Annals of Botany 2008 102(3):iii; doi:10.1093/aob/mcn147
© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
ContentSnapshots
Cockroach pollination of Clusia aff. sellowiana
Vlasáková et al. (pp. 295–304) report on a new species of
Clusia that dominates the vegetation
of the Nouragues inselberg in French Guiana. They focus on the
pollination biology and on the remarkable relationship of this
plant species with
Amazonina platystylata, its cockroach pollinator.
Most probably this is only the second record of pollination
by cockroaches.
Geographic variation in the reproductive ecology of Vigna
Etcheverry et al. (pp. 305–316) describe the patterns of geographic variation in the reproductive
ecology of
Vigna caracalla, which has the most complex flower
among Papilionoideae. The peripheral population (highest site)
had the greatest level of self-compatibility and autonomous
self-pollination, and the lowest reproductive success and number
of pollinators. Self-fertilization may evolve in this population
because of the benefits of reproductive assurance.
Flax hypocotyl microarray analysis
Roach et al. (pp. 317–330) use microarray analysis of flax hypocotyls followed by enzymatic
assays to demonstrate that β-galactosidase activity is
highly enriched in developing phloem (bast) fibres. This provides
further evidence that flax phloem fibres have a mechanism of
secondary cell wall deposition that is distinct from what is
typically seen in xylem (apart, perhaps, from tension wood).
Expression and deposition of 
-gliadin in wheat grain
Alpha-gliadin proteins
are important for the industrial quality of bread-wheat flour,
but they also contain many epitopes that can trigger celiac
disease.
Van Herpen et al. (pp. 331–342) observe differences
in expression regulator motifs between the
-gliadin genes on
the different genomes (A and B) of bread wheat that lead to
a better understanding of how
-gliadin expression can be controlled.
Role of the inner layer of seed coat for soybeans at imbibition
Koizumi et al. (pp. 343–352) use time-lapse magnetic resonance imaging to visualize the mechanism
for avoiding soaking injury at imbibition. The inner layer of
the seed coat regulates the rate at which water encounters the
hypocotyl, the radicle and the cotyledons and thus prevents
the destruction of the seed tissues at the beginning of imbibition.
Gametophyte interactions in Dryopteris
Although polyploidy
is one of the major speciation processes, the mechanisms leading
to polyploid establishment are largely unknown.
Jiménez et al. (pp. 353–359),
using the fern genus
Dryopteris as a model, explore the potential
effects of maleness-inducing pheromones and ploidy-related differences
on growth rates on the establishment of allopolyploid taxa.
Red reveals branch die-back in Norway maple
Autumn leaf colours
may be a sign of branch die-back and low leaf nitrogen levels
in Norway maple,
Acer platanoides. The onset of red autumn leaf
colours has been studied over 3 years by
Sinkkonen (pp. 361–366).
Partially dead branches were found to contain large patches
of reddish leaves; similar patches were not found in control
trees.
Wood-, gas- and water fractions of tropical tree stems
The volume of tree
stems is made up of three components, solid wood, gas and water,
and these components have important consequences for the construction
costs, strength and stability of trees.
Poorter (pp. 367–375) determines the realtive fractions for Bolivian forest species
and concludes that the wood fraction may help explain the growth–survival
trade-off found in tropical tree species, whilst the wood and
gas fractions are closely related to the regeneration light
requirements of the species.
Defoliations and harvest disturbances in sugar maple decline and death
Do insect defoliations
and soil/canopy disturbances from partial harvest have similar
impacts on stem growth and vigour of residual sugar maple?
Hartmann and Messier (pp. 377–387) show that repeated defoliations may lead to tree decline and
death. However, disturbances from partial harvest did not negatively
impact tree growth or vigour unless trees had already been weakened
by repeated defoliations.
Effects of elevated CO2 on the CAM bromeliad Aechmea
The effects of
CO
2 enrichment on plant growth and physiological performance
are diverse and complex, depending on the carbon fixation pathway,
the exposure duration and the accompanying environmental conditions.
Ceusters et al. (pp. 389–397) describe diel shifts in
the carboxylation pathway and metabolite dynamics in the CAM
bromeliad
Aechmea ‘Maya’ in response to elevated
CO
2.
Stomatal traits of poplar leaves
Stomata play an
important role in both CO
2 assimilation and water relations
of trees.
Dillen et al. (pp. 399–407) find that both genetic
variation in stomatal traits and carbon isotope discrimination
are large but that stomatal traits are not correlated with plant
growth or water use efficiency (WUE). The weak correlation between
the latter characteristics means that poplar genotypes combining
high productivity and high WUE can be selected, although stomatal
traits are of limited value as criteria for selection.
Vindoline formation in Catharanthus shoot cultures
Synthesis of vindoline,
an indole alkaloid, in
Catharanthus roseus requires a specialized
cell organization present only in the aerial tissues.
Campos-Tamayo et al. (pp. 409–415) find that photoperiod treatment of rootless shoot cultures allows
synchronization of the time of plantlet formation. Vindoline
accumulation occurs in co-ordination with plantlet formation
and coincides with enzyme activity of deacetylvindoline acetyl
CoA acetyltransferase, which is involved in the last biosynthetic
step.
Invasive plant pollen transfer
In a Mediterranean
coastal shrubland the invasive plant
Carpobrotus affine acinaciformis and the main co-flowering native plants share pollinators.
Bartomeus et al. (pp. 417–424) find that on average 23 % of the pollen on the bodies of pollinators
visiting native plants is from the invader species. However,
whilst invasive pollen is also present on native plant stigmas,
it is there only in very low quantity.
Inhibitory effects of ABA in coffee seed germination
Coffee seed germination
represents an interplay between the embryo and the surrounding
endosperm.
Da Silva et al. (pp. 425–433) examine growth
of cells in a fixed region of the axis and conlcude that germination
is the result of isodiametric growth of the embryo followed
by elongation, at the expense of integrity of endosperm cap
cells. ABA inhibits expansion of the embryo and hence subsequent
events, including germination.
Spatial distribution patterns of trees over time
Analyses of the
dynamics of spatial structure in an
Abies forest using a spatial
autocorrelation function and the mark correlation function were
conducted by
Suzuki et al. (pp. 435–441), based on a long-term
growth trajectory of tree heights. This revealed the development
of a local size-hierarchy followed by regular spacing between
trees.
Intraspecific variation in Viola suavis in Europe
Mered'a et al. (pp. 443–462) explore intraspecific variation in a blue violet
Viola suavis.
They find that peculiar and taxonomically ambiguous white-flowered
populations reported in central Europe and Spain belong to this
species, and have evolved independently in the two distant areas.
It is concluded that variation of this species has been shaped
by both Pleistocene climatic changes, and frequent cultivation
and vegetative spread by humans.
Quantification of degree of reciprocity in distylous populations (Technical Article)
Heterostyly is
a floral polymorphism that involves the reciprocal positioning
of anthers and stigmas in flowers of different plants within
one population. Studies of the functioning of heterostyly require
the quantification of the degree of reciprocity between floral
morphs. A new index is proposed by
Sánchez et al. (pp. 463–472) that attempts to avoid the main limitations of previous indices.
Pollen-dispensing mechanism in Incarvillea (Short Communication)
Flowers of
Incarvillea arguta have a novel mechanism by which anther appendages trigger
pollen dispersal onto insect pollinators.
Han et al. (pp. 473–479) describe how the triggers operate in a single direction, one
set on entering and the other on exiting the flower, and allocate
pollen over several visitations. This helps ensure a suitable
pollinator is utilized and increases male fitness. Bumble-bee
body size matches the flower and trigger arrangement.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
Related articles in Ann Bot:
- Cockroaches as Pollinators of Clusia aff. sellowiana (Clusiaceae) on Inselbergs in French Guiana
- Blanka Vlasáková, Blanka Kalinová, Mats H. G. Gustafsson, and Holger Teichert
Ann Bot 2008 102: 295-304.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Flower Morphology, Pollination Biology and Mating System of the Complex Flower of Vigna caracalla (Fabaceae: Papilionoideae)
- Angela Virginia Etcheverry, Maria Mercedes Alemán, and Trinidad Figueroa Fleming
Ann Bot 2008 102: 305-316.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Microarray Analysis of Developing Flax Hypocotyls Identifies Novel Transcripts Correlated with Specific Stages of Phloem Fibre Differentiation
- Melissa J. Roach and Michael K. Deyholos
Ann Bot 2008 102: 317-330.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Detailed Analysis of the Expression of an Alpha-gliadin Promoter and the Deposition of Alpha-gliadin Protein During Wheat Grain Development
- T. W. J. M. Van Herpen, M. Riley, C. Sparks, H. D. Jones, C. Gritsch, E. H. Dekking, R. J. Hamer, D. Bosch, E. M. J. Salentijn, M. J. M. Smulders, P. R. Shewry, and L. J. W. J. Gilissen
Ann Bot 2008 102: 331-342.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Role of Seed Coat in Imbibing Soybean Seeds Observed by Micro-magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Mika Koizumi, Kaori Kikuchi, Seiichiro Isobe, Nobuaki Ishida, Shigehiro Naito, and Hiromi Kano
Ann Bot 2008 102: 343-352.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Reproductive and Competitive Interactions Among Gametophytes of the Allotetraploid Fern Dryopteris corleyi and its Two Diploid Parents
- Ares Jiménez, Luis G. Quintanilla, Santiago Pajarón, and Emilia Pangua
Ann Bot 2008 102: 353-359.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Red Reveals Branch Die-back in Norway Maple Acer platanoides
- Aki Sinkkonen
Ann Bot 2008 102: 361-366.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- The Relationships of Wood-, Gas- and Water Fractions of Tree Stems to Performance and Life History Variation in Tropical Trees
- Lourens Poorter
Ann Bot 2008 102: 367-375.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- The Role of Forest Tent Caterpillar Defoliations and Partial Harvest in the Decline and Death of Sugar Maple
- Henrik Hartmann and Christian Messier
Ann Bot 2008 102: 377-387.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Diel Shifts in Carboxylation Pathway and Metabolite Dynamics in the CAM Bromeliad Aechmea ‘Maya’ in Response to Elevated CO2
- J. Ceusters, A. M. Borland, E. Londers, V. Verdoodt, C. Godts, and M. P. De Proft
Ann Bot 2008 102: 389-397.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Genetic Variation of Stomatal Traits and Carbon Isotope Discrimination in Two Hybrid Poplar Families (Populus deltoides ‘S9-2’ x P. nigra ‘Ghoy’ and P. deltoides ‘S9-2’ x P. trichocarpa ‘V24’)
- Sophie Y. Dillen, Nicolas Marron, Barbra Koch, and Reinhart Ceulemans
Ann Bot 2008 102: 399-407.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Vindoline Formation in Shoot Cultures of Catharanthus roseus is Synchronously Activated with Morphogenesis Through the Last Biosynthetic Step
- Freddy Campos-Tamayo, Elizabeta Hernández-Domínguez, and Felipe Vázquez-Flota
Ann Bot 2008 102: 409-415.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- High Invasive Pollen Transfer, Yet Low Deposition on Native Stigmas in a Carpobrotus-invaded Community
- Ignasi Bartomeus, Jordi Bosch, and Montserrat Vilà
Ann Bot 2008 102: 417-424.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- ABA Inhibits Embryo Cell Expansion and Early Cell Division Events During Coffee (Coffea arabica ‘Rubi’) Seed Germination
- E. A. Amaral Da Silva, Peter E. Toorop, André A. M. Van Lammeren, and Henk W. M. Hilhorst
Ann Bot 2008 102: 425-433.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Development of a Local Size Hierarchy Causes Regular Spacing of Trees in an Even-aged Abies Forest: Analyses Using Spatial Autocorrelation and the Mark Correlation Function
- Satoshi N. Suzuki, Naoki Kachi, and Jun-Ichirou Suzuki
Ann Bot 2008 102: 435-441.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Intraspecific Variation in Viola suavis in Europe: Parallel Evolution of White-flowered Morphotypes
- P. Mereda, Jr., I. Hodálová, P. Mártonfi, J. Kucera, and J. Lihová
Ann Bot 2008 102: 443-462.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- A New Approach to the Quantification of Degree of Reciprocity in Distylous (sensu lato) Plant Populations
- Jose M. Sanchez, Victoria Ferrero, and Luis Navarro
Ann Bot 2008 102: 463-472.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
- Anther Appendages of Incarvillea Trigger a Pollen-dispensing Mechanism
- Yi Han, Can Dai, Chun-Feng Yang, Qing-Feng Wang, and Timothy J. Motley
Ann Bot 2008 102: 473-479.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
