Volumen 28 (2012): Heft 2012 (December 2012)

Festuca L. is one of the most complicated genera in Poaceae. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to study the isoenzyme variation of glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase, malate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase in natural populations of F. valesiaca Schleich. ex Gaud., F. rupicola Heuff., F. dalmatica (Hack.) K. Richt. and F. stojanovii (Acht.) Kozuharov ex Foggi & Petrova. The aim of the present study was to assess isoenzyme variation and genetic affinities among the four species of the genus Festuca. Genetic identities (I) and distances (D) were calculated to evaluate qualitative genetic affinities and systematic relationships among the species. Considering the patterns of isoenzyme variation in the studied group, it is evident that F. dalmatica and F. stojanovii are closely related species. The species F. valesiaca and F. rupicola are isoenzymatically well characterized as distinct genetic entities. The obtained results generally support recent narrow species concept in the genus Festuca.

Within Calypogeia fissa, two subspecies connected with geographic distribution are formally recognized: C. fissa subsp.fissa in Europe and C. fissa subsp.neogea in North America. Isoenzyme studies have shown that the European subspecies is genetically differentiated and composed of three genetically distinct groups P_S, P_B and G. The P_S group has the most distinctive morphological features, but no morphological diagnostic traits have been found for groups P_B and G. The sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers developed on the basis of ISSR markers, applied in the study, allowed the delimitation of all groups distinguished in Europe within the C. fissa complex (P_S, P_B and G). The markers also revealed genetic differences between the European and American subspecies. Five primer pairs (Cal01, Cal03-Cal06) of the six pairs studied are useful as the diagnostic tool for the identification of particular groups from the C.fissa complex. The examined SCAR markers showed that the P_S group of C.fissa subsp.fissa was the most distinct; it differed from both groups P_B and G as well as from C.fissa subsp.neogea. All plants determined on the basis of diagnostic isozyme loci as the P_S group amplified a longer product (380 bp) of the Cal04 primer pair than the rest of studied groups and yielded no amplification products in Cal03, Cal05 and Cal06 primers. The primer pair Cal03 distinguished the plants of the PB group from the remaining groups, since only the PB group generated a PCR product of about 290 bp. The genetic differences between all four studied groups of the C.fissa complex were supported by DNA sequences of the SCAR marker Cal04.

Two endemic Berberis species (Berberidaceae) viz., Berberis ahrendtii R. R. Rao and Uniyal and Berberis lambertii Parker, are first time rediscovered after ca. 100 years since their type localities were found. These species are recorded from the Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand, India. Taxonomic description, synonyms, distribution information, locality details of specimens examined and photographs are provided for each species.

Veronica filiformis is an alien plant species widely distributed, across Central and Western Europe. The first observation of the species in the Sudetes was reported in 1942. Until 2000, only a few scattered sites were known in south-western Poland. During the last decade, V.filiformis was observed more frequently in many ranges of the Sudetes. In 2007, field works intended to discover new sites of the species were conducted as well as a critical revision of herbarium specimens stored in WRSL was performed. The number of known localities totals 37. Almost 65% of them were discovered during the last decade. The data are now summarized to bring up to date the known distribution and invasion scale of V. filiformis in the Polish part of the Sudetes.

Paper concerns the flora of excavations from the area of the Twardowice Plateau, one of the regions of the Silesian Upland. These are rather shallow and small pits, which are remnants of exploitation of Triassic limestone and, rarely, iron ore. The studies showed that these excavations are the places where many species of vascular plants occurred. Xerothermic plants, which penetrated from adjacent grasslands, form the largest group (33%) among the 212 noted species. Some of them occurred much more frequently in the excavations than in the grasslands and some were found only in the excavations. It should be emphasized that 8 protected species were present in the investigated objects. Results from the Twardowice Plateau proved that many xerothermic plants could find suitable conditions for growth and survival in limestone excavations.

The observations were carried out in the years 2007-2010, in the Molinietum caeruleae meadows with different habitat conditions located in Kraków-Kostrze (southern Poland). The greatest number of seedlings of Trollius europaeus and Iris sibirica was recorded in patches dominated by low-statured species with delicate, procumbent stems or small-tussocks. The diminishing of offspring emergence in places prevailed by large-tussocks grasses, as well as in sites overgrown by willows could be a consequence of poor harvesting practices, as well as the stagnation of water in local depressions. Irrespective of patch charracter, the seedling recruitment did not occur in a fully compact plant canopy, the highest number of offspring was observed in gaps without moss and necromass layers, while the greatest abundance of genets was found in openings left after the removal of bryophytes, litter and above ground parts of plants. The decrease in offspring number noted in gaps resulted from the removal of living and died plants combined with top soil raking, which might caused the partial depletion of soil seed bank reserves. Regardless of the patch type, a significantly higher appearance of seedlings of Trollius europaeus and Iris sibirica was found in the largest gaps than in the smallest ones. In light of the performed studies, it might be concluded that gap creating seems to be a very effective way of active protection of Iris sibirica and Trollius europaeus populations

We examined the distribution, resources and environmental conditions of the clonal aquatic fern Salvinia natans (L.) All., expansive in the Vistula delta (N Poland). Before 2006, there were 7 stands of this species, while in the years 2006-2010 their number increased to 21. The most abundant populations were found in the rivers: Tuga (133.0±37.6 indiv./0.1 m2), Fiszewka( 79.3±6.0), Szkarpawa (74.7±5.0), Struga Orłowska (61.0±2.0), Nogat (52.3±2.5), Elbląg (40.3±31.8), Wiślano-Zalewowy Canal (61.3±3.2) and in the SW part of Lake Druzno (72.3±2.5). S. natans did not colonise the weakly saline Vistula Lagoon and Elbląg Bay, which belong to the Baltic Sea. The plant under study occurred in shallow (2.2±1.5 m), narrow (17.9±13.6 m), slow-flowing (0.11±0.12 m s-1) and fertile (4.7±4.2 mg TN dm-3, 0.7±0.4 mg TP dm-3) watercourses. The water in them had neutral or alkaline pH (7.2-9.2) and was weakly saline (53.8±21.3 mg Cl dm-3). A dense mat of S. natans significantly affected the environmental conditions in the watercourses: water oxygenation, PAR intensity and concentration of biogenic substances, especially phosphorus, decreased.

This paper presents the results of ultrastructural studies and ecological aspects of some phytoplankton species belonging to the groups of cyanobacteria (Planktothrix rubescens, Synechocystis aquatilis) and green algae (Desmodesmus grahneisii). Specimens were collected during summertime from the mesotrophic and stratified Lake Holzmaar (Western Germany) as planktonic forms from the pelagic zone. The highest cyanobacterium concentration was detected in the metalimnion, where the alkaline pH, low phosphorus and high nitrogen contents were recorded. P. rubescens was characterized by straight filaments up to 1000 μm long and 5.4-8 μm wide and numerous aerotopes in cells. The accompanying algae were identified by ultrastructural analysis and photographic documentation was provided. In the case of D. grahneisii, chloroplast was situated in the parietal part of cell, with one large, oval pyrenoid and, in addition, the granular and spiny cell wall was an important taxonomical criterium for the Desmodesmus genus. This is in contrast with the cyanobacterium S. aquatilis, in which a homogeneous content with visible chromatoplasma was mostly distributed throughout the cell. This algal association was stable in the epilimnion characterized by the presence of high temperature, pH values (>8), nitrate nitrogen and oxygen concentrations

The present article is based on the findings of ethnobotanical surveys conducted in the entire Lahaul-Spiti region of Indian western Himalaya to highlight the traditional use of medicinal plants by the native people. Results revealed that tribal communities of both Lahaul and Spiti valleys (Lahaulas in Lahaul and Bhotias in Spiti) have a great respect for and faith in Amchi system of medicine practiced in the entire region. Information collected on the traditional use of plants in the local health care system by the tribal communities of Lahaul-Spiti revealed the use of 86 plant species belonging to 69 genera and 34 families to cure about 70 different ailments. Maximum number of plant species used in herbal formulations belonged to families Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Gentianaceae, and Polygonaceae. Both single herbal preparations and polyherbal formulations are prescribed and administered by local healers known as Larje in Lahaul and Amchis in Spiti. Most of the medicines are prescribed in a powder form, some as juice and decoctions. Among plant parts, leaves were recorded to be used to a large extent as a remedy, followed by flowers. Results of the present study show that the highest number of plants was used to cure stomach disorders, while the highest extent of phytotherapeutic use among all the species had Hippophae rhamnoides (17.14%). The obtained data also revealed the information on new or less known medicinal uses of various plant species that are new addition to the traditional knowledge from western Himalaya. Modes of preparation, administration and dosage are discussed along with the family and local names of plants and plant parts used.