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Among the tropical woody bamboos, the Melocanninae is one of the most clearly recognized subtribes morphologically and has also been consistently well delimited in molecular phylogenetic work. The relationships among those genera in this subtribe, however, have been contentious because of poorly understood generic delimitations, in part due to poor specimen material or insufficiently assessed morphological traits, sometimes exacerbated by poorly accessible provenances. We address the phylogenetic and taxonomic status of two groups which together include the largest number of species in this subtribe: the Neohouzeaua-Schizostachyum complex, distributed from India to South China, Southeast Asia and southwest Pacific, and the endemic Indian genus Ochlandra. Three Neohouzeaua species (including the generic type), 12 Schizostachyum species (including the generic type and several species of uncertain placement), together with five species of Ochlandra and representatives of Cephalostachyum, Melocanna and Pseudostachyum were assessed in a molecular phylogenetic analysis together with members of other well-distinguished subtribes. Members of Neohouzeaua and Schizostachyum align into two main groups that were not completely well-supported statistically but which members possess mostly reflexed culm leaf blades, or mostly erect culm leaf blades. Other characters which provide obvious differences between taxa, such as the number of flowers in a pseudospikelet, fusion of filaments into a staminal tube, and presence of lodicules, were inconsistent between these groups. Neohouzeaua and Schizostachyum cannot be clearly distinguished in either morphological or molecular terms, and thus are united under the latter name, which takes precedence. In reviewing names in Neohouzeaua and their basionyms, several lectotypifications are designated. Three new combinations in Schizostachyum are proposed. On the other hand, Ochlandra forms a distinct clade and its monophyly is demonstrated, supported by clear morphological characters.

Naturally occurring leaf packs in five sites along the elevation gradient in Eswathu Oya stream in Sri Lanka were sampled and analysed for species composition of leaves and benthic macroinvertebrates. Eswathu Oya is a perennial, low order, mountain stream in the wet climatic zone of Sri Lanka. Leaves of only five species of plants were found in all sites – Hevea brasiliensis, Ochlandra stridula, Alstonia macrophylla, Terminalia arjuna and Melia azedarach. In each sampling site Hevea brasiliensis and Ochlandra stridula leaves were found in higher abundance. The contribution of other leaves varied with the site. Diptera larvae of the family Chironomidae, were the dominant group of leaf colonizing animals. The relative abundance of Chironomidae decreased along the elevation gradient in the down-stream. Gathering Collectors (GC) were the dominant functional feeding group (FFG) found in all leaf packs, but their abundance decreased along the downstream elevation gradient. Shredders were not present, as reported from some other tropical streams. Predators and Scrapers were increased along the downstream gradient. Filtering Collectors and Pierce-Herbivores did not show a clear pattern. The study documents that macro invertebrate communities responded to change in water quality, availability of leaves and their nutritional quality along the elevation gradient in Eswathu Oya, Sri Lanka.

Ochlandra Thwaites, an economically exploited bamboo genus of the Western Ghats of India is severely affected by unsustainable extraction, natural habitat destruction and endangerment of species resources. This taxonomically challenging genus consists of a genetic mixture of 10 related polyploid species that are difficult to define and classify using traditional morphology. The present study investigated the probability of DNA barcoding using seven standard barcode regions recommended by CBOL as a supplementary tool to define true species boundaries. Distance (MEGA v.6.0) and sequence similarity (TaxonDNA) based approaches highlighted the discriminatory power of psbA-trnH intergenic spacer barcode region, but did not support true species entities. Neighbour-joining and Bayesian inference trees supported the existence of morphospecies complex in seven species of the genus owing to weak reproductive barriers amongnaturally coexisting species. Morphological affinities existing within genus might have stemmed from natural interspecific hybridization events and consequent reticulate evolution in morphospecies complex of genus Ochlandra.

DNA barcodes developed for selected commercially important bamboo species can be utilized for the certification of planting stock in bamboo nurseries in absence of discriminatory features at the juvenile stage. Planting materials such as micropropagated plantlets, rhizome transplants and culm cuttings, generated at nursery level are directly procured for establishment of commercial plantations without any further verification. Very often misidentification and mixing up occur at nursery level and the error is not discovered until several years have passed. The present study evaluated the potentiality of seven Consortium for Barcode of Life (CBOL) recommended standard DNA barcode regions in commercially important bamboo species of India. Among the analyzed barcode regions, multiple sequence alignment (MSA) of psbA-trnH barcode region showed species-specific nucleotide differences in the studied bamboo taxa. The major nucleotide changes observed were transitions/transversions as well as insertions/deletions of nucleotides. Even though species-specific mononucleotide differences could be identified for most of the studied bamboo taxa, a small amount of sequence similarities were found in some of the Dendrocalamus and Bambusa species, which were grouped together in tree-based analysis. In subtribe Melocanninae, Ochlandra travancorica, Melocanna baccifera and M. clarkei showed unique species-specific psbA-trnH barcodes. Similarly, in the genus Oxytenanthera, unique species-specific psbA-trnH barcodes were obtained for O. monadelpha and O. parvifolia. Thus psbA-trnH barcode region generated distinct species-specific barcodes for commercial bamboo species in genera Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, Melocanna, Oxytenanthera as well as Ochlandra. Any national certification agency set up for the purpose can utilize psbA-trnH DNA barcode region to tag species identity and to establish the authenticity of multiplied planting materials in bamboos. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s13205-019-2018-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Reeds are a tall, thin, shrubby, highly productive grass of the Poaceae family, and have a worldwide distribution except for in Antarctica. Temperate reed species include Phragmites australis (Cav....

Leaf decomposition, an important component of the organic matter dynamics in streams, has been widely examined in temperate regions but much less documented in tropical regions. We report here the first study of leaf decomposition in a Sri Lankan stream. The litterbag technique was used. Coarse (8 mm) and fine (100 µm) litterbags, that included or excluded macroinvertebrates respectively, were used to enclose leaves of three dominant riparian tree species: native Ochlandra stridula (bamboo), and the introduced Alstonia macrophylla and Hevea brasiliensis (rubber). A fourth set of litterbags contained a mixture of these three species. Leaf colonization by macroinvertebrates was highest in the early stages of the decomposition process on Hevea leaves but invertebrate densities declined later. The opposite colonization effect was observed on the native Ochlandra leaves: slow colonization with continuing low densities from the beginning to the end of the process. Decomposition of all three species was significantly faster in the coarse than in the fine mesh bags. Alstonia, which has the softest leaf tissue, was most rapidly decomposed while Ochlandra, with its tough structure, was the slowest. Among the invertebrates, insects were the most important leaf colonizing animals, with Diptera, Coleoptera and Trichoptera the most dominant. The invertebrate variety in the mixed bags was higher than in the single-species leaf bags, where Chironomidae dominated the colonizing assemblages. This study has shown that toughness, indicated by the ‘specific weight of leaf tissue’, and the quality of the leaves was more important in determining breakdown rates than their origin. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Pedostibes tuberculosus, the Malabar tree toad, was described 137 years ago from the Malabar region (now the coastal parts of Kerala) of the Western Ghats. Since the description of this arboreal toad, not much information is available on the natural history, breeding habits and life cycle except for its description, range of distribution and advertisement call details. In the present account, the tadpole stages of this toad from Gosner tadpole Stage 21 to 45 are presented and the phytotelmatic mode of life of this toad has been confirmed by locating the tadpoles within the Ochlandra reed culm.

Summary A witches’ broom disease caused by Balansia linearis (Ascomycota, Clavicipitaceae) affecting reed bamboos was recorded during a disease survey in natural stands and plantations in Kerala State, India. Depending on site and host species, the pathogen infected up to 24% of the clumps of the commercially exploited reed bamboos, Ochlandra travancorica var. hirsuta, Ochlandra travancorica, Ochlandra scriptoria, and Ochlandra ebracteata and poses a threat to the reed bamboo industry. Resume La maladie des balais de sorciere causee par Balansia linearis (Ascomycota, Clavicipitaceae) affectant les bambous-roseaux a ete detectee lors d'une enquete dans des peuplements naturels et des plantations dans l'Etat de Kerala, en Inde. Selon les sites et les especes hotes, le taux d'infection varie jusqu’a 24% des touffes de bambous exploites commercialement, Ochlandra travancorica var. hirsuta, Ochlandra travancorica, Ochlandra scriptoria, et Ochlandra ebracteata, ce qui constitue une menace pour l'industrie du bambou-roseau. Zusammenfassung Der Hexenbesen-Erreger Balansia linearis (Ascomycota, Clavicipitaceae) wurde im Rahmen einer Inventur an verschiedenen Ochlandra-Arten in Kerala, Indien, nachgewiesen. Je nach Standort und Wirtsart waren bis zu 24% der Horste der kommerziell genutzten Bambusarten Ochlandra travancoria, var. hirsuta, Ochlandra travancoriaOchlandra scriptoria und Ochlandra ebracteata betroffen. Die Krankheit stellt eine Bedrohung der regionalen Bambuswirtschaft dar.

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) from Caryota ochlandra fruit pericarp and fruit flesh were characterized by (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance, high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry techniques. The fruit pericarp and flesh PAs were complex mixtures of homo- and heteropolymers of B-type procyanidins and prodelphinidins both with degrees of polymerization up to dodecamer. Their antioxidant and antityrosinase activities were investigated. The fruit pericarp PAs exhibited potent antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 142.86 ± 1.53 and 80.51 ± 0.4 μg/ml for DPPH and ABTS free-radical scavenging assays; with FRAP value of 373.09 ± 5.02 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g dry weight. Furthermore, the fruit pericarp PAs had antityrosinase activity while the fruit flesh PAs could be oxidized by tyrosinase. The structure and antioxidant activities of the C. ochlandra fruit PAs together with their effects on tyrosinase activity would lay scientific foundation for their utilization in food and nutrition industry.

The life history of Brontispa longissima (Gestro) (Coleoptera: Hispidae), reared under laboratory conditions on leaves of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), royal palm [Roystonea regia (Kunth) O.F.Cook], bottle palm [Hyophorbe lagenicaulis (L. Bailey) H.E.Moore], and fishtail palm (Caryota ochlandra Hance) was analyzed using age-stage, two-sex life table. Means and standard errors of population growth parameters were calculated using the jackknife method. Moreover, survival rate and fecundity data were applied to project the population for revealing the different stage structure. The mean intrinsic rates of population growth when reared on each respective leaf type were 0.032, 0.031, 0.019, and 0.044. Individuals reared on C. nucifera achieved the highest net reproduction rate at 114.5 offspring per female. The mean generation times of B. longissima ranged from 93.2 d (reared on C. ochlandrai) to 161.5 d (reared on H. lagenicaulis). Projections from survival rate and fecundity data indicated that B. longissima populations can row considerably faster on C. ochlandra than on the other three host plants. The results validate the two-stage life history approach taken, providing an essential tool for developing and testing future control strategies.

I describe distinctive feeding signs in living tree-bamboo (Ochlandra capitata) in two rain forest areas of Madagascar, for which aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis) are almost certainly responsible. Aye-ayes are present in both sites.

Author(s): Sridhara, Shakunthala; Rajendran, T. P. | Abstract: At least 137 species of common bamboos of India and rest of Asia seed synchronously at long and supra-annual intervals. These include species belonging to the genera Phyllostachys, Arundinaria, Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, Gigantochloapus, Malocanna, Guadua, Nechouzeaua, Ochlandra, and Thyrostachys. The enormous quantity of seeds shed by these bamboos affect the population dynamics of several vertebrates, including mostly birds, rodents, and wild pigs. The rodents, as generalist seed predators, exhibit a very complex response to the sudden spurt in the availability of nutritious bamboo seeds. In North-east India, the popular saying and belief “when bamboo flowers, famine follows” refers to the phenomenon of gregarious bamboo flowering, massive seed fall, and irruptions in rodent populations, which, after exhausting the bamboo seeds, invade and devour the entire crop fields and stored foods, leading to famine. Such events have been occurring approximately every 40 - 45 years since 1880, the latest being 2005 - 2007 sans any famine. Although 14 species of rodents occur in North-east India, until now there is no strong evidence to identify the species exhibiting population outbreaks. The species suspected to irrupt are Rattus rattus, R. r. brunneusculus, R. bowersi, R. niviventer, and Canomys badius. Similar irruptions of rodent populations in South America has been documented since 1800. These eruptions, termed ratadas, were seen in Oligoryzomys longicaudatus and Abothrix longipilis consequent to flowering of Chusquea quilla. Comparable density increases are seen consequent to masting in trees other than bamboo. Although the mechanism of seed masting is attributed to several hypotheses, predation satiation is the most accepted theory. In this paper, rodent response to masting is discussed in relation to this theory. The non-occurrence of famine in North-east India consequent to 2005-2007 bamboo flowering is mainly due to the effective strategies formulated by the government of India to prevent population buildup of rodents. This seems to be a fine instance of prophylactic approach to rodent management in large areas encompassing several states.

This chapter presents the members of the subtribe Melocanninae. It includes Cephalostachyum, Davidsea, Dendrochloa, Melocanna, Neohouzeaua, Ochlandra, Pseudostachyum, Schizostachyum (Leptocanna), and Teinostachyum in alphabetical order. Taxonomic and nomenclatural references, selected references, number of species known, common names, geological distribution, and features of all the members have been presented in the chapter.

The forests at Kakachi-Kodayar (77o 24’N & 8o 32’E, 1200-1550m), in Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, part of Agasthyamalai range in the southern part of the Western Ghats (see map) support one of the species-rich forest site (Ganesh et al., 1996).Though some part of the forest is lost to the dam, plantations, logging and Ochlandra spp. (reed bamboo) extraction, it still supports dense contiguous forest of subtropical wet evergreen, subtropical montane and shola forest types surrounded by grasslands.

Summary. Sirochloa, a new genus from Madagascar, is described, with one species S. parvifolia (Munro) S. Dransf., transferred from Schizostachyum Nees. It is characterised by the determinate inflorescence with the presence of subtending bracts and prophylls. The lemma possesses a long awn, and the branch system is unusual in having secondary branches developed most probably independently from the dominant main branch. The genus appears morphologically most similar to Decaryochloa A. Camus, a monotypic genus endemic to Madagascar. There is a beautiful slender bamboo that occurs in great abundance in forest on white sand along the east coast of Madagascar. It often forms curtains of foliage hanging from forest trees. This distinctive bamboo has long been known as Schizostachyum parvifolium Munro, which together with S. bosseri A. Camus, represent the only members of the genus in Madagascar. However, some of the supposed members of Asiatic bamboo genera (e.g. Cephalostachyum, Ochlandra, Schizostachyum) recorded as endemic to Madagascar, have been shown to be generically distinct (Dransfield 1998), and the subject of this paper is no exception. Schizostachyum parvifolium was described by Munro in 1868 from Madagascar and Mayotte (Comoro Islands). Munro (1868) cited three specimens: Boivin 1978 (sterile, two sheets at K) from Nosy-Be in Madagascar, Gerrard 74 (with inflorescences) from Madagascar (without locality), and Boivin 3030 (with inflorescences) from Mayotte. Of these, one sheet of Boivin 1978, Gerrard 74 and Boivin 3030 all appear to represent the same taxon. In these specimens, the sheath scar is horizontal, and branches are borne above this horizontal sheath scar. The second sheet of Boivin 1978 differs in having the sheath scar dipping downwards where the branches are borne, and is not S. parvifolium. It belongs to a different genus, most probably Valiha S. Dransf. Throughout his monograph Munro (1868) did not mention type species or type specimens in describing new genera and new species. In the case of Schizostachyum parvifolium, I here designate Gerrard 74 as the lectotype of this species, because this specimen consists of a piece of the main culm, which is solid, and a node with several leafy branches each terminated by a flowering branch. No locality of Gerrard 74 is cited, but Dorr (1997) states that Gerrard collected only from the east coast near Toamasina (Tamatave). Other specimens lack parts of the main culm. Bentham (in Bentham & Hooker 1883) noted that the placement of this taxon in Schizostachyum is doubtful, for it resembles Nastus Juss. rather than

Summary. Two new bamboo genera, Valiha and Cathariostachys, are described from Madagascar. Valiha consists of two species: V diffusa S. Dransf. and V perrieri (A. Camus) S. Dransf., the latter transferred from Ochlandra. Cathariostachys comprises two species: C. capitata (Kunth) S. Dransf., transferred from Nastus, and C. madagascariensis (A. Camus) S. Dransf., transferred from Cephalostachyum. Their affinities with other genera are discussed.

Fruit structure and development of seven species belonging to five genera of Indian bamboos are described. The fruit in four species is a caryopsis typical of the family Poaceae. The ovule is bitegmic; the outer surface of the cells of nucellar epidermis becomes cutinized and forms the seed coat. Three species bear a fleshy fruit with a unitegmic ovule. In a mature fruit the endosperm is either completely absorbed by the embryo or is present only in small quantity. The developing embryo comes in direct contact with the fruit wall due to the disintegration of the nucellus and integument. The embryo is covered by a thick brown mat from the disorganized cells of the inner layers of the fruit wall.

Olmeca, a new bamboo genus of two species is described from southern Mexico. It is unique among New World bamboos in its production of fruits that are large and fleshy, in contrast to the smaller, dry type-caryopsis or achene-that characterizes the other genera. The fleshy fruit is found in few other bamboos, among them Dinochloa, Melocanna, and Ochlandra. These Asiatic genera are not all closely related to each other nor to the new American genus, but do share a similar type of habitat: the tropical lowland rain forest, where ample water is available throughout the year. Besides the rare type of fruit found in Olmeca, the rhizomes of this genus develop necks up to 8 m or more long, an uncommon feature among any world bamboo of the sympodial type. The solitary culms of Olmeca grow widely spaced from one another because of these elongated, intervening necks. One species. 0. recta, is known only from the mountain range of Los Tuxtlas, in Veracruz, where it grows on acidic soils derived from basalt; the other, 0. reflexa, occurs on calcareous soils and has a wider range that encompasses parts of Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. THE RICH MEXICAN RAIN FORESTS that clothe the low slopes of Los Tuxtlas mountains around Sontecomapan in eastern Veracruz yielded a most unusual flowering bamboo to the renowned palm specialist, Harold E. Moore, Jr., on his trip to that region in 1952. During the ensuing decades, the specimen that he collected remained unidentified and could not be matched with any known genus by the late bamboo specialist, F. A. McClure. The collection consisted of leafy branches that terminated in inflorescences, but lacked many of the vegetative structures that are necessary for the proper placement of a bamboo. At my request, Helen Kennedy, on a trip to the same region in 1976, made a collection of these structures, and the sample of a culm leaf that she brought back confirmed my suspicion that this particular "tree grass" was indeed different from any known. Unfortunately the structure was old and incomplete, but nevertheless added new dimensions to the concept of this mysterious bamboo that was now emerging. I Received for publication 8 September 1980; revision accepted 16 October 1980. I am indebted to Dr. Stephen D. Koch of the Colegio de Postgraduados, Chapingo, Mexico, for planning the itinerary of ajoint field trip to southern Mexico in October 1977 that brought us to the localities of Olmeca cited in this paper. I also wish to thank Biol. Mario Vazquez Torres of the Universidad de Veracruz (Xalapa), who provided material of the new genus, information on its ecology, and help in the field. Mr. Alasdair Burman, of Sao Paulo, prepared the Latin descriptions of the new taxa, and the illustrations were the handiwork of Ms. Alice R. Tangerini (ART), to whom I am always grateful for her superb renditions of bamboos. Later in the same year, I received from Biol. Mario Vazquez Torres, of the Universidad de Veracruz, some fragmentary samples of bamboos from the tropical rain forests of southern Veracruz where he was working on aspects of population biology in bamboo communities. Some of the collections represented the same species that Moore and Kennedy had collected on separate occasions, but again the material was too fragmentary and incomplete for a full understanding of it. About this time came a collection of bamboos from Chiapas made by Dennis Breedlove. When I examined these, it was apparent that the flowering branches of one of the bamboo gatherings had an inflorescence similar to that of the Veracruz material, but almost certainly represented a different species. Again, only flowering branches were available, the specimens in this case lacking the vegetative parts necessary to form a complete picture of the plant. By now it was quite clear that the tropical forests of southeastern Mexico harbored what might be a new bamboo genus, and only a personal visit to the region would satisfy my curiosity. With my colleague, Stephen Koch, of Chapingo, Mexico, I made a journey to Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz during SeptemberOctober of 1977 and collected full material of two species of the genus, each adapted to different soils and habitats. Particularly intriguing was the statement by Moore on the label of his specimen that the bamboo produced fruits that were "green, globose to 1 inch in diameter." When McClure