Two new South American species of Struthanthus (Loranthaceae) posing a challenge to circumscription of neotropical genera

Two new, closely related species of Struthanthus (Loranthaceae) are described, S. meridionalis from southern Bolivia and S. prancei from northern Brazil, each showing significant deviations from the generic norm in their inflorescence morphology. In both cases, a very high proportion of inflorescences bear bracteolate and/or ebracteolate monads as lateral units rather than the triads which characterize the rest of the genus. The place of inflorescence morphology in the development of generic concepts in small-flowered neotropical Loranthaceae is briefly reviewed, leaving the two new species in Struthanthus for the time being.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 142 , 469–474.     

The assessment of enriched apoplastic extracts using proteomic approaches

In plant tissues the extracellular environment or apoplast, incorporating the cell wall, is a highly dynamic compartment with a role in many important plant processes including defence, development, signalling and assimilate partitioning. Soluble apoplast proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana, Triticum aestivum and Oryza sativa were separated by two‐dimensional electrophoresis. The molecular weights and isoelectric points for the dominant proteins were established prior to excision, sequencing and identification by matrix‐assisted laser‐desorption ionisation time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI ‐ TOF MS). From the selected spots, 23 proteins from O. sativa and 25 proteins from A. thaliana were sequenced, of which nine identifications were made in O. sativa (39%) and 14 in A. thaliana (56%). This analysis revealed that: (i) patterns of proteins revealed by two‐dimensional electrophoresis were different for each species indicating that speciation could occur at the level of the apoplast, (ii) of the proteins characterised many belonged to diverse families reflecting the multiple functions of the apoplast and (iii), a large number of the apoplast proteins could not be identified indicating that the majority of extracellular proteins are yet to be assigned. The principal proteins identified in the aqueous matrix of the apoplast were involved in defence, i.e. germin‐like proteins or glucanases, and cell expansion, i.e. β‐D‐glucan glucohydrolases. This study has demonstrated that proteomic analysis can be used to resolve the apoplastic protein complement and to identify adaptive changes induced by environmental effectors.     

Gross xylem structure of the interface of Psittacanthus ramiflorus (Loranthaceae) with its hosts and with a hyperparasite

An emended interpretation is offered of the gross xylem structure and development of the haustorium of Psittacanthus ramiflorus (DC.) G. Don (Loranthaceae) and the woodrose induced on its hosts, based on decorticated material. At the point of entry, the host cambium is split or perhaps locally destroyed but regenerates, eventually in an inverted position, with its initials apparently assuming a position perpendicular to the mother branch. The resultant cambial 'front' is apparently strongly stimulated in some areas while nearly inactive in others, resulting in a basket-like structure of branching and anastomosing arms of xylem which eventually fuse completely. The parasite develops successive, concentric layers of xylem strands which connect perpendicularly to the inner margin of the woodrose. These xylem strands fuse upwardly, merging into tongue-like layers of normal xylem applied to older xylem. Brief reference is made to variation of woodroses in other species of Psittacanthus and to the latter's xylem connection to a hyperparasitic Phoradendron (Viscaceae).  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 147 , 197–201.     

Chemical Composition of Viscin Mucilage from Three Mistletoe Species--A comparison

The viscin of mistletoes is a unique tissue which serves toprovide strong adherence of the seed of the parasite to thehost branch. The viscin mucilage of three species, Phoradendroncalifornicum and Arceuthobium americanum (Viscaceae) and Phthirusapyrifolia (Loranthaceae), was analysed. The major componentof the mucilage of Pho. californicum and A. americanum was polysaccharidic;of this, neutral sugars comprised the largest portion, but substantialamounts of uronic acids and proteins were also present. Xyloseand arabinose were the most abundant of the neutral sugars,and analysis showed glycine to be the most abundant amino acidas well as the presence of higher-than-average amounts of histidine.In contrast, in the mucilage of Pht. pyrifolia glucose was themost abundant neutral sugar and the protein content was substantiallyhigher. Based on the differences in composition observed amongthe different species the future use of viscin components astaxonomic markers is suggested. Viscin mucilage, mistletoes, Arceuthobium americanum, Phthirusa pyrifolia, Phoradendron californicum, g.l.c., amino acid analysis     

Ultrastructure of Angiosperm Haustoria--A Review

It has been clear for many years that the evolution of parasitismin the angiosperms has taken place independently in a numberof unrelated groups (Kuijt, 1969). In other words, the parasiticorgans (haustoria) which both structurally and physiologicallyjoin host and parasite are remarkable instances of convergentevolution in these different groups. The main thread which canbe followed throughout the many anatomical studies which inthe past have been carried out on haustoria is the search forcommon denominators between various groups; that is, as to howmuch the haustoria of unrelated taxa have come to resemble eachother. When Solms-Laubach (1867–1868) more than a century agoreviewed the structure of angiosperm haustoria it required wellover one hundred pages to do so. Needless to say the bulk ofour present knowledge has been obtained since that time, andlight microscopy continues to unearth significant new information.In a recent review of haustorial anatomy (Kuijt, 1969), severalstructural parallelisms are noted. The advent of electron microscopyhas, since the latter review, resulted in a great deal of additionalinformation which has enabled certain comparisons between groupsto be made. Ultrastructural studies have quite naturally concentratedon the most readily available which, of course, are also thosewhich have been most i ntensively studied with the light microscopein the past. The haustoria of several families, such as Rafflesiaceae,Balanophoraceae, Hydnoraceae, and Lennoaceae, have scarcelybeen studied even with the light microscope. The purpose of the present paper is to give a general reviewof present knowledge of the ultrastructure of haustoria. Todo so we must of necessity ignore most recent purely anatomicalwork, except where relevant to the topics under discussion.Ultrastructural observations have been made on mistletoes (Arceuthobiumand Phthirusa, Loranthaceae), Santalaceae (several genera),Scrophulariaceae(Castilleja), Orobanchaceae (Orobanche) andConvolvulaccae (Cuscuta), in which order the discussion willproceed.