The systematic position of the “Theales” from the viewpoint of serology

Species fromthe order “Theales” (Guttiferales) and from the Ericanae (Ebenales, Ericales, Primulales) have been examined using serological comparisons of sets of antigenic specifities (sets of determinants). The results suggest that only antigenic systems derived from species of the Theaceae and Actinidiaceae show serological correspondence of sufficient taxonomical significance towards representatives of Ericanae (except the Ebenaceae). Our results justify a scheme in which the Actinidiaceae and Theaceae occupy a central position with Styracaceae and Sapotaceae placed on one side and the families of the Ericales and Primulales occupying the other. Our serological results show no reason to justify the further existence of the “Theales”, if this is supposed to contain the Guttiferae, Dipterocarpaceae, and Ochnaceae. Further investigations on this will follow. We cannot agree with the recommendation of Takhtajan and Dahlgren to integrate the Actinidiaceae with the Ericales. We would rather place the family ner the Theaceae as most authors do.     

旌节花科及其相关类群的分支分析

选取生长习性、植物形态、木材解剖、花的形态结构、花粉特征以及胚胎学和染色体数目等共72个性状,采用最大简约法（Maximum Parsimony,MP)对旌节花科及其相关类群五桠果科、猕猴桃科、山茶科、金莲木科和省沽油科等进行分支分析。并用靴带检验法（Bootstrap)计算内部分支的支持率。分支图表明,旌节花科与省沽油科组成姊妹群,靴带支持率为79％,表明旌节花科与省沽油科具有最为密切的关系。旌节花科与猕猴桃科的关系次之,旌节花科和省沽油科与猕猴桃科关系的靴带支持率为58％。然后是山茶科。而旌节花科与金莲木科和五桠果科的关系则依次疏远。这与我们在孢粉学和胚胎学研究中所得的结论在某些方面是基本一致的。与Nandi等人用形态学数据和分子数据分析得到的结论也比较吻合,他们的结论也认为旌节花科与省沽油科具有比较密切的关系。只是他们把五桠果科和金莲木科摆在更近的位置,而山茶科和猕猴桃科则放在较疏远的位置上。     

The Primulales: Serological contributions to the problem of their systematic position

The distribution of serological determinants in seed proteins from different species of Primulaceae, as well as from Ardisia crenulata (Myrsinaceae), Erica tetralix (Ericaceae), Manilkara zapota (Sapotaceae, Ebenales). Actinidia chinensis (Actinidiaceae) and Armeria maritima (Plumbaginaceae) has been determined by the use of corresponding rabbit immune sera. Serological reactions were carried out using a gel diffusion micro-method in calcium alginate gel, and a special pre-absorption technique was used in order to more closely specify the distribution of serological characteristics in the taxa under examination. While no systematic similarities were found between Primulales and Plumbaginales, a serological correspondence between Primulales and Ericales is very clear. It also occurs between these two taxa and species of the Theales. The Sapotaceae (as representatives of the Ebenales) showed some serological similarities with the Theales.     

旌节花科及其相关类群花粉形态的研究

对旌节花科及其相关类群五桠果科、猕猴桃科、水东哥科、金莲木科、省沽油科和山茶科等7科19属37种花粉进行了光镜（LM）和扫描电镜（SEM）的观察和比较。其中有些种类是第一次观察和报道。研究表明,上述各科花粉多为近球形至球形,少数近扁球形或近长球形。极面观三裂圆形或近三裂圆形。直径20－30（－35μm）,但厚皮香亚科和省沽油科银鹊树属Tapiscia的花科特别小,仅12.5-20μm。3孔沟,罕有3沟或4孔沟。外萌发孔（沟）相对地较长而宽,内孔多数较发达。花粉外壁纹饰变化大,从模糊而粗糙的细突起到皱波状纹饰,细孔状纹饰,蜂巢状－穴状纹饰,穴－网状纹饰,网状纹饰和颗粒状纹饰等。从形状、大小、萌发孔类型和外壁纹饰的比较看,虽然上述各科花粉均在不同程度上具有一定的相似性,但其中以旌节花科、省沽油科和山茶科中厚皮香科的花粉具有更多的相似性,尤其表现在外壁纹饰特征上。就孢粉学而言,也许旌节花科与省沽油科和山茶科中的厚皮香亚科的关系相对地较为密切。不过,其孢粉学特征所表现出的亲缘关系似乎不如在分子生物学中所表现出的明显。     

Ellagitannins of the casuarinaceae,stachyuraceae and myrtaceae

Eight ellagitannins and related polyphenols, found in Casuarina stricta and Stachyurus praecox, were detected in the leaf of Psidium species. Five of them and a new polyphenol, named isostrictinin, were isolated from Psidium guajava. Most of these compounds were detected in several species of Myrtaceae, and 2, 3-hexahydroxydiphenoylglucose and 4, 6-hexahydroxydiphenoylglucose were found in some.     

Floral anatomy of the Styracaceae, including observations on intra-ovarian trichomes

DICKISON, W. C., 1993. Floral anatomy of the Styracaceae, including observations on intra-ovarian trichomes All eleven genera of the Styracaceae were examined with respect to floral morphology and anatomy. Floral structure and vascularization are described in detail. Flowers of the family exhibit different degrees and patterns of specialization. All Styracaceae show some degree of basal non-divergence of perianth members, forming a hypanthium that is adnate to the ovary wall to a lesser or greater extent. The extent of reduction and amplification in the number of sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels varies widely among genera, and generally the non-divergence, decrease, or increase in parts is not equally pronounced in the different whorls of the same flower. Genera cannot be readily aligned in an intergrading sequence of morphological advancement. Stamen form and anatomy is variable. A fibrous endothecium ranges from well-developed to weakly formed or absent. A nearly uniform feature of the styracaceous gynoecium is the presence of incompletely septate ovaries. The major points of variation in the floral vascular system relate to the number, mode of origin, and degree of independence of sepallary traces; degree of independence of the androecial vasculature; the level at which the common petal and petalad-stamen or sepal and sepalad-stamen bundles separate to their component parts; organization of the ventral ovarian supply; and the occurrence of ventral bundles in the style. Floral vascularization provides evidence that the family was derived from an obdiplostemonous ancestor. A unitegmic ovule is predominant in the family and starch is present in the megagametophyte of some taxa. An unusual feature of the flowers of the Styracaceae is the occurrence of stellate and lignified intra-ovarian trichomes. Numerous similarities in floral morphology and anatomy between Styracaceae and Ericales are pointed out.     

Flavonoid chemistry of the generic segregates Ascyrum and Crookea of Hypericum

Leaf flavonoids were isolated and characterized from the seven taxa of Hypericum, formerly segregated as Ascyrum and Crookea. These included flavonol 3-glycosides based on quercetin and kaempferol and flavone-O-glycosides and C-glycosides based on apigenin and luteolin. The flavonoid data do not indicate that the taxe of Ascyrum and Crookea form a single coherent group and hence support their merger with Hypericum.     

Warm and humid Trans-Himalaya during the late Miocene: plant fossil evidence

Neogene fossil records from the Indus Basin sedimentary rocks (IBSR), deposited in the Indus Tsangpo Suture Zone (ITSZ), are very rare, but are important to understand the history of plant diversity and paleoclimate in the Himalaya. We report fossil wood ascribed to Ebenoxylon siwalicus Prakash from late Miocene sediments of the Karit Formation belonging to ITSZ. The anatomical details of the fossil wood, such as small to medium-sized vessels occluded with tyloses, scanty paratracheal to diffuse-in-aggregate axial parenchyma, 1–3 seriate homo to heterocellular rays, bordered intervessel pits with lenticular apertures and simple perforations, suggest its close affinity with Diospyros Linnaeus of the family Ebenaceae. Further anatomical details suggest a close resemblance with extant D. ehretioides Don and D. macrophylla Blume. The present fossil, along with previously known fossil records of Lagerstroemia (Lythraceae) and palms, indicate that the Trans-Himalaya was warm and humid during the late Miocene, quite different from the modern cool and dry climate in the study area.     

Biphenyl and xanthone derivatives from the twigs of a Garcinia sp. (Clusiaceae)

The genus Garcinia is a well known rich source of bioactive xanthones and benzophenones. Some species of this genus also produce flavonoids and biphenyls as minor constituents. In this study, two new biphenyls, doitungbiphenyls A (1) and B (2), along with two biphenyls, schomburgbiphenyl (3) and nigrolineabiphenyl B (4); and four xanthones, 1,3,6-trihydroxy-8-isoprenyl-7-methoxyxanthone (5), morusignin K (6), 1,5-dihydroxyxanthone (7), and 1,7-dihydroxyxanthone (8), were isolated from the acetone extract of the twigs of a Garcinia sp. Their structures were characterized extensively by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and HR-EI-MS. The cytotoxicity of the two new biphenyls against the oral cavity cancer (KB) and the breast cancer (MCF7) cell lines was also evaluated.     

Phenolic compounds from the roots of Ochna schweinfurthiana and their antioxidant and antiplasmodial activities

An investigation of compounds extracted from Ochna schweinfurthiana roots with ethyl acetate led to the isolation of three new compounds 4⿴-methoxylophirone A (1), 4,4⿲,4⿴⿿trimethoxylophirone A (2) and (4E;7Z)-3,8-dicarboxy-1-(O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 ⿿ 6)-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-2,9-dihydroxyhexeicosa-4,7-diene (3). Six known compounds were also identified, including Calodenone (4), Calodenine B (5), Lophirone A (6), Gerontoisoflavone A(7), 16α,17-dihydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid (8) and 3β-O-d-glucopyranosyl-β-sitosterol (9). This report describes the first time that compounds 4-8 have been isolated from this plant, while 8 has never been identified in the genus Ochna. Some of the isolated compounds were evaluated for their antiplasmodial activity against the chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum strain 3D7 and antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging and Ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Compound 5 exhibited prominent radical scavenging and FRAP activities, while 7 had weak activity. Compound 1 showed good in vitro anti-plasmodial activity. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and comparisons with prior data in the literature.     

Pentacyclic triterpenoids and other constituents isolated from the leaves of Gambeya lacourtiana and their antibacterial activity

The phytochemical study was done on the leaves of Gambeya lacourtiana. This plant has been used in traditional medicine to treat of different ailments such as uterine heamorrhage, metritis and other vaginal infections. Chromatographic fractionation and purification on the leaves crude extract afforded lupeol acetate (1), lupenone (2), lupeol (3), taraxerol (4) stigmasterol (5), erythrodiol (6), chamaedrydiol (7), methyl pheophorbide-a (8), corosolic acid (9), tormentic acid (10), epicatechin (11) and 22-dihydrospinasterol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (12). The structures of compounds 1–12 were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR, mass spectrometric and the spectroscopic data as well as comparison with the literature. Compounds 4, 7–10 and 12 were isolated for the first time from Gambeya genus. Crude extract, fractions and compounds 6–12 were evaluated for their antibacterial activity. Methyl pheophorbide-a (8) demonstrated moderate activity against Salmonella typhi CPC with MIC values of 62.5 μg/mL. The chemophenetic significance of these compounds is also discussed.     

Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of compounds isolated from the leaves of Symphonia globulifera (Clusiaceae) and their chemophenetic significance

The phytochemical study was done on the methanol extract from of the leaves of Symphonia globulifera. This plant has been used in traditional medicine to treat of different ailments such as malaria, diseases of the skin, diabetes, cough, intestinal worms, pre-hepatic jaundice and fever. Chromatographic fractionation and purification of this extract led to the isolation and characterization of twelve compounds (1–12) including pristriol (1), robustaflavone (2), polycarpol (3), 7''-O-methylrobustaflavone (4), amentoflavone (5), stigmasterol glucoside (6), epicatechin (7), apigenin (8), luteolin (9), 1,5-dihydroxyxanthone (10), β-sitosterol 3-β-D-glucopyranoside (11) and a mixture of stigmasterol and β-sitosterol (12). The structures of compounds 1–12 were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR, mass spectrometric and the spectroscopic data as well as comparison with the literature. All these compounds were isolated for the first time from Symphonia genus. The NMR spectra and structure elucidation of compound 1 were reported for the first in the literature. The antibacterial and antioxidant activities of three of these compounds were evaluated. The chemophenetic significance of these compounds is also discussed.     

旌节花科与省沽油科花粉形态的研究

对旌节花科和省沽油科 4属 13种花粉进行了光镜和扫描电镜的观察 ,其中有些种是第一次观察或报道。这两个科的花粉为近球形到球形 ,3孔沟 (省沽油科银鹊树属TapisciaOliv花粉除外 ,为 3沟 )。它们的花粉大小和外壁纹饰有一定差异。旌节花科花粉相对较小 ,一般为 18～ 2 8 2× 17 5～ 2 6 5 μm ,外壁表面为穴状纹饰。省沽油科花粉较大 ,为 2 8～ 4 0× 2 8 5～4 0 5 μm (银鹊树属花粉只有 13 5～ 17 9× 12 5～ 18μm) ,外壁表面为细网状纹饰。这两个科的花粉特征在某种程度上具有一定的相似性 ,故就孢粉学而言它们具有颇为密切的关系     

Isolation of polymorphic microsatellite loci in the genus Clusia (Clusiaceae)

Microsatellite flanking region sequences may provide phylogenetically useful information. We isolated 13 polymorphic microsatellite loci from two species, Clusia minor (five loci) and Clusia nemorosa (eight loci), to aid in the determination of phylogenetic relationships within the genus Clusia. Eleven loci amplified across all 17 Clusia species tested, while two loci amplified in 10 out of 17 species. The extensive cross‐species amplification suggests that these loci may be useful for an examination of phylogenetic relationships in this genus.     

Tetrahydrodiospyrin: a reduced binaphthoquinone from the bark of Diospyros montana

A new reduced dimeric 7-methyljuglone isolated from the fresh bark of D. montana is shown to be 3′,7-dimethyl-5′,6′,7′,8′-tetrahydro-1′,5,5′-trihydroxy [2,2′-binaphthalene]-1,4,8′-trione.     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from the endangered highlands scrub hypericum (Hypericum cumulicola)

We report the isolation of 19 primer pairs for amplification of polymorphic microsatellite loci for Hypericum cumulicola. These markers were evaluated in 24 individuals from one population; two to four alleles were detected per locus, and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0 to 0.5. Two loci demonstrated significant heterozygote deficiencies, possibly due to null alleles, and significant linkage disequilibrium was found between six pairs of loci. The remaining microsatellite loci will help determine if genetic differentiation is responsible for life‐history differences between natural and anthropogenically disturbed populations of H. cumulicola.     

New steroid and other compounds from non-polar extracts of Clusia burle-marxii and their chemotaxonomic significance

Phytochemical investigation of the non-polar extract of Clusia burle-marxii led to the identification of a new steroid (1), along with friedelinol (2), β-sitosterol (3), friedelin (4), stigmast-5-en-3β,7β-diol (5), stigmast-5-en-3β,7α-diol (6), stigmasterol (7), sitostenone (8), betulinic acid (9), butyrospermol (10), euphol (11), betulin aldehyde (12), 2,2-dimethyl-5-hydroxy-7-phenyl-chromane (13), 6-deoxyisojacareubin (14), padiaxanthone (15) and betulonic acid (16). This is the first report of the identification of compounds 5, 6 and 10 in the family, the first report of compounds 14 and 15 in the genus, and the first report of compounds 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, 16 in the species. Chemotaxonomic significance of these compounds is described herein.