Search

Lithocarpus dahuensis, a new Fagaceae species from Fujian Province, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to L. konishii, but its oblanceolate leaf blade has more pairs of acute teeth on the margin, denser lateral veins, smaller cupules enclosing up to 1/4–1/3 of the nut, and its nut is only half as long as those of L. konishii. The plastome of L. dahuensis was 161,303 bp in length and displayed the typical quadripartite structure. Phylogenetic analyses distinguished L. dahuensis from L. konishii with strong support based on whole plastome and nrITS, respectively.

Three new species, Lithocarpus bidoupensis Ngoc & Tagane, L. congtroiensis Ngoc & Yahara, and L. hongiaoensis Ngoc & Binh are described from Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park, Central Highland of Vietnam. Morphological analyses and Maximum likelihood tree based on genome-wide SNPs support the distinction of those species from the previously known taxa in the region. The three new species are considered to be endemic to the Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park and the preliminary conservation status for each species is evaluated as Critically Endangered.

Here we report a fossil flora from the Miocene Toupi Formation in Jiangxi Province, southeastern China, including megafossil genera Pinus, Podocarpus, Calocedrus, Cinnamomum, Quercus, Lithocarpus, Carya, Palaeocarya, Acer, and Yua. Among them, Yua jiangxiensis n. sp. is the first fossil record of the genus in Asia. A palynological analysis in this study reveals that the palyno-assemblage contains Selaginella, Pteris, Pinus, Picea, Quercus, Fagus, Carya, Ilex, and Rutaceae. Based on Integrated Plant Records (IPR) vegetation analysis, it is suggested that the fossil flora represents an evergreen broad-leaved forest, and the occurrence of tropical and subtropical Cinnamomum supports a warm and moist climate in the region during the middle Miocene.

Lithocarpus polystachyus is a unique medicinal tree species that is valued for its abundant flavonoids in leaves. Currently, genes and metabolites involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway remain largely unknown. To elucidate the flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, transcriptome and metabolome analyses of young, mature, and old leaves were conducted. A total of 86,927 unigenes were obtained, and 51.4% of them were annotated in eight public databases. The majority of the 44 candidate genes in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway were downregulated as leaves aged. Metabolome profiling revealed a set of 427 metabolites in leaves. Consistent with the transcriptome results, 15 of the 19 metabolites in the flavonoid pathway decreased during the development of leaves. The data indicate that young leaf is the optimal stage for tea harvest. This is the first report of integrated transcriptome and metabolome profiling of L. polystachyus. This study demonstrates the correlation of gene expression and metabolites related to flavonoid biosynthesis and reveals the key genes responsible for flavonoid accumulation in young leaf. The information can be applied to future studies performed to elucidate and manipulate flavonoid biosynthesis in L. polystachyus.

Lithocarpus eiadthongii Sinbumr., Rueangr. & Sungkaew, sp. nov. (Figs. 1 & 2) Diagnosis:��� Lithocarpus eiadthongii is superficially similar to L. melataiensis, L. pusillus and L. vuquangensis. In terms of leaf characters, it may look like L. vuquangensis, but it is, however, much different from the latter in terms of fruit characters (having cupule size of 4���7 mm high by 8���13 mm across; cupule surface with (5)6���9 lamellae; nut size of 0.8���1.5 cm across; nut basal scar of 4���8 mm across in L. eiadthongii vs cupule size of ca 14 mm high by ca 18 mm across; cupule surface with 4���5 lamellae; nut size of 2.1���2.4 cm across; nut basal scar of ca 11 mm across in L. vuquangensis). Whilst, in terms of fruit characters, it may look similar to L. melataiensis and L. pusillus, but L. eiadthongii differs from the latter two in having a stalked cupule of 3���6 mm long (vs sessile cupule in L. melataiensis vs sessile to stalked cupule of 2���3 mm long in L. pusillus. Moreover, in terms of leaf characters, L. eiadthongii is much different from the latter two in having a leaf acumen of 3���10 cm long and leaf undersurface with sparsely white to creamy-white waxy to glabrous (vs leaf acumen of 15���22 mm long and leaf undersurface with densely yellowish brown tomentose, sometimes with simple hairs in L. melataiensis vs leaf acumen of 10���30 mm long and leaf undersurface with densely greyish brown tomentose by adpressed, minute, stellate hairs in L. pusillus) (Table 1). Type:��� THAILAND. Ranong province: Mueang Ranong district, Ngao subdistrict, Namtok Ngao National Park, hillside, UTM 47P E459665 N1090233, elev. 214 m, 4 July 2020, Sinbumroong 04072020 (holotype: BKF!; isotypes: BKF!, Kasetsart University, Faculty of Forestry, Bangkok, Thailand!, Natural History Museum, Thailand!). Description:���Medium to large sized evergreen tree, 15���35 m tall, 20���85 cm in diam. at breast height; buttresses usually present, up to 2 m tall. Outer bark greyish brown or greenish grey, smooth and lenticellate, usually with superficial horizontal lines, becoming finely winding- and shallow-fissured to finely scaly. Inner bark easily detached from the sapwood, reddish brown to dark brown, surface of inner bark facing sapwood equipped with numerous longitudinal ridges resulting numerous longitudinal and slightly depressed purplish lines with 0.5���1.5 cm long on white to slightly creamy sapwood. Branchlets yellowish green in vivo and reddish brown to dark brown in sicco, grooved, sparsely covered with white wax and lenticels, becoming glabrous. Terminal buds tiny, ovoid, ca. 1 by 1 mm; scaly, scales ovate, spirally imbricate. Stipules not seen. Leaves simple, spirally arranged along twig, not crowded near the end of each flush; blades narrowly elliptic, lanceolate-elliptic, oblong-ovate to lanceolate-ovate, (linear-elliptic in sapling stage,) thin coriaceous, rigid, 6���12.5 by 1.5���3.5 cm; adaxially green, glabrous, dull to glossy, abaxially pale greyish to creamy green, sparsely covered with white to creamy-white wax to glabrous; base acute or cuneate to slightly attenuate, apex acute to bluntly acuminate, acumen 3���10 mm long; margin entire, sometimes slightly undulate; midrib thin, slightly raised on both surfaces; secondary veins (9���)11���13(14) pairs, thin, obscure to slightly distinct both sides, subparallel, at an angle of 50�����60��, slightly arcuating and faintly anastomosing near the margin; veinlets fine reticulated, irregular or areolate, obscure on both sides; petiole 6���10 mm long, 1.3���2 mm in diam., usually straight to slightly curved, adaxially furrowed, abaxially rounded, sparsely covered with white to creamy-white wax to glabrous. Inflorescences usually androgynous (terminal) and branched, occasionally female (subterminal) and unbranched, erect, 4���10 cm long, peduncle 1���2 mm in diam. (androgynous inflorescence) or 1.5���3 mm (female inflorescence), densely covered by creamy stellate and single hairs; bracts and bracteoles deltoid to ovate-acute, ca 0.1���0.4 mm. Male flowers solitary on the upper part of androgynous inflorescence; perianth 5���6-lobed, coriaceous, broadly ovate-acute to broadly ovate-rounded, 0.3���0.5 by 0.5���1.2 mm; stamens 10���12; filaments 0.8���1.1 mm long, anthers 0.2���0.3 mm long; pistillode globose, 0.5���0.8 mm in diam. Female flowers solitary on the lower part of androgynous inflorescence or in clusters of 2���7 on female inflorescence; perianth 5���6-lobed, coriaceous, broadly ovate-acute to broadly ovaterounded, 0.3���0.6 by 0.3���0.7 mm; staminodes 10���12, rudimentary; styles 3(4), conical, 0.2���0.4 mm long, erect to slightly recurved. Infructescence woody, as long as inflorescence. Ripe cupule solitary (that from female inflorescence not seen); 3���6 mm stalked, lamellate, usually set in 2���3 regular lines; deeply cup or obconical, 4���7 mm high, 8���13 mm across; densely and creamy tomentose with stellate and simple hairs, lamellate; wall woody, thin; rim thin, enclosing 1/6���1/5 part of the nut; lamellae distinct, rim entire or faintly denticulate, set in (5)6���9 regular lines. Nut obovoid or ovoid, 1.5���2.2 cm long by 0.8���1.5 cm across, greater part glabrous, only densely covered with appressed creamy stellate and single hairs upward, chocolate-brown, base slightly rotundate to rotundate-truncate, top sharply acute; scar concave, 4���8 mm in diam., 0.7���1.4 mm deep; wall bony, thin, 0.5���1 mm thick. Etymology:���The specific epithet eiadthongii is named in honour of a well-known Thai dendrologist, Associate Professor Wichan Eiadthong who specialized in many families of Thai flora including Fagaceae (Eiadthong, 1993). Vernacular:���Ko look eiad (Thai), meaning an oak tree with small fruit. Ecology and distribution:��� Currently, it is only known from peninsular Thailand; in Namtok Ngao National Park and Klong Naka Wildlife Sanctuary of Ranong province and Si Phang-nga National Park of Phangnga province. They grow in the co-dominant and intermediate layers of the evergreen forest canopy, particularly along the hillsides, between 60 m and 260 m elevation. Conservation status:��� Lithocarpus eiadthongii is, so far, known from only three populations, all of them occur in three neighboring protected areas. According to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee, 2019), this plant could be assigned to a category of Vulnerable (VU) D2 based on its limited area of occupancy and the low number or known populations. However, insufficient data exists regarding its distribution, so we provisionally propose the species conservation status as Data Deficient (DD). Additional specimens examined:��� Thailand. Ranong province, Suk Samran district, Naka subdistrict, Klong Naka Wildlife Sanctuary, hillside, UTM 47P E445772 N1045984, elev. 63 m, 12 May 2021, Sinbumroong 12052021- 3 (BKF!, KUFF!, THNHM!); Phangnga province, Khura Buri district, Bang Wan subdistrict, Si Phang-nga National Park, evergreen forest, 47P E438646 N992049, elev. 253 m, 3 June 2021, Sinbumroong 03062021 (BKF!, KUFF!, THNHM!)., Published as part of Sinbumroong, Aroon, Rueangruea, Sukid, Teerawatananon, Atchara & Sungkaew, Sarawood, 2022, Lithocarpus eiadthongii (Fagaceae), a new stone oak species from southern part of Thailand, pp. 73-78 in Phytotaxa 541 (1) on pages 74-77, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.541.1.7, http://zenodo.org/record/6375259, {"references":["Eiadthong, W. (1993) The taxonomic study of the family Fagaceae in Haui Kha Kheng Wildlife Sanctuary. MSc. Thesis, Kasetsart University.","Julia, S. & Soepadmo, E. (1998) New species and new record of Lithocarpus Blume (Fagaceae) from Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 50: 125 - 150.","Soepadmo, E. (1970) Florae Malesianae Praecursores XLIX: Malesian species of Lithocarpus Bl. (Fagaceae). Reinwardtia 8 (1): 197 - 308. [https: // e-journal. biologi. lipi. go. id / index. php / reinwardtia / article / viewFile / 953 / 807]","Ngoc, N. V., Hung, N. V., Binh, H. T., Tagane, S., Toyama, H., Hoang, T. S., Ha, T. V. & Yahara, T. (2018) Lithocarpus vuquangensis (Fagaceae), a new species fromVu Quang National Park, Vietnam. PhytoKeys 95: 15 - 25.","IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee (2019) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 14. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee. [http: // www. iucnredlist. org / documents / RedListGuidelines. pdf]"]}

Sweet tea (Lithocarpus polystachyus Rehd.) has been consumed as herbal tea to prevent and manage diabetes for a long time. Recent studies indicate that sweet tea is rich in a variety of bioactive compounds, especially a class of nonclassical flavonoids, dihydrochalcones. In order to provide a better understanding of sweet tea and its main dihydrochalcones on human health, this review mainly summarizes related literature in the recent ten years, with the potential molecular mechanisms emphatically discussed. Phlorizin, phloretin, and trilobatin, three natural sweeteners, are the main dihydrochalcones in sweet tea. In addition, sweet tea and its dihydrochalcones exhibit plenty of health benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects, which are associated with the regulation of different molecular targets and signaling pathways. Therefore, sweet tea, as a rare natural source of dihydrochalcones, can be processed and developed into nutraceuticals or functional foods, with the potential application in the prevention and management of certain chronic diseases.

Non-forest estate (APL) such as Tawang Serimbak need to be maintained because they store various flora that is useful for human life, one of which is medicinal plants. The research objective is to identify, analyze the potential, and to know the protection status of medicinal plants found in the Tawang Serimbak forest. The method of research were making a 100x100 m (square) cluster. At the center of the square placed a circular plot within 0.1 Ha (0.5 Ha of each cluster). Four circular subplots were made in each plot consisting of 1 m radius seedling subplot, 2 m for stake subplot, pole subplot (5 m radius), and 17.8 m for tree subplot. Data of species, efficacy, and protection status (IUCN) were identified, and the potency of plants were analyzed using plants density (number of plants/Ha). Tawang Serimbak forest has been identified as having 49 species of medicinal plants. Some species have great potentials such as Galearia fulva, Shorea uliginosa, and Alseodaphne sp. A total of 9 species of medicinal plants were identified in protected status, two of which were endangered; namely, Lithocarpus maingayi, Shorea uliginosa, and one other species with Endangered (critical) status, namely Santiria rubiginosa. Protection of forests in APL by the community can maintain the biodiversity of medicinal plants. The existence of the Tawang Serimbak forest needs to be protected and turned into a forest with high conservation value (HCV).

Species of Tricholoma are relatively well-studied in Europe and North America. On the contrary, the study of the genus in East Asia is still limited, particularly in China, although nearly 50 species were reported from the country. In this paper, we describe and illustrate two new species of T. sect. Genuina, namely T. orienticolossus and T. orientifulvum, based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic evidence. Phylogenetically, T. orienticolossus is close to T. colossus, but differs from the latter by its absence of bitter taste, unchanging context, much longer basidia, wider basidiopores, and association with Abies trees. Tricholoma orientifulvum is similar to T. fulvum, but differs from the latter by its soap odor and association with subtropical trees of Lithocarpus, Quercus and Pinus kesiya.

A study on structure and composition of old secondary forest (OSF), young secondary forest (YSF), and old scrub forest (OScF) in Rantau Bertuah Protected Area, Siak Regency, Riau Province, was conducted in September 2018. The purpose of this study was to analyze species composition and structure of forests.The research plot measuring 100 x 100 m (one ha) each was made at OSF, YSF, and OScF. The OSF plot held 33 families, 55 species, and 642 trees with a diameter of ? 10 cm; in YSF 31 families, 56 species, and 450 trees; and in OScF 28 families, 52 species, and 235 trees. At the tree level the OSF was dominated by Calophyllum macrocarpum, Shorea sp., and Gironniera nervosa; the YSF by Palaquium amboinense, Shorea macroptera, and Gironniera nervosa; and the OScF by Macaranga hypoleuca, Gironniera nervosa and Lithocarpus gracilis. Based on the main dominant species and full distribution in the plot, the forest is called the Gironniera nervosa-Lithocarpus gracilis association.

Natural regeneration of tree species is the major means of understanding the restoration potentiality of a secondary forest. Natural regeneration of a forest is a tool for measuring the health of the forest ecosystem. Natural regeneration status of tree species in Hazarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary (HWS) in Chittagong North Forest Division, Bangladesh was assessed laying 75 systematic quadrats of 4m×4m in size. A total of 90 regenerating tree species belonging to 34 families was identified from the HWS. Euphorbiaceae family possessed maximum regenerating tree species (14 species) followed by Mimosaceae (7), Lauraceae and Meliaceae (6 species each), and Moraceae (5 species). The overall seedling density was 7,083 per ha where Ficus hispida showed the highest number of seedlings (792 per ha) followed by Quercus sp. (475), Ficus religiosa (408), Lithocarpus elegans (375) and Lepisanthes rubiginosa (367). The number of Ficus hispida seedlings per ha was higher due to high coppicing ability. Lepisanthes rubiginosa attained maximum IVI (27.59) followed by Ficus hispida (21.18) and Quercus oxyodon (13.32). The seedlings of Aegle marmelos, Lithocarpus sp., Flacourtia jangomas, Albizia odoratissima, Acronychia padunculata, Chaetocarpus castanicarpus, Maesa paniculata, Crypteronia paniculata, Streblus asper and Mussaenda roxburghii were also found common in the study area. The findings will create baseline information of regenerating tree species, composition, diversity and population structure which can be used for monitoring future changes as well as taking policy decisions for the management of this Wildlife Sanctuary. J. Biodivers. Conserv. Bioresour. Manag. 2019, 5(2): 1-12

Diversity of tree species around Lake Kalimpa'a, Lore Lindu National Park has been implemented since July to September 2016. This research is descriptive and qualitative to know knowing the diversity of tree species and analyze the tree vegetation. The analysis of tree species was used quadratic method by using a single plot measuring 50 m x 50 m formed into 25 plots measuring 10 m x 10 m. The result of research, found 112 individual trees consist of 37 species. Some of them are classified as endemic species of Antidesma Celebicum Miq., Chionanthus celebicus Koord., Macaranga waturandangii Whitmore, and Lithocarpus menadoensis (Koord.) Soepadmo. Tree type Castanopsis acuminatissima (Blume) A.DC. has the highest importance index value of 41.78 and Garcinia sp. was the lowest important value index INP 2.41.

A new species of cynipid inquiline, Lithosaphonecrus nagalandi Melika, Lobato-Vila & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini), is described from the state of Nagaland (India) reared from undescribed bud galls on an undetermined species of Lithocarpus (Fagaceae), thus being the first Lithosaphonecrus known from India. Description, diagnosis, data on phenology and host associations, and illustrations of the new species are given. An identification key to all known Lithosaphonecrus is also provided. The biology of the genus Lithosaphonecrus and the distribution range of Saphonecrus and Lithosaphonecrus in Asia and Oceania are discussed.

Fagaceae includes typical masting species that exhibit highly synchronized and fluctuating acorn production. Fagaceae shows an interesting feature in that fertilization is delayed by several weeks to more than 1 year after pollination. Although delayed fertilization was recorded over a century ago, the evolutionary advantage of delayed fertilization is still poorly understood. Here, we present a new hypothesis that delayed fertilization facilitates temporal niche differentiation via non-overlapping flowering times among species. Comparing flowering and fruiting times in 228 species from five genera in Fagaceae, we first show that there is a close association between a wider spread of flowering times and the likelihood of a 2-year fruiting habit in which there is a long delay from pollination to fertilization. To study the coevolution of flowering time and delayed fertilization, we developed a mathematical model that incorporates the effects of competition for pollinators, seed predator satiation and unfavourable season for reproduction on fitness. The model shows that delayed fertilization facilitates the diversification of flowering time in a population, which is advantageous for animal-pollinated trees that compete over pollinators. Our new hypothesis about the coevolution of delayed fertilization and flowering time will provide new insight into the evolution of masting.This article is part of the theme issue ‘The ecology and evolution of synchronized seed production in plants’.

Cortinarius subsalor and C. tibeticisalor, belonging to the section Delibuti, are described from China as new to science. Cortinarius subsalor has been found to be associated with Lithocarpus trees in subtropical China and resembling C. salor, but it differs from the later by having slender basidiomata and the narrower basidiospores. Cortinarius tibeticisalor was collected from eastern Tibetan Plateau, associated with Abies. It differs from other species within sect. Delibuti by having olive tinge of mature or dried basidiomata and bigger basidiospores. The molecular data also support C. subsalor and C. tibeticisalor as new species. The phylogenetic analyses and biogeography of sect. Delibuti are discussed and a key to the species of this section currently known in the world is provided.

BackgroundDiversity of Tuber species in Taiwan is still poorly known, with only T. formosanum form Melanosporum clade, T. furfuraceum from Rufum clade and T. elevatireticulatum from Puberulum clade were recorded in recent 30 years. During our survey of hypogenous fungi in Taiwan, another whitish truffle was collected from roots of Lithocarpus konishii along a forest road in southern Taiwan in January 2018.ResultsThe whitish truffle is herein described as a new species Tuber lithocarpii, which is appeared to differ from most closely related taxon by its small ascomata size, reddish-brown gleba color, small and globose ascospores size with large pentagonal or irregular marbled reticulated ornamentation. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that T. lithocarpii formed a monophyletic clade within Puberulum clade and placed sister to the Thai whitish truffle T.thailandicum with strong branching support.ConclusionsTuber lithocarpii, which is appeared to differ from the previous recorded species based on morphological and phylogenetic evidences. This is an important and encouraging discovery in Taiwan as to facilitate cognition of Asian truffles, the following development of biotechnological applications and truffle cultivation of native species.

Many fagaceous species mature acorns during the second autumn after flowering and are called “2‐year species.” In 2‐year species of subgenus Cyclobalanopsis (genus Quercus), alternate bearing (2‐year seed production cycle) is prominent, but this has not been reported for other 2‐year species in the genera of Lithocarpus and Castanopsis. We tested the hypothesis that the difference in reproduction of 2‐year species is linked to the weevil, Mechoris ursulus. After ovipositing on acorns, this insect cuts the shoots to which the acorns are attached. We examined the host preference of M. ursulus and reproductive traits of fagaceous 2‐year species. Percentage infestation was remarkably high in the subgenus Cyclobalanopsis, whereas Lithocarpus and Castanopsis species suffered almost no damage. Furthermore, unlike Lithocarpus and Castanopsis, most of the acorn‐producing shoots in subgenus Cyclobalanopsis had no current‐year shoots. The clear relationship suggests that alternate bearing in subgenus Cyclobalanopsis is an adaptation to the shoot‐cutting behavior of M. ursulus.

Adaptive trait divergence is usually episodic rather than universal in a phylogeny. To determine whether trait divergence reaches an extreme level (i.e. deviation from neutrality), the evolutionary rate of the species and intraspecific variation must be taken into account. Accordingly, we attempt to explore the trend of trait divergence over divergence times conditioned on the genetic distance. The Brownian motion (BM) model, a commonly used random-walk process for describing the neutral evolution of traits, is used to simulate the distribution of trait divergence under neutrality. The observed trait divergences are then compared to the BM expectations to detect outliers, which are considered to be selected. We assessed the ability of this method to characterize trait divergence under selection among 14 Lithocarpus species in Taiwan. The results are consistent with the previous inference of phylogenetic constraint based on tests of the phylogenetic signal, but further signals of adaptive and conserved trait divergences are detected between some lineages derived from particular nodes (common ancestors), indicating differential investments in growth rate and chemical defense among some endemic species in Taiwan. These results show that the adaptive divergence of environment-related traits is transient, episodic, and punctuated. Under strong selection pressure, the trait divergence after standard deviation correction will be more significant because the trait variance within the population decreases. However, it tends to be an overestimation of conservative evolution in older common ancestors due to the larger standard deviation produced from diverse descendants. Nevertheless, this study still provides a simple approach to detect adaptive divergence in a phylogenetic framework.

The present paper is based on the finding of floristic diversity inventory research work conducted in Lower Kanchenjungha Singhalila Ridge, in Nepal side of Eastern Himalaya. Knowledge on floristic diversity of an area can reflect the total resources, their use patterns and conservation status which have a key role for making conservation strategies and policies. Analysis of vegetation helps to develop detailed picture of plant communities of that region. A total of 299 plant species belonging to 184 genera and 86 families were found in the Lower Kanchenjungha Singhalila Ridge. Dicotyledonous flora includes 69 families, 150 genera and 229 species whereas Monocotyledonous flora includes 15 families, 32 genera and 39 species. On the basis of floristic analysis Rosaceae was found to be the largest family with 23 species followed by Ericaceae 17, and Lauraceae 9 species. Current study furnishes three new addition to the flora of Nepal viz. Begonia flaviflora H. Hara (Begoniaceae), Carex cruciate Wahlenberg var. argocarpa C. B. Clarke (Cyperaceae), and Strobilanthes helicta Anderson (Acanthaceae). Of this total, 30 woody tree species with 551 individuals and 23 genera were recorded from the altitudinal range of 2100 - 3000 m of study area. The highest relative frequency was recorded by Lithocarpus pachyphylla (18.48%), Symplocos ramosissima (16.30%), Rhododendron falconeri (13.95%), Symplocos dryophylla (10.20%). Eurya acuminate and Symplocos species were found to be dominant in lower elevation whereas Lithocarpus pachyphylla and Rhododendron species were found to be dominant in upper elevation.

The Pliocene fluvio-lacustrine sediments of the Yuanmou Basin, Yunnan, near the southeastern part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, have yielded diverse and abundant assemblages of fossilized mammals and woods. The Yuanmou fossil woods reveal a wood flora with the highest diversity in the Cenozoic wood in China. The woods can play an important role in understanding palaeofloristics and in reconstructing palaeoclimate of southeastern China. In this study, we describe ten angiosperm taxa and three gymnosperm taxa namely: Castanopsis makinoi (Ogura) Suzuki & Terada (Fagaceae), Cedreloxylon cristalliferum Selmeier (Meliaceae), Dalbergioxylon biseriatensis sp. nov. (Fabaceae), Lagerstroemioxylon yuanmouensis Cheng, Li, Jiang & Wang (Lythraceae), Lithocarpoxylon microporosum sp. nov., Lithocarpoxylon sp. (Fagaceae), Paraalbizioxylon sinica sp. nov., P. yunnanensis sp. nov. (Fabaceae), Pterocaryoxylon huxii sp. nov. (Juglandaceae), Zelkova wakimizui (Watari) Watari (Ulmaceae), Abies sp. (Pinaceae), Cephalotaxus sp. (Cephalotaxaceae), and Picea sp. (Pinaceae). Nearest living relative (NLR) comparisons of these taxa, coupled with previously identified taxa, suggest that altitudinal vegetation zones were present in the Yuanmou region during the Pliocene: (i) subtropical evergreen and deciduous mixed broad-leaved forest dominated by Pterocarya/Juglans, Albizia/Acacia, Bischofia and allied taxa at lower elevations, (ii) subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest dominated by Quercus/Lithocarpus and Castanopsis at middle altitudes of mountains around the basin, and (iii) evergreen coniferous forest of Abies, Picea and other genera at the higher elevations of the mountains. Based on the habits of the NLRs, the prevailing climate was probably humid subtropical and thus differed from the present-day hot and dry climate supporting savanna. It is suggested that subtropical forest was predominant in Yunnan, while tropical rainforest occurred in southwest Asia and India during the same period. The uplift of the mountains near the Qinghai-Tibet plateau in western Yunnan presumably acted as a barrier to block warm and humid air from the Indian Ocean, which influenced the dispersal and distribution of plants.

Lithocarpus hancei (Benth.) Rehd is a widely distributed evergreen tree with broad-leaves that dominates the lower stories of the forest in China. Here, we sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast genome of L. hancei. The genome is 161,304 bp with one large single copy (LSC: 90,585 bp), one small single copy (SSC: 18,959 bp), and two inverted repeat (IR) regions (IRa and IRb, each 25,880 bp). It contains 117 genes, including 80 protein-coding genes, 33 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis of 21 representative cp genomes of the Fagaceae suggests Lithocarpus is monophyletic with strong bootstrap support and also that L. hancei is closely related to L. polystachyus. The cp genome is important for constructing a robust phylogeny of Lithocarpus and Fagaceae for future study.

The purpose of this work is to establish a new method using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) with chemometrics analysis to determine the content of catechin, isoquercetin, astragalin, phloridzin, trilobatin, and phloretin for one flavanol and five flavonoids, filter out the key compounds, and evaluate the quality of 26 batches of tender leaves and flower spikes of Lithocarpus polystachyus Rehd. (LP) from ten areas in China. The result showed that the HPLC-DAD method had excellent performance for accurate quantification analysis. S3 (tender leaf from Lushan, Sichuan) had the highest contents for six measured chemicals with trilobatin content of up to 27.82% in dry weight. S22 (flower spike from Liangping, Chongqing) had the highest content of phloridzin (up to 7.28%). All samples were divided into three types based on spatial distribution using principal component analysis. The result showed that the tender leaves and flower spikes from the same areas had many similar properties, and there were significant differences between the samples from different regions. Furthermore, phloridzin and trilobatin were identified as chemical markers for quality evaluation of two parts with different tender leaves and flower spikes of LP from geographical areas by orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis. These results will be helpful to establish an effective and comprehensive evaluation system of the development and utilization of LP resources.

The montane subtropical broad-leaved humid forests of Meghalaya (Northeast India) are highly diverse and situated at the transition zone between the Eastern Himalayas and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots. In this study, we have used inventory data from seedlings to canopy level to assess the impact of both biotic and abiotic disturbances on structure, composition, and regeneration potential of the Fagaceae trees of these forests. Fagaceae trees are considered as the keystone species in these forests due to their regional dominance and their importance as a fuel wood source, and also because they form an important component of climax community in these forests. Unfortunately, these forests are highly degraded and fragmented due to anthropogenic disturbances. We have assessed, for the first time, the restoration potential (i.e., capacity to naturally regenerate and sustain desired forest structure) of Fagaceae species in the genera Lithocarpus Blume, Castanopsis (D. Don) Spach, and Quercus Linn. We also evaluated how biotic and abiotic factors, as well as anthropogenic disturbances, influence the restoration potential of these species in six fragmented forest patches located along an elevational gradient on south-facing slopes in the Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. Fagaceae was the most dominant family at all sites except one site (Laitkynsew), where it was co-dominant with Lauraceae. Fagaceae forests have shown high diversity and community assemblages. Fagaceae species had high levels of natural regeneration (i.e., seedlings and saplings) but low recruitment to large trees (diameter at breast height or DBH &ge, 10 cm) at all sites. The ability to sprout was higher in Fagaceae tree species than non-Fagaceae tree species. We have shown that human disturbance and structural diversity were positively related to regeneration of Fagaceae tree species due to high sprouting. However, with increasing human disturbance, recruitment of saplings and pole-sized trees to mature trees hampered the resulting proportion of mature Fagaceae tree species. This study provides a means for assessing regeneration and a basis for forest management strategies in degraded and fragmented forests of Meghalaya.

The Fagaceae family is currently widespread throughout tropical and temperate regions of South America and the Northern Hemisphere, especially East Asia, and has likely been so since the Eocene, according to fossil records. In China, Fagaceae fossils are rare in the lowest latitudes of South China. Here, we describe 12 species in 5 genera of Fagaceae (i.e. Berryophyllum, Castaneophyllum, Quercus, Castanopsis and Lithocarpus) based on leaf morphology and trichomes. These fossils are recovered from the Changchang Formation of Changchang Basin, Hainan Island, South China, indicating that Fagaceae has been distributed in these tropical low latitudes since the Eocene. Given that our fossils are closely related to the tropical and subtropical extant species, we speculate that Fagaceae lineages have likely diverged since the Eocene and that each extant lineage, such as Quercus sect. Cyclobalanopsis, became highly differentiated no later than middle Eocene. Based on the current living conditions of the extant species, we further speculate that the climate of Hainan Island was warm and wet during the middle Eocene, suitable for the growth and differentiation of the family.

A new cynipid species, Lithosaphonecrus mindatus Ide, Aung & Tanaka, sp. nov., is described from Chin State, northwestern Myanmar. This is the first record of Cynipidae from this country. The new species emerged from a bud gall of Lithocarpus thomsonii. The new species’ morphological features closely resemble L. arcoverticus Liu, Zhu & Pang, but differ from the latter due to the presence of a broad foveal septum on the mesoscutellum and short triangular median mesoscutal impression and absence of the anteroadmedian signum on the mesoscutum. Partial sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I region (614 bp) show a 14–15% difference between the new species and other congeners.

International audience; Natural history collections and tropical tree diversity are both treasure troves of biological and evolutionary information, but their accessibility for scientific study is impeded by a number of properties. DNA in historical specimens is generally highly fragmented, complicating the recovery of high-grade genetic material. Furthermore, our understanding of hyperdiverse, wide-spread tree assemblages is obstructed by extensive species ranges, fragmented knowledge of tropical tree diversity and phenology, and a widespread lack of species-level diagnostic characters, prohibiting the collecting of readily identifiable specimens which can be used to build, revise or strengthen taxonomic frameworks. This, in turn, delays the application of downstream conservation action. A sizable component of botanical collections are sterile-thus eluding identification and are slowing down progress in systematic treatments of tropical biodiversity. With rapid advances in genomics and bioinformatic approaches to biodiversity research, museomics is emerging as a new field breathing life into natural collections that have been built up over centuries. Using MIGseq (multiplexed ISSR genotyping by sequencing), we generated 10,000s of short loci, for both freshly collected materials and museum specimens (aged > 100 years) of Lithocarpus-a widespread tropical tree genus endemic to the Asian tropics. Loci recovery from historical and recently collected samples was not affected by sample age and preservation history of the study material, underscoring the reliability and flexibility of the MIGseq approach. Phylogenomic inference and biogeographic reconstruction across insular Asia, highlights repeated migration and diversification patterns between continental regions and islands. Results indicate that co-occurring insular species at the extremity of the distribution range are not monophyletic, raising the possibility of multiple independent dispersals along the outer edge of Wallacea. This suggests that dispersal of large seeded tree genera throughout Malesia and across Wallacea may have been less affected by large geographic distances and the presence of marine barriers than generally assumed. We demonstrate the utility of MIGseq in museomic studies using non-model taxa, presenting the first range-wide genomic assessment of Lithocarpus and tropical Fagaceae as a proof-of-concept. Our study shows the potential for developing innovative genomic approaches to improve the capture of novel evolutionary signals using valuable natural history collections of hyperdiverse taxa.

Litterfall is an important component of the nutrient cycle in forest ecosystems. Thus, this study was carried out to assess the litterfall production, analyze the leaf nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents, and compute the litter turnover in the established 2-ha permanent plot of the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site in Mt. Apo, North Cotabato, Philippines. Plant litter were collected from the traps installed below the dominant tree species, processed at the laboratory, and oven-dried between November 2012 – June 2013 and January – October 2015. The leaves (62%) contributed the largest fraction to total litterfall production, followed by woody (21%), reproductive (12%) and miscellaneous (5%) parts. Mean annual litterfall production was 758.41 g ODW/m 2 which had an estimated mean daily litterfall production of 1.99 g ODW/m 2 . Phyllocladus hypophyllus Hook.f. contributed the highest litterfall production with 24.35% and least by Lithocarpus apoensis (Elmer) Rehder with 16.89%. The order of nutrient contents in leaves was highest in N, followed by K and lowest in P. The highest content of N was observed in L. apoensis (3.04%) and lowest in P. hypophyllus (2.10%). Amount of K was also highest in L. apoensis (1.70%) and lowest in A. philippinensis (0.58%), and the highest amount of P was also observed in L. apoensis (0.143%) and lowest in P. hypophyllus (0.076%). Litter turnover rate was faster in L. apoensis (3.29%) which will decompose within 68.38 days whereas slower in A. philippinensis (2.91%) which will decompose within 89.69 days. The mean annual litterfall production in Mt. Apo falls within the range of evergreen tropical forest studies and is dominated by gymnosperm species. Further, this study implies that Mt. Apo, having evergreen trees, is an old forest ecosystem as its aboveground leaf component accounts for less than 70% of the total litterfall production. Keywords : Gymnosperms, leaf N, P and K, litter turnover, oven-dry weight, tropical forest

Stone oaks (genus Lithocarpus, Fagaceae) are common canopy trees in the tropical and subtropical forests across China and Southeast Asia, which exhibit both great species diversity and interspecific variation in fruit morphology represented by two major fruit types. Acorn (AC) fruits of Lithocarpus are similar to oak (Quercus) acorns, and enclosed receptacle (ER) fruits generally have larger seeds enclosed by thick lignified fruit husks. It is therefore worth examining the adaptation of stone oaks to a wide range of ecosystems and climatic conditions by interspecific functional differentiation for understanding their diversification. By applying the herbarium-specimen database (20,516 specimens) and records from the Flora of China, we examined the variation in both reproductive (seed, fruit husk and cupule size) and vegetative (leaf length, leaf width and maximum tree height) traits among 91 species, in relation to climatic factors (mean annual temperature and wetness annual precipitation minus annual potential evapotranspiration). We found that even though species representing both fruit types co-occurred over Southern China, they exhibited different correlations with climatic factors: three reproductive components of AC fruits were all positively related to both temperature and wetness, whereas only husk volume of ER fruits representing mechanical protection to seed increased with temperature. In vegetative traits, leaf length and tree height of ER-type species were both negatively related with excessive wetness. Our results suggested that vegetative traits of stone oaks were independent of fruit types and fruit morphological variations. Overall, the distinctive correlation between interspecific reproductive and vegetative traits with climatic factors could be important in the diversification of the stone oaks in the tropical and subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests.

Structural composition based on diameter and height class distribution of the tree species of Dudhpukuria-Dhopachori Wildlife Sanctuary, Chittagong, Bangladesh was assessed. A total of 183 tree species having ≥ 10 DBH belonging to 125 genera and 48 families was recorded from the study area. Different species were found to dominate in different DBH classes, i.e. Aporosa wallichii (4.06%), Artocarpus chama (1.54%) and Dillenia pentagyna (0.38%) dominated 10 - < 25 cm, 25 - < 40 cm and 40 - < 55 cm DBH, respectively. Swintonia floribunda was found in maximum (7 out of 8) number of DBH classes. Both the percentage of tree individuals (73.18%) and number of species (169) were highest in 10-24.5cm DBH range. Similarly, Dipterocarpus turbinatus (14.5-24.4m and 24.5-34.4m) and Swintonia floribunda (34.5-44.4m and 44.5-54.4m) were dominant in two height ranges each. On the other hand, height range 4.5 - 14.4 m was dominated by Aporosa wallichii (4.36%). Dipterocarpus costatus, Artocarpus chama, Syzygium firmum and Bombax insigne were found in all the height classes. Both the number of tree species and number of individual stems (167 species; 1,684 individuals) were highest in the height range of 4.5-14.4m. The number of species and tree individuals decreased linearly with increasing height. All these indicate that, there was a sustainable natural regeneration and successful recruitment of Aporosa wallichii , Dipterocarpus turbinatus , Lithocarpus acuminata , Grewia nervosa and Artocarpus chama in Dudhpukuria-Dhopachori Wildlife Sanctuary. Dipterocarpus turbinatus was found as dominant species as it constitures maximum (5.56%) percentage of all tree individuals. The findings of the study may be useful for protection, conservation and sustainable management of Dudhpukuria-Dhopachori Wildlife Sanctuary. J. Biodivers. Conserv. Bioresour. Manag. 2017, 3(1): 17-30

There has been growing attention to intraspecific variation in trait-based plant ecology. However, studies on these changes across ontogenetic stages and the potential trade-offs with interspecific traits along environmental gradients are rare. In this study, we measured six wood and bark traits of 1030 trees of six species (Castanopsis nigrescens; C. carlesii; Lithocarpus polystachyus; L. synbalanos; Ormosia glaberrima; O. pachycarpa) from a 10-ha plot in a subtropical forest. Mean intraspecific variation in bark thickness and bark percentage to DBH was more than twice that for wood density and bark density. Bark thickness and bark percentage showed a consistent trend with increasing tree size. Small-tree traits were more variable than the same traits in larger trees. Altitude, convexity and soil nutrients explained the majority of the variations in the six traits, while sibling species had similar relationships between traits and environmental variables. Trees with dense wood and thin bark were usually found on steep slopes at lower altitudes. Our findings show intraspecific trait variability has different spatial patterns compared with interspecific variabilities along an environmental gradient.

Cantharellus hainanensis (Cantharellaceae, Cantharellales), a member of Cantharellus subgenus Cantharellus , is described as a new species from Hainan Island, a tropical region of China. It is morphologically characterized by a small-sized basidioma, a yellow pileal surface without an orange tinge, a smooth to faintly veined hymenophore, smaller basidiospores, and its association with the Lithocarpus in tropical China. The phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from the translation elongation factor 1-α gene ( TEF1 ) also confirms that it forms an independent lineage within the subgenus Cantharellus . A detailed description, color photos of fresh basidiomata and line-drawings of microstructures are presented.

A high-resolution, continuous 18.5 kyr (1 kyr = 1000 cal yr BP) macroscopic charcoal record from Qinghai Lake in southwestern Yunnan Province, China, reveals postglacial fire frequency and variability history. The results show that three periods with high-frequency and high-severity fires occurred during the periods 18.5–15.0, 13.0–11.5, and 4.3–0.8 ka, respectively. This record was compared with major pollen taxa and pollen diversity indices from the same core, and tentatively related to the regional climate proxy records with the aim to separate climate- from human-induced fire activity, and discuss vegetation–fire–climate interactions. The results suggest that fire was mainly controlled by climate before 4.3 ka and by the combined actions of climate and humans after 4.3 ka. Before 4.3 ka, high fire activity corresponded to cold and dry climatic conditions, while warm and humid climatic conditions brought infrequent and weak fires. Fire was an important disturbance factor and played an important role in forest dynamics around the study area. Vegetation responses to fire after 4.3 ka are not consistent with those before 4.3 ka, suggesting that human influence on vegetation and fire regimes may have become more prevalent after 4.3 ka. The comparisons between fire activity and vegetation reveal that evergreen oaks are flammable plants and fire-tolerant taxa. Alnus is a fire-adapted taxon and a nonflammable plant, but density of Alnus forest is a key factor to decide its fire resistance. The forests dominated by Lithocarpus/Castanopsis and/or tropical trees and shrubs are not easy to ignite, but Lithocarpus/Castanopsis and tropical trees and shrubs are fire-sensitive taxa. Fire appears to be unfavourable to plant diversity in the study area.

We investigated consequences of plant–soil feedbacks (PSFs) in a tropical montane forest on Mt. Kinabalu in Borneo by measurements of light and soil conditions, ecophysiological analyses of tree seedlings, a long-term adult and seedling census, and a simple simulation model. The study plot (2.74 ha) is in a mixed conifer–broadleaf forest with 24% relative basal area of conifers. First, we investigated light and soil conditions beneath two dominant species, a conifer Dacrydium gracilis (Podocarpaceae, arbuscular mycorrhizal tree) and a broadleaf Lithocaprus clementianus (Fagaceae, ectomycorrhizal tree). The relative light intensity was marginally higher beneath Dacrydium tree crown than beneath Lithocarpus tree crown. The concentrations of inorganic nitrogen and labile phosphorus, and the nitrogen mineralization rate, were lower beneath Dacrydium than beneath Lithocarpus, suggesting that soils beneath Dacrydium were more nutrient deficient. Microscopic observations confirmed that conifer seedlings (including Dacrydium) harbored arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. In addition, a molecular analysis showed that root-associated mycorrhizal fungal communities were clearly different between conifer and broadleaf seedlings, and consequently, nutrient acquisition capacity of seedlings may be different between them. Indeed, stable isotopic evidence suggested that Dacrydium seedlings are more efficient in inorganic nitrogen acquisition than Lithocarpus seedlings. These results predicted that the conifer seedlings would out-compete broadleaf seedlings and have a greater advantage beneath the conifer canopy. To test the possible advantage of conifer seedlings in performance, we developed hierarchical Bayesian models and estimated growth and mortality rates using the seedling census data during 2006–2012. We found that conifer seedlings performed better than broadleaf seedlings beneath Dacrydium canopy. On the other hand, broadleaf seedlings performed better than conifer seedlings beneath Lithocarpus canopy. The consequences of the PSFs for the tree community composition were investigated by developing a simple simulation model, and were compared with the results of a model without PSFs. After a 10 000-year simulation, the relative abundance of conifers with PSFs converged to 22%, which was consistent with the actual abundance; the model without effects of PSFs predicted a relative abundance of only ~10%. The results suggested that PSFs contributed to the maintenance of the conifer dominance in the tropical montane forest.

Stone oaks, or Lithocarpus species of Fagaceae are ecologically important canopy trees in the tropical and subtropical forests over East Asia, and the fruits of which are important food sources for insects and vertebrates there. The great fruit morphological variation of this genus represents two fruit types, acorn and enclosed receptacle fruit types. However, the evolutionary mechanisms of differentiation into these two fruit types with contrasting morphology remain a puzzle. To reveal the morphogenetic properties of two fruit types, we observed tissue differentiation and development among 20 Lithocarpus species from fruit set to maturity. Unlike in fruits of Quercus, the endocarp differentiation in Lithocarpus fruits occurred later than exocarp and mesocarp. Cupules provided further protection of developing seeds, particularly of acorn-type fruits. Fruits of Lithocarpus and Quercus acorns share similar insect predators. At fruit set, both acorn and enclosed receptacle types were largely identical, with similar tissue morphology and the sequence of differentiation. The distinct difference between two fruit types at maturity came from varied rates and degrees of development between the pericarp and receptacle tissues. We found that heterochrony between two tissues could create substantially divergent ecological strategies for protection and dispersal of their seeds, which is essential for the evolution of two fruit types.

One of the threats faced with Cibodas Biosphere Reserve area is the changes of forest area into plantation. Various efforts were made by Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park (TNGP) management to restore the area to its original function. One of the efforts is planting trees in the ex-plantation area that has been abandoned by the farmers. In 2016, Cibodas Botanics Garden was collaborated with TNGP to plant native trees species that had potency of high carbon sequestration. Six hundreds seedlings from 12 native trees species were planted ie, Altingia excelsa Noronha , Castanopsis argentea (Blume) A.DC ., Castanopsis javanica (Blume) A.DC. , Castanopsis tunggurut (Blume) A.DC , Dacrycarpus imbricatus (Blume) de Laub. , Euonymus indicus B. Heyne ex Wall ., Lithocarpus indutus (Blume) Rehder , Magnolia blumei Prantl, Persea rimosa Zoll. ex Meisn ., Syzygium acuminatissimum (Blume) DC., Sloanea sigun (Blume) K. Schum ., and Schima wallichii Choisy . The observations of evaluation done by January, February and July 2016. Parameters were observed are plant height, root collar diameter and crown width. Then, the data were analyzed by RGR (Relative Growth Rate) and RPI (Relative Performance Index). The results of observation during six months after planting shown that the average survival rate was 60.56%, with the largest survival rates were Altingia excelsa and Castanopsis javanica (80%). Castanopsis tunggurut was the lowest survival rate than the other plants (33,33%). The best growth rate is shown by Schima wallichii. In this case, obstructed plant growth is caused by the high density of weeds and shrubs so that seedlings are less exposed to sunlight and nutritional deficiencies, and also the damage that caused by humans, especially for Castanopsis tunggurut and Sloanea sigun.

HERIYANTO, N. M., SAMSOEDIN, I. & KARTAWINATA, K. 2018. Tree species diversity, structural characteristics and carbon stock in a one-hectare plot of the protection forest area in West Lampung Regency, Indonesia. Reinwardtia 18(1): 1‒18. — A study of species composition, structure and carbon stock in the lower montane forest in the Register 45B of the protection forest area in the Tri Budi Syukur District, Kebun Tebu Village, West Lampung Regency, Lampung Province was conducted in September 2016. The objective of the study was to undertake quantified measurements of floristic composition and structure of and carbon storage in the lower montane forest at 965 m asl in the protection forest area. A one hectare plot (100 m × 100 m) was established randomly. The plot was further divided into 25 subplots of 20 m × 20 m each to record trees. Quadrats of 5 m × 5 m for saplings and subquadrats of 2 m × 2 m for seedlings were nested in the tree subplots. We recorded 247 trees with diameter at breast height ≥ 10 cm representing 25 species and 19 families, with a total basal area of 59.14 m2. Overall including seedlings and saplings we recorded 31 species. The species richness was very low due to disturbances, and was the lowest compared to that of other forests in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Java. The dominant species in terms of importance values (IV) were Litsea cf. fulva (IV=77.02), Lithocarpus reinwardtii (IV=45.21) and Altingia excelsa (IV=26.95). Dominant species in seedling and sapling stages were Polyalthia lateriflora (IV=27.54) and Memecylon multiflorum (IV=41.58). Biomass and carbon stock of trees with DBH ≥ 10 cm was 50.87 ton/ha and 25.43 ton C/ha, respectively. Regeneration was poor. Structurally and floristically the forest was a developing disturbed forest and the composition will remain unchanged in many years to come. The successions leading to terminal communities similar to the original conditions would be very slow and should be assisted and enhanced by applying ecological restoration through planting tree species native to the site.

Restoring isolated patches of forest ecosystems in degraded landscapes could potentially lead to genetic loss and inbreeding. Therefore, this study determined the occurrence of genetic diversity among the tree speciesCastanopsis tribuloides,C. calathiformis, andLithocarpus polystachyusall of which were proven previously to be effective native tree species in the restoration of upland evergreen forests in northern Thailand when using the seed sample collection method. We tested our hypothesis as to whether the genetic diversity of a plant population that had been planted from the seeds of 4–6 adult trees would be lower and whether incidences of fixation index (Fis) would be higher among the second generation seedlings of these three Fagaceae species in isolated forest restoration trial plots. Microsatellite primers were selected from the entire genome sequence ofC.tribuloidesand the genetic sequences ofC. tribuloides,L. polystachyus, andC. calathiformiswere analyzed. Our results indicated a high degree of genetic diversity (He) inC. tribuloides(0.736) andC.calathiformis(0.481); however, a low level of genetic diversity was observed inL.polystachyus(0.281) within the restored forest. The fixation index for the second generation ofL.polystachyusandC.calathiformisin the restored forest showed evidence of inbreeding. These results imply the efficiency of the seed sample collection method and verify that it does not reduce the level of genetic diversity inC.tribuloidesandC. calathiformis. However, it may result in incidences of an inbreeding phenomena, suggesting the need to increase the number of adult trees used at the seed collection stage.

Incidence of Armillaria root disease and the population structure of associated Armillaria spp. was studied in California mixed-hardwood forests. Four 3,000-m2 plots, consisting of Quercus kelloggii, Q. agrifolia, Lithocarpus densiflorus, Arbutus menziesii, Umbellularia californica, and Pseudotsuga menziesii, were intensively sampled. Root collars were examined for mycelial fans, decayed wood, and rhizomorphs. From 404 trees (333 living, 71 dead), Armillaria mellea and A. gallica were recovered and identified from 148 isolates. The most abundant tree species in each plot was the tree species most frequently infected by A. mellea or A. gallica. The majority of A. mellea isolates were recovered from mycelial fans on living trees. Recent mortality due to A. mellea was found only in one plot. A. gallica was mainly identified from epiphytic rhizomorphs. Only one to three somatic incompatibility groups (SIGs) for each species were found in each plot. Estimated sizes of SIGs varied from the extent of a single root system to the entire width of the plot. Based on our results, both A. mellea and A. gallica are common in mixedhardwood forests, yet A. mellea appears to be a more aggressive pathogen. A. gallica is capable of attacking live hosts, but occurs on living roots more frequently as epiphytic rhizomorphs.

Sudden oak death, caused by Phytophthora ramorum (1,2), has been found for the first time in Oregon, killing tanoak, Lithocarpus densiflorus, trees. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the disease outside of the San Francisco to Monterey area in California, (300 km to the south). Nine areas of infestation, all within a 24-km2 area, were discovered on forest lands near Brookings, in southwest Oregon. Mortality centers ranged in size from 0.2 to 4.5 ha and included 5 to approximately 40 diseased trees. P. ramorum was isolated from stem cankers using Phytophthora-selective medium. Isolates had distinctive morphological features characteristic of P. ramorum, including abundant production of chlamydospores and caducous, semipapillate sporangia on solid media. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of isolates of P. ramorum from Oregon were identical to ITS sequences of isolates from California (1). The pathogen also was isolated from necrotic lesions on leaves and stems of native Rhododendron macrophyllum and Vaccinium ovatum growing beneath diseased tanoaks. In July 2001, the disease was located by an aerial survey conducted cooperatively by the USDA Forest Service and Oregon Department of Forestry. All lands within 1.6 km (1 mile) of the mortality centers are subject to Oregon quarantine, which bars the transport of any host plant materials. An eradication effort is currently underway. Symptomatic plants and all known host plants within 15 to 30 m of symptomatic plants are being cut and burned in the first phase of this operation. The total treated area is approximately 16 ha. References: (1) D. M. Rizzo et al. Plant Dis. In press. (2) S. Werres et al. Mycol. Res. 105:1155, 2001.

Phytophthora ramorum has been recently described (4) from isolates collected since approximately 1993, from Rhododendron and Viburnum in the Netherlands and Germany. Since 2001 and 2002, respectively, there have been unconfirmed reports from Poland and Great Britain (1). There are growing concerns about this oomycete since it has been recognized as the causal agent of sudden oak death in California, where thousands of oaks and tanoaks (Quercus agrifolia, Q. kelloggii, Q. parvula var. shrevei, and Lithocarpus densiflorus) have died. Since the first outbreak in Marin County, California in 1995, (3) the epidemic has remained concentrated mainly along the Pacific Coast near San Francisco but has been reported in Oregon (2). There have been no reports of oaks or other trees affected in Europe. During February 2002, E. Moralejo surveyed several nurseries in Mallorca, (Balearic Islands, Spain) to verify the presence of P. ramorum on rhododendron. Two shipments of rhododendrons, from the towns of Palma and Santa Maria del Camí, showed twig blight and necrotic spots at leaf tips and margins. Less than 0.5% of the aerial parts of the potted plants of both sets were affected. Isolations from symptomatic tissue consistently yielded cultures of Phytophthora using selective media (corn meal agar supplemented with nystatin, rifampicin, and ampicillin). Pure cultures were obtained from three isolates by hyphal-tip transfers on carrot piece agar (CPA) and identified as P. ramorum on the basis of morphological and cultural characters (4). Colonies grown on CPA at 17°C were appressed with sparse aerial mycelium and formed typical concentric growth rings under 16 h fluorescent light. Cardinal temperatures for vegetative growth were 2°C (minimum), 20°C (optimum), and 28°C (maximum). Daily radial growth was 3 to 3.2 mm at 20°C. Sporangia formed singly or in clusters on aerial sporangiophores in the absence of free water, and were mainly semipapillate, caducous, with a very short or no pedicel, ellipsoidal to elongated-ovoid, with a length/breath ratio of 1.9 to 2.1. Large spherical, terminal, and intercalary chlamydospores, 32 to 72 μm in diameter, were readily formed in agar. The mating type of these isolates from Mallorca was A1 based on dual cultures on CPA with four different heterothallic Phytophthora species. Crossing was successful with P. cryptogea BBA 63651 mating type A2. Oogonia were subglobose and measured 24 to 32 μm in diameter. Oospores were plerotic. Antheridia were always amphigynous, and mainly barrel-shaped to spherical, 14 to 22 μm in diameter One of the three isolates also produced a very small number of gametangia with the A2 tester strain P. cinnamomi BBA 62660, but the oospores appeared degenerate. Only A1 mating type strains of P. ramorum have been found in Europe. The Mallorca isolates have been deposited in the culture collection of the Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry (BBA), Germany. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. ramorum in Spain. Further research is urgently needed to assess whether the Mediterranean evergreen oak ecosystem is in danger. References: (1) EPPO Reporting Service. Published on-line, http://www.eppo.org/PUBLICATIONS/EPPO_RS/reporting_service.html Publication no. 2002/040 and 2002/077. (2) E. M. Goheen et al. Plant Dis. 86:441, 2002. (3) D. M. Rizzo et al. Plant Dis. 86:205, 2002. (4) S. Werres et al. Mycol. Res. 105:1155, 2001.

Tooley, P. W., and Kyde, K. L. 2007. Susceptibility of some Eastern forest species to Phytophthora ramorum. Plant Dis. 91:435-438. We tested some common Eastern forest species for their reaction to stem and leaf inoculation with Phytophthora ramorum, the pathogen that causes sudden oak death. Stem lesions were produced on inoculated seedlings of 12 Eastern forest species following 72 to 76 days of incubation in a containment greenhouse cubicle at 20oC. Chestnut oak (Quercus prinus) and white oak (Q. alba) were followed by northern red oak (Q. rubra) in susceptibility to stem inoculation. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and black walnut (Juglans nigra) were more resistant to stem inoculation than most of the oak species tested. P. ramorum was isolated on selective medium at distances of up to 8 mm from stem lesion margins. Foliar lesions were observed within 7 days when seedlings were inoculated with 5,000 sporangia/ml followed by incubation at 20oC in a dew chamber. Chestnut oak was followed by tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) and coast live oak (Q. agrifolia) in susceptibility to P. ramorum by foliar inoculation. Chestnut oak, an ecologically important species in parts of the Eastern United States, emerged as the most susceptible host tested in both stem and foliar inoculations. The results indicate that, under controlled conditions, P. ramorum is able to infect some important Eastern forest species and cause lesions on stems and foliage. It remains to be determined whether infection of these species by P. ramorum would occur under natural conditions.

Wilf et al . (Research Articles, 7 June 2019, eaaw5139) claim that Castanopsis evolved in the Southern Hemisphere from where it spread to its modern distribution in Southeast Asia. However, extensive paleobotanical records of Antarctica and Australia lack evidence of any Fagaceae, and molecular patterns indicate shared biogeographic histories of Castanopsis , Castanea , Lithocarpus , and Quercus subgenus Cerris , making the southern route unlikely.

Background Most genera of Fagaceae are thought to have originated in the temperate regions except for the genus Lithocarpus, the stone oaks. Lithocarpus is distributed in subtropical and tropical Asia, and its ancestral population is hypothesized to be distributed in tropical regions in Borneo and Indochina. Borneo and the nearby islands (the Greater Sunda Islands) were connected to the Malay Peninsula and Indochina prior to the Pliocene epoch and formed the former Sundaland continent. The Southeast Asian Lithocarpus, is thought to have dispersed between continental Asia and the present Sundaland. The drastic climate changes during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs which caused periodic sea-level changes is often used to explain the cause of its diversity. The aim of this study was to establish phylogenetic relationships by analyzing nuclear (nrDNA) and chloroplast (cpDNA) DNA in order to describe and analyze the origin, causes of diversification and historical biogeography of Lithocarpus. Results Phylogeny reconstructed through the multiple-species coalescent method with nrDNA and cpDNA revealed that the continental-Asian taxa were clustered at the basal lineages. The derived lineages of tropical Lithocarpus, with the inference of a subtropical ancestral state, imply a southward migration in the Early Miocene period with subsequent in situ diversification in the Greater Sunda Islands. The gradual decrease in temperature since the Middle Miocene period is proposed as a cause of the increase in the net diversification rate. Conclusions The historical ancestral origin of Lithocarpus has been suggested to be mainland Asia. Southward migration in the Early Miocene period with subsequent in situ diversification could explain the current diversity of stone oaks in Southeast Asia. This study also considered the multiple origins of stone oaks currently indigenous to the subtropical islands offshore and near mainland China. Our results provide phylogenetic evidence for a subtropical origin of Asian stone oaks and reveal the process of diversification and how it fits into the timeline of major geologic and climatic events rather than local, episodic, rate-shifting events. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40529-018-0244-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

An individual of the Catius Rona Hedge Blue Udara rona catius (Fruhstorfer, 1910) was found and photographed on 28 April 2018 in Jambul Highlands, South Sumatra province, Indonesia. After photographed, the butterfly was identified using major references. This incidental finding of Udara rona catius is a first record for southern Sumatra. The potential host plants of U. rona catius in Jambul Highlands are plants from family Euphorbiaceae ( Aporosa sp., Cleoxylon sp., Croton sp., Endospermum sp., Macaranga sp. and Phyllanthus sp.) and Fagaceae ( Castanopsis sp., Lithocarpus sp. and Quercus subsericea ).

Lithocarpus dahuoaiensis Ngoc & L. V. Dung, a new species from the Central highland of Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to Lithocarpus macphailii (M. R. Hend.) Barnett or Lithocarpus encleisocarpus (Korth.) A. Camus in having completely entire leaf margin, solitary cupule, long stalks of fruits, deeply cup-shaped or turbinate cupules, with a number of horizontal filiform lines. The species differs in its nut enclosure ca. 1/2 – 2/3 of the nut, adaxially glabrous leaf blades, secondary veins 11–12 pairs and faintly to very faintly visible hairs on the outside of the cupule. A table showing the morphological comparison of Lithocarpus dahuoaiensis with Lithocarpus macphailii and Lithocarpus encleisocarpus is also provided.

Xerocomus doodhcha and Hortiboletus indorubellus (Boletaceae) from broadleaf montane forest in Sikkim, India, are proposed as new. They are described in detail with supporting morphological illustrations and compared with related taxa using molecular phylogenetic analysis of ITS and 28S rDNA sequences. Xerocomus doodhcha is characterized by a pale brown pileus, basidiospores with a finely bacillate surface under SEM, and phylogenetic proximity to the type species of Xerocomus, X. subtomentosus Hortiboletus indorubellus is characterized by a dark brown to reddish brown pileus, context that turns brownish to brownish orange on bruising, and phylogenetic proximity to Hortiboletus rubellus.

Sudden Oak Death (SOD) refers to the destructive forest and ornamental plant disease which is arisen from the Phytophthora ramorum , and this pathogen can bring the critical damage to the specific plants in the short time, with the involvement of the stem ulcer and die back, and it only takes several weeks from invasion to symptoms. The Phytophthora ramorum was firstly tested on Azalea and Viburnum dilatatum in Germany and Dutch in 1993, and presented to Lithocarpus densiflorus and Quercus in California coastal areas in 1996. On the basis of the condition of host which has been infected with the pathogen, its host is distributed widely, can endanger the broad-leaved tree and needle-leaved tree, and can also endanger the shrub; and furthermore, it can also endanger the mature forest when the seedlings are endangered. The Phytophthora ramorum is bisexualism, and now, two mating types have been found and four evolutionary lineages are provided: NA1, NA2, EU1 and EU2, wherein NA1 and NA2 lineages are located in the western North America, namely, coastal areas in California and Oregon; EU1 lineage was firstly founded in Europe and mainly affected Azalea , Viburnum dilatatum and other shrubs, and then, it was introduced to North America subsequently, but no large-scale outbreak was occurred, because this lineage is mainly found in seedling nursery. EU2 lineage was firstly found in Northern Ireland, and broken out in the west of Scotland and most areas of Europe; and it mainly affects Larix kaempferi . Canada, New Zealand, European Union, Korea, China, America and many other countries and regions have paid high attention to SOD, and taken the measures in succession to strictly prevent the pathogen from incoming and diffusing.