Molecular systematics and biogeography of Crawfurdia, Metagentiana and Tripterospermum (Gentianaceae) based on nuclear ribosomal and plastid DNA sequences

Background and Aims The systematic position of the genus Metagentiana and its phylogenetic relationships with Crawfurdia, Gentiana and Tripterospermum have not been explicitly addressed. These four genera belong to one of two subtribes (Gentianinae) of Gentianeae. The aim of this paper is to examine the systematic position of Crawfurdia, Metagentiana and Tripterospermum and to clarify their phylogenetic affinities more clearly using ITS and trnL intron sequences.Methods Nucleotide sequences from the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA and the plastid DNA trnL (UAA) intron were analysed phylogenetically. Ten of fourteen Metagentiana species were sampled, together with 40 species of other genera in the subtribe Gentianinae.Key Results The data support several previously published conclusions relating to the separation of Metagentiana from Gentiana and its closer relationships to Crawfurdia and Tripterospermum based on studies of gross morphology, floral anatomy, chromosomes, palynology, embryology and previous molecular data. The molecular clock hypothesis for the tested sequences in subtribe Gentianinae was not supported by the data (P < 0.05), so the clock-independent non-parametric rate smoothing method was used to estimate divergence time. This indicates that the separation of Crawfurdia, Metagentiana and Tripterospermum from Gentiana occurred about 11.4-21.4 Mya (million years ago), and the current species of these three genera diverged at times ranging from 0.4 to 6.2 Mya.Conclusions The molecular analyses revealed that Crawfurdia, Metagentiana and Tripterospermum do not merit status as three separate genera, because sampled species of Crawfurdia and Tripterospermum are embedded within Metagentiana. The speciation and rapid radiation of these three genera is likely to have occurred in western China as a result of upthrust of the Himalayas during the late Miocene and the Pleistocene.

Embryology of Crawfurdia delavayi (Gentianaceae) and its systematic value

The embryological characters of Crawfurdia delavayi Frabnch. are described and the systematic relationships of Crawfurdia discussed. Anthers are tetrasporangiate. The development of anther walls conforms to the Dicotyledonous type. The tapetum is of single origin. The development of the tapetum with uninucleate cells is of the glandular type. The tapetal cells on the connective side show radial elongation or periclinal division and intrude into the anther locule. The epidermis of anther walls persists and its cells become pillar and fibrous, and the endothecium degenerates. The ovary is bicarpellary and unilocular. The placentation is typically parietal with 8 rows of anatropous ovules. The development of embryo sac is of the polygonum type. Before fertilization, two polar nuclei fuse into a secondary nucleus. Three antipodal cells persist. Flowers are protandrous. Fertilization is porogamous. The development of the endosperm is of the nuclear type. The embryogeny corresponds to the solanad type physalis II variation. The embryological data indicate that it is better to separate Crawfurdia from Gentiana as an independent genus.

龙胆科蔓龙胆属及其相关类群的系统学研究

本文回顾了龙胆科蔓龙胆属、双蝴蝶属、龙胆属狭蕊组和翼萼蔓属的研究历史，对这些类群的外部形态、花部解剖结构、染色体、花粉形态及胚胎学进行了研究，并结合已有的资料，探讨了这些类群的分类学问题。主要结论如下： 1．外部形态 蔓龙胆属、双蝴蝶属、龙胆属狭蕊组和龙胆属其他组之 间以及蔓龙胆属和翼萼蔓属之间在外部形态上均存在差异。 2．花部解剖结构 蔓龙胆属、双蝴蝶属、龙胆属狭蕊组和龙胆属其他组的花部解剖结构存在较多地相似之处，同时蔓龙胆属和双蝴蝶属的花被维管束和腺体比龙胆属狭蕊组和龙胆属其他组的特化。而翼萼蔓属的花部解剖结构与蔓龙胆属的差异较大，与扁蕾属的花部解剖结构较相似。 3．染色体 本文对蔓龙胆属、双蝴蝶属、龙胆属狭蕊组和翼萼蔓属的7种植物的染色体数目、基数和核型对称性作了研究，其中6种植物的染色体为首次报道，它们是：披针叶蔓龙胆C．delavayi、双蝴蝶T.chnense、峨眉双蝴蝶T．cordatum、锯齿龙胆 G．serra、毛脉龙胆G．souliei、和翼萼蔓P．volubilis。蔓龙胆属、双蝴蝶属和龙胆属狭蕊组的核型不对称性稍强于龙胆属其他组，但在染色体组成上十分相似。翼萼蔓属和蔓龙胆属的染色体差异较大，面与扁蕾属的染色体较相似。 4.花粉形态蔓龙胆属、双蝴蝶属、龙胆属狭蕊组和龙胆属其他组均具有球形或长球形、3孔沟、沟长而宽、外壁纹饰为条纹一无穿孔和条纹一穿孔的花粉类型。而翼萼蔓属的花粉为球形、纹饰为网状纹馋与蔓龙胆属不同，与扁蕾属的花粉较相似。 5．胚胎学 本文对披针叶蔓龙胆C，delavayi、双蝴蝶T．chinense、峨眉双蝴蝶T．cordatum、条纹龙胆G. striata和翼萼蔓P．volubilis作了较详细的胚胎学研究，这些类群在花药壁的分化和形成、胚珠和胎座类型、卵器中的助细胞和反足细胞、种皮以及胚发育等特征上存在差异，并且在胚胎学特征上各自拥有原始和进化的性状。蔓龙胆属、双蝴蝶属和龙胆属之间的胚胎学性状差异较大，龙胆属狭蕊组与双蝴蝶属的胚胎学性状较相似，而与蔓龙胆属和龙胆属其他组的差吴较大。翼萼蔓属的胚胎学性状与扁蕾属的较相似，而与蔓龙胆属的差异较大。 6．综合分析外部形态、花部解剖结构、染色体、花粉形态及胚胎学性状，结果表明，蔓龙胆属、双蝴蝶属、龙胆属狭蕊组和龙胆属其他组是亲缘关系十分相近的类群，在某些特征上已存在明显地演化极向，但在大多数特征上演化极向不明。蔓龙胆属和双蝴蝶属分别作为独立属处理较为合适，而且两属的亲缘关系很近。狭蕊组仍应放在龙胆属，蔓龙胆属比双蝴蝶属与龙胆属的亲缘关系更近一些。翼萼蔓属也应作为一独立属处理，而且该属可能与扁蕾属的亲缘关系较近，而与蔓龙胆属亲缘关系较远。 7．本文还讨论了蔓龙胆属、双蝴蝶属、龙胆属狭蕊组和翼萼蔓属的地理分布。

用nrDNA ITS序列探讨狭蕊龙胆属及其近缘属(龙胆科)的系统发育

运用核糖体DNA内转录间隔区ITS序列对狭蕊龙胆属Metagentiana10种及其近缘属22种植物进行了系统发育分析.ITS分析结果表明狭蕊龙胆属是一个多系群:在系统发育树上,双蝴蝶属Tripterospermum和蔓龙胆属Crawfurdia的种类位于狭蕊龙胆属各分支中,而且双蝴蝶属和蔓龙胆属的种类也相互交叉;这一结果不支持将3个属各自独立为属.但是,在所有分析中,3个属共同形成一单系分支,是龙胆属Gentiana的姊妹群;这一结果与形态学、花部解剖学、细胞学、孢粉学和胚胎学等证据基本一致,狭蕊龙胆属应该从龙胆属中分离出来,它与双蝴蝶属和蔓龙胆属有更为密切的亲缘关系.根据分支图,在狭蕊龙胆属、双蝴蝶属和蔓龙胆属组成的复合群中,现已知的染色体基数x=17、21和23可能存在网状和平行进化.

双蝴蝶属和蔓龙胆属（龙胆科）种子表面特征的研究

在扫描电镜下观察了龙胆科双蝴蝶属8个种和蔓龙胆属6个种的种子表面纹饰。观察结果表明，2属的种子表面特征均为网状纹饰类型。其中Tripterospermum cordatum, T. volubile, T. chinense, T. discoideum, T. japonicum, T. filicaule, Crawfurdia delavayi和C. pricei的种子表面为细网状；T. hirticalyx, T. pingbianense, C. puberula, C. tibetica, C. campanulacea和C. crawfordioides的种子表面为粗网状。在龙胆属Gentiana的不同组中均在网状纹饰。因此，从种子表面特征可看出，龙胆属、双蝴蝶和蔓龙胆属3属间具较近的亲缘关系。同时，在双蝴蝶属中，种之间在种子表面特征上有分化，在表面纹饰的具体特征上存在较大差别。而在蔓龙胆属中种间差别很小，仅在一些种子表面有无附属物上存在差异。

Metagentiana, a new genus of Gentianaceae

The evidence from cross morphology, floral anatomy, chromosomes, palynology, and embryology all indicates that sect. Stenogyne is discordant within the genus Gentiana and is as distinct from the other sections of Gentiana as are other genera, such as Tripterospermum and Crawfurdia. In light of these characters, sect. Stenogyne is removed from Gentiana and given generic rank as the new genus Metagentiana. It is more related to Tripterospermum and Crawfurdia than to Gentiana, though it is more primitive than the first two genera. Together with Tripterospermum and Crawfurdia the new genus forms a monophyletic group, which is the sister group to the genus Gentiana. Fourteen new combinations required at specific rank are proposed.