Saxifraga zhiminiae, a remarkable new species of the genus Saxifraga sect. Ciliatae (Saxifragaceae), is described from Xizang, China. This new species morphologically differs from all known species of sect. Ciliatae by its plant glabrous (except for glandular cilia on the sepal margins), leaf blade abaxially red and petals pink with a dark red base adaxially. Morphological comparison and molecular evidence from chloroplast genomes indicate that S. zhiminiae belongs to sect. Ciliatae subsect. Hirculoideae and is closely related to Saxifraga diversifolia, but it can be easily distinguished by its glabrous habit and striking petal colouration.

Asparagus dabieshanensis, a new species from the Dabie Mountains, Central China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is similar to A. cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr. and A. filicinus D. Don, but differs in having long and straight cladodes, and shorter pedicel than that of the last two species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the combined four DNA markers (trnH-psbA, trnD-trnT, ndhF, phyC) indicated that the new species is a sister to A. cochinchinensis with strong support.

BackgroundZanthoxylum L., an important genus in the Rutaceae family, has great edible and medical values. However, the high degree of morphological similarity among Zanthoxylum species and the lack of sufficient chloroplast (cp) genomic resources have greatly impeded germplasm identification and phylogenetic analyses of Zanthoxylum.MethodsHere we assembled cp genomes of five widespread species (Zanthoxylum bungeanum, Z. armatum, Z. nitidum, Z. ailanthoides and Z. piasezkii) in China as a case study, comparative analysis of these assembled cp genomes.ResultsEach of them, ranging from 157,231 to 158,728 bp, has a quadripartite structure. Except for one extra gene in Z. piasezkii, 132 genes were identified in each species, including 87 encode protein genes, 37 transfer ribose nucleic acid (tRNA) genes, and eight ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Substantial variation was observed among these five cp genome sequences in the IR/SC boundary regions. Variation in insertions and deletions were observed in the cp genomes of the five species over three different intervals, and a large number of single-nucleotide polymorphism variants were detected in the rps3-rpl22-rps19 region. Phylogenetic analysis of complete cp genome sequences revealed the evolutionary relationships among 23 Zanthoxylum species (29 samples).ConclusionComparative analysis revealed that rps3-rpl22-rps19 is a highly variable divergent region in Zanthoxylum that could be developed as candidate markers for phylogenetic studies and species identification. This study identified a pair of molecular markers from hypervariable regions that can be used to distinguish between the five Zanthoxylum species and validated their utility. Overall, the results of this study provide new insights into the genetic breeding, germplasm exploration, and phylogeny of Zanthoxylum species.

Elaborate petals are highly diverse in morphology, structure, and epidermal differentiation and play a key role in attracting pollinators. There have been few studies on the elaborate structure of petals in the tribe Isopyreae (Ranunculaceae). Seven genera in Isopyreae (Aquilegia, Semiaquilegia, Urophysa, Isopyrum, Paraquilegia, Dichocarpum, and Leptopyrum) have petals that vary in morphology, and two genera (Enemion and Thalictrum) have no petals. The petals of nine species belonged to 7 genera in the tribe were studied to reveal their nectary structure, epidermal micromorphology and ancestral traits. The petal nectaries of Isopyreae examined in this study were located at the tip of spurs (Aquilegia yabeana and A. rockii), or the bottom of shallow sacs (Semiaquilegia adoxoides, Urophysa henryi, Isopyrum manshuricum, and Paraquilegia microphylla), a cup-shaped structure (Dichocarpum fargesii) and a bilabiate structure (Leptopyrum fumarioides). The petal nectary of eight species in Isopyreae (except A. ecalcarata) was composed of secretory epidermis, nectary parenchyma, and vascular tissues, and some sieve tubes reached the secretory parenchyma cells. Among the eight species with nectaries examined in the present study, A. yabeana had the most developed nectaries, with 10–15 layers of secretory parenchyma cells. The epidermal cells of mature petals of the nine species were divided into 11 types. Among these 11 types, there were two types of secretory cells and two types of trichomes. Aquilegia yabeana and A. rockii had the highest number of cell types (eight types), and I. manshuricum and L. fumarioides had the lowest number of cell types (three types). Aquilegia ecalcarata had no secretory cells, and the papillose conical polygonal secretory cells of D. fargesii were different from those of the other seven species with nectaries. Trichomes were found only in Aquilegia, Semiaquilegia, Urophysa, and Paraquilegia. The ancestral mode of nectar presentation in Isopyreae was petals with hidden nectar (70.58%). The different modes of nectar presentation in petals may reflect adaptations to different pollinators in Isopyreae.

Recent phylogenetic analyses have revealed that Chrysanthemum vestitum var. latifolium and C. vestitum var. vestitum were placed in different clades based on their chloroplast genomes and nuclear LFAFY gene sequences. Accordingly, based on previous morphological analysis, molecular phylogenetic results, fieldwork, and herbarium studies, Chrysanthemum vestitum var. latifolium should be raised to the species level. Considering the condition of the material found and Articles 6.9, 6.11, 41.2, 58.1 of the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants (Shenzhen Code) that is currently in force, Chrysanthemum dabieshanense Z.X.Fu, A.G.Zhen, & Y.P.Ma, nom. nov. is proposed as the new name for Chrysanthemum vestitum var. latifolium J.Zhou & Jun Y.Chen. The detailed emended description, distribution map, insights into its habitat, and an updated comparative morphological study are presented in this study.

Abstract Background: Zanthoxylum L. (Rutaceae), including a large number of economically, ecologically and medicinally important species, is widely distributed all over the world. However, there are few studies about its chloroplast genome information to date. Results: Our results showed that the chloroplast genomes have a typical quadripartite structure with one large single copy, one small single copy, and two inverted repeat regions. The size of the genomes ranged from 157,231 bp to 158,728 bp in length, and 132 genes were identified in four species, which including 87 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes and 8 ribosomal RNAs, while contained 133 genes (88 protein-coding genes) in Z. piasezkii chloroplast genome. The IR-SC boundary regions exhibited great variation among these five chloroplast genomes. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the rpl22 gene was truncated in Z. piasezkii, which was was different from other Zanthoxylum species and could be used as a marker for accurate identify Z. piasezkii. Our plastid tree indicates the possibility that the earlier intrageneric classifications, especially subgenus, need to be further refined. These findings will provide insights into the genetic diversity, evolutionary history, and species identification of Zanthoxylum.

Coleanthus subtilis (Tratt.) Seidel (Poaceae) is an ephemeral grass from the monotypic genus Coleanthus Seidl, which grows on wet muddy areas such as fishponds or reservoirs. As a rare species with strict habitat requirements, it is protected at international and national levels. In this study, we sequenced its whole chloroplast genome for the first time using the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology on the Illumina platform, and performed a comparative and phylogenetic analysis with the related species in Poaceae. The complete chloroplast genome of C. subtilis is 135,915 bp in length, with a quadripartite structure having two 21,529 bp inverted repeat regions (IRs) dividing the entire circular genome into a large single copy region (LSC) of 80,100 bp and a small single copy region (SSC) of 12,757 bp. The overall GC content is 38.3%, while the GC contents in LSC, SSC, and IR regions are 36.3%, 32.4%, and 43.9%, respectively. A total of 129 genes were annotated in the chloroplast genome, including 83 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The accD gene and the introns of both clpP and rpoC1 genes were missing. In addition, the ycf1, ycf2, ycf15, and ycf68 were pseudogenes. Although the chloroplast genome structure of C. subtilis was found to be conserved and stable in general, 26 SSRs and 13 highly variable loci were detected, these regions have the potential to be developed as important molecular markers for the subfamily Pooideae. Phylogenetic analysis with species in Poaceae indicated that Coleanthus and Phippsia were sister groups, and provided new insights into the relationship between Coleanthus, Zingeria, and Colpodium. This study presents the initial chloroplast genome report of C. subtilis, which provides an essential data reference for further research on its origin.

In this paper, a new species from Central China, Amana hejiaqingii (Liliaceae), is described and illustrated. It resembles A. anhuiensis and A. tianmuensis but differs from A. anhuiensis as it has one white vein on its lower leaf and yellow anthers. It also differs from A. tianmuensis by possessing solitary pink flowers with longer and wider tepals. The principal coordinates analysis separated the three species based on morphological data. Cytological observation showed that A. hejiaqingii is diploid (2n = 2x = 24). Molecular phylogenetic analyses further supported its species delimitation.

Abstract Adaptation to cool climates has occurred several times in different angiosperm groups. Among them, Pooideae, the largest grass subfamily with ∼3,900 species including wheat and barley, have successfully occupied many temperate regions and play a prominent role in temperate ecosystems. To investigate possible factors contributing to Pooideae adaptive evolution to cooling climates, we performed phylogenetic reconstruction using five gene sets (with 1,234 nuclear genes and their subsets) from 157 transcriptomes/genomes representing all 15 tribes and 24 of 26 subtribes. Our phylogeny supports the monophyly of all tribes (except Diarrheneae) and all subtribes with at least two species, with strongly supported resolution of their relationships. Molecular dating suggests that Pooideae originated in the late Cretaceous, with subsequent divergences under cooling conditions first among many tribes from the early middle to late Eocene and again among genera in the middle Miocene and later periods. We identified a cluster of gene duplications (CGD5) shared by the core Pooideae (with 80% Pooideae species) near the Eocene–Oligocene transition, coinciding with the transition from closed to open habitat and an upshift of diversification rate. Molecular evolutionary analyses homologs of CBF for cold resistance uncovered tandem duplications during the core Pooideae history, dramatically increasing their copy number and possibly promoting adaptation to cold habitats. Moreover, duplication of AP1/FUL-like genes before the Pooideae origin might have facilitated the regulation of the vernalization pathway under cold environments. These and other results provide new insights into factors that likely have contributed to the successful adaptation of Pooideae members to temperate regions.

The complete plastome of Spiraea trilobata, a shrub, is determined. The plastome is 155,981 bp in length and comprises a large single-copy region (84,417 bp), a small single-copy region (18,878 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats regions (26,343 bp). A total of 113 unique genes are annotated for the plastome of S. trilobata, containing 79 protein coding genes (PCGs), 30 tRNAs, and four rRNAs. The GC content of this plastome is 36.8%. Phylogenomic analysis based on 17 plastomes reveals that S. trilobata is sister to Spiraea blumei. Compared with S. blumei, S. trilobata lacks both trnM-CAU and ycf1. In addition, the GC content of both species is the same.

As a consequence of long-term coevolution and natural selection, the leaves of mulberry (Morus alba) trees have become the best food source for silkworms (Bombyx mori). Nevertheless, the molecular and genomic basis of defense response remains largely unexplored. In the present study, we assessed changes in the transcriptome changes of mulberry in response to silkworm larval feeding at 0, 3, and 6 h. A total of 4709 (up = 2971, down = 1738) and 3009 (up = 1868, down = 1141) unigenes were identified after 3 and 6 h of silkworm infestation, respectively. MapMan enrichment analysis results show structural traits such as leaf surface wax, cell wall thickness and lignification form the first physical barrier to feeding by the silkworms. Cluster analysis revealed six unique temporal patterns of transcriptome changes. We predicted that mulberry promoted rapid changes in signaling and other regulatory processes to deal with mechanical damage, photosynthesis impairment, and other injury caused by herbivores within 3–6 h. LRR-RK coding genes (THE1, FER) was predicted participated in perception of cell wall perturbation in mulberry responding to silkworm feeding. Ca2+ signal sensors (CMLs), ROS (OST1, SOS3), RBOHD/F, CDPKs, and ABA were part of the regulatory network after silkworm feeding. Jasmonic acid (JA) signal transduction was predicted to act in silkworm feeding response, 10 JA signaling genes (such as OPR3, JAR1, and JAZ1) and 21 JA synthesis genes (such as LOX2, AOS, and ACX1) were upregulated after silkworm feeding for 3 h. Besides, genes of “alpha-Linolenic acid metabolism” and “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis” were activated in 3 h to reprogram secondary metabolism. Collectively, these findings provided valuable insights into silkworm herbivory-induced regulatory and metabolic processes in mulberry, which might help improve the coevolution of silkworm and mulberry.

This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Fu, Zhixi, Liu, Xiaofeng, Zhen, Aiguo, Zhu, Xinxin, Konowalik, Kamil, Ma, Yueping, Li, Pan (2022): Chrysanthemum dabieshanense, a new name for Chrysanthemum vestitum var. latifolium (Asteraceae, Anthemideae). PhytoKeys 202: 45-52, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.202.80554, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.202.80554

Isotremapseudohei, a new species from Yunnan, Southwest China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to I.hei and I.moupinense, but differs from the former in the colour of flower and throat, the size of throat and the shape of gynostemium lobes, and from the latter in the shape of lamina and gynostemium lobes.

Synotis jinshajiangensis (Asteraceae: Senecioneae), a new species from southwestern Sichuan and northwestern Yunnan, China, is illustrated and described. This species is most closely similar to S. cappa in habit and shape of leaves and inflorescences, but is distinct by its smaller involucres, absence of ray florets, and fewer phyllaries and disk florets. It is also related to S. glomerata in habit and number of phyllaries, but differs by its loose compound corymbs or thyrses. A distribution map and a key to S. jinshajiangensis and its related species are provided.

Leptopus malipoensis, a new species of Phyllanthaceae from Southeast Yunnan Province, China, is described. The phylogenetic position of the new species within the genus Leptopus was analyzed based on nuclear ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer (nrITS) and plastid matK sequence data. The results show that L. malipoensis is highly supported to be the sister of L. fangdingianus (P. T. Li) Voronts. & Petra Hoff., a species endemic to western Guangxi Province, China. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from all known congeneric taxa by its long and slim branches usually pendulous or procumbent, some of its leaf laminas up to 15 cm long and 7 cm wide. It further differs from its sister species by its hirsute stems, leaves and pedicel of female flowers, longer pedicel of male flowers, 3-locular ovary and three styles. A key to all 10 accepted Leptopus species is provided.

Allium yingshanense, a new late-flowering diploid species (2n = 16), is described from the Dabie Mountains (east -central China). It grows on moist rock slopes along river banks in forests or rocky cliffs with an aggregated distribution. Morphologically, it is distinctly different from all known species of the Chinese Allium by its outer and inner filaments with 1-toothed on each side, which is fairly rare in the entire genus Allium, suggesting it is an independent species. The ITS phylogenetic analysis further reveals that the new species is most closely related to A. longistylum and A. flavovirens, which is also highly congruent with their overall morphological and chromosomal similarities, supporting placing the new species into A. subg. Cepa according to the current infrageneric classification of Allium. It is easily distinguished from A. longistylum and A. flavovirens particularly by filaments, inner and outer tepal characters at the specific level. Additionally, A. longistylum is proven to be endemic to China and morphologically quite different from the Korean 'A. longistylum' in bulb, leaf and floral characteristics, and not a member of A. sect. Sacculiferum or sect. Condensatum formerly suggested. The inclusion of the new species A. yingshanense along with A. longistylum into the newly proposed A. sect. Flavovirens typified by A. flavovirens, although possible from our data, as well as the formal description of the section seem premature especially given that there is substantial incongruence between taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of A. subg. Cepa.

The valid publication and identity of Aristolochia compressicaulis are discussed for purposes of the precise application. Further studies reveal that it is a separate member of the genus Isotrema and a new combination, I. compressicaule, is proposed here.