 9 sections; thus about half species of the world total, three quarters of series and 82% of sections occur in this small area. Besides, the taxa at different evolutionary stages in Swertia also survive here. It is an indication that SW. China-Himalayan area is a major distribution centre of the genus Swertia. In addition, Sudan-Zambezian Region in Africa, with 22 species, 4 series and 2 sections, is a second distribution centre. The primitive type of the genus Swertia is Sect. Rugosa which consists of 2 series and 23 species. It is highly centred in the mountains of SW. China (Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou and SE. Xizang) where 2 series and 16 species occur. Among them 15 species of Ser. Rugosae were considered as the most primitive groups in this genus. From our study, the outgroup of Swertia is the genus Latouchea Frahch. , which is distributed in Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian. The two groups overlap in distribution in SW. China. According to the principle of common origin, the ancestor of two genera ap peared most probably in this overlapping area. It was inferred that SW. China Was the birth-place of the genus Swertia. Four sections of Swertia have different disjunct distribution patterns: Sect. Ophelia is of Tropic Asia, Africa and Madagascar disjunct distribution; sect. Swertia is of north temperate distribution; sect. Spinosisemina is in Tropical Asia (Trop. India to S. China and Philipines); sect. Platynema also is in Tropical Asia (Java, Sumatra, Himalayas to SW. China). These disjunct patterns indicate that the Swertia floras between the continents or between continent and islands have a connection with each other. From paleogeographical analysis, Swertia plants dispersed to Madagascar before the Late Cretaceous, to SE. Asian Islands in the Pleistocene, to North America in the Miocene. The distribution of Swertia in Madagascar might be later than that in Asia. Therefore the origin time of the genus Swertia was at least not later than the Late Cretaceous, and might be back to the Mid-Cretaceous. The genus Swertia first fully developed and differentiated, forming some taxa at different evolutionary stages (Rugosa, Swertia, Poephila, Ophelia and Platynema etc. ) in the original area, and these taxa quickly dispersed in certain directions during the Late Cretaceous-Middle Tertiary when the global climate was warm and no much change. There seem to be three main dispersal routes from the origin area to different continents; (1) The westward route i. e. from SW. China, along the Himalayas area to Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, and then southwestwards into Africa throuth Arabia. Four sections (Poephila, Macranthos, Kingdon-Wardia and Ophelia) took this dispersal route. Most species of sect. Ophelia dispersed along this route, but a few along southern route and north ern route. Sect. Ophelia greatly differentiated in Africa and the African endemic sectionSect. Montana was derived from it. The two sections form there a second distribution center of Swertia. (2) The southward route, i. e. towards S. India through the Himalayas, and towards SE. Asian islands through C. and S. China, Indo-China. Along this dispersal route sect. Platynema, Sect. Spinosisemina and a few species of Sect. Ophelia dispersed; (3) The northward rout, i. e. northwards across N. China, C. Asia to a high latitude of Euasia, and also through E. Asia into N. America. The following groups took this route: sect. Rugosa, sect. Swertia, sect. Frasera, sect. Heteranthos and sect. Ophelia ser. Dichotomae. Therefore, it seems that the genus Swertia originated in SW. China and then dispersed from there to N. and S. Asia, Africa, Europe and North America and formed the moderndistribution pattern of this genus.     

Classification,distribution and phylogeny of the genus Ottelia

The genus Ottelia is one of the great genera of Hydrocharidaceae. About 25 species distributed in the Palaeotropics, extending from Africa through India and SE. Asia to Korea and Japan, Australia and New Caledonia, 1 species in Brazil; centres of specific devolopment are found in Central Africa and SE Asia. The present study is mainly based on the materials collected during the field explorations in the lakes of Yunnan and observations on the structure of the spathe and flowers, the variation of leaf of the plants cultivated in Kunming Bot. Garden. Instead of the wings of the spathe used by Dandy, by the characters such as uni-or bisexual flowers, this genus is divided into two subgenera, which by the number of the flowers in spathe and the number of the carpus in ovary again subdivided into 4 sections. They are as the following: A. Subg. Ottelia. Flowers bisexual. Sect. 1. Ottelia. Spathe with 1 flower; ovary with 6(—9) carpus. Sect. 2. Oligolobos (Gagnep.) Dandy. Spathe with many flowers; ovary with 3 carpus. B. Subg. Boottia (Wall.) Dandy. Flowers unisexual; the male spathe with 1-many flowers, the female spathe with many flowers. Sect. 3. Boottia. The male spathe with 1 flower; ovary with 9(—15) carpus. Sect. 4. Xystrolobos (Gagnep.) H. Li. The female spathe with (2-) many flowers; ovary with 3 or 9 carpus. The Chinense species of ottelia is in great need for revision. All of the species in China previousely described under Ottelia Pers, Boottia Wall., Oligolobos Gagnep, and Xystrolobos Gagen. are here combined into 3 species. They are O. alismoides, O. cordata, O. acuminata with 4 variaties. After a study of the geographic distribution and infer relation-ships among the floristic elements it has been proved that Ottelia is certainly an ancient genus, and the primitive types came into being and widely dispersed before the separation of Laurasia from Gondwana. During a considerable period of time the elements of the genus Ottelia in freshwater environment of different continents have been separately differentiated and evolved into more or less derived types. The structure of flowers in all of the asian species shows the following evolutionary tendenoes: 1. In this genus the plants with unisexual flowers have evolved from plants with bisexual flower; 2. In the groups with bisexual or unisexual flowers the number of stamens and styles reduced to 3-merous, but the number of flowers in spathe increased. So that the subgenus Ottelia is more primitive than the subgenus Bottia; While in the subgenus Ottelia O. alismoides is a more primitive than O. balansae and in the subgenus Boottia O. cordata is the most primitive, butO. alata seems to be the most advanced.     

中国产瓦韦属植物叶柄与根状茎的比较解剖研究

详细观察了已发表的60种瓦韦属植物叶柄和根状茎的横切面。瓦韦属植物叶柄维管束条数最多7条,最少2条,其中2个较粗,其余较细,排成一字型、三角型、四角型、半轮型等。根状茎上的维管束条数最少5条,最多16条,属于网状中柱,维管束不规则环形排列,夏绿种类厚壁组织较少或没有,常绿种类厚壁组织较多。叶柄与根状茎的研究对瓦韦属组的划分和种的确立有重要的参考价值。参考这些特征,瓦韦属相应地划分成六个组,即:大叶瓦韦组、扭瓦韦组、瓦韦组、革质叶瓦韦组、纸质叶瓦韦组、网眼瓦韦组。一些种类相应地进行了合并。     

中国沙拐枣属植物的数值分类研究

选择了中国19种沙拐枣属（CalligonumL.)植物,共测定及引用了35个形态分类指标,应用单因素方差分析（MANOVA）和主成分分析（PCA）,分别对形态因子进行了单元和多元分析。结果表明,所有的种间形态指标均差异显著,冠幅（BC）,木质枝枝节长度（LKWB）,果实直径（DF）,雄蕊长度（SL）,同化枝枝节长度（LKAS）和同化枝化枝角度（ARAS）指标在沙拐枣属植物的数值分类上,具有很强的差异性分析意义。依据平方欧氏距离,应用类平均法（UPGMA）将19种沙拐枣植物聚为5类,系统聚类结论与主成分分析的三维排序结果基本一致,与传统的形态分类结果有一定的差异。