Amount of calyx fibres in Lamiaceae, relation to calyx structure, phylogeny and ecology

Calyces of 306 species representing 181 out of the 236 genera of Lamiaceae have been studied with particular emphasis on the amount of fibres and similar xylem cells. A characteristic calyx tissue called ``mesophyll fibres', reported by earlier authors, is found to belong to the xylem. Most species of the subfamilies Lamioideae and Scutellarioideae differ from most other labiates, and particularly from Nepetoideae, in having much larger amounts of fibres and similar xylem cells in the calyx tube. This result supports cladistic hypotheses based on cpDNA showing that Lamioideae and Scutellarioideae are closely related and remotely related to Nepetoideae. The new data also contribute to the knowledge about the phylogeny within Lamioideae. The amount of fibres and similar cells also seems to be positively correlated with calyx size, calyx width, a ballistic dispersal mechanism in Scutellaria, and the aridity of the habitat. Possible adaptive significances of these correlations are discussed.     

Genetic differences among populations in sexual dimorphism: evidence for selection on males in a dioecious plant

Genetic variation among populations in the degree of sexual dimorphism may be a consequence of selection on one or both sexes. We analysed genetic parameters from crosses involving three populations of the dioecious plant Silene latifolia, which exhibits sexual dimorphism in flower size, to determine whether population differentiation was a result of selection on one or both sexes. We took the novel approach of comparing the ratio of population differentiation of a quantitative trait (Q(ST) ) to that of neutral genetic markers (F(ST) ) for males vs. females. We attributed 72.6% of calyx width variation in males to differences among populations vs. only 6.9% in females. The Q(ST) /F(ST) ratio was 4.2 for males vs. 0.4 for females, suggesting that selection on males is responsible for differentiation among populations in calyx width and its degree of sexual dimorphism. This selection may be indirect via genetic correlations with other morphological and physiological traits.     

Effect of a virus associated with the reproductive system of the parasitoid wasp,Campoletis sonorensis,on host weight gain

The particulate fraction of the calyx fluid of the endoparasitoid, Campoletis sonorensis, reduces host weight gain when manually injected into healthy Heliothis virescens larvae. Reduced weight gain of the host, H. virescens, is normally associated with parasitism by C. sonorensis. Electron microscopy has confirmed that the particulate fraction of the calyx fluid is composed of virus particles and it appears that this virus, injected with the egg at oviposition, actually reduces host weight gain. The effect of the virus is negated when the calyx fluid is exposed to ultraviolet light prior to injection. Furthermore, the calyx fluid is effective only if injected into hosts; there is no effect on host weight gain when hosts are fed or topically treated with the virus-containing calyx fluid.     

湖榕和小叶榕花形态结构特征的研究

通过对湖榕（Ｆｉｃｕｓ　ｓｐ．）和小叶榕（Ｆｉｃｕｓ　ｍｉｃｒｏｃａｒｐａ　Ｌ．）花形态结构特征的比较研究表明：湖榕和小叶榕的花果形态结构有较显著的差别。湖榕雌花的萼片数多为４片,萼片顶部都有毛,花粉位为精园形,花粉壁较薄,其结实率较低,只有０．１％;小叶榕雌花的萼片数多为３片,萼片顶部光滑无毛,花粉粒为圆形而壁较厚,其结实率较高,为２９．１％。     

紫花苜蓿的花蜜量和访花蜜蜂数量对种子产量的影响

对10个紫花苜蓿品种的花萼直径、花蜜量、访花蜜蜂数量和种子产量进行了研究,结果表明,紫花苜蓿的单位面积花蜜量与访花蜜蜂数量呈极显著正相关(r=0.93**),访花蜜蜂数量与种子产量呈显著正相关(r=0.87*);紫花苜蓿的花蜜量与花萼直径呈极显著正相关(r=0.99**);紫花苜蓿品种赛特(Sitel)和德宝(Derby)在兰州地区能获得高产、优质的种子。     

A re-evaluation of morphological characters in European Gentianella section Gentianella (Gentianaceae)

Morphological traits were investigated in Gentianella section Gentianella by morphometrics and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). Variation in vegetative measures and in calyx, corolla, ovary, and gynophor was analyzed in populational samples and herbarium material. Special emphasis was given to micro-morphology and variation of papillae on the calyx using SEM. Three types of papillae on the calyx lobes were found: (A) short conical (G. amarella-group, G. insubrica, G. germanica); (B) long conical often curved (G. campestris, G. anisodonta, G. engadinsesis, and G. liburnica; (C) long cylindrical (G. aspera and G. pilosa). G. austriaca, G. caucasea, G. crispata, G. fatrae, and G. ramosa usually lack any papillae. Plants without and with short conical papillae were found in G. bulgarica and G. lutescens as well as in the intermediate taxa G. bohemica and G. stiriaca. The different types of papillae together with other calyx characters (sinus, shape and margin of lobe) are of high systematic importance and provide more stable characters than morphometric flower measures. Principal component and correlation analysis revealed a strong response of nearly all morphometric traits to the environmental variable altitude. Adaptive and historical causes of morphological variation as well as taxonomical consequences are discussed and a determination key is provided.     

Induction of AGAMOUS gene expression plays a key role in ripening of tomato sepals in vitro

In vitro culture of VFNT Cherry tomato sepals (calyx) at 16–21 °C results in developmental changes that are similar to those that occur in fruit tissue [10]. Sepals become swollen, red, and succulent, produce ethylene, and have increased levels of polygalacturonase RNA. They also produce many flavor volatiles characteristic of ripe tomato fruit and undergo similar changes in sugar content [11]. We examined the expression of the tomato AGAMOUS gene, TAG1, in ripening, in vitro sepal cultures and other tissues from the plant and found that TAG1 RNA accumulates to higher levels than expected from data from other plants. Contrary to reports on the absence of AGAMOUS in sepals, TAG1 RNA levels in green sepals from greenhouse-grown plants is detectable, its concentration increasing with in vitro ripening to levels that were even higher than in red, ripe fruit. Sepals of fruit on transgenic tomato plants that expressed TAG1 ectopically were induced by low temperature to ripen in vivo, producing lycopene and undergoing cell wall softening as is characteristic of pericarpic tissue. We therefore propose that the induction of elevated TAG1 gene expression plays a key role in developmental changes that result in sepal ripening.     

Endocytic Structures and Synaptic Vesicle Recycling at a Central Synapse in Awake Rats

The synaptic vesicle (SV) cycle has been studied extensively in cultured cells and slice preparations, but not much is known about the roles and relative contributions of endocytic pathways and mechanisms of SV recycling in vivo, under physiological patterns of activity. We employed horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as an in vivo marker of endocytosis at the calyx of Held synapse in the awake rat. Ex vivo serial section scanning electron microscopy and 3D reconstructions revealed two categories of labelled structures: HRP‐filled SVs and large cisternal endosomes. Inhibition of adaptor protein complexes 1 and 3 (AP‐1, AP‐3) by in vivo application of Brefeldin A (BFA) disrupted endosomal SV budding while SV recycling via clathrin‐mediated endocytosis (CME) remained unaffected. In conclusion, our study establishes cisternal endosomes as an intermediate of the SV cycle and reveals CME and endosomal budding as the predominant mechanisms of SV recycling in a tonically active central synapse in vivo.     

不同海拔下滇重楼叶片与花萼光合特性

2013年7月对云南省昆明(海拔2100 m)和者竜(海拔985 m)2个不同海拔地区人工荫棚种植下滇重楼叶片和花萼的光合特性进行了比较研究。结果表明:不同海拔下滇重楼叶片与花萼净光合速率(Pn)日变化曲线均呈不明显的"双峰"曲线,光合午休出现在14:00左右,叶片与花萼Pn最高峰值分别出现在10:00和12:00,空气温度(Ta)偏高和相对湿度(RH)偏低分别是导致者竜和昆明地区滇重楼"午降"的主要因素;昆明地区滇重楼叶片和花萼日均Pn、Pnmax、LSP和初始量子效率较高,LCP、Rd较低,光合能力更高;昆明地区滇重楼花萼具有同叶片相似的光合特性,对光强的适应范围较大;但者竜地区滇重楼花萼Pnmax和LSP显著低于叶片,初始量子效率显著高于叶片(P0.05),对光强的适应范围较小,对弱光的利用能力更高;去除花萼后,滇重楼果实干重显著降低,且者竜地区果实干重减少量显著低于昆明地区(P0.05)。