New evidence for the systematic significance of acylated spermidines and flavonoids in pollen of Higher Hamamelidae

New distributional recores of hydroxycinnamoyl spermidines (HCS), including novel trisubstituted HCSs and flavonol glycosides, in pollen of Higher Hamamelidae are presented. The 51 taxa analyzed by HPLC and TLC included members of the families Fagaceae (Castanoideae, Fagoideae, Quercoideae), Betulaceae, Juglandaceae, Myricaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Rosaceae, and Buxaceae (Simmondsia). The results support generic concepts in the Higher Hamamelidae derived from morphological and chloroplast DNA data and support a close evolutionary relationship between the Higher Hamamelidae and the Rosidae.     

Notes on the colour of pollen

The spectral reflection of pollen in 67 plant species out of 28 families was measured by means of mass recording of pollen grains. Various types of spectral reflection curves were found, but 75% belonged to two categories: 1. Human-yellow pollen with strong reflection in the green and red, and low reflection in the ultraviolet and blue range of wavelengths. 2. Human-whitish pollen with strong reflection in the green and red and additional reflection of shorter wavelengths. It is shown that it is important to have information about the mode of the visual pollen display — crypsis or colour contrast against the corolla, pollen advertisement, or concealment — and the visual capabilities of the presumed pollinators in order to be able to discuss the signalling function of pollen colours.     

Seasonal ectomycorrhizal fungal biomass development on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings

Ergosterol, a membrane sterol found in fungi but not in plants, was used to estimate live mycelial biomass in ectomycorrhizae. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seeds were sown in April 1993 and grown with standard nursery culture practices. Correlations between total seedling ergosterol and visual assessment of mycorrhizal colonization were high during July and August but low as ectomycorrhizal development continued into the growing season. Percentages of mycelial dry weight over lateral roots decreased from 9% in July to 2.5% in November because seedling lateral root dry weight accumulated faster than mycelial dry weight. Total ergosterol per seedling increased from July through February. As lateral root dry weight ceased to increase during winter months, ectomycorrhizal mycelia became the major carbohydrate sink of pine seedlings. No distinctive seasonal pattern of soil ergosterol content was observed. The impact of ectomycorrhizal fungi on plant carbohydrate source-sink dynamics can be quantitatively estimated with ergosterol analysis but not with conventional visual determination.     

Abscisic acid from Pinus densiflora pollen

(+)-Abscisic acid was isolated as the methyl ester from Pinus densiflora pollen and identified spectroscopically.     

Systematic studies of Pinus balfouriana based on volatile terpenoids from wood and needles and on seed morphology

Essential oil from wood and from needles of Pinus balfouriana, growing in six geographically well-separated locations in California, was analysed by GLC. Several monoterpenoid components, in particular -pinene from needles, were found to be usable for distinguishing between trees from the northern and southern parts of the geographic range. Similarity coefficients were calculated and dendrograms constructed. These demonstrated the distinct separation of the northern from the southern populations, and thus substantiated the proposal by Mastrogiuseppe to regard the southern populations as a subspecies. While the northern populations exhibited a tendency to produce larger seeds with longer wings, the difference was of only moderate diagnostic value.     

A cutin acid in Pinus sylvestris microspores

Nonacosan-10-ol (0.7%) and the cutin acid, 9,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid (0.3%) are present in Pinus sylvestris microspores. The pollen coat hence has some features in common with leaf cuticles.     

Calcium in the micropylar secretion and receptivity of explanted Crocus ovules to intra- and interspecific pollen

The micropylar secrete of the ovules of Crocus vernus ssp. vernus was analyzed for the Ca⁺² content by atomic absorption, and its capacity to germinate and attract pollen was tested by pollinating explanted ovules, and incubating in absence of culture medium. The results display a Ca⁺² concentration of 28.9 mM in the micropylar secrete. On this secrete both compatible- and incompatible pollen germinates with a mean percentage of 53.7%, and their pollen tubes enter the micropylar canal with percentages of 32.3% to 21.0%. In situ the ovules fail to attract tubes of incompatible pollen. The results are discussed in relation to the ovule receptivity and the guided growth of pollen tubes, substantiating the model of the tropic growth towards increasing calcium concentrations.     

云南含笑花粉萌发研究

应用离体培养和人工授粉的方法对云南含笑花粉的萌发进行了研究。栽培和野生云南含笑花粉的萌发率有很大的差异,分别为20％和90％。首次报道了云南含笑的花粉粒在离体培养基上萌发2条花粉管的现象。云南含笑花粉在灰岩含笑花柱头上的萌发率和萌发时间与离体培养基上的相同,表明灰岩含笑的柱头对云南含笑的花粉没有排异现象。     

Reproductive ecology of the endemic Lecocarpus pinnatifidus (Asteraceae) in an isolated population in the Galápagos Islands

Lecocarpus pinnatifidus is an endemic member of the Asteraceae occurring on only one island in the Galápagos archipelago. The capitula are large with female ray florets and male disc florets. They are self-compatible but this study suggests fruit set is pollen limited. Visits from Xylocopa darwini and other larger insect pollinators are rare, and small insects seem to be the main pollinators. Small insects carry few pollen grains and most likely mediate self-pollinations. Self-compatibility and seed set after selfing are the most common reproductive strategy in the Galápagos Islands and L. pinnatifidus seemingly fits well into this group.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 146 , 171–180.     

不同发育时期樟子松（Pinus sylvestris L. var. mongolica Litv.）的电阻抗参数与抗寒性的关系

采用电阻抗图谱（EIS）法和电导（EL）法对不同发育时期的樟子松（Pinus sylvestris L. var. mongolica Litv.）茎和针叶进行了抗寒性测定,试图通过比较两种方法测定抗寒性结果的相关性,找到适合冷冻处理后樟子松抗寒性测定和不经冷冻处理估测抗寒性的EIS参数,完善EIS法测定抗寒性。以8年生樟子松苗为试材,在抗寒锻炼阶段（10月份）和脱锻炼阶段（3月份）分别取样进行EIS和EL测定。结果表明,EIS法胞外电阻率（re）与EL法测定的樟子松抗寒性相关性较高（R2=0.97）,但比EL法求出的抗寒性高。针叶的细胞膜时间恒量（τm）和茎的弛豫时间（τ1）随冷冻温度变化与re表现相似的S曲线,相关分析表明,re（茎和针叶）与τ1（茎）和τm（针叶）的变化有较好的相关性（R2=0.74～0.84）。经Logistic方程拟合,EIS的τm（针叶）和τ1（茎）法与EIS（re）法、EL法测定的樟子松抗寒性相关性也较高（R2=0.88～0.91）,说明针叶τm和茎τ1也可以作为计算抗寒性的参数。另外,8年生樟子松两个发育时期（10月和3月份）未经冷冻的针叶τm与茎的τ2随抗寒性的增强而显著增加,表明不经过冷冻处理样本用τ2（茎）和τm（针叶）估计樟子松抗寒性是很有前途的方法。