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Coiro M, McLoughlin S, Steinthorsdottir M, Vajda V, Fabrikant D, Seyfullah LJ. Parallel evolution of angiosperm-like venation in Peltaspermales: a reinvestigation of Furcula. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:2845-2856. [PMID: 38623034 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Leaf venation is a pivotal trait in the success of vascular plants. Whereas gymnosperms have single or sparsely branched parallel veins, angiosperms developed a hierarchical structure of veins that form a complex reticulum. Its physiological consequences are considered to have enabled angiosperms to dominate terrestrial ecosystems in the Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic. Although a hierarchical-reticulate venation also occurs in some groups of extinct seed plants, it is unclear whether these are stem relatives of angiosperms or have evolved these traits in parallel. Here, we re-examine the morphology of the enigmatic foliage taxon Furcula, a potential early Mesozoic angiosperm relative, and argue that its hierarchical vein network represents convergent evolution (in the Late Triassic) with flowering plants (which developed in the Early Cretaceous) based on details of vein architecture and the absence of angiosperm-like stomata and guard cells. We suggest that its nearest relatives are Peltaspermales similar to Scytophyllum and Vittaephyllum, the latter being a genus that originated during the Late Triassic (Carnian) and shares a hierarchical vein system with Furcula. We further suggest that the evolution of hierarchical venation systems in the early Permian, the Late Triassic, and the Early Cretaceous represent 'natural experiments' that might help resolve the selective pressures enabling this trait to evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Coiro
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
- Ronin Institute for Independent Scholarship, Montclair, NJ, 07043, USA
| | - Stephen McLoughlin
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Margret Steinthorsdottir
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
- Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 114 19, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vivi Vajda
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dolev Fabrikant
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 9190501, Israel
| | - Leyla J Seyfullah
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
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Ribeiro AMN, Yang Y, Saraiva AÁF, Bantim RAM, Calixto Junior JT, de Lima FJ. Arlenea delicata gen. et sp. nov., a new ephedroid plant from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation, Araripe Basin, Northeast Brazil. PLANT DIVERSITY 2024; 46:362-371. [PMID: 38798725 PMCID: PMC11119550 DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2023.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Ephedroid macrofossils have been widely documented in Cretaceous deposits, including numerous from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of NE China. However, few ephedroid macrofossils have been reported from South America. Herein, we describe a new plant of the family Ephedraceae, Arlenea delicata gen. et sp. nov., from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation of the Araripe Basin, Northeast Brazil, based on the vegetative and reproductive structures. It has the typical morphological characteristics of ephedroid plants, including fertile reproductive branches, opposite phyllotaxy, terminal female cones, a sympodial branching system, longitudinally striated internodes, and swollen nodes. Our new finding is unusual in having inner chlamydosperms subtended by two pairs of bracts, reproductive units connected to branches through swollen receptacles and a smooth seed surface. This new ephedroid taxon from the Crato Formation increases our understanding of plant diversity of this group during the Early Cretaceous. Furthermore, the general morphology (fleshy bracts and enlarged receptacles) of this new fossil discovery indicates that seeds of this plant may have been dispersed by animals such as pterosaurs (mainly the Tapejaridae) and birds (Enantiornithes and Ornituromorpha). If true, this would explain the cosmopolitan distribution of Ephedraceae in the Lower Cretaceous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alita Maria Neves Ribeiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Diversidade Biológica e Recursos Naturais, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Carolino Sucupira, Pimenta, 63105-160, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
- Laboratório de Paleontologia, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Carolino Sucupira, Pimenta, 63105-160, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Yong Yang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Antônio Álamo Feitosa Saraiva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Diversidade Biológica e Recursos Naturais, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Carolino Sucupira, Pimenta, 63105-160, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
- Laboratório de Paleontologia, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Carolino Sucupira, Pimenta, 63105-160, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Renan Alfredo Machado Bantim
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Diversidade Biológica e Recursos Naturais, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Carolino Sucupira, Pimenta, 63105-160, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
- Laboratório de Paleontologia, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Carolino Sucupira, Pimenta, 63105-160, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências (PPGEOC), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Rua Av. da Arquitetura, S/nº CEP - 50740-550, Cidade Universitária, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - João Tavares Calixto Junior
- Laboratório de Paleontologia, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Carolino Sucupira, Pimenta, 63105-160, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
- Laboratório de Estudos da Flora Regional, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Carolino Sucupira, Pimenta, 63105-160, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Flaviana Jorge de Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Diversidade Biológica e Recursos Naturais, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Rua Carolino Sucupira, Pimenta, 63105-160, Crato, Ceará, Brazil
- Gondwanan Plants Lab, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro Acadêmico de Vitória, Rua Do Alto Reservatório S/n, Bela Vista, 55608-680, Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências (PPGEOC), Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Rua Av. da Arquitetura, S/nº CEP - 50740-550, Cidade Universitária, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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Feng YY, Du H, Huang KY, Ran JH, Wang XQ. Reciprocal expression of MADS-box genes and DNA methylation reconfiguration initiate bisexual cones in spruce. Commun Biol 2024; 7:114. [PMID: 38242964 PMCID: PMC10799047 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05786-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The naturally occurring bisexual cone of gymnosperms has long been considered a possible intermediate stage in the origin of flowers, but the mechanisms governing bisexual cone formation remain largely elusive. Here, we employed transcriptomic and DNA methylomic analyses, together with hormone measurement, to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying bisexual cone development in the conifer Picea crassifolia. Our study reveals a "bisexual" expression profile in bisexual cones, especially in expression patterns of B-class, C-class and LEAFY genes, supporting the out of male model. GGM7 could be essential for initiating bisexual cones. DNA methylation reconfiguration in bisexual cones affects the expression of key genes in cone development, including PcDAL12, PcDAL10, PcNEEDLY, and PcHDG5. Auxin likely plays an important role in the development of female structures of bisexual cones. This study unveils the potential mechanisms responsible for bisexual cone formation in conifers and may shed light on the evolution of bisexuality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Yuan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hong Du
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Kai-Yuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jin-Hua Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, 100093, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Xiao-Quan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, 100093, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Yang Y, Yang Z, Lin L, Wang Y, Ferguson DK. A New Gnetalean Macrofossil from the Mid-Jurassic Daohugou Formation. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12091749. [PMID: 37176807 PMCID: PMC10181303 DOI: 10.3390/plants12091749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Macrofossil evidence has demonstrated a first radiation of gnetophytes in the Early Cretaceous. However, the origin of the diversity of gnetophytes remains ambiguous because gnetalean macrofossils have rarely been reported from pre-Cretaceous strata. Here, we report a new putative gnetalean macrofossil reproductive shoot which possesses opposite phyllotaxy, long linear leaves more or less decurrent and having a prominent midvein and pedicled ovoid-ellipsoid and longitudinally striated chlamydosperms. Our new fossil is different from other known gnetalean macrofossils in the linear-lanceolate leaves with a midvein and pedicled chlamydosperms. As a result, we describe this new macrofossil reproductive shoot as new to science, i.e., Daohugoucladus sinensis gen. et sp. nov. Our new macrofossil displays additional morphological characters distinct from other known Mesozoic and modern gnetalean species and provides additional evidence of the origin and early evolution of female reproductive organs of gnetophytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Zhi Yang
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Longbiao Lin
- Independent Researcher, 69 Fuxing Road, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Yingwei Wang
- National Botanical Garden, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China
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Coiro M, Roberts EA, Hofmann CC, Seyfullah LJ. Cutting the long branches: Consilience as a path to unearth the evolutionary history of Gnetales. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1082639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gnetales are one of the most fascinating groups within seed plants. Although the advent of molecular phylogenetics has generated some confidence in their phylogenetic placement of Gnetales within seed plants, their macroevolutionary history still presents many unknowns. Here, we review the reasons for such unknowns, and we focus the discussion on the presence of “long branches” both in their molecular and morphological history. The increased rate of molecular evolution and genome instability as well as the numerous unique traits (both reproductive and vegetative) in the Gnetales have been obstacles to a better understanding of their evolution. Moreover, the fossil record of the Gnetales, though relatively rich, has not yet been properly reviewed and investigated using a phylogenetic framework. Despite these apparent blocks to progress we identify new avenues to enable us to move forward. We suggest that a consilience approach, involving different disciplines such as developmental genetics, paleobotany, molecular phylogenetics, and traditional anatomy and morphology might help to “break” these long branches, leading to a deeper understanding of this mysterious group of plants.
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Khan R, Hill RS. Morpho-anatomical affinities and evolutionary relationships of three paleoendemic podocarp genera based on seed cone traits. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2021; 128:887-902. [PMID: 34472589 PMCID: PMC8577210 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcab113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The three relict genera Pherosphaera, Microcachrys and Saxegothaea in Podocarpaceae produce quite distinct seed cone types in comparison with other genera and do not form a clade along with Acmopyle. The detailed seed cone morpho-anatomy of these three relict genera and affinities with other podocarps are poorly known. This study aims to understand the seed cone morpho-anatomy and affinities among these three disjunct relict genera and with other podocarps. METHODS We comparatively analysed the seed cone morpho-anatomical traits of the three podocarps genera and used ancestral state reconstruction to understand the evolution of these traits. KEY RESULTS We described the seed cone morpho-anatomical structures of the three relict genera in detail. The three genera produce aggregated multiovulate cones. Both Microcachrys and Saxegothaea have an asymmetrical free cup-like epimatium. Both species of Pherosphaera lack an epimatium. The ancestral state reconstruction implies that the presence of an epimatium is an ancestral trait in podocarps and is independently lost in Pherosphaera and Phyllocladus. The seed cones are fleshy in Microcachrys and non-fleshy in Saxegothaea and Pherosphaera. The seed cone macrofossils of both extinct and living podocarps also show the presence of an epimatium and fleshiness in podocarps. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, the morpho-anatomy suggests that Pherosphaera, Microcachrys and Saxegothaea present affinities with each other and other podocarps, but the reconstruction of the ancestral seed cone in Podcarpaceae is quite complex due to multiple convergent evolutions of several structures. These structures (e.g. epimatium, aril and receptaculum) are of low taxonomic value but of great evolutionary and ecological significance, and are responsive adaptations to ever-changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raees Khan
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Robert S Hill
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
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A Review on Worldwide Ephedra History and Story: From Fossils to Natural Products Mass Spectroscopy Characterization and Biopharmacotherapy Potential. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2020; 2020:1540638. [PMID: 32419789 PMCID: PMC7210547 DOI: 10.1155/2020/1540638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Growing worldwide, the genus Ephedra (family Ephedraceae) had a medicinal, ecological, and economic value. The extraordinary morphological diversity suggests that Ephedra was survivor of an ancient group, and its antiquity is also supported by fossil data. It has recently been suggested that Ephedra appeared 8–32 million years ago, and a few megafossils document its presence in the Early Cretaceous. Recently, the high analytical power provided by the new mass spectrometry (MS) instruments is making the characterization of Ephedra metabolites more feasible, such as ephedrine series. In this regard, the chemical compounds isolated from crude extracts, fractions, and few isolated compounds of Ephedra species were characterized by MS-based techniques (LC-MS, LC-ESI-MS, HPLC-PDA-ESI/MS, LC-DAD-ESI/MSn, LC/Orbitrap MS, etc.). Moreover, we carry out an exhaustive review of the scientific literature on biomedicine and pharmacotherapy (anticancer, antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antiarthritic, and anti-influenza activities; proapoptotic and cytotoxic potential; and so on). Equally, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were discussed. This review is focused on all these topics, along with current studies published in the last 5 years (2015–2019) providing in-depth information for readers.
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Yang Y, Wang Y, Ferguson DK. A new macrofossil ephedroid plant with unusual bract morphology from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of northeastern China. BMC Evol Biol 2020; 20:19. [PMID: 32019502 PMCID: PMC7001366 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1569-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The evolution of the Jehol Biota of western Liaoning in China includes three phases, initiation in the Dabeigou phase, radiation in the Yixian phase, and decline in the Jiufotang phase. Numerous ephedroid macrofossils were reported from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation. However, so far none has been found in the younger Jiufotang Formation (ca. 120.3 Ma) of western Liaoning. RESULTS Here we report a new species Jianchangia verticillata gen. et sp. nov. with unusual morphology from the Lower Cretaceous of the Jiufotang Formation, Lamadong Village, Jianchang County, Liaoning. This species is the first record of gnetophytes from the Jiufotang Formation. It is similar to other ephedroid species from the Yixian Formation in possessing linear leaves with parallel veins, jointed shoots with swollen nodes and longitudinally furrowed internodes, and ovulate cones possessing two whorls of bracts enclosing two chlamydosperms, but differs from all known species by the ovulate cone having multiple fine linear verticillate bracts. CONCLUSIONS This study expands our knowledge about the diversity of early gnetophytes in the Lower Cretaceous, and demonstrates the lineage continuity of gnetophytes from the Yixian Formation to the younger Jiufotang Formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Yingwei Wang
- Beijing Botanical Garden, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
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Rudall PJ, Rice CL. Epidermal patterning and stomatal development in Gnetales. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2019; 124:149-164. [PMID: 31045221 PMCID: PMC6676381 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The gymnosperm order Gnetales, which has contentious phylogenetic affinities, includes three extant genera (Ephedra, Gnetum, Welwitschia) that are morphologically highly divergent and have contrasting ecological preferences: Gnetum occupies mesic tropical habitats, whereas Ephedra and Welwitschia occur in arid environments. Leaves are highly reduced in Ephedra, petiolate with a broad lamina in Gnetum and persistent and strap-like in Welwitschia. We investigate stomatal development and prepatterning stages in Gnetales, to evaluate the substantial differences among the three genera and compare them with other seed plants. METHODS Photosynthetic organs of representative species were examined using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. KEY RESULTS Stomata of all three genera possess lateral subsidiary cells (LSCs). LSCs of Ephedra are perigene cells derived from cell files adjacent to the stomatal meristemoids. In contrast, LSCs of Gnetum and Welwitschia are mesogene cells derived from the stomatal meristemoids; each meristemoid undergoes two mitoses to form a 'developmental triad', of which the central cell is the guard mother cell and the lateral pair are LSCs. Epidermal prepatterning in Gnetum undergoes a 'quartet' phase, in contrast with the linear development of Welwitschia. Quartet prepatterning in Gnetum resembles that of some angiosperms but they differ in later development. CONCLUSIONS Several factors underpin the profound and heritable differences observed among the three genera of Gnetales. Stomatal development in Ephedra differs significantly from that of Gnetum and Welwitschia, more closely resembling that of other extant gymnosperms. Differences in epidermal prepatterning broadly reflect differences in growth habit between the three genera.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Callie L Rice
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, UK
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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Deng N, Hou C, Liu C, Li M, Bartish I, Tian Y, Chen W, Du C, Jiang Z, Shi S. Significance of Photosynthetic Characters in the Evolution of Asian Gnetum (Gnetales). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:39. [PMID: 30804953 PMCID: PMC6370715 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Gnetum is a genus in the Gnetales that has a unique but ambiguous placement within seed plant phylogeny. Previous studies have shown that Gnetum has lower values of photosynthetic characters than those of other seed plants, but few Gnetum species have been studied, and those that have been studied are restricted to narrow taxonomic and geographic ranges. In addition, the mechanism underlying the lower values of photosynthetic characters in Gnetum remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the photosynthetic characters of a Chinese lianoid species, i.e., Gnetum parvifolium, and co-occurring woody angiosperms growing in the wild, as well as seedlings of five Chinese Gnetum species cultivated in a greenhouse. The five Gnetum species had considerably lower values for photosynthesis parameters (net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, intercellular CO2 concentration, and stomatal conductance) than those of other seed plant representatives. Interrelated analyses revealed that the low photosynthetic capacity may be an intrinsic property of Gnetum, and may be associated with its evolutionary history. Comparison of the chloroplast genomes (cpDNAs) of Gnetum with those of other seed plant representatives revealed that 17 coding genes are absent from the cpDNAs of all species of Gnetum. This lack of multiple functional genes from the cpDNAs probably leads to the low photosynthetic rates of Gnetum. Our results provide a new perspective on the evolutionary history of the Gnetales, and on the ecophysiological and genomic attributes of tropical biomes in general. These results could also be useful for the breeding and cultivation of Gnetum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
- Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, China
- Hunan Cili Forest Ecosystem State Research Station, Cili, China
| | - Chen Hou
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Caixia Liu
- Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, China
| | - Minghe Li
- College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Igor Bartish
- Department of Genetic Ecology, Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic, Praha, Czechia
| | - Yuxin Tian
- Hunan Academy of Forestry, Changsha, China
- Hunan Cili Forest Ecosystem State Research Station, Cili, China
| | - Wei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Changjian Du
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Zeping Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
- Institute of Forest and Ecology Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
| | - Shengqing Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
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Rudall PJ, Bateman RM. Leaf surface development and the plant fossil record: stomatal patterning in Bennettitales. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1179-1194. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Yang Y, Lin L, Ferguson DK, Wang Y. Macrofossil evidence unveiling evolution of male cones in Ephedraceae (Gnetidae). BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:125. [PMID: 30157769 PMCID: PMC6116489 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1243-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Male cones of modern Ephedraceae are compound and compact. No fossil evidence has so far been found to support an origin of the compact compound male cone from a hypothetical loosely-arranged shoot system. Results Here we describe a new macrofossil taxon, Eamesia chinensis Yang, Lin, Ferguson et Wang, gen. et sp. nov., from the Early Cretaceous of western Liaoning, northeastern China. It was an ephedroid shrub bearing male spikes terminal to twigs, but differs from modern Ephedraceae by its loosely-arranged male cones, the axillary male shoot consisting of an elongated synangiophore on which leaf-like foliar organs were inserted, and four sessile synangia terminal to the apex. Conclusions The morphology of this fossil suggests that the modern compact male cone of Ephedra was indeed derived from a once loosely-arranged shoot system, and the male reproductive unit originated from a once elongated axillary male shoot. This new fossil species thus provides a transitional link from the hypothetical ancestral shoot system to the modern compact morphology. Changes of habitat from closed humid forests to open dry deserts and shifts of the pollination syndrome may have acted as the driving forces behind this morphological evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Longbiao Lin
- China Railway Group Limited, 69 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - David K Ferguson
- Department of Paleontology, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yingwei Wang
- Beijing Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
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Puebla GG, Iglesias A, Gómez MA, Prámparo MB. Fossil record of Ephedra in the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian), Argentina. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2017; 130:975-988. [PMID: 28528483 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-017-0953-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Fossil plants from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Aptian) of the La Cantera Formation, Argentina, are described. The fossils studied represent a leafy shooting system with several orders of articulated and striated axes and attached leaves with unequivocal ephedroid affinity. We also found associated remains of ovulate cones with four whorls of sterile bracts, which contain two female reproductive units (FRU). Ovulate cone characters fit well within the genus Ephedra. Special characters in the ovulate cones including an outer seed envelope with two types of trichomes, allowed us to consider our remains as a new Ephedra species. Abundant dispersed ephedroid pollen obtained from the macrofossil-bearing strata also confirms the abundance of Ephedraceae in the basin. The co-occurrence of abundant fossil of Ephedra (adapted to dry habitats) associated with thermophilic cheirolepideacean conifer pollen (Classopollis) in the unit would suggest marked seasonality at the locality during the Early Cretaceous. Furthermore, the floristic association is linked to dry sensitive rocks in the entire section. The macro- and microflora from San Luis Basin are similar in composition to several Early Cretaceous floras from the Northern Gondwana floristic province, but it may represent one of the southernmost records of an arid biome in South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela G Puebla
- Unidad de Paleopalinología, Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales Centro Científico Tecnológico, UNCuyo-CONICET, Av. Adrián Ruiz Leal s/n-C.C.131, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina.
| | - Ari Iglesias
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente UNCO-CONICET, Quintral 1250, 8400, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - María A Gómez
- Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de San Luis CONICET, Chacabuco 913, 5700, San Luis, Argentina
| | - Mercedes B Prámparo
- Unidad de Paleopalinología, Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales Centro Científico Tecnológico, UNCuyo-CONICET, Av. Adrián Ruiz Leal s/n-C.C.131, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
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