Mosses of Gunung Serapi, Sarawak, Borneo

Collections of mosses have been made from the 911 metre high Gunung (Mount) Serapi in Sarawak. A total of 77 species in 37 genera within 17 families were discovered and are enumerated below. Five species are reported for the first time for Borneo: Aerobryidium aureonitens (Hook. ex Schwägr.)Broth., Distichophyllum schmidtii Broth., Mitthyridium fasciculatum subsp obtusifolium (Lindb.) M.Menzel, Papillidiopsis complanata (Dixon) W.R.Buck & B.C.Tan and Trichosteleum stigmosum Mitt. Seventeen species are new records for Sarawak. One family, Bartramiaceae, and 3 genera, Aerobryidium, Leucoloma, Philonotis, are new to Sarawak. The largest family is Calymperaceae, with 6 genera and 21 species, followed by Sematophyllaceae, with 10 genera and 19 species

The mosses of Mount Tambuyukon, Kinabalu Park, Malaysian Borneo

A total of 103 species, two subspecies and two varieties of mosses in 55 genera and 26 families were collected from Mount Tambuyukon in August 2008. This represents ca. 16.3% of the mosses reported from Sabah and ca. 13.9% of the mosses reported for Borneo. Amongst the 107 taxa, three species of mosses are new for Sabah, namely Acroporium aciphyllum Dixon, Garovaglia baeuerlenii (Geh.) Paris and Macromitrium angustifolium Dozy & Molk. The largest moss family collected here is Sematophyllaceae (13 taxa) followed by Leucobryaceae (11 taxa), and both Dicranaceae and Orthotrichaceae (10 taxa). In conclusion, Mount Tambuyukon sustains a rich and interesting moss flora, including several rare and endemic species

BRYOPHYTES OF MOUNT PATUHA, WEST JAVA, INDONESIA

GRADSTEIN, R. et al. 2010. Bryophytes of Mount Patuha, West Java, Indonesia. Reinwardtia 13(2): 107-123. - This paper presents the results of a two-day survey of the bryophyte flora of Mt. Patuha and its surroundings near Bandung, West Java, carried out in the framework of the 5th regional training course on bryophyte and lichen diversity and conservation organized by SEAMEO BIOTROP, Bogor, in July 2009. A total of 159 bryophyte species were identified, including 98 mosses, 60 liverworts, and 1 hornwort, representing almost 1/6 of the total bryophyte flora of Java. Three moss species, Bryohumbertia subcomosa (Dix.) J.-P. Frahm, Fissidens gymnogynus Besch. and F. polypodioides Hedw., and one liverwort, Lejeunea pectinella Mizut., are new additions to the Javanese flora. The bryophyte diversity of Mt. Patuha is well representative of the Malesian flora and is rich in uncommon species. However, the relatively poor representation of shade epiphytes and commonness of sun epiphytes and generalists reflect disturbance of the forest by anthropogenic activities. Careful attention should be given to conservation of the remaining natural forest in order to prevent further losses of the rich bryophyte diversity of the area

Genomic insights into rapid speciation within the world’s largest tree genus Syzygium

Species radiations, despite immense phenotypic variation, can be difficult to resolve phylogenetically when genetic change poorly matches the rapidity of diversification. Genomic potential furnished by palaeopolyploidy, and relative roles for adaptation, random drift and hybridisation in the apportionment of genetic variation, remain poorly understood factors. Here, we study these aspects in a model radiation, Syzygium, the most species-rich tree genus worldwide. Genomes of 182 distinct species and 58 unidentified taxa are compared against a chromosome-level reference genome of the sea apple, Syzygium grande. We show that while Syzygium shares an ancient genome doubling event with other Myrtales, little evidence exists for recent polyploidy events. Phylogenomics confirms that Syzygium originated in Australia-New Guinea and diversified in multiple migrations, eastward to the Pacific and westward to India and Africa, in bursts of speciation visible as poorly resolved branches on phylogenies. Furthermore, some sublineages demonstrate genomic clines that recapitulate cladogenetic events, suggesting that stepwise geographic speciation, a neutral process, has been important in Syzygium diversification

Genomic insights into rapid speciation within the world's largest tree genus Syzygium

Acknowledgements Y.W.L. was supported by a postgraduate scholarship research grant from the Ministry of National Development, Singapore awarded through the National Parks Board, Singapore (NParks; NParks’ Garden City Fund). Principal research funding from NParks and the School of Biological Sciences (SBS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, is acknowledged. We thank Peter Preiser, Associate Vice President for Biomedical and Life Sciences, for facilitating NTU support, and Kenneth Er, CEO of NParks, for facilitating research funding through that organisation. V.A.A. and C.L. were funded by SBS, NTU for a one-year research leave. V.A.A. and C.L. also acknowledge support from the United States National Science Foundation (grants 2030871 and 1854550, respectively). S.R. was supported by a postdoctoral research fellowship under the NTU Strategic Plant Programme. S.R. and N.R.W.C. acknowledge funding from NTU start-up and the Academy of Finland (decisions 318288, 319947) grants to J.S. Fieldwork conducted by Y.W.L. was supported by an Indonesian Government RISTEK research permit (Application ID: 1517217008) and an Access License from the Sabah State government [JKM/MBS.1000-2/2JLD.7(84)]. T.N.C.V. is grateful to the Assemblée de la Province Nord and Assemblée de la Province Sud (New Caledonia) for facilitating relevant collection permits. A.N. was partly supported by the Research Project Promotion Grant (Strategic Research Grant No. 17SP01302) from the University of the Ryukyus, and partly by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (JPMEERF20204003) from the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan. Fieldwork in Fiji conducted by R.B. was hosted and facilitated by Elina Nabubuniyaka-Young (The Pacific Community’s Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees, Fiji). We thank the NTU-Smithsonian Partnership for tree data obtained for the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) long-term forest dynamics plots. Administrative support provided by Mui Hwang Khoo-Woon and Peter Ang at the molecular laboratory of the Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) is acknowledged. Rosie Woods and Imalka Kahandawala (DNA and Tissue Bank, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) facilitated additional DNA samples. Daniel Thomas (SBG) and Yan Yu (Sichuan University) commented on biogeographical analyses. NovogeneAIT in Singapore is acknowledged for personalised sequencing service.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Genomic insights into rapid speciation within the world's largest tree genus Syzygium

The relative importance of the mechanisms underlying species radiation remains unclear. Here, the authors combine reference genome assembly and population genetics analyses to show that neutral forces have contributed to the radiation of the most species-rich tree genus Syzygium. Species radiations, despite immense phenotypic variation, can be difficult to resolve phylogenetically when genetic change poorly matches the rapidity of diversification. Genomic potential furnished by palaeopolyploidy, and relative roles for adaptation, random drift and hybridisation in the apportionment of genetic variation, remain poorly understood factors. Here, we study these aspects in a model radiation, Syzygium, the most species-rich tree genus worldwide. Genomes of 182 distinct species and 58 unidentified taxa are compared against a chromosome-level reference genome of the sea apple, Syzygium grande. We show that while Syzygium shares an ancient genome doubling event with other Myrtales, little evidence exists for recent polyploidy events. Phylogenomics confirms that Syzygium originated in Australia-New Guinea and diversified in multiple migrations, eastward to the Pacific and westward to India and Africa, in bursts of speciation visible as poorly resolved branches on phylogenies. Furthermore, some sublineages demonstrate genomic clines that recapitulate cladogenetic events, suggesting that stepwise geographic speciation, a neutral process, has been important in Syzygium diversification.Peer reviewe

AI is a viable alternative to high throughput screening: a 318-target study

: High throughput screening (HTS) is routinely used to identify bioactive small molecules. This requires physical compounds, which limits coverage of accessible chemical space. Computational approaches combined with vast on-demand chemical libraries can access far greater chemical space, provided that the predictive accuracy is sufficient to identify useful molecules. Through the largest and most diverse virtual HTS campaign reported to date, comprising 318 individual projects, we demonstrate that our AtomNet® convolutional neural network successfully finds novel hits across every major therapeutic area and protein class. We address historical limitations of computational screening by demonstrating success for target proteins without known binders, high-quality X-ray crystal structures, or manual cherry-picking of compounds. We show that the molecules selected by the AtomNet® model are novel drug-like scaffolds rather than minor modifications to known bioactive compounds. Our empirical results suggest that computational methods can substantially replace HTS as the first step of small-molecule drug discovery

A taxonomic revision of orthotrichaceae (MUSCI) with contributions to the biosystematics of Macromitrium brid. in Malaysia / Yong Kien Thai

Macromitrium (Orthotrichaceae) is a large genus variously divided into infrageneric groups by different authors, resulting in a complex classification which has not included many Malaysian species. This study reviews the taxonomy of Malaysian taxa and extent of morphological variation in relation to the type group. A molecular phylogenetic study was carried out to determine if Malaysian Macromitrium species represented a homogeneous taxonomic grouping. A cladistic analysis of morphological characteristics was attempted for identifying well-defined groups and their key character states. Molecular studies included Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian Inference analyses of two chloroplast DNA regions (rps4 gene and trnL-trnF interspecific region) for an Orthotrichaceae ingroup including representative Orthotrichoideae and Macromitrioideae, the latter comprising various genera and ten Malaysian, and two extra-Malaysian, species of Macromitrium. The outgroup included Bartramiaceae, Bryaceae, Calymperaceae, Dicranaceae, Hedwigiaceae, Pottiaceae and Rhizogoniaceae from other orders. A total of 27 species and three varieties in six genera were enumerated for the Orthotrichaceae. The majority (17 species including 3 varieties) are in Macromitrium. An identification key, species descriptions, notes and illustrations are provided. Two new species (Desmotheca mohamedii ined. and Groutiella kelantanense ined.) and two new varieties (Macromitrium longipilum var. ligulatum ined. and M. longipilum var. rugosum ined.) are proposed. All Orthotrichaceae taxa in Malaysia (including seven endemics) are tropical in origin, with nearly half restricted to Malesia. The remainder are mainly Asiatic, except a paleotropical species and three pantropical species. The molecular analyses resolved both subfamilies Orthotrichoideae and Macromitrioideae as sister clades, with Leratia basal to them in the Maximum Parsimony analysis and hence of uncertain position in the current subfamilial classification. Both large genera, Orthotrichum (Orthotrichoideae) and Macromitrium (Macromitrioideae) were paraphyletic, with several species-groups (including the type group) being resolved by the molecular analyses as different clades. The morphological cladistic analysis identified the same monophyletic type group with a divided peristome and sparsely hairy calyptra as shared group characters but it was not possible to regard these as true synapomorphies because two other putative Macromitrioideae genera (Macrocoma and Matteria) that also had these character states were not included in the analysis. In the molecular study, Zygodon (including Pleurorthotrichum) and Schlotheimia were resolved as monophyletic groups. The relationships among Desmotheca, Groutiella and Macromitrium, as well as other related genera, remain unclear, as there was generally poor resolution in the molecular phylogenetic study. Overall, it was possible to affirm the distinctness of the two subfamilies of Orthotrichaceae, the basal uncertain position of Leratia, the heterogeneous nature of both Orthotrichum and Macromitrium, and the apparent distinctness of the smaller genera Zygodon (including Pleurorthotrichum) and Schlotheimia. The positions of Sehnemobryum, Stoneobryum, Nyholmiella, Ulota, Desmotheca and Groutiella remain unclear. There was insufficient resolution in both morphological and molecular analyses to support any of the infrageneric groups proposed for Macromitrium thus far. The present study provides only a regional perspective of this speciose pantropical genus, so that a more complete understanding of the phylogeny and classification of Macromitrium would only be possible with a wider taxon sampling and the use of more informative gene regions

<I>Macromitrium larrainii</I>, a new species of <I>Macromitrium</I> (Orthotrichaceae, Bryophyta) from new Caledonia

Macromitrium larrainii sp. nov., une nouvelle espèce de mousse, récoltée sur le Mont Panié, le plus haut sommet de Nouvelle-Calédonie, est décrite et illustrée. Cette espèce se distingue par 1) l’aspect hérissé des rameaux à cause des feuilles longuement aristées, dirigées en tous sens, non spiralées, 2) les feuilles étroites et asymétriques en haut, 3) des cellules toujours lisses, 4) les cellules foliaires supérieures de forme irrégulière, les inférieures linéaires à lumière droite. La comparaison avec les Macromitrium des régions avoisinantes confirme qu’il s’agit d’une nouvelle espèce, probablement endémique.The moss Macromitrium larrainii sp. nov. from Mt Panié, the highest summit of New Caledonia, is described and illustrated. This species is characterised by 1) the hairy appearance of branches due to the long aristate leaves arranged irregularly, not spirally, 2) the narrow leaf lamina asymmetrical above, 3) leaf cells consistently smooth, and 4) upper leaf cells irregular in shape and basal ones linear with a straight lumen. Comparison with similar Macromitrium species in neighbouring countries confirms that it is a new species, likely endemic.</p