In gynodioecious plant species with nuclear-cytoplasmic sex determination, females and hermaphrodites plants can coexist whenever female have higher seed fitness than hermaphrodites. Although the effect of self fertilization on seed fitness in hermaphrodites has been considered theoretically, this effect is far from intuitive, because it can either increase the relative seed fitness of the fema...

The relatively recent origin of sex chromosomes in the plant genus Silene provides an opportunity to study the early stages of sex chromosome evolution and, potentially, to test between the different population genetic processes likely to operate in nonrecombining chromosomes such as Y chromosomes. We previously reported much lower nucleotide polymorphism in a Y-linked gene (SlY1) of the plant ...

Silene taxonomy, traditionally based on morphological characteristics, is now driven by DNA sequence analysis. While the usefulness of both and molecular methods remains undisputed, there an interest in identification characteristics useful taxonomy. A quantitative analysis seeds belonging to species presented here seed image samples for 95 populations 52 (49 3 related species). According silho...

Starting from the varied chemical composition of Silene species (Caryophyllaceae family), the pharmacological utilizations (homeopathy) and the cumulative toxicity for a long time administration, were performed researches concerning the preparation and characterization of tinctures from aerial parts of S. alba and S. pendula species. Tinctures were obtained, according to the Romanian Pharmacopo...

This paper describes the recent expansion of the geographical distribution of Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857) in the Tietê River watershed, São Paulo State, Brazil. Estimations related to the velocity of invasion and its causes are presented. Ecological implications related to biodiversity and possible changes in the food chain are discussed.

Title of Document: POLLINATOR SPECIALIZATION AND THE EVOLUTION OF POLLINATION SYNDROMES IN THE RELATED SILENE, S. CAROLINIANA, S. VIRGINICA, AND S. STELLATA Richard James Reynolds, Ph.D., 2008 Directed By: Associate Professor, Charles B. Fenster, Biology Associate Professor, Michele R. Dudash, Biology Pollination syndromes are the convergent expression of floral traits in unrelated species refl...