On Poncelet’s porism

We consider circular annuli with Poncelet’s porism property. We prove two identities which imply Chapple’s, Steiner’s and other formulas. All porisms can be expressed in the form in which elliptic functions are not used

Variation and genetic structure of Serratula lycopifolia populations (Vill.) Kern. (Asteraceae) in Poland and adjacent regions

AFLPs were used to analyze the genetic variability of Serratula lycopifolia, one of the rarest plant species in Central and Western Europe, in six populations from the Wyżyna Małopolska upland (Poland), White Carpathian Mts (Slovakia and Czech Republic) and Podolian Upland (Ukraine). The results of polymorphism, PCoA and neighbor-net analyzes showed similar and relatively low genetic variation and high genetic similarity of individuals within each Polish population but there were differences between those populations. The population from Slovakia also showed comparatively high intrapopulation homogeneity and evident genetic separation from the other studied populations. Intrapopulation genetic variation was higher in the Czech and Ukrainian populations. However, AMOVA analyses revealed no significant differentiation at population and regional levels. The estimated low genetic diversity in the populations from Poland and Slovakia may be due to genetic processes such as genetic drift and inbreeding in local populations resulting from their low abundance, and does not seem characteristic of the species as a whole. These genetic analyzes make it clear that the Polish and Slovakian populations need support programmes to maintain their genetic variation. Measures should focus on increasing the number of individuals in the populations and on protecting their habitat

Přirozená hybridizace mezi Gladiolus palustris and G. imbricatus, zjištěná na základě morfologických, molekulárních a reprodukčních znaků

While studying the extremely rare species, Gladiolus palustris, in Poland, putative hybrid plants were discovered. Natural hybridization between G. palustris and G. imbricatus was confirmed by chloroplast (psbA-trnH and rpl32-trnL) DNA and nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS1) sequences AFLP markers and macro-, micromorphological and reproductive characters. Based on molecular data, the hybridization events are likely to have occurred relatively recently with G. palustris as the maternal species and G. imbricatus as the pollen donor in interspecific crosses. The existence of a shared common cpDNA haplotype in all hybrids and G. palustris indicates unidirectional hybridization. A new nothospecies, G. ×sulistrovicus, is described. Analyses of AFLP data and polymorphisms of ITS1 sequences showed additive inheritance of parental genomic fragments in G. ×sulistrovicus. The hybrids exhibited either morphological similarity to G. imbricatus or intermediateness in phenotypic characters. The corm structure of flowering plants and seed capsules clearly distinguish the hybrid. The new taxon is characterized by a lower generative reproduction than the parental species, however hybrids produce ~50% viable pollen and seeds, which allows them to produce subsequent hybrid generations. The weak generative reproduction was enhanced by highly efficient vegetative propagation. The western part of the Balkan Peninsula and adjacent areas (Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Serbia, northern Italy) and central Europe (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, eastern Austria, Hungary) are the most likely areas where G. ×sulistrovicus will occur. Hybridity in the context of G. palustris conservation is discussed

Cochlearia polonica Fröhl. (Brassicaceae), a narrow endemic species of southern Poland: history of conservation efforts, overview of current population resources and genetic structure of populations

Cochlearia polonica Fröhl. (Brassicaceae) is one of the rarest species in the Polish and European flora and a taxon endemic to a very small area in southern Poland. Due to industrial activities and subsequent transformation of habitats it was extinct in all natural localities around 1994. The persistence of the species was ensured thanks to the active protection efforts including a series of transplantations based on the material from the last and decreasing natural population. The history of conservation efforts of C. polonica provides a model example of successful active protection in the European flora. Here, we provide a complete review comprising the following aims: (i) outline of the discovery and taxonomic conceptions on C. polonica, (ii) review of conservation efforts aimed at preserving its populations, (iii) description of the existing population resources, and (iv) analysis of the genetic structure of all existing populations based on previously published data and new, supplementary results

Phylogeographic patterns of steppe species in Eastern Central Europe: a review and the implications for conservation

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Morphological variability of the Caltha palustris L. complex (Ranunculaceae) in Poland

The paper presents results of biosystematic analysis of the critical group of Caltha palustris L. based on 71 populations from Poland. After a preliminary statistical analysis, fourteen morphological characters (nine quantitative and five qualitative), describing size and shape of basal leaves and mature follicles as well as stem morphology, were selected for the clearest differentiation of the complex. Several groups of morphotypes were distinguished within the complex, based on the statistical analysis of this group of characters. Against this background the taxonomy of the complex is proposed. Two species - Caltha laeta Schott, Nyman and Kotschy and Caltha palustris L. - and three subspecies within C. palustris (C. p. subsp. palustris, C. p. subsp. cornuta (Schott, Nyman and Kotschy) Hegi and C. p. subsp. radicans (T.F. Forst.) Syme, were distinguished in Poland. The status of the taxa within the Polish flora is defined. The paper includes also a key for determination of the complex taxa, as well as their detailed descriptions

Genetic diversity of Galium cracoviense, G. oelandicum and G. sudeticum (Rubiaceae)

Galium sect. Leptogalium Lange in NE Europe is represented by few, local endemic species which occur in the area covered by the continental ice sheet in the Pleistocene period. They are: G. cracoviense Ehrend. in S Poland, G. oelandicum (Sterner & Hyl.) Ehrend. in SE Sweden and G. sudeticum Tausch in SW Poland and N Czech Republic. 55 individuals from five populations of these species were analysed using AFLP markers. A total of 193 AFLP bands were detected using three combinations of primers; out of them 159 proved polymorphic (82.4%). The lowest values of Shannon's index and Nei's gene diversity were noted for G. oelandicum and the highest ones for G. sudeticum. The results indicate a relatively high level of genetic variability in each of endemic species in spite of that the studied species occupy very small areas and are represented by a low number of populations. We conclude that additional, demographic and genetic studies are necessary to monitor potential decrease of populations' size resulting mainly from the mechanical destruction of plants and their habitats caused by intense tourism or other human activities (as agriculture, e.g. grazing)