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Actaea muliensis (Ranunculaceae), a new species from Muli County, Sichuan Province, China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is somewhat similar to A. mairei, but is most readily distinguishable from that species and others within A. sect. Cimicifuga by, among other characters, the dark purple (vs yellow) staminodes. Actaea muliensis is revealed to be a diploid (2n = 16) species with 3-colpate pollen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate that Cimicifuga lancifoliolata (Ranunculaceae) is not conspecific with Actaea brachycarpa but is a very distinctive species that is readily distinguishable by an array of morphological characters. Our previous molecular analyses have indicated that the affinities of C. lancifoliolata do not lie with A. brachycarpa but with the otherwise rather isolated A. vaginata. The morphological characters and geographical range of A. brachycarpa are also clarified, and chromosomal data are reported for both A. brachycarpa (2n = 16 = 10m + 4sm + 2st) and C. lancifoliolata (2n = 16 = 10m + 4sm + 2st (2sat)) for the first time. Here we adopt the broad generic concept and delimitation of Actaea, in which the two genera Cimicifuga and Souliea are included, and thus propose a new combination, A. lancifoliolata. We give a full description for both A. brachycarpa and A. lancifoliolata, and establish a new section, A. sect. Chloranthae, to accommodate A. lancifoliolata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to gain better knowledge of the number and morphology of chromosomes in Aconitum subgen. Lycoctonum in China, 60 populations belonging to 20 species were cytologically studied. Chromosome numbers of six species ( A. apetalum, A. finetianum, A. fletcheranum, A. longecassidatum, A. umbrosum and A. wangyedianense) are here reported for the first time. One species, A. fletcheranum, has 2n = 12, and thus is a diploid based on x = 6, a new base chromosome number for the genus Aconitum. Most of the remaining taxa are diploid (2n = 16) based on x = 8, but five taxa ( A. angustius, A. brevicalcaratum var. brevicalcaratum, A. brevicalcaratum var. parviflorum, A.chrysotrichum and A. crassiflorum) are tetraploid with 2n = 32, and one species ( A. apetalum) is hexaploid with 2n = 48, the highest ploidy level currently known in the subgenus. Disregarding differences in the presence or absence and number of satellites, the karyotypes of all the 2n = 16 species are quite uniform (2n = 2m + 6sm + 8st), but A. novoluridum, the only species of A. section Alatospermum, has an intrachromosomally less asymmetric karyotype (2n = 2m + 14sm), which lends further support for the primitive condition of its section as inferred from gross-morphology. Chromosomal variation in the subgenus and the relationships of some of the species are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate that the controversial Parasenecio delphiniiphyllus (known from northeastern Yunnan and western Guizhou, China) is not conspecific with P. delphiniifolius (Japan) since these two species are readily distinguishable by inflorescence structure and involucre length, as well as in the length of anther tails and anther collars. The two species also have different chromosome numbers, 2n = 60 in P. delphiniiphyllus and 2n = 52 in P. delphiniifolius. Evidence from gross morphology, floral micro-morphology, cytology and geographical distribution strongly supports the independent specific status of P. delphiniiphyllus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of growth, and water-soluble polysaccharide and total alkaloid accumulation in protocom-like bodies (PLBs) of Dendrobium huoshanenese in liquid culture system., Method: PLBs were suspended in liquid medium and growth kinetics was analyzed. Water-soluble polysaccharide and total alkaloid content in PLBs were determined by colorimetry., Result: PLBs were induced from stem explants of D. huoshanenese regenerants cultured on MS medium supplemented with NAA or NAA and KT at different concentrations. Basal MS medium was suitable for propagation of PLBs. When PLBs were suspended in liquid medium, mumax was 0.044.d-1, t(d) was 15.8 d and the optimum growth time was 4 weeks. Water-soluble polysaccharide and total alkaloid contents in PLBs were 3.75% and 0.0261%, respectively., Conclusion: PLBs in liquid culture system show a potential for rapid growth and high metabolite synthesis, which provides possibility for exploiting resources of D. huoshanenese by large scale culture of PLBs.