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Key for the Flora Zambesiaca region (adapted from la Croix & Cribb, 1995). The key for group D of Habenaria (p. 62) should be modified as follows: 1 Spur more or less straight or gently recurved.......................................................................................................... 83a. geerinckiana Spur not as above................................................................................................................................................................................2 2 Dorsal sepal 16–20 mm long; spur bent forward with a knee-like bend just below the base then recurved below flower................................................................................................................................................................................................... 83. tentaculigera Dorsal sepal 10–12 mm long; spur forming a loop near base and projecting above flower......................................... 82. goetzeana

Habenaria geerinckiana (Schaijes) Geerinck, Taxonomania 20: 18 (2007). Basionym: Kryptostoma geerinckiana Schaijes in Geerinck & Schaijes, Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg., 57: 483 (1987). Type:— DR CONGO. Katanga, W of Kolwezi, 23 Nov 1985, Schaijes 2697B (holotype: BR0000008814043!). Terrestrial herbs 25–40 cm tall. Tubers 3–4 × 1–2 cm, ovoid to ellipsoid, woolly. Leaves 5–10; the lowermost spreading, 2.5–3.0 × 2.0 cm, ovate; the next few suberect, up to 6.0 × 2.5 cm, lanceolate, acute; the upper ones grading into the bracts. Inflorescence 8–13 × 5–6 cm, laxly 4–7-flowered; bracts 10–30 mm long, lanceolate, reaching half the length of the ovary. Flowers green. Pedicel and ovary 15–30 mm long, ± straight. Dorsal sepal 12–15 × 15 mm, ovate, convex, projecting over column, tip recurved; lateral sepals projecting forwards, c. 13 × 4 mm, obliquely lanceolate, adnate to column and base of spur. Petals erect, bilobed, with an undivided basal part of 5–7 mm; posterior lobe 13–15 × 2–3 mm, lanceolate, the margins ciliate, adnate to dorsal sepal; anterior lobe 18–22 × 1 mm, linear, horn-shaped above the dorsal sepal. Lip trilobed, the base adnate to the column for about 5 mm; midlobe 7–10 × 1 mm, linear, reflexed; side lobes 15–20 × 1 mm, linear, curving forwards; spur c. 20 mm long, pendent, slightly recurved, apex slightly swollen. Anther locules c. 2 mm, reclinate, joined by a U-shaped connective c. 3 mm high, 7 mm long; anther canals c. 4 mm, upcurved; stigmatic arms 4–5 mm, clavate, decurved. Habitat:— Although Flore d’Afrique Central (Geerinck, 1992) mentioned the habitat as “galleries forestières”, on the type specimen and in the protologue it is described as “savanne steppique” or “savanna grassland.” The latter fits better with our habitat observations, i.e. watershed plains grassland within a diverse suffrutex community (DR Congo; Fig. 1) and on drier upper slopes of large open dambo (Zambia). Conservation status assessment:— Habenaria geerinckiana is a restricted species known from only three georeferenced collections representing two extant subpopulations, one in south-western DRC (Kolwezi District) and one in north-western Zambia (Mwinilunga District). Using these locations, the extent of occurrence (EOO) was estimated to be 3931 km 2 and the area of occupancy (AOO) 3 km 2, both of which are within the threshold for endangered status under criteria B1 and B2. This was calculated using the web-based Geospatial Conservation Assessment Tool (GeoCAT; Bachman et al., 2011). AOO was calculated based on a user-defined cell size of 1 km 2, which more accurately reflected the size of the habitat patches available at the three known localities than the IUCN default cell size of 4 km 2. The watershed plain grassland habitat in Kolwezi district has declined in extent and quality as a result of mining projects and expanding urbanisation from Kolwezi. It can be inferred that the Kolwezi subpopulation has also declined as a result, both in spatial extent occupied and number of mature individuals. The proposed conservation assessment of this species is EN B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v). Specimens examined: — DR CONGO. Katanga (Lualaba): west of Kolwezi, 10°47’30’’S, 25°17’01”E, 1490 m, 23 Nov 1985 Schaijes 2697B (BR0000008814043, photo!, holotype); south-west of Kolwezi, 10°47’11.82”S, 25°17’12.97”E, 1512 m, 22 Nov. 2021, McCleland, no specimen collected, images stored on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/ observations/108490995, see also Fig. 2). ZAMBIA. North-Western: Mwinilunga, Muwana, Muchana Dambo, 11°24’12.7”S, 24°40’42.8”E, 1375 m, 10 Jan 2019, Wightman NcW 118 (K!, NDO!, NU spirit!; Fig.3)., Published as part of Bytebier, Benny & Wightman, Nicholas, 2022, Habenaria geerinckiana (Orchidaceae), an updated description, extended distribution and conservation assessment, pp. 223-226 in Phytotaxa 544 (2) on pages 223-226, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.544.2.9, http://zenodo.org/record/6503944, {"references":["Geerinck, D. (1992) Flore d'Afrique Centrale. Orchidaceae (seconde partie). Jardin Botanique National de Belgique, Meise, pp. 736 - 737.","Bachman, S., Moat, J., Hill, A., de la Torre, J. & Scott, B. (2011) Supporting Red List threat assessments with GeoCAT: Geospatial Conservation Assessment Tool. ZooKeys 150: 117 - 126. https: // doi. org / 10.3897 / zookeys. 150.2109"]}

Bytebier, Benny, Wightman, Nicholas (2022): Habenaria geerinckiana (Orchidaceae), an updated description, extended distribution and conservation assessment. Phytotaxa 544 (2): 223-226, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.544.2.9

Ancistrorhynchus ovatus Summerhayes (1944: 210) (Fig. 2) Specimen: ��� ZAMBIA. Northern Province: Mporokoso District, Chimpempe Falls, Riverine island thicket vegetation of Kalungwishi River upstream of Chimpempe Falls, 1190 m, 14 Oct 2018, Wightman NcW63 (NU0091956!, NU spirit!)., Published as part of Wightman, Nicholas & Bytebier, Benny, 2021, Ancistrorhynchus (Orchidaceae), a new generic record for the Flora of Zambia, pp. 59-61 in Phytotaxa 528 (1) on page 61, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.528.1.6, http://zenodo.org/record/5769270, {"references":["Summerhayes, V. S. (1944) African Orchids. XIV. Botanical Museum Leaflets Harvard University 11 (7): 201 - 214."]}

Additional file 1: Fig. S1. Bromodomain inhibitors enhance C9ORFF72 gene promoter-driven expression in SH-SY5Y LE200 G4C2 reporter cell lines. Table S1. Epidrugs used in screening. Table S2. TaqMan probes information.

In Zambia wild edible terrestrial orchids are used to produce a local delicacy called chikanda, which has become increasingly popular throughout the country. Commercialization puts orchid populations in Zambia and neighbouring countries at risk of overharvesting. Hitherto, no study has documented which orchid species are traded on local markets, as orchid tubers are difficult to identify morphologically. In this study, the core land-plant DNA barcoding markers rbcL and matK were used in combination with nrITS to determine which species were sold on Zambian markets. Eighty-two interviews were conducted to determine harvesting areas, as well as possible sustainability concerns. By using nrITS DNA barcoding, a total of 16 orchid species in six different genera could be identified. Both rbcL and matK proved suitable to identify the tubers up to genus- or family level. Disa robusta, Platycoryne crocea and Satyrium buchananii were identified most frequently and three previously undocumented species were encountered on the market. Few orchid species are currently listed on the global IUCN Red List. Local orchid populations and endemic species could be at risk of overharvesting due to the intensive and indiscriminate harvesting of chikanda orchids and we therefore encourage increased conservation assessment of terrestrial African orchids.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder affecting brain and spinal cord motor neurons. Mutations in the copper/zinc superoxide dismutase gene ( SOD1 ) are associated with ∼20% of inherited and 1-2% of sporadic ALS cases. Much has been learned from mice expressing transgenic copies of mutant SOD1, which typically involve high-level transgene expression, thereby differing from ALS patients expressing one mutant gene copy. To generate a model that more closely represents patient gene expression, we created a knock-in point mutation (G85R, a human ALS-causing mutation) in the endogenous mouse Sod1 gene, leading to mutant SOD1 G85R protein expression. Heterozygous Sod1 G85R mutant mice resemble wild type, whereas homozygous mutants have reduced body weight and lifespan, a mild neurodegenerative phenotype, and express very low mutant SOD1 protein levels with no detectable SOD1 activity. Homozygous mutants exhibit partial neuromuscular junction denervation at 3-4 months of age. Spinal cord motor neuron transcriptome analyses of homozygous Sod1 G85R mice revealed up-regulation of cholesterol synthesis pathway genes compared to wild type. Transcriptome and phenotypic features of these mice are similar to Sod1 knock-out mice, suggesting the Sod1 G85R phenotype is largely driven by loss of SOD1 function. By contrast, cholesterol synthesis genes are down-regulated in severely affected human TgSOD1 G93A transgenic mice at 4 months. Our analyses implicate dysregulation of cholesterol or related lipid pathway genes in ALS pathogenesis. The Sod1 G85R knock-in mouse is a useful ALS model to examine the importance of SOD1 activity in control of cholesterol homeostasis and motor neuron survival., Significance Statement: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating disease involving the progressive loss of motor neurons and motor function for which there is currently no cure. Understanding biological mechanisms leading to motor neuron death is critical for developing new treatments. Using a new knock-in mutant mouse model carrying a Sod1 mutation that causes ALS in patients, and in the mouse, causes a limited neurodegenerative phenotype similar to Sod1 loss-of-function, we show that cholesterol synthesis pathway genes are up-regulated in mutant motor neurons, whereas the same genes are down-regulated in transgenic SOD1 mice with a severe phenotype. Our data implicate dysregulation of cholesterol or other related lipid genes in ALS pathogenesis and provide new insights that could contribute to strategies for disease intervention.