An R2R3 MYB transcription factor determines red petal colour in an Actinidia (kiwifruit) hybrid population

Background Red colour in kiwifruit results from the presence of anthocyanin pigments. Their expression, however, is complex, and varies among genotypes, species, tissues and environments. An understanding of the biosynthesis, physiology and genetics of the anthocyanins involved, and the control of their expression in different tissues, is required. A complex, the MBW complex, consisting of R2R3-MYB and bHLH transcription factors together with a WD-repeat protein, activates anthocyanin 3-O-galactosyltransferase (F3GT1) to produce anthocyanins. We examined the expression and genetic control of anthocyanins in flowers of Actinidia hybrid families segregating for red and white petal colour. Results Four inter-related backcross families between Actinidia chinensis Planch. var. chinensis and Actinidia eriantha Benth. were identified that segregated 1:1 for red or white petal colour. Flower pigments consisted of five known anthocyanins (two delphinidin-based and three cyanidin-based) and three unknowns. Intensity and hue differed in red petals from pale pink to deep magenta, and while intensity of colour increased with total concentration of anthocyanin, no association was found between any particular anthocyanin data and hue. Real time qPCR demonstrated that an R2R3 MYB, MYB110a, was expressed at significant levels in red-petalled progeny, but not in individuals with white petals. A microsatellite marker was developed that identified alleles that segregated with red petal colour, but not with ovary, stamen filament, or fruit flesh colour in these families. The marker mapped to chromosome 10 in Actinidia. The white petal phenotype was complemented by syringing Agrobacterium tumefaciens carrying Actinidia 35S::MYB110a into the petal tissue. Red pigments developed in white petals both with, and without, co-transformation with Actinidia bHLH partners. MYB110a was shown to directly activate Actinidia F3GT1 in transient assays. Conclusions The transcription factor, MYB110a, regulates anthocyanin production in petals in this hybrid population, but not in other flower tissues or mature fruit. The identification of delphinidin-based anthocyanins in these flowers provides candidates for colour enhancement in novel fruits.

Analysis of expressed sequence tags from Actinidia : Applications of a cross species EST database for gene discovery in the areas of flavor, health, color and ripening

Background Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) are a relatively new, but economically important crop grown in many different parts of the world. Commercial success is driven by the development of new cultivars with novel consumer traits including flavor, appearance, healthful components and convenience. To increase our understanding of the genetic diversity and gene-based control of these key traits in Actinidia, we have produced a collection of 132,577 expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Results The ESTs were derived mainly from four Actinidia species (A. chinensis, A. deliciosa, A. arguta and A. eriantha) and fell into 41,858 non redundant clusters (18,070 tentative consensus sequences and 23,788 EST singletons). Analysis of flavor and fragrance-related gene families (acyltransferases and carboxylesterases) and pathways (terpenoid biosynthesis) is presented in comparison with a chemical analysis of the compounds present in Actinidia including esters, acids, alcohols and terpenes. ESTs are identified for most genes in color pathways controlling chlorophyll degradation and carotenoid biosynthesis. In the health area, data are presented on the ESTs involved in ascorbic acid and quinic acid biosynthesis showing not only that genes for many of the steps in these pathways are represented in the database, but that genes encoding some critical steps are absent. In the convenience area, genes related to different stages of fruit softening are identified. Conclusion This large EST resource will allow researchers to undertake the tremendous challenge of understanding the molecular basis of genetic diversity in the Actinidia genus as well as provide an EST resource for comparative fruit genomics. The various bioinformatics analyses we have undertaken demonstrates the extent of coverage of ESTs for genes encoding different biochemical pathways in Actinidia.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 128-153

Novel species of microfungi described in the present study include the following from Australia: Catenulostroma corymbiae from Corymbia, Devriesia stirlingiae from Stirlingia, Penidiella carpentariae from Carpentaria, Phaeococcomyces eucalypti from Eucalyptus, Phialophora livistonae from Livistona, Phyllosticta aristolochiicola from Aristolochia, Clitopilus austroprunulus on sclerophyll forest litter of Eucalyptus regnans and Toxicocladosporium posoqueriae from Posoqueria. Several species are also described from South Africa, namely: Ceramothyrium podocarpi from Podocarpus, Cercospora chrysanthemoides from Chrysanthemoides, Devriesia shakazului from Aloe, Penidiella drakensbergensis from Protea, Strelitziana cliviae from Clivia and Zasmidium syzygii from Syzygium. Other species include Bipolaris microstegii from Microstegium and Synchaetomella acerina from Acer (USA), Brunneiapiospora austropalmicola from Rhopalostylis (New Zealand), Calonectria pentaseptata from Eucalyptus and Macadamia (Vietnam), Ceramothyrium melastoma from Melastoma (Indonesia), Collembolispora aristata from stream foam (Czech Republic), Devriesia imbrexigena from glazed decorative tiles (Portugal), Microcyclospora rhoicola from Rhus (Canada), Seiridium phylicae from Phylica (Tristan de Cunha, Inaccessible Island), Passalora lobeliaefistulosis from Lobelia (Brazil) and Zymoseptoria verkleyi from Poa (The Netherlands). Valsalnicola represents a new ascomycete genus from Alnus (Austria) and Parapenidiella a new hyphomycete genus from Eucalyptus (Australia). Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are also provided. © 2012 Nationaal Herbarium Nederland & Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures.

Interaction of Gibberellic Acid and Indole-3-acetic Acid in the Growth of Excised Cuscuta Shoot Tips in Vitro1

Gibberellic acid (GA3) induced a marked elongation of 2.5-centimeter shoot tips of Cuscuta chinensis Lamk. cultured in vitro. In terms of the absolute amount of elongation, this growth may be the largest reported for an isolated plant system. The response to hormone was dependent on an exogenous carbohydrate supply. The hormone-stimulated growth was due to both cell division and cell elongation. The growth response progressively decreased if GA3 was given at increasingly later times after culturing, but the decreased growth response could be restored by the application of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) to the apex. Explants deprived of GA3 gradually lost their ability to transport IAA basipetally, but this ability was also restored by auxin application. The observations are explained on the basis that: (a) the growth of Cuscuta shoot tip in vitro requires, at least, both an auxin and a gibberellin; and (b) in the absence of gibberellin the cultured shoot tip explants lose the ability to produce and/or transport auxin.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis reveals six new species of Diaporthe from Australia

Six new species of Diaporthe, D. beilharziae on Indigofera australis, D. fraxini-angustifoliae on Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa, D. litchicola on Litchi chinensis, D. nothofagi on Nothofagus cunninghamii, D. pascoei on Persea americana and D. salicicola on Salix purpurea from Australia are described and illustrated based on morphological characteristics and molecular analyses. Three of the new species no longer produced sporulating structures in culture and two of these were morphologically described from voucher specimens. Phylogenetic relationships of the new species with other Diaporthe species are revealed by DNA sequence analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and partial regions of the β-tubulin (BT) and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF). © 2013 Mushroom Research Foundation.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 281–319

Novel species of fungi described in the present study include the following from South Africa: Alanphillipsia aloeicola from Aloe sp., Arxiella dolichandrae from Dolichandra unguiscati, Ganoderma austroafricanum from Jacaranda mimosifolia, Phacidiella podocarpi and Phaeosphaeria podocarpi from Podocarpus latifolius, Phyllosticta mimusopisicola from Mimusops zeyheri and Sphaerulina pelargonii from Pelargonium sp. Furthermore, Barssia maroccana is described from Cedrus atlantica (Morocco), Codinaea pini from Pinus patula (Uganda), Crucellisporiopsis marquesiae from Marquesia acuminata (Zambia), Dinemasporium ipomoeae from Ipomoea pes-caprae (Vietnam), Diaporthe phragmitis from Phragmites australis (China), Marasmius vladimirii from leaf litter (India), Melanconium hedericola from Hedera helix (Spain), Pluteus albotomentosus and Pluteus extremiorientalis from a mixed forest (Russia), Rachicladosporium eucalypti from Eucalyptus globulus (Ethiopia), Sistotrema epiphyllum from dead leaves of Fagus sylvatica in a forest (The Netherlands), Stagonospora chrysopyla from Scirpus microcarpus (USA) and Trichomerium dioscoreae from Dioscorea sp. (Japan). Novel species from Australia include: Corynespora endiandrae from Endiandra introrsa, Gonatophragmium triuniae from Triunia youngiana, Penicillium coccotrypicola from Archontophoenix cunninghamiana and Phytophthora moyootj from soil. Novelties from Iran include Neocamarosporium chichastianum from soil and Seimatosporium pistaciae from Pistacia vera, Xenosonderhenia eucalypti and Zasmidium eucalyptigenum are newly described from Eucalyptus urophylla in Indonesia. Diaporthe acaciarum and Roussoella acacia are newly described from Acacia tortilis in Tanzania. New species from Italy include Comoclathris spartii from Spartium junceum and Phoma tamaricicola from Tamarix gallica. Novel genera include (Ascomycetes): Acremoniopsis from forest soil and Collarina from water sediments (Spain), Phellinocrescentia from a Phellinus sp. (French Guiana), Neobambusicola from Strelitzia nicolai (South Africa), Neocladophialophora from Quercus robur (Germany), Neophysalospora from Cotymbia henryi (Mozambique) and Xenophaeosphaeria from Grewia sp. (Tanzania). Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

Fungal Planet description sheets: 281-319

Novel species of fungi described in the present study include the following from South Africa: Alanphillipsia aloeicola from Aloe sp., Arxiella dolichandrae from Dolichandra unguiscati, Ganoderma austroafricanum from Jacaranda mimosifolia, Phacidiella podocarpi and Phaeosphaeria podocarpi from Podocarpus latifolius, Phyllosticta mimusopisicola from Mimusops zeyheri and Sphaerulina pelargonii from Pelargonium sp. Furthermore, Barssia maroccana is described from Cedrus atlantica (Morocco), Codinaea pini from Pinus patula (Uganda), Crucellisporiopsis marquesiae from Marquesia acuminata (Zambia), Dinemasporium ipomoeae from Ipomoea pes-caprae (Vietnam), Diaporthe phragmitis from Phragmites australis (China), Marasmius vladimirii from leaf litter (India), Melanconium hedericola from Hedera helix (Spain), Pluteus albotomentosus and Pluteus extremiorientalis from a mixed forest (Russia), Rachicladosporium eucalypti from Eucalyptus globulus (Ethiopia), Sistotrema epiphyllum from dead leaves of Fagus sylvatica in a forest (The Netherlands), Stagonospora chrysopyla from Scirpus microcarpus (USA) and Trichomerium dioscoreae from Dioscorea sp. (Japan). Novel species from Australia include: Corynespora endiandrae from Endiandra introrsa, Gonatophragmium triuniae from Triunia youngiana, Penicillium coccotrypicola from Archontophoenix cunninghamiana and Phytophthora moyootj from soil. Novelties from Iran include Neocamarosporium chichastianum from soil and Seimatosporium pistaciae from Pistacia vera, Xenosonderhenia eucalypti and Zasmidium eucalyptigenum are newly described from Eucalyptus urophylla in Indonesia. Diaporthe acaciarum and Roussoella acacia are newly described from Acacia tortilis in Tanzania. New species from Italy include Comoclathris spartii from Spartium junceum and Phoma tamaricicola from Tamarix gallica. Novel genera include (Ascomycetes): Acremoniopsis from forest soil and Collarina from water sediments (Spain), Phellinocrescentia from a Phellinus sp. (French Guiana), Neobambusicola from Strelitzia nicolai (South Africa), Neocladophialophora from Quercus robur (Germany), Neophysalospora from Cotymbia henryi (Mozambique) and Xenophaeosphaeria from Grewia sp. (Tanzania). Morphological and culture characteristics along with ITS DNA barcodes are provided for all taxa.

Bio-inspired route for the synthesis of spherical shaped MgO:Fe3+ nanoparticles: Structural, photoluminescence and photocatalytic investigation

MgO:Fe3+ (0.1-5 mol%) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via eco-friendly, inexpensive and simple low temperature solution combustion route using Aloe vera gel as fuel. The final products were characterized by SEM, TEM and HRTEM. PXRD data and Rietveld analysis revealed the formation of cubic system. The influence of Fe3+ ion concentration on the structure morphology, UV absorption, PL emission and photocatalytic activity of MgO:Fe3+ NPs were investigated. The yellow emission with CIE chromaticity coordinates (0.44, 0.52) and average correlated color temperature value was found to be 3540 K which corresponds to warm light of NPs. The control of Fe3+. on MgO matrix influences the photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue (MB) under UV light. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of MgO:Fe3+ (4 mol%) was attributed to dopant concentration, effective crystallite size, textural properties, decreased band gap and capability for reducing the electron hole pair recombination. Further, the trends of inhibitory effect in the presence of different radical scavengers were explored. These findings open up new avenues for the exploration of Fe-doped MgO in eco-friendly water applications and in the process of display devices. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Eu3+-activated ZnO superstructures: Photoluminescence, Judd-Ofelt analysis and Sunlight photocatalytic properties

Photoluminescence and photocatalytic properties of Eu-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by facile phyto route. XPS results demonstrated the existence of Eu3+ as dopant into ZnO. Morphologies of the NPs were mainly dependent on Eu3+ and Aloe vera gel. Red shift of energy band gap was due to the creation of intermediate energy states of Eu3+ and oxygen vacancies in the band gap. PL emission of ZnO:Eu3+ (1-11 mol%, 8 ml and 7 mol%, 2-12 ml) exhibit characteristic peaks of D-5(0) -> F-7(2) transitions. From the Judd-Ofelt analysis, intensities of transitions between different.' levels dependent on the symmetry of the local environment of Eu3+ ions. CIE chromaticity co-ordinates confirm reddish emission of the phosphor. Further, NPs exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B (94%) under Sunlight was attributed to crystallite size, band gap, morphology and oxygen vacancies. In addition, photocatalyst reusability studies were conducted and found that Eu-doped catalyst could be reused several times with negligible decrease in catalytic activity. The present work directs new possibilities to provide some new insights into the design of new phyto synthesized nanophosphors for display devices, photocatalysts with high activity for environmental clean-up and solar energy conversion. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Avaliação da toxicidade da emodina e sua associação com radiação ultravioleta A em cepas de Escherichia coli e células da linhagem A549

A emodina é uma antraquinona estruturalmente semelhante à aloe-emodina e ambas tem sido apontadas como capazes de causar lesões oxidativas pela produção de ERO. Sua presença em produtos dermocosméticos e de higiene pessoal, associada às informações de que a fotoativação de antraquinonas levaria ao aumento de lesões oxidativas causadas por ERO, torna relevante o estudo da associação da emodina com a radiação UVA. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a citotoxicidade induzida pela associação da emodina com doses subletais de radiação UVA, em células de Escherichia coli (selvagem e cepas deficientes em enzimas do BER), através de ensaios de sobrevivência bacteriana (taxa de dose de UVA igual a 20J/m/s, totalizando 108kJ/m ao final de 90min de experimento), e em células da linhagem A549 pela exclusão do corante azul de tripan e sobrevivência clonogênica(taxa de dose de UVA igual a 20J/m/s, totalizando 36kJ/m ao final de 30min de experimento). Além disso, a genotoxicidade desses agentes foi estudada por eletroforese em gel de agarose de DNA plasmidial (taxa de dose de UVA igual a 16J/m/s, totalizando 57,6kJ/m ao final de 60min de experimento). De acordo com os resultados: i) Concentrações iguais ou abaixo de 5,55mM de emodina não alteraram a sobrevivência em nenhuma das cepas estudas; ii) As proteínas Xth e Fpg parecem ter um papel importante no reparo das lesões causadas pela emodina, em altas concentrações, sugerindo a participação do reparo por excisão de bases (BER) nesse processo; iii) A associação da emodina com a radiação UVA se mostrou citotóxica em todas as cepas de E. coli; iv) O gene nfo foi o mais importante na resistência bacteriana às lesões induzidas pela associação dos dois agentes, reforçando o envolvimento do BER e indicando uma possível participação do reparo por incisão de nucleotídeos (NIR); v) A emodina parece ter interagido com o DNA plasmidial, alterando seu padrão de migração no gel de agarose; vi) Em células da linhagem A549, a emodina causa efeitos tóxicos imediatos que parecem ser reparados ao longo do tempo. Porém, quando a droga permaneceu por 24 horas em contato com as células, houve uma diminuição na sobrevivência celular que parece ser dosedependente; vii) As concentrações de 10μM e 25μM de emodina, quando associadas ao UVA, se mostraram responsáveis pela redução de mais de 50% na sobrevivência nas células A549, chegando a 100% de morte quando a concentração de emodina foi de 50μM; viii) A radiação UVA potencializou os efeitos citotóxicos da emodina, nos 2 modelos experimentais do presente estudo, indicando que a interação da emodina com a radiação UVA seja genotóxica e portanto prejudicial à saúde.

Stocking, Enhancement, and Mariculture of Penaeus orientalis and Other Species in Shanghai and Zhejiang Provinces, China

China's marine aquaculture landings provide only 18% of its combined freshwater and amrine capture and culture landings, at a per-capita consumption of only 3.2 kg/yr out of a total of 18.1 kg/yr. We described development and some of the results of long-term mariculture and stocking/enhancement projects that have been underway for up to 20 years in the Hangzhou Bay area. Penaeus orientalis (also referred to as P. chinensis) stocking provided up to 400 t/yr, at a total cost-benefit ratio of up to 8 Yuan of landed shrimp per Yuan invested in shrimp stocking. Over 40 t of Penaeus orientalis were produced commercially in 1993, with proceeds being used to fund mariculture and fisheries research. Large scale edible jellyfish restocking is also underway, while semicommercial culture of abalone, Haliotis diversicolor, has been successful. Technical problems limitig mariculture have been solved successfully for some species.

石荠苎属的系统学与进化

石荠苎属(Mosla (Benth.) Buch.-Hamilt. ex Maxim.)是唇形科的一个小属，仅分布于东亚，该属复杂的变异式样一直困扰着系统学家．本论文是对该属进行三年物种生物学研究的结果．本研究从居群生物学出发，在广泛的野外调查后选取了47个居群进行取样和观察，在控制环境因素的实验设计条件下，测量了31个居群53个形态性状并分析了其变异规律;在扫描电镜下观察了含外类群在内的6属38个居群的花粉和小坚果表面微形态：对27个居群做了细胞学研究：对22个居群15个酶系统做了等位酶分析，获得了28个位点的资料;进行了35个组合的796次人工杂交．综合上述各方面资料的分析结果，对石荠苎属的形态变异与进化、居群分化、生殖隔离、物种形成、类群划分，以及起源和扩展作了详细的分析和讨论． 形态特征的数量遗传学分析表明，叶片大小和形状、苞片形态、花序（果序）和花萼（果期花萼）的复杂变异式样是造成分类混乱的主要原因．叶片大小和形状在小鱼仙草(M. dianthera)中呈现幅度很宽的连续变异，极端情况常分别被描述为不同的种，如M．remottllora和M．grosseserrata．少数突变体以及种间偶尔产生的杂交个体在苞片和花序形态上表现异常，都曾引起分类的混乱．本研究已经澄清M. bracteata和M. tamdaoensis是突变体，而M. exfoliata和M. longispica则是种间杂种．M.fomosana花萼上唇裂片长度的变异是导致分类困难的另一个原因，是小鱼仙草花萼上唇中裂片变异的极端类型。 通过比较分析揭示了石荠苎属中苞片形状、花序结构、花朵大小、花萼形态、小坚果和花粉粒表面纹饰以及染色体的变异和演化趋势，苞片由发达的叶状类型向披针形方向演化;花序由花朵疏离的松散状向紧缩的头状类型演化;花萼由近辐射对称，五个裂片近等长向二唇形演化;花冠由发达、鲜艳向退化方向演化：小坚果由具旋涡状深雕纹向具网纹类型演化;花粉粒由无明显突起向有明显条文或块状突起的类型演化;核型由不对称性小向不对称性增强发展;繁育系统由以异交为主向以自交为主演化，并且带动一系列花部形态的相关变异． 等位酶分析结果表明，石荠苎属种内的进化以遗传变异的积累和繁育系统的转变造成的居群间分化为主要特征．杭州石荠苎各居群的平均遗传距离为0.026，聚类分析结果发现7个居群明显分化为两支，居群3704，4704和3712为一支，其他居群为一支，等位酶资料获得的结果也得到形态和生殖特征的支持．3704、4704和3712在毛被、花朵大小、小坚果大小和颜色在均与其他居群有差异，繁育系统上，这三个居群表现出更明显的异交特性．小鱼仙草居群之间遗传分化甚至大于少数亲缘种之间的遗传分化，平均遗传距离达到0.034，但杂交实验发现，居群之间并不存在生殖隔离，不同的居群之间在叶片大小、叶形、苞片长短和花萼上唇中裂片的长短也有所不同．杭州石荠苎和小鱼仙草种内居群之间的形态和等位酶分化说明居群之问正处于分化和物种形成的早期阶段，生殖隔离还没有建立。 突变（包括染色体结构变异）的积累和繁育系统的转变是石荠苎属物种形成的基础，苏州石荠苎和石荠苎的分化是由于染色体结构变异的积累，具体表现在核型不对称性上的差异，造成生殖隔离．另一些比较明显的物种形成机制为：染色体多倍化，形成M.pauciflora;染色体结构变异，如随体染色体的臂间易位，产生M.cavaleriei;繁育系统由异交转变为自交产生M．chinensis．另外，在物种形成过程中，花期和生态位分化等促进了生殖隔离的完善． 石荠苎属形态上界限清楚，而且存在生殖隔离的种有八个，它们是小花荠苎(M.cavaleriei Levl.);石香薷 (M. chinensis Maxim.);小鱼仙草 (M. dianthera (Buch.-Hamilt. ex Roxb.) Maxim.);杭州石荠苎(M．hangchouensis Matsuda);日本石荠苎(M. japonica (Benth.) Maxim.);疏花荠苎(M. pauciflora (C. Y. Wu) C. Y. Wu et H. W. Li);石荠苎(M. punctulata (J.F. Gmelin) Nakai)和苏州石荠苎(M. soochouensis Matsuda). 石荠苎属的近缘属是香薷属(Elsholtzia)、香简草属(Keiskea)和紫苏属(Perilla)。石荠苎属与近缘属的分化大约在260万年之前，因为那时石荠苎属的祖先就发生了分化，形成以杭州石荠苎一一石香薷的祖先和以小花荠苎一一小鱼仙草的祖先为代表的两条进化主线，从香薷属和香简草属的现代分布式样-以及石荠苎属的分布特点推断，华东地区可能是石荠苎属的起源和演化的舞台，华东地区具有最大的种类多样性、变异性、特有性和多度．

木通科植物分类学研究

本文对木通科植物进行全面分类学修订，确认8属35种（包括16亚种）。这8个属是：猫儿屎属(Decaisnea，1种)，串果藤属(Sinofranchetia，1种)，牛藤果属(parvatia，2种)，野木瓜属(Stauntonia，24种)，长萼木通属(Archakebia，1种)，木通属（Akebia，4种），拉氏藤属（Lardizabala，1种）和勃奎拉属（Boquila，1种）。我们建立了1个新属(长萼木通属Archakebia)、4个新种（短蕊八月瓜Stauntonia brachyandra，厚叶八月瓜S．crassifolia，离丝野木瓜S．libera和墨脱八月瓜S．medogensis）和5个新亚种（长萼三叶木通Akebia trifolialassp. longisepala，线叶五风藤Stauntonia angustifolia ssp. linearifolia，三叶五风藤S．a．ssp, trifoliata，海南野木瓜S．chinensis ssp. hainaensis和纸叶八月瓜S．latifolia ssp. chartacea)，重新组合了8个名称(Parvatia brunoniana ssp. elliptica，Stauntonia angustifolia，S． chapaensis，S．coriacea，S．grandiflora，S．latifolia，S．obovatifoliola .ssp. urophylla和S．pterocaulis)和归并了32个类群（种及种下等级）。 我们对1989年系统进行了补充，在拉氏藤族(tribe Lardizabaleae)中建立两个亚族，并对野木瓜属(Stauntonia)提出一个详尽的属下分类系统，包括两个亚属4个组。本修订主要根据作者对近七千余份腊叶标本的研究和野外考察结果撰写而成。在前一部分中，我们全面阐述木通科形态性状特征及其演化意义，并应用于科下种上分类群的划分及其亲缘关系讨论。在此基~础上，我们进一步确认串果藤族(Sinofranchetieae)和猫儿屎族(Decaisneeae)均为木通科植物早期演化的分支，也是系统位置比较孤立的类群;拉氏藤族(Lardizabaleae)与亚洲类群分开的历史很长，其内部分化也很显著;木通族(Akebineae)是木通科植物演化的主干，也是较晚近时期发生的类群，它正处在强烈分化之中，存在有各种演化式样，是木通科植物分类实践的难点。 作者仍然认为木通科植物是毛茛类与木兰类之间联系的扭带，它可能在白垩纪初期就已经在联合古陆上起源，并在古陆分裂之前就发生了东亚及南美两群植物的隔离事件。 我们在本文后一部分（即分类处理）中，描述了每个种（共35种）的性状特征、物候期、生态习性及其与近缘种的关系，并作出种分布图和形态线描图。最后列出所研究标本的索引（中英对照）。

水杉的分类、历史地理分布及其与古气候变迁的关系

本文所用标本为采自中国东北晚白垩世或古新世黑龙江省嘉荫县乌云组和早始新世辽宁省抚顺市西露天矿古城子组和计军屯组的水杉植物化石。标本包括营养结构如两种小枝，生殖结构如雄花枝和雌球果。本论文对水杉的形态结构包括叶表皮及在雄球花苞叶的上下表皮结构及花粉结构作了详细的研究。 水杉属目前已建立21个种，由于保存的原因，多数种建立在保存下来的都分器的特征上。通过对中国东北材料与曾建立的14个种M. milleri，M. glyptostroboides, M. disticha, M. japonica, M. chinensis, M. cuneata, M. papillapollenites, M. miocenica, M. kimurae, M. onukii, M. europaea, M. asiatica, M. nathorstii, M. occidentalis 之间进行的详细对比，发现这些种之间存在着极大的相似性。现代水杉M. glyptostroboides的研究非常详细，且化石种缺乏足够的特征与其相对比，因此现代水杉可作为一个生活种而存在。M. milleri和M. glyptostroboides相比较表明：二者的雄球花及木材的解剖结构特征不同，以上其他的化石种由于保存的局限性，不具有可与M. milleri对此的相应的解剖特征，认为化石种M. milleri成立。M. disticha, M. japonica, M. chinensis, M. cuneata, M. papillapolenites, M. miocenica, M. kimurae, M. onukii, M. europaea, M. asiatica, M. nathorstii 11个化石种均归于M. occidentalis。由于M. wigginsii, M. neosibirica, M. krysthofovichi, M. spitzbergensis, M. paradoxa 5个种仅建立在具有互生叶的小枝或叶表皮的基础上，M. sibirica和M. klerkiana两个种仅建立在木材解剖的结构特征上,故此7个种有待于进一步研究.因此,水杉属下确定存的有3个种:1个现代种:M. glyptostroboides;2个化石种:M. occidentalis和M. Milleri. 本文还通过收集水杉栽培状况的资料,对水杉生长的环境和生长状况统计分析,得出水杉生存繁衍的气候条件要求范围:年降水量为1000.0 - 1865.5 mm,年均温为13-16 ℃, 一月均温为-3.1至4.2 ℃,极端低温为-12 ℃, 七月均温为17.7 - 27.9 ℃。这一条件也是水杉在地质克史时期分布区应该具备的气候限制因素。本文通过收集大量的文献资料得到水杉从晚白垩世至今在全球范围内的分布状况，发现：由于自晚白垩世以来气候逐渐转冷的变化，水杉的分布范围也在逐渐变小，最后仅自然分布于中国中部湘鄂川三省的交界。以时间为横轴，水杉分布的纬度为纵轴得到水杉分布的纬度变化曲线，从各个时期最北界为点建立的曲线的起伏变化表明，除从古新世至始新世曲线稍微升高外，晚白垩世以来曲线大都在下降，反映了气温在古新世晚期略微升高，其它时期都在下降之中，这一结论与氧同位素的结论基本一致。