Herbaceous Flowering Research Articles

Exploring karyotype by developing novel oligonucleotide probes for Leucanthemum paludosum and other plant species

Leucanthemum paludosum is a small, popular, perennial herbaceous flower that is widely used as a potted plant and in flower beds. It is highly adaptable and fast-growing, blooms from early to late spring, and can be maintained for two–three months, thus making it a potential model plant for cytological studies. However, it lacks applicable markers for identifying its chromosome numbers, and no karyotyping or cytological study about L. paludosum has been reported. In the present study, we aimed to analyze the morphology and chromosomal status of L. paludosum to provide a reference for its systematic utilization. The results showed that L. paludosum is diploid (2n = 2x = 18). The bivalent number was substantially higher than the monovalent bodies. L. paludosum also conducted a loosely patterned karyotype, with no fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) signal when using a conventional oligonucleotide (oligo) probe library. To address this problem, we developed a novel repetitive oligo probe ((ATC)10) using transcriptome sequences. Furthermore, we explored its feasibility in different plants and provided effective repetitive oligoprobes for species such as Avena sativa, Vicia faba, Allium sativum, Lilium davidii var. unicolor, and Antirrhinum majus. Our study provides new cytological data for L. paludosum and developed a novel method for designing oligo probes for karyotype detection.

Micropropagation and phytopathology of calla lily (Zantedeschia spp.)

Calla lily (Zantedeschia spp.) is an herbaceous flowering plant that belongs to the Araceae family, with worldwide distribution. Native to the swampy or mountainous regions of South Africa, it is valued as an ornamental plant due to its extraordinary spathe and decorative leaves. However, its production has decreased due to the presence of diseases. In vitro culture of plant cells and tissues has been successfully applied to precisely diagnose and control diseases to produce disease-free plants. This study analyzes information from in vitro techniques applied to this crop, highlighting phytopathological aspects. It considers the different stages of in vitro culture and the process of obtaining and propagating healthy or pathogen-free plants. In vitro culture has proven to be an effective tool for rapid clonal propagation and multiplication of Zantedeschia spp. Sanitary management before the in vitro culture is recommended.

Leonurus japonicus Houtt. modulates neuronal apoptosis in intracerebral hemorrhage: Insights from network pharmacology and molecular docking

Ethnopharmacological relevanceLeonurus japonicus Houtt. (Labiatae), commonly known as Chinese motherwort, is a herbaceous flowering plant that is native to Asia. It is widely acknowledged in traditional medicine for its diuretic, hypoglycemic, antiepileptic properties and neuroprotection. Currently, Leonurus japonicus (Leo) is included in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognizes Leo for its myriad pharmacological attributes, but its efficacy against ICH-induced neuronal apoptosis is unclear. Aims of the studyThis study aimed to identify the potential targets and regulatory mechanisms of Leo in alleviating neuronal apoptosis after ICH. Materials and methodsThe study employed network pharmacology, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technique, molecular docking, pharmacodynamic studies, western blotting, and immunofluorescence techniques to explore its potential mechanisms. ResultsLeo was found to assist hematoma absorption, thus improving the neurological outlook in an ICH mouse model. Importantly, molecular docking highlighted JAK as Leo's potential therapeutic target in ICH scenarios. Further experimental evidence demonstrated that Leo adjusts JAK1 and STAT1 phosphorylation, curbing Bax while augmenting Bcl-2 expression. ConclusionLeo showcases potential in mitigating neuronal apoptosis post-ICH, predominantly via the JAK/STAT mechanism.

New records of forty-nine herbaceous plant species from lateritic plateaus for Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra, India

Ratnagiri is a coastal district and a part of Konkan region of Maharashtra. During our floristic studies on ephemeral and herbaceous plants of lateritic plateaus of Ratnagiri district from year 2020 to 2022, we have collected 49 herbaceous and ephemeral flowering plant species new addition to the Ratnagiri district. Newly added above said plant species belonging to 19 families and among them 16 species are endemic to India. This paper provides detailed checklist with herbarium specimen numbers for all the collected species and photographs of 16 endemic species.

A Review on History, Chemical Constituents, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Activities, and Recent Patents of Valerian

Background: Valerian officinalis is a variant of herbaceous flowering plants in the Caprifoliaceae family, members of which can be generally called valerians. Valerian is derived from Valerius, the Latin term “valere”, which means health or well-being. It is used as a sedative and anxiolytic in many countries. The beneficial effects of valerian have always been controversial due to inconsistent clinical trial results. Valerian contains more than 150 chemical constituents. Valerian exhibits sedative, anxiolytic, and antispasmodic activities, and is used to treat various diseases. Objective: The main aim of this study was to gather knowledge on this herbal plant, its chemical constituents, and how they can be used to treat the most common diseases, such as depression, anxiety, headache, insomnia, etc. Result: Studies show that valerian is used to treat cardiac arrhythmia, sleep disorders, depression, and headaches, as this plant possesses sedative, anxiolytic, and antispasmodic activities. Conclusion: This review has explored the different types of studies conducted on valerian, and with their help, we can learn more about its activities and medicinal uses. Additionally, this review paper includes the recent patents on this herbal plant.

Lawns and meadows in urban green space – a comparison from perspectives of greenhouse gases, drought resilience and plant functional types

Abstract. Today, city planners design urban futures by considering environmental degradation and climate mitigation. Here, we studied the greenhouse gas fluxes of urban lawns and meadows and linked the observations with plant functional types and soil properties. In eight lawns and eight meadows in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes were measured using manual chambers, and plant functional types were recorded. Four of these sites, i.e. an irrigated lawn, an old mesic meadow, a non-irrigated lawn and a young dry meadow, were more intensively studied in 2021–2022. The process-based ecosystem model JSBACH was utilized together with the momentary observations collected approximately every second week on CO2 exchange to quantify the annual carbon (C) balance of these sites. On the remaining sites, we studied the initial dynamics of conversion from lawns to meadows by transforming parts of lawns to meadows in late 2020 and conducting measurements from 2020 to 2022. The mean photosynthetic production (GPP) of the irrigated lawn and mesic meadow was the highest in this study, whereas the dry meadow had the lowest GPP. The studied lawns were stronger C sinks compared to the meadows. However, the net exchange values were uncertain as the soils were not in equilibrium with the vegetation at all sites, which is common for urban habitats, and modelling the heterotrophic emissions was therefore challenging. The conversion from a lawn to a meadow did not affect the fluxes of CH4 and N2O. Moreover, the mesic meadow was more resistant to drought events than the non-irrigated lawn. Lastly, the proportion of herbaceous flowering plants other than grasses was higher in meadows than in lawns. Even though social and economic aspects also steer urban development, these results can guide planning when considering environmentally friendlier green spaces and carbon smartness.

Mining Social Media Data to Capture Urban Park Visitors’ Perception of Cultural Ecosystem Services and Landscape Factors

Urban parks not only enhance urban ecology but also play a crucial role in providing cultural ecosystem services (CESs) for the well-being of urban residents. Both artificial and natural landscape factors within parks contribute significantly to the supply of cultural ecosystem services. To explore public perceptions of landscape factors and CESs, this study focused on 25 urban parks in Hangzhou. Social media data uploaded by park visitors from 2018 to 2023 were collected to establish a corresponding CES indicator framework. Combining computer vision with text mining, we assessed the preferences and correlations between visitor-perceived CESs and park landscape factors. The results indicated that the majority of park visitors perceive CESs (80.00%) with overall satisfaction higher than importance. Among them, aesthetic experiences and recreation showed both high satisfaction and importance. In shared social media photos, arbors (19.01%), herbaceous flowers (8.99%), and groves (8.22%) were frequently presented as landscape factors. The study revealed close correlations between user gender, landscape factors, and perceived CES categories, with females contributing more to the perception of both. There were internal correlations within CES categories, with spiritual services, aesthetic experiences, and recreation showing the most significant associations. Different landscape factors impacted CES categories to varying degrees, and biological landscapes formed by plant and animal factors were considered to provide more CESs. These findings are significant for enhancing the quality of ecological services and biodiversity in parks.

Genetic variability, heritability and correlation in chrysanthemum (<i>Dendranthema grandiflora</i>)

Chrysanthemum is a herbaceous perennial flowering crop that holds great potential for commercial cultivation. Fifteen chrysanthemum genotypes were studied at the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala during 2022 for variability studies in morphological, flowering and post-harvest parameters. Significant variations were recorded among the genotypes for all the traits. Cluster analysis grouped the 15 chrysanthemum genotypes into 4 clusters based on all the characters. Cluster 2 consists of maximum number of 5 genotypes followed by 4 genotypes each in cluster 3 and cluster 4. Highest intra-cluster distance was recorded for cluster 2 and highest inter-cluster distance was observed between cluster 1 and 4. Results revealed that GCV was greater than the equivalent PCV, indicating that the environment had a negligible influence on phenotypic variation. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance for all the characters, indicating additive gene effect suggests that there is excellent scope for selection and improvement. Flower yield per plant showed a substantial positive correlation with flowers/plant, flower diameter, stalk length, stalk girth and flower weight at both phenotypic and genotypic level which could be focused for yield improvement.

Effect of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench and its extracts on the immunization outcome of avian influenza vaccine in broilers

Ethnopharmacological relevanceEchinacea purpurea (L.) Moench (EP) is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant with immunomodulatory effects. However, the immunomodulatory effects of EP on broilers after vaccination are still unclear. Aim of the studyThe aim is to study the effect of EP and Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench extracts(EE) on avian influenza virus (AIV) immunity, and further explore the potential mechanism of immune regulation. Materials and methodsBroilers were fed with feed additives containing 2% EP or 0.5% EE, and vaccinated against avian influenza. The samples were collected on the 7th, 21st, and 35th day after vaccination, and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated. Blood antibody titer, jejunal sIgA content, tight junction protein, gene and protein expression of TLR4-MAPK signaling pathway were also detected. ResultsThe results showed that vaccination could cause immune stress, weight loss, increase sIgA content, and up-regulate the expression of tight junction proteins, including zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, and Claudin-1, as well as the genes of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88), receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), activator protein 1 (AP-1) protein gene expression on TLR4-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and the protein expression of MyD88, extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). EP and EE could increase the body weight of broilers, further improve antibody titers, decrease FCR, increase sIgA levels, up-regulate the expression of tight junction proteins, including ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-1, as well as the genes of TLR4, MyD88, TRAF6, and AP-1 and the protein expression of MyD88, ERK, and JNK in the TLR4-MAPK signaling pathway. ConclusionIn conclusion, EP and EE can increase the broiler's production performance and improve vaccine immune effect through the TLR4-MAPK signaling pathway.

Identification and characterization of CYC2-like genes related to floral symmetric development in Tagetes erecta (Asteraceae)

Marigold (Tagetes erecta) is an annual herbaceous flower belonging to Asteraceae, whose capitulum is composed of bilateral symmetry ray florets on the outer periphery and radial symmetry disk florets on the inside. The flower symmetry evolution from radial symmetry to bilateral symmetry has changed the morphology, inflorescence architecture and function of florets among several lineages in Asteraceae. Several studies have identified that CYC2 genes in TCP transcription factor family are the key genes regulating the flower morphogenesis, such as corolla symmetry and stamen development. Here, seven TeCYC2 genes were cloned and phylogenetically grouped into the CYC2 branch of TCP transcription family. TeCYC2c and TeCYC2d were found to be expressed specifically in ray florets, TeCYC2b was strongly expressed in both ray and disk florets, TeCYC2g was significantly higher expressed in ray florets than in disk florets, while TeCYC2a, TeCYC2e1 and TeCYC2e2 were significantly expressed in disk florets, according to an examination of the expression profile. Among the ectopic expression lines of seven TeCYC2 genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, the flower symmetry of all transgenic lines was changed from radial symmetry to bilateral symmetry, and only the reproductive growth of TeCYC2c lines was affected. In TeCYC2c transgenic Arabidopsis, the pollen sac was difficult to crack, and the filaments were shorter than the pistils, resulting in a significant decrease in the seed setting rate. All TeCYC2 proteins were localized in the nucleus. Eight pairs of interactions between TeCYC2 proteins were validated by Y2H and BiFC assays, indicating the possibility of TeCYC2 proteins forming homodimers or heterodimers to improve functional specificity. Our findings verified the main regulatory role of TeCYC2c on the development of corollas and stamen in marigold, and analyzed the interaction network of the formation mechanism of floral symmetry in two florets, which provided more insights into the expansion of CYC2 genes in the evolution of Asteraceae inflorescence and contributed to elucidate the complex regulatory network, as well as the molecular breeding concerning flower form diversity in marigold.

Community-wide patterns in pollen and ovule production, their ratio (P/O), and other floral traits along an elevation gradient in southwestern China

BackgroundAs the male and female gametophytes of flowering plants, pollen and ovules largely determine the upper and lower boundaries of plant reproductive success. It is commonly predicted that pollen and ovule number per flower should increase, and pollen-ovule ratio (P/O) per flower should decrease with increasing elevation in response to a more stochastic pollination environment. Here, we aimed to determine the response of pollen number, ovule number, and P/O to other floral traits and elevation gradients for 84 insect-pollinated herbaceous flowering plant species in five sub-alpine and alpine communities (2709 to 3896 m a.s.l.) on Yulong Snow Mountain, southwestern China.ResultsSix floral traits, including P/O, floral display area, flower number, tube depth, flower shape, and pollen presentation, were highly correlated with pollen and ovule number per flower. With increasing elevation, pollen number and P/O per flower increased marginally and significantly, respectively; ovule number per individual, flower number per individual, stigma stamen separation, and inflorescence height decreased significantly. However, ovule number per flower and other floral traits (i.e., floral display area, tube depth, stigma height, stamen height, and pollen and P/O per individual) did not change with elevation. We detected significant phylogenetic signals for pollen number, ovule number, and P/O, suggesting that these traits may be highly conserved and with limited response to changing environmental conditions.ConclusionsResults revealed patterns of plant reproductive character evolution along elevation gradients and the potential factors governing their spatial variation in high-elevation environments. Plant species at high elevations are more likely adapted to cross-pollination, indicated by increased P/O per flower at high elevations on Yulong Mountain. Combined effects of phylogenetic history and plant-pollinator interactions should determine plant trait evolution.

Rapid Chemical Profiling of Filipendula ulmaria Using CPC Fractionation, 2-D Mapping of 13C NMR Data, and High-Resolution LC-MS.

Filipendula ulmaria, commonly known as meadowsweet, is a wild herbaceous flowering plant that is widely distributed in Europe. A range of salicylic acid derivatives and flavonol glycosides have been previously associated with the antirheumatic and diuretic properties of F. ulmaria. In the present work, a hydroalcoholic extract from F. ulmaria aerial parts was extensively profiled using an efficient NMR-based dereplication strategy. The approach involves the fractionation of the crude extract by centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC), 13C NMR analysis of the fractions, 2D-cluster mapping of the entire NMR dataset, and, finally, structure elucidation using a natural metabolite database, validated by 2D NMR data interpretation and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The chemodiversity of the aerial parts was extensive, with 28 compounds unambiguously identified, spanning various biosynthetic classes. The F. ulmaria extract and CPC fractions were screened for their potential to enhance skin epidermal barrier function and skin renewal properties using in vitro assays performed on Normal Human Epidermal Keratinocytes. Fractions containing quercetin, kaempferol glycosides, ursolic acid, pomolic acid, naringenin, β-sitosterol, and Tellimagrandins I and II were found to upregulate genes related to skin barrier function, epidermal renewal, and stress responses. This research is significant as it could provide a natural solution for improving hydration and skin renewal properties.

Synthetic Approaches to α-, β-, γ-, and δ-lycoranes.

Lycorane is a pentacyclic core presented in alkaloids isolated from the Amaryllidaceae family of herbaceous flowering plants. Members of this class of natural products have shown to display important biological properties including analgesic, antiviral, and antiproliferative activities. This review presents the known synthetic routes toward α-, β-, γ-, and δ-lycoranes. α-(19 routes), β-(10 routes), γ-(38 routes), and δ-(6 routes).

An aphid transmitted banana bunchy top disease of banana and its detection: A Review

One of the most significant horticultural crops in the world, the banana is an edible fruit (technically a berry) produced by a variety of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. It is grown in about 120 different countries around the world. Particularly, virus intensification between subsequent plantings via contaminated planting material limits the banana crop yield. Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) control is challenging because it spreads vegetatively (through suckers or in vitro plantlets) and by an aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel, thus increasing the virus potential for dispersal within the fields. To propagate plants, exchange germplasm, breed better genotypes, and distribute them are challenging to use planting material that has been virus affected. Diagnosis of the BBTV, relies essentially only upon the symptom’s recognition of infection and, seldom, with additional affirmation by aphid transmission. At present, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based and non-PCR techniques are available for BBTV detection. Implementation of these diagnostic tools and procedure facilitates the identification of healthy ones of the germplasm that can be used in propagation systems.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure Analysis of Hollyhock (Alcea rosea Cavan) Using High-Throughput Sequencing

Hollyhock (Alcea rosea (Linn). Cavan) is an herbaceous flowering plant with significant applications in urban greening, soil remediation, and traditional medicine. However, its genetic diversity and molecular characteristics at the population level have not been explored yet. Here, the phenotypic and genetic diversity of 162 hollyhock accessions from China revealed extensive variation among 11 traits and strong correlations between several quantitative traits. Whole-genome re-sequencing of 32 randomly chosen accessions identified 10,468,760 core single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) distributed evenly across the genome, except for on chromosome 21, and the average nucleotide diversity (π) was calculated to be 0.00397. Principal component analysis showed that these 32 accessions could be divided into four subpopulations, which was in agreement with the population structure analysis, and the subpopulations were strongly correlated with geographic location. A neighbor-joining dendrogram displayed similar clusters, except for accessions HuB25 and HLJ28, which formed two separate clusters. Our findings illuminate the genetic diversity in hollyhock and provide valuable information for hollyhock breeding.

COMPARISON OF NORMAL LANDSCAPING AND WATER-WISE LANDSCAPING OF SELECTED FARM IN THE AHMEDABAD AREA

Water-wise landscaping is regarded as an essential landscaping method in countries with water scarcity. Estimating the water demand associated with urban green infrastructure is crucial for the management of water resources and sustainable design in arid campus settings. This study focuses on analyzing urban wise water landscape quantities to help university campus decision-makers reduce urban water consumption and preserve the urban campus water content for asset management and life quality. According to the research, herbaceous flowering plant-only water-efficient landscapes were both significantly more popular and less expensive than other landscape designs. Except for the combination of deciduous and evergreen plants, all water-wise design trends were chosen over water-demanding landscapes.

Analysis of the complete plastomes of Bidens pilosa L. 1753 (Asteraceae, Coreopsideae) from Beijing, China reveals high genetic diversity and possible misidentifications

Bidens pilosa L. 1753 is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant, traditionally used in foods and medicines. In this study, we sequenced, assembled, and characterized the complete plastome of B. pilosa from Beijing, China. The plastome (MN385242) is circularized with a conservative quadripartite structure. Its length is 150,524 bp, including a large single-copy region (83,535 bp), a small single-copy region (17,627 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (each 24,681 bp). The plastome consists of 128 genes, including 78 unique protein-coding, 28 unique tRNA, and 4 unique rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analyses showed all five B. pilosa plants couldn’t form a monophyletic clade and were separated into three clades. The results of K2P distance and molecular markers were all consistent with those of phylogenetic analysis, revealing high genetic diversity and even possible misidentifications of the B. pilosa. Our results highlighted the importance of correct species identification of materials in medicinal products.

Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench extract suppresses inflammation by inhibition of C3a/C3aR signaling pathway in TNBS-induced ulcerative colitis rats.

Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench (EP) is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant, commonly known as purple conical flower. It was widely used to treat skin inflammation and gastrointestinal diseases. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and nonspecific inflammatory disease. Recent evidence shows that immune disorders are involved in the pathogenesis of UC. To evaluate the protective effect of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench exact (EE) on UC and explore the role of complement system in the treatment of UC. UC model was induced in rats by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS), and then rats were administered with EE for 10 days. Collect colon tissues for analysis of relevant mechanisms. EE could reduce the weight loss and diarrhea of UC rats. In addition, EE could improve the integrity of intestinal epithelial barrier in UC rats. EE inhibited the level of proinflammatory cytokines and promoted the antioxidation. Furthermore, EE suppressed the expression of C3aR, CFB, CD55, TLR4 and NLRP3. These results indicate that EE may achieve therapeutic effect by inhibiting C3a/C3aR signal pathway, suggesting that EE may be used as a medicinal plant to alleviate UC.

Analysis of Physiological and Biochemical Factors Affecting Flower Color of Herbaceous Peony in Different Flowering Periods

Herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is a famous ornamental plant, and the study of its flower color is of great significance for cultivating new flower varieties. To explore the factors driving the formation and change of herbaceous peony flower color, we selected five herbaceous peony varieties at four flowering stages to determine the change in flower color, petal area, and microstructure. We also examined the composition and content of petal pigments, soluble sugar and soluble protein content, pH value of cell fluid, and water content. Finally, we analyzed the correlations between each factor. We found that Pn3G5G, Pg3G5G, and Cy3G5G were the main anthocyanin components in red and purple petals. Qu3G, Qu7G, Is3G, and lutein play important roles in yellow petal formation. The change in herbaceous peony flower color during the flowering process is directly caused by changes in the anthocyanin and carotenoid content in petals. In addition, changes in other physiological indices also influence the change in flower color. This study explored the physiological and biochemical factors affecting the color of herbaceous peony petals, which has an important practical significance for studying the physiological mechanism of herbaceous peony flower color formation and color breeding of new flowers.

Effect of the pectin contents and nanostructure on the stem straightness of two Paeonia lactiflora cultivars.

Herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is an ancient ornamental crop and, in recent decades, an emerging popular cut flower. Straight stems are a vital criterion for cut herbaceous peony selection, while many cultivars bend as the plant develops. Pectin helps maintain the mechanical strength of the cell wall. However, little is known about its role in the stem bending of herbaceous peony. Two herbaceous peony cultivars with contrasting stem morphologies ('Dong Fang Shao Nv', upright; 'Lan Tian Piao Xiang', bending gradually) at five developmental stages were used as materials to investigate the effects of pectin content and nanostructure on straightness using the carbazole colorimetric method and atomic force microscopy observations. The contents of water-soluble pectin (WSP), CDTA-soluble pectin (CSP), and sodium carbonate-soluble pectin (SSP) differed significantly between the two cultivars, and the contents and angle of the flower and branch showed correlations. For the pectin nanostructure, WSP showed agglomerates and long chains, with a higher proportion of broad agglomerates at the later stages of the bending cultivar than the upright cultivar. CSP showed branched chains, and the proportion of broad chains was higher in the upright cultivar at later stages, while CSP shape changed from agglomerates to chains in the bending cultivar. SSP mainly consisted of short linear main chains, and side chains in the upright stem were stacked, and the bent cultivar had more broad and short chains. It can be concluded that the contents, nanometric shape, and size of the three kinds of pectin are highly likely to affect herbaceous peony stem straightness. This study provides a theoretical basis for the role of pectin in the production and breeding of herbaceous peony cut flowers.