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The c. 270 endemic species of Pedicularis in the Himalaya–Hengduan Mountains (HHM) region exhibit high diversity in geographic distribution, elevational range and floral morphology. Many of these, including the species with the longest corolla tubes and beaked galeas, are monophyletic and represent a putative in situ radiation. In this study, we focus on the representative Clade 3 within the HHM region. We integrate the plastid phylogeny of this clade with environmental data and species distributions to infer environmental correlates of species diversity. We estimate macroevolutionary rates and reconstructed ancestral states for geographic ranges and corolla traits, and analyse patterns of range overlap and niche evolution to assess drivers of diversification in the HHM region. Our results show that the region from northwest Yunnan to southwest Sichuan is the centre of diversity for this clade of Pedicularis. Rates of diversification are associated with precipitation and multiple environmental factors. Multiple range expansions from the Sanjiang (Three Parallel Rivers) region, followed by allopatric speciation across the HHM region, contributed to early rapid diversification. Corolla traits are not significantly associated with species diversification. This study highlights the importance of integrated evidence for understanding species diversification dynamics and contributes to our understanding of the origins of the remarkable richness of plant species in the HHM region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biogeographical history of many lineages within the Lauraceae remains poorly known because of the difficulty of assigning macrofossils to living genera, poor pollen preservation, and the absence of sufficiently resolved or well‐supported phylogenies. Here, we utilize plastid genome sequencing to reinvestigate the phylogenetic and biogeographic history of trees in the tribe Cryptocaryeae, an important component of broad‐leaved forests worldwide, with around 800 species that rely on vertebrate frugivores to disperse their seeds. A new time‐calibrated phylogeny with high support for 176 species was used to infer the biogeographic history and speciation rates based on inferences of BAMM analyses. A monophyletic Cryptocaryeae with Aspidostemon, Beilschmiedia, Cryptocarya, Dahlgrenodendron, and Eusideroxylon clades was confirmed. The five clades of Cryptocaryeae were estimated to share a common ancestor in tropical Africa or Asia in the Early Cretaceous around 123 Ma. The Beilschmiedia and Cryptocarya clades were estimated to have originated in South America around 66 Ma. Extant subclades of the Beilschmiedia clade could colonize Australia by 35 Ma and extant subclades of the Cryptocarya clade could colonize Australia by 42 Ma. Diversification rates of the Beilschmiedia clade accelerated 14 and 12 Ma after its origin and diversification rates of the Cryptocarya clade accelerated 18 Ma after its origin. Over 45% extant Cryptocaryeae species originated in the three periods of accelerated differentiation in the Miocene of Asia and Australia. Long‐distance dispersal has had a major influence on biogeography, with dispersal to Asia likely occurring seven times, Zealandia six times, America three times, Australia three times, Africa twice, and Oceania at least once. Over 70% extant Cryptocaryeae species which diverged before the Quaternary grow in the Southern Hemisphere, while 90% extant Cryptocaryeae species which diverged in the Quaternary grow in the Northern Hemisphere. The Cryptocaryeae originated in and diversified with the first angiosperm‐dominated broad‐leaved evergreen forests, from the Cretaceous to the Paleogene. Long‐distance seed dispersal, probably by birds, although possibly also by flotation, has allowed the tribe to track these forests in space and time, despite a failure to adapt to cold, dry, or highly seasonal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The millions of herbarium specimens in collections around the world provide historical resources for phylogenomics and evolutionary studies. Many rare and endangered species exist only as historical specimens. Here, we report a case study of the monotypic Pseudobartsia yunnanensis D. Y. Hong (=Pseudobartsia glandulosa[Bentham] W. B. Yu & D. Z. Li: Orobanchaceae) known from a single Chinese collection taken in 1940. We obtained genomic data of Pseudobartsia glandulosa using high‐throughput short‐read sequencing, and then assembled a complete chloroplast genome and nuclear ribosome DNA region in this study. We found that the newly assembled three plastid DNA regions (atpB‐rbcL, rpl16, and trnS‐G) and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) of Pseudobartsia glandulosa were more than 99.98% similar to published sequences obtained by target sequencing. Phylogenies of Orobanchaceae using 30 plastomes (including 10 new plastomes), using both supermatrix and multispecies coalescent approaches following a novel plastid phylogenomic workflow, recovered seven recognized tribes and two unranked groups, both of which were proposed as new tribes, that is, Brandisieae and Pterygielleae. Within Pterygielleae, all analyses strongly supported Xizangia D. Y. Hong as the first diverging genus, with Pseudobartsia D. Y. Hong as sister to Pterygiella Oliver + Phtheirospermum Bunge (excluding Phtheirospermum japonicum [Thunberg] Kanitz); this supports reinstatement of Pseudobartsia and Xizangia. Although elements of Buchnereae‐Cymbarieae‐Orobancheae and Brandisieae‐Pterygielleae‐Rhinantheae showed incongruence among gene trees, the topology of the supermatrix tree was congruent with the majority of gene trees and functional‐group trees. Therefore, most plastid genes are evolving as a linkage group, allowing the supermatrix tree approach to yield internally consistent phylogenies for Orobanchaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The family Lauraceae is a major component of tropical and subtropical forests worldwide, and includes some commercially important timber trees and medicinal plants. However, phylogenetic relationships within Lauraceae have long been problematic due to low sequence divergence in commonly used markers, even between morphologically distinct taxa within the family. Here we present phylogenetic analyses of 43 newly generated Lauraceae plastomes together with 77 plastomes obtained from GenBank, representing 24 genera of Lauraceae and 17 related families of angiosperms, plus nine barcodes from 19 additional species in 18 genera of Lauraceae, in order to reconstruct highly supported relationships for the Lauraceae. Our phylogeny supports the relationships: sisterhood of the Lauraceae and a clade containing Hernandiaceae and Monimiaceae, with Atherospermataceae and Gomortegaceae being the next sister groups, followed by Calycanthaceae. Our results highlight a monophyletic Lauraceae, with nine well‐supported clades as follows: Hypodaphnis clade, Beilschmiedia–Cryptocarya clade, Cassytha clade, Neocinnamomum clade, Caryodaphnopsis clade, Chlorocardium–Mezilaurus clade, Machilus–Persea clade, Cinnamomum–Ocotea clade, and Laurus–Neolitsea clade. The topology recovered here is consistent with the patterns of plastome structural evolution and morphological synapomorphies reported previously. More specifically, flower sex, living type, inflorescence type, ovary position, anther locus number, leaf arrangement, leaf venation, lateral vein number, tree height, and inflorescence location all represent morphological synapomorphies of different lineages. Our findings have taxonomic implications and two new tribes, Caryodaphnopsideae and Neocinnamomeae, are described, and the composition of four other tribes is updated. The phylogeny recovered here provides a robust phylogenetic framework through which to address the evolutionary history of the Magnoliids, the third‐largest group of Mesangiospermae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic relationships in Dipsacales have long been a major challenge. Although considerable progress has been made during the past two decades, questions remain; the uncertain systematic positions of Heptacodium, Triplostegia, and Zabelia, in particular, impede our understanding of Dipsacales evolution. Here we use 75 complete plastomic sequences to reconstruct the phylogeny of Dipsacales, of which 28 were newly generated. Two primary clades were recovered that form the phylogenetic backbone of Dipsacales. Seven of the primary clades correspond to the recognized families Adoxaceae, Caprifoliaceae s. str., Diervillaceae, Dipsacaceae, Linnaeaceae, Morinaceae, and Valerianaceae, and one corresponds to Zabelia, which was found to be the closest relative of Morinaceae in all analyses. Additionally, our results, with greatly increased confidence in most branches, show that Heptacodium and Triplostegia are members of Caprifoliaceae s. str. and Dipsacaceae, respectively. The results of our study indicate that the complete plastomic sequences provide a fully‐resolved and well‐supported representation of the phylogenetic relationships within Dipsacales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Darwin proposed that pollen size should be positively correlated with stigma depth rather than style length among species given that pollen tubes first enter the stigma autotrophically, then grow through the style heterotrophically. However, studies often show a positive relationship between pollen size and style length. Five floral traits were observed to be correlated among 42 bumblebee-pollinated Pedicularis species (Orobanchaceae) in which stigmas are distinct from styles. The phylogenetic independent contrast analysis revealed that pollen grain volume was more strongly correlated with stigma depth than with style length, consistent with Darwin's functional hypothesis between pollen size and stigma depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Lecanicillium lecanii has been developed as a biopesticide and used in biological control of several agricultural insects. To improve fungal virulence, an optimised polyethylene glycol ( PEG)-mediated protoplast transformation system was established for L. lecanii. Pr1A-like cuticle-degrading protease gene ( Cdep1) from Beauveria bassiana was transferred into L. lecanii, and its resulting activity against Aphis gossypii was assessed. RESULTS The optimised protoplast generation yielded 2.5 × 108 protoplasts g−1 wet mycelium of fungi, and gave nearly 98% viability and 80% regeneration on plates. Protease activities were increased about fivefold in transformants expressing CDEP1. The median lethal concentration ( LC50) for transformants expressing CDEP1 was twofold lower than that for the wild type ( WT). The median survival time ( LT50) for transformants expressing CDEP1 was also 14.2% shorter than that for WT, though no significant difference. There were no significant differences in conidial germination as colony growth and conidial yield on plates between transformants expressing CDEP1 and WT. The transformants expressing CDEP1 grew significantly quicker than WT in insects. The transformants expressing CDEP1 were lower in conidial yields on insect cadavers, but insignificantly different from WT. CONCLUSION The PEG-mediated protoplast transformation system was effective for L. lecanii, and the expression of CDEP1 significantly enhanced fungal virulence against cotton aphids. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedicularis shows high diversity in its corolla form, however, its floral ontogeny has been rarely investigated. In particular, the development of the highly variable upper lip (galea), three broad morphological types of which (beakless and toothless, beakless and toothed, beaked) can be discriminated, remains unknown. We used scanning electron microscopy to investigate the early stages of floral ontogeny in two beaked species, Pedicularis gruina and P. siphonantha. To compare the developmental processes of the three galea types, three species for each type were investigated. Initiations of floral organs in Pedicularis are consistent. Sepal initiations are successive from the lateral-adaxial primordia, followed by the lateral-abaxial ones (these sometimes missing), then the mid-adaxial one (again sometimes missing). The stamens are initiated prior to the petals, or development of petal primordia may be retarded at the early stages in comparison with that of stamen primordia. Four stamen primordia are initiated simultaneously. The five petal primordia are initiated almost simultaneously. Development processes of the upper lip among the three galea types differ in the expansion rates and directions of the cells of the two lobes and these differences govern whether or not a beak and/or teeth are formed on the upper lip. The floral ontogeny of Pedicularis is close to that of Agalinis, which supports the molecular assignment. Floral monosymmetry of Pedicularis is established at the beginning of sepal initiation and is maintained until flowering. The development of the upper lip provides some clues to the evolution of beaked and/or toothed galeas in Pedicularis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedicularis (Orobranchaceae) is a common high altitude genus of the Himalayas that may be affected by pollination limitation. Using Pedicularis lachnoglossa from Yulong (Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain in Lijiang (Yunnan Province, southwest China), we investigated the effects of high altitude habitats on the process of pollination and seed production. Floral biology, pollinator foraging behavior, breeding system, and pollination efficiency were examined using observation and exclusionary techniques. Pedicularis lachnoglossa was found to be entomophilous and exclusively pollinated by Bombus friseanus and B. yunnanicola. Our results indicated that pollination limitation in P. lachnoglossa was not significant. Under open pollination, approximately 80% of flowers were successfully pollinated and developed to fruits, and about 38% of ovules developed to mature seeds. Bumblebee pollination is highly precise and efficient in P. lachnoglossa, because its flowering phenology and floral characters enhance the foraging of bumblebees on flowers. This study supports that animal pollination plays a crucial role in the outbreeding of the early flowering Pedicularis. The evolution of floral specification in Pedicularis has the advantages of adaptation to bumblebee pollination in adverse high altitude habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One application of DNA barcoding is species identification based on sequences of a short and standardized DNA region. In plants, various DNA regions, alone or in combination, have been proposed and investigated, but consensus on a universal plant barcode remains elusive. In this study, we tested the utility of four candidate barcoding regions ( rbcL, matK, trnH- psbA, and internal transcribed spacer (ITS)) as DNA barcodes for discriminating species in a large and hemiparasitic genus Pedicularis (Orobanchaceae). Amplification and sequencing was successful using single primer pairs for rbcL, trnH-psbA, and ITS, whereas two primer pairs were required for matK. Patterns of sequence divergence commonly showed a 'barcoding gap', that is, a bimodal frequency distribution of pairwise distances representing genetic diversity within and between species, respectively. Considering primer universality, ease of amplification and sequencing, and performance in discriminating species, we found the most effective single-region barcode for Pedicularis to be ITS, and the most effective two-region barcode to be rbcL + ITS. Both discriminated at least 78% of the 88 species and correctly identified at least 89% of the sequences in our sample, and were effective in placing unidentified samples in known species groups. Our results suggest that DNA barcoding has the potential to aid taxonomic research in Pedicularis, a species-rich cosmopolitan clade much in need of revision, as well as ecological studies in its center of diversity, the Hengduan Mountains region of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedicularis sect. Cyathophora is a distinctive group endemic to the eastern Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains region. It was regarded as a ‘grex’ or section and included all four general corolla types of Pedicularis. A unique feature of it is that the leaf and bract bases are fused together to form a cup-like structure around the stem at each node. Pollen morphology of seven species in sect. Cyathophora was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM). Two different pollen apertures could be distinguished (i.e. trisyncolpate and bisyncolpate) using LM, while examination with SEM made it possible to recognize three types of exine ornamentation (i.e. microscabrate, microfoveolate and microreticulate). The microfoveolate exine ornamentation was found in trisyncolpate pollen grains for the first time. Possible relationships between pollen data and the corolla types were discussed. Comparisons of floral and phyllotaxy characters of the genus Pedicularis, together with the pollen characters of sect. Cyathophora, could help us to better understand the evolutionary trends in Pedicularis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulsatilla has been separated from Anemone by many authors. However, molecular phylogenies show that this genus, along with Barneoudia, Knowltonia, Hepatica and Oreithales, is nested with Anemone. For this reason, Pulsatilla is better treated as a section of Anemone. For the Chinese Pulsatilla species, nine species names are already available in Anemone, and the remaining names of three species and four infraspecific taxa are transferred to Anemone here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on examination of original material, we demonstrate that the name Rhododendron sparsifolium W. P. Fang was indeed validly published when first published in 1983. Meanwhile, we correct the collectors of two of the three type gatherings listed in the protologue, including the holotype. Furthermore, we propose to reduce R. hejiangense to the synonymy of R. sparsifolium on the basis of morphological comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

' Callicarpa peichieniana W. Y. Chun & S. L. Chen ex W. Z. Fang' is a replacement name for Premna peii W. Y. Chun ex H. T. Chang. However, this replacement name was not validly published in 1982 by W. Z. Fang because the reference citation of the replaced synonym P. peii that was published in 1960 was contrary to Article 33.4 of ICBN. The first publication of Premna peii in 1960 was invalid due to lack of type indication, in conflict with Article 37.1, and it was subsequently validated in 1963. In this study, we correct the place of valid publication of P. peii, thereby validating C. peichieniana W. Y. Chun & S. L. Chen ex H. Ma & W. B. Yu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 'Flora of China', the combination ' Gymnosporia graciliramula (S. J. Pei & Y. H. Li) Q. R. Liu & Funston' was proposed, but this name was not validly published in 2008 because the presumed basionym Maytenus graciliramula S. J. Pei & Y. H. Li was not published in 1979 as stated, but in 1981, contrary to Article 33.4 of ICBN. Meanwhile, two older names, M. thyrsiflora S. J. Pei & Y. H. Li and M. pseudoracemosa S. J. Pei & Y. H. Li, were listed as synonyms in conflict with article 52.3 of ICBN. In this article, we propose a new combination G. thyrsiflora (S. J. Pei & Y. H. Li) W. B. Yu & D. Z. Li that is the correct name when G. thyrsiflora, M. pseudoracemosa and M. graciliramula are treated as a single species in Gymnosporia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information on a synonym of Pedicularis cyathophylla found in China. The plant belongs to the Orobanchaceae and contains two species. The morphological characteristics of the plant are described, including its flowers and lobes. The distribution of the plant in the country is also noted.

This article discusses the validation of the name Callicarpa bodinieri var. iteophylla found in China. The plant is endemic to the southern part of the Yunnan province and grows in mixed forests. The morphological characteristics of the species are described, including its leaves and flowers. The distribution of the plant is also noted.

The article focuses on the proposals to amend the Article (Art.) 53 of plant taxon Code. It states that proponents suggest to add several texts to Art. 53 including thibeticus and tibeticus, Astragalus tibetanus, and Berberis thibetica. Proponents argue that they are confused in some names derived from Tibet and Thibet that exist in one genus which is also confusing to Asian and other botanists. Moreover, they also propose to avoid using the form of Tibet and Thibet in the same genus.

Atalantia acuminata C. C. Huang, originally described in 1991, was an invalidly published name, because two collections were designated as the type and the herbarium in which the type was conserved was not specified. The name is validated here, with the flowering specimen kept in IBSC designated as the holotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]