Contrasting types of photoperiodic response in the control of dormancy

Abstract The effect of night-break or day-extension treatments with red (R) and/or far-red (FR) light were examined in the control of dormancy and extension growth in Weigela florida and Picea abies. Dormancy in Weigela (as assessed by the continued production of new leaves) was completely prevented by a 30 min night-break treatment with R: the effect of R was prevented by a subsequent exposure to 30 min FR. A day-extension treatment for 8.25 h with R or with R+FR also completely prevented dormancy, irrespective of whether it was given before or after a short day (SD) in sunlight. There was no significant difference between any dayextension treatment, nor between day-extension treatments and a night-break with R. Dormancy in Picea (as assessed by the maintenance of shoot growth) was also delayed by a night-break with R but less effectively than the most effective day-extension. A day-extension treatment for 9 h with R light was more effective when it preceded than when it followed a SD in sunlight. The addition of FR in the second but not in the first 9 h of a 17 h photoperiod increased its effectiveness. It is concluded that the mechanisms of the control of dormancy must differ in the two species. A day-extension for 16 h with light from tungstenfilament lamps increased stem elongation in Weigela when compared with an R night-break. This resulted from an increase in internode length and there was no significant difference between the two treatments in their effect on leaf production.     

Phylogeny of Weigela and Diervilla (Caprifoliaceae) Based on Nuclear rDNA ITS Sequences: Biogeographic and Taxonomic Implications

Weigela and three species of Diervilla were inferred from nucleotide sequence variation in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of 18-26S nuclear ribosomal DNA. Phylogenetic trees were obtained using parsimony, distance, and maximum likelihood methods. The ITS phylogenies did not support the monophyly of Weigela, which comprises three major clades. The first clade includes a single species, W. middendorffiana, which is more closely related with American genus, Diervilla. The second clade consisted of a single species, W. maximowiczii, but its relationship to other Weigela species is equivocal. The third one is a strongly supported core clade which contains the remaining Weigela species. Within the core group, W. hortensis exhibits the most distinct ITS sequence type. The hybrid origin of the species from the putative parents, W. florida and W. subsessilis, is not supported. The ITS sequence evidence favors the taxonomic hypothesis proposed by Nakai who recognized four distinct evolutionary lines (Diervilla, Macrodiervilla, Weigelastrum and Weigela). However, recognition of the two sections, Calysphyrum and Weigela was not supported in the ITS phylogenies. Substantial morphological differences between Diervilla and Weigela middendorffiana do not support the morphological stasis concept which has been considered as a general evolutionary mode among the Asian and North American disjunct taxa. Received 27 July 1998/ Accepted in revised form 7 July 1999     

锦带花属2个新品种

描述了2个锦带花属新品种,即贵妃锦带（Weigela florida ‘Royal’）和宝石锦带(Weigela florida‘Ruby’)。二者相近似,区别在于贵妃锦带植株稍高,株高1.5～2.0 m,花为尖晶玉红色,叶色暗绿;宝石锦带植株较矮,株高1.0～1.6 m,花为丹紫红色,叶片金黄色。这2个新品种均具有观赏特异性,抗逆性强,花期早且长等特性。     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from Weigela coraeensis (Caprifoliaceae)

Weigela coraeensis var. coraeensis is a deciduous shrub species distributed in Japan on the mainland, Honshu, whereas its variety W. coraeensis var. fragrans is endemic to the Izu Islands located south of Honshu. We isolated eight polymorphic microsatellite loci from the species and characterized these loci for 20 individuals from a population in Honshu. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 7 to 15 and the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.60 to 0.90 and from 0.65 to 0.90, respectively. These eight polymorphic microsatellites will be useful for examining intraspecific genetic differentiation in W. coraeensis.     

Application of Polyethylene Glycol on Preparation of Plant Specimen of Freeze-Fracture

We report for the first time the use of polyethylene glycol 1540 as a freeze-fracture reagent on plant specimen prepared for observation by scanning electron microscopy. This method is a good fracture technique after being successfully experimented, which in some aspect is better than the “O-D-O” method.     

Temporal pattern of floral color change and time retention of post‐change flowers in Weigela japonica var. sinica (Caprifoliaceae)

Abstract Floral color changes are common in Weigela and the retention of post‐change flowers has been interpreted as a mechanism to increase attractiveness from a long distance and shorten pollinators’ lingering time on the inflorescence(s) of individual plants. In the present study, we investigated the temporal pattern of floral color change and time required for pollen tube growth in the shrub Weigela japonica var. sinica. Over the 4‐day anthesis, the color of the corolla in this species changes from white to red and the color cue changes from yellow to purple. The duration of both the white phase and the intermediate phase is approximately 1 day and the duration of the red phase is approximately 2 days. Our studies showed that color change in Weigela japonica var. sinica is age‐dependent but independent of pollinator visits and flower pollination. Post‐change flowers lost most of both the male and female residual reproductive ability and retained no rewards for pollinators. It took at least 3 days for a pollen tube to grow to the ovules and achieve fertilization. Thus, retention of post‐change flowers is necessary for the completion of pollen tube growth. Our results indicate that the temporal pattern of color change and time requirement for pollen tube growth are most likely related events.     

锦带花的花粉活力、柱头可授性及传粉者的观察

在野外实地观测锦带花(Weigela florida(Bunge)A．DC．)的开花动态和访花者,在显微镜下观测柱头和花粉的形态及花粉-胚珠比,用TTC法测定锦带花花粉的活力,用联苯胺-过氧化氢法测定柱头可授性。结果表明,锦带花的花粉活力在开花时达70％以上,且能维持3d,之后明显下降。锦带花的柱头在开花3h后多数呈白色、二裂、具可授性,柱头的可授期持续2～3d。柱头与花药之间有5．3士0．9mm的空间距离,自然条件下难于自花授粉．开花当天7．00～10．00之间访花者最丰富,开花第2天访花者减少,开花第3天时访花者更少。在锦带花上记录到的访花者隶属于膜翅目、鳞翅目和双翅目,其中,熊蜂和蜜蜂是主要传粉者。     

Intraspecific variation in morphology of spiny pollen grains along an altitudinal gradient in an insect-pollinated shrub

• Intraspecific variations in pollen morphological traits are poorly studied. Interspecific variations are often associated with pollination systems and pollinator types. Altitudinal environmental changes, which can influence local pollinator assemblages, provide opportunities to explore differentiation in pollen traits of a single species over short distances. The aim of this study is to examine intraspecific variations in pollen traits of an insect-pollinated shrub, Weigela hortensis (Caprifoliaceae), along an altitudinal gradient.
• Pollen spine phenotypes (length, number and density), pollen diameter, lipid mass (pollenkitt) around pollen grains, pollen production per flower and pollinator assemblages were compared at four sites at different altitudes.
• Spine length and the spine length/diameter ratio of pollen grains were greater at higher altitudes but not correlated with flower or plant size. Spine number and density increased as flower size increased, and pollen lipid mass decreased as plant size increased. Bees were the predominant pollinators at low-altitude sites whereas flies, specifically Oligoneura spp. (Acroceridae), increased in relative abundance with increasing altitude.
• The results of this study suggest that the increase in spine length with altitude was the result of selection favouring longer spines at higher-altitude sites and/or shorter spines at lower-altitude sites. The altitudinal variation in selection pressure on spine length could reflect changes in local pollinator assemblages with altitude.