Erecta Var Research Articles

Identifying Molecular Markers for Ficus erecta Thunb. Based on Complete Plastome Sequences of Korean Figs (Ficus L., Moraceae)

Plastome sequences are crucial in plant studies due to their role in examining genomic evolution, understanding phylogenetic relationships, and developing molecular markers. Despite the collection of information about Korean figs, their genomic data remain underexplored. We utilize next-generation sequencing and PCR techniques to investigate genomic data and to develop and validate molecular markers. In this study, we characterize the complete plastomes of Korean figs: F. erecta, F. erecta var. sieboldii, F. sarmentosa var. nipponica, and F. sarmentosa var. thunbergii, which range in length from 160,276 to 160,603 bp. These genomes comprise 78 plastid protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA, and four rRNA, with the exception of one pseudogene, infA. We discovered that F. erecta and F. erecta var. sieboldii share identical plastome sequences. Phylogenomic analysis indicates the monophyly of Ficus, although the relationships among its subgenera remain unclear. We discovered that Ficus possesses 467 molecular diagnostic characters in its plastid protein-coding genes compared to other Moraceae groups, and F. erecta exhibits 33 molecular diagnostic characters. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in ndhD, petA, and rbcL were effectively used to develop molecular markers for distinguishing F. erecta from other figs. Additionally, we provided a straightforward PCR protocol for utilizing these newly developed molecular markers.

Influence of Foam generated in Pharmaceutical Suspensions Manufacturing Process on Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Contents of Finished Products

Ficus erecta var. sieboldii (Miq.) King is a deciduous tree distributed on Jeju Island in Korea. The beneficial effects of F. erecta var. sieboldii have been noted in many diseases such as nephritis and arthritis. However, it is still unclear how F. erecta var. sieboldii modulates the immune response in mice; therefore, this study aimed to assess whether F. erecta var. sieboldii extracts upregulate this immune response. The administration of F. erecta var. sieboldii increased the spleen index, splenocytes proliferation, and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels. In addition, F. erecta var. sieboldii also increased the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of helper T cell-related cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-17, and IL-10) and transcription factors (T-bet, RORγt, and Foxp3) in the spleen. These results suggest that F. erecta var. sieboldii can regulate the immune response in mice.

Effect of Ficus erecta var. sieboldii (Miq.) King Leaf Extracts on Mice Immune cell Activation

Ficus erecta var. sieboldii (Miq.) King is a deciduous tree distributed on Jeju Island in Korea. The beneficial effects of F. erecta var. sieboldii have been noted in many diseases such as nephritis and arthritis. However, it is still unclear how F. erecta var. sieboldii modulates the immune response in mice; therefore, this study aimed to assess whether F. erecta var. sieboldii extracts upregulate this immune response. The administration of F. erecta var. sieboldii increased the spleen index, splenocytes proliferation, and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels. In addition, F. erecta var. sieboldii also increased the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression of helper T cell-related cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ, IL-17, and IL-10) and transcription factors (T-bet, RORγt, and Foxp3) in the spleen. These results suggest that F. erecta var. sieboldii can regulate the immune response in mice.

<p><strong>Taxonomic status of three controversial species of <em>Cephalanthera</em> (Orchidaceae) from Korea based on morphological and molecular data</strong></p>

The taxonomic status of three of the seven Cephalanthera species in Korea is controversial: C. erecta var. oblanceolata, C. subaphylla, and C. shizuoi. To clarify their taxonomic status, we used molecular data of ITS of nuclear DNA, and three regions of chloroplast DNA (matK, rpl16 and trnL-F), in addition to morphological characters. We analyzed 82 accessions collected from 26 sites including the other four taxa: C. erecta, C. falcata, C. longibractea, and C. longifolia. The analysis of ITS, matK, rpl16 and trnL-F data showed that Cephalanthera erecta var. oblanceolata should be treated as a synonym of C. erecta. Molecular data supported that C. subaphylla is an independent species rather than a variety or forma of C. erecta. Cephalanthera shizuoi was currently treated as a synonym of C. erecta or C. longifolia based on morphology and the molecular data supported that C. shizuoi should not be recognized as distinct species; but C. shizuoi should be a synonym of C. longifolia, not a synonym of C. erecta.

Evaluation of the taxonomic rank of the terrestrial orchid <i>Cephalanthera subaphylla</i> based on allozymes

The taxonomic rank of the tiny-leaved terrestrial orchid Cephalanthera subaphylla Miyabe & Kudo has been somewhat controversial, as it has been treated as a species or as an infraspecific taxon, under C. erecta (Thunb.) Blume [C. erecta var. subaphylla (Miyabe & Kudo) Ohwi and C. erecta f. subaphylla (Miyabe & Kudo) M. Hiro]. Allozyme markers, traditionally employed for delimiting species boundaries, are used here to gain information for determining the taxonomic status of C. subaphylla. To do this, we sampled three populations of five taxa (a total of 15 populations) of Cephalanthera native to the Korean Peninsula [C. erecta, C. falcata (Thunb.) Blume, C. longibracteata Blume, C. longifolia (L.) Fritsch, and C. subaphylla]. Among 20 putative loci resolved, three were monomorphic (Dia-2, Pgi-1, and Tpi-1) across the five species. Apart from C. longibracteata, there was no allozyme variation within the remaining four species. Of the 51 alleles harbored by these 17 polymorphic loci, each of the 27 alleles at 14 loci was unique to a single species. Accordingly, we found low average values of Nei’s genetic identities (I) between ten species pairs (from I = 0.250 for C. erecta versus C. longifolia to I = 0.603 for C. falcata vs. C. longibracteata), with C. subaphylla being genetically clearly differentiated from the other species (from I = 0.349 for C. subaphylla vs. C. longifolia to 0.400 for C. subaphylla vs. C. falcata). These results clearly indicate that C. subaphylla is not genetically related to any of the other taxa of Cephalanthera that are native to the Korean Peninsula, including C. erecta. In a principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), C. subaphylla was positioned distant not only from C. falcata, C. longibracteata, and C. longifolia, but also from C. erecta. Finally, K = 5 was the best clustering scheme using a Bayesian approach, with five clusters precisely corresponding to the five taxa. Thus, our allozyme results strongly suggest that C. subaphylla merits the rank of species.

Morphological Description and Culm Anatomy in the Identification of Kyllinga Rottb. (Cyperaceae) from Some Parts of Nigeria

Comparative culm anatomical and morphological descriptions of 12 taxa of Kyllinga collected from different parts of Nigeria were carried out to enhance the identification of the taxa. The number of flower-head vary from 1 – 6 while the sizes vary from the flower-head in K. erecta, K. erecta var. erecta, K. erecta var. polyphylla and K. peruviana is one, K. odorata, K. nemoralis, and K. pumila 1-4, K. erecta var. africana 4, K. tenuifolia 3-4 and K. brevifolia 1-3. K. erecta var. erecta has 2-3 bracts, K. erecta 3-4, K. erecta var. polyphylla 5-6, K. odorata 3-6, K. nemoralis 4-6, K. pumila 1-5, K. bulbosa 5 and K. peruviana 3. The leaf sheaths are partly wrapped to the culm in K. nemoralis, K. odorata, and K. pumila; completely wrapped with overlap in K. erecta var. erecta and K. peruviana and completely wrapped without overlap in other species. K. pumila, K. tenuifolia, and K. erecta var. africana rhizomes are partly erect. K. nemoralis trails on the soil surface while the remaining trail beneath the ground. The culm anatomy in transverse view is triangular (K. erecta, K. erecta var. erecta, K. erecta var. polyphylla and K. bulbosa), triangular-hexagonal (K. nemoralis, K. erecta var. africana, K. odorata and K. tenuifolia), triangular-polygonal (K. brevifolia) or oval-circular (K. pumila and K. peruviana) with aggregation of vascular bundles on the peripheral and inner portions of the culm. K. erecta has 2-layers of vascular bundles, K. peruviana 4-layers of vascular bundles while others have 3-layers of vascular bundles. The number of flower-head, sizes, bract number, and culm anatomy were observed to be diagnostic among these species.

좁은잎천선과 잎 추출물 유래 항산화 활성 성분의 동정 및 효능 확인

본 연구에서는 좁은잎천선과 잎 추출물 및 극성별 용매 분획물의 항산화 활성을 검색하고 유효성분을 분리하여 화학구조를 규명하였다. 좁은잎천선과 잎 추출물 및 용매 분획물의 DPPH 및 <TEX>$ABTS^+$</TEX> 라디칼 소거 활성을 측정한 결과 에틸아세테이트 분획물에서 우수한 라디칼 소거 활성을 확인하였다. 활성이 좋은 에틸아세테이트 분획물에서 유효성분을 찾고자 vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC), silica gel column chromatography를 실시하였으며, 분리된 화합물은 1H 및 13C NMR 데이터 분석 및 문헌치 비교를 통하여 총 5개의 화합물을 동정하였다. 분리된 화합물은 monoolein (1), oleic acid (2), lutein (3), afzelechin (4), catechin (5)으로 확인되었으며 이들은 모두 좁은잎천선과에서 처음으로 분리된 화합물이다. 분리된 화합물에 대한 DPPH 및 <TEX>$ABTS^+$</TEX> 라디칼 소거 활성 실험 결과 afzelechin (4) 및 catechin (5)에서 활성이 우수하게 나타났으며 특히 catechin (5)의 경우 대조군인 비타민 C보다 더 좋은 라디칼 소거 활성이 있음을 확인하였다. 또한 HPLC 분석을 통해 좁은잎천선과 잎에서 분리된 catechin의 함량을 확인한 결과 추출물에서 3.8 mg/g, 에틸아세테이트 분획물에서 20.8 mg/g이 함유되어 있는 것으로 확인되었다. 이상의 연구 결과로부터 좁은잎천선과 잎을 이용한 천연 항산화 소재로의 개발이 가능할 것이라 사료된다. In this study, we investigated identification of anti-oxidative constituents from Ficus erecta var. sieboldii King (F. erecta) leaves. DPPH and <TEX>$ABTS^+$</TEX> radical scavenging activities were screened for the ethanol extract and solvent fractions, and ethyl acetate fraction showed the most potent scavenging activities. Five constituents were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of F. erecta leaves; monoolein (1), oleic acid (2), lutein (3), afzelechin (4), catechin (5). The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated based on the spectroscopic data including NMR spectra, as well as comparison of the data to the literature values. As far as we know, all of the compounds 1 ~ 5 were isolated for the first time from this plant. Studies on DPPH and <TEX>$ABTS^+$</TEX> radical scavenging activities were conducted for the isolated compounds. Among them, afzelechin (4) and catechin (5) showed strong DPPH and <TEX>$ABTS^+$</TEX> radical scavenging activities, whose activities were comparable to a positive control vitamin C. Also, the content of catechin isolated from this plant was determined by HPLC and it was about 3.8 mg/g for the 70% ethanol extract and 20.8 mg/g for the ethyl acetate fraction. From these results, F. erecta leaves extract could be potentially applicable as anti-oxidant ingredients in cosmetic industries.

Multivariate Analysis and Taxonomic Delimitation Within the &lt;I&gt;Festuca setifolia&lt;/I&gt; Complex (Poaceae) and a New Species from the Central Andes

Taxonomic delimitation within the Andean Festuca setifolia complex s. l. has been fraught with difficulty due to the large range of morphoanatomical and epidermal variation among species coupled with varying opinions on what diagnostic characters should be used to distinguish species. We shed light on this through using multivariate analysis (PCA, PCoA and cluster analysis), based on 20 variables (morphoanatomical and epidermal characteristics), to elucidate patterns of variation within this group and to test the validity of current species delimitations. The analysis of 89 OTU's recognized six clearly separated groups, corresponding to F. fiebrigii, F. hieronymi, F. lilloi, F. linigluma (a new species described here), F. samensis, and F. setifolia. The OTU's corresponding to F. fiebrigii were grouped as outliers with respect to the F. setifolia complex s. l. and were excluded from multivariate analysis. We redefine the F. setifolia complex s. s. to include F. linigluma, F. lilloi, and F. setifolia, which possess unique characters differentiating them from other members of the complex s. l. The status of type material was clarified, with F. tucumanica synonimised under F. lilloi, while F. erecta var. mutica, F. erecta var. aristulata, and F. dissitiflora var. loricata, F. weberbaueri, F. dissitiflora var. villipalea, and F. hieronymi subvar. expansa were placed as synonyms of F. fiebrigii, with the taxonomic concept of F. fiebrigii being redefined. We present an identification key, descriptions, illustrations, and revised geographic ranges for F. fiebrigii and the species of the F. setifolia complex s. l., including the new species, Festuca linigluma, from the central Andes.

Ergot species of the Claviceps purpurea group from South Africa

Results of a survey and study of the Claviceps purpurea group of species in South Africa are being presented and five new species are described. Morphological descriptions are based on the anamorphs and four nuclear genetic loci. Claviceps fimbristylidis sp. nov. on Fimbristylis complanata was discovered wide-spread across five provinces of the country associated with water and represents the fourth Claviceps species recorded from the Cyperaceae. Claviceps monticola sp. nov. is described from Brachypodium flexum growing in mountain forests in Mpumalanga Province, as well as the northern Drakensberg southwards into the Eastern Cape Province. Claviceps pazoutovae sp. nov. is recorded from Stipa dregeana var. dregeana and Ehrharta erecta var. erecta, also associated with these mountain ranges. Claviceps macroura sp. nov. is recorded from Cenchrus macrourus from the Eastern Cape and Claviceps capensis sp. nov. from Ehrharta villosa var. villosa is recorded from the Western Cape Province. Claviceps cyperi, only recorded from South Africa is included in the study. Ergot alkaloid profiles of all species are provided and showed similarity to C. purpurea. Only C. cyperi and in lesser degree C. capensis, C. macroura, and C. pazoutovae produced ergot alkaloids in clinically significant amounts. Several reported species infect invasive grass species, native to South Africa, and thus represent potentially invasive species.

New lectotypifications and new synonyms in Festuca (Poaceae, Pooideae, Loliinae) from the Central Andes

New lectotypifications and new synonyms are provided as a result of a systematic study of the genus Festuca from the Central Andes. In the Andes mountains of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile, several species of Festuca are dominant components of the grasslands and high Andean steppes. Festuca circinata and F. dissitiflora occur in this area and were described based on morphological characters. Some authors have considered F. circinata as a valid species while others have treated it as a synonym of F. dissitiflora, together with F. dissitiflora var. loricata , F. dissitiflora var. villipalea, and F. erecta var. aristulata. In this study, a review of the taxonomy and nomenclature of F. castilloniana, F. circinata, and F. potosiana was performed, and their morphological and anatomical characters were compared with F. dissitiflora. Based on morphoanatomical and epidermal characters, this study contributes to the delimitation of F. circinata and F. dissitiflora. Nomenclatural notes and new anatomical and epidermal descriptions are included for these species. Differential characters between F. circinata and F. dissitiflora are discussed and F. circinata is restored as a valid species for Argentina. Festuca castilloniana and F. potosiana are synonymised under F. dissitiflora. Festuca dissitiflora var. loricata, F. dissitiflora var. villipalea, and F. erecta var. aristulata are excluded from the synonymy of F. dissitiflora and it is suggested that these names should be subordinate under F. fiebrigii. Festuca stuckertii is proposed as a new synonym of F. uninodis. Lectotypes are designated for the names F. argentinensis, F. dissitiflora, F. nemoralis and F. parodii, and second-step lectotypes are designated for the names F. circinata and F. ampliflora.

Association of the pitch canker pathogen Fusarium circinatum with grass hosts in commercial pine production areas of South Africa

The pitch canker pathogen, Fusarium circinatum, has major impacts on production in pine nurseries and plantations in South Africa. Thus far, efforts to reduce local spread have focused on rouging of infected pines and sanitation to eliminate local sources of inoculum. Although the host range of F. circinatum was thought to be limited to pines and Douglas-fir, recent studies in California indicate that this fungus is capable of infecting grasses as a symptomless endophyte. Consequently, it is possible that grasses represent a reservoir of inoculum that influences the occurrence of disease in South African pine nurseries and plantations. The objectives of this study were to survey a wide range of grass species in both nurseries and plantations in South Africa for the presence of F. circinatum. In all, 22 species of grass were sampled at a nursery in Mpumulanga and in a plantation on the Western Cape. Isolates obtained from grasses were identified based on morphological criteria and DNA sequence data. Fusarium circinatum was recovered from vegetative tissues of four grass species including Briza maxima, Ehrharta erecta var. erecta, Pentameris pallida and one species that could not be identified. All isolates were pathogenic to pines and comparable in virulence to a known F. circinatum isolate that was included as a positive control. These studies indicate that grasses may constitute inoculum reservoirs that could facilitate persistence and dissemination of the pathogen in nurseries, and provide a means for the pathogen to move between widely separated pine stands, where grass hosts occur in intervening areas.

The effect of fig wall thickness in Ficus erecta var. beecheyana on parasitism

Fig wasp communities constitute a model system to analyse determinants of community complexity and to investigate how biological interaction networks are maintained. It has been suggested for monoecious figs, that fig pollinating wasps avoid ovipositing in flowers located close to the fig wall because of strong parasitic pressure by wasps ovipositing through the fig wall. This behaviour could help explain why mainly seeds are produced in flowers located close to the fig wall, thus stabilizing the fig-pollinating wasp mutualism. In this contribution we explore, for dioecious figs, whether ovipositor length of parasitic species may really be limiting. In dioecious figs, functionally male figs produce pollinating wasps and pollen while female figs produce only seeds, facilitating selection of traits favouring pollinator reproduction in male figs. We show in Ficus erecta that fig walls are thicker in male figs than in female figs. Male figs presenting thick walls, thicker than the length of the parasites' ovipositors, went unparasitized while male figs presenting thinner walls were systematically parasitized. Hence, in F. erecta, ovipositor length of the parasites is limiting access to some figs. However, we also show that in another dioecious species, Ficus formosana, presenting thin walled male figs, no fig is protected against oviposition by its two parasites. Hence in dioecious as well as in monoecious figs, in some Ficus species, ovipositors of the parasites are limiting access to ovules, while in other Ficus species all ovules are exposed to parasitism.

Constituents with tyrosinase inhibitory activities from branches of Ficus erecta var. sieboldii King

Phytochemical investigation of the branches of Ficus erecta var. sieboldii King resulted in the isolation of eight constituents: p-hydroxybenzoic acid (1), methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (2), vanillic acid (3), methyl vanillate (4), syringic acid (5), β-sitosterol (6), α-amyrin acetate (7), and ethyl linoleate (8). Their chemical structures were identified via spectroscopic means as well as by comparing their data with literature values. Studies on tyrosinase inhibition activities were conducted for the isolated compounds. Among them, p-hydroxybenzoic acid (1) and methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (2) were identified as active tyrosinase inhibitors with IC50 values of 0.98 ± 0.042 and 0.66 ± 0.025 mM, respectively, showing comparable activities to that of arbutin (IC50 = 0.32 ± 0.015 mM), a standard control. Inhibition kinetics, as analyzed by Lineweaver-Burk plots, indicated that compounds 1 and 2 were competitive inhibitors of diphenolase of mushroom tyrosinase. Notably, isolated compounds 1–8 were reported for the first time as constituents of F. erecta.

First record of Cephalanthera erecta var. oblanceolata (Orchidaceae) from Korea

Cephalanthera erecta var. oblanceolata N. Pearce & P. J. Cribb (Orchidaceae), previously known only from Bhutan, was first recorded in the lowland of Gyeonggi-do, Whaseong-shi, Seosin-myeon. This taxon is distinguished from Cephalanthera erecta by characteristics such as oblanceolate dorsal sepal and lateral petals, lanceolate lateral sepals, and simple, oblanceolate lip without spur. The vernacular name was newly given as 'Min-eun-nan-cho', based on the lip without spur. The morphological characteristics and illustrations of the taxon are provided along with its photograph.

Floristic study of Songnisan National Park in Korea

The flora in the region of Songnisan National Park (N, E ) was surveyed from April 2000 to July 2006. Vascular plants in 26 collections included a total of 723 taxa: 115 families, 392 genera, 629 species, 4 subspecies, 72 varieties and 18 forms. Ninety-three of these taxa were first records for the region. In the flora of Songnisan National Park, 27 taxa were Korean endemic plants, 19 taxa were rare and endangered plants as designated by the Korea Forest Service. Forty-five of the taxa were with the levels III, IV, V in the floristic regional indicator plants which was designated by Korean Ministry of Environment, and 29 taxa were alien plants now naturalized in Korea. Owing to their unusual phytogeography and low number of populations, the taxa Crypsinus hastatus (Thunb.) Copel., Paeonia japonica (Makino) Miyabe & Takeda, Jeffersonia dubia (Maxim.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex Baker & S.Moore, Bupleurum euphorbioides Nakai, Phacellanthus tubiflorus Siebold & Zucc., Lilium cernuum Kom., Gastrodia elata Blume and Cephalanthera erecta var. subaphylla (Miyabe & Kud ) Ohwi were considered the most important. Based on these results, it is clear that appropriate plans to conserve the natural habitat of Songnisan National Park must be made immediately.

Multiple host use by a sap-sucking membracid: population consequences of nymphal development on primary and secondary host plant species

Aconophora compressa is a gregarious, sap-sucking insect that uses multiple host plant species. Nymphal host plant species (and variety) significantly affected nymphal survival, nymphal development rate and the subsequent size and fecundity of adults, with fiddlewood (Citharexylum spinosum) being significantly best in all respects. Nymphs that developed on a relatively poor host (Duranta erecta var “geisha girl”) and which were moved to fiddlewood as adults laid significantly fewer eggs (mean ± SE = 836 ± 130) than those that developed solely on fiddlewood (1,329 ± 105). Adults on geisha girl, regardless of having been reared as nymphs on fiddlewood or geisha girl, laid significantly fewer eggs (342 ± 83 and 317 ± 74, respectively) than adults on fiddlewood. A simple model that incorporates host plant related survival, development rate and fecundity suggests that the population dynamics of A. compressa are governed mainly by fiddlewood, the primary host. The results have general implications for understanding the population dynamics of herbivores that use multiple host plant species, and also for the way in which weed biological control host testing methods should be conducted.