Journal of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

A Study on the Genus Indigofera Linn. from China

Fang Yun-Yi, Zheng Chao-Zong

1989, 27 (3): 161-177.

Abstract ( 0 )

The genus Indigofera Linn. is one of the largest genera of papilionatae

of Leguminosae. It comprises 700 species in the world, of which 80 species and 8 varieties

occur in China. It was established by C. Linnaeus in 1752 and had been studied by J. Desvaux

(1813), A. P. De Candolle (1825), G. Bentham ex Harvey (1862), G. Bentham et J. D. Ho-

oker (1865), P. Taubert. (1894), P. Ch. Tisseraut (1913), and B. Gillett (1958) etc.

In the present paper, the taxonomic history is reviewed and the evolutionary trends of

some important morphological characters are discussed. According to the plant habit, cha-

racteristics of leaves, shape of fruits and the number of seeds per fruit, Indigofera Linn. from

China are divided into 3 subgenera: Subg. I. Indigofera, Subg. II. Sphaeridiophors Desv.,

Subg. III. Acanthonotus (Benth.) Benth. et Hook. f., in Subg. Indigofera, 14 subsections are

reported. A systematic key to the species is given.

Studies on Foliar Epidermis in Primitive Genera of Rosaceae and Its Systematic Significance

Li Chao-Luan

1989, 27 (3): 178-183.

Abstract ( 0 )

n order to provide additional evidence of the phylogenetic relationships

between genera of Rosaceae, it is neccessary to study and analyse the characters in primitive

genera of the family. In this paper, leaf epidermis of the primitive genera of Rosaceae, inc-

luding Kagneckia, Quillaja, Vauquelinia, Lindleya, Exochorda and Lyonothamus of Trib.

Quillajeae circumscribed by Hutchinson (1964), has been anatomically studied and description

of epidermal structure is presented. Several types of stomatal apparatuses have been observed

in the genera investigated and considered as having systematic significance at generic level.

(I) On the basis of the foliar epidermal characters, the following key to the genera is

presented:

1. Stomatal apparatuses polytypic, of 2-3 types

2. Polytypic stomatal apparatuses incruding 3 types, anomocytic, actinocytic and staurocytic.

3. Polytypic stomatal apparatuses only of 2 types, anomocytic and actinocytic, with the

former dominant and surrounding the latter ...... 1. Kagneckia Ruiz & Pav.

3. Polytypic stomatal apparatuses of 3 types, anomocytic, actinocytic and staurocytic

4. Stomatal apparatuses sparse, with anomocytic and actinocytic ones dominant. .......

..................................................................... 3. Exochorda Lindl.

4. Stomatal apparatuses dense, with staurocytic type dominant. .........................

........................................................... 4. Lindleya H. B. & K. Nov.

2. Polytypic stomatal apparatuses of 2 types, paracytic and cyclocytic, subsidiary cells

narrow and distinguishable from other epidermal cells. ................ 2. Quillaja Molina

1. Stomatal apparatus monotypic, almost only actinocytic.

5. Guard cells surrounded radically by 7-9 subsidiary cells equal in diam. .......

....................................... 5. Vauquelinia Gorrea ex Humb & Bongl.

5. Guard cells sunkes, 19.76-30.70μm deep, adaxiaL wall of elongated subsidiary cells

so united transversely and thickened that the whole stomatal apparatus pot-like, stomatal ap-

paratuses aggregated in a mass and having no any ordinary epidermal cells among them...

........................................................................... 6. Lyonothamus A. Gray

(II) In the most primitive extant genus, Kagneckia, the stomatal apparatuses are ma-

inly the most primitive anomocytic, but also actinocytic.

(III) In another primitive genus, Quillaja, only second to and most related to the genus

Kagneckia, there are both paracytic and cyclocytic types of stomatal apparatuses, some subsi-

diary cells of which are partly overlapped by the guard cells so that they appear very narrow

in surface view. Based on the study of the most primitive genus, Kagneckia, and the second

primitive genus, Quillaja, it seems that the paracytic type of stomatal apparatus may be de-

rived from the anomocytic one in Rosaceae.

(IV) The stomatal apparatus, in the genus Vauquelinia are actinocytic and undoubtedly

derived from that in the more primitive rosoids.

(V) The pot-like stomatal apparatuses in the genus Lyonothamus are very unique and_

apparently more specialized. Morphologivally, in the genus, there are opposite, fern-like lea-

ves and the pistil consists of only 2. carpels It may be a very isolated relict along the coast of

California in N. America.

(VI) In the genus Exochorda, although anomocytic and actinocytic stomatal apparatuses

are dominant, staurocytic type also occurs. Morphologically, the genus is more advanced than

Kagneckia and Quillaja. In the genus Lindleya, there are also anomocytic and actinocytic types

of stomatal, apparatuses, though staurocytic type is dominant. The genus Lindleya is also

morphologically more advanced than the most primitive genera of Rosaceae mentioned above.

The studies support the inferrence from cytology (Goldblatt 1976) that the tribe Quilla-

jeae in Rosaceae is an unnatural alliance.

Acknowledgement The author wishes to express his thanks to Dr. Stevens, who was

the supervisor of the Harvard University Herbaria, for allowing me to collect the materials

investigated during my stay in the herbaria from 1982 to 1984.

Chemotaxonomic Studies in Ferula of China on the Basis of Flavonoids

Chen Xiao-Ya, Liu Qi-Xin

1989, 27 (3): 184-189.

Abstract ( 0 )

Sixteen species of Ferula L. (Umbelliferae) were examined for their leaf

flavonoids, and at least 9 glycosides of quercetin, kaempferol and apigenin are detected in 13

species. While most of the constituents reported are common in the Umbelliferae, the unu-

sual one, apigenin-6, 8-C-diglucoside, which was found in Ostericum Hoffm. in an earlier

survey has been detected in F. moschata (F. sumbul) The three species (F. sinkiangensis, F. fu-

kangensis and F. krylovii) from which flavonoids have not been found, are all medicinal

plants with strong garliky odor due to a high concentration of essential oils containing disulfi-

des.

The subgenus Peucedanoides is found to be rich in quercetin glycosides, and the aglycon

pattern seems to have some relationship with habitat conditions in the genus: the species occur-

ring in comparatively humid habitats are often large herbs and often characterized by the pre-

sence of quercetin, while those growing in dry habitats contain apigening kaepferol, as well

as quercetin. Nevertheless, any conclusion with certainty needs examining more species of

the genus.

It is interesting to note that F. moschata, from which the glycosylapigenin was found, and

F. pseudooreoselinum, which probably has a trace amount of kaempferol glycoside, are pecu-

liar in Ferula in their inflorescence morphology. The phytochemic results also raise a suspi-

cion against their systematic position within the genus.

F. bungeana, previously placed in the subgenus Peucedanoides, has relatively great simila-

rities with F. syreitschkowii of the subgenus Narthex in their general morphology and fruit

anatomy. In the present survey apigenin-7-glycoside is detected from both, and thus it seems

more suitable to transfer the former species into the subgenus Narthex.

The same compounds have been found in F. licentiana and F. tunshanica, which also sha-

re the characters of morphology and anatomy. The fact does support the view that the latter

should be included in F. licentiana as a variety.

Discussion on the Validity of Roegneria C. Koch (Gramineae) as Genus by Numerical Taxonomic Method

Chen Shou-Liang, Xu Ke-Xue

1989, 27 (3): 190-196.

Abstract ( 0 )

This paper deals with the systematic position of Gen. Roegneria C. Koch

by numerical taxonomic method. The genus Roegneria C. Koch and its relatively related ge-

nera (Agropyron Gaerth., Elymus L., Elytrigia Desv., Leymus Hochst.) were selected as OTUS.

The numerical classification was based on 30 characters, of which 18 are morphological

(gross and microscopic) and 12 cytological. The dendrogram (Fig. 1.) is the optimal one,

which is selected according to the cophenetic correlation coefficient. Moreover, the results of

other cluster methods, which are based on either the correlation coefficient or the distance

coefficients, show the same structure similar to the Fig. 1. Hance, Gen. Roegneria is conside-

red congeneric with Gen. Elymus. According to the priority of International Code, Gen. Roeg-

neria C. Koch should be referred to Gen. Elymus L.

A Further Study of the Genus Viola in Hebei Province

Yang Ji, Wang Jin-Wu

1989, 27 (3): 197-204.

Abstract ( 0 )

In this study, 23 OTU’s including all the species of Viola in Hebei Provin-

ce were used in numerical taxonomic treatment. According to the principle of clustering line

method, a few lines which divide sections, subsections and species were respectively decided.

The result of numerical research roughly coincides with the scheme of 3 sections and 4 subsec-

tions proposed by Gingins et al.. Based on the value of distance coefficient, morphological

characters and geographical distribution, the species V. pekinensis is reduced as a synonym of

V. mongolica. The writer compared section Melanium with other sections with characters of

morphology, palynology, cytology, phytogeography as well as pollination ecology and sugges-

ted a revision of systematic position of section Melanium.

A Study on Pollen Morphology and Ultrastructure of Subfamily Castaneoideae (Fagaceae) in China

Wang Ping-Li, Chang King-Tang

1989, 27 (3): 205-214.

Abstract ( 0 )

The present paper describes the pollen morphology of 45 species of the sub-

family Castaneoifeae (including genera Castanea, Castanopsis and Lithocarpus) from China.

The pollen grains were all examined with light microscope, scanning electron microscope and

transmission electron microscope.

Pollen grains of the subfamily are prolate, subprolate or perprolate, (14.7-23.1)× (8.4

-18.9) μm in size, 3-colporate, the exine in 2-layered, 0.9-1.9μm thick, indistinctly orna-

te, striate-rugulose or crass-striate, sexine and nexine almost equal in thickness, the sexine

consists of tectum, bacules and endonexine under TEM.

On the basis of very similar pollen shape, pollen size, type of aperture and exine struc-

ture and also other characteristics of plant morphology of the genera Castanea, Castanopsis and

Lithocarpus, the present authors tend to support the opinion that they all fall into the same

subfamily, Castaneoideae.

A Study on Karyotypes of 6 Species of Elymus in China

Shi Ying, Kuo Pen-Chao, Li Jian-Hua

1989, 27 (3): 215-221.

Abstract ( 0 )

The present paper deals with the karyotype analysis of 6 species of Elymus

which are native to Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. The number of somatic chromosomes in root-

tip cells of the 6 species and their karyotypes are reportad here for the first time, and they are

all hexaploid, with 2n=6x=42. The karyotype formulae are as follows: E. melantherus,

2n=6x=42=32m+10sm, E. kengii, 2n=6x=42=34m+8sm, E grandiglumis, 2n=6x=42=

30 m+12 sm, E. laxiflorus, 2n=6x=42=32 m +10 sm, E. kokonoricus, 2n+6x=42=34 m

+8 sm, E. longiglumis, 2n+6x=42=34 m+8 sm. No satellites have been founded in the 6

species and all the karyotypes belong to 1B or 2B type:

Two New Species of Pedicularis from Sichuan

Yang Han-Pi

1989, 27 (3): 222-224.

Abstract ( 0 )

Two New Species of Melandrium (Caryophyllaceae) from Inner Mongolia

Zhao Yi-Zhi, Ma Ping

1989, 27 (3): 225-227.

Abstract ( 0 )

Two New Species of Bambusoideae from Hunan

Ye Guang-Han, Wang Zheng-Ping

1989, 27 (3): 228-229.

Abstract ( 0 )

A New Species of Clematis from Hunan

Yang Bao-Min

1989, 27 (3): 230-231.

Abstract ( 0 )

An Algorithm for Cladistic Taxonomy—Method of Maximal Same Step Length

Xu Ke-Xue

1989, 27 (3): 232-239.

Abstract ( 0 )

This paper deals with the numerical cladistic taxonomy. A method for

constructing evolutionary tree (method of maximal same step length) is proposed in the appli-

cations and practice of cladistic taxonomy. Its algorithm runs as follows:

1) According to the order of evolution, characters are coded with nonnegative integers,

producing the original data matrix.

2) Calculate the same step coefficients Sij (i≠j) by the formula (3) and form the coef-

ficient matrix.

3. Find the maximal value S_pq of the same step coefficients in the coefficient matrix.

4) According to the maximal same step length S_pq, the most recent common ancestor CTU,

of CTUp and CTUq can be determinated by (2).

5) draw the cladistic edges of cladogram representing the evolutionary relationship from

OTUT to OTUp and OTUq.

If the number of CTUs in the data matrix≤2, go to (2), otherwise stop.

An example of 6 species from the family Campanulaceae is given for illustration (See

Table 1).

In general case, the evolutionary length of the cladogram obtained by this method is shor-

ter than that by monothetic and other methods. Its algorithm is easily performed and is espe-

cially suitable for computerizing.

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