Flora of the Gurvan Saykhan Mountains

Although two major books have been published on the Mongolian flora regional data are often still lacking due to the vast expanses of the country. Therefore we used published information and data from our own fieldwork to compile a relatively comprehensive inventory of the flora of the Gobi Gurvan Saykhan mountains in southern Mongolia

Diploid \u3ci\u3eAllium ramosum\u3c/i\u3e from East Mongolia: A Missing Link for the Origin of the Crop Species \u3ci\u3eA. tuberosum\u3c/i\u3e?

In eastern Mongolia, a diploid close relative of the tetraploid (4x) crop species Allium tuberosum and its closest wild relative A. ramosum (4x) was found and characterized by karyotype analysis and with molecular marker techniques. An earlier analyses revealed A. ramosum to be sister of the crop but excluded it as its progenitor. At that time a putative diploid cytotype of A. ramosum was hypothesized as a potential progenitor taxon of the tetraploids. New phylogenetic analyses of chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequences including the recently found cytotype (A. aff. tuberosum) together with A. tuberosum and A. ramosum accessions revealed a sister group relationship of both species, with A. aff. tuberosum having sequences very similar or identical with A. ramosum. Two fingerprint analyses (RAPD, SCoT) resulted in phylogenetic trees where aff. tuberosum grouped basal to A. ramosum, although the two taxa are morphologically and ecologically clearly differentiated. We conclude that East Mongolian aff. tuberosum is not the progenitor of A. tuberosum but that it might belong to a stock of ancient lineages that gave rise to both tetraploid taxa

Flora of the Gurvan Saykhan Mountains

Although two major books have been published on the Mongolian flora regional data are often still lacking due to the vast expanses of the country. Therefore we used published information and data from our own fieldwork to compile a relatively comprehensive inventory of the flora of the Gobi Gurvan Saykhan mountains in southern Mongolia

Pollen Morphology of the Species Belonging to the Genus Dontostemon (Andrz.) C. A. Mey. (Brassicaceae Jussj)

Pollen grains of fi ve species of the genus Dontostemon (Andrz.) C. A. Mey are studied in detail by using light and scanning electron microscopes. Pollen description of each taxon is given. Dry pollen grains are oval, tricolpate with average size of 27.4-38.1 μ m in length, and 22.6-29.1 μ m in width, light yellowish in color, reticulate on surface, which made of amorphous polygons, mostly pentagonal units of variable in size

Diploid \u3ci\u3eAllium ramosum\u3c/i\u3e from East Mongolia: A Missing Link for the Origin of the Crop Species \u3ci\u3eA. tuberosum\u3c/i\u3e?

In eastern Mongolia, a diploid close relative of the tetraploid (4x) crop species Allium tuberosum and its closest wild relative A. ramosum (4x) was found and characterized by karyotype analysis and with molecular marker techniques. An earlier analyses revealed A. ramosum to be sister of the crop but excluded it as its progenitor. At that time a putative diploid cytotype of A. ramosum was hypothesized as a potential progenitor taxon of the tetraploids. New phylogenetic analyses of chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequences including the recently found cytotype (A. aff. tuberosum) together with A. tuberosum and A. ramosum accessions revealed a sister group relationship of both species, with A. aff. tuberosum having sequences very similar or identical with A. ramosum. Two fingerprint analyses (RAPD, SCoT) resulted in phylogenetic trees where aff. tuberosum grouped basal to A. ramosum, although the two taxa are morphologically and ecologically clearly differentiated. We conclude that East Mongolian aff. tuberosum is not the progenitor of A. tuberosum but that it might belong to a stock of ancient lineages that gave rise to both tetraploid taxa

Distribution of the Central Asian Genus Dontostemon Andrz. ex. C. A. Mey (Brassicaceae Burnett)

This paper presents distributional data of eleven species of the genus Dontostemon Andrz. ex. C.A.Mey. (Brassicaceae Burnett.), all of whish are restricted in dispersal to the Central Asian mountain steppe, steppe, desert steppe and desert zones. The genus Dontostemon can be reliably considered as typical Central Asian plants and the center of origin of the genus is connected to the Mongolian and Gobi Altai mountains

Characterization of an Aquaporin Gene ZpPIP2 from Zygophyllum potaninii

Zygophyllum potaninii Maxim. is a medicinal plant, distributed in arid regions of southern Mongolia. Full length of a cDNA clone, which was identifi ed as a stress induced gene by suppression subtractive hybridization was obtained by 5’RACEPCR, and named ZpPIP2 as deduced amino acid sequence shows high homology to plant aquaporin PIP2. ZpPIP2 is expressed in leaf and stem under normal conditions, and it is accumulated in the root in response to drought stress in Z. potaninii

Osnabrück Botanical Expeditions to Mongolia

Three botanical expeditions to Mongolia have been undertaken by the Botany Department of the University of Osnabrück in cooperation with the Botany Department of the National Mongolian University of Ulaanbaatar. The first expedition in 2000 took us to the Mongolian Altay, the second in 2001 to the Gobi and Gobi Altay, and the third in 2010 to East Mongolia including the Khingan Mts. (Numrug). In 2000, we were the first botanists being allowed to enter the border area between China and Russia in the Mongolian Altay since a long time, because this had been a prohibited area for decades. We were again lucky in 2010 getting the permission to visit the Numrug protected area in East Mongolia, which has rarely been visited by botanists so far. In the course of the three expeditions, a total of 1650 specimens of vascular plants were collected for the herbarium OSBU of the University of Osnabrück, and a similar amount of taxa for the herbarium UBU of the Botany Dept. of the National University of Mongolia. Some of the collected specimens were first records for the country of Mongolia, and others were new for certain floristic regions and Aymags of Mongolia, thus widening the knowledge on distribution areas of many species. We also collected material for the Loki Schmidt Gene Bank for Wild Plants, for the Brassiceae Seed Gene Bank, and for the Allium collection housed at the Botanical Garden of the University of Osnabrück. Seed and living material were also collected for the Botany Dept. of the University of Ulaanbaatar

Osnabrück Botanical Expeditions to Mongolia

Three botanical expeditions to Mongolia have been undertaken by the Botany Department of the University of Osnabrück in cooperation with the Botany Department of the National Mongolian University of Ulaanbaatar. The first expedition in 2000 took us to the Mongolian Altay, the second in 2001 to the Gobi and Gobi Altay, and the third in 2010 to East Mongolia including the Khingan Mts. (Numrug). In 2000, we were the first botanists being allowed to enter the border area between China and Russia in the Mongolian Altay since a long time, because this had been a prohibited area for decades. We were again lucky in 2010 getting the permission to visit the Numrug protected area in East Mongolia, which has rarely been visited by botanists so far. In the course of the three expeditions, a total of 1650 specimens of vascular plants were collected for the herbarium OSBU of the University of Osnabrück, and a similar amount of taxa for the herbarium UBU of the Botany Dept. of the National University of Mongolia. Some of the collected specimens were first records for the country of Mongolia, and others were new for certain floristic regions and Aymags of Mongolia, thus widening the knowledge on distribution areas of many species. We also collected material for the Loki Schmidt Gene Bank for Wild Plants, for the Brassiceae Seed Gene Bank, and for the Allium collection housed at the Botanical Garden of the University of Osnabrück. Seed and living material were also collected for the Botany Dept. of the University of Ulaanbaatar

The complete chloroplast genome and phylogentic results support the species position of Swertia banzragczii and Swertia marginata (Gentianaceae) in Mongolia

Abstract Background Swertia banzragczii and S. marginata are important medicinal species in Mongolia. However, their taxonomic positions and genetic backgrounds remain unknown. In this study, we explored the complete chloroplast genomes and DNA barcoding of these species and compared them with those of closely related species within the subgenus to determine their taxonomic positions and phylogenetic relationships. Result The chloroplast genomes of S. banzragczii and S. marginata encoded 114 genes, including 80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Among them, 16 genes contained a single intron, and 2 genes had two introns. Closely related species had a conserved genome structure and gene content. Only differences in genome length were noticed, which were caused by the expansion and contraction of the inverted repeat (IR) region and loss of exons in some genes. The trnH-GUG–psbA and trnD-GUC–trnY-GUA intergenic regions had high genetic diversity within Swertia plastomes. Overall, S. banzragczii and S. marginata are true species and belong to the subgenus Swertia. Conclusions These results provide valuable genetic and morphological information on rare and subendemic Swertia species in Mongolia, which can be used for further advanced studies on the Swertia genus