Genus Delphinium Research Articles

Roles of the APETALA3-3 ortholog in the petal identity specification and morphological differentiation in Delphinium anthriscifolium flowers.

The genus Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) with its unique and highly complex floral structure is an ideal system to address some key questions in terms of morphological and evolutionary studies in flowers. In D. anthriscifolium, for example, the original eight petal primordia differentiate into three types at maturity (i.e., two dorsal spurred, two lateral flat, and four ventral reduced petals). The mechanisms underlying their identity determination and morphological differentiation remain unclear. Here, through a comprehensive approach combining digital gene expression (DGE) profiles, in situ hybridization, and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), we explore the role of the APETALLATA3-3 (AP3-3) ortholog in D. anthriscifolium. Our findings reveal that the DeanAP3-3 not only functions as a traditionally known petal identity gene but also plays a critical role in petal morphological differentiation. The DeanAP3-3 gene is expressed in all the petal primordia before their morphological differentiation at earlier stages, but shows a gradient expression level difference along the dorsventral floral axis, with higher expression level in the dorsal spurred petals, intermediate level in the lateral flat petals and lower level in the ventral reduced petals. VIGS experiments revealed that flowers with strong phenotypic changes showed a complete transformation of all the three types of petals into non-spurred sepals. However, in the flowers with moderate phenotypic changes, the transformation of spurred petals into flat petals is associated with moderate silencing of the DeanAP3-3 gene, suggesting a significant impact of expression level on petal morphological differentiation. This research also shed some insights into the role of changes in gene expression levels on morphological differentiation in plants.

C19-diterpene alkaloids from delphinium turkmenum lipsky

The genus Delphinium is a rich source of diterpene alkaloids. Chemical investigation on an alkaloid rich extract of the whole parts of Delphinium turkmenum resulted in the isolation of three C19-diterpene alkaloids (1-3) and a palmitic acid derivative (4). The chemical structures were elucidated by analysis of 1D and 2D-NMR and comparison the data with those reported in the literature. Notably, all isolated compounds were reported for the first time from D. turkmenum.

Overview of the chemistry and biological activities of natural atisine-type diterpenoid alkaloids.

Atisine-type C20-diterpenoid alkaloids (DAs) are a very important class of diterpenoid alkaloids, which play an important role in the biosynthesis of DAs. To date, 87 atisine-type DAs and 11 bis-DAs containing an atisine unit have been reported from five genera in two families. The genus Spiraea in Rosaceae family could be regarded as the richest resource for atisine-type DAs, followed by the genera Delphinium and Aconitum in the Ranunculaceae family. Among the reported atisine-type DAs, several possess unprecedented skeletons. Natural atisine-type DAs have a wide range of biological activities, including antitumor, antiplatelet aggregation, biological control, and anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiarrhythmic, and cholinesterase inhibitory effects, which are closely related to their structures. In particular, the antiparasitic effect of atisine-type DAs is more prominent than that of other types of DAs, which highlights their potential in antiparasite drug discovery. In summary, the high chemical and biological diversity of atisine-type DAs indicates their great potential as a vast resource for drug discovery.

Taxonomic studies on the genus Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) from China (XXV): D. jilongense and D. unifolium, another two new synonyms of D. himalayae, a species mainly occurring in Nepal but also in China (southern Xizang)

Based on consultation of literature and critical observations on herbarium specimens, we demonstrate that in addition to Delphinium subspathulatum (Ranunculaceae) and D. tabatae which we have previously reduced to the synonymy of D. himalayae, D. jilongense described from China’s southern Xizang (Gyirong) and D. unifolium described from Nepal are also conspecific with this eastern Himalayan species. We therefore place both of them in synonymy with D. himalayae herein.

Analysis of habitats and bioecological composition of communities with the participation of species of the genus Delphinium in the southeast of European Russia

Between 2013 and 2020, 47 communities with seven species of the genus Delphinium were studied on the territory of 12 regions of the southeast of European Russia. The analysis of habitats by vegetation cover using the ecological scales of L. G. Ramensky showed that soils under communities with species of the genus Delpinium are often quite rich and very slightly alluvial.
 D. subcuneatum communities grow in habitats with the highest moisture-meadow-steppe (moist-steppe) and wet-meadow habitats; communities of D. duhmbergii grow in less humid habitats with dry-meadow (and fresh-meadow) moisture; with dry-meadow (and fresh-meadow) and meadow-steppe (moist-steppe) humidification - communities of D. dictyocarpum, D. litwinowii, and
 D. pubiflorum; in meadow-steppe (moist-steppe) humidification, communities of D. sergii. D. puniceum communities grow in the least moisture-provided habitats, with moisture ranging from dry-steppe and middle-steppe to semi-desert (desert-steppe). The biomorphological composition of communities with species of the genus Delphinium is dominated by hemicryptophytes, among which, the most numerous are tap-rooted, short-rhizomatous, and long-rhizomatous. The composition of cenomorphs reflects the confinement of communities with the majority of Delphinium species presented in the study to the forest-steppe zone, and communities with D. sergii and D. puniceum - to the steppe and semi-desert zone. In communities, the first place among trophomorphs is occupied by mesotrophs, and the second by megatrophs. The spectrum of hygromorphs is quite wide and includes species from xerophytes to ultrahygrophytes, however, xerophytes, mesoxerophytes, xeromesophytes, and mesophytes are the predominant groups most often. Judging by the predominance of heliophytes among heliomorphs, communities with all studied species of the genus Delphinium prefer open spaces. The spectrum of thermomorphs of all studied communities is dominated by mesotherms, for which the ecological optimum coincides with a moderate heat supply regime.

Geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic analysis of Delphinium taxa from south of Russia

The leaf blade’s shape of 665 samples of 18 taxa from the genus Delphinium was analyzed using geometric morphometrics method. Within the subgenus Delphinastrum, D. elatum and, to a lesser extent, D. uralense were relatively well separated by canonical analysis, while D. litwinowii, D. pubiflorum, D. duhmbergii, and D. subcuneatumwere not actually separated. Within the subgenus Oligophyllon, D. caucasicum was well separated by this method. The scatter clouds of D. freynii + D. puniceum + D. sergii on the one hand, and D. fedorovii + D. gelmetzicum on the other hand, also separated. D. arcuatum, D. bracteosum, D. crispulum, D. flexuosum, and D. mariae did not separate from each other. The nature of such separation of species groups observed in the space of canonical variables and their relative proximity to each other can be associated with the habitat similarity of their populations driven by ecological or geographical conditions, as well as the influence of hybridization processes in the zone of secondary contact of species. The differences in leaf blade’s shape are mainly related to the width of the segments, the lengths of the central segment of the middle lobe and the undissected part of the leaf blade, the degree of its dissection, the shape of the base and the distance between the lower lobes. Based on the results of DNA sequencing of the intergenic transcribed spacer ITS2, the taxonomic independence of D. puniceum, D. macropogon, D. mariae, D. samurense, and D. pubiflorum is beyond any doubt. The synonymy of D. freynii and D. sergii is supported, with the priority name of D. schmalhausenii. D. cuneatum, D. subcuneatum, D. duhmbergii, and D. litwinowii should be considered as synonyms with the priority name of D. cuneatum. The taxonomic status of D. dictyocarpum, D. elatum, and D. uralense needs further clarification. This is probably related to their easy hybridization with D. cuneatum in sympatric populations within the overlapping areas. Delphinium arcuatum, D. bracteosum, D. caucasicum, D. crispulum, D. elisabethae, D. fedorovii, D. flexuosum, D. gelmetzicum, and D. speciosum are poorly separated, which can also be associated with hybridization processes. They need to be studied in more detail.

Taxonomic studies on the genus Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) from China (XXIV): D. latilimbum, recently described from southern Xizang (Tibet), is another new synonym of D. kamaonense, a Sino-Himalayan species

Based on critical observations on herbarium specimens and living plants in the wild, we demonstrate that Delphinium latilimbum, recently described from Cona county in southern Xiang (Tibet), China, is conspecific with D. kamaonense, a widely distributed Sino-Himalayan species. We therefore place D. latilimbum in synonymy with D. kamaonense herein. The occasional presence of sparsely pubescent filaments of stamens in D. kamaonense is confirmed, but this character is considered to be of little taxonomic significance. A distribution map is given for D. kamaonense.

A morphological, anatomical and palynological investigation on Delphinium cilicicumP.H. Davis & Kit Tanand D. petrodavisianum Ilarslan & Kit Tan

In the present study, the morphological, anatomical and palynological properties of endemic species Delphinium cilicicum P.H. Davis & Kit Tan and D. petrodavisianum İlarslan & Kit Tan belonging tothe genus Delphinium L., Ranunculaceae of Turkey were investigated. D. cilicicum and D. petrodavisianum are very similar morphologically. However, in our studies, it has been determined that there are some differences between the two species in terms of morphological, anatomical and palynological aspects. Based on the data obtained, the similarities and differences between two species were revealed. The cross-sections taken from the roots of two species have peridermis, cortex, vascular tissue and central region, in cross sections taken from the stem have epidermis, cortex, vascular bundle, and pith. In cross sections taken from the sepal and petal have lower and upper epidermis, parenchyma cells and tracheal cells. Through cross-sections of fruit, it was observed that there were two seeds in the fruit and the fruit wall was determined in two species. In palynological research, pollen size, P/E ratio, colpus size, intine-exine thicknesses, amb diameter and distance between colpus were measured. It was revealed that D. cilicicum and D. petrodavisianum had tricolpate, oblate-spheroidal pollen grains.The results obtained from the pollen grains were similar to each other in examined species. The fruits and seeds of two species were examined using SEM microscopy. Micromorphological differences and similarities were determined. The fruits of the species are follicle and globose. The seeds are yellowish brown, sub pyramidal and fine-grained ornamented. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 30(1): 77-88, 2023 (June)

Taxonomic studies on the genus Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) from China (XXIII): Reduction of D. conaense to the synonymy of D. bhutanicum, a species newly reported for China

Based on critical observations on herbarium specimens (including type material) and living plants in the wild, we demonstrate that Delphinium bhutanicum (Ranunculaceae), previously recorded only from Bhutan, is distributed also in southern Xizang (Tibet), China. We also determine that D. conaense, described from Cona in southern Xizang, is conspecific with D. bhutanicum. We therefore report D. bhutanicum as a newly recorded species for China and place D. conaense in synonymy with it herein.

Grandiflolines A-F, new anti-inflammatory diterpenoid alkaloids isolated from Delphinium grandiflorum.

Delphinium grandiflorum L. (family Ranunculaceae), one of the most important and widely distributed Delphinium species, has received considerable interest due to its extremely high medicinal value. The discovery of novel metabolites from D. grandiflorum supported and broadened its application as an herbal medicine. In this study, the whole herb of D. grandiflorum was phytochemically investigated to obtain fourteen C19-lycaconitine-type diterpenoid alkaloids (1–14), including six undescribed alkaloids, grandiflolines A–F (1–6). The structural elucidation of them was accomplished by detailed spectroscopic analyses, mainly including HR-MS, 1D and 2D NMR (1H–1H COSY, NOESY, HMBC and HSQC), and IR spectra. New alkaloids 1–3 and 5 possess a characteristic △2,3 functional group in the A ring, while compounds 5 and 6 feature a rare OH-16 substituent. In addition, known compounds 7–12 were isolated from D. grandiflorum for the first time. Moreover, according to its medicinal use, new alkaloids 1–6 were estimated for their potential in vitro anti-inflammatory effects, and some of them exhibited inhibitory effects on NO production in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Our work enriched the chemical diversity of D. grandiflorum and the genus Delphinium and presented beneficial information for further investigations.

MICROSTRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE VEGETATIVE ORGANS OF DELPHIUM FLEXUOSUM BIEB. COMMON IN GEORGIA

The genus Delphinium L. is rich in diterpene alkaloids, which exhibit a pronounced curare-like, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antidote and insecticidal action. The content of diterpene alkaloids in the aboveground and unde-ground vegetative organs of Delphinium flexuosum Bieb., a promising medicinal plant of the flora of Georgia, and diagnostic features of the internal structure were studied in order to determine the identity of the experimental raw material.GC/MS analysis revealed that the dominant alkaloid obtained from the vegetative organs of the plant is the pharmacologically active methyllicaconitine.  Other alkaloids have been identified as anthranoillocytonine, delcosine, lycotonine. As well, the underground organs contain also zongorine, delectine and norzongoramine. A set of diagnostic features of the internal structure of D. flexuosum was determined using the methods adopted in microtechnics. The leaf of D. flexuosum is bifacial, hypostomatic and has dorsoventral structure. It is very rarely covered with long conical trichomes, the underlying cells of the lower and upper epidermis of the leaf are non-wrinkled and curved. The differential stomatal apparatus in leaf-covering tissue is anomocytic.  Stomata are lenticular, and structure of the stomata is chaotic, in terms of the reciprocal location of the locking cells. The leaf pulp is differentiated into open, reverse-collateral conductive cones. The aboveground organs of D. flexuosum are characterized by an orderly aligned structural elements of the epidermal tissue, with linear and straight-walled stem cells and orderly arranged anomocytic stomata. Collenchymal and fibrous cells of the mechanical type and open-collateral type conducting cones with a thickening of the spiral and reticular membrane are actively reflected in the organs of the plant axis. The conductive tissue of the root system of D. flexuosum contains a number of polar rays of the wood with differentiated stepwise, spiral and ring-shaped tracheal elements.

Chemistry, biological activities and toxic effects of alkaloidal constituents of genus Delphinium - A mini review

The genus Delphinium is one of the essential members of the family Ranunculaceae. These species grow wild in North America, Europe, and Asia. They have demonstrated antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities. Diterpenoid alkaloids are their main constituents and seem to be responsible for medicinal and toxic properties. The primary purpose of this paper is to review the therapeutic benefits of Delphinium species, chemical composition, and its medicinal uses, in addition to the reported toxic effects of these plants influencing different animals and humans.

Nomenclatural revision of Delphiniumsubg.Consolida (DC.) Huth (Ranunculaceae).

Recent molecular phylogenetic studies have indicated that Aconitella is embedded in Consolida, which in turn is embedded in Delphinium. We choose not to split the genus Delphinium (c. 300 species), as it is horticulturally and pharmaceutically important, by conserving a broad Delphinium by transferring the names from Consolida and Aconitella to Delphinium s.lat., and more precisely in the resurrected D.subg.Consolida. Including 58 species of Aconitella and Consolida within Delphinium causes fewer nomenclatural overall changes than do alternative schemes because most of the species of Aconitella and Consolida were once named under the name Delphinium. We present here the list of synonyms for the species once named under Consolida or Aconitella and gather the information relative to the types of these names. Two new combinations are provided, and 21 lectotypes are designated here.

Historical note on the taxonomy of the genus Delphinium L. (Ranunculaceae) with an amended description of its floral morphology

Since its first valid description by Linnaeus in 1753, the genus Delphinium L. has undergone numerous taxonomical changes that we synthesize here. The knowledge of the taxonomic history of the genus is essential to clarify its circumscription. For this purpose, we outline its pre-Linnaean taxonomic history, from Dioscorides' translated works dating back to the 16th century to Tournefort's classification in 1694. Regarding its post-Linnaean history, we discuss the three different lectotypifications proposed during in the 20th century. In addition, we amend the description of the typical flower of Delphinium by including the characteristics of the species D. ecalcaratum S.Y. Wang & K.F. Zhou and D. turcicum (H.Duman, Vural, Aytaç & Adigüzel) Espinosa with actinomorphic flowers.

Historical note on the taxonomy of the genus Delphinium L. (Ranunculaceae) with an amended description of its floral morphology

Historical note on the taxonomy of the genus Delphinium L. (Ranunculaceae) with an amended description of its floral morphology

Analysis of codon usage patterns of the chloroplast genome in Delphinium grandiflorum L. reveals a preference for AT-ending codons as a result of major selection constraints.

BackgroundCodon usage bias analysis is a suitable strategy for identifying the principal evolutionary driving forces in different organisms. Delphinium grandiflorum L. is a perennial herb with high economic value and typical biological characteristics. Evolutionary analysis of D. grandiflorum can provide a rich resource of genetic information for developing hybridization resources of the genus Delphinium.MethodsSynonymous codon usage (SCU) and related indices of 51 coding sequences from the D. grandiflorum chloroplast (cp) genome were calculated using Codon W, Cups of EMBOSS, SPSS and Microsoft Excel. Multivariate statistical analysis combined by principal component analysis (PCA), correspondence analysis (COA), PR2-plot mapping analysis and ENC plot analysis was then conducted to explore the factors affecting the usage of synonymous codons.ResultsThe SCU bias of D. grandiflorum was weak and codons preferred A/T ending. A SCU imbalance between A/T and G/C at the third base position was revealed by PR2-plot mapping analysis. A total of eight codons were identified as the optimal codons. The PCA and COA results indicated that base composition (GC content, GC3 content) and gene expression were important for SCU bias. A majority of genes were distributed below the expected curve from the ENC plot analysis and up the standard curve by neutrality plot analysis. Our results showed that with the exception of notable mutation pressure effects, the majority of genetic evolution in the D. grandiflorum cp genome might be driven by natural selection.DiscussionsOur results provide a theoretical foundation for elucidating the genetic architecture and mechanisms of D. grandiflorum, and contribute to enriching D. grandiflorum genetic resources.

Distribution and Trophic Associations of Herbivorous Bark Beetles of the Genus Thamnurgus Eichhoff (Coleoptera, Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in the Volga Region and in the Urals

Based on the author’s and literature data, three species of the scolytid genus Thamnurgus Eichhoff, 1864 associated with herbaceous plants are reported from the Volga Region and the Urals: Th. petzi Reitter, 1901 (= Th. rossicus Alexeev, 1957), Th. caucasicus Reitter, 1887, and Th. pegani Eggers, 1933. Two former species are widely but spottedly distributed in the native steppe and steppificated landscapes of the Volga Region and the South Urals. Thamnurgus pegani was found in 2019 in the semi-desert and desert zones of the Lower Volga area (Astrakhan Province) and is recorded from Russia for the first time. These species have different host plants: Th. petzi is associated in the region with perennial species of the genus Delphinium L. (D. aggr. cuneatum Stev. ex DC. and D. aggr. dictyocarpum DC.), Th. caucasicus appears to be mostly associated with spurges Euphorbia spp. and thistles Carduus spp., while Th. pegani is monophagous on Peganum harmala L.

Using microscopic techniques for taxonomic implications of seed and fruits of Delphinium L. (sensu lato) (Ranunculaceae).

In present research, micromorphological characters of the genus Delphinium L. (sensu lato) Ranunculaceae seeds and fruits were studied using microscopic techniques. A total of 37 species were studied using light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate seeds and fruits micromorphological characteristics for the taxonomic identification and species relationship in the genus. For each taxon, 33 characters were observed and studied. All characters were analyzed using MVSP software and UPGMA method by using dissimilarity index (average taxonomic distance). Considerable differences were observed in trichomes shape of fruit and seed color features. The results revealed that all studied taxa are separated into three clades. The first clade consists of D. pallidiflorum and D. semibarbatum, which have black seed and two types of glandular and crispate trichomes in fruit. The second clade consists of D. speciosum, D. szowitsianum, D. dasystachyson, D. aquilegifolium, D. ursinum, C. trigonelloides, and C. camptocarpa, which had a brown color seeds, two types of glandular and villous trichomes on fruits also have been observed. The remaining species were classified as third clade having various colors including yellow, black, and brown color seeds, the trichome shapes included one of the following forms strigose, villous, trichomes less, glandular, hooked, and crispate trichomes in fruits. The aim of the present study is to use micromorphological characters of seeds and fruits for the taxonomic identification and species delimitation in the genus Delphinium.

Delphatisine D and Chrysotrichumine A, two new diterpenoid alkaloids from Delphinium chrysotrichum

Chemical investigations of the aerial parts of Tibetan folk medicine Delphinium chrysotrichum resulted in the isolation of two new diterpenoid alkaloids, delphatisine D (1) and chrysotrichumine A (2), together with ten known diterpenoid alkaloids (3−12) and 3β,6α-dihydroxysclareolida (13). Delphatisine D (1) is a rare atisine-type alkaloid from genus Delphinium and is the C-15 epimer of spiramine C which bears an internal carbinolamine ether linkage (N-C-O-C) between C-7 and C-20. Chrysotrichumine A (2) is a rare natural C19-diterpenoid alkaloid possessing a nitrone group between C-17 and C-19. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. Compound 13 is a sesquiterpene first isolated from this genus. Compounds 1, 3–7 and 13 were investigated for cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cell lines of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-23, none of them presented significant activity except compound 7 which exhibited slight activity at 100 μM against MDA-MB-231, but did not reach the EC50.

Taxonomic studies on the genus Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) from China (XX): Reduction of D. ellipticovatum and D. tianshanicum to the synonymy of D. winklerianum

Delphinium ellipticovatum, D. tianshanicum and D. winklerianum (Ranunculaceae) share some important characters in leaf division, pedicel pubescence and the shape of the spur of upper sepals. They have been considered to be different mainly in the characters of bracteoles (shape, size, indumentum, and position on pedicels). Our critical observations on herbarium specimens (including type material) and living plants, together with numerical analyses of the bracteole characters within and between populations of the species in question, have demonstrated that, in addition to D. kuanii previously already synonymized with D. winklerianum, both D. ellipticovatum and D. tianshanicum are also indistinguishable from D. winklerianum. We therefore further place D. ellipticovatum and D. tianshanicum also in synonymy with D. winklerianum.