The rise and fall of Sauropus (Phyllanthaceae) : a molecular phylogenetic analysis of Sauropus and allies

Molecular phylogenetic studies focused on the genus Phyllanthus L. (Phyllanthaceae) showed that Sauropus Blume (including Synostemon F.Muell.) and its related genera Breynia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. and Glochidion J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. should be united with Phyllanthus to create a monophyletic genus. The relationships within Sauropus and its relationship with Breynia were studied to test/corroborate such a broad definition of Phyllanthus. The molecular phylogenetic analyses show that Sauropus in the broad sense is composed of two distinct groups, the former Australian Synostemon and the Southeast Asian Sauropus in the strict sense with the monophyletic Breynia embedded in the latter. As the phylogeny of the species rich Phyllanthus is still far from completed and the results here strongly support the distinction of monophyletic groups such as Glochidion, former Synostemon, and Sauropus/Breynia. These genera are recognisable, while union with Phyllanthus (suggested by Hoffmann and co-authors in 2006) will turn the latter into an unrecognisable monolithic giant of a genus. It is a much better strategy to use the complete phylogeny of Phyllanthus to render it into smaller, monophyletic genera that can be characterized. The present study shows Synostemon has to be recognised again on generic level. Breynia, the older name, is nested within Sauropus, leading us to transfer the latter to Breynia. Within this broadened Breynia, two subgenera and two sections are distinguished, subgenus Sauropus and subgenus Breynia with section Cryptogynium and section Breynia under the latter.Agricultural Research Development Agency (Public Organization), ThailandUBL - phd migration 201

Gelechiidae Moths Are Capable of Chemically Dissolving the Pollen of Their Host Plants: First Documented Sporopollenin Breakdown by an Animal

Background: Many insects feed on pollen surface lipids and contents accessible through the germination pores. Pollen walls, however, are not broken down because they consist of sporopollenin and are highly resistant to physical and enzymatic damage. Here we report that certain Microlepidoptera chemically dissolve pollen grains with exudates from their mouthparts. Methodology/Principal Findings: Field observations and experiments in tropical China revealed that two species of Deltophora (Gelechioidea) are the exclusive pollinators of two species of Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae) on which their larvae develop and from which the adults take pollen and nectar. DNA sequences placed the moths and plants phylogenetically and confirmed that larvae were those of the pollinating moths; molecular clock dating suggests that the moth clade is younger than the plant clade. Captive moths with pollen on their mouthparts after 2-3 days of starvation no longer carried intact grains, and SEM photographs showed exine fragments on their proboscises. GC-MS revealed cis-b-ocimene as the dominant volatile in leaves and flowers, but GC-MS analyses of proboscis extracts failed to reveal an obvious sporopollenindissolving compound. A candidate is ethanolamine, which occurs in insect hemolymphs and is used to dissolve sporopollenin by palynologists. Conclusions/Significance: This is the first report of any insect and indeed any animal chemically dissolving pollen

The rise and fall of Sauropus (Phyllanthaceae) : a molecular phylogenetic analysis of Sauropus and allies

Molecular phylogenetic studies focused on the genus Phyllanthus L. (Phyllanthaceae) showed that Sauropus Blume (including Synostemon F.Muell.) and its related genera Breynia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. and Glochidion J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. should be united with Phyllanthus to create a monophyletic genus. The relationships within Sauropus and its relationship with Breynia were studied to test/corroborate such a broad definition of Phyllanthus. The molecular phylogenetic analyses show that Sauropus in the broad sense is composed of two distinct groups, the former Australian Synostemon and the Southeast Asian Sauropus in the strict sense with the monophyletic Breynia embedded in the latter. As the phylogeny of the species rich Phyllanthus is still far from completed and the results here strongly support the distinction of monophyletic groups such as Glochidion, former Synostemon, and Sauropus/Breynia. These genera are recognisable, while union with Phyllanthus (suggested by Hoffmann and co-authors in 2006) will turn the latter into an unrecognisable monolithic giant of a genus. It is a much better strategy to use the complete phylogeny of Phyllanthus to render it into smaller, monophyletic genera that can be characterized. The present study shows Synostemon has to be recognised again on generic level. Breynia, the older name, is nested within Sauropus, leading us to transfer the latter to Breynia. Within this broadened Breynia, two subgenera and two sections are distinguished, subgenus Sauropus and subgenus Breynia with section Cryptogynium and section Breynia under the latter

Ficus pongumphaii (Moraceae), a new species from Thailand, compared with the ambiguous species F. talbotii

A deciduous shrub previously included in Ficus talbotii for many years, is now regarded as a new species, Ficus pongumphaii. It is morphologically distinct from F. talbotii with as typical characters the densely brown pubescent to tomentose or villous on leafy twig; the elliptic, suborbicular to obovate leaf blades that are brown tomentellous on the upper surface and brown floccose tomentose to villous underneath; the pedunculate figs are obovate, brown floccose or villous outside and have internal hairs. The leaf anatomy shows a multiple epidermis on both surfaces; enlarged lithocysts on both sides of the lamina, which are more abundant adaxially and with very few abaxially. The species, endemic to Thailand, is named after the great Thai dendrologist, Associate Professor Somnuek Pongumphai

Phylogenetic reconstruction prompts taxonomic changes in Sauropus, Synostemon and Breynia (Phyllanthaceae tribe Phyllantheae)

Previous molecular phylogenetic studies indicated expansion of Breynia with inclusion of Sauropus s.str. (excluding Synostemon). The present study adds qualitative and quantitative morphological characters to molecular data to find more resolution and/or higher support for the subgroups within Breynia s.lat. However, the results show that combined molecular and morphological characters provide limited synergy. Morphology confirms and makes the infrageneric groups recognisable within Breynia s.lat. The status of the Sauropus androgynus complex is discussed. Nomenclatural changes of Sauropus species to Breynia are formalised. The genus Synostemon is reinstated