Taxonomic significance of inflorescences, floral morphology and anatomy in Passerina (Thymelaeaceae)

Bothalia ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. L. Bredenkamp ◽  
A. E. Van Wyk
Keyword(s):  
Southern Africa ◽  
Seed Coat ◽  
Floral Morphology ◽  
Morphological Evidence ◽  
Tabular Form ◽  
Taxonomic Significance ◽  
The Status ◽  
Generic Description ◽  
Floral Receptacle ◽  
Anatomical Evidence

Comparative studies were undertaken on the inflorescence, bracts and floral morphology of all taxa of the genus Passerina L. in southern Africa. Information is given in tabular form and a key based on bract morphology is presented.Floral morphology supported the status of the intrageneric taxa and also proved to be of taxonomic significance in the genus. Controversy surrounding the interpretation of a number of floral morphological structures in  Passerina has been resolved. Morphological and anatomical evidence allowed a re-interpretation of the structure of the receptacle, hypanthium and sepals, ovary type and position, structure of the seed coat, ovule type and position, obturator, fruit and seed. On this basis an authentic generic description of the floral morphology was compiled.  Passerina is distinguished by the following set of characters, a very short floral receptacle, tubular hypanthium, petaloid calyx, absence of petals and petaloid scales, diplostemonous dimorphic androecium, extrorse anthers, superior ovary, anatropous, ventrally epitropous ovule, an obturator of elongated cells, a I-seeded berry or an achene and tegmic seed with nuclear endosperm becoming cellular throughout.On this basis the flower in Passerina is considered a phylogenetically advanced structure, supporting the view that the genus is advanced within the Thymelaeoideae. The proposed taxonomic relationship between Thymelaeaceae and Malvales is confirmed by floral morphological evidence. Comparative studies were undertaken on the inflorescence, bracts and floral morphology of all taxa of the genus Passerina L. in southern Africa. Information is given in tabular form and a key based on bract morphology is presented.Floral morphology supported the status of the intrageneric taxa and also proved to be of taxonomic significance in the genus. Controversy surrounding the interpretation of a number of floral morphological structures in  Passerina has been resolved. Morphological and anatomical evidence allowed a re-interpretation of the structure of the receptacle, hypanthium and sepals, ovary type and position, structure of the seed coat, ovule type and position, obturator, fruit and seed. On this basis an authentic generic description of the floral morphology was compiled.  Passerina is distinguished by the following set of characters, a very short floral receptacle, tubular hypanthium, petaloid calyx, absence of petals and petaloid scales, diplostemonous dimorphic androecium, extrorse anthers, superior ovary, anatropous, ventrally epitropous ovule, an obturator of elongated cells, a I-seeded berry or an achene and tegmic seed with nuclear endosperm becoming cellular throughout.On this basis the flower in Passerina is considered a phylogenetically advanced structure, supporting the view that the genus is advanced within the Thymelaeoideae. The proposed taxonomic relationship between Thymelaeaceae and Malvales is confirmed by floral morphological evidence.

scholarly journals Protocirrineris (Polychaeta:Cirratulidae) in South Africa and description of two new species

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (S5) ◽  
pp. S70-S80
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Elías ◽  
María Andrea Saracho-Bottero ◽  
Carol Anne Simon
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
New Species ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscope ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Diagnostic Characters ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
The Status ◽  
Scanning Electron

Introduction: The knowledge of polychaetes in the subtropical region of Africa benefited from the activity of J. Day. However, 50 years after the publication of his Monograph of the Polychaeta of southern Africa, it is necessary to reconsider the identity of the Cirratulidae due to changes in the diagnostic characters and new approaches to the taxonomy of the group to corroborate the status of cosmopolitan species in this region. Objective: We hypothesize that biodiversity of multitentacular Cirratulidae polychaetes has been significantly underestimated in southern Africa. Methods: The present work analyzes material deposited in the Iziko museum, as well as recently collected specimens, using scanning electron microscope to identify them. Results: The material corresponds to two new species belonging to the genus Protocirrineris. Protocirrineris strandloperarum sp. nov. is characterized by having the tentacular filaments between the chaetigers 5 to 10-12 and the first pair of branchiae from chaetiger 7, and P. magalhaesi sp. nov. is characterized by having tentacular filaments between chaetigers 4-8 and the first pair of branchiae from chaetigers 2 or 3. Descriptions of these species, with light and scanning electron microscope images, are given. Schematic drawings of the two new species are shown comparatively with diagnostic characters. Conclusions: The use of new techniques enables discovery of new taxonomic characters and two new species of the genus. The diversity of Cirratulidae polychaetes is underestimated also in the subtropical and tropical regions of Africa.

Cymbidium xichouense (Orchidaceae; Epidendroideae), a new species from China: evidence from morphological and molecular data

Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 484 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-297
Author(s):  
XINYU XU ◽  
CHANG-CHUN DING ◽  
WENQI HU ◽  
XIA YU ◽  
YU ZHENG ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Yunnan Province ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Plastid Dna ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Morphological Evidence ◽  
The Status ◽  
Nuclear Its ◽  
Morphological And Molecular Data ◽  
A New Species

A new species of Cymbidium (Orchidaceae), Cymbidium xichouense, from Yunnan Province, China, is described and illustrated based on morphological evidence and molecular analyses. The new orchid is morphologically similar to C. qinbeiense, but it has several morphological features that distinguish it from C. qiubeinense and all other recognized species in Cymbidium. Phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear (ITS) and plastid DNA (matK) were conducted, and the results also supported the status of C. xichouense as a new species, which is sister to C. qiubeiense.

Revision of the status of Saurolophus (Hadrosauridae) from California, USA

2010 ◽  
Vol 47 (11) ◽  
pp. 1417-1426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phil R. Bell ◽  
David C. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Sister Taxon ◽  
Morphological Evidence ◽  
Magmatic Arc ◽  
The Status ◽  
Previous Assignment ◽  
Geographic Setting

The occurrence of Saurolophus from the Moreno Formation (late Maastrichtian) of California is investigated and an incomplete, poorly preserved, skull (LACM/CIT 2852) is described. The skull lacks the braincase (including the frontals) and much of the nasals, and the preserved portions are crushed or plastically deformed, which makes anatomical interpretations difficult. A preserved midline fragment of the conjoined nasals suggests that it lacked a gryposaur-like “Roman nose”, but the nature of the crest, if present, is impossible to determine with certainty. A phylogenetic analysis places this specimen as either the sister taxon of Saurolophus or as the sister taxon to a clade comprising Edmontosaurus and Anatotitan . There is no compelling morphological evidence to support the previous assignment of LACM/CIT 2852 to Saurolophus rather than to Edmontosaurus, and its poor preservation prevents positive assignment to any taxon below Hadrosaurinae indet. Given its geographic setting and morphological uncertainties, it is also possible that this specimen represents a separate taxon, but more material is needed to clarify the identity of the Moreno hadrosaurine. LACM/CIT 2852 does, however, provide evidence that Maastrichtian hadrosaurines ranged west of the Sierra Nevada magmatic arc, in an area where dinosaur diversity is poorly known.

On the status of Kaiparaites Matsumoto, 1955 (Cretaceous; Ammonoidea: Kossmaticeratidae)

2019 ◽  
Vol 294 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-310
Author(s):  
Michael R. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Type Species ◽  
Taxonomic Significance ◽  
Generic Rank ◽  
The Status

The kossmaticeratid ammonite Kaiparaites was on its inception synonymized by its author (Matsumoto 1955) with Natalites (Collignon 1954). However, close comparison of the type species of these two genera shows them to be morphologically and stratigraphically distinct. Whereas Santonian Natalites shares the flexed constrictions of late Turonian–Coniacian Kossmaticeras, the straight constrictions of late Campanian – Maastrichtian Kaiparaites are shared with Caledonites, Gunnarites, Grossouvrites and Jacobites. Consequently, Kaiparaites is resurrected from the synonymy of Natalites and demonstrates that, under phylogenetic consideration, characters first thought to be of prime taxonomic significance actually turn out to be secondary. Since treatment of Natalites as a subgenus of Kossmaticeras emphasizes primitive characters, it is returned to generic rank, as is Santonian Karapadites although, for those who find use for subgenera, the latter can be treated as a subgenus of Natalites.

The importance of English communication skills in multilingual settings in Southern Africa

English Today ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 49-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Fandrych
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
The United States ◽  
Official Language ◽  
Political Struggle ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The Status ◽  
Official Languages ◽  
Language Issues

ABSTRACTAn account of the need for appropriate language skills in a developing multilingual context.Language issues in Southern Africa have always been marked by political struggle. In South Africa, these were sometimes violent, as with, for example, the 1976 Soweto uprisings, in which protests over the medium of education were prominent. One of the priorities of the first democratically elected government of 1994 was to democratise the situation by making eleven languages official, in contrast to the two prior to that, namely Afrikaans and English. In other Southern African countries, language issues have also been characterised by debates and struggles. A prime example is the decision by the Namibian government to make English the official language of the country, even though English had never even been a colonial language in Namibia. Another example is Lesotho, a former British protectorate, with two official languages, English and Sesotho. In the last two decades, there have been numerous debates about the status of English as a subject necessary for a pass in schools and as a prerequisite for admission to university. Kramsch's observation that ‘[l]inguistic wars are always also political and cultural wars’ captures the situation well. Language issues are still on many speakers' minds and influence their sense of self and identity. As Baugh observes, ‘[i]n societies like the United States and South Africa, where race and language development have strongly been influenced by racial strife, many students do not aspire to “talk like Whites”’.

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