Monograph of the neotropical species of Callipteris with anastomosing veins (Woodsiaceae)

Callipteris is a pantropical fern genus defined by two synapomorphies of its rhizome scales: 1) dark-castaneous to black borders, and 2) bifid marginal teeth. This monograph treats 15 neotropical species ofCallipteris that are further defined by the synapomorphy of anastomosing veins (free-veined species of the genus occur in the Neotropics and elsewhere). Three species are newly described here; the remaining 12 were previously classified inDiplazium. All the species ofCallipteris grow on wet forest floors at 100–2300 m. In the Neotropics the genus occurs from Guatemala to Bolivia, northern Brazil, and the Lesser Antilles. It has two centers of species richness. The first is the Chocó region on the western side of the Andes in Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. This region contains eight species, five of which are endemic. The second center is the mountains of Costa Rica and Panama, where six species occur, three of which are endemic. Only one species, an endemic, occurs in the Lesser Antilles in Martinique, St. Vincent, and Grenada. Four species occur only on the eastern side of the Andes, and these apparently represent at least two separate dispersal events from the western side of the Andes.     

Crassulacean Acid Metabolism 1975–2000, a Check List

A list of plant species documented over the past 25 years to exhibit Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) is presented. The list compiles all available information on these species including their growth habits, succulent parts, carbon isotope discrimination values, CAM types, CAM inducers, and CAM modifications.     

Cataclysta lemnata Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) expanded its host range feeding on invasive aquatic ferns,species of Azolla Lamarck, 1783 (Hydropteridales: Azollaceae): fitness factors and costs

Cataclysta lemnata Linnaeus, 1758 is a semi-aquatic moth that feeds on Lemnaceae and few of other aquatic plants. In recent years, this moth has been seen feeding on Azolla Lamarck, 1783 Lamarck, J.B. (1783), Encyclopedie methodique: botanique, 1, Paris: Panckouche. 752 pp. [Google Scholar] in Iran in high numbers. The effect of the host plant on preference and performance of the moth was assessed under laboratory conditions. Despite the high survival rate of the young larvae, due to high mortality of the late instars and pupa on Lemna Linnaeus, 1753, the total survival rate on Azolla was higher. Feeding on Azolla increased the development time by almost a week and reduced fertility to half. However, by consuming more food, regulating the egg laying dynamic, and increasing emergence period, the moth retrieved most of the losses and adapted to feed on Azolla. A week before pupation, feeding activity increased between 2 and 8 times in all treatments and on Azolla, the larvae growth rate was slightly higher.     

Volatile organic compounds in the strongly fragrant fern genus Melpomene (Polypodiaceae)

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are common among plants, both as attractants for pollinators and as defence against herbivores. While much studied among flowering plants, the prevalence and function of VOCs among ferns is little known. Using headspace sorption and gas chromatography, we analysed the VOCs of dried specimens of six species of grammitid fern (Polypodiaceae), including two species of the genus Melpomene, which is characterised by a distinctive sweet smell. We identified 38 VOCs, including 22 not previously recorded among ferns. The two species of Melpomene had distinct VOC cocktails, including 12 substances not found in the other four studied genera, mainly involving fatty acid derivatives (FADs) and aromatics. We propose that these VOCs have, at least in part, a function in herbivore defence, but note that the VOC bouquet of Melpomene is distinct from that typically found in angiosperms.     

全基因组复制事件的绝对定年揭示莲座蕨属植物的迟滞演化

全基因组复制在维管植物的物种形成过程中普遍存在, 被认为是物种适应极端环境的重要机制之一。确定全基因组复制事件的发生时间对理解生物的适应性演化具有重要意义。然而, 在维管植物, 特别是蕨类植物中, 全基因组复制事件的发生时间及其演化意义仍知之甚少。本研究以蕨类植物重要基部类群——福建莲座蕨(Angiopteris fokiensis)为例, 基于不同采样点(广东、广西、上海)的3个转录组学数据, 利用同义替换率(Ks)和绝对定年的方法分析全基因组复制事件的发生时间和物种单位时间内的分子演化速率, 并对事件发生后保留下的基因进行基因功能注释和富集分析。结果表明, 福建莲座蕨在159‒165 Mya发生了一次全基因组复制事件, 该复制事件优先保留的基因主要与营养代谢、信号传导、适应调节和组织结构生长相关。另外, 福建莲座蕨的分子演化速率为1.66 × 10^‒9 (同义替换/位点/年), 是除裸子植物外, 陆生植物中已知演化速率最缓慢的类群。综合以上研究结果, 我们推测福建莲座蕨全基因组复制的发生可能与裸子植物繁盛、核心被子植物集中兴起或托阿尔阶灭绝事件有关。而复制后显著保留基因可能促进了莲座蕨属(Angiopteris)植物的遗传和形态创新, 从而帮助其快速适应环境的剧烈变化。进一步对该类群植物演化速率缓慢的原因进行讨论, 推测莲座蕨属缓慢的演化速率可能与其本身世代周期长、基因组较大及其生长环境稳定有关。本研究通过分析福建莲座蕨的全基因组复制历史和复制基因的保留模式, 推测全基因组复制事件对促进演化速率较慢的植物适应极端环境变化具有重要意义, 可为理解其他陆生植物的适应性演化提供更多启发。     

湖南壶瓶山国家级保护区药用蕨类植物的调查研究

通过野外调查、标本采集与鉴定和查阅文献,对壶瓶山国家级保护区药用蕨类植物多样性进行统计,并对其资源分布,药用部分、功能分类及民族文化等方面进行了探讨。结果如下：（1）壶瓶山国家级保护区有药用蕨类165种（不包括变种和变型）,隶属于33科57属,分别占武陵山地区和全国药用蕨类总科属种的80.48%7,1.25%,77.10%和67.34%,47.90%3,6.91%;含种数较多的科属有水龙骨科Polypodiaceae,鳞毛蕨科Dryopteridaceae,凤尾蕨科Pteridaceae,卷柏属Selaginella,凤尾蕨属Pteris,鳞盖蕨属Microlepia等。（2）该区药用蕨类植物原始和进化的类群共存,区系以热带成分为主,具有热带亲缘性,体现了壶瓶山药用蕨类植物起源古老,但物种分化强烈的特点。（3）该区的药用蕨类在四个植被垂直带谱都有分布,其中在低于1 000 m的常绿阔叶林带分布最多。（4）该区药用蕨类根据药用部位分为四类,全草类最多,其次是根茎类;按药用功能将分为五类,主要为清热类和解毒类。（5）讨论了壶瓶山国家级保护区独特的地理位置和优厚的自然环境是该区药用蕨类植物多样性高的重要原因,并提出了可持续开发利用与保护的建议。     

The Effect of Copper and Lead Ions on Growth and Lipid Composition of the Fern Matteuccia sthruthiopteris

In the present study, the effect of copper (Cu²⁺) and lead (Pb²⁺) ions on the growth and lipid composition of various parts of the fern, Matteuccia sthruthiopteris, was examined. Plants were incubated in the presence or absence of 1, 10, 100 μM of Cu(NO₃)₂ or Pb(NO₃)₂. Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺ ions at concentrations of 1 and 10 μM caused an increased growth of the roots and leaves. A higher concentration of Pb²⁺ did not show any effect on growth, whereas that of Cu²⁺ slowed down the growth of the whole plants. The roots accumulated more than 700 μg of Cu²⁺ and 400 μg of Pb²⁺ per 1 g dry weight when the plants were incubated with the higher concentrations of metals, whereas in the leaves the concentration of Cu²⁺ was much lower and did not exceed 12 μg/g dry weight. No accumulation of Pb²⁺ ions by leaves was detected. The lipid composition of photosynthetic leave tissues was shown to be affected by the presence of metal ions in the root medium at either concentration studied. Various changes in lipid classes were noted as responsive reactions of M. sthruthiopteris to the heavy metal ions in nutrient medium. Cu²⁺ ions decreased the content of total lipids, total phospholipids, and individual phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines, whereas Pb²⁺ ions caused a decrease in the content of total lipids and glycolipids. Changes in the lipid composition were more pronounced in the mature leaves than in the scrolls of the studied fern.     

湖南省石松类和蕨类植物分布新记录

在2004年出版的《湖南植物志》中收录有标本考证的湖南省石松类和蕨类植物683种41变种10变型[1],截至2014年底,又陆续发表了70余个新记录[2-9]。2013年出版的《Flora of China》结合现代分子系统学和最新的研究成果,对大量植物物种进行归并和科属的重新划分,作为湖南省优势科属资源的一些种类数量也相应减少,如水龙骨科( Polypodiaceae)的鳞果星蕨属( Lepidomicrosorium Ching et K. H. Shing )和盾蕨属( Neolepisorus Ching ),鳞毛蕨科( Dryopteridaceae)的复叶耳蕨属( Arachniodes Blume)以及以武陵山区为中心分布的黔蕨属( Phanerophlebiopsis Ching)(归并到复叶耳蕨属Arachniodes Blume)等,书中仅记录湖南省分布的石松类和蕨类植物约434种(含变种、亚种和杂种)[10],数量相对较少,而湖南省分布的一些较珍稀的蕨类植物未有罗列,如川黔肠蕨也Diplaziopsis cavaleriana ( Christ) C. Chr.页、中华双扇蕨( Dipteris chinensis Christ )、全缘燕尾蕨也Cheiropleuria integrifolia ( D. C. Eaton ex Hook.) M. Kato页、睫毛蕨也Pleurosoriopsis makinoi ( Maxim. ex Makino) Fomin页[1]和心叶薄唇蕨也Leptochilus cantoniensis ( Baker) Ching页等[11]。作者根据近十年的相关文献[1-9,12],对湖南省分布的石松类和蕨类植物进行了梳理,统计出631种27变种2亚种和2杂种。自2013年开始,作者对湖南省东南部的莽山、西部的小溪以及西北部的八大公山等多个国家级自然保护区进行了野外考察,发现了湖南省石松类和蕨类植物新记录6种,分属于5科6属,它们的生境及形态特征见图1。凭证标本保存于上海辰山植物标本馆( CSH )。其中一些种类分布的海拔较低,对于湖南省蕨类植物区系特点、科属结构以及物种多样性演化等研究具有潜在价值。