Botanica Lithuanica, Volume 13, Number 3

2007 m.

A preliminary contribution regarding the phytotoponymy of the Iglesiente area (southwestern Sardinia) is presented. 526 plant place names have been recorded, referring to 107 taxa. Most of these are written in Campidanese dialect and refer to plants frequently found in the territory. The most recurrent plants in the surveyed place names are trees (51 %) and shrubs (11 %), spontaneous and cultivated, most of which calcifugous. Only in the westernmost districts is it possible to find some place names referring to calcicolous taxa, linked to carbonatic sedimentary substrata. With reference to the IGM (Military Geographic Institute) 1 : 25000 topographic maps, the largest amount of phytotoponyms are found around the settlements of Gonnosfanadiga (102), Iglesias (73) and Guspini (67), having a long rural tradition. Almost all the surveyed names are given by the combination of plant names with morphological elements of the landscape, particularly rivers (16 %), mountains and peaks (32 %).

Keywords: Sardinia, Iglesiente, flora, phytotoponymy.

The current paper presents nineteen epiphytic lichen associations in Lithuanian oak-woods. The structure of communities on oaks, characteristics of localities, ecology, biomorphology and geographical evaluation of communities are presented. The phytosociological characterization of the newly distinguished association Chaenothecopsidetum rubescentis ass. nova belonging to the alliance Calicion viridis Čern. et Hadač 1944 is presented.

Keywords: epiphytic lichens, syntaxonomy, lichen communities, oak, Lithuania.

The paper deals with lichen flora of Vepssky Forest Protected Area situated in the Eastern Leningrad Region (northwestern Russia). In total 183 species of lichens and allied fungi are reported. Eight species of lichens – Biatora flavopunctata, Bryoria fremontii, Chaenotheca cf. gracilenta, Chaenotheca laevigata, Lecidea enclitica, Lepraria lobificans, Multiclavula vernalis, Pyrrhospora elabens and three species of lichenicolous fungi – Chaenothecopsis nigra, Chaenothecopsis viridialba, Dactylospora deminuta – are reported here for the first time in the Leningrad Region. Chaenotheca sphaerocephala and Lecanora cf. ramulicola are new for Russia. A total of 38 species are indicators of habitats with long ecological continuity.

Keywords: lichens, indicators, habitat specialists, key habitats, Vepssky Forest, Leningrad Region, Russia.

The diversity of various microscopic fungal groups (teleomorphs and anamorphic species) has been investigated on Betula in Lithuania. In total 148 species belonging to 111 genera and 11 orders are listed. 25 species are reported as new for the country. Teleomorph and anamorph occurrence, host preference, distribution frequency are shortly discussed.

Keywords: Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, anamorphic fungi, species diversity, checklist, Betula, Lithuania.

Lepraria celata, Plectocarpon nephromeum and Tremella cetrariicola are reported for the first time in Russia. Nineteen species of lichens and 2 species of lichenicolous fungi are reported as new to Khibiny Mountains. Eight species of lichens and 7 species of lichenicolous fungi are reported as new to Murmansk region: Bryonora pruinosa, Endococcus rugulosus, Heterodermia speciosa, Illosporium carneum, Lepraria celata, Leptogium byssinum, Multiclavula corynoides, Peltigera hymenina, Pezizella epithallina, Plectocarpon nephromeum, Pronectria robergei, Refractohilum peltigerae, Trapelia obtegens, Tremella cetrariicola, Vestergrenopsis elaeina. New host – Solorina crocea is reported for a lichenicolous fungus Pronectria robergei. Notes on ecology and distribution (mainly in Russia) of some species are provided.

Keywords: lichens, lichenicolous fungi, species, diversity, Kola peninsula, Russia.

Samples of diseased tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants of cultivars ‘Luseta’ and ‘Au�riai’ were found in Kaunas and Vilnius districts. Naturally infected tomato plants had symptoms suggestive of virus infection. Symptoms of infection were exhibited by general interveinal-yellowing of leaves, bright mottling, reduced leaf size and slight stunted plant growth. These tomato samples were analysed using transmission electron microscopy (EM), test plants and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. The identification of virus was based on results of determined experimental host range, symptomatology, morphology of virus particles (about 500 nm in lenght) and specific cDNA amplification fragments size (360 bp) of virus RNA in RT-PCR. Data on the virus purification and use of this preparation for virus detection by PCR are presented. The obtained results indicated that the virus isolated from tomato plants had properties characteristic to Potato X potexvirus (PXV). This is the first report of tomato as a natural host of PXV in Lithuania.

Keywords: tomato, Potato X virus, detection, RT-PCR.