Canopy cover and understory composition determine abundance of Vaccinium myrtillus L., a key plant for capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), in subalpine forests in the Pyrenees

Background: The dwarf shrub Vaccinium myrtillus – with high cover, height, and fruit production – benefits capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus).

Aims: Our aim was to quantify landscape (e.g. elevation, geographic location, and precipitation), site (e.g. overstorey cover and stoniness) and very fine scale factors (e.g. spatial associations in the understorey) that affect cover, height, and fruit production of V. myrtillus in subalpine forests in thePyrenees, with understorey usually dominated by Rhododendron ferrugineum.

Methods: We sampled 155 plots (0.5 m × 5 m) in six sites. For each plot, in the understorey layer, we assessed species cover, height for R. ferrugineum and V. myrtillus, number of total fruits in V. myrtillus, and spatial associations among V. myrtillus and the remaining cover types.

Results: Overstorey cover negatively influenced V. myrtillus cover, its height, and particularly, the number of fruits, which was also negatively influenced by R. ferrugineum cover. Associations between R. ferrugineum and V. myrtillus were site dependent, while V. myrtillus showed mostly positive associations with grasses and mosses.

Conclusions: Reducing overstorey and R. ferrugineum cover has the strongest positive effect on increasing V. myrtillus fruit production, but with additional positive effects on V. myrtillus cover and height. Increases in grass and moss coverage could favour V. myrtillus.     

Pollen transfer in fragmented plant populations: insight from the pollen loads of pollinators and stigmas in a mass‐flowering species

Pollinator and/or mate scarcity affects pollen transfer, with important ecological and evolutionary consequences for plant reproduction. However, the way in which the pollen loads transported by pollinators and deposited on stigmas are affected by pollination context has been little studied. We investigated the impacts of plant mate and visiting insect availabilities on pollen transport and receipt in a mass‐flowering and facultative autogamous shrub (Rhododendron ferrugineum). First, we recorded insect visits to R. ferrugineum in plant patches of diverse densities and sizes. Second, we analyzed the pollen loads transported by R. ferrugineum pollinators and deposited on stigmas of emasculated and intact flowers, in the same patches. Overall, pollinators (bumblebees) transported much larger pollen loads than the ones found on stigmas, and the pollen deposited on stigmas included a high proportion of conspecific pollen. However, comparing pollen loads of emasculated and intact flowers indicated that pollinators contributed only half the conspecific pollen present on the stigma. At low plant density, we found the highest visitation rate and the lowest proportion of conspecific pollen transported and deposited by pollinators. By contrast, at higher plant density and lower visitation rate, pollinators deposited larger proportion of conspecific pollen, although still far from sufficient to ensure that all the ovules were fertilized. Finally, self‐pollen completely buffered the detrimental effects on pollination of patch fragmentation and pollinator failure. Our results indicate that pollen loads from pollinators and emasculated flowers should be quantified for an accurate understanding of the relative impacts of pollinator and mate limitation on pollen transfer in facultative autogamous species.     

IBA浓度、扦插时间对江西杜鹃和百合花杜鹃扦插生根的影响

为探明有鳞大花亚组杜鹃扦插生根的最佳IBA浓度和扦插时间,该研究以江西杜鹃、百合花杜鹃为材料,分别采用腐叶土+河沙(1:1)、泥炭+珍珠岩+蛭石(3:1:1)基质,开展了4个IBA浓度和4个扦插时间的生根试验.结果表明:IBA浓度对除老叶留存数外的所有指标有显著影响,其中100 mg·L-1 IBA处理生根率、新梢长最大,腐烂率最低,其它指标也表现良好,为最佳生根浓度;50 mg·L-1 IBA处理根幅、新梢率最大,但不定根数最少,效果其次;200 mg·L-1 IBA处理促进根系生长,但生根率较低、特别是显著抑制新梢发育;对照处理生根效果最差.扦插时间对所有生根指标均有显著影响,早春(04-18)木质化硬枝扦插除老叶留存数较差外,其它指标均表现极佳,为最适扦插时间;秋季(10-19)半木质-木质化过渡枝扦插效果其次;夏季(06-21)嫩枝及(08-16)半木质化枝生根效果极差,不宜进行扦插育苗.物种、基质对生根指标也有显著影响,百合花杜鹃扦插生根能力强于江西杜鹃,泥炭+珍珠岩+蛭石(3:1:1)基质生根效果优于腐叶土+河沙(1:1).该研究结果首次发现早春新梢萌发前采用木质化硬枝扦插可以显著提高两种杜鹃的生根效果,为该亚组杜鹃的扦插育苗提供了科学依据.     

GA3和Spd对杜鹃开花期光合特性和抗氧化系统的影响

为探讨GA_3和Spd对杜鹃(Rhododendron simsii)开花花期和开花品质的影响,研究了外源GA_3和Spd对杜鹃开花期光合特性和抗氧化系统的变化。结果表明,外源GA_3对花期有显著的提前作用,Spd对花期有明显的延迟作用,但两者均使花期延长、花径增大且成花率提高。GA_3和Spd处理提高了花期叶片的光合色素含量和净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Gs)和胞间CO_2浓度(Ci);GA_3处理提高了叶片的蒸腾速率(Tr),而Spd使叶片的Tr下降,两者均有效缓解了末花期叶绿素含量的下降。GA_3和Spd处理显著降低了花瓣MDA含量,提高了抗氧化酶SOD、POD和CAT活性,并减缓了末花期SOD的下降,有效延缓了衰老进程,延长花期。以1 600 mg L~(–1) GA_3和0.10 mmol L~(-1) Spd处理效果较好,能有效提高杜鹃花的观赏品质。     

The use of in vitro culture to improve the propagation of Rhododendron ponticum subsp. baeticum (Boiss. & Reuter)

Rhododendron ponticum subsp. baeticum is endemic in the southern region of the Iberian Peninsula. The relict populations of this species are vulnerable, due mainly to difficult conditions for the establishment of seedlings, resulting in a virtual lack of sexual recruitment. In order to preserve the surviving populations, in vitro culture methods have been applied for both the sexual and the agamic propagation of the species. The in vitro germination of seeds was high when conducted with Anderson’s medium without plant growth regulators. The self-rooted seedlings obtained were easily transplanted to outside conditions. The presence of growth regulators in the medium interfered with the development of the seedlings, causing heavy callus formation. The in vitro growth of explants took place readily in Anderson’s medium plus 0.072 mg L⁻¹ of BA and 0.036 mg L⁻¹ of NAA although the explants did not form roots. Rooting was achieved by the basal dipping of the explants in hydroalcoholic solutions of 500 mg L⁻¹ IAA during the outside transplanting process. Therefore, the combination of in vitro grown explants together with ex vitro rooting, results in a good method for the agamic propagation of Rhododendron ponticum subsp. baeticum.     

粉背含笑，云南东南部木兰科植物一新种

本新种与皱皮杜鹃(Rhododendron wiltonii Hemsl.et Wils.)相近似,区别在于前者叶较小,长6.8～8.0 cm,宽2.0～2.5 cm,叶表面平坦而不呈泡状突起,叶背密被一层黄色至锈红色毡毛,花5～6（～9）朵,较小,长约2.5 cm,易于区别。     

小花杜鹃中两个新的木脂素

研究小花杜鹃(Rhododendron minutiflorum)的化学成分及其α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制活性。采用正相硅胶、ODS、Sephadex LH-20和HPLC等多种色谱技术,从小花杜鹃的95%乙醇提取物中分离得到9个化合物,通过波谱分析和文献数据对比,鉴定其结构分别为rhodominutinan A(1)、rhodominutinan B(2)、3,4-di(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl)tetrahydrofuran(3)、venkatasin(4)、苔色酸甲酯(5)、苔黑酚羧酸乙酯(6)、2,4-二羟基-3,6-二甲基苯甲酸甲酯(7)、芹菜素(8)、山奈酚(9)。其中化合物1和2为新的木脂素,化合物3~9为首次从小花杜鹃中分离得到。通过α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制剂体外筛选模型评价化合物的潜在降血糖活性,结果表明化合物8和9具有较好的α-葡萄糖苷酶抑制活性,IC₅₀值分别为57.51±6.35、54.70±3.67μM。     

濒危植物都支杜鹃雄蕊数目描述的修正

通过对都支杜鹃5个种群（包括模式产地）的雄蕊数目进行统计、对馆藏标本进行查询和对模式标本采集人进行采访,修正了现有文献对都支杜鹃雄蕊数目（一个关键鉴别特征）的描述——应是12~15枚,而非10枚;本文还对同地点栽培的都支杜鹃和云锦杜鹃的形态进行观察,发现都支杜鹃与云锦杜鹃诸多形态特征差异显著,支持都支杜鹃是一个独立的“好种”。     

高温胁迫下五种杜鹃花属植物的生理变化及其耐热性比较

高温是制约分布于较高海拔地区杜鹃花迁地保育与园林应用的重要因子.为探讨杜鹃花属植物的 高温致伤机理,该实验以隶属不同亚属的白花杜鹃、羊踯躅、毛棉杜鹃、红滩杜鹃及红棕杜鹃4年生实生苗为 材料,通过人工气候箱的盆栽实验,研究了30℃、38℃高温胁迫下其叶片生理生化指标的变化,并利用隶属 函数法及系统聚类分析法对其种间...     

四川省杜鹃花属植物地理分布新记录

报道了四川杜鹃花属(Rhododendron)2新分布种和1新分布变种,它们分别是乳黄杜鹃(Rhododendron lacteum Franch.)、迷人杜鹃(R.agastum Balf.f.et W.W.Smith)、毛柱红棕杜鹃(R.rubiginosum Franch.var.ptilo-stylum R.C.Fang).