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Rice ( Oryza sativa) was first domesticated in the lower and middle Yangtze regions of China, and rice remains have been found in many Chinese archaeological sites. Until now, only phenotypic archeobotanical evidence, such as the spikelet bases of ancient grains, has been used to speculate on the domestication process and domestication rate of rice. In this study, we sequenced 4 genomic segments from rice remains in Tianluoshan, a site of the local Hemudu Neolithic culture in the low Yangtze and two other archaeological sites (∼2400 and 1200 BC, respectively). We compared our sequences with those of the current domesticated and wild rice ( O. rufipogon) populations. At least two genotypes were found in the remains from each site, suggesting a heterozygotic state of the rice seeds. One ancient genotype was not found in the current domesticated population and might have been lost. The rice remains belonged to the japonica group, and most if not all were japonica-type, suggesting that the remains might be at an early stage of indica-japonica divergence or an indica- japonica mixture. We also identified sequences with significant similarity to those from species of Sapindales, Zygophyllales, and Brassicales, which is consistent with the identification of other plant remains in the Tianluoshan site and the common rice field weeds such as mustards in southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impatiens quadriloba K. M. Liu et Y. L. Xiang sp. nov. collected from the Siguniang Mountains Nature Reserve in northwestern Sichuan, China, is described and illustrated. The seed-coat and pollen morphology of the new species are described and diagnostic morphological characters that distinguish the new species from the related I. falcifer Hook. f. are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the dual function of liah8 … as verb and preposition in Li Jing … a Romance of the Litchi Mirror, featuring Southern Mm in the sixteenth century. … as the etymologically viable character meaning 'hold' in lieu of the dernotic character … dates back as early as the third century AD. Given unidirectionality in grammatical change from lexeme to function word, the frozen-in- time co-existence of liah8 … as verb (23 percent), verb/preposition (19 percent) and preposition (58 percent) points to grammaticalization that had been well underway but had not been consummated by the middle of sixteenth century. In contrast, chiong' … had shed its verbal function, proceeded to the intermediate stage, and taken on the role of preposition. Southern Mm is rich in chronological strata either phonologically and syntactically. Liah8 … and chiong' … belong in different chronological strata and follow separate routes of grammaticalization. Nevertheless, they converged in the same synchronic state, and their paths partially crossed resulting in a co-existential and even competitive situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dipteronia dyerana is a rare endemic from south-eastern Yunnan Province (China) that is known from only five natural populations, two of which occur outside a nature reserve. To obtain base-line information of the population structure, history and conservation of the species, we investigated patterns of genetic diversity within and among all natural populations, in addition to an ex situ conserved population, using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) DNA markers. Across all populations surveyed, average within-population diversity was remarkably low (e.g., 0.088 for Nei's gene diversity), with populations from outside the nature reserve maintaining the highest amounts of genetic diversity. Among all neural populations, high genetic differentiation (GST = 0.375) was detected, together with an isolation-by-distance pattern. Past habitat fragmentation, restricted gene flow and, to a lesser extent, genetic drift are proposed to be the determinant factors responsible for the low genetic diversity and high genetic differentiation observed, although reproductive-ecological factors, such as a mixed-mating system and low seedling recruitment due to inbreeding, might also play a role. We strongly recommend in situ conservation of those D. dyerana populations occurring outside the nature reserve, as they contain the highest proportion of the species total ISSR fragment diversity, which might be eventually relevant for local adaptation. Our data further indicate that the ex situ conserved population insufficiently represents the genetic diversity present in the species. It is therefore suggested to sample at least four natural populations to cover a reasonable proportion (≥95%) of the species' genetic variation for ex situ conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impatiens namchabarwensis, a new species of Impatiens found in Tibet, is described together with its taxonomy, distribution, ecology and notes on cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]