MARANTACEAE IN SULAWESI

ARDIYANI, M., POULSEN, A. D., SUKSATHAN, P., BORCHSENIUS, F. 2010. Marantaceae in Sulawesi. Reinwardtia 13(2): 213-220. - Six species of Marantaceae occur in Sulawesi. We present a key to the species together with a taxonomic treatment with notes on species delimitation, distribution, habitat and ecology, vernacular names and uses. One species endemic to Sulawesi and not covered by any contemporary publication, Phrynium longispicum (Warb. ex K. Schum.) Suksathan & Borchs. is described and neotypified. Donax canniformis (G. Forst.) K. Schum., Phrynium pubinerve Blume, Phrynium robinsonii (Valeton) Suksathan & Borchs, Stachyphrynium latifolium (Blume) K. Schum. and Stachyphrynium repens (Korn.) Suksathan & Borchs. are also reported from Sulawesi and characterized. For the two last species these occurrences represents an extension of their previously known range across Wallace's line

Bulbophyllum romklaoense (Orchidaceae), a new species from Thailand

Bulbophyllum romklaoense (B. sect. Lemniscata) from northern Thailand is described and illustrated as a species new to science. It is most similar to B. muscarirubrum and B. triste, but differs by having inflorescences with only 4–6 reddish-brown flowers, falcate-subovate lateral sepals that are connate only in the upper half along the interior margins, petals with erose to fimbriate margins and a lip with long cilia in the distal half on the lower surface. A comparison with other similar species in the section, as well as notes on ecology, phenology, conservation assessment and a key to B. sect. Lemniscata in Thailand are also provided

Chemical composition and comparison of genetic variation of commonly available Thai garlic used as food supplement

In order to classify true garlic cultivars, comparisons of oil composition and genetic of three garlic cultivars (Allium sativum L.) commonly used for essential oil production in the northern Thai market [viz., Thai (TH), Chinese (CH) and Pingpong (PP) cultivars] were carried out. Garlic essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and microwave hydrodistillation which were then analysed for chemical components by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The RAPD data suggests similarity (>95%) of the three cultivars in chemical compositions, and the major compounds are trisulphide, di-2-propenyl, the disulphide, di-2-propenyl, and the trisulphide, methyl 2-propenyl. Sulphur-containing compounds (Rf = 0.18-0.2) were detected by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) with ninhydrin staining reagent. The essential oil of CH from hydrodistillation and microwave hydrodistillation showed the highest alliin content. The RAPD analysis of the three garlic cultivars presents 45 fragments. A dendrogram shows genetic similarity between the garlic cultivars. The TH and the CH showed similarity value as 0.93, while the PP was classified as a different cluster. Though there was considerable similarity between the chemical and the genetic profiles of the TH and the CH, the CH demonstrated high potential as an ingredient in food supplement products due to its high alliin content

A new record of Impatiens kamtilongensis Toppin (Balsaminaceae) for Vietnam flora

Impatiens kamtilongensis Toppin (Balsaminaceae), collected from Xuan Lien district, Thanh Hoa province is reported here as a new record for the flora of Vietnam. I. kamtilongensis can be distinguished from its closest ally I. finetii by its hairy white stem, yellow flowers having 2 red blotches, bigger sepals and glabrous capsule. The specimens are deposited in the Herbarium of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (HN) Ha Noi, Vietnam. Morphological redescription and illustrations are provided along with notes on distribution, ecology, phenology and conservation of the species

Three new species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from Myanmar

Three new species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from Myanmar are here described: I. decurva Ruchis. & S. B. Janssens, I. hartnolliae Hook. f. ex Ruchis. & Suksathan, and I. oblongata Ruchis. & Van der Niet. The 5-lobed short fusiform fruit of all three species suggests that they are members of subgen. Impatiens sect. Uniflorae Hook. f. & Thomson. For I. decurva and I. oblongata, subgenus membership was corroborated by phylogenetic analyses of a combined dataset of nuclear ITS and plastid atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer DNA sequences. This was not possible for I. hartnolliae, which is only known from a single herbarium specimen.Plant science

Quite a few reasons for calling carnivores "the most wonderful plants in the world"

A plant is considered carnivorous if it receives any noticeable benefit from catching small animals. The morphological and physiological adaptations to carnivorous existence is most complex in plants, thanks to which carnivorous plants have been cited by Darwin as ‘the most wonderful plants in the world’. When considering the range of these adaptations, one realizes that the carnivory is a result of a multitude of different features. Scope: This review discusses a selection of relevant articles, culled from a wide array of research topics on plant carnivory, and focuses in particular on physiological processes associated with active trapping and digestion of prey. Carnivory offers the plants special advantages in habitats where nutrient supply is scarce. Counterbalancing costs are the investments in synthesis and the maintenance of trapping organs and hydrolysing enzymes. With the progress in genetic, molecular and microscopic techniques, we are well on the way to a full appreciation of various aspects of plant carnivory. Conclusions: Sufficiently complex to be of scientific interest and finite enough to allow conclusive appraisal, carnivorous plants can be viewed as unique models for the examination of rapid organ movements, plant excitability, enzyme secretion, nutrient absorption, food-web relationships, phylogenetic and intergeneric relationships or structural and mineral investment in carnivory

A New Species of Adiantum (Pteridaceae) from Thailand

Volume: 94Start Page: 77End Page: 8

Two New Species of Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) from North of Lao PDR

Impatiens gadellae Souvann. & Suksathan, Impatiens nurae Souvann. & Suksathan, two new species from North Lao PDR, are described and illustrated with conservation statuses propose

Notes on the Orchid Flora of Thailand (II)

Three orchid species are newly recorded for the flora of Thailand. The discovery of Macodes petola in the southern part of Peninsular Thailand, adjacent to known occurrences across the Malaysian border, was expected. On the other hand, the find of Cheirostylis octodactyla in Thailand considerably extended the known range of this species to the west, as it was previously known only from the northern part of the Philippines, Taiwan and (through a single collection) from northern Vietnam. The recent discovery of populations of Zeuxine bidupensis in Thailand suggests that this species, hitherto considered endemic to Vietnam, does not only have morphological, but also geographic affintities to the little known Z. pantlingii from West Bengal