Cestrum

Abstract: A chronic debilitating disease is described in Florida horses. There is progress weight loss and lameness of increasing severity. Plasma calcium is elevated to moderate or severe degree. Anatomical changes include dystrophic calcinosis of elastic tissues, viz. major arteries, tendons and ligaments. A generalized osteopetrosis is present and may be related to hypoparathyroidsim and hypercalcitoninism. The presence of Cestrum diurnum (day-blooming jessamine, day cestrum, wild jasmin) in areas accessible to affected animals, the observation that leaves of the plant were stripped in these areas, and the finding of a potent, active vitamin D-like substance in this plant constitute strong evidence that Cestrum diurnum is the agent causing the abnormalities of mineral metabolism.

Abstract: We studied the karyotypes of four Brazilian Cestrum species (C. amictum, C. intermedium, C. sendtnerianum and C. strigilatum) using conventional Feulgen staining, C-Giemsa and C-CMA3/DAPI banding, induction of cold-sensitive regions (CSRs) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with rDNA probes. We found that the karyotypes of all four species was 2n = 2x = 16, with, except for the eighth acrocentric pair, a predominance of meta- and submetacentric chromosomes and various heterochromatin classes. Heterochromatic types previously unreported in Cestrum as neutral C-CMA30/DAPI0 bands, CMA3+ bands not associated with NORs, and C-Giemsa/CSR/DAPI- bands were found. The heterochromatic blocks varied in size, number, position and composition. The 45S rDNA probe preferentially located in the terminal and subterminal regions of some chromosomes, while 5S rDNA appeared close to the centromere of the long arm of pair 8. These results suggest that karyotype differentiation can occur mainly due to changes in repetitive DNA, with little modification in the general composition of the conventionally stained karyotype.

Abstract: The flavopilosa group of species of Drosophila, subgenus Drosophila, was established for D. flavopilosa Frey and 13 other species from the Neotropical region (Wheeler et al., 1962). In Chile, the exclusive natural breeding and feeding sites of D. flavopilosa are the flowers of the solanaceous plant, Cestrum parqui L'Her. Recently, Dr. A. Hunter from the Los Andes University (Colombia) and the present author, found inside the flowers of another species of Cestrum (C. tomentosum Sandwith) near Bogota, larvae of two other species of the group (D. acroria and another form not yet determined). These observations suggest that the members of the group are mainly pollen feeders, and probably are associated with different species of Cestrun. Although up to now it has not been possible to breed D. flavopilosa under laboratory conditions, the analysis of larval samples collected directly in their natural breeding sites, has allowed the author to study the chromosomal structure of some Chilean populations of the fly (Brncic, 1962). These studies have demonstrated that the populations of D. flavopilosa are polymorphic for the gene arrangements in their chromosomes, and that the frequencies of certain heterokaryotypes vary according to the geographic regions. These studies have also shown that there is an altitudinal gradient in the distribution of some of these gene arrangements. Such an analysis was interesting for many reasons.

Abstract: The known interactions between the larvae of ithomiine butterflies and their host plants (about 400, 90% in the Solanaceae) are described in a table, illustrated, and briefly discussed. The widespread and diversified use of plants in the family Solanaceae by man is reflected in the large number of applied scientific papers published on these plants (see the taxonomic index of any issue of Biological Abstracts). The alkaloidal nature of most plants in this family has led to their extensive use in folk and proprietary medicine, consciousness expansion, and recently as a source of pharmaceutical intermediates. Other important uses include fodder, fencing, support, insecticide, ornament, and perfume. In tropical America, the most important groups of herbivores of Solanaceae are grasshoppers, chrysomelid and meloid beetles, and larvae of butterflies in the nymphalid subfamily Ithomiinae. These insects overcome the considerable physical and chemical defenses of these plants and turn them to their own use, at least as recognition cues, if not necessarily as protection against predation (Brown, 1987). Useful Solanaceae frequently attacked by Ithomiinae include Lycopersicon, Cyphomandra, Solanum sect. Lasiocarpa, and solasodine-producing or tobacco-substituting Solanum. Also regularly eaten are Solanum tuberosum, S. melongena and relatives, as well as Capsicum and Physalis. Many ornamental and medicinal Solanaceae (Brunfelsia, Cestrum, Solandra, Markea s.l., Juanulloa, Brugmansia, Acnistus, Solanum pseudocapsicum and Solanum sect. Jasminosolanum) are heavily damaged by ithomiine larvae. Nicotiana and Petunia seem to be immune to these herbivores. This paper lists the known interactions (to mid1985) between ithomiine butterflies and their larval food plants, 90% in the Solanaceae (Table 1). It is the data base for papers by Drummond (1985), Brown (1985), and Brown & Drummond (in prep.). The 40 butterfly genera for which food plants are known or inferred are placed in phylogenetic order in the Table, grouped into tribes as first proposed by Fox (1961), followed basically by Mielke & Brown (1979), and modified by recent studies of early stages leading to a numerical phylogeny by Brown (in prep.). Nomenclature for the butterflies follows Mielke & Brown (1979) except in a few cases in which recent studies, especially of chromosomes, indicate changes in status. Nomenclature of the plants follows the thesis of Mary Fallen (1983, Hamburg) for Apocynaceae, recent compendia of the Solanaceae, and the Index Kewensis. We believe that identifications of both insect and plant taxa are accurate to the generic level in all cases, to the subgeneric level for Solanum in essentially all cases, and to the species level where given in the vast majority of cases. Many older records, either not confirmed or regarded as unlikely in view of broader recent studies, have been excluded from the list; these include especially those in the agricultural literature of Brazil, compiled in D'Arauijo e Silva et al. (1968) and continuing up to the present day [such as a recent report of Mechanitis lysimnia nesaea Hiibner as a pest of Passiflora edulis Sims. in northeastern Brazil, clearly a misidentification of Heliconius ethilla narcaea (Godart) or Eueides isabella dianasa (Hiibner), common in the area]. Doubtful records are marked with a question mark in parentheses, I This paper was part of the Second International Symposium on the Biology and Systematics of the Solanaceae presented at the Missouri Botanical Garden on 3-6 August 1983. 2 We are grateful to W. H. Haber, J. Vasconcellos-Neto, L. E. Gilbert, S. Knapp, J. Mallet, Renata S. C. Dias, J. R. Trigo, R. F. Monteiro, G. Lamas M., G. Small, W. W. Benson, A. H. Watson, Condorcet Aranha, Lucia F. d'A. Carvalho, F. Ferndndez Yepez, and W. G. D'Arcy for information on ithomiine host plants, discussion of the patterns revealed here, and identification of organisms. 3Pikes Peak Research Station, Colorado Outdoor Education Center, Florissant, Colorado 80816, U.S.A. Please request reprints from this address. 4Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, C.P. 6109, Campinas, Sdo Paulo 13.100, Brasil. ANN. MISSOURI BOT. GARD. 74: 341-358. 1987. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.27 on Tue, 06 Sep 2016 05:49:13 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 342 ANNALS OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN [VOL. 74 whereas sure records with tentative (unconfirmed) plant identifications are indicated by a simple question mark after the name. Localities and sources are coded and given at the end of the table. Numbers or letters in parentheses after a plant name are voucher symbols for that species. The following genera (with number of species in parentheses) of Ithomiinae have yet to be observed or suspected as larvae on any plants; from preliminary field observations, they are predicted to use the solanaceous genera indicated in each case: Roswellia (1) (Capsicum ciliatum), Patricia (2) (Dunalia), a new genus near Hyposcada (1) (Lycianthes), Paititia (1) (Cyphomandra), Aremfoxia (1) and Pagyris (1) (Witheringia, Dunalia, Brugmansia, and relatives), and Dygoris (1) and Veladyris (1) (Solanum sect. Geminata, Cestrum). The following genera of Solanaceae, with one or more species available to Ithomiinae in their tropical or subtropical moist habitats (genera restricted to dry habitats or temperate zones not included), have not yet been seen to be used by any species of Ithomiinae. Solanoideae: Jaltomata, Athenaea (expected for Epityches and Ithomia), Larnax, Saracha, Iochroma, Deprea (Solaneae); Jaborosa, Salpichroa (Jaboroseae); Lycium, Grabowskia (Lycieae); Trianaea (Solandreae). Cestroideae: Sessea, Metternichia (Cestreae); Nicotiana, Petunia, Fabiana, Nierembergia, Bouchetia (Nicotianeae); Schwenkia, Protoschwenkia, Melananthus (Schwenkieae); Parabouchetia (Parabouchetieae); Leptoglossis, Browallia, Streptosolen (Salpiglossideae); Heteranthia (tribal position unclear). While some of these genera may be found to be used by Ithomiinae with more observation, members of others have been watched for years within large Ithomiinae communities and have not been seen to support the larvae; in a few cases, ovipositions were followed by larval death (e.g., in Campinas, SP, Mechanitis polymnia casabranca Haensch has oviposited on both Capsicum annuum and Nicotiana sp., but the larvae died without feeding or developing). The complete picture of the known food plant relationships of the Ithomiinae, based on the data in the table, is presented in Figure 1, in which plant genera (from top to bottom) and butterfly tribes (from left to right) are arranged in phylogenetic order based on currently accepted evolutionary sequences (the vertical position of butterfly genera represents only convenience in presentation of the figure; details are given in the phylogeny of Brown, in prep.). The complexity of the relationships illustrated in the figure indicates that strong ecological influences may outweigh the presumed evolutionary history of the interactions. See papers by Drummond (1986) and Brown & Drummond (in prep.) for discussion of these aspects.