Byoung-Un Oh

Chromosome numbers of 28 taxa in 10 genera of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup family) from the Korean peninsula

Somatic chromosome numbers of 28 Korean native species in the buttercup family are observed and analyzed. The plants include 10 genera with seven endemic taxa to the Korean peninsula, and most of them are the first reports from Korean populations. In particular, the chromosome numbers for the two taxa are reported for the first time: Clematis fusca var. coreana (H. Lév) Nakai (2n = 16) and Thalictrum aquilegiifolium var. sibiricum Regel & Tiling (2n = 42). The Ranunculus type chromosomes (R-type, c.3–12 μm long) are found in Megaleranthis, Actaea, Cimicifuga, Anemone, Clematis, Hepatica, and Ranunculus, whereas Aquilegia and Ranunculus have the Thalictrum type chromosomes (T-type, c.1–1.5 μm long). The two types of chromosomes in Ranunculus, one of the species-rich genera in the family (c.600 species worldwide), suggest that chromosomal differentiation plays an important role in species diversification in the genus. Evaluation of cytogenetic features in a phylogenetic frame is suggested for a better understanding of the evolutionary history of the family.

A new species and a new combination of Allium sect. Rhizirideum (Alliaceae) from northeastern China and Korea

A new species, Allium pseudosenescens, belonging to sect. Rhizirideum (Alliaceae), is described from northeastern China. It is easily distinguished from A. senescens by the slender pedicels, pale pink perianths, narrower tepals and ovaries, yellowish anthers, and sometimes toothed subulate filaments. Also, A. senescens var. minus in sect. Rhizirideum is raised to the rank of species, as A. minus. This Korean endemic taxon is shown to be a biologically distinct species based on morphological and cytological characters. Taxonomic keys for the species of Allium sect. Rhizirideum in northeastern China and Korea are provided.

Corydalis hirtipes B.U. Oh et J.G. Kim: A new species ofCorydalis sectCorydalis (Fumariaceae) from Korea

Here we describe a new species ofCorydalis sectCorydalis (Fumariaceae), namely C.hirtipes B.U. Oh et J.G. Kim. This species, from the central part of Korea, is clearly distinguished from other species of sectCorydalis by its simple, unicellular hairs that are densely distributed on the stems, peduncles, and petioles. It is also distinctive from its close relative C.albipetala in having ternate leaves, lobate or parted leaflets, dentate or cleft bracts, and broad, fusiform fruits.

Development and characterization of 24 chloroplast microsatellite markers for two species of Eranthis (Ranunculaceae)

Chloroplast microsatellites for two Korean endemic species, Eranthis byunsanensis and E. pungdoensis (Ranunculaceae), were isolated to address the questions of their distributional patterns and evolutionary relationships, using next-generation sequencing. Twenty-four polymorphic chloroplast microsatellite markers for these two species were developed, and then characterized in 65 individuals (55 individuals of E. byunsanensis and 10 individuals of E. pungdoensis). The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 9; the average number of alleles across all the loci scored 4.792. The unbiased diversity per locus ranged from 0.089 to 0.880; the unbiased diversity averaged over all the loci was 0.646. The developed markers were successfully amplified for three congeneric species, E. stellata, E. pinnatifida, and E. longistipitata. The markers developed in this study can provide a valuable and important tool for understanding genetic variations, population structures, evolutionary histories and phylogeography of E. byunsanensis, E. pungdoensis, and related species.