02654nas a2200169 4500008004100000245014500041210006900186260001200255300000900267490000700276520206000283100002002343700002302363700002302386700002702409856004802436 2015 eng d00aITS and trnH-psbA as efficient DNA barcodes to identify threatened commercial woody angiosperms from southern Brazilian Atlantic Rainforests0 aITS and trnHpsbA as efficient DNA barcodes to identify threatene c12/2015 a1-180 v103 a

The Araucaria Forests in southern Brazil are part of the Atlantic Rainforest, a key hotspot for global biodiversity. This habitat has experienced extensive losses of vegetation cover due to commercial logging and the intense use of wood resources for construction and furniture manufacturing. The absence of precise taxonomic tools for identifying Araucaria Forest tree species motivated us to test the ability of DNA barcoding to distinguish species exploited for wood resources and its suitability for use as an alternative testing technique for the inspection of illegal timber shipments. We tested three cpDNA regions (matK, trnH-psbA, and rbcL) and nrITS according to criteria determined by The Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL). The efficiency of each marker and selected marker combinations were evaluated for 30 commercially valuable woody species in multiple populations, with a special focus on Lauraceae species. Inter- and intraspecific distances, species discrimination rates, and ability to recover species-specific clusters were evaluated. Among the regions and different combinations, ITS was the most efficient for identifying species based on the ‘best close match’ test; similarly, the trnH-psbA + ITS combination also demonstrated satisfactory results. When combining trnH-psbA + ITS, Maximum Likelihood analysis demonstrated a more resolved topology for internal branches, with 91% of species-specific clusters. DNA barcoding was found to be a practical and rapid method for identifying major threatened woody angiosperms from Araucaria Forests such as Lauraceae species, presenting a high confidence for recognizing members of Ocotea. These molecular tools can assist in screening those botanical families that are most targeted by the timber industry in southern Brazil and detecting certain species protected by Brazilian legislation and could be a useful tool for monitoring wood exploitation.

1 aBolson, Mônica1 aSmidt, Eric, de C.1 aBrotto, Marcelo, L1 aSilva-Pereira, Viviane uhttps://lauraceae.myspecies.info/node/2040902996nas a2200169 4500008004100000245012400041210006900165260001200234300000900246490000700255520244900262100002002711700001602731700001902747700001202766856004802778 2015 eng d00aApplication of DNA barcodes in Asian tropical trees – a case study from Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, Southwest China0 aApplication of DNA barcodes in Asian tropical trees a case study c06/2015 a1-170 v103 a

Background
Within a regional floristic context, DNA barcoding is more useful to manage plant diversity inventories on a large scale and develop valuable conservation strategies. However, there are no DNA barcode studies from tropical areas of China, which represents one of the biodiversity hotspots around the world.


Methodology and Principal Findings
A DNA barcoding database of an Asian tropical trees with high diversity was established at Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, Yunnan, southwest China using rbcL and matK as standard barcodes, as well as trnH–psbA and ITS as supplementary barcodes. The performance of tree species identification success was assessed using 2,052 accessions from four plots belonging to two vegetation types in the region by three methods: Neighbor-Joining, Maximum-Likelihood and BLAST. We corrected morphological field identification errors (9.6%) for the three plots using rbcL and matK based on Neighbor-Joining tree. The best barcode region for PCR and sequencing was rbcL (97.6%, 90.8%), followed by trnH–psbA (93.6%, 85.6%), while matK and ITS obtained relative low PCR and sequencing success rates. However, ITS performed best for both species (44.6–58.1%) and genus (72.8–76.2%) identification. With trnH–psbA slightly less effective for species identification. The two standard barcode rbcL and matK gave poor results for species identification (24.7–28.5% and 31.6–35.3%). Compared with other studies from comparable tropical forests (e.g. Cameroon, the Amazon and India), the overall performance of the four barcodes for species identification was lower for the Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, possibly because of species/genus ratios and species composition between these tropical areas.


Conclusions/Significance
Although the core barcodes rbcL and matK were not suitable for species identification of tropical trees from Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, they could still help with identification at the family and genus level. Considering the relative sequence recovery and the species identification performance, we recommend the use of trnH–psbA and ITS in combination as the preferred barcodes for tropical tree species identification in China.

1 aHuang, Xiao-cui1 aCi, Xiu-Qin1 aConran, J., G.1 aLi, Jie uhttps://lauraceae.myspecies.info/node/2040801576nas a2200193 4500008004100000245009200041210006900133260001200202300001300214490000700227520100500234100001701239700001301256700001601269700002101285700001601306700001201322856004801334 2017 eng d00aAlseodaphnopsis: A new genus of Lauraceae based on molecular and morphological evidence0 aAlseodaphnopsis A new genus of Lauraceae based on molecular and  c10/2017 ae01865450 v123 a

An investigation of a questionable species of the genus Alseodaphne led to the discovery of a new genus Alseodaphnopsis H. W. Li & J. Li, gen. nov., separated from Alseodaphne Nees, and a new species Alseodaphnopsis ximengensis H. W. Li & J. Li, sp. nov., endemic to Yunnan province, China. This new species is characterized by having big, axillary, paniculate inflorescences, as well as large, subglobose fruits. Based on DNA sequence data from two gene regions (nuclear ribosomal ITS and LEAFY intron II), we investigate its phylogenetic position within the Persea group. Phylogenies using maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian inference (BI) support the recognition of Alseodaphnopsis as a distinct genus but do not resolve well its relationship within the Persea group. The new genus is circumscribed, eight new combinations for its species are made, and a description and illustration of the new species are provided.

1 aMo, Yue-qing1 aLi, Lang1 aLi, Jian-wu1 aRohwer, Jens, G.1 aLi, Hsi-Wen1 aLi, Jie uhttps://lauraceae.myspecies.info/node/2036202523nas a2200181 4500008004100000245005900041210005700100260001200157300001300169490000700182520201500189100001502204700001402219700002402233700002102257700001502278856004802293 2017 eng d00aFloral structure and ontogeny of Syndiclis (Lauraceae)0 aFloral structure and ontogeny of Syndiclis Lauraceae c10/2017 ae01863580 v123 a

Generic delimitation in the Beilschmiedia group of the Lauraceae remains ambiguous because flowering specimens of a few genera with confined distribution are poorly represented in herbaria, and a few floral characters important for taxonomy are still poorly known. Syndiclis is sporadically distributed in southwestern China, and is represented in the herbaria by only a few flowering specimens. We conducted field investigations to collect floral materials of four species and observed structures and ontogeny of the tiny flowers using both light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the genus Syndiclis possesses flowers with huge variation in both merosity and organ number. Flowers of the genus are dimerous, trimerous, or tetramerous, or have mixed merosity with monomerous and dimerous, or dimerous and trimerous, or trimerous and tetramerous whorls. The number of staminodes ranges from two to eight, depending on floral merosity, and on how many stamens of the third androecial whorl are reduced to staminodes. The staminodes of the fourth androecial whorl are comparable to the staminodes in Potameia, but the staminodes of the third androecial whorl of Syndiclis are relatively larger than the staminodes in Potameia. They are erect or curved inwards, covering the ovary. The anthers are usually two-locular, but rarely one-locular or three-locular. Each stamen of the third androecial whorl bears two conspicuous and enlarged glands at the base. The lability of floral merosity and organ number of Syndiclis may have been caused by changes of pollination system and loss of special selective pressures that are present in most Lauraceous plants with fixed floral organ number. This study furthers our understanding of variation and evolution of a few important characters of the Beilschmiedia group and provides essential data for a revised generic classification of the group.

1 aZeng, Gang1 aLiu, Bing1 aFerguson, David, K.1 aRohwer, Jens, G.1 aYang, Yong uhttps://lauraceae.myspecies.info/node/2036102525nas a2200181 4500008004100000245010100041210006900142260001200211490000700223520197100230100001802201700001602219700001302235700001602248700001902264700001202283856004802295 2017 eng d00aDNA barcoding evaluation and implications for phylogenetic relationships in Lauraceae from China0 aDNA barcoding evaluation and implications for phylogenetic relat c04/20170 v123 a

Lauraceae are an important component of tropical and subtropical forests and have major ecological and economic significance. Owing to lack of clear-cut morphological differences between genera and species, this family is an ideal case for testing the efficacy of DNA barcoding in the identification and discrimination of species and genera. In this study, we evaluated five widely recommended plant DNA barcode loci matK, rbcL, trnH-psbA, ITS2 and the entire ITS region for 409 individuals representing 133 species, 12 genera from China. We tested the ability of DNA barcoding to distinguish species and as an alternative tool for correcting species misidentification. We also used the rbcL+matK+trnH-psbA+ITS loci to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of the species examined. Among the gene regions and their combinations, ITS was the most efficient for identifying species (57.5%) and genera (70%). DNA barcoding also had a positive role for correcting species misidentification (10.8%). Furthermore, based on the results of the phylogenetic analyses, Chinese Lauraceae species formed three supported monophyletic clades, with the Cryptocarya group strongly supported (PP = 1.00, BS = 100%) and the clade including the Persea group, Laureae and Cinnamomum also receiving strong support (PP = 1.00, BS = 98%), whereas the Caryodaphnopsis-Neocinnamomum received only moderate support (PP = 1.00 and BS = 85%). This study indicates that molecular barcoding can assist in screening difficult to identify families like Lauraceae, detecting errors of species identification, as well as helping to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships. DNA barcoding can thus help with large-scale biodiversity inventories and rare species conservation by improving accuracy, as well as reducing time and costs associated with species identification.

1 aLiu, Zhi-Fang1 aCi, Xiu-Qin1 aLi, Lang1 aLi, Hsi-Wen1 aConran, J., G.1 aLi, Jie uhttps://lauraceae.myspecies.info/node/2035100567nas a2200169 4500008004100000245014000041210006900181260001200250300000900262490000600271100001400277700001500291700001300306700001500319700001500334856004800349 2013 eng d00aBeilschmiedia turbinata: A newly recognized but dying species of Lauraceae from tropical Asia based on morphological and molecular data0 aBeilschmiedia turbinata A newly recognized but dying species of  c06/2013 a1-100 v81 aLiu, Bing1 aYang, Yong1 aLei, Xie1 aZeng, Gang1 aMa, Keping uhttps://lauraceae.myspecies.info/node/19758