DOCSLIB.ORG

Scarab Beetle Pollination of the Neotropical Aroid Taccarum Ulei (Araceae: Spathicarpeae)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Scarab Beetle Pollination of the Neotropical Aroid Taccarum Ulei (Araceae: Spathicarpeae) bs_bs_banner Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 108, 22–34. With 5 figures The cowl does not make the monk: scarab beetle pollination of the Neotropical aroid Taccarum ulei (Araceae: Spathicarpeae) ARTUR CAMPOS DÁLIA MAIA1*, MARC GIBERNAU2, AIRTON TORRES CARVALHO3, EDUARDO GOMES GONÇALVES4† and CLEMENS SCHLINDWEIN4 1Departamento de Química Fundamental, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50740-560 Recife, Brazil 2CNRS – Ecofog (UMR 8172), Campus Agronomique BP 316, F-97379 Kourou cedex, France 3Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia), Universidade Federal da Paraíba, 58059-900 João Pessoa, Brazil 4Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Brazil Received 19 May 2012; revised 28 June 2012; accepted for publication 28 June 2012 Taccarum ulei (Araceae, Spathicarpeae) is a seasonal geophytic aroid, native to north-eastern Brazil, that flowers during two months of the rainy season. Patterns of floral thermogenesis, pollination biology, and floral traits associated with pollination syndromes were studied and compared with those of other Araceae. Two species of cyclocephaline scarabs (Scarabaeidae, Cyclocephalini) were recognized as effective pollinators: Cyclocephala celata and Cyclocephala cearae. Larvae of an unidentified species of fruit fly (Melanoloma spp., Richardiidae, Diptera) were also frequently observed in inflorescences at various maturation stages, feeding on the connectives of male florets and fruits, and thus lowering the reproductive success of individual plants. Beetles were attracted by odoriferous inflorescences in the early evening of the first day of anthesis, during the female phase. The emission of attractive volatiles was coupled with intense thermogenic activity in the entire spadix, unlike other aroids in which only certain zones of the spadix heat up. Pollen release, which marks the beginning of the male phase on the subsequent evening, was not related to floral thermogenesis. Comparative multivariate analysis of the floral traits of T. ulei points to a beetle-pollinated aroid, although some of the observed traits of the species are not common to other taxa sharing this pollination strategy. Such incongruence might be explained by the evolutionary history of the tribe Spathicarpeae and potential pollinator shifts. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 108, 22–34. ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: flower predation – nocturnal pollinators – pollination syndromes – Scarabaeidae – thermogenesis. INTRODUCTION ponderantly entomophilous, aroid inflorescences have co-evolved in their interactions with arthropod visi- The aroids (Araceae) are a rich group of cosmopolitan tors, both generalist and highly specialized, from flies monocots that presently encompass over 3300 species and beetles to bees, thrips, and perhaps even mites of herbs and vines, mostly found in tropical and (Grayum, 1990; Mayo, Bogner & Boyce, 1997). Accord- subtropical environments (Haigh et al., 2012). Pre- ing to the most recent overview of the family, however, our knowledge of effective pollinators is restricted to less than 50% of the currently described *Corresponding author. genera (Gibernau, 2011). E-mail: [email protected] th †Current address: Pro Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós Graduação, It has been known since the end of the 19 century Universidade Católica de Brasília, 70790-160 Brasilia, Brazil. that several aspects of basic floral structure are 22 © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 108, 22–34 POLLINATION OF TACCARUM ULEI 23 directly associated with the reproductive biology of dieae (~150 spp.), and several of the Spathicarpeae angiosperms (Müller, 1873; Vogel, 1954). Such floral (~165 spp.) (Gibernau, 2011). characters have been selected through evolution by Although rather diverse and taxonomically well- the increasing effectiveness of pollen transfer to the defined, the tribe Spathicarpeae has been commonly stigmas, and as such are also particularly influenced disregarded with respect to their reproductive biology by the strategies that optimize the use of specific and phenology (Grayum, 1990; Mayo et al., 1997; Gib- pollen vectors (Fenster et al., 2004). Among aroids, ernau, 2011). The tribe is mostly restricted to extra- Chouteau, Gibernau & Barabé (2008) and Gibernau, Amazonian South America, and is presently composed Chartier & Barabé (2010) have presented associations of 13 genera: Asterostigma (10 spp.), Bognera (1 sp.), between a wide set of floral traits and specific polli- Croatiella (1 sp.), Dieffenbachia (~135 spp.), Gearum nation syndromes, to the point that a few extrapola- (1 sp.), Gorgonidium (5 spp.), Incarum (1 spp.), Loren- tions could be safely assumed when enough of these zia (1 sp.), Mangonia (2 spp.), Spathantheum (2 spp.), characters are understood. For instance, large pollen Spathicarpa (4 spp.), Synandrospadix (1 sp.), and grains sticky with stigmatic exudates, typical of Taccarum (6 spp.) (Gonçalves, 2002, 2012; Gonçalves aroids pollinated by large scarab beetles, are unlikely et al., 2007). The monophyly of the Spathicarpeae is to be carried efficiently by smaller-sized insects. On strongly supported by the most recent molecular phy- the other hand, the glabrous body surface of beetles is logenies of the Araceae family (Cabrera et al., 2008; inadequate to carry the loads of powdery pollen found Cusimano et al., 2011). in some fly-pollinated taxa (Sannier et al., 2009). The Together with the Anchomanes clade and the pollen to ovule ratio (P : O) of bee- and fly-pollinated Homalomena clade, the Spathicarpeae form the Zant- species is similar, suggesting that bees and flies have edeschia clade, a pantropical, heterogeneous group of comparable pollination efficiency (Chouteau et al., evergreen or dormant ground and climbing herbs 2008). The much higher P : O of beetle-pollinated (Mayo et al., 1997; Cusimano et al., 2011). From species lends credence to the hypothesis that beetles the standpoint of reproductive biology, the Zantede- may be less efficient pollinators, thus requiring a schia clade is intriguing. Pollination within the much higher investment in pollen production by their Anchomanes clade is mainly achieved by flies and/or plant hosts (Gibernau et al., 2010). beetles, whereas in the Homalomena clade flies are Adaptations towards specific sets of pollinators also the main pollinators of Indo-Malayan species, and result in deeper modifications of flower morphology only cyclocephaline scarab beetles have been impli- and physiology, and this is clearly evident in the cated in the reproductive success of the Neotropical Araceae (Grayum, 1990; Mayo et al., 1997). Mediter- taxa (Gibernau, 2011; Fig. 1). In this phylogenetic ranean Helicodiceros muscivorus (L. f.) Engl., polli- context, the study of pollination systems of the most nated by blowflies, bears foul-smelling inflorescences derived genera of the Spathicarpeae may provide new that closely resemble the anal orifice of a large insights into the evolution of floral characters in mammalian carcass (Angioy et al., 2004). The kettle- relation to pollinator selection within the tribe. shaped inflorescences of European Arum and Indo- The genus Taccarum Brongn. ex Schott, one of Malayan Arisaema are designed to entrap small the most derived taxa within the Spathicarpeae pollinating flies to enhance their contact with recep- (Gonçalves et al., 2007; Cusimano et al., 2011), com- tive female flowers (Vogel & Martens, 2000; Gibernau, prises six species of seasonally dormant geophytes Macquart & Przetak, 2004), whereas the funnel- found in most of the extra-Amazonian Brazilian ter- shaped inflorescences of all known species of the large ritory, as well as in Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Neotropical genus Philodendron offer food and warm northern Argentina. These plants can be recognized shelter for mating scarab beetles (Gottsberger & by the usually large and solitary leaf that is strongly Amaral, 1984; Gibernau et al., 1999; Seymour, White bipinnately divided. They grow preferably in well- & Gibernau, 2009; Maia et al., 2010). drained soils and at low-to-medium altitudes (up to In the Neotropics, the diverse scarab beetles of 850 m a.s.l.), usually in areas with pronounced sea- the tribe Cyclocephalini (Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae; sonality. Populations often consist of scattered indi- ~350 spp.) comprise one of the most preponderant viduals, seldom bearing inflorescences (Gonçalves, groups of scent-driven pollinators of several Mag- 2002). noliaceae, Annonaceae, Cyclanthaceae, Arecaceae, We studied the flowering, phenology, and the pol- Nymphaeaceae, and Araceae (Gottsberger, 1986; lination biology of Taccarum ulei Engl. & K. Krause, Schatz, 1990; Bernhardt, 2000). Among the latter a geophytic aroid native to north-eastern Brazil, and group of plants, these night-active pollinators are addressed the following questions: (1) what is the directly involved with the reproductive success of floral cycle and the pattern of floral thermogenesis the Montrichardieae (two species) and Philo- for the species; (2) what are the flower visitors and dendreae (over 500 spp.), the majority of the Cala- effective pollinators; (3) how do the floral traits © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 108, 22–34 24 A. C. D. MAIA ET AL. Indo-Malaya / Australasia Anchomanes Aglaonema fly Afrotropic Aglaodorum fly / beetle Nephthytis fly / beetle clade Afrotropic Anchomanes fly / beetle Homalomena Culcasia
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Araceae) in Bogor Botanic Gardens, Indonesia: Collection, Conservation and Utilization
    BIODIVERSITAS ISSN: 1412-033X Volume 19, Number 1, January 2018 E-ISSN: 2085-4722 Pages: 140-152 DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d190121 The diversity of aroids (Araceae) in Bogor Botanic Gardens, Indonesia: Collection, conservation and utilization YUZAMMI Center for Plant Conservation Botanic Gardens (Bogor Botanic Gardens), Indonesian Institute of Sciences. Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 13, Bogor 16122, West Java, Indonesia. Tel.: +62-251-8352518, Fax. +62-251-8322187, ♥email: [email protected] Manuscript received: 4 October 2017. Revision accepted: 18 December 2017. Abstract. Yuzammi. 2018. The diversity of aroids (Araceae) in Bogor Botanic Gardens, Indonesia: Collection, conservation and utilization. Biodiversitas 19: 140-152. Bogor Botanic Gardens is an ex-situ conservation centre, covering an area of 87 ha, with 12,376 plant specimens, collected from Indonesia and other tropical countries throughout the world. One of the richest collections in the Gardens comprises members of the aroid family (Araceae). The aroids are planted in several garden beds as well as in the nursery. They have been collected from the time of the Dutch era until now. These collections were obtained from botanical explorations throughout the forests of Indonesia and through seed exchange with botanic gardens around the world. Several of the Bogor aroid collections represent ‘living types’, such as Scindapsus splendidus Alderw., Scindapsus mamilliferus Alderw. and Epipremnum falcifolium Engl. These have survived in the garden from the time of their collection up until the present day. There are many aroid collections in the Gardens that have potentialities not widely recognised. The aim of this study is to reveal the diversity of aroids species in the Bogor Botanic Gardens, their scientific value, their conservation status, and their potential as ornamental plants, medicinal plants and food.
    [Show full text]
  • JUDD W.S. Et. Al. (1999) Plant Systematics
    CHAPTER8 Phylogenetic Relationships of Angiosperms he angiosperms (or flowering plants) are the dominant group of land Tplants. The monophyly of this group is strongly supported, as dis- cussed in the previous chapter, and these plants are possibly sister (among extant seed plants) to the gnetopsids (Chase et al. 1993; Crane 1985; Donoghue and Doyle 1989; Doyle 1996; Doyle et al. 1994). The angio- sperms have a long fossil record, going back to the upper Jurassic and increasing in abundance as one moves through the Cretaceous (Beck 1973; Sun et al. 1998). The group probably originated during the Jurassic, more than 140 million years ago. Cladistic analyses based on morphology, rRNA, rbcL, and atpB sequences do not support the traditional division of angiosperms into monocots (plants with a single cotyledon, radicle aborting early in growth with the root system adventitious, stems with scattered vascular bundles and usually lacking secondary growth, leaves with parallel venation, flow- ers 3-merous, and pollen grains usually monosulcate) and dicots (plants with two cotyledons, radicle not aborting and giving rise to mature root system, stems with vascular bundles in a ring and often showing sec- ondary growth, leaves with a network of veins forming a pinnate to palmate pattern, flowers 4- or 5-merous, and pollen grains predominantly tricolpate or modifications thereof) (Chase et al. 1993; Doyle 1996; Doyle et al. 1994; Donoghue and Doyle 1989). In all published cladistic analyses the “dicots” form a paraphyletic complex, and features such as two cotyle- dons, a persistent radicle, stems with vascular bundles in a ring, secondary growth, and leaves with net venation are plesiomorphic within angio- sperms; that is, these features evolved earlier in the phylogenetic history of tracheophytes.
    [Show full text]
  • The Genus Amorphophallus
    The Genus Amorphophallus (Titan Arums) Origin, Habit and General Information The genus Amorphophallus is well known for the famous Amorphophallus titanum , commonly known as "Titan Arum". The Titan Arum holds the plant world record for an unbranched single inflorescence. The infloresence eventually may reach up to three meters and more in height. Besides this oustanding species more than 200 Amorphophallus species have been described - and each year some more new findings are published. A more or less complete list of all validly described Amorphophallus species and many photos are available from the website of the International Aroid Society (http://www.aroid.org) . If you are interested in this fascinating genus, think about becoming a member of the International Aroid Society! The International Aroid Society is the worldwide leading society in aroids and offers a membership at a very low price and with many benefits! A different website for those interested in Amorphophallus hybrids is: www.amorphophallus-network.org This page features some awe-inspiring new hybrids, e.g. Amorphophallus 'John Tan' - an unique and first time ever cross between Amorphophallus variabilis X Amorphophallus titanum ! The majority of Amorphophallus species is native to subtropical and tropical lowlands of forest margins and open, disturbed spots in woods throughout Asia. Few species are found in Africa (e.g. Amorphophallus abyssinicus , from West to East Africa), Australia (represented by a single species only, namely Amorphophallus galbra , occuring in Queensland, North Australia and Papua New Guinea), and Polynesia respectively. Few species, such as Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Madagascar to Polynesia), serve as a food source throughout the Asian region.
    [Show full text]
  • Disentangling the Phenotypic Variation and Pollination Biology of the Cyclocephala Sexpunctata Species Complex (Coleoptera:Scara
    DISENTANGLING THE PHENOTYPIC VARIATION AND POLLINATION BIOLOGY OF THE CYCLOCEPHALA SEXPUNCTATA SPECIES COMPLEX (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE: DYNASTINAE) A Thesis by Matthew Robert Moore Bachelor of Science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2009 Submitted to the Department of Biological Sciences and the faculty of the Graduate School of Wichita State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science July 2011 © Copyright 2011 by Matthew Robert Moore All Rights Reserved DISENTANGLING THE PHENOTYPIC VARIATION AND POLLINATION BIOLOGY OF THE CYCLOCEPHALA SEXPUNCTATA SPECIES COMPLEX (COLEOPTERA: SCARABAEIDAE: DYNASTINAE) The following faculty members have examined the final copy of this thesis for form and content, and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science with a major in Biological Sciences. ________________________ Mary Jameson, Committee Chair ________________________ Bin Shuai, Committee Member ________________________ Gregory Houseman, Committee Member ________________________ Peer Moore-Jansen, Committee Member iii DEDICATION To my parents and my dearest friends iv "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." – Albert Einstein v ACKNOWLEDMENTS I would like to thank my academic advisor, Mary Jameson, whose years of guidance, patience and enthusiasm have so positively influenced my development as a scientist and person. I would like to thank Brett Ratcliffe and Matt Paulsen of the University of Nebraska State Museum for their generous help with this project.
    [Show full text]
  • Floral Development and Phylogenetic Position of Schismatoglottis (Araceae)
    Int. J. Plant Sci. 165(1):173–189. 2004. Ó 2004 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. 1058-5893/2004/16501-0012$15.00 FLORAL DEVELOPMENT AND PHYLOGENETIC POSITION OF SCHISMATOGLOTTIS (ARACEAE) Denis Barabe´,1;*ChristianLacroix,y Anne Bruneau,* Annie Archambault,2;*andMarcGibernauz *Institut de Recherche en Biologie Ve´ge´tale, Jardin Botanique de Montre´al, Universite´ de Montre´al, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montre´al H1X 2B2, Canada; yDepartment of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3, Canada; and zLaboratoire d’E´volution et Diversite´ Biologique, Universite´ de Toulouse III, 118 Route de Narbonne, Baˆtiment IV R3, 31062 Toulouse cedex, France In the inflorescence of Schismatoglottis,atypicalsterileflowersarepresentbetweenthemaleandfemale zones. Contrary to what occurs in Cercestis and Philodendron, where the atypical flowers are bisexual, in Schismatoglottis the atypical flowers consist of aberrant male or female flowers. These atypical unisexual flowers have different forms depending on their position in the inflorescence. The atypical flowers located near the male zone share characteristics with staminate flowers, and those located near the female zone have features in common with pistillate flowers. The developmental pathway of atypical flowers in Schismatoglottis is already channeled in the direction of female or male flowers before the appearance of aberrant appendages. Interpistillar sterile structures located in the female zone correspond to modified female flowers. The systematic position of Schismatoglottis is not fully resolved on a molecular phylogenetic analysis of 45 genera of Araceae, on the basis of chloroplast trnL intron and trnL-F intergenic spacer sequences. The floral ontogenetic pattern in Schismatoglottis represents a different pathway in the evolution of unisexual flowers in the subfamily Aroideae.
    [Show full text]
  • History and Current Status of Systematic Research with Araceae
    HISTORY AND CURRENT STATUS OF SYSTEMATIC RESEARCH WITH ARACEAE Thomas B. Croat Missouri Botanical Garden P. O. Box 299 St. Louis, MO 63166 U.S.A. Note: This paper, originally published in Aroideana Vol. 21, pp. 26–145 in 1998, is periodically updated onto the IAS web page with current additions. Any mistakes, proposed changes, or new publications that deal with the systematics of Araceae should be brought to my attention. Mail to me at the address listed above, or e-mail me at [email protected]. Last revised November 2004 INTRODUCTION The history of systematic work with Araceae has been previously covered by Nicolson (1987b), and was the subject of a chapter in the Genera of Araceae by Mayo, Bogner & Boyce (1997) and in Curtis's Botanical Magazine new series (Mayo et al., 1995). In addition to covering many of the principal players in the field of aroid research, Nicolson's paper dealt with the evolution of family concepts and gave a comparison of the then current modern systems of classification. The papers by Mayo, Bogner and Boyce were more comprehensive in scope than that of Nicolson, but still did not cover in great detail many of the participants in Araceae research. In contrast, this paper will cover all systematic and floristic work that deals with Araceae, which is known to me. It will not, in general, deal with agronomic papers on Araceae such as the rich literature on taro and its cultivation, nor will it deal with smaller papers of a technical nature or those dealing with pollination biology.
    [Show full text]
  • International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies
    ISSN: 2028-9324 Impact Factor: 4.063 CODEN: IJIABO INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATION AND APPLIED STUDIES Vol. 24 N. 2 September 2018 International Peer Reviewed Monthly Journal Innovative Space of Scientific Research Journals http://www.issr-journals.org/ International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies (ISSN: 2028-9324) is a peer reviewed multidisciplinary international journal publishing original and high-quality articles covering a wide range of topics in engineering, science and technology. IJIAS is an open access journal that publishes papers submitted in English, French and Spanish. The journal aims to give its contribution for enhancement of research studies and be a recognized forum attracting authors and audiences from both the academic and industrial communities interested in state-of-the art research activities in innovation and applied science areas, which cover topics including (but not limited to): Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Business, Management and Accounting, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Decision Sciences, Dentistry, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Economics, Econometrics and Finance, Energy, Engineering, Environmental Science, Health Professions, Immunology and Microbiology, Materials Science, Mathematics, Medicine, Neuroscience, Nursing, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics, Physics and Astronomy, Psychology, Social Sciences, Veterinary. IJIAS hopes that Researchers, Graduate students, Developers, Professionals and others would make use of this journal publication for the development of innovation and scientific research. Contributions should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. All research articles, review articles, short communications and technical notes are pre-reviewed by the editor, and if appropriate, sent for blind peer review.
    [Show full text]
  • Descrição Do Padrão De Venação Foliar Em Spathicarpa Hook. (Araceae)1
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Repositório Institucional da Universidade de Brasília Todo o conteúdo deste periódico, exceto onde está identificado, está licenciado sob uma Licença Creative Commons. All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Fonte: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=0102-3306&lng=en&nrm=iso. Acesso em: 19 nov. 2013. Acta bot. bras. 21(1): 213-221. 2007 Descrição do padrão de venação foliar em Spathicarpa Hook. (Araceae)1 Luciano Coêlho Milhomens Fonsêca2, Carolyn Elinore Barnes Proença2,4 e Eduardo Gomes Gonçalves3 Recebido em 16/03/2006. Aceito em 29/08/2006 RESUMO – (Descrição do padrão de venação foliar em Spathicarpa Hook. (Araceae)). O estudo e a caracterização da venação foliar representam uma possibilidade de auxílio no reconhecimento de grupos taxonômicos identificados, predominantemente, com base em caracteres reprodutivos como o gênero Spathicarpa Hook. (Araceae). O presente estudo teve como objetivos: apresentar um método eficiente para diafanização de folhas similares às de Spathicarpa Hook.; descrever o padrão de venação das folhas de Spathicarpa gardneri Schott, Spathicarpa hastifolia Hook., Spathicarpa lanceolata Engl. e Spathicarpa sagittifolia Schott; e testar a utilização da arquitetura foliar de Spathicarpa Hook. como ferramenta taxonômica capaz de fornecer características diagnósticas vegetativas no gênero. Em linhas gerais, a técnica de diafanização consistiu inicialmente em submeter folhas frescas, estocadas em álcool etílico 70% com detergente comercial, ao hidróxido de sódio (5%) e hipoclorito de sódio (5%) para clareamento e alvejamento, respectivamente. Em seguida, estas passaram por uma bateria de desidratação etanólica crescente (10 a 100%) e por uma série com xileno (xileno-etanol 100% 1:1 e xileno).
    [Show full text]
  • Araceae) from the Upper Maastrichtian of South Dakota
    Int. J. Plant Sci. 177(8):706–725. 2016. q 2016 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. 1058-5893/2016/17708-0006$15.00 DOI: 10.1086/688285 EVALUATING RELATIONSHIPS AMONG FLOATING AQUATIC MONOCOTS: A NEW SPECIES OF COBBANIA (ARACEAE) FROM THE UPPER MAASTRICHTIAN OF SOUTH DAKOTA Ruth A. Stockey,1,* Gar W. Rothwell,*,† and Kirk R. Johnson‡ *Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, 2082 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA; †Department of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701, USA; and ‡National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, MRC 106, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA Editor: Patrick S. Herendeen Premise of research. A large number of floating aquatic aroid fossils have been recovered from pond sediments in the Hell Creek Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of South Dakota, providing valuable new data about aquatic vegetation of the uppermost Cretaceous, that are used to describe a new species of the genus Cobbania,and to evaluate associated reproductive structures and phylogenetic relationships among floating aquatic monocots. Methodology. Fossils were uncovered as needed with fine needles to reveal surface features of the specimens. Images were captured with a digital scanning camera, and phylogenetic analyses were conducted with TNT implemented through WinClada. Pivotal results. The new species, Cobbania hickeyi Stockey, Rothwell & Johnson, extends the range of the genus to the uppermost Cretaceous, supports the taxonomic integrity of the genus Cobbania, and increases our understanding of structural variation and species richness within the genus. Associated reproductive structures include an aroid spadix, strengthening the assignment of Cobbania to the Araceae.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecological Drivers and Use by Western Lowland Gorillas
    Front cover photographs: A group of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla ) in a forest clearing. ©Thomas Breuer, MPI-EVA / WCS Herbaceous plants of the families Marantaceae and Zingiberaceae. © Jacob Willie, PGS ISBN: 978-9-4619708-3-1 Ghent University Press, Zelzate Herbaceous plant community structure in south-east Cameroon: ecological drivers and use by western lowland gorillas Jacob Willie Ghent University Faculty of Sciences Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor (PhD) in Sciences, Biology PromotorPromotor:::: Prof. Dr. Luc Lens (Ghent University, Belgium) CoCoCo-Co ---promopromopromottttorororor: Dr. Nikki Tagg (PGS, Cameroon) Reading committee: Prof. Dr. Jean-Louis Doucet (University of Liège, Belgium) Prof. Dr. Maurice Hoffmann (Ghent University, Belgium) Dr. Nikki Tagg (PGS, Cameroon) Prof. Dr. Zjef Pereboom (CRC-KMDA & University of Antwerp, Belgium) ExamExaminationination committee: Prof. Dr. Dominique Adriaens (Ghent University, Belgium), Chairman Prof. Dr. Dries Bonte (Ghent University, Belgium) Prof. Dr. Jean-Louis Doucet (University of Liège, Belgium) Prof. Dr. Luc Lens (Ghent University, Belgium) Prof. Dr. Maurice Hoffmann (Ghent University, Belgium) Dr. Nikki Tagg (PGS, Cameroon) Prof. Dr. Zjef Pereboom (CRC-KMDA & University of Antwerp, Belgium) Please refer to this work as: Willie, J. (2012). Herbaceous plant community structure in south-east Cameroon: ecological drivers and use by western lowland gorillas. PhD thesis, Ghent University. Contents Acknowledgements General
    [Show full text]
  • Flora and Annual Distribution of Flowers and Fruits in the Ubajara National Park, Ceará, Brazil
    Floresta e Ambiente 2020; 27(2): e20190058 https://doi.org/10.1590/2179-8087.005819 ISSN 2179-8087 (online) ORIGINAL ARTICLE - Conservation of Nature Flora and Annual Distribution of Flowers and Fruits in the Ubajara National Park, Ceará, Brazil Andréa Pereira Silveira1 0000-0001-6785-5319 Bruno Sousa de Menezes2 0000-0003-1134-8996 Maria Iracema Bezerra Loiola2 0000-0003-3389-5560 Luiz Wilson Lima-Verde2 0000-0002-6908-1692 Dalva Neta e Zanina2 0000-0002-4653-445X Ellen Cristina Dantas de Carvalho2 0000-0002-6887-3970 Bruno Cruz de Souza2 0000-0002-4746-2638 Rafael Carvalho da Costa2 0000-0002-0942-3128 Waldir Mantovani2 0000-0002-9394-6860 Marcelo Oliveira Teles de Menezes3 0000-0003-2129-6843 Lilian Maria Araújo Flores2 0000-0001-8037-6021 Francisco Carlos Barboza Nogueira4 Ligia Queiroz Matias2 0000-0002-1889-5354 Lívia Silvia Barbosa5 Fernanda Melo Gomes2 0000-0002-4213-6577 Luciana Silva Cordeiro2 0000-0001-5624-2285 Valéria da Silva Sampaio2 0000-0002-6551-8877 Maria Edenilce Peixoto Batista2 0000-0002-1239-0902 Raimundo Luciano Soares Neto6 0000-0002-5643-9464 Maria Arlene Pessoa da Silva7 0000-0001-8148-5350 Natália Barbosa Campos7 Arycelle Alves de Oliveira7 Francisca Soares de Araujo2 0000-0003-4661-6137 Abstract Although the conservation of tropical biodiversity depends on protected areas, there is still a very large ‘gap’ of knowledge on the flora of Brazilian reserves, especially in the Northeast region of Brazil. Field and herbarium surveys of the phanerogamic flora of the Ubajara National Park, located on the Brazilian Northeast, were made and analyses on phenology and dispersal syndromes were performed.
    [Show full text]
  • April 1964 AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL
    TIIE .A.~ERIC.A.N ~GAZINE April 1964 AMERICAN HORTICULTURAL 1600 BLADENSBURG ROAD, NORTHEAST. WASHINGTON, D. C. For United Horticulture *** to accumulate, increase, and disseminate horticultural information Editorial Committee Directors Terms Expiring 1964 JOHN L. CREECH, Chairman R. C. ALLEN W. H . HODGE Ohio P. H. BRYDON FREDERIC P. LEE California CARL W. FENNINGER CONRAD B . LINK Pennsylvania CURTIS MAY JOHN E . GRAF District of Columbia FREDERICK G . MEYER GRACE P. WILSON Maryland WILBUR H . YOUNGMAN Terms Expiring 1965 HAROLD EpSTEIN New YOI'k Officers FRED C . GALLE Georgia PRESIDENT FRED J. NISBET North Carolina R USSELL J. SEIBERT J. FRANKLIN STYER Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania DONALD WYMAN FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Massachusetts RAy C . ALLEN Terms Expiring 1966 Mansfie ld, Ohio J. HAROLD CLARKE Washington SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT JAN DE GRAAFF MRS. JULIAN W. HILL Oregon Wilm ington, Delaware CARLTON B . LEES Massachusetts RUSSELL J. SEIBERT ACTING SECRETARY-TREASURER . Pennsylvania GRACE P. WILSON DONALD WATSON Bladensburg, Maryland Michigan The American Horticultural Magazine is the official publication of the American Horticultural Society and is issued four times a year during the quarters commencing with January, April, J~ly and October. It is devoted to the dissemination of knowledge in the science and art of growmg ornamental plants, fruits, vegetables, and related subjects. Original papers increasing the historical, varietal, and cultural know ledges of plant mate~ials of economic and aesthetic importance are welcomed and will be published as early as possible. The Chairman of the Editorial Committee should be consulted for manuscript specifications. Reprints will be furnished in accordance with the following schedule of prices, plus post­ age, and should be ordered at the time the galley proof is returned by the author: One hundred copies-2 pp $6.60; 4 pp $12.10; 8 pp $25.30; 12 pp $36.30; Covers $12.10.
    [Show full text]