A new species of “rooster coomb”, Euploca decorticans (Heliotropiaceae), from the highlands of the state of Goiás, Brazil

Euploca decorticans, is here described and illustrated as a new species from a heretofore poorly collected mountain area in Goiás state, Brazil. It is most morphologically similar to E. salicoides, one of the most widely distributed taxa of the genus in Brazil but differs from that species in several features related to habit (height and growth aspect), leaves (shape, trichome types, and venation pattern), flowers (size, corolla shape, length, color), inflorescence (length), fruits (diameter and trichome types) and nutlets (shapes), among other features. We include a distribution map besides photos and drawings of the new species, and we also discuss its conservation status.

Analysis of Morphological Characteristics and Variation in Five Populations of Zabelia tyaihyonii in South Korea

Background and objective: Native to the limestone zones of the Korean Peninsula, Zabelia tyaihyonii is a popular plant for landscaping. As it is now classified as a rare species, the conservation of its genetic resources is necessary.Methods: In this study, which aimed to understand the morphological variation of Z. tyaihyonii, 18 characteristics of Z. tyaihyonii from five habitats were examined.Results: Of these 18 characteristics, 16 characteristics showed significant differences among sites, and the coefficient of variation ranged from 5.4% (for corolla lobe number) to 31.3% (for flower number). Notable variations were observed in the size of flower and calyx lobe. When the corolla length and calyx lobe length were used as the classification key of Z. tyaihyonii, the sites were divided into those with small, intermediate, and large values. Hair was observed on the filament of all samples, a finding which conflicts with an earlier report. Rather than classifying Z. tyaihyonii into different species on the basis of corolla length (COL) and calyx lobe length (CALL) values, we recommend modifying the species description to incorporate the variation in these characteristics of interest. Principal component analysis results showed that the first main component was highly correlated with the traits related to the size of the calyx lobe (length: 0.819, width: 0.758), and the second main component was highly correlated with the traits related with the size of the inflorescence (length: 0.790, width: 0.626).Conclusion: Several notable variations were identified among the characteristics related to inflorescence and calyx lobe. There is little genetic exchange among groups, or each group is influenced by micro environmental factors, because sites that are located nearby. In addition, the difference between COL and CALL, which is used as the classification key for Z. tyaihyonii, was divided into small group, large group, and intermediate group, regardless of the sites’ geographical distance.

Growth and Flowering Characteristics of Oncidium Gower Ramsey Varieties under Various Fertilizer Management Treatments in Response to Light Intensities

Oncidium are grown worldwide and play important economic roles. The objective of this study was to investigate the pseudobulb growth and flowering characteristics of the two Oncidesa Gower Ramsey cultivars, ‘Honey Angel (HA)’ and ‘Golden Star (GS)’, cultivated under 3 kinds of fertilizer treatments in response to 40% light intensity (LI-40) and 30% light intensity (LI-30, as control) photosynthetic photon flux density over a 5-month period. The conventional-fertilizer (CF) treatment, as a control, consisted of a liquid manure solution of N:K = 1:1.12, mixed with 7.8% N, 0.8% P2O5, 0.3% K2O, and 57.3% of organic matter that was foliage-applied to plants twice weekly. The stage-fertilizer (SF) treatment consisted of N:P:K = 1:1:5 foliage-applied to plants in an unsheathing pseudobulb stage until reaching inflorescence, followed by N:P:K = 1:1:1 application until the end of the experiment. The fortnight-fertilizer (FF) treatment consisted of N:P:K = 1:1:5 and N:P:K = 1:1:1 with interval-rotate foliage-application to plants weekly until the end of the experiment. Pseudobulb length (PL), pseudobulb major axis (PW), and pseudobulb minor axis (PT), and inflorescence length (FL), number of pedicel (FB), and floret numbers (FN) per plant were recorded and calculated from two months after pseudobulb maturity until the end of the five-month experimental period. The GS variety significantly increased PL when treated with CF and FF compared to HA, and GS treated with CF under LI-30 exhibited the longest PL at 81.65 mm. PW increased as LI increased under FF treatment, and the largest PW was observed in GS treated with FF under LI-40. A maximal and significant increase in PT occurred in LI-40 compared to LI-30 under the CF treatment. GS had a significantly higher FL compared to HA treated with CF, and the longest FL was detected in GS under LI-30. HA had a significantly higher FB and FN under LI-40 than under LI-30, and the highest number of FB and FN in HA occurred when it was treated with CF and SF, respectively. Precision management of fertilization treatments in response to LI can maximize pseudobulb growth, development, and flowering quality in Oncidesa species.

Impact of habitat variability on growth dynamics of Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb. along an altitudinal gradient in Kashmir Himalaya

Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb. is an important medicinal plant of the Himalayan region. Phenotypic attributes of a particular plant species varies along different altitudes in order to adapt and to overcome the changeable and stressful conditions. A number of environmental factors such as mean temperature, precipitation, soil characteristics, radiation intensity etc. changes with altitudinal gradient and thereby affect the morphological pattern of a plant species. The present study was undertaken to reveal the impact of the elevational gradient and habitat variability on the morphological features of the selected species. Under different environmental conditions the species exhibited enormous variability in its phenotypic traits. The plants were shorter at high altitude site, Gulmarg while the plants of low altitude site, Kashmir University Botanical Garden (KUBG) were taller and more vigorous. A significant decrease in the plant height, inflorescence length, leaf length, leaf breadth and petiole length occurred with increasing altitude. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the habitat of KUBG and Ferozpora (Tangmarg) proved relatively better for the growth of B. ciliata. The regression analysis revealed positive correlation between plant height and traits like inflorescence length, leaf length, leaf number and thus predicting a direct impact of plant height on other traits. Our findings present a comprehensive account on the variability of phenotypic characteristics, in relation to the environmental conditions of this valuable medicinal plant species.

Productivity of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa L.) Genotypes Across Different Agro-Ecological Regions of Oman

Background: Quinoa has the great potentiality of its expansion in world agriculture owing to its resilient traits of productivity under marginal conditions across varying altitudes, soil and climatic conditions with extreme levels of abiotic factors like moisture stress, high temperature and salinity as influenced by climatic change. It offers a crop of food security in several countries that have begun the trials of evaluation since the early 1980s leading to the rapid expansion of its cultivation in other countries after the United Nation’s declaration for 2013 as “Year of Quinoa” to promote its production as a grain crop. In this view, five quinoa genotypes were evaluated for their yield, agronomic performance and adaptability at three locations across different agro-ecological regions of Oman. Methods: Five quinoa genotypes Amarilla Marangani, Amarilla Sacaca, Blanca de junin, Kancolla and Salcedo INIA, received from the Oman FAO office in 2016, were evaluated for three consecutive years from 2016/2017 to 2018/2019 during the winter season (October to March) at national agriculture research stations located at Rumais in South Batinah governorate, AlKamil in South Sharqia governorate and Sohar in North Batinah governorate. The experiments were conducted on the sites containing sandy loam soil under Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) involving these five genotypes with four replications under a drip-irrigation system with varying levels of irrigation water salinity. The irrigation and fertilizers were applied as per national recommendations. The characters viz. chlorophyll content, plant height (cm), number of branches, inflorescence length (cm), days to maturity and grain yield (ton/ha) were recorded at appropriate times of growth of crops at all locations. Grain samples were subjected to proximate analysis. The data on yield and yield contributing characters were subjected to multi-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) using GenStat Statistical Package v12. Results: The results indicated that among the effects of main factors viz. genotypes, locations and years, all the effects were highly significant (p<0.01) in respect of plant height and grain yield, whereas for a number of branches, all the main effects except genotypes were highly significant (p<0.01). In respect of chlorophyll content (SPAD value), effects of genotype and years were found significant (p<0.05) and whereas for inflorescence length, effects of locations and years were highly significant (p<0.05). Genotype Amarllia Sacaca had the highest plant height (135 cm), followed by genotype Salcedo INIA (117 cm) during the winter season of 2016/2017. The highest grain yield of 5.40 t ha-1) obtained was harvested at Agriculture Research Station, Rumais where Amarllia Sacaca produced the highest (8.86 t ha-1). The protein content was highest (17.49%) in the genotype Amarllia Maranagani. Irrespective of genotypes, locations and years, the quinoa crop had acceptable performance in terms of 107.47 cm plant height, 18 number of branches, 44.47 SPDA value (chlorophyll) and 31.96 cm inflorescence length with an average yield of 3.83 t ha-1. Conclusion: Quinoa has been found to be highly adaptable to Northern agro-ecological regions (South and North Batinah Governorates) of Oman, and genotypes evaluated can be successfully introduced for general cultivation in Northern Oman.

Enhancement of Growth, Flowering and Corm Freesia Hybrida Plant via Rice Organic Residue Application and Chelated Zinc Spray

A pot trial was conducted to identify the effect of adding rice organic residues (ROR) to the potting soil and spraying chelated zinc (CZn) on the growth, flowering, and corm characteristics of the Freesia hybrida plant. An RCBD experiment was adopted with two factors and three replicates. ROR comprised three levels (0, 4, and 8%), and CZn included three concentrations (0, 20, and 40) mg.L−1. The findings revealed that applying ROR at 8% and spraying CZn at 20 mg.L−1 significantly increased leaf number, shoot dry weight, total chlorophyll content in fresh leaves, and total soluble carbohydrate content in dry leaves (6.66 leaves. plant−1, 8.76 g DW, 48.79 mg.100 g−1 FW, and 1.50 g DW) respectively. Also, the same treatment combination realized significant results for the number of florets per inflorescence, floret diameter, floret vase life, number of corms per plant, and corm diameter by (12.85 florets. inflorescence−1, 7.03 cm, 8 days, 3.66 corms. plant−1, and 2.33 cm) consecutively. Further, adding ROR at 8% and spraying CZn at 40 mg.L−1 significantly increased the number of inflorescences (5.33 inflorescences. plant−1) and inflorescence length (39.10 cm).

Two new species of Cryptanthus (Bromelioideae, Bromeliaceae) from northeastern Brazil

Two new species of Cryptanthus from Bahia State, in northeastern Brazil, are described and illustrated. Cryptanthus apiculatantherus occurs in Atlantic Forest and Cryptanthus brevibracteatus was discovered in a transition area between Atlantic Forest and Caatinga. Cryptanthus apiculatantherus and C. bibarrensis have similar stem lengths and leaf blade shapes, but differ mainly by the stem diameter, width of the leaf sheaths, sepal and petal color, anther apex shape, and length and width of the ovary. Cryptanthus brevibracteatus and C. warren-loosei have a similar leaf blade color and are geographically close to each other, but differ by the number of flowers in the apical cluster of flowers of the inflorescence, length and width of the floral bracts, length of the sepals, connation of the sepals and length of the sepal lobes. Data about the geographic distribution, habitat, phenology, conservation status, taxonomic comments, a distribution map and photographs of the new species are provided. In addition, there are tables included that compare the new species to morphologically similar species.

Allometry Between Vegetative and Reproductive Traits in Orchids

In flowering plants, inflorescence characteristics influence both seed set and pollen contribution, while inflorescence and peduncle size can be correlated with biomass allocation to reproductive organs. Peduncles also play a role in water and nutrient supply of flowers, and mechanical support. However, it is currently unclear whether inflorescence size is correlated with peduncle size. Here, we tested whether orchids with large diameter peduncles bear more and larger flowers than those with smaller peduncles by analyzing 10 traits of inflorescence, flower, and leaf in 26 species. Peduncle diameters were positively correlated with inflorescence length and total floral area, indicating that species with larger peduncles tended to have larger inflorescences and larger flowers. We also found strongly positive correlation between inflorescence length and leaf area, and between total floral area and total leaf area, which suggested that reproductive organs may be allometrically coordinated with vegetative organs. However, neither flower number nor floral dry mass per unit area were correlated with leaf number or leaf dry mass per unit area, implying that the function between leaf and flower was uncoupled. Our findings provided a new insight for understanding the evolution of orchids, and for horticulturalists interested in improving floral and inflorescence traits in orchids.

Ontogenetic and vitality structure of Muscari botryoides (L.) Mill. (Asparagaceae Juss.) populations at the northeastern limit of its 7nature area

The ontogenetic and vitality structure of eight Muscari botryoides populations from Ukraine have been studied. M. botryoides is a rare, endemic species of the Asparagaceae family, distributed on northeastern limit of its natural range and listed in the 3rd edition of the Red Data Book of Ukraine with conservation status "endangered". The characteristics of the species main ontogenetic states have been given. Age spectra of populations have been constructed. Ontogenetic indices have been calculated according to I.M. Kovalenko. Individuals of eight age states have been identified: seeds (se), seedlings (p), juvenile (j), immature (im), virginal (v), young generative (g1), mature generative (g2) and old generative (g3). Subsenile (ss) and senile (s) individuals were not registered. The populations are normal, noncomplete with left-biased age spectra. Juveniles prevail in all age spectra. . According to A.A. Uranov and O.V. Smirnova all populations are normal young, according to the Delta-Omega classification proposed by L.A. Zhivotovskij, they are young, and according to L.A. Zhukova and T.A. Polyanskaya – perspective. Innovation indices of all populations are very high, and generative, senilis, age indices are low. A factor analysis based on 17 morphological parameters of M. botryoides have been made. The results of the analysis showed, that the following parameters determine vitality of M. botryoides individuals: first leaf length, bulb width, inflorescence length and number of flowers in the inflorescence. Medium vitality individuals dominate in most populations. According to the vitality structure, six populations are prosperous, and two – depressed. Key words: endemic species, age spectrum, ontogenetic indices, vitality, natural population. Досліджено онтогенетичну та віталітетну структуру восьми популяцій Muscari botryoides з території України. M. botryoides – це рідкісний, ендемічний вид з родини Аsparagaceae, який перебуває на північно-східній межі ареалу та занесений до третього видання «Червоної книги України» зі статусом «зникаючий». Подано характеристику основних онтогенетичних станів виду. Побудовано вікові спектри популяцій. Розраховано онтогнетичні індекси за І.М. Коваленко. У складі досліджуваних популяцій M. botryoides виявлено особини восьми вікових станів: насіння (sm), проростки (p), ювенільні (j), іматурні (im), віргінільні (v), молоді генеративні (g1), зрілі генеративні (g2) та старі генеративні (g3). Субсенільні (ss) та сенільні (s) особини не зареєстровані. Вікові спектри всіх досліджуваних популяцій лівосторонні з переважанням рослин ювенільного онтогенетичного стану. За ознаками онтогенетичної структури усі досліджувані популяції – нормальні, неповночленні. Згідно з класифікацією популяцій О.О. Уранова та О.В. Смірнової вони є нормальними молодими, згідно з класифікацією «Дельта-Омега», запропонованою Л.А. Животовським – молодими, згідно з Л.О. Жуковою та Т.А. Полянською – перспективними. Індекси відновлення популяцій дуже високі, а індекси генеративності, старіння та віковості – низькі. Проведено факторний аналіз з урахуванням 17 морфопараметрів M. botryoides, встановлено, що ознаками, які детермінують життєвість особин є: довжина першого листка, ширина цибулини, довжина суцвіття та кількість квіток у суцвітті. Віталітетний аналіз засвідчив, що у більшості досліджуваних популяцій домінують особин середнього рівня життєвості. За віталітетною структурою шість з восьми популяцій відповідають процвітаючому якісному типу, дві популяції перебувають у депресивному стані. Ключові слова: ендемічний вид, віковий спектр, онтогенетичні індекси, життєвість, природна популяція.

Morphological Variation in Scarlet Plume (Euphorbia fulgens Karw ex Klotzsch, Euphorbiaceae), an Underutilized Ornamental Resource of Mexico with Global Importance

Morphological variation is useful in conservation and genetic improvement programs. Euphorbia fulgens, a range-restricted local endemic species of Mexico, is used locally during the altars in the festivities of different saints and is also cultivated as an ornamental plant mainly in Europe. Thus, in the present study, morphological variation was evaluated in wild populations and cultivated populations. Characterization of 90 individuals from three wild populations (the only ones recorded to date) was done by measuring 30 morphological traits both vegetative and reproductive. Thereafter, seeds were collected, and established under greenhouse conditions, and 39 morphometric variables were evaluated in adult plants. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done for wild and cultivated groups independently, and when significant differences were found, Tukey’s comparison of means was applied (p < 0.05). To identify the traits responsible for the differences between wild and cultivated groups, a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was conducted. Morphological variation was found among wild populations, and this variation decreased in cultivated populations, mainly in reproductive structures. The LDA separated the wild populations from the cultivated groups, according to inflorescence length, petiole length/blade length ratio, and leaf roundness. The variables that determined the separation of individuals between wild and cultivated populations were cyme number, foliar Feret diameter, and inflorescence length, variables that can be important for breeding strategies and artificial selection.