Molecular phylogeography of Carapichea ipecacuanha,an amphitropical shrub that occurs in the understory of both semideciduous and evergreen forests

The medicinal shrub Carapichea ipecacuanha (ipecac) is an amphitropic species with three disjunct areas of distribution. In the Brazilian Atlantic and Amazonian ranges, the species was associated mostly with the understory of seasonal semideciduous forests, whereas in the Central American–Colombian range, the species occurred in the understory of moist evergreen forests. We examined the phylogeographic structure of ipecac using chloroplast trnT‐trnL and nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences from 120 and 46 specimens, respectively. To complement existing data on root alkaloid profiles, we used high‐performance liquid chromatography to assess the levels of emetine and cephaeline in 33 specimens from the two Brazilian ranges. The three ranges shared neither nuclear nor chloroplast haplotypes. The phylogeographic structures showed an uneven distribution of genetic diversity, sharp breaks and high levels of genetic differentiation among ranges. Our results suggest that the extant populations are descendents of at least four distinct ancestral lineages. The Atlantic ipecacs showed higher levels of genetic diversity than ipecacs from the other two ranges; it is likely that they derive from two ancestral lineages, with long‐term persistence in that region. The Amazonian ipecacs were monomorphic with respect to the ITS and cpDNA sequences, which supports the view that there was a recent expansion from a single parental source after a strong genetic bottleneck. The existence of a fourth distinct lineage is apparent from the high levels of genetic and chemical differentiation that we identified in the Central American–Columbian ipecacs.     

Taxonomic significance of alkaloids and iridoid glucosides in the tribe Psychotrieae (Rubiaceae)

Leaves of 15 Brazilian species of Psychotria, three of Rudgea and Palicourea rigida, were analyzed for their alkaloid and iridoid content. Alkaloids were found in three of Rudgea and 14 species of Psychotria, and iridoids were found in Psychotria leiocarpa, which produces asperuloside and deacetylasperuloside. Palicourea rigida yielded no alkaloids but loganin was isolated. The results illustrate the significance of the alkaloids in the chemotaxonomy of some taxa of Psychotrieae. The phytochemical data indicate that the American species of Psychotria with Palicourea could be joined to form the genus Heteropsychotria.     

Pollination Biology of Distylous Rubiaceae in the Atlantic Rain Forest, SE Brazil

Abstract: Data on pollination biology constitute important clues for the comprehension of pollen flow and genetic differentiation in plant populations. Pollinator type, availability and behaviour may modify morphological and mating patterns in populations of typically distylous species. This study investigates the pollination biology of four distylous species of Rubiaceae in the Atlantic rain forest, SE Brazil. Data on flowering phenology, floral lifespan, stigmatic receptivity, pollen availability, nectar volume and concentration, and pollinator activity were collected. The species studied flower sequentially throughout the wet season, and produce terminal inflorescences which bear small, tubular, diurnal, nectariferous flowers. Despite these similarities, some of the species studied are pollinated by different groups of pollinators, probably due to their distribution, availability of flowers and corolla length. On the other hand, pollinator specificity does not seem to be so important for distylous species. Long mouthparts, like those of most of the recorded pollinators, may reach lower sexual organs and, together with the self- and intramorph-incompatibilities observed, be sufficient to perform legitimate pollination and maintain levels of intermorph mating.     

Organ-specific and environmental control of accumulation of psychollatine,a major indole alkaloid glucoside from Psychotria umbellata

Psychollatine is an unusual indole alkaloid produced by Psychotria umbellata Vell, an Atlantic Forest understorey tree. Leaves, young inflorescences and fruit pulp displayed high amounts of psychollatine (from 2.5 to 4.5% dry wt). Seeds accumulated lower quantities (0.2% dry wt), and roots, trace amounts (0.06% dry wt). Alkaloid accumulation was not seasonally affected and leaf content was not significantly enhanced by wounding, exposure to salicylic acid, hydrogen peroxide, or UV. The alkaloid content in leaves decreased upon cutting exposure to auxin. Under strong UV, the amount of chlorophylls did not decrease compared to control contents at 48 and 72 h. Post-harvest psychollatine content in leaves was stable in different temperatures, except at 65 °C. Psychollatine was an effective singlet oxygen, superoxide, and peroxide quencher. These antioxidant properties and the constitutively high amount of psychollatine indicate a role for the alkaloid in oxidative stress responses.     

N,beta-D-Glucopyranosyl vincosamide, a light regulated indole alkaloid from the shoots of Psychotria leiocarpa

From leaves of Psychotria leiocarpa, an indole alkaloid was isolated to which the structure N,beta-D-glucopyranosyl vincosamide (1) was assigned. This represents the first report of an N-glycosylated monoterpenoid indole alkaloid. In field-grown plants highest amounts of 1 were found in the leaves (2.5% of dry wt) and fruit pulp (1.5% dry wt). Lower amounts were found in the stems (0.2% dry wt) and the seeds (0.1% of dry wt), whereas the alkaloid was not detected in the roots. The accumulation of 1 in aseptic seedlings was also restricted to the shoots and increased with plant age and light exposure, independent of the supply of sucrose in the culture medium.     

Pollination and reproduction of Psychotria homalosperma,an endangered distylous tree endemic to the oceanic Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands,Japan

Distyly is usually rare or not observed in species thriving on oceanic islands. The rarity of this breeding system is probably because of the difficulty of colonization for distylous plants and the paucity of pollinators on oceanic islands. However, the endemic and endangered tree Psychotria homalosperma has maintained its distylous nature in the oceanic Bonin Islands, Japan. To understand how the distylous breeding system of P. homalosperma has been maintained on these islands and to characterize the reproduction systems, we studied the pollination and reproductive biology of this species. Specifically, we observed current flower visitors and estimated their effects on plant reproduction. We also examined the floral traits and floral volatiles of P. homalosperma to infer its original pollinators, because plant–pollinator relationships in the Bonin Islands have recently been disrupted by anthropological activities. Finally, we examined the fruit set and pollen tube growth in the stigmas under hand and open pollination. Although original pollinators were presumed to be moths with long proboscises, the introduced honeybee, Apis mellifera, was the most common flower visitor. The honeybee carried pollen grains only unidirectionally, from the short‐ to long‐styled morphs, because it could not reach the hidden stigmas of the short‐styled flowers, and long‐styled flowers set fruits 1.7–38 times more than short‐styled ones. This case study indicates that the instability of pollinator fauna can cause distylous species to be rare on oceanic islands.     

Maternal and developmental toxicity of ayahuasca in Wistar rats

INTRODUCTION: Ayahuasca is a psychotropic plant beverage initially used by shamans throughout the Amazon region during traditional religious cult. In recent years, ayahuasca has also been used in ceremonies of a number of modern syncretic religious groups, including pregnant women. However, no documented study has been performed to evaluate the risk of developmental toxicity of ayahuasca. METHODS: In the present work, maternal and developmental toxicity was evaluated in Wistar rats. Ayahuasca was administered to pregnant rats in three different doses [the equivalent typical dose (TD) administered to humans, five‐fold TD and 10‐fold TD] during the gestational period (6–20 days). RESULTS: Dams treated with the highest ayahuasca dose showed maternal toxicity with decrease of weight gain and food intake. Visceral fetal findings were observed in all treatment groups. Skeletal findings were observed in the intermediate‐ and high‐dose groups. The fetuses deriving from the highest dose group also presented a decrease in body weight. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, it is possible to conclude that there is a risk of maternal and developmental toxicity following ayahuasca exposure and that the level of toxicity appears to be dose‐dependent. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 89:207–212, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Ontogenetic differences in heterostylous plants and implications for development from a herkogamous ancestor

Abstract.— Alternative ontogenetic pathways among heterostylous species of Rubiaceae may reflect differences in their evolutionary histories. In this study, measurements were taken at different developmental stages on a series of long-styled (LS) and short-styled (SS) buds of the heterostylous taxa Psychotria chiapensis, P. poeppigiana , and Bouvardia ternifolia (all Rubiaceae). Results indicated that modifications in growth rates of stamens relative to corollas in all three species led to differences in anther heights between LS and SS flowers. Distinct style heights for LS and SS flowers of P. chiapensis and P. poeppigiana originate in the earlier stages of bud development and are maintained as styles elongate at equal rates. This contrasts with B. ternifolia , which has differences in style heights resulting from unequal relative growth rates between floral morphs. The "approach herkogamous" floral morphology, defined by having stigmas positioned above anthers, has been proposed as a potential evolutionary precursor for heterostylous taxa. To examine this hypothesis, floral development of two species with approach herkogamous morphologies, Psychotria pittieri and P. brachiata , was compared to that of the three heterostylous taxa. Differences in the relative rates of style elongation for flowers of approach herkogamous versus heterostylous species predict additional steps in the original model for the evolution of heterostyly from an approach herkogamous ancestor. The diversity of heterostylous ontogenies found within Rubiaceae provides insight into potential evolutionary pathways for this sexual system in other angiosperm families.     

热带雨林和亚热带季雨林灌木光合作用对水分胁迫的反应

生长在热带植物温室的热带雨林植物Piper hispidum和亚热带季风常绿阔叶林植物九节(Psychotria rubra),在灌水、环境的CO_2浓度和26℃下,饱和光强的最大光合速率(PN)分别为6.3和9.8μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)。在低的叶片/空气水蒸汽压陡度(△w=10毫巴·巴~(-1))情况下,每降低叶片水势(ψ)1巴,P.hispidum的PN降低0.38μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1);当ψ为-8巴时,PN随△w增高而降低,其关系PN=7.02-0.06△w(r~2=0.7);ψ为—13巴时,PN与△w关系的直线斜率变小(0.02)。对于九节,PN对△w变化的反应更为敏感。在ψ为-8.75巴时,PN=11.16—0.1△w(r~2=0.65)。在高ψ(-8和-8.75巴)情况下,两种灌木的气孔传导率(g)随△w的变化而相近;但ψ降低时,九节的g对△w的变化反应较P.hispidum敏感。ψ降低导致两种灌木的水分利用效率(WUE,μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)CO_2同化/mmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1)水散失)增高;而△w增高,WUE降低。九节的PN对△w增高的反应较P.hispidum敏感。