Abstract:Caryopsis micromorphological characteristics of nine species of Eleusine were studied using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that there were three types of ventral shapes in caryopses including oval, lanceolate, and oblong, two types of compression including dorsiventral and lateral, two types of ventral faces including flat and concave. The embryo proportion ranged from 0.29 to 0.58, and hilum proportion from 0.10 to 0.24. There were two types of surface sculpture including the verrucate simple sculpture and the compound reticulate sculpture composed by the regular spread of verrucae. The mean diameter of caryopsis foveola ranged from 0.57 µm to 1.31 µm with a density from 30 to 200 in 100 µm2. It can be concluded that caryopsis ventral shape, sculpture, and foveola are very useful characteristics for the identification of species and the inference of interspecific relationships in Eleusine. Because of the flat and concave ventral face, caryopses of Eleusine have relatively small bulk, therefore possibly aiding rapid development and maturation. All characters seem to be particularly valuable in climates of East Africa seasonal drought.

Abstract:The leaf anatomic structure of Wikstroemia indica (L.) C. A. Mey was studied under light microscope by using frozen section technique. The results showed that the leaves of W. indica exhibited morphological characteristics of xerophytism, heliophyte with mesophyte. Leaf epidermis consisted of one layer of closely arranged and irregular cells with thick cuticular membrane on outer cell wall, and there were not hair on abaxial and adaxial epidermis. Stomata are anomocytic type, large and sunken, and only sparsely distributed on abaxial epidermis. The two layers of palisade tissue each distributed under the abaxial and adaxial epidermis, respectively. The upper palisade tissue consisted of 1-2 layer(s) regularly arranged cylindrical cells, and the lower palisade tissue and spongy tissue cells arranged loosely, with a ratio of 1.16∶1 for the palisade tissue to the spongy tissue. There were rich chloroplasts in the mesophyll cells. The leaf main vein is well developed with endophytic vasucular bundles and hadrocentric fibers. All these characteristics indicated that the leaf structure of W. indica could well adapt to its growing environment.

Abstract:The floristic characteristics of seed plants in Qipanshan Forest Park in Liaoning Province were studied on the basis of field investigation and specimen identification. The results showed that there were 264 seed plants, belonging to 69 families and 187 genera. Among which there were 23 gymnosperm species, belonging to 4 families and 9 genera, and 241 angiosperm species, belonging to 65 families and 178 genera. The seed plants in Qipanshan Forest Park were abundant, and the geographic elements of flora were complicated and predominated by temperate elements. There were a certain amount of rare and protected plants. However, endemism in this area was not obvious, and only contained 1 genus and 9 species endemic to China.

Abstract:The correct name of the black-flowered Primula collected from Zhe-dou Shan, Kanding of Sichuan Province is Primula melanantha (Franch.) C. M. Hu. Taxonomic and nomenclatural confusion about this species were discussed and clarified.

Abstract:A new variety of Maesa Forssk. from Kachin State of Myanmar, M. permollis var. glabrifolia is described. It differs from the type variety by its glabrous leaves.

Abstract:Schima argentea Pritz. var. platycarpa Q. Luo, a new variety of Schima Reinw. from Xichang, Sichuan, China, is described. This new variety is different from the typical variety by having big petals with pubescence at ventral base, 2-2.6 cm long and 1.6-2.2 cm wide, capsules oblate, 1.7-2.1 cm in diameter and 1-1.3 cm height. Pollen morphology of Schima argentea Pritz. var. argentea and S. argentea Pritz. var. platycarpa Q. Luo were observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the results showed that exine ornamentation of Schima argentea Pritz. var. argentea was reticulate with perforation, and that is reticulate without perforation in this new variety.

Abstract:The intraspecific and interspecific competitions intensity of C. kawakamii seedlings in C. kawakamii Nature Reserve were quantitatively analyzed by using Hegyi’s competition index model. The results showed that the intraspecific competition intensity of C. kawakamii seedlings decreased gradually with increment of seedlings height. The interspecific competition intensity in C. kawakamii community was in order as Litsea subcoriacea＞Camellia octopetala＞Machilus grijsii＞Calamus thysanolepis＞Itea oblonga＞Schima superba＞Antidesma japonicum＞Diplospora dubia＞Engelhardtia fenzelii＞Clausena dentata＞Syplocos lancifolia＞Ardisia punctata＞Syzygium buxifolium＞Distyliopsis dunnii＞Syzygii buxifolii＞Chloranthus glabra＞Castanopsis kawakamii＞Castanopsis fargesii＞Maesa japonica. The competition intensities of heliophytes species were strong with obvious height advantage, while those of skiophytes species or seedlings with shade-tolerance at early growth stage were weak and grown slowly. The competition intensities between the competitive trees and the objective trees with the objective trees’ height conformed to power function distribution which showed significantly negative correlation. At the same time, the intraspecific and interspecific competition intensities of C. kawakamii seedlings were also simulated and forecasted. The results showed that the intraspecific competition intensities of C. kawakamii seedlings at the early growth stage were at medium level. With the height of seedlings increasing, the intraspecific competition of C. kawakamii seedlings was weak gradually, while the interspecific competition of C. kawakamii seedlings obviously increased, and the C. kawakamii population had the tendency of deterioration. In order to improve the survival of C. kawakamii seedlings, the C. kawakamii seedlings should be protected strengthen and promoted growth by artificial cultivations when the seedling height were under 125 cm. The competition intensity of C. kawakamii seedlings tended to be stable when the height reached up to 125 cm.

Abstract:Based on the 2×2 contingency table, a series of parameters, including X2-test, Ochiai values (OI) and correlation index were used to analyze the characteristics of interspecific associations among 17 dominant populations in the communities with Alseodaphne hainanensis in Bawangling, Hainan Island. The results showed that the interspecific associations among 17 dominant populations were not significantly positive correlation. The 136 species pairs at all were consisted of 17 dominant populations. When the sampling area was 100 m2, 72 species pairs had positive correlation, 63 species pairs negative correlation, and 1 species pairs no correlation. The X2-test indicated that 2 species pairs had significantly positive correlation and 3 species pairs had significantly or very significantly negative correlation. The Ochiai value (OI) of 125 species pairs ranged from 0 to 0.6, 9 species pairs were greater than or equal to 0.6, and 2 species pairs were 0. When the sampling area was 50 m2, 59 species pairs had positive correlation, 70 species pairs negative correlation, and 7 species pairs no correlation. The X2-test indicated that 6 species pairs had significantly positive correlation, and 2 species pairs had significantly negative correlation. The OI of 129 species pairs ranged frome 0 to 0.6, and the others 7 species pairs were 0. There were differences in interspecific association among communities with different dominant populations, but the interspecific associations in community with Syzygium araiocladum as dominant population were stronger than those in other communities, it reflected that the community was stable.

Abstract:To understand species diversity and spatial distribution of benthic diatom in Zeng River, a branch of Dongjiang River, Guangdong Province, southern China. The benthic diatoms were sampled in January and May, 2010, respectively. The diatom species were identified according to KLB classification system and photos provided by Patrick Environmental Research Center. The correlation between the dominant species and some influential factors were studied with multivariate analysis method based on the sample data and environmental parameters. Altogether 42 genera and 178 species were identified. Compared with those in January, the number of diatom decreased and the species composition changed in May. The species distribution exhibited regular pattern from downstream to upstream, in which Nitzschia occupied a significant proportion in the fourth class stream, Navicula in the third class stream, and Achnanthes in the first and second class streams. The abundance of Nitzschia was strongly correlated with total phosphorus and conductivity. It suggested that Nitzschia genus could be used to develop biological index for monitoring the water condition of Zeng River.

Abstract:The influences of simulated acid rain and aluminum (Al) addition on main chemical quality and aluminum accumulation in tea leaves were investigated, which grown in acid deposition regions of red soil in southern China. The tea plants were treated with three pH levels (3.0, 4.0, 5.0) of acid rain and four levels of Al addition (0, 10, 20, 30 mg L-1), respectively. The results showed that the contents of tea polyphenols and caffeine was the highest in tea leaves treated with pH 4.0 acid rain, and the contents of amino acid, catechin and soluble sugar decreased with increasing acidity, while the flavonoid content showed no significant difference among three levels of pH solutions (P<0.05). With the increasing Al concentrations in solution, the contents of tea polyphenols, caffeine, amino acid, catechin, flavonoid and soluble sugar in tea leaves increased first and decreased later. Simulated acid rain and Al addition had significant interactive effects on polyphenols, catechin and flavones, while no interactions on caffeine, soluble sugar and amino acid were found. The catechin content in tea leaves was inhibited by the highest pH (5.0) and Al concentration (30 mg L-1) in solution. The Al accumulation in tea leaves was the highest in the treatment of middle Al concentration in solution (20 mg L-1), while the Al accumulation in roots, shoots and old leaves were not significantly different among three treatments of Al concentration. The Al accumulation in tea leaves increased with decreasing pH solution under lower Al concentration (10 mg L-1), while the Al content in tea leaves was the lowest under the lowest pH (3.0) and the highest Al concentration (30 mg L-1) in solution among the twelve treatments. Therefore, it was recommend that the moderate acidity (pH close to 4.0) and Al content (10~20 mg L-1) in solution was advantaged to improve tea quality.

Abstract:After harvested longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour. ‘Fuyan’) fruits were infected by Phomopsis longanae Chi, the changes in lipoxygenase (LOX) activity, fatty acid constituents of membrane lipids and cellular membrane permeability in pericarp were studied. The results showed that the browning index, LOX activity and cellular membrane permeability increased in pericarp of longan fruits infected by P. longanae. The unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid (C18∶2), linolenic acid (C18∶3) and gondoic (C20∶1), decreased, while the saturated fatty acids, such as palmitic acid (C16∶0) and stearic acid (C18∶0), increased, and the index of unsaturated fatty acids (IUFA) and unsaturation degree of fatty acids decreased. These suggested that longan pericarp browning induced by P. longanae might be due to LOX activity increment and degradation of unsaturated fatty acids of membrane lipids acceleration, which caused the integrity of cellular membrane structure breakage, in turn, the cellular compartmentation function loss, resulting in the contact of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) with phenolic substrates and subsequent oxidation phenolics to form brown polymers.

Abstract:To achieve foreign protein expression in the chloroplast of Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a chloroplast transformation vector was constructed. The sequences rns-trnI and trnA-rnl from P. tricornutum chloroplast genome were cloned and used as homologous recombination elements. Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene (CAT) expression cassette conferring chloramphenicol resistance was employed as selection marker, and green fluorescent protein gene (GFP) as reporter gene. Based on the TA cloning vector pMD19-T, CAT and GFP expression cassette were cloned in between the two homologous recombination elements. The resultant chloroplast transformation vector was transferred into the chloroplast of P. tricornutum by electroporation method. Transplastomic P. tricornutum cells were obtained upon chloramphenicol selection and reporter GFP could be detected in the chloroplasts, indicating that chloroplast expression system was successfully achieved.

Abstract:To achieve foreign protein expression in the chloroplast of Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a chloroplast transformation vector was constructed. The sequences rns-trnI and trnA-rnl from P. tricornutum chloroplast genome were cloned and used as homologous recombination elements. Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene (CAT) expression cassette conferring chloramphenicol resistance was employed as selection marker, and green fluorescent protein gene (GFP) as reporter gene. Based on the TA cloning vector pMD19-T, CAT and GFP expression cassette were cloned in between the two homologous recombination elements. The resultant chloroplast transformation vector was transferred into the chloroplast of P. tricornutum by electroporation method. Transplastomic P. tricornutum cells were obtained upon chloramphenicol selection and reporter GFP could be detected in the chloroplasts, indicating that chloroplast expression system was successfully achieved.

Abstract:A new hybrid with high ornamental characteristics, Alpinia hainanensis ‘Shengzhen’, derived from the generation of the hybrid combination of Alpinia hainanensis K. Schumann, was bred by using hybrid breeding. The female parent with milky white bracteoles was collected from Guangdong in 1975 and the male parent with rose pink bracteoles from Guangxi in 1983. The hybrid is better than the parents in ornamental characters and adaptability, such as tufted leaf shoots, long inflorescences, pink bracteoles and long blooming period, etc., which is of high value in landscape architecture.

Abstract:Cellulose is a major component in cell wall and carries out many important physiological functions. In addition, it is necessary material for human life and production. The recent progresses in cellulose synthesis, the functions of relative enzymes and microfibril in process of cellulose synthesis were reviewed. The studies in cellulose synthesis were prospected.