Lycium Europaeum Research Articles

A contribution to the rust flora (Uredinales) of southern Africa, with an emphasis on Namibia

Five new rust species are described and hitherto unknown spore states for the following seven species are reported: Puccinia desertorum on Evolvulus alsinoides, Uromyces comptus on Merremia bipinnatipartita, Puccinia halsei on Acacia hereroensis, Ravenelia transvaalensis on Acacia mellifera, Puccinia abutili on Abutilon angulatum, on Abutilon cf. austroafricanum, and on Abutilon cf. rehmannii, Puccinia lycii on Lycium sp. and Puccinia turgida on Lycium europaeum and on Lycium cf. oxycarpum. We also examined Uredo combreticola on Combretum cf. engleri, on Combretum hereroense, and on Combretum zeyheri, Puccinia afra on Lycium sp., and Uredopeltis cf. chevalieri on Grewia flavescens. All mentioned rust fungi are described in detail and are shown by line drawings. Selected species are illustrated with SEM-photographs.

Size structure and dynamics of the common shrubs in Omayed Biosphere Reserve in the western Mediterranean coast of Egypt

The population structure of 15 common shrubby species of the Omayed Biosphere Reserve (Egypt) was evaluated in terms of size distribution. These species are 3 phanerophytes (Lycium europaeum, Phlomis floccosa and Thymelaea hirsuta) and 12 chamaephytes (Anabasis articulata, Artemisia herba-alba, Artemisia monosperma, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum Deverra tortuosa, Echiochilon fruticosum, Gymnocarpos decander, Haloc-nemum strobilaceum, Helianthemum lippii, Limoniastrum monopetalum, Noaea mucronata and Suaeda vera). The size estimations were used to classify the population of each species into 9 size classes : the first and second classes were chosen to represent the seedling and juvenile stages. The absolute and relative frequency of individuals and mean height, diameter and height to diameter ratio per individual in each size class were also determined. The present study indicated the size structures of the investigated species were belonged to 6 types of size distributions : more or less inverse J-shaped distribution (e. g. Halocnemum strobilaceum, Echio-chilon fruticosum and Helianthemum lippii), positively skewed distributions towards the small (i. e. young) individuals (e. g. Lycium europaeum, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum and Anabasis articulata), more or less J-shaped distribution (e. g. Noaea mucronata and Artemisia monosperma), approximately symmetrical (i. e. bell shaped) distribution (Phlomis floccosa), bimodal size distribution (e. g. Thymelaea hirsuta, Limoniastrum monopetalum and Suaeda vera) and more or less stationary size distribution (e. g. Gymnocarpos decander, Deverra tortuosa and Artemisia herbaalba).

Box thorn, key early season host of the Mediterranean fruit fly

Abstract In the Mediterranean region, from November to early June, Mediterranean fruit fly or medfly (Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann) populations decrease drastically and in some places disappear. For area‐wide control or eradication programmes, it is important to know on which wild hosts a medfly population can establish itself and subsequently cause later in the season important losses in commercial crops. Trapping of medfly in a box thorn (Lycium europaeum L.) hedge of the oasis of Tozeur, Tunisia, indicates that despite this plant being largely neglected by medfly later in the year, it is a principal early‐spring host of the pest. Fruit infestation rate in May was c. 292 pupae/kg of fresh fruits and an average of two larvae per infested fruit. The trap capture rate was c. 26 flies/trap/h. The importance of this non‐commercial key‐host in the development and distribution of medfly population during the early season when no other host is available is discussed. The diurnal bimodal flight activity rhythm o...

A study of the amount of some invertebrates that are eaten by wild birds in the Egyptian western desert

SUMMARYA study was conducted at two different sites in the Egyptian western desert to investigate the activity of carnivorous birds on some invertebrates. At the first site (sand-dunes in the Gharbaniat area, 52 km west of Alexandria), the most interesting bird found was the great grey shrike Lanius excubitor which seizes its prey and impales it upon spines of Lycium europaeum or on barbed-wire fencing. Studies carried out from January to July 1977 indicated that this bird prefers to feed on certain tenebrionid or scarabaeid beetles as well as some orthopterous insects and small lizards of the area. At the other site (inland depression near Omaycd, 80 km west of Alexandria, and 12 km from the sea) a snail-eating bird, (bifaciated lark) Alaemon alaudipes, was found to be the commonest bird where the non-saline soil of the site is suitable for the desert snail, Eremina desertorum, to breed, so much so that the snails constitute one of the prominent features of the site.The latter bird is more active in the winter than in the summer. From February to the end of June 1979, the estimated snail flesh weight eaten by A. alaudipes birds was about 6·50 kg taken from an area of 2·4 ha. The birds seize a snail, fly upwards to a distance of 6–23 m, select a hard stone, then drop the snail. The snail eventually breaks, and the flesh exposed is readily eaten by the bird. In January 1980, a survey was conducted to investigate the species of birds found in the area that extends between Alexandria and el Alamein. Twenty-six resident, as well as migratory, bird species were observed. The number of species and individual birds in cultivated areas, and sites near the sea shore, were found to be greater than those in natural ecosystems at a distance from the sea.

The Effects of Grazing on the Structure and Productivity of the Vegetation near Pilani, Rajasthan, India

Capparis decidua, Maytenus senegalensis and Balanites aegyptiaca do occur while trees of Prosopis cineraria are quite abundant. The economy of these sparsely populated areas is based on livestock production. Consequently the herbaceous primary production is of vital importance. The present work was undertaken to study the effects of grazing on the structure and productivity of the vegetation on three sites near Pilani. In this paper, the number of plant individuals and species, standing crop of above and underground biomass, standing dead vegetation, litter, plant pigments and the net vegetation production of the above and underground biomass have been assessed. DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY SITES Areas were selected for study near Pilani (28023 N, 75?37 E) at an altitude of about 350 m. The sites were: I, sandy plains; II, hard ground; and III, stabilized dunes. Sites I and II lack trees and shrubs, while site III supports a thin scrub consisting of Capparis decidua, Balanites aegyptiaca, Lycium europaeum, Maytenus senegalensis and Prosopis cineraria. Herbaceous species, which are of common occurrence on more than one site, include annuals such as Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Eragrostis ciliaris, E. poaeoides, Tragus biflorus and Gisekia pharnaceoides while the perennials comprise Convolvulus microphyllus and Tephrosia purpurea. The rooting depth of annuals varies from 20-30 cm while that of perennials may be beyond 40 cm. However, the major portion of the dry matter of roots is found to lie within 25 cm of the soil surface. Study plots in sites I, II and III cover