Carpology and phermatology of Gomortega (Gomortegaceae): Systematic and evolutionary implications

Carpología y morfología de la cubierta de la semilla de Gomortega (Gomortegaceae): implicaciones sistemáticas y evolutivas. En un esfuerzo de clarificar la posición sistemática del género Gomortega, en el presente trabajo se estudia la morfología y anatomía de los frutos y semillas de Gomortega keule (Mol.) Baill., perteneciente al género monotípico anteriormente citado, de la monogenérica familia Gomortegaceae Reiche. Los frutos son drupas cenocárpicas carnosas, que ofrecen la apariencia de frutos sincárpicos bi- o triloculares, o más raramente uniloculares, debido a la concrescencia lateral de los 2æ6 carpelos que lo componen y que se encuentran espiraladamente dispuestos. Las semillas son aplanadas, desprovistas de arilo, con albúmen abundante y embrión pequeño, originadas a partir de primordios seminales bitégmicos, anátropos y crasinucelados. La cubierta de la semilla es endotestal-endotégmica; la endotesta (sólo la base testal se preservó en la espermodermis madura) es de tipo traqueotestal, presentando la peculiaridad de poseer mumerosas proyecciones anulares o espiraladas que penetran en las cavidades celulares. Las evidencias encontradas, fundamentalmente en base a la morfología y anatomía de las semillas, apoyan la relación filogenética existente entre Gomortega, con frutos ínferos aberrates, y Monimiaceae s.l. o, más correctamente, con el grupo de las familias Monimiaceae s. str., Amborellaceae, Hortoniaceae, Siparubaceae y Atherospermataceae, que comparten un tipo similar de cubierta seminal endotestal y traqueotestal, semillas albuminadas, con embrión pequeño, similar número de cromosomas, morfologia de los plastidios de los elementos cribosos del floema, morfología polínica, anatomía del xilema, los apéndices de los estaminodios y la dehiscencia valvar de las anteras. Con la aportación de una mayor cantidad de datos sobre la morfología y anatomía de los frutos y semillas de Atherospermataceae, las interrelaciones existentes entre Gomortega y Atherospermataceae podrían ser definidas de manera más precis

Circumscription and phylogeny of the Laurales

The order Laurales comprises a few indisputed core constituents, namely Gomortegaceae, Hernandiaceae, Lauraceae, and Monimiaceae sensu lato, and an equal number of families that have recently been included in, or excluded from, the order, namely Amborellaceae, Calycanthaceae, Chloranthaceae, Idiospermaceae, and Trimeniaceae. In addition, the circumscription of the second largest family in the order, the Monimiaceae, has been problematic. I conducted two analyses, one on 82 rbcL sequences representing all putative Laurales and major lineages of basal angiosperms to clarify the composition of the order and to determine the relationships of the controversal families, and the other on a concatenated matrix of sequences from 28 taxa and six plastid genome regions (rbcL, rpl16, trnT-trnL, trnL-trnF, atpB-rbcL, and psbA-trnH) that together yielded 898 parsimony-informative characters. Fifteen morphological characters that play a key role in the evolution and classification of Laurales were analyzed on the most parsimonious molecular trees as well as being included directly in the analysis in a total evidence approach. The resulting trees strongly support the monophyly of the core Laurales (as listed above) plus Calycanthaceae and Idiospermaceae. Trimeniaceae form a clade with Illiciaceae, Schisandraceae, and Austrobaileyaceae, whereas Amborellaceae and Chloranthaceae represent isolated clades that cannot be placed securely based on rbcL alone. Within Laurales, the deepest split is between Calycanthaceae (including Idiospermaceae) and the remaining six families, which in turn form two clades, the Siparunaceae (Atherospermataceae-Gomortegaceae) and the Hernandiaceae (Monimiaceae s.str. [sensu stricto]-Lauraceae). Monimiaceae clearly are polyphyletic as long as they include Atherospermataceae and Siparunaceae. Several morphological character state changes are congruent with the molecular tree: (1) Calycanthaceae have disulculate tectate-columellate pollen, while their sister clade has inaperturate thin-exined pollen, with the exception of Atherospermataceae, which have columellate but meridionosulcate or disulcate pollen. (2) Calycanthaceae have two ventral ovules while their sister clade has solitary ovules. Within this sister clade, the Hernandiaceae (Lauraceae-Monimiaceae) have apical ovules, while the Siparunaceae (Atherospermataceae-Gomortegaceae) are inferred to ancestrally have basal ovules, a condition lost in Gomortega, the only lauralean genus with a syncarpous ovary. (3) Calycanthaceae lack floral nectaries (except for isolated nectarogeneous fields on the inner tepals), while their sister clade ancestrally has paired nectar glands on the filaments. Filament glands were independently lost in higher Monimiaceae and in Siparunaceae concomitant with pollinator changes away from nectar-foraging flies and bees to non-nectar feeding beetles and gall midges. (4) Disporangiate stamens with anthers dehiscing by two apically hinged valves are ancestral in Siparunaceae-(Atherospermataceae- Gomortegaceae) and evolved independently within Hernandiaceae and Lauraceae. Depending on the correct placement of Calycanthaceae-like fossil flowers, tetrasporangiate anthers with valvate dehiscence (with the valves laterally hinged) may be ancestral in Laurales and lost in modern Calycanthaceae and Monimiaceae

New Species of Siparuna (Siparunaceae) III

Three new species of Siparuna (Siparunaceae) are described, illustrated, and placed in a phylogenetic context: S. gentryana from western Ecuador and adjacent Colombia, S. lozaniana from the western Andes in Colombia, and S. vasqueziana from Amazonian Peru. In addition, Siparuna calantha from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, originally described by Janet Perkins as a variety of a Mexican entity, is raised to species rank because its broader leaves and more numerous carpels readily distinguish it from its apparent closest relative, a species from the western Colombian Andes. Each of the species is known from several collections, which allowed the secure matching of sexual morphs in the three that are dioecious

In and out of Madagascar : dispersal to peripheral islands, insular speciation and diversification of Indian Ocean daisy trees (Psiadia, Asteraceae)

This study was supported by the European Union’s HOTSPOTS Training Network (MEST-2005-020561)Madagascar is surrounded by archipelagos varying widely in origin, age and structure. Although small and geologically young, these archipelagos have accumulated disproportionate numbers of unique lineages in comparison to Madagascar, highlighting the role of waif-dispersal and rapid in situ diversification processes in generating endemic biodiversity. We reconstruct the evolutionary and biogeographical history of the genus Psiadia (Asteraceae), a plant genus with near equal numbers of species in Madagascar and surrounding islands. Analyzing patterns and processes of diversification, we explain species accumulation on peripheral islands and aim to offer new insights on the origin and potential causes for diversification in the Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands biodiversity hotspot. Our results provide support for an African origin of the group, with strong support for non-monophyly. Colonization of the Mascarenes took place by two evolutionary distinct lineages from Madagascar, via two independent dispersal events, each unique for their spatial and temporal properties. Significant shifts in diversification rate followed regional expansion, resulting in co-occurring and phenotypically convergent species on high-elevation volcanic slopes. Like other endemic island lineages, Psiadia have been highly successful in dispersing to and radiating on isolated oceanic islands, typified by high habitat diversity and dynamic ecosystems fuelled by continued geological activity. Results stress the important biogeographical role for Rodrigues in serving as an outlying stepping stone from which regional colonization took place. We discuss how isolated volcanic islands contribute to regional diversity by generating substantial numbers of endemic species on short temporal scales. Factors pertaining to the mode and tempo of archipelago formation and its geographical isolation strongly govern evolutionary pathways available for species diversification, and the potential for successful diversification of dispersed lineages, therefore, appears highly dependent on the timing of arrival, as habitat and resource properties change dramatically over the course of oceanic island evolution.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Meilleure connaissance des propriétés des bois malgaches pour une valorisation durable des essences autochtones

Hotspot en matière de biodiversité, avec un taux d'endémisme de plus de 80 % pour sa flore, Madagascar possède plus de 4000 espèces ligneuses. Malheureusement, ces richesses subissent des fortes contraintes en raison du rythme alarmant de la déforestation ces dernières années. Plus de 1,2 millions d'hectares de forêts ont été perdus en quinze ans à Madagascar. Un moyen pour contribuer à limiter la déforestation consiste en l'utilisation rationnelle et durable des ressources forestières. Cette étude a pour objectif de valoriser les résultats de recherche en sciences du bois antérieures qui portent sur 187 espèces malgaches. Il s'agit donc spécifiquement de : (1) déterminer les essences de bois les plus communément disponibles sur le marché et utilisées par les entreprises de transformation du bois dans la capitale Antananarivo ; (2) proposer une classification multicritère des essences de bois malgaches ; (3) proposer des espèces alternatives aux bois précieux en voie de raréfaction. Pour ce faire, des enquêtes auprès de 60 entreprises du bois de la capitale ont été menées. Les propriétés des essences utilisées actuellement par les entreprises ont été comparées avec les propriétés des espèces disponibles dans la littérature. Des analyses en composantes principales et des classifications ascendantes hiérarchiques ont été effectuées sur la base des propriétés des 187 espèces de base de données. Les essences ont été regroupées en 3 classes pour chacune des 10 propriétés technologiques considérées. Les essences du marché y sont bien réparties. L'analyse de leurs propriétés a permis de suggérer plus de 20 essences de bois qui peuvent potentiellement se substituer ou compléter celles qui sont déjà sur le marché. La disponibilité et le comportement sylvicole de ces nouvelles essences restent encore à déterminer avant leur vulgarisation sur le marché. (Résumé d'auteur

Distribution of sex forms in the phanerogamic flora

In the plant kingdom, particularly in the phanerogamic flora, hermaphroditism is by far the most common, yet the number of other sex forms is not negligible. This study was undertaken with the view of ascertaining the relative proportions in which such sex forms occur. For this purpose Engler and Prantls "Natürliche Pflanzenfamilien" with all the Nachträge (which are complete up to 1912) have been used. The lists that follow are the results of this examination

Vegetation associated with Wollemia nobilis (Araucariaceae)

Wollemia nobilis Jones et al. (Wollemi Pine) is restricted to four sites growing in warm temperate rainforest typical of the canyons in the Blue Mountains and Wollemi National Parks. 88 vascular plant species were recorded from four sites. The tree canopy at all sites is dominated by Wollemia nobilis, Ceratopetalum apetalum, Doryphora sassafras and Acmena smithii. A large number of fern and vine species dominate the forest floor. Site 1 contains more species than the other sites, possibly due to its diversity of topographic features. Similarity analysis indicates that sites 2 and 3 are the most similar and sites 1 and 4 are least similar in floristic composition. 54% of plant species were recorded at one site only. Ceratopetalum apetalum, Blechnum cartilagineum and Wollemia nobilis were found to contribute most to the similarity between sites

New Species of Siparuna (Siparunaceae) IV

A new species of Siparuna (Siparunaceae), S. ficoides, is described, illustrated, and placed in a phylogenetic context based on morphological and DNA sequence data. The species, which is a monoecious subcanopy tree, is known from three collections made near Manaus, Brazil (two from the same tree), and one in the state of Bolivar, Venezuela.Se describe y se ilustra una nueva especie de Siparuna (Siparunaceae), S. ficoides, ademas se la ubica en un contexto filogenetico basado en datos morfologicos y en sequencias de DNA. Esta nueva especie es un arbol monoico de subdosel, de la cual se han registrado tres colecciones cerca de Manaos, Brasil (dos del mismo arbol) y una coleccion en el Estadod e Bolivar, Venezuela