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PREMISE Early Eocene ambers of the Cambay lignite in Gujarat, India, are well known for their diverse insect fauna and dispersed pollen, but the included flowers have received limited attention. The fossil record of Apocynaceae is relatively poor, and the distinctive floral characters of this family have not been recognized in the fossil record before. METHODS Remains of tiny flowers in amber were studied by micro-CT scanning, reflected light, and epifluorescence microscopy. RESULTS Flowers of Maryendressantha succinifera gen. et. sp. n. have actinomorphic, pentamerous, tubular corollas 2.2-2.3 mm wide, and 1.7-2.1 mm deep with sinistrorse aestivation and androecia consisting of a whorl of five stamens attached by short filaments to the lower half of the corolla tube. Anthers are ovate, rounded basally and apically tapered with their connectives convergent with one another in a conical configuration. The pollen is globose, psilate, tricolporate, and very small (10-11 µm). The combined characters indicate a position within the grade known as subfamily Rauvolfioideae. CONCLUSIONS These fossils, as the oldest remains of Rauvolfioids, complement the fossil records of Apocynoid and Asclepioid fossil seeds from other regions, demonstrating that the Apocynaceae were well established by the early Eocene, mostly consistent with prior divergence estimates for the phylogeny of this family. Potential pollinators, also preserved in the Cambay amber, include mosquitos, gnats, small moths, and stingless bees.

Orientador: André Olmos Simões Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia Resumo: Apocynaceae é uma das maiores e mais complexas famílias de angiospermas, que passou por várias mudanças em sua circunscrição ao longo de sua história taxonômica. Atualmente, está subdividida em dois grados: rauvolfioide Kostel e apocynoide Burnett, e três subfamílias: Periplocoideae R. Br. ex Endl., Secamonoideae Endl. e Asclepiadoideae R. Br. ex Burnett. Rauvolfioide contém as primeiras linhagens em ordem de divergência, formando um grado com o restante da família. A ampla variedade no tipo de frutos e sementes neste grado, foram importantes nas delimitações de suas tribos no passado, porém mais recentemente vários destes caracteres foram identificados como homoplásticos. Rauvolfioide possui, atualmente, 11 tribos e 79 gêneros, sendo Plumerieae a mais derivada junto com Carisseae. Plumerieae é a tribo mais distinta do grado rauvolfioide por apresentar grande variação em suas estruturas florais, passando pela maior mudança em sua circunscrição dentro do grado. A tribo compreende 10 gêneros e 53 espécies, organizados em três subtribos: Plumeriinae, Allamandinae e Thevetiinae. Os conflitos nas classificações desta tribo no passado não ficaram apenas na separação entres os gêneros em distintas tribos, mas também na delimitação, relação e circunscrição dos seus gêneros. Pela taxonomia e história complicadas a presente tese avaliou a circunscrição e as relações entre os gêneros, utilizando caracteres morfológicos florais e moleculares, contribuindo para a sistemática de Plumerieae, na forma de dois capítulos: (1) Sistemática filogenética da tribo Plumerieae (grado rauvolfioide, Apocynaceae) e (2) Estudos de caracteres morfoanatômicos florais em Plumerieae (grado rauvolfioide, Apocynaceae). Filogeneticamente, baseados em dados moleculares plastidiais e nucleares, foi verificada a proximidade de Hunterieae com Plumerieae, sendo Plumerieae confirmada como monofilética e grupo-irmão de Carisseae. Dois grandes clados principais são observados em Plumerieae: clado I, formado pelas subtribos Plumeriinae e Allamandinae, e clado II, formado pela subtribo Thevetiinae. Foram definidas também as relações dos gêneros Allamanda, Anechites, Mortoniella e Skytanthus com os demais gêneros na tribo. Todos os gêneros aqui analisados são monofiléticos, com alto valor de sustentação, assim como forte sustentação para os demais clados formados na tribo. O estudo morfoanatômico de estruturas florais mostrou que as características florais de Plumerieae são muito informativas, com uma enorme variedade morfológica e anatômica, apresentando ampla variação na distribuição dos idioblastos secretores e da morfologia e anatomia dos coléteres calicinais, corona, anteras, ovário e cabeça do estilete, que propiciou tanto estabelecer relações entre gêneros e espécies, quanto delimitá-las, esclarecendo e corroborando a classificação vigente da tribo Abstract: Apocynaceae is one of the largest and most complex families of angiosperms, which underwent several changes in its circumscription throughout its taxonomic history. It is currently subdivided into two grades: rauvolfioid Kostel and apocynoid Burnett, and tree subfamilies: Periplocoideae R. Br. ex Endl., Secamonoideae Endl. and Asclepiadoideae R. Br. ex Burnett. Rauvolfioid contains the first lineages in order of divergence, forming a grade with the rest of the family. The wide variety in the fruits and seeds type in this grade were important in the delimitations of their tribes in the past, but more recently identified as homoplastic. Rauvolfioid currently has 11 tribes and 79 genera, being Plumerieae the most derived along with Carisseae. Plumerieae is the most distinct tribe of rauvolfioid grade because it presents great variation in its floral structures, passing through the greatest change in its circumscription within the grade. The tribe comprises 10 genera and 53 species, organized into three subtribes: Plumeriinae, Allamandinae and Thevetiinae. Conflicts in the classifications of this tribe in the past were not only in the separation between the genera in different tribes, but also in the delimitation, relation and circumscription of their genera. The present thesis evaluated the circumscription and relations between the genera, using floral and molecular morphological characters, contributing to Plumerieae systematics, in the form of two chapters: (1) Phylogenetic systematics of the tribe Plumerieae E. Mey. (rauvolfioid grade, Apocynaceae) and (2) Studies of floral morphoanatomical characters in Plumerieae E. Mey. (rauvolfioid grade, Apocynaceae). Phylogenetically, based on plastid and nuclear molecular data, the proximity of Hunterieae with Plumerieae was verified, with Plumerieae being confirmed as monophyletic and sister group of Carisseae. Two major clades are observed in Plumerieae: clade I formed by the subtribes Plumeriinae and Allamandinae, and clade II formed by the subtribe Thevetiinae. The relationships of the genera Allamanda, Mortoniella, Anechites and Skytanthus with the other genera in the tribe were also defined. All the genera here analyzed are monophyletic, with high support value, as well as strong support for the other clades formed in the tribe. The morphoanatomic study of floral structures showed that the floral chacaracteristics of Plumerieae are very informative, whith a huge morphological and anatomical variety. Its with wide variation in the distribution of secretory idioblasts and the morphology and anatomy of the calycine colleters, corona, anthers, ovary and stylar head, which allowed both to establish relations between genera, species, and to delimit them, clarifying and corroborating the current classification of the tribe Doutorado Biologia Vegetal Doutora em Biologia Vegetal CNPQ 140527/2015-0 CAPES

The chloroplast genomes have been utilized in many studies of evolution, population structure and molecular identification. The aim of this study was to assemble the chloroplast genome of Hancornia speciosa Gomes, an economically important fruit species from Brazil, using next-generation sequencing data in order to reconstruct the phylogenetic analysis of Rauvolfioideae. Twenty-four million Illumina short paired-end reads were used for de novo assembly, and the chloroplast contig was identified by BLAST. The chloroplast genome of H. speciosa contains 155,357 bp, with 25,755 bp of inverted repeat A, 25,654 bp of inverted repeat B, 85,702 bp of large single copy and 18,229 bp of small single copy. The coding regions contained 83 genes, eight rRNAs and 36 tRNAs. The phylogenomic analysis reported similar topologies as in previous studies, which used partial chloroplast genomes, and demonstrated that Rauvolfioideae is paraphyletic. In summary, we demonstrated: (1) the first complete chloroplast genome of H. speciosa; (2) phylogenies analyzed using the complete chloroplast genomes revealed a robust phylogenetic topology for Rauvolfioideae; and (3) the phylogenetic analysis showed that the subfamily Rauvolfioideae is paraphyletic.

Apocynaceae is one of the important families that is present all over the world. The aim of this study is to provide some anatomical features of 7 species that represent 7 genera belonging to 4 subfamilies (Apocynoideae, Asclepiadoideae, Periplocoideae and Rauvolfioideae) related to Apocynaceae. The species samples were collected from different areas in Egypt. The study was focus on the morphological and anatomical characters of stems and leaves. The results were recorded in the form of comparison between the examined plants. Most of these plants are perennial herbs as in Cynanchum acutum L. but some are shrubs as in Carissa spinarum L. and trees as in Alstoniascholar is R.Br. The stem is woody in some of the investigated plants as in Alstoniascholaris R.Br. and succulent in some plants as in Pachypodium lamerei. The leaves are simple, spirally, opposite and opposite decussate. Leaves shape are ovate, elliptic, oblong-lanceolate or cordate with entire margin. The vascular bundles in all of the examined plants are bicollateral. From the analysis of all the available data by using the Multi Variate Statistical Package (MVSP) Program it could be stated that Apocynaceaeand Asclepiadaceae are very similar to each other which could be ranked in one large family Apocynaceae. In conclusion, we emphasize the previous recommendations to merge both Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae families in one large family, that is Apocynaceae.

APOCYNACEAE sensu lato is an interesting family with respect to pollen diversification. The pollen grains of 19 species (representing four out of five subfamilies and 18 genera) of Apocynaceae were collected and investigated using LM & SEM. The specific objective of the present study is to shed light on the different pollen morphological characters of the species under investigation and to discuss whether pollen morphology is considered an additional fundamental tool that helps in explanation of the evolutionary trend within the family. The obtained pollen data are considered diagnostic at the specific level viz. pollen association, class, polarity, sculpture, orientation and attachment of the translator. Carissa macrocrpa (Rauvolfioideae) gathered with the studied species of Apocynoideae based on the presence of porate pollen. In Cryptostegia grandiflora, the pseudo-pollinarium is considered a link between monads (as in Rauvolfioideae and Apocynoideae) and the true pollinia (as in Asclepiadoideae). Pollen criteria facilitate the construction of dendrogram, a tentative presentation of phylogenetic relationship and an artificial key to achieve further delimitation between the species under investigation and discussing the interrelationships in the view of dicta of advancement. The palynological criteria in the present study reinforced the treatment of Apocynaceae s.l. as two distinct taxonomic families (Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae).

Premise of research. Approximately 5% of Gentianales are estimated to be dioecious—mainly the members of Rubiaceae, Gentianaceae, and Loganiaceae. In Apocynaceae, there exists a report of cryptic d...

A new study of the holotype of Menendoxylon piptadiensis has revealed that this taxon possesses many diagnostic anatomical features not associated with Leguminoseae-Mimosoideae. In this contribution, it was described again and is re-assigns to Rauvolfioideae-Apocynaceae. This petrified wood recovered from the Pliocene Andalhuala Formation from Valle de Santa María (Catamarca, Argentina) and is the first fossil wood with affinity to Apocynaceae from South America. The systematic is based on anatomical data and supported by statistical analysis. A PCA and cluster analysis of 6 woods and 21 characters was performed to confirm the taxon delimitation. The eco-anatomical characteristics and the Nearest Living Relatives (NLRs) indicate a warmer and more humid climate in the region during the Pliocene, probably associated with tropical forests. The most related extant is Parahancornia and these supports the hypothesis that genus was more widespread in the past. Fil: Moya, Eliana Vanesa. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; Argentina Fil: Brea, Mariana. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; Argentina Fil: Lutz, Alicia Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; Argentina

Cascabela is a Neotropical genus of Apocynaceae with six species: C. balsaensis, C. gaumeri, C. ovata, C. pinifolia, C. thevetia and C. thevetioides. Its taxonomic history has long been a subject of controversy, especially due to its circumscription as a genus closely related to Thevetia. In this work, we revised the taxonomy of Cascabela for Mexico and provide detailed descriptions and illustrations. We also applied species distribution models and geographical information tools to evaluate chorological aspects of the six species occurring in Mexico and provide a conservation category. According to our results, Cascabela has a typical tropical distribution within Mexico, and the Balsas basin was identified as an area of diversity and endemism for the genus. The species C. ovata and C. thevetia have the broadest distribution ranges, and we assigned them the category of least concern. We suggest that the restricted, endemic species C. balsaensis, C. pinifolia and C. thevetioides be considered for protection. The genus was corroborated as an element of deciduous forest, and its cultural importance is highlighted.

In this study, we determined the complete plastome sequence of Carissa macrocarpa (Eckl.) A. DC. (Apocynaceae) (NCBI acc. no. KX364402). The gene order and structure of the C. macrocarpa plastome are similar to those of a typical angiosperm. The complete plastome is 155,297 bp in length, and consists of a large single-copy region of 85,586 bp and a small single-copy region of 18,131 bp, which are separated by two inverted repeats of 25,792 bp. The plastome contains 113 genes, of which 79 are protein-coding genes, 30 are tRNA genes and 4 are rRNA genes. Sixteen genes contained one intron and two genes have two introns. The average A–T content of the plastome is 62.0%. A total of 31 simple sequence repeat loci were identified within the genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that C. macrocarpa is a member of the paraphyletic subfamily Rauvolfioideae of Apocynaceae. The sister group relationship of C. macrocarpa to the Apocynoideae–Asclepiadoideae clade is supported by 100% bootstrap values.

This paper presents five new records of Rauvolfioideae for Paraiba state, northeastern Brazil: Aspidosperma discolor, A. melanocalyx, Macoubea guianensis, Tabernaemontana catharinensis, and T. flavicans, with the genus Macoubea being recorded for the first time in Paraiba state. Notes on distinghishing morphological features as well as data on geographical distribution and reproductive phenology of the species are provided.

Colleters, which are glands that produce sticky secretion, have ecological and taxonomic relevance in Apocynaceae. We studied the distribution, morphology, ontogenesis, and cellular secretions of leaf colleters in Tabernaemontana catharinensis A.DC. Samples from mature embryos, seedlings, and plants were processed according to usual methods for anatomical, histochemical, and ultrastructural analyses. Colleters are non-vascularized emergences that occur on the adaxial face of expanded cotyledons, eophylls, and metaphylls and at the intrapetiolar and interpetiolar positions. Standard, bifurcate, trifurcate, and sessile colleters were found, and these glands did not differ in their ontogenesis, histochemistry, or histological composition. Golgi bodies, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and plastids filled with oil droplets were the predominant organelles in the epithelial cells. Mucilage accumulated in large periplasmic spaces, traversed the outer cell wall and the permeable cuticle, which remained intact. Senescent epithelial cells were characterized by signs of cell plasmolysis, organelle degradation, membrane vesiculation, and ruptured tonoplast. Ultrastructural changes in the cell wall strengthen the argument for the involvement of this cellular compartment in the exudates’ exit. We provide the first report of the occurrence of different types of colleters in a Rauvolfioideae member. Our ontogenetic data support the hypothesis that morphological variants are deviations from the standard type.

Resumo Este trabalho apresenta um tratamento taxonômico das espécies de Apocynaceae ocorrentes na ilha do Marajó, PA. Foram analisados materiais dos herbários IAN, INPA, MG, R, RB, SP, SPF e UEC e realizadas três viagens de campo para coleta nos anos de 2011 e 2012. A família está representada por 33 espécies distribuídas em 21 gêneros, sendo seis gêneros com sete espécies pertencentes à subfamília Apocynoideae, cinco gêneros e 12 espécies à subfamília Asclepiadoideae e nove gêneros e 14 espécies à subfamília Rauvolfioideae. Prestonia annularis é registrada pela primeira vez para o Estado do Pará, enquanto Spongiosperma grandiflorum e Macoubea guianensis são novos registros para a ilha do Marajó. Forsteronia paludosa, até a realização deste trabalho, era conhecida apenas pela coleção tipo. São apresentadas chaves de identificação, descrições morfológicas, informações sobre fenologia e habitat, distribuição geográfica e comentários taxonômicos e ilustrações das espécies; dentre estas, Forsteronia paludosa e Macoubea guianensis são ilustradas pela primeira vez. Abstract This work presents a taxonomic treatment of species of Apocynaceae occurring in Marajó Island. We analyzed materials from the herbaria IAN, INPA, MG, R, RB, SP, SPF e UEC, as well as specimens collected in three field trips made in July 2011, November 2011 and February 2012. The family is represented in the studied area by 33 species belonging to 21 genera, as follows: six genera with seven species belonging to subfamily Apocynoideae, five genera and 12 species belonging to subfamily Asclepiadoideae, and nine genera with 14 species from subfamily Rauvolfioideae. Prestonia annularis is registered for the state of Pará for the first time, while Spongiosperma grandiflorum and Macoubea guianensis are new records for the Marajó Island. Up to this work, Forsteronia paludosa was known only by the type collection. We provide identification keys, morphological descriptions, phenology and habitat information, geographical distribution, taxonomic comments and illustrations of the species. Forsteronia paludosa and Macoubea guianensis are here illustrated for the first time.

Resumo Este trabalho apresenta um tratamento taxonômico das espécies de Apocynaceae ocorrentes na ilha do Marajó, PA. Foram analisados materiais dos herbários IAN, INPA, MG, R, RB, SP, SPF e UEC e realizadas três viagens de campo para coleta nos anos de 2011 e 2012. A família está representada por 33 espécies distribuídas em 21 gêneros, sendo seis gêneros com sete espécies pertencentes à subfamília Apocynoideae, cinco gêneros e 12 espécies à subfamília Asclepiadoideae e nove gêneros e 14 espécies à subfamília Rauvolfioideae. Prestonia annularis é registrada pela primeira vez para o Estado do Pará, enquanto Spongiosperma grandiflorum e Macoubea guianensis são novos registros para a ilha do Marajó. Forsteronia paludosa, até a realização deste trabalho, era conhecida apenas pela coleção tipo. São apresentadas chaves de identificação, descrições morfológicas, informações sobre fenologia e habitat, distribuição geográfica e comentários taxonômicos e ilustrações das espécies; dentre estas, Forsteronia paludosa e Macoubea guianensis são ilustradas pela primeira vez.

In this study, we update the systematics of the Tabernaemontana and describe the general patterns of species diversity and conservation status in Mexico. A total of 18 species were registered, including one cultivated species, two new species described here (T. chamelensis L.O. Alvarado & Lozada-Pérez and T. ochoterenae L.O. Alvarado & S. Islas), and eight species endemic to Mexico, which in total represents 47% of the diversity of the genus in the country. The states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Veracruz had the highest species diversity in native and endemic species. A map based on the kriging approach and the sums of species distribution models corroborate the sites of high diversity. A comparison among American countries showed that Central American countries share more specific similarity than South American ones. A risk evaluation showed that six species are under threat, mainly the endemic species. This exercise demonstrated that this genus is an interesting model to understand the biogeography, evolution, and affinities of the tropical flora of the Americas. Our work provides a basis for a deeper study of the biogeography and biology of the members of genus Tabernaemontana.

In their most recent classification of Apocynaceae in 2000, Endress and Bruyns recognized five subfamilies of Apocynaceae (Rauvolfioideae, Apocynoideae, Periplocoideae, Secamonoideae and Asclepiadoideae). Subsequently, through various studies using molecular data, it has been shown that most tribes and subtribes of Rauvolfioideae were not monophyletic, and new tribes and subtribes have been erected to reflect improved phylogenetic understanding of the family: Aspidospermeae in Rauvolfioideae; Nerieae, Odontadenieae and Baisseeae in Apocynoideae; Fockeeae in Asclepiadoideae; and Orthosiinae in Asclepiadeae. Several genera in Rauvolfioideae have been reassigned to different tribes in order to improve the monophyly of these tribes. The sister group of Asclepiadoideae plus Secamonoideae is not Periplocoideae, as formerly assumed, but tribe Baisseeae. Periplocoideae are nested in Apocynoideae. However, tribal composition remains unclear in some parts of the family. Clade structure in Apocynaceae is now generally well understood. The principal challenges now lie in identifying characters that can reflect and articulate these clades in a formal classification. Species-rich, recent radiations such as core Asclepiadinae in Africa and the Metastematinae in Latin America present particular problems in this regard. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London

Alkaloid accumulation in plants is activated in response to stress, is limited in distribution and specific alkaloid repertoires are variable across taxa. Rauvolfioideae (Apocynaceae, Gentianales) represents a major center of structural expansion in the monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) yielding thousands of unique molecules including highly valuable chemotherapeutics. The paucity of genome-level data for Apocynaceae precludes a deeper understanding of MIA pathway evolution hindering the elucidation of remaining pathway enzymes and the improvement of MIA availability in planta or in vitro. We sequenced the nuclear genome of Rhazya stricta (Apocynaceae, Rauvolfioideae) and present this high quality assembly in comparison with that of coffee (Rubiaceae, Coffea canephora, Gentianales) and others to investigate the evolution of genome-scale features. The annotated Rhazya genome was used to develop the community resource, RhaCyc, a metabolic pathway database. Gene family trees were constructed to identify homologs of MIA pathway genes and to examine their evolutionary history. We found that, unlike Coffea, the Rhazya lineage has experienced many structural rearrangements. Gene tree analyses suggest recent, lineage-specific expansion and diversification among homologs encoding MIA pathway genes in Gentianales and provide candidate sequences with the potential to close gaps in characterized pathways and support prospecting for new MIA production avenues.

Aspidosperma Mart. is one of the most important genera from Apocynaceae Juss. occurring in Brazil. It is present in many plant formations and has species with both medicinal and economic value. From a taxonomic point of view, many of its species are difficult to identify, especially those occurring in the Amazonian region. In order to complement the information already available with regard to the taxonomy and distribution of the genus, the goal of this work was to provide a taxonomic study of the Aspidosperma species occurring in the state of Pará, northern Brazil. This study was based on the analysis of vouchers from the BHCB, HBRA, IAC, IAN, INPA, MG, R, RB and UEC herbaria, as well as scanned images of vouchers from Brazilian and foreign herbaria, and specimens collected in the field. Species identification was confirmed by analysis of protologues and types (or images). We present taxonomic descriptions, illustrations and one identification key for the 20 species of Aspidosperma found in Pará, with the Baixo Amazonas Mesoregion presenting the largest number of species (17), and the Metropolitana de Belém Mesoregion presenting the smallest number of species (3). Aspidosperma eteanum, A. oblongum, A. salgadense (endemic of Pará) and A. sandwithianum are accepted as species here. Aspidosperma cuspa is a new record for Pará. The fruits of Aspidosperma eteanum and A. salgadense, and the seeds of A. eteanum, have been described and illustrated for the first time.

International audience; The delimitation of Himatanthus (Apocynaceae) species has long been problematic, and much confusion remains as to which names and species delimitations should be adopted. In order to recognize and clarify the species of Himatanthus occurring in Peru, herbarium specimens were examined, coupled with detailed field observations. The present study recognizes three species in Peru: H. revolutus, H. tarapotensis and H. phagedaenicus. A key to identify the species, as well as descriptions, synonymy, specimens cited, and taxonomic comments are presented.

The delimitation of Himatanthus (Apocynaceae) species has long been problematic, and much confusion remains as to which names and species delimitations should be adopted. In order to recognize and clarify the species of Himatanthus occurring in Peru, herbarium specimens were examined, coupled with detailed field observations. The present study recognizes three species in Peru: H. revolutus, H. tarapotensis and H. phagedaenicus. A key to identify the species, as well as descriptions, synonymy, specimens cited, and taxonomic comments are presented.

Tabernaemontaneae (Rauvolfioideae, Apocynaceae) are small trees with mainly animal-dispersed fleshy fruits and arillate seeds represented in the tropics of Africa, Asia, the Pacific and America. The tribe is characterized by complex indole alkaloids, thus its species play a prominent role in traditional medicine. Taxonomically, the Tabernaemontaneae have a convoluted history fraught with contention as to tribal, subtribal, generic and sectional delimitation, with some authors recognizing Ambelanieae and Macoubeeae as separate tribes and others including them in an expanded Tabernaemontaneae s.l. In the species-rich pantropical genus Tabernaemontana, seven sections and up to 30 segregate genera have been described during the past 100 years, giving it the dubious distinction of being the most disputed genus in Apocynaceae s.str. Here 420 new chloroplast DNA sequences from 104 species, including representatives of all satellite genera ever recognized in the Tabernaemontaneae, were analyzed phylogenetically to evaluate previous circumscriptions of Tabernaemontaneae and test the sectional treatment of Tabernaemontana. The Tabernaemontaneae s.l. as currently circumscribed was shown to be monophyletic. Of the 19 genera recognized in the most recent classification, 15 are maintained. The genera Bonafousia, Stemmadenia, Stenosolen and Woytokowskia are nested within Tabernaemontana. Of the seven current sections of Tabernaemontana, the four that included taxa from more than one continent were found to be para- or polyphyletic. All natural groups recovered within Tabernaemontana were found to correspond to geographic areas. Mapping of 29 selected morphological characters onto the molecular tree recovered recurrent suites of co-occurring character states and identified three synapomorphies characterizing the Tabernaemontaneae s.l.: (1) specialized anthers with massive lignified guide-rails; and a differentiated style-head with (2) a five-lobed upper crest and (3) a thickened basal flange. A new combination for the subtribe Ambelaniinae and the necessary new combinations resulting from merging Stemmadenia into Tabernaemontana are made.

A new species of Apocynaceae, Rauvolfia anomala Rapini & I. Koch, is described and illustrated. It wasfound in low savanna of Chapada dos Guimaraes, Mato Grosso state, sympatric with R. weddelliana . The twospecies seem to be closely related, but can be easily distinguished by the flowers, whose corolla is greenish,with lobes longer than the tube in R. anomala , or reddish with lobes shorter than the tube in R. weddelliana .The new species has remarkable floral polymorphism and possibly represents a new example of dioicy in thegenus. This is the first species of Rauvolfia with narrow distribution reported to Mato Grosso. Key words : dioicy, Neotropics, Rauvolfioideae, Central-West Region. Alessandro Rapini 1,4 , Ingrid Koch 2 & Andre Olmos Simoes 3 Rauvolfia anomala, uma nova especiede Apocynaceae da Chapada dos Guimaraes,Mato Grosso, Brasil Rauvolfia anomala , a new species of Apocynaceaefrom Chapada dos Guimaraes, Mato Grosso, Brazil Introducao Rauvolfia L. (Apocynaceae) e um generoessencialmente pantropical, porem sem especiesnativas na Australia. Inclui cerca de 65 especies,com centro de diversidade nas Americas; sao 37especies neotropicais, sendo 26 exclusivamentesul-americanas, sete da America Central, incluindoas Antilhas, e quatro representadas nas duasporcoes (para a revisao das especies americanas,veja Rao 1956 e Koch 2002). O genero tem atraidoa atencao principalmente por causa de seuscompostos quimicos (especialmente os alcaloidesindolicos) e suas propriedades farmacologicas, comespecies utilizadas no tratamento de desarranjosintestinais, hipertensao, disturbios mentais e comoantidoto para veneno de cobra (

A new species of Tabernaemontana from south-eastern Mexico is described and illustrated. Tabernaemontana riverae is separated from all known species of the genus by its long elliptic–lanceolate sepals and infundibuliform corolla. The new species is endemic to Mexico and only observed in the states of Oaxaca, Tabasco, and Veracruz. With this addition, Tabernaemontana is represented in Mexico by 15 species, six of them endemic. These numbers highlight Mexico as a diversity center for the genus. We propose a conservation status for the new species and provide a key to the Mesoamerican species of Tabernaemontana with leaf-like sepals.

A treatment of the subfamilies Apocynoideae and Rauvol - fioideae (Apocynaceae) in Honduras, is presented. A total of 55 species in 30 genera (Allamanda, Allomarkgrafia, Anechites, Aspidosperma, Beaumontia, Carissa, Cascabela, Catharanthus, Echites, Fernaldia, Forsteronia, Lacmellea, Macropharynx, Malouetia, Mandevilla, Mesechites, Nerium, Odontadenia, Pentalinon, Plumeria, Prestonia, Rauvolfia, Rhabdadenia, Stemmadenia, Tabernaemontana, Thenardia, Thevetia, Tintinnabularia, Tonduzia, Vallesia) are treated. Echites, Mandevilla, Prestonia, and Tabernaemontana are the most representative genera. Descriptions, keys, data on ecology, distribution, phenology, common names as well as lists of specimens examined are provided. Photographs are provided for the majority of species. The presence in Honduras of Allomarkgrafia plumeriiflora, Anechites nerium, Macropharynx renteriae, Stemmadenia eubracteata and Thenardia chiapensis is reported here for the first time.Se presenta un tratamiento de las subfamilias Apocynoideae y Rauvolfioideae (Apocynaceae) en la República de Honduras, Centroamérica. Un total de 55 especies distribuidas en 30 géneros (Allamanda, Allomarkgrafia, Anechites, Aspidosperma, Beaumontia, Carissa, Cascabela, Catharanthus, Echites, Fernaldia, Forsteronia, Lacmellea, Macropharynx, Malouetia, Mandevilla, Mesechites, Nerium, Odontadenia, Pentalinon, Plumeria, Prestonia, Rauvolfia, Rhabdadenia, Stemmadenia, Tabernaemontana, Thenardia, Thevetia, Tintinnabularia, Tonduzia, Vallesia) son tratadas, siendo Echites, Mandevilla, Prestonia, Tabernaemontana y Thevetia los más representativos. Se brindan descripciones, claves, datos de ecología, distribución, fenología, nombres comunes y especímenes examinados, así como fotografías para la mayoría de ellas. Se reporta por primera vez la presencia de Allomarkgrafia plumeriiflora, Anechites nerium, Macropharynx renteriae, Stemmadenia eubracteata y Thenardia chiapensis en Honduras.

Allamanda calcicola Souza-Silva & Rapini, an overlooked new species endemic to the limestone outcrops along the Sao Francisco River Basin, in south-western Bahia and northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, is described and illustrated. It was confused with A. martii and A. schottii, two species from eastern Brazil, which (along with A. polyantha) form a different complex of closely related species. However, A. calcicola is more closely related to A. puberula, another species from the semi-arid region of Brazil.

Descriptions and illustrations of three new Brazilian species of the genus Rauvolfia L. (Apocynaceae, Rauvolfioideae), R. capixabae I. Koch & Kinoshita-Gouvea, R. gracilis I. Koch & Kinoshita-Gouvea, and R. pruinosifolia I. Koch & Kinoshita-Gouvea, are presented. Rauvolfia blanchetii A. DC., R. mollis S. Moore, and R. divergens Markgraf are newly synonymized under R. ligustrina Willdenow, R. pernambucensis Emygdio under R. moricandii A. DC., and R. sessilifolia S. Moore under R. weddelliana Muller Argoviensis. Lectotypes for R. blanchetii and R. ternifolia Kunth are designated; furthermore, comments to clarify the complicated typification of R. ligustrina and R. ternifolia are presented.

This issue of the Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden is devoted to advances in the Apocynaceae s.l. and is based on the symposium, “Recent Progress in the Systematics of Apocynaceae,” held at the XVII International Botanical Congress in Vienna in 2005. The collection of papers presented here spans the phylogenetic and geographic breadth of the family and includes at least one study focused on representatives from each of the five subfamilies: Rauvolfioideae, Apocynoideae, Periplocoideae, Secamonoideae, and Asclepiadoideae. The papers range from higher-level phylogenetic analyses to more narrowly defined case studies and include new results in phylogenetics, taxonomy, biogeography, pollination biology, and a pharmacophagous plant–butterfly interaction involving pyrrolizidine alkaloids, as well as a new hypothesis for the evolution of pollinia and loss of a compitum in some advanced taxa. An updated classification scheme of the Apocynaceae is presented, with one additional tribe recognized in ...

To elucidate deeper relationships within Rauvolfioideae (Apocynaceae), a phylogenetic analysis was conducted using sequences from five DNA regions of the chloroplast genome (matK, rbcL, rpl16 intron, rps16 intron, and 3′ trnK intron), as well as morphology. Bayesian and parsimony analyses were performed on sequences from 50 taxa of Rauvolfioideae and 16 taxa from Apocynoideae. Neither subfamily is monophyletic, Rauvolfioideae because it is a grade and Apocynoideae because the subfamilies Periplocoideae, Secamonoideae, and Asclepiadoideae nest within it. In addition, three of the nine currently recognized tribes of Rauvolfioideae (Alstonieae, Melodineae, and Vinceae) are polyphyletic. We discuss morphological characters and identify pervasive homoplasy, particularly among fruit and seed characters previously used to delimit tribes in Rauvolfioideae, as the major source of incongruence between traditional classifications and our phylogenetic results. Based on our phylogeny, simple style-heads, sync...

Within Rauvolfioideae (Apocynaceae), genera have long been assigned to tribes based mainly on only one or two superficial fruit and seed characters. Taxa with drupaceous fruits were included in Alyxieae. To elucidate relationships within Alyxieae, we analyzed phylogenetically a data set of sequences from four plastid DNA regions (RbcL, matK, TrnL intron, and TrnL-F intergenic spacer) and a morphological data set for 33 genera of Apocynaceae, including representatives of all genera previously included in Alyxieae and two non-Apocynaceae species. Results of parsimony analysis indicate that Alyxieae as previously delimited are polyphyletic, with most genera falling into two main clades. The Alyxia clade includes seven genera: Alyxia Banks ex R. Br., Lepinia Decne., Lepiniopsis Valeton, Pteralyxia K. Schum., and Condylocarpon Desf. together with Plectaneia Thouars. (earlier included in Plumerieae) and Chilocarpus Blume (earlier included in Chilocarpeae). The Vinca clade includes eight genera: Cabucal...

Three new species of Chilocarpus (Apocynaceae – Rauvolfioideae) from Malesia are described: Chilocarpus hirtus D.J.Middleton, Chilocarpus pubescens D.J.Middleton and Chilocarpus sarawakensis D.J.Middleton. Preliminary conservation assessments are proposed.

A number of new combinations, lectotypifications and a neotypification are made for the forthcoming floristic accounts of the Apocynaceae subfamilies Rauvolfioideae and Apocynoideae for the Flore du Cambodge, du Laos et Du Vietnam, and Flora Malesiana. Four new combinations are made. Forty-one lectotypes are designated, of which five were previously claimed to be holotypes and, being published post-2000, are no longer effective as lectotypifications. One neotype is also designated.

KOCH, I., BITTRICH, V. & SUMIKO KINOSHITA, L.: Reproductive biology and functional aspects of the floral morphology of Rauvolfia sellowii Mu ll. Arg. (Apocynaceae; Rauvolfioideae) — a report of dioecy in Apocynaceae. — Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 124. 83‐104. — ISSN 0006‐ 8152. During studies on the reproductive biology of Rauvolfia sellowii Mu ll. Arg. the occurrence of functional dioecy was verified. This is the first case of dioecy in Apocynaceae s. str. demonstrated unequivocally. The occurrence of gynodioecy in R. vomitoria Afzel. is also demonstrated and its occurrence in Carissa grandiflora (E.Meyer) A.DC. confirmed. Our data reveal another case of a taxon described as having hermaphroditic flowers that has in fact functionally dioecious flowers. Behaviour of the pollinators and small populations might have favoured the development of dioecy in R. sellowii to avoid endogamic depression. The nonfunctional flower organs are particularly interesting: male flowers show all female structures, including well-developed ovules. Only callose deposition in the ovules and the absence of fruit development reveal their nature. Female flowers have empty anthers. Such organs still play an important role for the reproductive mechanism and we believe that this is responsible for their persistence. Although the possibility that the evolutionary time elapsed since the development of dioecy was insufficient for their suppression cannot be completely ruled out. Although it has been suggested that stigmatic receptivity is restricted to a region below the circular scraper structure at the base of the style head, pollen tube growth demonstrated that the median secretory part is also receptive in these cases. Secondary sexual characters and mechanisms of the pollination process are also discussed. Earlier studies dealing with the functional importance of floral structures during pollination are briefly reviewed.

A new approach to a nomenclatural system, including elements from both Linnaean and phylogenetic nomenclature, is proposed. It is compatible with the existing Linnaean system, including "standard names" corresponding to principal and secondary ranks, and uses a variant of the definitions from the Phylocode system. A new infrafamilial classification, using this nomenclatural approach, of the Apocynaceae s.l. (i.e., including the Asclepiadaceae) based mainly on analyses of rbcL and ndhF data is discussed. Twenty-one tribes and four rankless taxa are defined.

Aspidosperma brasiliense, a new species from Brazil and widely distributed in the country, is described and illustrated here. A comparative table based on morphological data and an identification key to Aspidosperma brasiliense and its related species are also provided.

An updated suprageneric classification is provided for Apocynaceae to bring the family into better agreement with recent morphological and molecular, mainly phylogenetic-based, results. A total of 366 genera are recognized and placed within five subfamilies, 25 tribes and 49 subtribes. In Apocynaceae s. str., one new tribe (Amsonieae) and two new subtribes (Tonduziinae and Vincinae) are described in Rauvolfioideae, and one new tribe (Rhabdadenieae) and nine new subtribes (Amphineuriinae, Beaumontiinae, Chonemorphinae, Galactophorinae, Papuechitinae, Peltastinae, Pentalinoninae, Prestoniinae and Urceolinae) are described or validated in Apocynoideae. Within Asclepiadoideae, one new tribe (Eustegieae) and three subtribes (Diplolepinae, Pentacyphinae and Tassadiinae) are described or validated.