Accessions to the Botanical Museum of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, in 2011

The herbarium accessions amount to 20 395 specimens, including 5 940 phanerogams and pteridophytes, 1 929 specimens of bryophytes and algae, 12 517 specimens of fungi (incl. lichens), and 1 specimen of zoocecidia. Some details of noteworthy accessions are given here

Accessions to the Botanical Museum of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, in 2012

The herbarium accessions amount to 17,308 specimens, including 6,599 specimens of phanerogams and pteridophytes, 1,708 specimens of bryophytes and algae, 9,000 specimens of fungi (including lichens), and 1 specimen of zoocecidia. Some details of noteworthy accessions are given here

Accessions to the Botanical Museum of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, in 2010

The herbarium accessions amount to 21,068 specimens, including 3,993 specimens of phanerogams and pteridophytes, 2,558 of bryophytes, 42 of algae, and 14,475 of fungi (incl. lichens). Some details of noteworthy accessions are given here

Accessions to the Botanical Museum of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, in 2013

The herbarium accessions amount to 16,777 specimens, including 5,605 phanerogams and pteridophytes, 2,573 specimens of bryophytes and algae, 3,448 specimens of fungi and 5,151 specimens of lichens. Some details of noteworthy accessions are given here

The Research on Influence of the Acquaintance Between Teachers and Students on Students’ Learning Effect in Dialogue Teaching

The acquaintance between teachers and students is one of the important factors that affects the quality of dialogue teaching. Previous researches that are did by experts focus on the effect of students’ acquaintance mostly, but there is less research on the dependent variable of the acquaintance between teachers and students. In the study, the data were collected through teacher-student interview, supernova questionnaire survey and teacher-student interaction recording in class, and the relevant experimental data were analyzed in a quantitative way. Through the analysis of experimental data, it is found that the acquaintance between teachers and students is an important factor that affects the teaching effect, and the influence on each teaching dimension is not consistent. The results show that the close interaction that is produced between teachers and students in the class can promote the emotional communication between teachers and students, it has a positive impact on the knowledge communication and interactive experience between teachers and students, but the communication between teachers and students will also bring related adverse effects to the teaching effect. Therefore, it shows that the influence that teacher-student acquaintance exerts to the teaching effect is uncertain

Suomen puutteellisesti tunnetut maksasammalsuvut: siiransammalet Nardia,rahtusammalet Cephaloziella ja pihtisammalet Cephalozia

Tämä julkaisu on tuotettu osana Ympäristöministeriön rahoittamaa PUTTE-tutkimusohjelmaa (Puutteellisesti tunnettujen ja uhanalaisten metsälajien tutkimusohjelma), josta saimme kaudella 2009-2011 3-vuotisen rahoituksen eräiden puutteellisesti tunnettujen maksasammalten levinneisyyden ja taksonomian nykytilanteen selvittämistä varten. Tutkimusohjelma on osa Etelä-Suomen metsien suojeluohjelmaa (METSO), jonka tavoitteena on lisätä metsälajiston ja metsäisten luontotyyppien suojeluastetta Etelä-Suomessa mm. vahvistamalla lajintuntemuksen tietopohjaa. Julkaisun tavoite on helpottaa pienten, vaikeasti havaittavien ja määritettävien maksasammallajien tunnistamista ja parantaa sukujen siiransammalet Nardia, rahtusammalet Cephaloziella ja pihtisammalet Cephalozia lajintuntemusta. Sukujen lajeista monet kasvavat esimerkiksi lahopuulla. Julkaisussa esitetään näiden sukujen ajantasaiset, suomenkieliset määrityskaavat. Sukuihin liittyy runsaasti taksonomista epäselvyyttä lajitasolla sekä puutteellisia levinneisyystietoja. Tässä esitettävät määrityskaavat koostettiin kirjallisuuden ja omien havaintojemme pohjalta. Lisäksi taustamateriaalina käytettiin Suomen luonnontieteellisten kokoelmien aineistoja. Suomen alueella esiintyvästä muuntelusta saatiin näin kattava aineisto, mikä parantaa kaavojen käytettävyyttä. Suvuista on julkaisussa esitetty kuvaukset, määrityskaavat sekä tarkemmat lajikuvaukset. Kustakin lajista on pyritty esittämään sekä valokuva että piirroskuvat versosta (habitus), lehdestä ja solukosta. Julkaisuun on laadittu piirroskuvat myös muista määrityksen kannalta olennaisista morfologisista yksityiskohdista. Julkaisussa annetaan myös ohjeet sammalnäytteiden keräämistä ja käsittelyä varten. Määrityskaavoista ja julkaisusta tehtiin mahdollisimman selkeät ja helppolukuiset, ja ne soveltuvat niin ammattilais- kuin harrastajakäyttöönkin. Tärkeänä tavoitteenamme on lisätä sammaliin kohdistuvaa mielenkiintoa ja madaltaa kynnystä niihin perehtymisessä. Hankkeemme paljasti myös lisää sukujen taksonomiaan liittyviä tutkimustarpeita

Multigene evidence reveals the systematic position of Pleurocladopsis simulans (C. Massal.) R. M. Schust. within Schistochila Dumort., Schistochilaceae

The monotypic Pleurocladopsis, endemic to Chile, was established by Schuster in 1964 based on an earlier poorly known species Cephalozia (?) simulans C. Massal. The phylogenetic position of Pleurocladopsis simulans had been considered uncertain until it was placed in the family Schistochilaceae on account of the gynoecial and sporophytic characters. It has been assumed that Pleurocladopsis represents the starting point of evolution in Schistochilaceae. In the present study, the phylogenetic position and taxonomic status of Pleurocladopsis simulans are inferred from phylogenetic analysis of three chloroplast DNA sequence data. The result suggests that the genus was established solely based on the autapomorphic characters, thus obscuring its actual phylogenetic relationship with Schistochila and that these characters are later derived rather than ancestral. The result also confirms that the gynoecial and sporophytic characters are important in taxonomy, but they may be not sufficient at the infrafamilial level and at other lower taxonomic levels. In accordance with the results of the present study, Pleurocladopsis is synonymised with Schistochila, and the new combination Schistochila simulans (C. Massal.) Xiao L. He & Yu Sun is made.Peer reviewe

Sequencing the plastid genome of giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida, Asteraceae) from a herbarium specimen

We report the first plastome sequence of giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida); with this new genome information, we assessed the phylogeny of Asteraceae and the transcriptional profiling against glyphosate resistance in giant ragweed. Assembly and genic features show a normal angiosperm quadripartite plastome structure with no signatures of deviation in gene directionality. Comparative analysis revealed large inversions across the plastome of giant ragweed and the previously sequenced members of the plant family. Asteraceae plastid genomes contain two inversions of 22.8 and 3.3 kb; the former is located between trnS-GCU and trnG-UCC genes, and the latter between trnE-UUC and trnT-GGU genes. The plastid genome sequences of A. trifida and the related species, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, are identical in gene content and arrangement, but they differ in length. The phylogeny is well-resolved and congruent with previous hypotheses about the phylogenetic relationship of Asteraceae. Transcriptomic analysis revealed divergence in the relative expressions at the exonic and intronic levels, providing hints toward the ecological adaptation of the genus. Giant ragweed shows various levels of glyphosate resistance, with introns displaying higher expression patterns at resistant time points after the assumed herbicide treatment.Peer reviewe

Complete plastid genome sequence of African nightshade (Solanum scabrum) and comparative plastomics across Solanales

Solanaceae are a particularly interesting angiosperm family, not only because they include many major crop species such as potato, tomato, eggplant, pepper, tobacco and ornamentals like petunias, but also because numerous species are used as biological models. They have been widely used for understanding crop genetics and plant genome evolution in general. Sequencing efforts have been concentrated mostly to sequence genomes of important crop species of Solanaceae to understand the links between wild and cultivated members of the family. We present the complete plastome of African nightshade (Solanum scabrum Mill.) a hexaploid (2n = 6x = 72) species of the S. nigrum L. complex or Solanum sect. Solanum, a widely cultivated species across Africa. Recent studies highlight S. scabrum as a “super-vegetable” for its nutritional and environmental benefits with potential of global importance. The leaves and berries are the source of coloring plant extracts, inks and dyes, and they are rich in proteins, fibres, iron, vitamins and amino acids. Using 12,413,264 paired end reads deposited in the sequence read archive (SRA) we have assembled the plastid genome sequence of African nightshade with an estimated coverage of 123×. The plastid genome sequence had a total size of 155,522 bp, typical of Solanaceae with a large single copy (LSC) region of 85,896 bp and small single copy (SSC) region of 18,406 bp while the IRs comprised of 25,610 bp. We illustrate the role of Solanum scabrum and its comparative plastomics across Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae to understand the plastomics of Solanales.Peer reviewe

Sequencing the Plastid Genome of Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida, Asteraceae) From a Herbarium Specimen

We report the first plastome sequence of giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida); with this new genome information, we assessed the phylogeny of Asteraceae and the transcriptional profiling against glyphosate resistance in giant ragweed. Assembly and genic features show a normal angiosperm quadripartite plastome structure with no signatures of deviation in gene directionality. Comparative analysis revealed large inversions across the plastome of giant ragweed and the previously sequenced members of the plant family. Asteraceae plastid genomes contain two inversions of 22.8 and 3.3 kb; the former is located between trnS-GCU and trnG-UCC genes, and the latter between trnE-UUC and trnT-GGU genes. The plastid genome sequences of A. trifida and the related species, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, are identical in gene content and arrangement, but they differ in length. The phylogeny is well-resolved and congruent with previous hypotheses about the phylogenetic relationship of Asteraceae. Transcriptomic analysis revealed divergence in the relative expressions at the exonic and intronic levels, providing hints toward the ecological adaptation of the genus. Giant ragweed shows various levels of glyphosate resistance, with introns displaying higher expression patterns at resistant time points after the assumed herbicide treatment