Although the genus Nymphaea (waterlily) includes only two native species (N. alba and N. candida) in Central Europe, it poses a great challenge to taxonomy and biosystematics. The determination of both species is hampered by their phenotypic similarities, and species boundaries can be further blurred by interspecific hybridization. In addition, ornamental cultivars of different parentage often escape from cultivation and make the situation even more complex. To get insight into the caryological and phenotypic variability of czech waterlilies, the DNA flow cytometry and both distance-based and geometric morphometrics were used. Collections showed two different groups of fluorescence intensities, corresponding to N. alba and N. candida, respectively. In addition, intermediate values of nuclear DNA amount were found in some plants from South Bohemia, indicating their hybrid origin. Surprisingly, ornamental cultivars possessed the smallest genome sizes. The amount of nuclear DNA therefore seems to be a promising species-specific marker that enables not only native species but also cultivars to be distinguished. Cytometrically-proven individuals have been subjected to multivariate morphometrics, and high differenciation was discovered especially between native species. More complicated seems the distinction...

The thesis concentrates on the interaction between man and his settlement within the context of the Roman city in Asia Minor during the imperial period. The analysis is carried out by examining the role of the nymphaea within the context of urban architecture. First of all, an insight of the Roman city and its armatures is given in order to define the Roman urban context. Within this context, the nymphaea are treated as landmarks for mentally mapping the city and as urban furniture in a properly functioning urban public sphere. Six sample cities are chosen as case studies. These are Pisidian Antioch, Perge, Hierapolis, Laodiceia, Ephesus and Miletus. The nymphaea within these cities are evaluated through selected criteria to answer questions such as: Where were the nymphaea usually located in the Roman city? What were their functions at those locations? Considering their role in the public sphere, how did the nymphaea affect the design of the city, urban life and its customs? As a result, it is seen that the location of the nymphaea within the city was not always dependent on the location of water sources. They were often located along the armature to be visible and memorable. Therefore, as an urban element the nymphaea influenced public activity by contributing to civic consciosnes and the making of livable and &amp / #65533 / legible&amp / #65533 / cities.

Molecular and morphologic studies were used to determine the evolution, classification and differentiation of Nymphaea odorata. Molecular analyses of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the chloroplast trnL-F region, and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers determined the variation present between and within two species of Nymphaea. The ITS region resulted in a phylogeny depicting strong separation between species (N. mexicana and N. odorata) and some separation between N. odorata's subspecies. The ITS region contained polymorphisms, which upon SAHN clustering and principle coordinate (PCOA) and minimum spanning tree (MST) analyses produced groups similar to the clades in the ITS phylogeny. Sixteen accessions were chosen for trnL-F analysis, where a subspecies-specific molecular marker was found. In most accessions the marker confirmed the original subspecies classification. Molecular analyses using ISSRs characterized among population variation in N. odorata and N. mexicana using five primers. ISSR markers among populations were highly variable within a species and were used in UPGMA, PCOA and MST analysis, which resulted in separation between the subspecies. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on quantitative and qualitative morphological characters. An analysis of variance resulted in six morphological characteristics that were statistically significant (P< 0.05), the majority being leaf blade characteristics. Multivariate statistics of principle component analysis and discriminate analysis resulted in groups for each subspecies, both emphasized the importance of quantitative leaf blade characteristics. Overall, both morphology and molecular characteristics supported the classification of subspecies for ssp. odorata and ssp. tuberosa, due a lack of strong segregation of characteristics. / Master of Science

Cette étude porte sur les fontaines monumentales ou nymphées dans les provinces de l’Afrique du Nord à l’époque romaine, sur une période allant du Ier au IVe siècle ap. J.‑C. Nous avons constitué un catalogue des monuments et un corpus épigraphique, à partir de sources bibliographiques et archéologiques recueillies par un travail de terrain. Après avoir rappelé l’histoire des recherches sur l’hydraulique de l’Afrique antique, nous étudions en détail les aspects techniques et architecturaux des fontaines monumentales. Nous proposons une synthèse sur les techniques de construction et le fonctionnement hydraulique, mais également sur la restitution architecturale et du décor sculpté, à l’aide de sources littéraires et iconographiques. Sans proposer de typologie, nous étudions les fontaines dans leur contexte, au sein de la ville et du réseau hydraulique. Nous mettons ainsi en avant l’insertion des fontaines dans la ville et le lien qu’elles entretiennent avec la mise en place des adductions et les programmes urbanistiques. Ces observations rendent possible une étude de la répartition des fontaines dans l’espace urbain et de son impact, décoratif et fonctionnel. L’étude des inscriptions nous permet de mieux envisager le fonctionnement de l’évergétisme, le comportement de la cité et des notables face à ces édifices. Elle est aussi l’occasion de revenir sur les problèmes de vocabulaire qui impliquent une réflexion sur l’appellation des édifices et leur fonction religieuse. / This thesis deals with monumental fountains or nymphaea in the Roman North Africa provinces from the 1st to the 4th century CE. We have made up a catalogue of the monuments and inscriptions, composed from bibliographical and archaeological sources compiled on-site. We first sum up the history of research on hydraulics in ancient North Africa and then we study in detail the technical and architectural aspects of monumental fountains. We offer a synthesis on building techniques and hydraulic system as well as architectural and ornamental reconstruction with the help of literary and iconographic sources. Avoiding to establish a typology, we contextualise the fountains both within the city and the hydraulic network. Thus we put forward the insertion of fountains in the city and their link with the founding of a new water supply or town-planning programmes. These observations make possible a study of how the fountains were spread out in the urban space and to what extent it had a decorative and functional impact. By studying inscriptions, we may better understand how euergetism worked, just as the behaviour of cities and notables faced with these monuments. We may also go back to questions of vocabulary which imply to think about the appellation of fountains and their religious function.