Factors limiting seed production of Taxus brevifolia (Taxaceae) in Western Oregon

Seed production of Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia), an understory conifer, was studied at four sites in western Oregon over 2 yr. The effects of pollen supplementation, overstory canopy, and predator exclusion on ovule attrition were examined. Supplemental hand-pollination of ten trees at two sites resulted in significantly increased rates of ovule development and a doubling of seed efficiency (ratio of seeds to ovules). However, seed efficiency still averaged <15% on branches receiving supplemental pollen, so pollination was not a primary factor limiting seed production. The number of developing ovules was positively associated with overstory openness, but seed production was not. Seed efficiency was negatively associated with overstory openness. Branches bagged to exclude vertebrate seed predators had higher seed production than unbagged branches at three of four sites for 2 yr. In contrast to unbagged branches, seed production on bagged branches was positively associated with overstory openness, as was the effectiveness of bagging. Therefore, both vertebrate predation and overstory were important in limiting seed production, and these factors interacted. Factors limiting seed production varied in importance among the four sites and between years, illustrating the importance of examining multiple limiting factors over several sites and years.     

部分裸子植物假种皮微形态特征及其分类学意义

应用扫描电镜对红豆杉科、三尖杉科和罗汉松科植物假种皮的微形态特征进行了研究,结果表明：可以把红豆杉科植物分为两类,即具规则型网状纹饰的红豆杉属和具无规则型网状纹饰的白豆杉属、穗花杉属和榧树属。在后三属中,穗花杉属的穗花杉和白豆杉属的纹饰特征更为相近,同属厚网脊亚型。而云南穗花杉和榧树属的特征相近,属薄网脊亚型。假种皮表面纹饰特征显示不宜将红豆杉（T．chinensis）再分为两个独立的种,认为设立红豆杉和变种南方红豆杉（T．chinensisvar.mairei）的处理方式更加合理。三尖杉科（属）蓖子三尖杉（C．oliveri）假种皮纹饰的网脊、网底分化程度、细胞大小、单位面积细胞数和本届的其它植物差异很大,为建立蓖子三尖杉组提供了进一步的佐证。假种皮的微形态特征还支持把宽叶粗榧（C.sinensisvar.latifolia）上升为种C．latifolia的观点。罗汉松科假种皮纹饰类型的观察结果表明罗汉松属和陆均松属是自然分类群。尽管罗汉松属竹相组假种皮纹饰的网脊变异范围相对较大,但是变异范围仍在属内,不支持将其独立为新科的观点。假种皮的表面纹饰特征还表明三尖杉科和红豆杉科之间的联系密切。     

Taxol content in the bark of Himalayan Yew in relation to tree age and sex

Taxol content in the bark of Taxus baccata trees growing in a homogenous (uniform) environment at Jageshwar, District Almora in Central Himalaya has been quantified. The average taxol concentration in the bark of sampled trees was 0.0558+/-0.008% (of dry wt.) and was about 64% higher for male plants (averaged across tree age) in comparison to female trees. Maximum taxol content was recorded in the bark samples collected from trees of >110 yrs age. ANOVA indicates a significant difference in the taxol content of bark from trees of different ages, however, differences were not significant between sexes. Taxol was quantified by HPLC using a standard curve prepared with authentic taxol; the identification of bark taxol was confirmed by UV and mass spectrometry. The total taxol content of the bark of Taxus trees across an age series was found to range between 0.064 to 8.032 g/tree, and a tree of about 100 yrs age can yield 5.74 kg dry bark.     

中国红豆杉枝叶中的紫杉烷二萜

从中国红豆杉(Taxus chinensis)枝叶的乙醇提取物中分离得到8个紫杉烷二萜,通过波谱分析分别确定为：14p羟基巴卡亭Ⅵ(1),巴卡亭Ⅵ(2),巴卡亭Ⅳ(3),1β-去羟基巴卡亭Ⅳ(4),云南红豆杉酯甲(5),2α-去乙酰-2α-苯甲酰基-13α-乙酰基云南紫杉亭(6),5α-羟基-2α,7βp,9α,10β,13α-五乙酰氧基紫杉-4(20),11-二烯(7)和Taxaein(8)。其中化合物1为新化合物,并报道八个化合物在丙酮中测得的核磁共振信号,化合物8的数据属首次报道。     

The shape of things to come: structural and synthetic studies of taxol and related compounds

The history of the development of Taxol (paclitaxel) as an anticancer drug is reviewed, and some aspects of the phytochemistry of Taxus species and of the medicinal chemistry of taxol are discussed. The nature of the taxol-tubulin interaction is then described, with an emphasis on studies that led to the discovery and experimental proof of the T-taxol conformation as the tubulin-binding conformation of taxol. The implications of this conformation for future drug development are also briefly covered.     

Improved Method for Rapid Microbioassay of Amino Acids

Single and double asymmetric inductions were achieved by the sodium borohydride reduction of α-ketoesters in the presence of chirai phase transfer catalysts. The quaternary ammonium salts with hydroxyl group in the substituent moiety showed the effective catalytic activity. The reduction of (–)-(3R)-menthyl benzoylformate gave (3R)-menthyl (S)-mandelate in contrast to the prediction by the Prelog rule.     

Polyprenols from conifers: multiplicity in chain length distribution

Long-chain betulaprenols have been isolated from the leaves of twelve coniferous plants, which can be roughly classified into two categories with respect to the pattern of the chain length distribution. A complex distribution pattern with two maxima has been found in six of them for the first time.     

Diterpenes and sesquiterpenes from the bark of Taxus yunnanensis

Two taxane-type diterpenes, 10beta-acetoxy-2alpha,5alpha,7beta,9alpha-tetrahydroxytaxa-4(20),11-dien-13-one and 2alpha-acetoxy-9alpha-benzoyloxy-5alpha,7beta,10beta,15-tetrahydroxy-11(15-->1)- abeotaxa-4(20),11-dien-13-one, and two new drimane-type sesquiterpenes, 1beta-acetoxy-7-drimen-11alpha-ol-12,11-lactone and 1beta-acetoxy-11,12-epoxy-6-drimen-8alpha,11alpha-diol, were isolated from the bark of Taxus yunnanensis together with 35 known taxane-type diterpenes, a known drimane-type sesquiterpene and a known flavanone.     

广西裸子植物

广西本土生长的裸子植物共43种,包含苏铁科3种,三尖杉科4种,红豆杉科4种,罗汉松科6种,松科17种,杉科1种,柏科3种,和买麻藤科5种。虽然它们在本区分布较广,但其种类多集中于北部和中部属酸性土且气候较凉的山脉上。 油杉有数种生长在石灰岩石山上,它们比低地的松树之外的裸子植物较为耐旱。少数种类稀少且分布局限,少数为特有。 经作者研究,广西裸子植物的学名有些需要修改:Cephalotaxus hainanensis和C.griffithii应归并于C.mannii;Podocarpus imbricatus需改为DacrycarPus imbricatus,Podocarpusfteuryi或Deeusocarpus fleuryi改为Nageia fteuryi,Podocarpus nagi或Decuso-corpus nagi改为Nageia nagi,过去误定为Podocarpus brevifolius或P.wangii应改为Podocarpus pilgeri;Kereleeria pubescens应归并于K.davidiana,K.hainanensis归并于K.evelyniana,K.eyelolepis和K.oblonga归并于K.fortunei;Tsuga longibra-cteata改为Nothotsuga longibracteata;Cupressus funebris改为Chamaecyparis fune-bris,不同意把Pinus Kwangtungensis改为p.wangii var.kwangtungensis等。     

Biosynthesis of ecdysterone from cholesterol in Taxus baccata

Biosynthesis of ecdysterone from [4-¹⁴C, 3-³H]cholesterol in Taxus baccata does not involve obligatory oxidation at C-3 during the formation of the A/B-cis ring junction.