Abstract:The leaf epidermal characters of 35 species and 8 varieties of Leptodermis Wall. (Rubiaceae) were observed under light and scanning electron microscopes. The results showed that leaf epidermal cells were either polygonal or irregular, with straight, arched, or sinuous anticlinal walls. The leaves were hypostomatic, with both of paracytic and actinocytic stomata. The trichomes distributed ad- and abxially epidermis were either simple unicellular or uniseriate multicellular. Leaf cuticular membrane was granular, reticulate, or papilliform. These characters exhibit interspecific variation among Leptodermis species and it could provide informative evidence for taxonomic and systematic analysis.

Abstract:A checklist of pteridophytes from Mt. Yunkai Nature Reserve in western Guangdong, China is presented based on recent field surveys and specimens studies. The list comprises 185 species, of which ten are new records to Guangdong: Alsophila costularis, Sphaeropteris brunoniana, Pteris setulosacostulata, Acystopteris tenuisecta, Allantodia muricata, Asplenium tenuifolium, Nothoperanema shikokianum, Dryopteris polita, Elaphoglossum yunnanense, and Loxogramme assimilis. This flora primarily consists of Tropical & Subtropical Asia elements and Eastern Asia elements, either contains about 37% of the total species. There are not local endemics but 13 species endemic to China. Species in Dryopteridaceae, Polypodiaceae, Thelypteridaceae, Athyriaceae, and Aspleniaceae are most rich. Ecologically, 143 species were recorded in evergreen broad-leaved forest at altitude from 900 m to 1300 m, 15 species in man-made Cryptomeria fortunei forest or strongly disturbed broad-leaved forest at altitude below 800 m, and 23 species in mossy dwarf forest at altitude from 1400 to 1700 m. In addition, some rare and precious pteridophytes were found in this region, such as Phlegmariurus phlegmaria, P. austrosinicu, Sceptridium daucifolium, Gymnosphaera metteniana, Alsophila costularis, Sphaeropteris brunoniana, Antrophyum obovatum, Arachniodes nigrospinosa, Dryopteris liangkwangensis, Elaphoglossum yunnanense, Cheiropleuria bicuspis, Micropolypodium okuboi, and Prosaptia urceolaris.

Abstract:Magnolia nitida var. robusta B. L. Chen & Nooteboom is elevated to species rank and transferred to the genus Parakmeria Hu & W. C. Cheng as Parakmeria robusta (B. L. Chen & Nooteboom) Q. N. Vu & N. H. Xia. It differs from P. nitida (W. W. Smith) Y. W. Law by having larger leaves, longer petioles, gynoecium hidden by the androecium (vs. exceeding from the androecium), flowers bisexual and male (vs. bisexual), tepals cream white (vs. yellow), and connective appendage ca. 0.3-0.5 mm (vs. 3-3.5 mm).

Abstract:Calanthe graciliflora f. jiangxiensis B. Li, L. J. Kong et B. Y. Yang, a new form of C. graciliflora Hayata (Orchidaceae) from Jiangxi Province, China, was described and illustrated. The new form could be easily distinguished from the autonym form by its bilobate calcaria.

Abstract:Based on observation of herbarium specimens, Dalbergia darlacensis P. H. H ô & Niyomdham was reduced as new synonym of D. tsoi Merr. et Chun.

Abstract:Justicia poilanei Benoist is reported as a new record to China, and occurs in limestone hills at 1000-2400 m in southern Yunnan Province. It was identified as Jusicia patentiflora Hemsl. in herbaria, but differs from the latter by its calyx triangular-ovate, corolla ca. 2 cm long, and anther-thecae muticous at base.

Abstract:A new combination, Peristrophe brevispicata (I. Darbysh.) Y. F. Deng et Z. P. Hao, is proposed.

Abstract:The culm form and timber properties of three Dendrocalamus species, such as D. mino var. amoenus, D. asper and D. brandisii, were studied. The results showed that there were significant difference in height under branch and very significant difference on relative total height among three bamboo species. The diameter at breast height (DBH), total height, height under branch, taper and wall thickness ratio of D. brandisii were the biggest, while the relative height under branch was the smallest. With the increment of bamboo age, water content of bamboo culm decreased significantly with order as D. minor var. amoenus > D. brandisii >D. asper. The difference in relative volume of D. brandisii, D. minor var. amoenus, D. asper was very significant with 1771.35 cm³ cm^-1, 1166.66 cm³ cm^-1, and 659.78 cm³ cm^-1, respectively. With the increment of bamboo age, timber density increased significantly, D. minor was the highest, and D. asper was the lowest. Timber density of 3-year-old D. minor var. amoenus, D. brandisii and D. asper was 0.914 g cm^-3, 0.812 g cm^-3, and 0.749 g cm^-3, respectively. It suggested that D. minor var. amoenus could accomplish as ornament and shoot use bamboo, otherwise D. brandisii and D. asper as bamboo shoot and timber.

Abstract:The reproductive characteristics of Eupatorium odoratum population in three typical communities, such as E. odoratum community (dominancy community), Vitex negundo-E. odoratum community (mixed community), and Neyraudia reynaudiana -Microstegium vegans community (concomitant community), were studied in karst rocky mountain in Guangxi. The results showed that the number of capitulum of E. odoratum in 1 square meter ranged from 520 to 3281, and seed yield from 12941 to 74386 grains m^-2, each capitulum produced 22 to 25 seeds and the 1000-seed-weight ranged from 0.17 to 0.19 g. The number of capitulum and seed yield per individual in mixed community were significantly different from those in concomitant community, but there were not significant difference between dominant community and two another communities. There was a positive correlation between individual seed yield and plant height, as well as biomass. Seed yield in unit area was positively correlated with the number of flowering plants and capitulum, but was weakly correlated with coverage. In the three communities in arid karst rocky mountain, E. odoratum could produce a large number and light seeds, it indicated that E. odoratum had strong reproductive capacity and displayed strong invasive, and it also could choose the corresponding reproductive strategy according to the environment change, so that it could adapt to environment at large scale.

Abstract:The survival, main stem length and biomass of Ipomoea cairica cuttings were studied under different light environments and different seasons. The results showed that the survival, main stem length, and biomass of I. cairica gradually decreased and the cutting germination delayed with the cutting length decreased. The survival of I. cairica had no significant difference under sunlight and the understory, and the plant biomass was less in the understory than that under the sunlight. The shorter cuttings were not subject to lengthen the main stem in the understory. The main stem length and biomass in winter were the lowest among four seasons. The longest length of the cuttings which can't regenerate was 4 cm under the sunlight and 5 cm in the understory in spring, 4 cm in summer, 1 cm in autumn, and 1 cm under the sunlight and 3 cm in the understory in winter, respectively. Therefore, it was economical removing method that I. cairica branches were cut into 5 cm length segments in spring, and put them in the understory. Without considering the seasonal and light conditions, less than 1 cm of the cuttings should be selected in order to effectively avoid the regeneration of I. cairica.

Abstract:The volatile oils were extracted from inflorescences of Capillipedium assimile (Steud.) A. Camus by means of the steam distillation. Forty-five compounds were identified from the oils by GC-MS analysis, accounting for 93.24% of the total volatile oils. The main constituents were 4-undecanone (18.52%), (E)-2-hexenyl hexanoate (8.042%), 4-nonanol (7.778%), 4-undecanol (7.265%), and heptyl hexanoate (6.787%), etc.

Abstract:The ethanol extract from the stems of Hydnocarpus hainanensis (Merr.) Sleum. was separated and purified by means of chromatographic technology, and six compounds were isolated. On the basis of spectral data, they were identified as coniferaldehyde (1), mulberroside C (2), mulberrofuran G (3), mulberrofuran K (4), morusin (5) and daucosterol (6). All the compounds were isolated from H. hainanensis for the first time. Compound 1 showed inhibitory activities towards human hepatoma cell line (SMMC-7721) and human gastric carcinoma (SGC-7901) cell line, and compounds 3 and 5 showed obvious inhibitory activities towards SGC-7901.

Abstract:Eleven compounds were extracted from EtOH extract of the twigs of Calophyllum inophyllum. On the basis of spectroscopic data, their structures were identified as 6-hydroxy-2,3-dimethoxyxanthone (1), 1,3,7-trihydroxylxanthone (2), 1,3,7-trihydroxy-8-methoxyxanthone (3), 7-hydroxy-1,3-dimethoxyxanthone (4), pseudo taraxasterol (5), 1,3,6-trihydroxy-5,7-dimethoxyxanthone (6), 2-hydroxy-1-methoxy-xanthone (7), 2-hydroxy-1,8-dimethoxyxanthone (8), 1,3,5-trihydroxy-2-methoxyxanthone (9), 4-hydroxyxanthone (10), and 1,3,5-trihydroxyxanthone (11) . Compounds 6-8 were isolated from this plant for the first time, and compounds 2-5 from the genus Calophyllum for the first time. Compound 1 was a new natural product. Compound 9 showed inhibitory activities towards human gastric carcinoma (SGC-7901), with the IC₅₀ value of 1.8×10^-5 mol/L.

Abstract:The isolation and screening pacilitaxel-producing endofungus from Taxus chinensis var. mairei were studied, which derived from Ruyuan Xian, Guangdong Province. The 145 endophytic fungi were obtained from the bark, stem, leaf and leaf grinding juice of T. chinensis var. mairei, respectively, in which 53 strains were fermented by shake flask for screening paclitaxel-producing endophytic fungi. The fermented solutions and thalli were grinded, centrifugated, extracted by ethyl acetate and concentrated, and one strain of endophytic fungal from the shem of T. chinensis var. mairei was identified by using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and HPLC-mass spectrometry (MS). The strain of endofungus could produce paclitaxel or its isimer with yield of 180 μg L^-1. Thus, It should be possible for increasing the yield of paclitaxel on a large scale by mutagenesis, screening and optimizing the culture condition.

Abstract:The cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) inhibiting axillary bud growth gene, CsCCD7, had been cloned (GenBank accession number: HQ005419) using by RACE, and its bioinformatics and semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis were studied. The results showed that the CsCCD7 was the homologue gene of AtMAX3/CCD7 in Arabidopsis thaliana, which contain ORF with 1665 bp, and code the protein with 554 amino acids, named CsCCD7, belonging to CCD protein family. The secondary and tertiary structure prediction of CsCCD7 showed having rich β sheets, β turns and irregular curls, which indicated it was unstable protein. CsCCD7 expression in roots was the highest, while that in dwarf cucumber 'D0462’ with lot of branches were the lowest by RT-PCR analysis. It suggested that the CsCCD7 protein could revolve in control branch signal transduction and related gene expression in cucumber.

Abstract:The methods of eliminating walls by enzymolysis and low osmosis were used to analyze the somatic cell chromosome number of four original species of Chinese medicine 'Xihuangcao’. The results showed that the chromosome number of Isodon lophanthoides (Buch.-Harn. ex D. Don) Hara is 2n=3x=36, possibly this is a triploid. However, the others, such as I. serra (Maxim.) Kudo, I. lophanthoides var. gerardiana (Benth.) H. Hara, and I. lophanthoides var. graciliflora (Benth.) H. Hara, belongs to diploid, which chromosome numbers are 2n=2x=24. The chromosome numbers of 4 species were reported here for the first time. Especially, the triploid population was first found, it would be as references for identification, genetic and breeding in original species of Chinese medicine 'Xihuangcao’.

Abstract:The effects of stay-green rice gene (SGR) mutation and overexpression on thylakoid protein degradation in rice leaves were studied by using protein immunoblot method. The results showed that the overexpression of SGR reduced the contents of protein in photosystem II (PSII), as well as PSI and electron transport chain under normal growth condition. During the dark-induced senescence, SGR mutation delayed the degradation of PSII and PSI proteins, but proteins in the electron transport chain had no changes. Under nitrogen deficiency stress, the overexpression of SGR promoted the thylakoid protein degradation, whereas SGR mutation delayed the thylakoid protein degradation. Therefore, the overexpression of SGR could promote the degradation of thylakoid protein in photosystem I and II, and electron transport chain.

Abstract:Floral scent plays an important role in attracting insect pollinators and also enhances the economic value of ornamental plants and commercial value of perfumery. In recent years, with the development of molecular biological technology, especially many genes related to floral scent have been cloned, the regulation mechanism of biosynthesis and metabolism of floral scent compounds had be understood deeply, so that it was possible to change floral scents by genetic engineering technology. The advances in the biosynthesis path way, emission, and gene regulation of floral scent compounds were reviewed, and the strategies of changing floral scent by genetic engineering were discussed, and the molecular breeding of floral scent in the future was prospected.