Description de deux nouvelles especes et une nouvelle section de Bulbophyllum (Orchidaceae) de Madagascar. Deux nouvelles especes et une nouvelle section sont decrites dans le genre Bulbophyllum Thouars de Madagascar. Bulbophyllum petrae G.A.Fischer, Sieder & PJ.Cribb differe de toutes les autres especes malgaches par la taille, la forme et la structure de ses fleurs. Il est place dans sa propre nouvelle section Polyradices G.A.Fischer, Sieder & P.J.Cribb qui se distingue par sa petite taille, ses pseudobulbes densement agglomeres, aplatis bilateralement, unifolies, ses inflorescences sessiles uni- ou biflorees, et ses sepales, petales et labelle glabres, les premiers etant finement papilleux sur la marge et le dernier legerement papilleux dessous. Il se distingue aussi par l'absence de vaisseaux spirales dans ses tissus, situation tres inhabituelle chez les Bulbophyllum malgaches. Bulbophyllum jackyi G.A.Fischer, Sieder & P.J.Cribb appartient a la section Ploiarium, mais differ...

SummaryThe status of Madagascar's plant diversity is briefly reviewed, together with a consideration of the key threats and approaches used in conserving this unique flora. The role of the Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre is reviewed in relation to species discovery and conservation.

Species or clades may retain or shift their environmental niche space over evolutionary time. Understanding these processes offers insights into the environmental processes fuelling lineage diversification and might also provide information on past range dynamics of ecosystems. However, little is known about the relative contributions of niche conservatism versus niche divergence to species diversification in the tropics. Here, we examined broad-scale patterns of niche evolution within a Pliocene-Pleistocene clade of epiphytic Bulbophyllum orchids (30 spp.) whose collective distribution covers the northwest and eastern forest ecosystems of Madagascar. Using species occurrence data, ecological niche models, and multivariate analyses of contributing variables, we identified a three-state niche distribution character for the entire clade, coinciding with three major forest biomes viz. phytogeographical provinces in Madagascar: A, Northwest 'Sambirano'; B, 'Eastern Lowlands&...

Ethyl caproate (EC) and isoamyl acetate (IA) are key flavor components of sake. Recently, attempts have been made to increase the content of good flavor components, such as EC and IA, in sake brewing. However, the functions of EC and IA in yeast cells remain poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the effects of EC and IA using cell-sized lipid vesicles. We also investigated lipid vesicles containing EC and/or caproic acid (CA) as well as IA and/or isoamyl alcohol (IAA). CA and IAA are precursors of EC and IA, respectively, and are important flavors in sake brewing. The size of a vesicle is influenced by flavor compounds and their precursors in a concentration-dependent manner. We aimed to establish the conditions in which the vesicles contained more flavors simultaneously and with different ratios. Interestingly, vesicles were largest in a mixture of 50% of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) with 25% EC and 25% CA or a mixture of 50% DOPC with 25% IA and 25% IAA....

SummaryFour new species, Cynorkis kiehnii, C. marianneae, C. marmorata and C. murex, are described for the first time. Cynorkis frappieri and C. raymondiana are compared, with the latter reduced to a synonym of the former. Cynorkis gaesiformis, C. galeata, C. nutans and C. stenoglossa are compared and considered one variable species, with the name C. nutans having priority. Additional information is provided about C. mammuthus following the discovery of living material in N Madagascar.

The following nine new additions to the orchid flora of Laos PDR are reported based on surveys in the country conducted during the period 2012-2017: Bulbophyllum alcicorne, B. meson, Coelogyne suaveolens, Cyrtosia nana, Dendrobium phuketense, Oberonia rhizoides, Phaius columnaris, Thelasis khasiana and Zeuxine longilabris. The taxonomy of a further 15 orchid taxa (Bulbophyllum guttulatum, B. moniliforme, B. sarcophyllum, B. scabratum, B. seidenfadenii, B. tipula, Cleisostoma lecongkietii, Coelogyne ovalis, Dendrobium chapaense, D. crepidatum, D. wattii, Habenaria gibsonii var. foetida, H. malintana, Luisia zeylanica and Phalaenopsis pulcherrima) native to Laos or adjacent countries is reviewed, resulting in the synonymisation of 20 names. In addition, new combinations are made for Grosourdya vietnamica, Luisia sonii and Holcoglossum gaoligongense to bring them in line with recent changes in the classification of the orchid family.