Abstract:Baihuasheshecao is one of the important traditional Chinese medicines and mainly refers to Oldenlandia diffusa but can be adulterated with O. corymbosa in commercial and folk herbal medicine. Because of the longtime taxonomic debate and confusion about the taxonomy of Hedyotis-Oldenlandia complex, the scientific names of Baihuasheshecao components were treated under the genus of either Oldenlandia or Hedyotis in practice. In order to clarify the nomenclatural confusion, a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis was conducted on basis of seven plastid loci and two nuclear gene regions from the selected 85 taxa in the tribe Spermacoceae (Rubiaceae). The results demonstrated that O. diffusa should not be a member of Oldenlandia L. but Scleromitrion (Wight & Arn.) Meisn. Five new combinations are accordingly made and a detailed comparison between the two species is provided for identification in future practice.

Abstract:Herbarium observation has shown that Aconitum qianxiense W. T. Wang (Ranunculaceae) described from Qianxi, Hebei Province, northern China is identical in all essentials with A. kusnezoffii Reichb., a species quite common in northern and northeastern China. Aconitum qianxiense is therefore reduced to A. kusnezoffii as a synonym.

Abstract:Caldesia Parl. and C. grandis Sam. are reported as new records from central Laos. Caldesia grandis, the only species with leaves of which length shorter than width in the Old World wide-spread genus Caldesia, is originally recorded in China, Bangladesh, India and Malaysia. The description and photos in natural habitats of the species are here provided.

Abstract:A species of genus Pilea Lindl. (Urticaceae), P. basicordata W. T. Wang ex C. J. Chen, was newly recorded from Vietnam. It was discovered in Pu Hu Nature Reserve, Quan Hóa Town, Quan Hóa County, Thanh Hóa Province. A description, photos and distribution map of the species are provided. The species is similar to P. balansae Gagnep., but differs by its male inflorescence a lax cymose-panicle (not a capitulum), the bigger stipule, and the leaf blade acuminate or shortly caudate at apex.

Abstract:Cinnamomum daphnoides Sieb. et Zucc. is reported as a new record species of Lauraceae from China, which was found in South Jiushan Island of Xiangshan County in Zhejiang Province. According to the records, this species was endemic to Japan, distributed from the coastal areas of Kyushu to Okinawa Islands. The main morphological characters, habitat, photographs, voucher specimens are also provided for identification. The species with a disjunct distribution between east coast of China and Japan are enumerated and discussed, which indicate that there is a close link between the two floristic regions.

Abstract:The specimens of genus Myriactula (Phaeophyta, Elachistaceae) collected from China coasts were investigated. Four species were identified, including two new species, viz. Myriactula arabica (Kuetzing) Feldmann, M. clavata (Takamatsu) Feldmann, M. zhangpuensis Luan et Ding, sp. nov. and M. haizhouensis Luan et Ding, sp. nov. The taxonomic characteristics of the new species were described in detail. The holotypes were preserved in Marine Biological Herbarium, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Abstract:In order to understand the correlation between soil organic content (SOM) and soil physical and chemical indicators and plant diversity indexes in nature recovery process of karst forest, the SOM, soil physical and chemical characters and plant diversity indexes of different forest types in Maolan National Nature Reserve of southern Guizhou Province were studied. According to importance values of species in tree layer, 41 surveying plots in the Reserve were divided into 6 types, such as Lindera communis-Liquidambar formosana forest, Loropetalum chinense-Pinus massoniana forest, Acer sp.-Celtis tetrandra subsp. sinensis forest, Koelreuteria minor-Platycarya strobilacea forest, Cornus controversa-C. parviflora forest and Dendrobenthamia japonica var. chinensis-Cyclobalanopsis glauca forest. The results showed that SOM had significant difference between A or B stratum of soil among forest types, and the species number, diameter, height and density, as well as Margalef index, Simpson index, Shannon-Wiener index and Pielou index of different forest types also had difference significance. The soil porosity, water storage capacity and main fertility indexes increased with SOM increment. Plant diversity indexes of tree layer had positive relationship with SOM, especially significant correlation with SOM in A stratum of soil, and Simpson index and Pielou index with significant correlation to SOM in B stratum of soil, while those in shrub layer and herb layer had no significant correlation with SOM. Multivariate analysis showed that total contribution rate of plant diversity indexes to SOM in A stratum of soil was in the order of shrub layer > tree layer > herb layer, and that to SOM in B stratum of soil was herb layer > tree layer > shrub layer. It was suggested that plant diversity measures of SOM management of vegetation restoration in karst region were suitable for giving priority to with tree species, and combining with shrub and herb species. Meanwhile, the SOM was influenced not only by plant diversity indexes of tree layer, but also by succession stage and structure indexes of forest, the Quadratic polynomial turning point of plant diversity indexes could become to one of reference bases of species quantitative management in karst rocky desertification control engineering.

Abstract:To explore the adaptation mechanism of ex-situ conserved population of Taxus wallichiana var. mairei, the community structure, genetic diversity and genetic structure of ex-situ conserved population as well as its derived populations in Nanjing Botanical Garden were studied with the wild populations in northwestern Jiangxi as control. The results showed that both the wild populations and ex-situ conserved populations maintained high genetic diversity, and the genetic diversity of the wild populations was a little higher than that of the small exsitu conserved populations, but individual density in ex-situ conserved populations was higher than that of wild populations. At same time, the genetic variation within population was bigger than that between populations. In whole, ex-situ populations, showing unconspicuous founder effect, are still in the early succession and has potential to further development.

Abstract:In order to understand the structure changes of different Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis var. mairei) populations, the regeneration populations of Chinese yew, distributing in Shuangkeng Village in Xianyu Mountain of Anhui Province, Tongkeng Village in Tianmu Mountain of Zhejiang Province and Ecological Garden of Yew, Fujian Meihua Mountain National Nature Reserve, respectively, were studied from October to December in 2007, 2008 and 2012. The results showed that there were 1214 individuals Chinese yew in Xianyu Mountain in 2007, the number of seedlings accounting for 80%. Chinese yew distributed in Tianmu Mountain and Meihua Mountain had 510 and 174 individuals, the number of seedlings accounting for 39.61% and 70.11%, the number of tree height more than 9 m for 22.16% and 20.11%, respectively. All of the three natural regeneration populations showed slowly increasing and the survival curves were Deevey-Ⅲ type with clumped spatial pattern, and the mortality at growth stage from seedlings to saplings was high. It was suggested that the protect priority to rare and endangered T. chinensis var. mairei should be placed in stages from seedlings and saplings.

Abstract:In order to understand the function of nucleotide-binding site disease resistance genes (NBS) in Musa acuminata, based on recent publication of draft genome sequence of M. acuminata, the genome-wide NBSencoding genes were identified, classified and chromosome located. The characteristics of gene duplications, phylogeny construction, distribution of adjacent promoter elements, expression evidences, and homologous function inferences were analyzed. The results showed that 125 NBS genes were identified from whole genome of M. acuminata, including 78 regular and 47 non-regular NBS genes. They were clustered into two clades phylogenetically, and most of the regular NBS-encoding genes resided in gene clusters and tandem duplications were predominant. Expression clues were found among 77 regular genes according to the public EST database. These would provide some fundamental information about the NBS-encoding genes in Musa species, and promote molecular disease-resistant breeding of cultivate banana.

Abstract:In order to understand the physiological responses and mechanisms to aluminum stress in wild herb Plantago asiatica, the characteristics of osmotica, membranous peroxidation and protective enzyme system under aluminum stress were studied. The results showed that there were no significant effects on physiological indexes of P. asiatica treated with low concentration of aluminum. With increasing of aluminum concentration, the contents of proline, soluble sugar and soluble protein in leaves rose at first and then descended. Under high concentration of aluminum stress, the membrane permeability and MDA content of leaves increased significantly. When treated with 500 mg L^-1 Al³⁺ or above, the activities of SOD, CAT, POD in P. asiatica leaves increased significantly. Therefore, wild herb Plantago asiatica could start physiological protection mechanism to reduce harm by aluminum stress, showing strong resistance to aluminum.

Abstract:In order to understand the chemical constituents of Leucanea leucocephala, seven phenolic compounds were isolated from the ethanol extract of L. leucocephala pods. On the basis of spectral data, they were identified as ethyl protocatechuate (1), syringic acid (2), 3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propan-1-one (3), caffeic acid methyl ester (4), (Z)-p-coumaric aldehyde (5), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylpropane-7,8,9-trio1 (6), and guaiacylglycerol-8-O-4′-(sinapyl alcohol) ether (7). All the compounds were obtained from L. leucocephala for the first time. Compound 1 showed in vitro antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium strains.

Abstract:In order to understand the chemical constituents of Hemiboea subcapitata Clarke, five anthraquinones from ethanol extract of H. subcapitata. On the basis of spectral data, their structures were identified as digiferruginol (1), 1,4-dihydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-9,10-anthraxqui-none (2), 1,7-dihydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-9,10-anthraquinone (3), 1-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2-hydro-xymethyl-9,10-anthraquinone (4), and 1,4,7-trihydroxy-2-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone (5). Among them, compounds 4 and 5 are reported for the first time, and other three anthraquinones were also obtained from this plant for the first time.

Abstract:In order to understand the chemical constituents of Akebia trifoliata, seven phenylpropanoid compounds were isolated from the ethanol extract of Akebia trifoliata stems. On the basis of spectral data, their structures were identified as osmanthuside E (1), calceolarioside B (2), 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl-(6-O-feruloyl)-β-Dglucopyranoside (3), dunalianoside D (4), dunalianoside C (5), caffeic acid (6) and aesculetin (7). These compounds, except of compound 6, were isolated from the plant for the first time, and compounds 4 and 5 were obtained from the genus Akebia for the first time.

Abstract:Advances in taxonomy, systematics, and polyploid origins of Avena L. (Pooideae, Poaceae) were reviewed. The key issues in systematics studies of Avena included: the debate on phylogenetic position of Avena in the Avena group; the absence of conclusive evidence for the circumscription of Avena, especially for A. macrostachya Bal. ex Cass. & Dur.; the unresolved phylogenetic relationships of major lineages in Avena; the considerable controversy about the genomic origins of hexaploid cultivated oats (i.e., A. nuda L. and A. sativa L.); and the paucity of accurate estimation of divergence time of Avena. The controversies on the genomic origins of hexaploid cultivated oats are rooted in the absence of accurate understanding for the divergence of A, C, and D genomes. The comprehensive investigation of molecular phylogeny, cytogenetics, palaeogeology, and palaeoclimatology may provide compelling evidence for the polyploid origins and the divergence histories of Avena, and it is significance for deeply utilizing the core germplasm resources of wild relatives of cereal crops.

Abstract:Enzymes are special proteins that catalyze and regulate a series of life processes in plants. Studies on in situ histochemical, cytochemical, immunological and microscopical localizations of metabolism enzymes in intact plant tissues and cells are important approaches in understanding the distributions, activity dynamics and quantifications, and functions of enzymes within tissues, cells and organelles. The basic concepts, principles and research progresses of histochemical and cytochemical localizations of enzymes were reviewed. According to the international enzymology classification and taxis, the reaction media and staining method of histochemical localizations on 25 plant enzymes and references of cytochemical localizations on 46 plant enzymes were introduced, respectively.