November 1997Number 45November 1997
Gleanings
Eds. Note: Proper names in all capital letters are Bean Bag Readers. Their full names and addresses are listed in the Nov 1997 Bean Bag Directory and are available on the WWW server of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom. See From the Editors for the URL.
Abdulina is undertaking a revision of legume biodiversity in the Kazakstan flora.
Adewusi is studying tropical multipurpose tree species and needs Millettia material (other than M. thonningii). He offers material of Millettia thonningii and other tropical legumes.
Albuquerque is studying medicinal weeds, chiefly Leguminosae, and needs information about medicinal Leguminosae. He offers information about Amazonian Leguminosae
Amela Garcia with HOC and PALACIOS is continuing to work on the floral biology of Prosopis humilis and Prosopis caldenia, and with HOC is preparing manuscripts on the floral biology of Phaseolus augusti and Phaseolus vulgaris var. aborigineus.
Barreto Valdès is undertaking taxonomic studies in tribe Desmodieae and subtribe Erythriniae for the flora of Cuba.
Baudoin is studying the genetic improvement of pigeon pea and management of intercropping systems in semi-arid areas of East Africa, (1997–2000) INCO-DC V.E. Project, and needs traditional varieties of pigeon pea from the semi-arid areas of East Africa.
Beyra-Matos continues to study the phylogenetics and biogeography of tribe Aeschynomeneae, especially subtribe Ormocarpinae. Pending the approval of the Ministry of Technology and the Enviroment are two new Cuban Leguminosae projects. The projects on the subfamily Papilionoideae will involve an integrated phylogenetic/biogeographical approach to the development of new strategies for biodiversity research and maintenance of the collections of Legumes in the Cuban Herbarium).
COLES is working on Identification Aids for the genus Cicer.
DE KORT, I, see RIDDER-NUMAN.
Delgado SALINAS, A., see LAVIN.
Eze is screening for drought resistance among legume crops of the dry savannah areas of S.E. Nigeria.
Gilbert, Leslie A., see KIRKBRIDE.
GAO has completed her account of the tribe Desmodieae for the Flora of Yunnan and is now preparing an account of the Leguminosae for the Flora of Sichuan.
GILBERT, Leslie A., see KIRKBRIDE.
GRAHAM is a member of a research group which recently received funding from t he Minnesota Department of Transportation for studies on the inoculation of prairie legumes used in roadside revegetation. The group will be concentrating on the collection, characterization and nitrogen fixation of rhizobia from Dalea, Chamaechrista, Lespedeza, Desmodium and Astragalus, and in order to get these have permission for limited sampling within 6 prairie nature areas in Minnesota. They have already collected some 50-75 rhizobia from each of the above hosts and have-host plant tested the majority of them. They have potentially inoculant-quality strains for most of the above legumes. It is also their plan to study the ecology of the rhizobia in the native prairie areas and to attempt to relate the different fast-growing rhizobia that occur in these environments. Because of their similarity to Dalea rhizobia, GRAHAM is very interested in obtaining rhizobial isolates from Europe for Coronilla and Onobrychis.
Grimes is working on inflorescence development in Australian Acacia.
GUNN is working on the second edition of his book "World Guide to Tropical Drift Seeds and Fruits." See KIRKBRIDE.
Hang is studying Indigofera, Milletia and Derris from Yunnan and also the phytogeography of alpine beans from S.W. China He needs related papers and books, and offers alpine beans or other plants seeds or materials.
Hanson, see Osuji.
HOC is preparing a synopsis of Ingeae for the Proflora Program, with PALACIOS is completing a revision of Prosopidastrum of Argentina, and with PALACIOS and AMELA GARCIA is finishing floral biology studies of Macroptilum fraternum
HOC, P.S., see AMELIA GARCIA
Idu needs material of Afzelia africana and offers in return material of Cassia siamea .
IDU and A.C. Omonhinmin are studying the germination, seedling development of Dichrostachys cinerea L. Wright and Arn. subsp. africana Brenan and Brummitt.
IRELAND has begun her PhD on the systematics and biogeography of Ateleia and Cyathostegia (Sophoreae). She has started by compiling a set of DNA sequence data from genera in Sophoreae and Swartzieae to contribute to a study of generic relationships within these tribes. She needs material from genera in Sophoreae/Swartieae, preferably silica dried, for DNA sequencing.
Johnson, M. has a seed bank currently with over 1,100 taxa. His Index Seminum is available on 3.5 inch diskette in WordPerfect 5.1 formatted in DOS version 5.0. He needs more seeds of legume taxa from arid and semi-arid regions, and offers seeds of legumes from arid and semi-arid regions.
KIRKBRIDE, GUNN, Anna L. Weitzman, and Leslie A. Gilbert have completed data entry for the fruits and seeds of Faboideae genera. Data was gathered for 453 genera. The database was finalized in July 1997, and no further changes in generic circumscriptions will be made. New references are being added, and the Notes altered to reflect their contents. The generic descriptions were prepared, and tribes were sent to reviewers who agreed to examine them. Most of the reviews have been received and incorporated into the database. The plates have been completed, and KIRKBRIDE is now preparing the keys. Ms. Gilbert is converting all the illustrations into computer images, and a CD-ROM will be published next year with a database of fruit and seed data for all legume genera and images illustrating all genera.
Kite is working on the following: Pipecolic acid chemotypes in Inga ; non-protein amino acids in Detarieae and Macrolobieae; non-protein amino acids in Caesalpinieae (continuing); and chemotaxonomic markers in legumes and non-protein amino acids in Sophoreae and Swartzieae.
Kumar is Regional Co-ordinator for ILDIS’s South Asia Project and is developing a database covering legumes from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanks and the Maldives. He is the Co-ordinator for UNESCO Botany 2000 Asia Programme.
Larsen, K. will act as co-ordinator and co-author for Caesalpinioideae of the Flora of China.
Larsen, S. will act as co-author of Bauhinia and Cercis for the Flora of China.
Lavin is working in collaboration with Alfonso Delgado Salinas from MEXU on molecular phylogenetics of Phaseolus and its relatives.
MAASS and Mannetje are studying the taxonomy of a potential new diploid Stylosanthes species previously called Stylosanthes sp. aff. S. scabra. It has been shown to have potential for forage use, and two cultivars of this species, Unica and Primar, have already been released in Australia.
Mannatje,L., see MAASS.
MAQUET is part of a research team working on two new legume projects. Firstly the team is working on the development of improved varieties of pigeon pea for the semi-arid areas of East Africa. the main objectives of this work include the development of improved varieties of Cajanus cajan for multiple cropping systems and the introduction of genetic resistance to pest and diseases in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) varieties using interspecific hybridization. The other project focuses on improvement of the bean production in the Andean region of Peru. The main objective is to ensure food security, a stable income and improved living conditions for small-scale farmers in the northern highland areas of Peru.
MAASS, see Osujii.
MURPHY is working on a molecular phylogeny of Acacia subgenus Phyllodineae using representative species from all sections for his PhD. dissertation. He needs material (with the possibility of exchange) of any taxa in subgenus Phyllodineae, but especially seeks taxa from sections Pulchellae and Lycopodiifoliae
Omonhinmin, A.C., see IDU.
Osuji, Hanson and MAASS are working on the phyto-chemical description of Acacia angustissima genotypes and are looking for information regarding biochemical properties and taxonomy of A. angustissima, A. boliviana and A. villosa. Hanson and MAASS need seeds of Acacia boliviana and A. villosa (prior to shipping, requesting an Ethiopian import permit is essential) and offer seeds of a large number of tropical highland and lowland legumes with forage potential in research quantities to bona fide users.
PALACIOS, R.A., see Hoc.
PENNINGTON, R.T. is undertaking a molecular study of generic relationships in tribes Dalbergieae and Sophoreae. He needs silica gel-dried material of Etaballia and Fissicalyx. He wants any observations of aril colour (photos if possible) in Dussia to aid in a monographic study of genus. Also, any observations of dispersal of Dussia fruits are welcomed He offers in exchange limited numbers of Neotropical legume duplicates .
PIERGIOVANNI leads work on a project to evaluate and characterise germplasm of 232 accessions from 15 countries of Lens culinaris Medik. This work includes agronomic trials and screening of seed storage proteins. She needs lentil landraces from east countries of Mediterranean basin (i.e. Turkey, Syria, etc.) as well as Asia (i.e. India) and offers in exchange, collections of pulse species of interest from the Mediterranean area.
PIGNONE is part of a group working on the genetic resources of underutilized and neglected legumes of potential importance to Mediterranean agriculture and the environment.
Prado is studying the reproductive biology of a woody community of the Argentine Chaco. This includes several Leguminosae species. He needs distribution patterns of woody legumes in South America especially those restricted to seasonally dry forests (see Prado and Gibbs, Ann. Miss. Bot. Gard. 80:902-927,1993). He offers in exchange reprints of papers on Chaco Legumes.
Ridder-Numan with DE KORT (New Reader) have a new project to put the Leguminosae of Flora Malesiana on CD-rom. They will be working on this for two and a half years at the Rijksherbarium, Leiden. They will use the two volumes of Flora Malesiana on the Mimosoideae and on the Caesalpinioideae, and the coming one on the Papilionoideae, as a basis. They will cooperate with Frits Adema, Papilionoideae coordinator for Flora Malesiana. On the CD-rom there will be descriptions of all species, an interactive key to at least the genera, and perhaps to the species, maps and illustrations for as many species as possible. They are looking for updated information on the Leguminosae for the region, and also for nice slides and other pictures of species occurring in the region.
SCHRIRE and Barker (Rhodes University, South Africa) are working on a morphological-molecular study of the Indigofereae and would greatly appreciate any silica gel-dried leaf samples of vouchered collections of any species.
Sokoloff is working on the morphology and taxonomy of tribe Loteae and has completed a morphological study of Cytisopsis pseudocytisus (Boiss.) Fertig. He needs Herbarium specimens, fruits and seeds of Papilionaceae-Loteae and Coronilleae and offers in exchange reprints of papers on the morphology and taxonomy of Loteae and Coronilleae. He also offers herbarium specimens of various plant species from European Russia and reprints of publications.
SPRENT will be collating all available information on nodulation over the next two to three years. This information will be used to prepare a text incorporating the latest legume and rhizobial taxonomy. A later issue will be produced for the many genera for which information is not yet available. Any information on this subject is very welcome.
Turner continues his work on the legumes of Texas
Vanderborght is maintaining a large collection of wild Phaseolus and Vigna species. He needs and offers material of the same with passoport data. The list of taxa for which small seed samples can be obtained is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.BR.ggov.be/science/LV.
VINCENT is an expert on New World Trifolium. He is finishing up a revision of Trifolium section Involucrarium, as well as working up treatments of the genus for Chile, Mexico, and several North American states. Any herbarium specimens of Trifolium (worldwide) are be welcome, as are seeds. He is very happy to receive any and all gifts for determination. If anyone wants materials of a particular North American taxon, please contact him, and he will be glad to attempt to collect it.
Weitzman, Anna L., see KIRKBRIDE.