Laura Feoli Chiapella

SEROLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS OF THE TRIBE GENISTEAE (FABACEAE)

In order to assess the systematic relations within the tribe Genisteae, the water-soluble seed proteins of 45 species have been studied serologically. The reaction was tested by immunodiffusion and the results have been processed by cluster analysis and by principal component analysis. Based on these data, the genus Cytisus s.l. (incl. Chamaecytisus, Sarothamnus and Corothamnus) represents a single homogeneous unit, except for C. sessilifolius, which appears to be more closely related to Laburnum and to Genista than to the other species of Cytisus. Also, C. emeriflorus is very similar to Lembotropis nigricans; its inclusion in the genus Lembotropis is sustained. Genista is much more complex; its section Asterospartum should be segregated as the genus Cytisanthus Lang, being internally homogeneous, distinct from all other sections and fairly close to Lygos. A new combination, Cytisanthus aetnensis (Biv.) comb. nova, is published. Genista pilosa and G. anglica seem very much isolated, but the authors do not intend to propose here a new taxonomic rank, due to the scarcity of data. Teline is very similar to Genista. Even more similar to Genista is Chamaespartium sagittale, which biochemically and morphologically fits very well in the subgenus Genista, in spite of its winged stem. In a general arrangement of the tribe, two groups of genera represent the extreme points of diversification: (i) Cytisus-Lembotropis-Calycotome and (2) Genista-Teline-PetteriaSpartium and (with decreasing similarity) Cytisanthus and Lygos. Between these two groups there are a series of intermediate genera, that may be placed in one group or the other depending on the method of analysis: Adenocarpus, Argyrolobium (both of them should be included in the tribe), Cytisus sessilifolius and Laburnum. Ulex and Lupinus are

Origin and diversification of Genisteaë (Fabaceae): a serosystematic purview

Abstract Serological tests among more than 70 species of Genisteae and almost 30 species of other tribes of Fabaceae allowed to verify several hypotheses on the origin and diversification of the Genisteae. The results obtained indicate that Genisteae sensu Polhill are a natural group, which is phyletically related to Thermopsideae and to Sophoreae. The remaining of primitive Genisteae is represented by such genera as Laburnum, Cytisophyllum, Hesperolaburnum, Podocytisus, Petteria. The main lines of diversification of the tribe are: Cytisus (incl. Chamaecytisus, Sarothamnus, Corothamnus)—Lembotropis-Calicotome, and Genista (incl. Teline, Chamaespartium)—Ulex. Adenocarpus, Argyrolonium, and Lupinus are part of this tribe, but belong to independent lines of diversification. A number of xeromorphic genera of the mediterranean area (Spartium; Ecbinospartum; Cytisanthus-Retama) are serologically related to the «primitive» genera more than to other groups.

Chemotassonomia del Genere Salicornia Delle Coste Venete

Abstract Chemotaxonomy of the genus Salicornia in the north-adriatic coasts. — Serological and chemical methods have been applied to investigate the systematics of Salicornia, a genus of halophilous Chenopodiaceae where cleistogamy is frequent. The research, limited to north-adriatic material, involved 13 populations (Tab. 1) belonging to all presently known italian taxa: the tetraploid (2n=36) S. veneta; a newly found triploid form (2n=27); a set of diploid forms (2n=18) which range morphologically from S. europaea-like to S. ramosissima-like populations. The aim of the research is to attempt a systematic ordination of these forms, with special emphasis on the strongly polymorphic diploid complex. From all populations a large number of individuals were sampled randomly and the soluble proteins extracted from the mature seeds. The extracts have been used for electrophoresis and for immunization of rabbits: antisera for five populations have been obtained and tested against all extracts (Figs. 1–5). The po...

Sero-systematics ofCytisus sect.Trianthocytisus (Fabaceae)

The serological reaction of seed proteins provides evidence for a partly new systematic arrangement ofCytisus sect.Trianthocytisus and ofCytisus s.l. Proposed modifications agree with recent advances in morphological taxonomy. Sect.Trianthocytisus includes only two species,C. villosus andC. aeolicus. Its position is central within the genus, and this fact agrees with the proposed retypification ofCytisus (type species:C. villosus).C. emeriflorus, formerly included in the same section, constitutes the monospecific sect.Emeroides, which is intermediate towards the genusLembotropis. This is serologically isolated and includes onlyL. nigricans. It is confirmed thatC. sessilifolius should be removed from the genusCytisus as a monospecific genus:CytisophyllumLang which is closely allied toHesperolaburnum and toPodocytisus, the most primitive genera ofGenisteae.

Analysis of the Genista ephedroides group (Fabaceae) based on karyological, molecular and morphological data

Within the genus Genista, the species belonging to the G. ephedroides complex are examined from karyological, molecular and phenetic point of view. All the examined taxa show a chromosome complement with 2n = 48, occasionally with some accessory chromosomes. In addition, the aneuploid number 2n = 44 was found only in G. ovina, while higher counts (2n = 72 and 2n = 96) are reported for G. tyrrhena ssp. pontiana. As concerns the DNA, the restriction fragment analysis of the ribosomal ITS1 (HaeIII, RsaI) and 5.8S-ITS2 (HaeIII) regions was used; the classification and ordination of the taxa allow to distinguish three clusters: the first including the S-Tyrrhenian taxa, the second all the Sardinian and Balearic taxa, and the third grouping G. numidica and G. cilentina. The phenetic analysis was performed by using 40 morphological characters processed by the NTSYSpc package. The relative cladogram distinguishes three main clades: the most isolated including the Sicilian species, the other two separating the Sardinian and Balearic species from the S-Tyrrhenian and Algerian ones.

Genetic characterization of Genista sericea Wulfen (Cytiseae – Fabaceae) as revealed by nuclear DNA content and its nrDNA region analysis

Summary - Genista sericeaWulfen, a northern Illyrian amphi-Adriatic species, presents a certain morphological variability. To clarify whether the genetic variations support the morphological differences among accessions of different geographic origin, analysis of nuclear DNA content and polymorphism of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) dataset was studied. The variation in nuclear DNA content of G. sericea var. sericea and var. rigida is minimal (2.09 and 2.08 pg/nucleus respectively) and is correlated with equal chromosome numbers in both varieties. Intraspecific variability of the ITS region was studied on 13 accessions of G. sericea, 6 belonging to var. sericea and 7 to var. rigida. These accessions were analyzed in comparison to closely related species already studied. ITS sequences of G. sericea revealed large polymorphism and formed two main clusters. One cluster (6 accessions) comprehends var. sericea of northern Italy, Slovenia and northern Croatia; the other cluster (7 accessions) includes five accessions of var. rigida from southern Croatia and Montenegro and two from the Pollino massif (southern Italy). The later two accessions considerably differed from other accessions of var. rigida. This genetic analysis supports the previous assumptions, which subdivided G. sericea into at least two taxa. On the basis of the results presented, it is here suggested that the subdivision of G. sericea into var. sericea and var. rigida should be maintained.

Karyomorphology and systematics of the eastern taxa of Genista sect. Spartioides and G. pulchella (Genisteae-Fabaceae).

Abstract A karyological analysis of some taxa of Genista sect. Spartioides, distributed in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region, was carried out. The three subspecies of Genista pulchella: ssp. pulchella (western Balkan Peninsula), ssp. aquilana (central Apennines) and ssp. villarsiana (southern France) all present the chromosome number 2n = 18 + (0 - 4B). The taxa of G. albida aggr., G. albida (eastern Mediterranean) and G. involucrata (Anatolian), both have 2n = 18 + (0 - 2B); 2n = 36 + (0 - 3B) being rarely found in the latter species. As regards the taxa endemic to the Balkan Peninsula, G. halacsyi and G. subcapitata show 2n = 18 + (0 – 2B), G. sakellariadis and G. millii 2n = 36 + 2B. All these numbers may be traced back to the basic number x = 9. G. pulchella has the most symmetric karyotype, while G. albida and G. involucrata result more asymmetric; the four Balkan endemics (G. halacsyi, G. sakellariadis, G. subcapitata and G. millii) present the highest grade of asymmetry. A comparison with karyological data already available for all the taxa of sect. Spartioides was also made.

Biosistematica di alcune centauree della sezione Acrocentron Cass

Abstract Biosystematics of some species of Centaurea, sect. Acrocentron Cass.—Morphometrical investigations on herbarium specimens, and serological as electrophoretic studies on seed proteins, were carried out on Centaurea rupestris, C. scabiosa, C. dichroantha and C. ceratophylla (in this case only morphometrical and serological studies were possible). The morphometrical and electrophoretic results make us think that C. rupestris, C. dichroantha and C. scabiosa are species taxonomically almost equidistant. C. ceratophylla is distinct but very similar to C. rupestris, making it correct to consider the two taxa as subspecies. Serologically the four species appear very homogeneous: it seems appropriate to include them in a single section. C. dichroantha shows some peculiar morphological and biochemical characters, non-intermediate between C. rupestris and C. scabiosa, therefore we would exclude a recent genesis through its hybrid derivation from the crossing of these species. On the other hand, if C. dichro...

A karyological study of Genista sect. Spartocarpus Spach (Cytiseae-Fabaceae)

Summary Genista sect. Spartocarpus includes about 20 taxa distributed in the Mediterranean region, with one species (G. radiata) extending into the Alps. Two main diversity centers can be identified: one in the East (Balkan Peninsula and Anatolia) and one in the West (Southern Spain and Northwestern Africa), with various species occurring in the Tyrrhenian area. A karyological study was carried out on 30 wild populations of 7 taxa; a comprehensive evaluation of the section is presented. In the G. radiata group (East-Alpine Balkan), both varieties of G. radiata (radiata and sericopetala) and G. holopetala have the same secondary basic chromosome number x = 12, but different levels of ploidy: 4x (2n = 48) in var. radiata and G. holopetala; 8x (2n = 96) in var. sericopetala of Southeastern France; both 4x and 8x (2n = 48 and 2n = 96) in the examined population of Piemonte; G. hassertiana (2n = 52) may be considered as the result of ascending aneuploidy derived from x = 12. The G. sessilifolia group (Central Southern Balkans and Anatolia) appears karyologically homogeneous, displaying the basic number x = 11: G. nissana (2n = 22) is diploid, while in G. sessilifolia, ssp. romanica (Southeastern Europaean, 2n = 22) is diploid and ssp. sessilifolia (Anatolian, 2n = 88) octoploid. In the Western Mediterranean region, G. spartioides and G. haenseleri (Southern Spain and Northwestern Africa) display n = 20 and 2n = 40 (rarely n = 22), with x = 10. In G. aetnensis, endemic to Sardinia and Sicily, the numbers n = 26 and 2n = 52 were found, with x = 13. For the Tyrrhenian species of the G. ephedroides complex (incl. G. dorycnifolia) the number 2n = 48 (with x = 12) has been constantly counted. Sect. Spartocarpus is thus karyologically heterogeneous, displaying four secondary basic numbers (x = 10, 11, 12, 13), that have different geographic patterns and probably diversified following geographical isolation. Besides, more levels of ploidy (2x, 4x, 8x) and some cases of aneuploidy were observed: the level 4x is the most frequent and prevails in all the range of the section, 2x is found only in Southern Balkans (G. sessilifolia group) and 8x is limited to peripheral areas of Turkey and France.

Karyology of Teline Medik. (Cytiseae-Fabaceae)

Summary The genus Teline includes about 20 taxa in the Mediterranean and Macaronesian Regions. Two diversity centres can be recognized: the Canary Islands (where the highest diversity is found) and the Western part of the Mediterranean area. A karyological study was carried out on 30 wild populations of 16 taxa; a comprehensive evaluation of the genus is here presented, considering the previous references as well. The Western Mediterranean species T. linifolia, T. patens, T. tribracteolata and T. osmariensis, and the Canarian taxa T. stenopetala, T. osyrioides (including ssp. sericea), T. microphylla, T. hillebrandii, T. rosmarinifolia ssp. rosmarinifolia and T. splendens show the chromosome numbers n = 24 and/or 2n = 48, sometimes with up to 4 B chromosomes. Both numbers 2n = 46 and 2n = 48 were counted in the Mediterranen species T. monspessulana and in the Macaronesian taxa T. maderensis, T. canariensis and T. nervosa. The genus Teline is thus quite homogeneous karyologically. In all the species, the eutetraploid number 2n = 48 was found, being by far the most common in Cytiseae and traceable to the secondary basic number x = 12. In some taxa, along with the number 2n = 46, also a tendency towards descending aneuploidy was observed, not very common in Genista, but more frequent in Cytisus. A certain correspondence between the karyological and molecular data (Percy & Cronk, 2002) might be observed: the taxa of the “T. linifolia group” constantly show the somatic number 2n = 48 (very rarely, 2n = 46 in T. nervosa), while in the taxa of the “T. monspessulana group”, both euploid (2n = 48) and aneuploid (2n = 46) numbers are often counted.