In this study, we sampled 48 species of Asian Cinnamomum covering the species groups that were identified in recent phylogenetic studies and conducted leaf micromorphological observations using both light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Synapomorphies were determined by...

The changes of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and free water and bound water of three typical heteromorphic leaves of Populus euphratica, both in young trees and old trees, were investigated. The results showed that the values of F₀, F_m, F_v/F_m and F_v/F₀ of lanceolate leaves were the least in...

Galactinol synthase (GolS; EC 2.4.1.123) is a member of the glycosyltransferase eight family that catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis pathway of the raffinose family of oligosaccharides (RFOs). The accumulation of RFOs in response to abiotic stress indicates a role for RFOs in stress...

Living gymnosperms comprise four major groups: cycads, Ginkgo, conifers, and gnetophytes. Relationships among/within these lineages have not been fully resolved. Next generation sequencing has made available a large number of sequences, including both plastomes and single-copy nuclear genes, for...

Forest ecosystem services such as clean water, wildlife habitat, and timber supplies are increasingly threatened by drought and disturbances (e.g., harvesting, fires and conversion to other uses), which can have great impacts on stand development and water balance. Improved understanding of the...

Unlike the well-understood cold limit of trees, the causes of the dry trailing edge of trees await explanation. Here we aimed at explaining the drought limit of an evergreen oak species (Quercus pannosa s.l.) in a typical dry valley of the upper Yangtze region, SE Himalaya, where rains (ca. 250...

Carya, in the Juglandiodeae subfamily, is to a typical temperate-subtropical forest-tree genus for studying the phylogenetic evolution and intercontinental disjunction between eastern Asia (EA) and North America (NA). Species of the genus have high economic values worldwide for their high-quality...

Based on the results of phylogenetic reconstructions employing two nuclear ribosomal DNA loci (ITS and ETS), as well as morphological observation and comparisons of branches, leaves, inflorescences/infructescences and pyrenes, a taxonomic revision of three species of Ilex from China is conducted...

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of endogenous noncoding RNAs formed by 3'-5' ligation during splicing. They play an important role in the regulation of transcription and miRNA in eukaryotes. Drought is one of the detrimental abiotic stresses that limit plant growth and productivity. How...

It is still unknown whether the previous summer season drought and fertilization will affect the winter non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) reserves, spring leaf development, and mortality of trees in the next year. We, therefore, conducted an experiment with Quercus pubescens (downy oaks) saplings...