Inflorescences: concepts,function, development and evolution

Background

Inflorescences are complex structures with many functions. At anthesis they present the flowers in ways that allow for the transfer of pollen and optimization of the plant''s reproductive success. During flower and fruit development they provide nutrients to the developing flowers and fruits. At fruit maturity they support the fruits prior to dispersal, and facilitate effective fruit and seed dispersal. From a structural point of view, inflorescences have played important roles in systematic and phylogenetic studies. As functional units they facilitate reproduction, and are largely shaped by natural selection.

Scope

The papers in this Special Issue bridge the gap between structural and functional approaches to inflorescence evolution. They include a literature review of inflorescence function, an experimental study of inflorescences as essential contributors to the display of flowers, and two papers that present new methods and concepts for understanding inflorescence diversity and for dealing with terminological problems. The transient model of inflorescence development is evaluated in an ontogenetic study, and partially supported. Four papers present morphological and ontogenetic studies of inflorescence development in monophyletic groups, and two of these evaluate the usefulness of Hofmeister''s Rule and inhibitory fields to predict inflorescence structure. In the final two papers, Bayesian and Monte-Carlo methods are used to elucidate inflorescence evolution in the Panicoid grasses, and a candidate gene approach is used in an attempt to understand the evolutionary genetics of inflorescence evolution in the genus Cornus (Cornaceae). Taken as a whole, the papers in this issue provide a glimpse of contemporary approaches to the study of the structure, development, and evolution of inflorescences, and suggest fruitful new directions for research.     

Revision of the genera Nemotha Wood-Mason, 1884 and Tricondylomimus Chopard, 1930 stat. rev., with description of a new species (Dictyoptera: Mantodea)

The oriental species previously included in the rarely collected genus Nemotha Wood-Mason, 1884 (Mantodea: Iridopterygidae) are revised. N. coomani (Chopard, 1930) and N. mirabilis Beier, 1933 strongly differ from the type species N. metallica (Westwood, 1845) by family-level morphological features, but share a unique type of forefemoral armament with the genera Hapalopeza Stål, 1877 and Amantis Giglio-Tos, 1915, suggesting Nemotha is of a polyphyletic nature. The genus Tricondylomimus Chopard, 1930 is resurrected from synonymy to accommodate T. coomani, T. mirabilis n. comb. and the species which is newly described in this article, T. intermedius n. sp. The monotypic genus Pseudogousa Tinkham, 1937 and its species P. sinensis Tinkham, 1937 are synonymized with Tricondylomimus and T. mirabilis, respectively. The genus Tricondylomimus is placed in Iridopterygidae, while Nemotha is transferred to Hymenopodidae: Anaxarchini.     

论寒武纪小山城子属

根据唐山市丰润区左家坞镇半壁山寒武系炒米店组下部含海绿石灰岩夹竹叶状灰岩中采集的三叶虫标本, 对小山城子虫属的定义和时代进行了修订, 将后平壤虫Metapianaspis Qian, 1994, 扎浪滩虫Zhalangtania Zhou in Zhou et al., 1996与小山城子虫属合并; 对其时代和分类位置进行了讨论, 将小山城子虫属归于唇头虫科 Cheilocephalidae Shaw, 1956, 在华北寒武系苗岭统顶部新建了Liostracina simesi-Placosema convexa带, 对于华北浅水台地相区和华南深水斜坡相区地层对比具有重要意义。     

基于居群观测的木鱼坪淫羊藿复合种形态比较和分类学启示

基于"居群"概念,对木鱼坪淫羊藿复合种(Epimedium franchetii species complex)进行了系统的标本查阅,并于花期对该复合种9个居群的野外形态进行了观测和比较研究。结果显示,竹山淫羊藿(E.zhushanense K.F.Wu et S.X.Qian)花瓣为紫红色,易于与其它物种区分;时珍淫羊藿(E.lishihchenii Stearn)在模式产地(江西庐山)的JXLS居群中有1/5的个体根茎为结节状(并非像模式种一样根茎细长),其叶背被毛细长的性状较稳定,且与木鱼坪淫羊藿(E.franchetii Stearn)叶背被粗短伏毛的性状区别明显;JXJA居群(江西靖安)地理分布靠近江西庐山,叶背被毛也与时珍淫羊藿类似,但其典型的粗壮根茎则与木鱼坪淫羊藿一致,因此将其处理为木鱼坪淫羊藿-时珍淫羊藿过渡类型;保靖淫羊藿(E.baojingense Q.L.Chen et B.M.Yang)与木鱼坪淫羊藿主要区别在于前者小叶柄、叶柄、茎和节部密被柔毛,尤以节部明显,叶背被细长毛,而木鱼坪淫羊藿小叶柄、叶柄、茎和节部均光滑,叶背被粗短伏毛;HBFX居群(湖北房县)和HBMP居群(湖北神农架)小叶柄、叶柄、茎、节部和叶背均疏被毛,被毛特征介于木鱼坪淫羊藿和保靖淫羊藿之间,因此将HBFX和HBMP居群处理为木鱼坪淫羊藿-保靖淫羊藿过渡类型。聚类分析结果表明,9个居群可划分为3类,竹山淫羊藿与其它类群种间界限明显,建议将其从木鱼坪淫羊藿复合种中分离出来;木鱼坪淫羊藿与时珍淫羊藿和保靖淫羊藿的关系复杂;保靖淫羊藿与木鱼坪淫羊藿主要是被毛上的差异,地理上存在同域分布,推测其为微生境导致的生态宗,将其处理为木鱼坪淫羊藿的变种;时珍淫羊藿与木鱼坪淫羊藿地理分布相对隔离,是由地理隔离引起的地理宗,将其处理为木鱼坪淫羊藿亚种。     

中国翠雀花属修订(一)

该文对中国毛茛科(Ranunculaceae)翠雀花属(Delphinium)进行了修订,收载了该属232种和55变种,并写出了检索表;同时对每个种写出了形态描述,绘出了多幅墨线图,并将全部种划分为2亚属、5组、11亚组和26系,其中包括4新亚组、11新系、15新种和5新变种。此外,还给出了此属的分类学研究简史、地理分布和经济用途。     

云南省爬行动物名录和地理区划更新

云南省作为中国生物多样性最高的省份, 其详实的物种本底资料对我国生物多样性研究和保护具有重要意义。本文在前期研究的基础上, 结合实体标本, 汇总编制了云南省现生、原生爬行动物更新名录。截至2021年12月31日, 云南省记录爬行动物25科82属235种, 其中龟鳖目4科12属16种, 有鳞目蜥蜴亚目6科20属72种, 蛇亚目15科50属147种。较《云南两栖爬行动物》确认新增82种, 存疑收录21种, 移除23种。基于先前云南省爬行动物区划和更新后的物种分布信息, 将云南省爬行动物地理分为6个动物地理区, 即滇西北横断山区、滇西山地区、滇南山地区、滇东南山地区、滇中高原区以及滇东北山地区; 其中滇西北横断山区、滇西山地区、滇中高原区和滇东南山地区的范围与先前研究相比有所调整。结合调整后的爬行动物地理区划, 对物种分布、物种特有性、受威胁状况等给出了统计结果。云南省爬行动物特有物种、国内仅见于云南的非特有物种数量较多, 受威胁等级高。建议今后继续加大分类学研究投入, 对滇西北、滇中特有爬行动物分布集中的区域积极开展栖息地保护工作, 同时在最新调整的《国家重点保护野生动物名录》基础上, 定期组织专家研讨, 对《云南省省级重点保护动物名录》提出更新建议。     

国产耳草属长节耳草及其相似种的分类研究

我国耳草属中具有茎四棱和头状花序特征的植物常常被鉴定为长节耳草(Hedyotis uncinella),并且这一名称还包括了基于不同模式的3个分类学异名。由于这一类植物在叶片形态、叶柄长短、花序着生式样以及花梗长度等形态特征方面存在着明显的不同,因此将这一类植物笼统地鉴定为长节耳草并不合理。为清晰区分这类植物,通过模式比对、居群形态特征变异式样的野外观察以及分子系统学分析等方法进行研究,结果表明,以前被鉴定为“长节耳草”的植物实际上包括了6个分类实体,即被归并的丰花耳草(H. borrerioides)、垦丁耳草(H. kuraruensis)和新组合种——团花耳草(H. cephalophora)均应独立成种,而长节耳草本种、被忽略的线叶耳草(H. linearifolia)和我国新记录种——球花耳草(H. multiglomerulata)各自也应得到承认。同时,为了便于进行分类鉴定,也提供了这些种类的分种检索表。     

Diversity and classification of mycorrhizal associations

Most mycorrhizas are 'balanced' mutualistic associations in which the fungus and plant exchange commodities required for their growth and survival. Myco-heterotrophic plants have 'exploitative' mycorrhizas where transfer processes apparently benefit only plants. Exploitative associations are symbiotic (in the broad sense), but are not mutualistic. A new definition of mycorrhizas that encompasses all types of these associations while excluding other plant-fungus interactions is provided. This definition recognises the importance of nutrient transfer at an interface resulting from synchronised plant-fungus development. The diversity of interactions between mycorrhizal fungi and plants is considered. Mycorrhizal fungi also function as endophytes, necrotrophs and antagonists of host or non-host plants, with roles that vary during the lifespan of their associations. It is recommended that mycorrhizal associations are defined and classified primarily by anatomical criteria regulated by the host plant. A revised classification scheme for types and categories of mycorrhizal associations defined by these criteria is proposed. The main categories of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal associations (VAM) are 'linear' or 'coiling', and of ectomycorrhizal associations (ECM) are 'epidermal' or 'cortical'. Subcategories of coiling VAM and epidermal ECM occur in certain host plants. Fungus-controlled features result in 'morphotypes' within categories of VAM and ECM. Arbutoid and monotropoid associations should be considered subcategories of epidermal ECM and ectendomycorrhizas should be relegated to an ECM morphotype. Both arbuscules and vesicles define mycorrhizas formed by glomeromycotan fungi. A new classification scheme for categories, subcategories and morphotypes of mycorrhizal associations is provided.     

轮钟花属的恢复及其花粉和种皮证据

光学显微镜和扫描电镜观察表明,金钱豹属(广义)花粉明显分为两个类型:Campanumoea inflata和C.javanica subsp.laponica的花粉5～8沟,外壁具相对密的短刺,刺高不过1μm,而C.lancifolia,C.celebica和C.parviflora的花粉3孔沟,外壁刺稀疏,高于2μm。种子表面纹饰也同样可分为 两类,前两个种一类,其种子表面网状,网眼规则而多角形,直径大于网脊宽度,网脊上的次级纹饰为念 珠状,而后三种为一类,其种子表面网眼不规则,直径与网脊宽度近相等,网脊上的次级纹饰绳索状。可 见花粉特征与种皮性状是高度相关的。后三个种所属的分类群就是被归并了的属Cyclocodon Griffith。 综合花粉、种皮及外部形态,这个属应予恢复。其近缘属应是Platycodon,而不是Campanumoea。