Tanawat Chaowasku

An Extended Phylogeny of Pseuduvaria (Annonaceae) with Descriptions of Three New Species and a Reassessment of the Generic Status of Oreomitra

Abstract Three new species of Pseuduvaria (Annonaceae) from Peninsular Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia are described and named as P. fragrans, P. gardneri, and P. glossopetala. A recent molecular phylogenetic study, based on 51 species (including P. fragrans), elucidated the evolutionary relationships within the genus. The present study includes P. gardneri and P. glossopetala in the phylogenetic analyses using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods, based on five chloroplast regions (psbA—trnH spacer, trnL—F, matK, rbcL, and atpB—rbcL spacer). The new nomenclatural combination Pseuduvaria phuyensis is also validated in accordance with the phylogenetic analyses which show that Craibella phuyensis and Pseuduvaria form a well-supported monophyletic clade. The new species and new nomenclature combination bring the total number of species in Pseuduvaria to 56. The taxonomic status of the enigmatic monotypic genus Oreomitra from New Guinea is furthermore evaluated, and the name shown to be synonymous with Pseuduvaria.

Molecular Phylogenetic Support for the Taxonomic Merger of Fitzalania and Meiogyne (Annonaceae): New Nomenclatural Combinations Under the Conserved Name Meiogyne

Abstract Meiogyne (Annonaceae) currently comprises 15 species of trees and shrubs, distributed in India, Southeast Asia, Australasia, Micronesia and Polynesia. Previous molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the Australian endemic genus Fitzalania (consisting of only two species) is nested within Meiogyne, and preliminary morphological data have indicated that several south Pacific Polyalthia species may be misclassified and also associated with Meiogyne. We use maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses based on seven chloroplast regions (matK, ndhF, ndhF-rpl32, rbcL, rpl32-trnL, trnL-F and ycf1) to reconstruct the most comprehensive phylogeny of Meiogyne available to date, inclusive of 13 Meiogyne species, the two Fitzalania species, as well as four Polyalthia species from Fiji and Tonga. The results show that Fitzalania and the four Polyalthia species are nested within Meiogyne, and that two species, M. cylindrocarpa and M. stenopetala, are not natural as currently defined. Meiogyne cylindrocarpa subsp. trichocarpa and M. stenopetala subsp. insularis are not conspecific with their respective autonymic subspecies and are morphologically distinct. Based on the plastid marker phylogeny, and corroborated by morphological observations, both subspecies are elevated to species rank, and the four Polyalthia species and the two Fitzalania species are transferred to Meiogyne, thereby increasing the number of species in the genus to 24.

Huberantha, a replacement name for Hubera (Annonaceae: Malmeoideae: Miliuseae)

SummaryA replacement generic name, Huberantha Chaowasku, is proposed for the recently described genus Hubera Chaowasku segregated from Polyalthia Blume because the name Hubera has been recommended to be treated as a later homonym of Huberia DC. (Melastomataceae) by the nomenclature committee for vascular plants. Consequently, new combinations of twenty-seven species presently recognised are made under Huberantha.

Miliusa codonantha (Annonaceae), a new species from the Indian eastern Himalaya, with a new combination, M. dioeca

Abstract Chaowasku T.: Miliusa codonantha (Annonaceae), a new species from the Indian eastern Himalaya, with a new combination, M. dioeca.-Willdenowia 43: 101–105. June 2013. — Online ISSN 1868–6397;

A decade of uncertainty: Resolving the phylogenetic position of Diclinanona (Annonaceae), including taxonomic notes and a key to the species

The molecular phylogenetic placement of Diclinanona (Annonaceae) has been debated in the literature for a decade. On the basis of morphological studies the genus was thought to be related to genera now all placed in subfam. Annonoideae. This early hypothesis was supported by the first phylogenetic analyses of Annonaceae. However, more recently a placement in subfam. Malmeoideae was hypothesised based on an analysis of more plastid data, thus contradicting older but also new morphological findings and previous phylogenetic work. The current study uses newly sequenced plastid data for two species of Diclinanona to show that the earlier hypothesised placement was correct and discusses the (little) anatomical and morphological data on Diclinanona that is available in a phylogenetic framework. Furthermore, an online revision of the three species of Diclinanona is presented in order to update the taxonomic knowledge of this genus.

Cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction by methanolic leaves extracts of four Annonaceae plants

BackgroundUvaria longipes (Craib) L.L.Zhou, Y.C.F.Su & R.M.K.Saunders, Artabotrys burmanicus A.DC, Marsypopetalum modestum (Pierre) B.Xue & R.M.K.Saunders and Dasymaschalon sp. have been used for traditional medicine to treat cancer-like symptoms in some ethnic groups of Thailand and Laos.MethodsWe evaluated the anti-cancer activity of these Annonaceae plants against several human cancer cell lines. The apoptosis induction was detected by Annexin/propidium iodide (PI) staining. Phytochemical screening was tested by standard protocols and bioactive compounds were determined by HPLC.ResultsThe crude extracts from leaves of U. longipes, Dasymaschalon sp., A. burmanicus, and M. modestum showed particular effects that were found to vary depending on the cancer cell line, suggesting that the effect was in a cell-type specific manner. Interestingly, the induction of apoptotic cell death was prominent by the leaves-derived crude extract of M. modestum. This crude was, therefore, subjected to cell cycle analysis by PI staining. Results showed that this crude extract arrested cell cycle and increased the percentage of cells in the SubG1 phase in some cancer cell lines. The phytochemical screening tests indicated that all crude extracts contained tannins and flavonoids. HPLC of flavonoids using standards identified rutin as an active compound in U. longipes and Dasymaschalon sp., whereas quercetin was found in U. longipes and M. modestum.ConclusionsThese crude extracts provide a new source for rutin and quercetin, which might be capable of inducing cancer cell apoptotic death in a cell-type specific manner. This suggests, by analyzing the major bioactive compounds, the potential use of these crudes for chemotherapy in the future.

Genus Huberantha (Annonaceae) Revisited: Erection of Polyalthiopsis, a New Genus for H. floribunda, with a New Combination H. luensis

The identity of an enigmatic species Huberantha floribunda (Annonaceae) is reassessed using molecular phylogenetic analyses of up to seven combined plastid markers (matK, ndhF, rbcL, ycf1 exons; trnL intron; trnL-trnF, psbA-trnH intergenic spacers), constituting up to ca. 7 kbp. Huberantha floribunda does not fall into Huberantha clade, but is retrieved as the sister group of Miliusa with no support, necessitating the recognition of a new genus, to accommodate this species. Polyalthiopsis Chaowasku gen. nov. along with Huberantha and Miliusa form an unsupported to weakly supported clade within the tribe Miliuseae. Morphology of Polyalthiopsis is somewhat intermediate between morphologies of Huberantha and Miliusa. It primarily differs from Huberantha by often possessing unequal petal whorls and a seed raphe that is broadly grooved and partially slightly raised in the middle. Polyalthiopsis differs from Miliusa mainly by having a dilated truncate connective apex of the stamens and outer petals that are much larger than the sepals. In addition, Huberantha luensis (Pierre) Chaowasku, a new combination for Polyalthia luensis is made based on an integrative approach of morphological examination coupled with molecular phylogenetic inferences.

Miliusa pumila (Annonaceae), a new species from S Thailand

Abstract Chaowasku T.: Miliusa pumila (Annonaceae), a new species from S Thailand. — Willdenowia 44: 407–413. 2014. —Version of record first published online on 12 November 2014 ahead of inclusion in December 2014 issue; ISSN 1868-6397;

Miliusa chantaburiana (Annonaceae), a new species from SE Thailand

Abstract: Miliusa chantaburiana Damthongdee & Chaowasku, a new species of Annonaceae from SE Thailand, is described and illustrated. It belongs to a clade with campanulate flowers and inner petals that are generally tightly appressed from the base to more or less the midpoint at anthesis. The new species is remarkable in possessing a strongly recurved apex of the inner petals at anthesis and can be principally differentiated from its morphologically closest species, M. pumila Chaowasku and M. filipes Ridl., both from Peninsular Thailand, by the higher number of stamens and carpels per flower and horseshoe-shaped stigmas. Miliusa chantaburiana is also unique in having a 6-base-pair insertion in the plastid matK sequence. A revised key to species in the campanulate-flowered clade in Thailand is given. Citation: Damthongdee A. & Chaowasku T. 2018: Miliusa chantaburiana (Annonaceae), a new species from SE Thailand. – Willdenowia 48: 293–301. doi: https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.48.48208 Version of record first published online on 24 August 2018 ahead of inclusion in August 2018 issue.

Banana blossom agar (BABA), a new medium to isolate members of the Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii species complex useful for resource limited countries

Isolation of representatives of the Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii species complex can be made using dopamine containing media, such as Niger seed agar and l‐DOPA agar. Here, we describe an alternative medium that uses banana flowers. Banana is a dopamine containing fruit and is widely available in tropical and subtropical countries that have high numbers of cryptococcosis patients. This banana blossom‐based agar is useful for the enrichment of isolates of the C. neoformans/C. gattii species complex from environmental and clinical materials. The banana blossom agar (BABA) with and without creatinine can differentiate between the melanin forming isolates of the C. neoformans/C. gattii species complex from other yeasts that do not form melanin.