[Botany • 2018] Bruguiera × dungarra (Rhizophoraceae) • A New Hybrid between Mangrove Species B. exaristata and B. gymnorhiza recently discovered in north-east Australia

Bruguiera × dungarra  N.C.Duke & Hidetoshi Kudo

in Duke & Kudo, 2018. 

  DOI:  10.3767/blumea.2018.63.03.03

Abstract

Bruguiera × dungarra (Rhizophoraceae), a previously undescribed hybrid species between B. exaristata and B. gymnorhiza is recorded from north-east Australia. Eight taxa are currently recognised in this Indo West Pacific genus, including three putative hybrids. The newly described hybrid is widely occurring, and it is described here with notes provided on typification, phenology, distribution and habitat. A revised identification key to all Bruguiera taxa is presented, along with a table of comparative diagnostic characters.

Keywords: Bruguiera × dungarra; Rhizophoraceae; hybrid; identification key; intermediate; mangrove; taxonomy

Fig. 4 Bruguiera × dungarra N.C.Duke & Kudo, hybrid nov. a. Foliage with inflorescences; b. trunk and exposed roots; c. habit; d. bark; e. leaves upper and lower surfaces; f. open and closed flower buds; g. leafy rosette with flower buds and mature propagule; h. mature hypocotyl; l. leaf scar node; j. colleter at inner base of interpetiolar stipule; k. petal dehisced and open; l. calyces of mature propagule, expended flower and closed flower bud; m. diagram of open petal (bar length = 10 mm); n. sectioned flower bud showing petals and style. — Collection field reference images for Hidetoshi Kudo & Brian Venables, HK190916A, (CNS!), Cairns, Machans Beach.

Bruguiera × dungarra N.C.Duke & Hidetoshi Kudo, hybrid nov.

Etymology. The location of the type of this new hybrid occurs on the ancestral lands of the Yirrganydji people. For these traditional custodians of the narrow coastal strip from Cairns to Port Douglas, the epithet Dungarra means, ‘belonging to Machans Beach area’.

Distribution — Type location is Machans Beach, near Cairns in Queensland,Australia. Other localities include Holloways Beach also near Cairns in Queensland, Australia, south to around Hinchinbrook Channel and Shoalwater Bay, and further north to the Marrett River estuary in Princess Charlotte Bay. Distribution elsewhere is likely, although possibly restricted to the zone of overlap of putative parents (Fig. 3). Putative parent species co-occur in eastern Indonesia, Timor Leste, southern New Guinea and northern Australia. In Australia, B. × dungarra is likely to occur from Darwin Harbour in the Northern Territory to Port Curtis in Queensland. 

Ecology & Local influences — Uncommon hybrid in the midhigh intertidal zone of intermediate estuarine position (sensu Duke 2006). Often in proximity of stands of higher intertidal B. exaristata, and mid-high intertidal B. gymnorhiza.

Norm C. Duke and Hidetoshi Kudo. 2018. Bruguiera × dungarra, A New Hybrid between Mangrove Species B. exaristata and B. gymnorhiza (Rhizophoraceae) recently discovered in north-east Australia. Blumea - Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants.  DOI:  10.3767/blumea.2018.63.03.03

A Cairns-based citizen scientist has made yet another remarkable discovery. 

 jcu.edu.au/news/releases/2018/november2/citizen-scientists-third-remarkable-discovery

[Fungi • 2017] Kalbionora palaeotropica • A New Genus and Species (Malmideaceae, Ascomycota) from Coastal Forests in Southeast Asia and Australia

Kalbionora palaeotropica Sodamuk, Leavitt & Lumbsch

  DOI:  10.3897/mycokeys.22.12528 

Abstract

A new species and genus, Kalbionora palaeotropica, is described for a crustose lichen occurring in coastal forests in Thailand, Vietnam, and northeastern Australia. It is morphologically similar to Malmidea and Eugeniella, but differing in morphological and chemical characters. The single known species in the new genus contains atranorin, zeorin, the stictic acid chemosyndrome and chlorinated xanthones. Morphologically it is characterized by having asci of the Catillaria-type, a yellowish brown colour, a granulose epihymenium, dark brown hypothecium, hyaline, 1–3 transversely septate ascospores. Molecular data strongly support a phylogenetic position in Malmideaceae, sister to a clade including Malmidea, Savoronala and two species currently placed in Lecidea s. lat. (including L. cyrtidia and L. plebeja).

Key words: Lecanorales, lichens, mangroves, taxonomy, tropical diversity

 Taxonomy

Kalbionora palaeotropica Sodamuk, Leavitt & Lumbsch, gen. et, sp. nov.

 Type: THAILAND, Trat Province: Muang District, Nhong Sa Nho Subdistrict, the route to Nature Education Center Ban Pak Khlong Nam Chiew, on the bark of Ceriops tagal (Perr.) C.B.Rob., 2014, M. Sodamuk RAMK-24530 (holotype: RAMK; isotypes: F, S).

Figure 1. Morphology and anatomy of Kalbionora palaeotropica, 
A–B habit C cross-section through thallus showing cortex and algal layer D cross-section through apothecium showing dark brown hypothecium E hymenium, and F transversely septate ascospores (holotype).

Scale bars: 0.5 cm (A, B), 20 µm (C), 0.1 mm (D), 10 µm (E), 5 µm (F). 

 Diagnosis: Characterized by having asci of the Catillaria-type, yellowish brown, granulose epihymenium, exciple consisting of prosoplectenchymatous cells, dark brown hypothecium, hyaline, 1-3 transversely septate ascospores, and the presence of atranorin, zeorin, and the stictic and arthothelin chemosyndromes.

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the occurrence of the species in the Paleotropics, whereas the genus is named after our colleague Klaus Kalb who has made tremendous contributions to our knowledge of tropical lichens and who has been enormously helpful to colleagues in Thailand.

 Mattika Sodamuk, Kansri Boonpragob, Pachara Mongkolsuk, Anders Tehler, Steven D. Leavitt and H. Thorsten Lumbsch. 2017. Kalbionora palaeotropica, A New Genus and Species from Coastal Forests in Southeast Asia and Australia (Malmideaceae, Ascomycota).
  MycoKeys. 22: 15-25.  DOI:  10.3897/mycokeys.22.12528

[Botany / Ecology • 2014] True Mangrove Species of Sundarbans Delta, West Bengal, Eastern India

Figure 4. The mangrove forest of Indian Sundarbans, showing the woody nature of the true mangrove plants.
Figure 5. Representative images of adaptive features for true mangroves in Indian Sundarbans:
 (d) Pneumatophores in Avicennia officinalis, (e) Knee roots in Xylocarpus mekongensis, (f) Stilt roots in Rhizophora mucronata

Abstract

 Varied opinions exist as to the species composition and ecological distinction of mangrove habitats of the Indian Sundarbans. Furthermore, distinction of true or major mangroves from mangrove-associate and minor species was left unresolved by past authors. The present study thus aimed to revise a species list of true mangroves in the Indian Sundarbans delta. An indexing of adaptive morpho-physiological characters of mangroves for the tidal-saline environment was conducted. The analysis illustrated 24 species of true mangroves in Indian Sundarbans, belonging to nine families. Of these, Rhizophoraceae showed maximum richness at each of the generic and specific categories assessed. The current study has highlighted the taxonomic richness and status of true mangrove from Indian Sundarbans, resolving the long debated distinction of true from minor and associate mangroves. 

Barik, J.; S. Chowdhury. 2014. True Mangrove Species of Sundarbans Delta, West Bengal, Eastern India. Check List. 10(2):329-334.

http://www.checklist.org.br/getpdf?SL137-13