*Gradina Botanica "Anastasie Fatu", str. Dumbrava Rosie, nr. 7-9, RO-700487 Iasi, Romania
**Hungarian Natural History Museum, Department of Botany, Pf. 222, 1476 Budapest, Hungary
***Universitatea de Stiinte Agricole si Medicina Veterinara, str. M. Sadoveanu, nr. 1, RO-700490 Iasi, Romania
e-mail: aoprea@uaic.ro

Abstract: An alien species of the genus Euphorbia L. - E. davidii Subils - within the E. dentata agg., native to North America, has been recorded new to the vascular flora of Romania, in the following localities: Socola-Iasi (Iasi County), Tecuci and Movileni (Galati County), and Buzau (Buzau County). The morphology of the species is described and illustrated on the basis of individuals collected in Romania. E. davidii differs from E. dentata mainly by: trichomes of the abaxial leaf surface strongly tapered into a broad basal cell (trichomes weak, lacking a broad basal cell in E. dentata), involucral lacinia of the cyathium glandular (non-glandular in E. dentata), bracteoles inside the cyathium with non-glandular lacinia (glandular lacinia in E. dentata), and seeds only a little longer than wide, angular in transverse section and unevenly tuberculate (seeds distinctly longer than wide, rounded in transverse section and evenly tuberculate in E. dentata). Euphorbia davidii Subils has been previously reported as E. dentata Michx. in the vascular flora of Romania and other countries.

Key words: new alien species, Romanian flora, Euphorbia davidii, Euphorbia dentata agg., Euphorbiaceae

*Gradina Botanica "D. Brandza" a Universitatii din Bucuresti, Aleea Portocalelor, nr. 1-3, RO-060101 Bucuresti, Romania
**Gradina Botanica "Al. Buia" a Universitatii din Craiova, str. C-tin Lecca, nr. 32, RO-200217 Craiova, Romania
e-mail: negrean_gavril@yahoo.com; ciortanioana@yahoo.com

Abstract: In this preliminary paper we consider a total of 81 species from the Geopark Platoul Mehedinti, Mehedinti County, Oltenia, of which 27 are new for the historical region of Oltenia.

Key words: rare plants, protected area, taxonomy, chorology, karst

*Institutul de Cercetari Biologice, str. Republicii, nr. 48,RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
**Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, str. Republicii, nr. 44, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
***Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Gradina Botanica "A. Borza", str. Republicii, nr. 42, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
****Natural History Museum, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia
*****Land Use Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zuercherstr. 111, CH-8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
e-mail: bogdan.hurdu@icbcluj.ro

Abstract: The study of endemism, both a biogeographical and evolutionary phenomenon, can reveal valuable historical and ecological aspects of a region's flora. Nevertheless, due to taxonomic inconsistencies and insufficient availability of distribution data, previous studies have shown differing results for the Romanian Carpathians. To reduce these shortfalls, we compiled a database using a vast coverage of existent literature and herbarium collections, complemented by field sampling. As a result, we considered 132 Pan-Carpathian and South-Eastern Carpathian endemic taxa as valid for the Romanian Carpathians. We present the general distribution of all taxa discussed, by covering the main literature from the other Carpathian countries. Then, in order to investigate the endemic plants richness distribution patterns in the study area, we used the framework of the morphological Carpathian units as natural, operational geographic units (OGU's). For spatial interpolation and visualization purposes, we then used an artificial, grid data registering system. Through the use of GIS and spatial analyses, we have identified three main regions of endemism, five major and three minor centres of endemism. We also discuss the possible floristic barriers from the Romanian Carpathians and explore the relationship between endemic taxa richness and several important topographic variables (mean altitude, maximum altitude and altitudinal range). Finally, we highlight the biogeographical importance of the revealed centres of endemism.

Key words: centres of endemism, species richness, weighted endemism, Carpathians, kriging, Geographic Information System (GIS), Operational Geographic Unit (OGU), Operational Geographic Set (OGS)

*Institutul de Cercetari Biologice, str. Republicii, nr. 48, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
**Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, str. Republicii, nr. 44, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
***Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Gradina Botanica "A. Borza", str. Republicii, nr. 42, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
****Natural History Museum, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia
*****Muzeul de Istorie Naturala, str. Cetatii, nr.1, RO-550160 Sibiu, Romania
e-mail: bogdan.hurdu@icbcluj.ro

Abstract: Although several studies on plant endemism have been carried out in the Romanian Carpathians, taxonomic inconsistencies persist, along with the insufficient availability of distribution data. Our study aims to reduce these uncertainties by having extensive coverage of available chorological data and seeking consensus among different authors as to taxonomic validity. For this reason, we have assembled a vast collection of chorological data, comprising literature sources, historical herbarium collections and field surveys covering the Romanian Carpathians. We subsequently surveyed the botanical literature from neighboring countries (Serbia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova) to gain a better overview of the distribution of the taxa analyzed. We considered 132 taxa to be 'good endemics', having mainly two types of distribution: Pan-Carpathian and South-Eastern Carpathian. All of these are occurring in the Romanian Carpathians, many confined solely to our mountain range. A few of these taxa, namely sub-endemics, are characterized by an ecological optimum that allows them to grow in lowland areas, having been cited from the regions adjacent to the Carpathians. We have excluded the polymorphic genera Hieracium, Alchemilla and Rubus and numerous other taxa considered by various authorities at particular times to possess the characteristics of endemics but without any consensus between authors.

Key words: endemic plants, Carpathians, taxonomic consensus, chorology, database

Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Stiinte Biologice, Institutul de Cercetari Biologice Cluj-Napoca, Departamentul de Taxonomie si Ecologie, str. Republicii, nr. 48, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: dana.suteu@icbcluj.ro

Abstract: Onosma pseudoarenaria Schur. (s. str.) (often cited in taxonomic literature as O. pseudarenaria) is a light-demanding, greyish-green, hispid-hairy species, which grows in hilly places, on dry and sandy soils. This Romanian endemic has been ascribed vulnerable species status due to its reduced number of populations, each consisting of just a few individuals, its difficult reproduction because of the sclerified fruits, and the practice of grass cutting. The genetic diversity of this species was inferred using three types of molecular markers: nrDNA sequence ITS1, cpDNA sequences and AFLP. The study also included Onosma arenaria Waldst.&Kit., the other representative of the group Heterotricha in Romania, closely related to O. pseudoarenaria on both morphological and taxonomic grounds. The cpDNA data showed a genetic uniformity for most of the O. pseudoarenaria populations, suggesting a previous genetic pattern of continuous gene flow between populations of the species. By contrast, the nuclear data inferred from AFLP showed an ongoing differentiation of the populations of the species due to the present fragmented distribution. The main conclusion of this study is the necessity to conserve all populations of O. pseudoarenaria, along with avoiding further decrease of the species range.

Key words: Onosma, vulnerable species, genetic diversity, AFLP, nrDNA, cpDNA

*Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Institutul pentru Cercetari Interdisciplinare in Bio-Nano-Stiinte, str. A. Treboniu Laurean, nr. 42, RO-400271 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
**Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem ter 1, H 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
***Department of Botany, University of Debrecen, Egyetem ter 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
****Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, str. Clinicilor, nr. 5-7, RO-400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
***** Institutul de Cercetari Biologice, str. Republicii, nr. 48, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
******MTA-ELTE-MTM Ecology Research Group, Pazmany Peter setany 1/C, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
e-mail: laszlo.bartha@ubbcluj.ro

Abstract: The taxonomy of Astragalus sect. Dissitiflori from Europe is shaped by a controversial nomenclatural history and considerable morphological variation that requires numerical methods to facilitate species delimitation. Besides molecular methods, multivariate analysis of morphological traits has long been recognised to offer important and often complementary evidence in taxonomic research. We applied Multiple Discriminant Analysis based on 14 field-measured morphological characters to test the phenetic distinctiveness of A. pseudoglaucus, A. tarchankuticus, A. vesicarius s.l., A. peterfii and A. pallescens. In addition, we attempted to find the most discriminative morphological traits that separate the taxa investigated. Distinctness of A. tarchankuticus from A. pseudoglaucus and A. vesicarius is clear, whereas the latter two taxa are fairly close to each other. A. peterfii and A. pallescens separated from the other three species, but were found to be close morphologically. Five morphological characters proved to be useful traits to distinguish the species surveyed. Our findings contribute to a refined taxonomy of Astragalus and may serve as a starting point in a molecular systematic study of sect. Dissitiflori.

Key words: Astragalus peterfii, A. tarchankuticus, distinctive characters, MDA, morphometrics

Universitatea "Alexandru Ioan Cuza", Facultatea de Biologie, Bd. Carol I, RO-700506, Iasi, Romania
e-mail: alobiuc@yahoo.com

Abstract: The genus Angelica L. (Apiaceae) consists of some 90-110 species throughout the world, many with therapeutic potential. In Romania the genus is represented by three species: A. archangelica L., A. sylvestris L. and A. palustris (Besser) Hoffm. Possessing high concentrations of bioactive compounds such as mono- and sesqui-terpenes (mainly alpha- and beta-pinene, alpha- and beta-phelandrene) and coumarins, various taxa of the genus have been relatively well characterized from a phytochemical point of view and various bioactivities have been described for extracts from such taxa. However, anatomical features have received much less interest, except for characters of the fruits. Meanwhile, a comparative description of the indigenous Romanian species is lacking in the literature and may prove useful if microscopic discrimination among them is required. The current study compares the three species at the level of different organs, underlining both similarities and differences.

Key words: Angelica archangelica L., Angelica sylvestris L., Angelica palustris (Besser) Hoffm., anatomy

Gradina Botanica "Anastasie Fatu", str. Dumbrava Rosie, nr. 7-9, RO-700487 Iasi, Romania
e-mail: camicris@yahoo.com

Abstract: Salvia, the largest genus in the family Lamiaceae, includes species with different economic uses: medicinal, decorative, bee flowers, etc. In this paper we present new information on the nutlet morphology of 12 species of Salvia. The botanical material was collected from the Botanical Garden of Iasi or from different parts of the country, and is represented by both wild and cultivated taxa. The binocular magnifier and photonic microscope allow highlighting of characteristics of the testa as regards colour, size, presence and arrangement of the abscission scar, and the presence of ornamentation. Nutlet shape is ovoid or ellipsoidal and the surface displays colliculate, verrucose, reticulate or foveolate ornamentation. Ararely used index is the ratio of maximum diameter of the nutlets and maximum diameter of the abscission scar, with values 3-18.5. To illustrate the taxonomic value of this information, based on all the observed features, a key has been developed for identification of the 12 Salvia taxa studied, based on characters of the nutlets. The phenomenon of myxocarpy, characteristic of Lamiaceae, revealed differences on the basis of its presence or absence, speed of occurrence, and consistency of the characteristic mucilage. As these observations differ from some data in the literature, explanation of some aspects requires further study. This work complements the theoretical and detailed iconographic information in the literature about nutlets, which is usefulf or clarifying some aspects of the taxonomy of Salvia.

Key words: nutlets, Salvia, seeds surface, myxocarpy

*Universitatea "Babes-Bolyai", Gradina Botanica "Alexandru Borza" Str. Republicii, nr.42, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca
**Universitatea "Babes-Bolyai", Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, str. M. Kogalniceanu, nr.1, RO-400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: cmocan@yahoo.com

Abstract: Because in Romania until now nobody has made studies of the relationship between fungi and the roots of orchids under greenhouse conditions, we set out to identify the presence of this sort of symbiosis. Having gathered the roots, in order to identify the presence of the mycorrhizal fungi we made transverse and longitudinal sections, which we examined by optical microscope. As a result of our observations, we were able to record the presence of the mycorrhizal fungi in the zone of the root cells and see that infection is not permanent, but is developed especially in the vegetative period of the plants. At the same time, among other observations we have emphasized thallophagy, which is specific to the mycorrhizal fungi of Orchidaceae.

Key words: mycorrhizal fungi, orchids, symbiosis, pelotons, talyphophagy phenomenon

*UMF "Iuliu Hatieganu", Facultatea de Farmacie, str. Ion Creanga, nr. 12, RO-400023 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
**USAMV, Facultatea de Medicina Veterinara, Calea Manastur, nr. 3-5, RO-400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
***ICB, str. Republicii, nr. 48, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: ancamaria_toiu@yahoo.com

Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of arbutin in Vaccinium vitis-idaea fruits and to specify the importance of applying correct scientific names to avoid confusion. The therapeutic properties of natural products are closely related to their chemical composition. Whilst the leaves of V. vitis-idaea contain arbutin and other hydroquinone derivatives and can be used for their antiseptic properties, we did not identify any hydroquinone derivatives in the fruits of this species. The analyses were made using Vitis idaeae folium and Vitis idaeae fructus extracts, before and after acid hydrolysis, by TLC and HPLC-MS.

Key words: Vaccinium vitis-idaea, arbutin, hydroquinone, HPLC-MS

Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, str. Republicii, nr. 42, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, str. Republicii, nr. 42, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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