Species Of Brachystelma Research Articles

Ethnobotanical Uses, Nutritional Composition, Phytochemicals, Biological Activities, and Propagation of the Genus Brachystelma (Apocynaceae)

The Brachystelma genus (family: Apocynaceae) consists of geophytes that are traditionally utilised among rural communities, especially in East Africa, southern Africa, West Africa, and northern and western India. Apart from being used as a food source, they are indicated as treatment for ailments such as colds, chest pains, and wounds. This review provides a critical appraisal on the ethnobotanical uses, nutritional value, phytochemical profiles, and biological activities of Brachystelma species. In addition, we assessed the potential of micropropagation as a means of ensuring the sustainability of Brachystelma species. An inventory of 34 Brachystelma species was reported as a source of wild food and traditional medicine (e.g., respiratory-related conditions, pains, and inflammation) across 13 countries, predominantly in Africa and Asia. Brachystelma circinnatum and Brachystelma foetidum were the most popular plants based on the high number of citations. Limited data for the nutritional content was only available for Brachystelma edulis and Brachystelma naorojii, as well as phytochemical profiles (based on qualitative and quantitative techniques) for five Brachystelma species. Likewise, a few Brachystelma species have evidence of biological activities such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory effects. Extensive studies on Brachystelma togoense have resulted in the isolation of four compounds with therapeutic potential for managing different health conditions. As a means of contributing to the sustainability of Brachystelma species, micropropagation protocols have been devised for Brachystelma glabrum, Brachystelma pygmaeum, Brachystelma ngomense, and Brachystelma pulchellum. Nevertheless, continuous optimisation is required to enhance the efficiency of the micropropagation protocols for these aforementioned Brachystelma species. Despite the large number of Brachystelma with anecdotal evidence as food and medicine, a significant number currently lack empirical data on their nutritional and phytochemical profiles, as well as their biological activities. The need for new propagation protocols to mitigate the declining wild populations and ensure their sustainability remains pertinent. This is important should the potential of Brachystelma species as novel food and medicinal products be achieved.

Brachystelma ananthagiriense (Apocynaceae), a new species from Ananthagiri hills, Telangana, India

A new species of Brachystelma, B. ananthagiriense is described and illustrated from the Ananthagiri hills of Vikarabad district, Telangana. The new species is closely similar to B. gondwanense but differs in a few attributes which are discussed. A detailed description, photographs and the conservation status of the new species are provided.

Influence of different cytokinins on the phenolic acids and antioxidant activity of two Brachystelma species

Influence of different cytokinins on the phenolic acids and antioxidant activity of two Brachystelma species

Cytokinin-Facilitated Plant Regeneration of Three Brachystelma Species with Different Conservation Status

In Africa and Asia, members of the genus Brachystelma are well-known for their diverse uses, especially their medicinal and nutritional values. However, the use of many Brachystelma species as a valuable resource is generally accompanied by the concern of over-exploitation attributed to their slow growth and general small size. The aim of the current study was to establish efficient micropropagation protocols for three Brachystelma species, namely Brachystelma ngomense (endangered), Brachystelma pulchellum (vulnerable) and Brachystelma pygmaeum (least concern), as a means of ensuring their conservation and survival. This was achieved using nodal segments (~10 mm in length) as the source of explants in the presence of different concentrations of three cytokinins (CK) namely N6-benzyladenine (BA), isopentenyladenine (iP) and meta-topolin riboside (mTR), over a period of 6 weeks. The highest (25 µM) concentration of cytokinin treatments typically resulted in significantly higher shoot proliferation. However, each species differed in its response to specific CK: the optimal concentrations were 25 µM mTR, 25 µM iP and 25 µM BA for Brachystelma ngomense, Brachystelma pulchellum and Brachystelma pygmaeum, respectively. During the in vitro propagation, both Brachystelma ngomense and Brachystelma pygmaeum rooted poorly while regenerated Brachystelma pulchellum generally lacked roots regardless of the CK treatments. Following pulsing (dipping) treatment of in vitro-regenerated shoots with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), acclimatization of all three Brachystelma species remained extremely limited due to poor rooting ex vitro. To the best of our knowledge, the current protocols provide the first successful report for these Brachystelma species. However, further research remains essential to enhance the efficiency of the devised protocol.

A revised, phylogenetically-based concept of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae)

Recent phylogenetic reconstructions in the Ceropegieae (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae) show that the 357 species of highly succulent stapeliads and four lineages of the 141 species of Brachystelma R.Br. ex Sims are nested within the 219 species of Ceropegia L.The stapeliads, shown convincingly to be nested within Ceropegia, are primarily characterized by their non-climbing, highly succulent, tuberculate stems with fleshy flowers with a mostly short corolla-tube. However, highly succulent, tuberculate stems are not restricted to the stapeliads and are present in four lineages of Ceropegia. Furthermore, tubular flowers are also found among the stapeliads and are not restricted to Ceropegia. Since a slender, tubular corolla is extremely homoplasious within Brachystelma, Ceropegia and the stapeliads, we move away from this as defining Ceropegia to recognize some sections in which there is a range from slender, tubular flowers to almost flat flowers.To re-establish a monophyletic Ceropegia, we propose a new classification in which Brachystelma and all genera of the stapeliads are placed in a greatly enlarged Ceropegia. This new concept of Ceropegia is defined by the lack of hard, wiry roots, the softly fleshy tissue of the peduncles and pedicels, the absence of any corolline corona, the presence of two well-developed series of the staminal corona and the presence of a compitum in the style-head leading to the fertilization of both ovaries. We transfer the species of Brachystelma into several sections of Ceropegia and reduce the 31 stapeliad genera to sections of Ceropegia, after which Ceropegia has 63 sections. Sect. Chamaesiphon H.Huber is the largest with 115 species, two sections among the stapeliads each contain over 50 species but the remaining sections are mostly considerably smaller. We provide diagnostic descriptions, lists of included species and distributions for each of the subdivisions that we recognise. Over 400 new combinations are made in Ceropegia.

In vitro propagation, phytochemical and pharmacological evaluation of Brachystelma species

In vitro propagation, phytochemical and pharmacological evaluation of Brachystelma species

Recent radiation of Brachystelma and Ceropegia (Apocynaceae) across the Old World against a background of climatic change

The genera Brachystelma Sims and Ceropegia L. of the Ceropegieae (Apocynaceae–Asclepiadoideae) consist of ±320 species of geophytes and slender climbers with a tendency to stem-succulence in Ceropegia. They occur in and around the semi-arid, mainly tropical parts of the Old World. For 146 species (around half of the total) from most of the geographic range of the genera, we analysed data from two nuclear and five plastid regions. The evolution of Ceropegia is very complex, with at least 13 mostly well-supported lineages, one of which is sister to the ±350 species of stapeliads. Species of Brachystelma have evolved at least four times, with most of them nested within two separate major lineages. So, neither Brachystelma nor Ceropegia is monophyletic. We recover a broad trend, in two separate major lineages, from slender climbers to small, geophytic herbs. Several clades are recovered in which all species possess an underground tuber. Small, erect, non-climbing, geophytic species of Ceropegia with a tuber are nested among species of Brachystelma. Consequently, the distinctive tubular flowers used to define Ceropegia do not reflect relationships. This re-iterates the great floral plasticity in the Ceropegieae, already established for the stapeliads. Both major lineages exhibit a trend from tubular flowers with faint, often fruity odours, pollinated by very small Dipteran flies, to flatter flowers often with a bad odour, pollinated by larger flies. Most of the diversity in Brachystelma and Ceropegia is recent and arose within the last 3my against a background of increased aridification or extreme climatic variability during the Pliocene.In the ingroup, diversity is highest in Southern Africa, followed by Tropical East Africa and other arid parts of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and India. Many disjunctions are revealed and these are best explained by recent, long distance dispersal. In Africa, the diversity arises from the presence of many different lineages over wide areas but there is also evidence of closely related species growing together with different pollinators.

Two new species of Brachystelma Sims (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae-Ceropegieae) from the Western Ghats of India

Summary. Two new species of Brachystelma: B. mahajanii Kambale & S. R. Yadav from Ebbanad, Nilgiri District, Tamil Nadu and B. vartakii Kambale & S. R. Yadav from Periya, Kasargod District, Kerala are described and illustrated.

Brachystelma penchalakonense (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae) — a new species from Andhra Pradesh, India

A new species of Brachystelma from the Southern Deccan plateau of Gorantla hills, Andhra Pradesh is described and illustrated. This taxon, named B. ananthapuramense, is morphologically similar to the B. kolarense complex but differs by its small habit, short internodes, large flowers with more than 1.5 cm long corolla lobes, globular cage and densely pubescent corona. A key to the B. kolarense complex, including the proposed new species in India is provided.

Brachystelma nallamalayana sp. nov. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae: Ceropegieae) from India

Brachystelma nallamalayana sp. nov., collected from Nallamalais, the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, India is described and illustrated. The new species is compared to its closest species, Brachystelma maculatum Hook. f. Brachystelma nallamalayana, sp. nov. is distinct from other species of Brachystelma in having ca 80cm high glabrous stems, peduncled cymes, basally united calyx lobes and biseriate corona.

The genus Brachystelma (Asclepiadaceae) in East Africa, with a new record and description of a new species

Species of Brachystelma recorded in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) are listed. A species previously known only from Zimbabwe, B. lancasteri, is reported from southern Tanzania. Brachystelma pellacibellum is described as a new species in Kenya.

Studies on serpentine flora: A new species of Brachystelma (Asclepiadaceae)

There is a paucity of work on the floras of serpentine areas in southern Africa. During brief visits to the serpentine areas in the south-eastern Transvaal, we have collected several interesting plants among which is a new species of Brachystelma R. Br. This new species, B. dyeri K. & M-J. Balkwill, is described here.