Floral biology in the endemic Iranian Salvia majdae - implications for taxonomy, character evolution and conservation

Flora ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 151986
Author(s):  
Yousef Ajani ◽  
Ziba Jamzad ◽  
Regine Claβen–Bockhoff
Keyword(s):  
Floral Biology ◽  
Character Evolution

Orchestrated Flowering and Interspecific Facilitation: Key Factors in the Maintenance of the Main Pollinator of Coexisting Threatened Species of Andean Wax Palms (Ceroxylon spp.)

2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-299
Author(s):  
Javier Carreño-Barrera ◽  
Luis Alberto Núñez-Avellaneda ◽  
Maria José Sanín ◽  
Artur Campos D. Maia
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Status ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Floral Biology ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Insect Species ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Pollination Services ◽  
Flower Visiting

Solitary, dioecious, and mostly endemic to Andean cloud forests, wax palms (Ceroxylon Bonpl. ex DC. spp.) are currently under worrisome conservation status. The establishment of management plans for their dwindling populations rely on detailed biological data, including their reproductive ecology. As in the case of numerous other Neotropical palm taxa, small beetles are assumed to be selective pollinators of wax palms, but their identity and relevance in successful fruit yield were unknown. During three consecutive reproductive seasons we collected data on population phenology and reproductive and floral biology of three syntopic species of wax palms native to the Colombian Andes. We also determined the composition of the associated flower-visiting entomofauna, quantifying the extent of the role of individual species as effective pollinators through standardized value indexes that take into consideration abundance, constancy, and pollen transport efficiency. The studied populations of C. parvifrons (Engel) H. Wendl., C. ventricosum Burret, and C. vogelianum (Engel) H. Wendl. exhibit seasonal reproductive cycles with marked temporal patterns of flower and fruit production. The composition of the associated flower-visiting entomofauna, comprised by ca. 50 morphotypes, was constant across flowering seasons and differed only marginally among species. Nonetheless, a fraction of the insect species associated with pistillate inflorescences actually carried pollen, and calculated pollinator importance indexes demonstrated that one insect species alone, Mystrops rotundula Sharp, accounted for 94%–99% of the effective pollination services for all three species of wax palms. The sequential asynchronous flowering of C. parvifrons, C. ventricosum, and C. vogelianum provides an abundant and constant supply of pollen, pivotal for the maintenance of large populations of their shared pollinators, a cooperative strategy proven effective by high fruit yield rates (up to 79%). Reproductive success might be compromised for all species by the population decline of one of them, as it would tamper with the temporal orchestration of pollen offer.

Resolved phylogenetic relationships in the Ocotea complex ( Supraocotea ) facilitate phylogenetic classification and studies of character evolution

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (4) ◽  
pp. 664-679
Author(s):  
Juan C. Penagos Zuluaga ◽  
Henk Werff ◽  
Brian Park ◽  
Deren A. R. Eaton ◽  
Liza S. Comita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Relationships ◽  
Character Evolution ◽  
Phylogenetic Classification

scholarly journals Fensomea setacea, gen. & sp. nov. (Cladopyxidaceae, Dinophyceae), is neither gonyaulacoid nor peridinioid as inferred from morphological and molecular data

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Gottschling ◽  
Maria Consuelo Carbonell-Moore ◽  
Kenneth Neil Mertens ◽  
Monika Kirsch ◽  
Malte Elbrächter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Data ◽  
Character Evolution ◽  
Ancestral State ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Regular Configuration ◽  
The Common ◽  
Morphological And Molecular Data ◽  
Rrna Sequences

AbstractDinophyte evolution is essentially inferred from the pattern of thecal plates, and two different labelling systems are used for the important subgroups Gonyaulacales and Peridiniales. The partiform hypotheca of cladopyxidoid dinophytes fits into the morphological concepts of neither group, although they are assigned to the Gonyaulacales. Here, we describe the thecate dinophyte Fensomea setacea, gen. & sp. nov., which has a cladopyxidoid tabulation. The cells displayed a Kofoidean plate formula APC, 3′, 4a, 7″, 7C, 6S, 6′′′, 2′′′′, and slender processes were randomly distributed over the echinate or baculate surface. In addition, we obtained rRNA sequences of F. setacea, gen. & sp. nov., but dinophytes that exhibit a partiform hypotheca did not show a close relationship to Gonyaulacales. Character evolution of thecate dinophytes may have progressed from the ancestral state of six postcingular plates, and two more or less symmetrically arranged antapical plates, towards patterns of only five postcingular plates (Peridiniales) or more asymmetrical configurations (Gonyaulacales). Based on our phylogenetic reconsiderations the contact between the posterior sulcal plate and the first postcingular plate, as well as the contact between an antapical plate and the distalmost postcingular plate, do not represent a rare, specialized gonyaulacoid plate configuration (i.e., the partiform hypotheca of cladopyxidoid dinophytes). Instead, these contacts correspond to the common and regular configuration of peridinioid (and other) dinophytes.

A new species of Sclerocephalus with a fully ossified endocranium gives insight into braincase evolution in temnospondyls

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Rainer R. Schoch ◽  
Gabriela Sobral
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Character Evolution ◽  
Late Paleozoic ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Early Permian ◽  
Top Predator ◽  
Central European ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract The late Paleozoic temnospondyl Sclerocephalus formed an aquatic top predator in various central European lakes of the late Carboniferous and early Permian. Despite hundreds of specimens spanning a wide range of sizes, knowledge of the endocranium (braincase and palatoquadrate) remained very insufficient in Sclerocephalus and other stereospondylomorphs because even large skulls had unossified endocrania. A new specimen from a stratigraphically ancient deposit at St. Wendel in southwestern Germany is recognized as representing a new taxon, S. concordiae new species, and reveals a completely ossified endocranium. The sphenethmoid was completely ossified from the basisphenoid to the anterior ethmoid region, co-ossified with the parasphenoid, and the basipterygoid joint was fully established. The pterygoid bears a slender, S-shaped epipterygoid, which formed a robust pillar lateral to the braincase. The massive stapes was firmly sutured to the parasphenoid. In the temnospondyl endocranium, character evolution involved various changes in the epipterygoid region, which evolved distinct morphologies in each of the major clades. UUID: http://zoobank.org/5e6d2078-eacf-4467-84cf-a12efcae7c0b

Phylogeny and Character Evolution of Hoffmannseggia (Caesalpinieae: Caesalpinioideae: Leguminosae)

2004 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 933-946 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beryl B. Simpson ◽  
Jennifer A. Tate ◽  
Andrea Weeks
Keyword(s):  
Character Evolution

Reproductive biology of Melaleuca alternifolia (Myrtaceae) 1. Floral biology

2010 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 373 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Baskorowati ◽  
M. W. Moncur ◽  
J. C. Doran ◽  
P. J. Kanowski
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Biology ◽  
Floral Biology ◽  
Morphological Development ◽  
Tea Tree Oil ◽  
Melaleuca Alternifolia ◽  
Tea Tree ◽  
Viable Seeds ◽  
Individual Trees ◽  
Days After Anthesis ◽  
Flowering Intensity

Melaleuca alternifolia (Maiden & Betche) Cheel is commercially important as the source of essential oil for the Australian tea tree-oil industry. Information on reproductive biology of M. alternifolia is important to the Australian breeding program directed at improving the quality and quantity of tea tree oil. Flowering in three geographically separated sites – two planted seed orchards and one managed natural population, all in NSW – was observed in the present study, with supporting data obtained from glasshouse-grown plants in Canberra. The majority of the work was conducted from 2004 to 2007, although the study also drew on some prior observations. M. alternifolia has spikes of flowers that open acropetally over a 6-day period. No strong separation of male and female phases was found in any individual flower; pollen was shed by 1.4 days after anthesis and the stigma reached peak receptivity 3–5 days after anthesis. Dichogamy and acropetal floral development may lead to geitonogamy. Flowering occurred during the months of October–November, with the peak in November, and was synchronous across all three sites. Flowering intensity and success in producing capsules appeared to be associated with total spring rainfall. Initiation of flowering in M. alternifolia appears to be correlated with daylength, or an environmental parameter closely correlated with daylength. Flowering intensity varied considerably among the years surveyed, sites and families, and appears to be promoted by a period of winter minimum temperatures below 5°C. In M. alternifolia, the morphological development of buds, flowers and fruit leading to the development of mature seed takes place over a period 16–18 months from flowering. M. alternifolia differed significantly in the number of viable seeds per capsule from individual trees, from 26 ± 3.8 to 57 ± 3.8 germinants.

Pollination ecology of Caryocar brasiliense (Caryocaraceae) in Central Brazil cerrado vegetation

1993 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rogério Gribel ◽  
John D. Hay
Keyword(s):  
Breeding System ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Floral Biology ◽  
Cerrado Vegetation ◽  
Central Brazil ◽  
Glossophaga Soricina ◽  
Caryocar Brasiliense ◽  
Anoura Geoffroyi ◽  
Phyllostomus Discolor

ABSTRACTThe floral biology, breeding system and pollination of Caryocar brasiliense were studied in the cerrado vegetation of Central Brazil. The large, yellowish-cream, brush-like flowers are pollinated mainly by glossophagine bats (Glossophaga soricina and Anoura geoffroyi). Three non-glossophagine bats (Phyllostomus discolor, Vampyrops lineatus and Carollia perspicillata) and two short probosisced hawk moths (Erinyis ello and Pseudosphinx tetrio) may also act as occasional pollinators. Caryocar brasiliense is self-compatible although it sets significantly more fruits when crossed than when selfed. The natural fruit set (fruit/flower ratio) and seed set (seed/ovule ratio) are 3.1% and 1.0% respectively. Most of the fruits and seeds are formed through the action of the flower visitors, despite the fact that about 20% of the non-visited flowers receive self pollen on at least one stigma.

scholarly journals A diverse assemblage of Permian echinoids (Echinodermata, Echinoidea) and implications for character evolution in early crown group echinoids

2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 767-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey R. Thompson ◽  
Elizabeth Petsios ◽  
David J. Bottjer
Keyword(s):  
New Taxa ◽  
Character Evolution ◽  
Morphological Characterization ◽  
Crown Group ◽  
West Texas ◽  
Stem Group

AbstractThe Permian is regarded as one of the most crucial intervals during echinoid evolution because crown group echinoids are first widely known from the Permian. New faunas provide important information regarding the diversity of echinoids during this significant interval as well as the morphological characterization of the earliest crown group and latest stem group echinoids. A new fauna from the Capitanian Lamar Member of the Bell Canyon Formation in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas comprises at least three new taxa, includingEotiaris guadalupensisThompson n. sp. an indeterminate archaeocidarid, andPronechinus? sp. All specimens represented are silicified and known from disarticulated or semiarticulated interambulacral and ambulacral plates and spines. This assemblage is one of the most diverse echinoid assemblages known from the Permian and, as such, informs the paleoecological setting in which the earliest crown group echinoids lived. This new fauna indicates that crown group echinoids occupied the same environments as stem group echinoids of the Archaeocidaridae and Proterocidaridae. Furthermore, the echinoids described herein begin to elucidate the order of character transitions that likely took place between stem group and crown group echinoids. At least one of the morphological innovations once thought to be characteristic of early crown group echinoids, crenulate tubercles, was in fact widespread in a number of stem group taxa from the Permian as well. Crenulate tubercles are reported from two taxa, and putative cidaroid style U-shaped teeth are present in the fauna. The presence of crenulate tubercles in the archaeocidarid indicates that crenulate tubercles were present in stem group echinoids, and thus the evolution of this character likely preceded the evolution of many of the synapomorphies that define the echinoid crown group.

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