Order Lamiales Research Articles

Distribution, biosynthesis, and synthetic biology of phenylethanoid glycosides in the order Lamiales

Distribution, biosynthesis, and synthetic biology of phenylethanoid glycosides in the order Lamiales

Evolution of FLOWERING LOCUS T-like genes in angiosperms: a core Lamiales-specific diversification.

Plant life history is determined by two transitions, germination and flowering time, in which the phosphatidylethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBPs) FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1) play key regulatory roles. Compared with the highly conserved TFL1-like genes, FT-like genes vary significantly in copy numbers in gymnosperms, and monocots within the angiosperms, while sporadic duplications can be observed in eudicots. Here, via a systematic analysis of the PEBPs in angiosperms with a special focus on 12 representative species featuring high-quality genomes in the order Lamiales, we identified a successive lineage-specific but systematic expansion of FT-like genes in the families of core Lamiales. The first expansion event generated FT1-like genes mainly via a core Lamiales-specific whole-genome duplication (cL-WGD), while a likely random duplication produced the FT2-like genes in the lineages containing Scrophulariaceae and the rest of the core Lamiales. Both FT1- and FT2-like genes were further amplified tandemly in some families. These expanded FT-like genes featured highly diverged expression patterns and structural variation, indicating functional diversification. Intriguingly, some core Lamiales contained the relict MOTHER OF FT AND TFL1 like 2 (MFT2) that probably expanded in the common ancestor of angiosperms. Our data showcase the highly dynamic lineage-specific expansion of the FT-like genes, and thus provide important and fresh evolutionary insights into the gene regulatory network underpinning flowering time diversity in Lamiales and, more generally, in angiosperms.

Anti-inflammatory activity of verbascoside- and isoverbascoside-rich Lamiales medicinal plants

Verbascoside and isoverbascoside are two active phenylethanoid glycosides mainly found in plants of the order Lamiales. This study analyzes the verbascoside and isoverbascoside levels and the total phenolic contents in the water and ethanolic extracts of 20 medicinal plants of the order Lamiales commonly used in Thailand. The related bioactivities, including the antioxidant activity via the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reduction activity potential assays and anti-tyrosinase and -inflammatory activities via the cyclooxygenase and nitric oxide assays are also investigated. The extracts of several plant species, including Barleria prionitis, B. lupulina, Rhinacanthus nasutus, Orthosiphon aristatus, and Nicoteba betonica, exhibit high verbascoside and isoverbascoside content levels. The correlation analysis between the bioactive activities and the active compounds demonstrates a significant association between the verbascoside level in the water extracts and both the DPPH antioxidant activity and the nitric oxide level in the anti-inflammatory assays. This study provides the first report on the verbascoside and isoverbascoside quantification of several plant samples. The findings provide valuable insights for future research on lesser-studied plants possessing high verbascoside and isoverbascoside levels, which exhibit promising anti-inflammatory activities.

Taxonomy, comparative genomics of Mullein (Verbascum, Scrophulariaceae), with implications for the evolution of Verbascum and Lamiales

BackgroundThe genus Verbascum L. (Scrophulariaceae) is distributed in Africa, Europe, and parts of Asia, with the Mediterranean having the most species variety. Several researchers have already worked on the phylogenetic and taxonomic analysis of Verbascum by using ITS data and chloroplast genome fragments and have produced different conclusions. The taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of this genus are unclear.ResultsThe complete plastomes (cp) lengths for V. chaixii, V. songaricum, V. phoeniceum, V. blattaria, V. sinaiticum, V. thapsus, and V. brevipedicellatum ranged from 153,014 to 153,481 bp. The cp coded 114 unique genes comprising of 80 protein-coding genes, four ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and 30 tRNA genes. We detected variations in the repeat structures, gene expansion on the inverted repeat, and single copy (IR/SC) boundary regions. The substitution rate analysis indicated that some genes were under purifying selection pressure. Phylogenetic analysis supported the sister relationship of (Lentibulariaceae + Acanthaceae + Bignoniaceae + Verbenaceae + Pedaliaceae) and (Lamiaceae + Phyrymaceae + Orobanchaceae + Paulowniaceae + Mazaceae) in Lamiales. Within Scrophulariaceae, Verbascum was sister to Scrophularia, while Buddleja formed a monophyletic clade from (Scrophularia + Verbascum) with high bootstrap support values. The relationship of the nine species within Verbascum was highly supported.ConclusionBased on the phylogenetic results, we proposed to reinstate the species status of V. brevipedicellatum (Engl.) Hub.-Mor. Additionally, three genera (Mazus, Lancea, and Dodartia) placed in the Phyrymaceae family formed a separate clade within Lamiaceae. The classification of the three genera was supported by previous studies. Thus, the current study also suggests the circumscription of these genera as documented previously to be reinstated. The divergence time of Lamiales was approximated to be 86.28 million years ago (Ma) (95% highest posterior density (HPD), 85.12–89.91 Ma). The complete plastomes sequence data of the Verbascum species will be important for understanding the Verbascum phylogenetic relationships and evolution in order Lamiales.

The resource potential of fruit and ornamental plants of the order Lamiales in the collection of the Botanical Garden

The multi-vector positioning of the Oles Honchar Dnipro National University Botanical Garden (Dnipro, Ukraine) as an ecological resource, the main functions of which are aimed at preserving, studying, acclimatizing plants, researching the effective use of rare and typical species of local and world flora by creating, replenishing and preserving botanical collections, conducting scientific, educational and tutorial work is reviewed. The resource potential study of the fruit and ornamental plants which are promising for various fields of application is a component of bioeconomy. Such plants include species of the order Lamiales Bromhead. In the Oles Honchar Dnipro National University Botanical Garden (Dnipro, Ukraine) the stock collection of Lamiales order plants on condition of sheltered ground was studied. The paradigm of the modern botanical garden positioned as an ecological resource combining research activities, environmental function, and providing society with cultural ecosystem services is highlighted. An inventory and clarification of the taxonomic composition of Lamiales order representatives was carried out for the stock plant collection. The taxa systematic position was determined according to the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG IV) classification. It was determined the geographical status of the species (origin) and its life forms. The data of species' endurance of the Lamiales order to low temperatures in the sheltered ground of the Botanical Garden is given. It is shown that the Botanical Garden has a collection of more than 3,500 species of plants, including 900 taxa in the greenhouse fund, and 63 species, 230 species and cultivars belonging to the order Lamiales. It is demonstrated that Lamiales fruit and ornamental crops, which are available in the collection of the stock greenhouse, have antioxidant properties, and extracts from their parts are characterized by antifungal, antibacterial, and antimutagenic effects. Three collection species of the family Gesneriaceae (Streptocarpus ionanthus subsp. velutinus (B. L. Burtt) Christenh., Streptocarpus intermedia (B. L. Burtt) comb. ined., and Kohleria amabilis (Planch. & Linden) Fritsch) belong to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. Most members of this order can be considered well-adapted to greenhouse growing conditions (88.9 % of plants in the Lamiales collection bloom). Seven species of the family Acanthaceae are fully adapted and give viable self-seeding. Determining the resource potential of the order Lamiales in the sheltered ground of the National University Botanical Garden showed the presence of plants not only with high decorative qualities, but also species containing an increased amount of biologically active substances with a wide range of antioxidant properties.

Specific Flavonoids and Their Biosynthetic Pathway in Scutellaria baicalensis.

Scutellaria baicalensis, is one of the most traditional medicinal plants in the Lamiaceae family, and has been widely used to treat liver and lung complaints and as a complementary cancer treatment in traditional Chinese medicine. The preparation from its roots, called “Huang Qin,” is rich in specialized flavones such as baicalein, wogonin, and their glycosides which lack a 4′-hydroxyl group on the B ring (4′-deoxyflavones), with anti-tumor, antioxidant, and antiviral activities. Baicalein has recently been reported to inhibit the replication of the COVID-19 virus. These 4′-deoxyflavones are found only in the order Lamiales and were discovered in the genus Scutellaria, suggesting that a new metabolic pathway synthesizing 4′-deoxyflavones evolved recently in this genus. In this review, we focus on the class of 4′-deoxyflavones in S. baicalensis and their pharmacological properties. We also describe the apparent evolutionary route taken by the genes encoding enzymes involved in the novel, root-specific, biosynthetic pathway for baicalein and wogonin, which provides insights into the evolution of specific flavone biosynthetic pathways in the mint family.

Chemical constituents from Nuxia congesta and their chemotaxonomic significance

A phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Nuxia congesta led to the isolation and identification of fifteen compounds, including a new flavonoid, nuxiacin (5-hydroxy-3,8-dimethoxy flavone-7-O-β-D-glycopyranoside) (1). The structure of the new compound was determined using various spectroscopic data including 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectroscopy. All compounds were isolated from N. congesta for the first time. The chemotaxonomic significance of the isolated compounds in the family Stilbaceae and order Lamiales are discussed herein.

Used Aromatic Medicinal Plants in three Human Agglomerations of Zaaer (Morocco): Used Species, Used Parts of the Plant and the Ways of Use

In this work, using a questionnaire survey, we have developed an inventory of the used aromatic medicinalplants in traditional medicine by the population of the main human settlements on the «Zaaer» plateau, theused parts of the plant and the use way of these parts. So, 52 species arranged in 24 botanic families and 22orders were inventoried. The most represented systematic groups in species (4 to 7) belong to the Order ofApiales, Family Apiaceae and the Order Lamiales represented by the Family of Lamiaceae; The Order ofAsterales represented by the Family of Asteraceae and the Order of Capparales represented by the Family ofBrassicaceae. The remaining botanical families and Orders have only one or two species each. The infusionand the decoction remain the most frequent modes of use and it is the aerial part of the plant which isthe most used. The treated diseases are very diverse: 46% of the species are used for the treatment of thedigestive tract, 25% for diabetes, 21% for cosmetic 20% for cardiovascular problems, 20% for microbialinfections and intoxications, 13% for prostate and urinary diseases. The treatment of respiratory diseasesconcerns only 7% of the used spécies.

Proteomic Identification and Meta-Analysis in Salvia hispanica RNA-Seq de novo Assemblies.

While proteomics has demonstrated its value for model organisms and for organisms with mature genome sequence annotations, proteomics has been of less value in nonmodel organisms that are unaccompanied by genome sequence annotations. This project sought to determine the value of RNA-Seq experiments as a basis for establishing a set of protein sequences to represent a nonmodel organism, in this case, the pseudocereal chia. Assembling four publicly available chia RNA-Seq datasets produced transcript sequence sets with a high BUSCO completeness, though the number of transcript sequences and Trinity “genes” varied considerably among them. After six-frame translation, ProteinOrtho detected substantial numbers of orthologs among other species within the taxonomic order Lamiales. These protein sequence databases demonstrated a good identification efficiency for three different LC-MS/MS proteomics experiments, though a seed proteome showed considerable variability in the identification of peptides based on seed protein sequence inclusion. If a proteomics experiment emphasizes a particular tissue, an RNA-Seq experiment incorporating that same tissue is more likely to support a database search identification of that proteome.

Genome-wide analyses of tandem repeats and transposable elements in patchouli.

Patchouli, Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth., is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant from the order Lamiales. It is considered a valuable herb due to its essential oil content and range of therapeutic effects. This study aimed to explore the evolutionary history of repetitive sequences in the patchouli genome by analyzing tandem repeats and transposable elements (TEs). We first retrieved genomic data for patchouli and four other Lamiales species from the GenBank database. Next, the content of tandem repeats with different period sizes was identified. Long terminal repeats (LTRs) were then identified with LTR_STRUC. Finally, the evolutionary landscape of TEs was explored using an in-house PERL program. The analysis of repetitive sequences revealed that tandem repeats constitute a higher proportion of the patchouli genome compared to the four other species. Analyses of TE families showed that most of the repetitive sequences in the patchouli genome are TEs, and that recently inserted TEs make up a comparatively larger proportion than older ones. Our analyses of LTR retrotransposons in their host genome indicated the existence of ancient LTR retrotransposon expansion, and the escape of these elements from natural selection revealed their ages. Our identification and analyses of repetitive sequences should provide new insights for further investigation of patchouli evolution.

LED and methyl jasmonate enhance a strong antioxidant compound, verbascoside, production in Clerodendrum indicum and Acanthus ebracteatus

Verbascoside is an antioxidant compound that can be used in cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical products. It is found in various plants of order Lamiales. Clerodendrum indicum and Acanthus ebracteatus are Thai medicinal plants that accumulate verbascoside. There is no report on practical use of these two plants as the source of verbascoside production to date. Here we reported the sustainable and efficient verbascoside production from in vitro cultures of both plants by culturing under white, blue, and red LEDs. Furthermore, the optimum exposure time and concentration of methyl jasmonate were evaluated. Culturing both plants under blue LEDs for 6 weeks significantly enhanced verbascosides in C. indicum for 1.6-fold and A. ebracteatus for 1.8-fold. Elicitation with methyl jasmonate enhanced the production to 31.41 ± 3.10 mg/g DW (4.2-fold) in C. indicum and 51.44 ± 0.10 mg/g DW in A. ebracteatus (3.2-fold). The appropriate conditions for elicitation were 100 µM methyl jasmonate and 8 days exposure time. In addition, this is the first report of in vitro verbascoside production from these two plants. In vitro culture accumulated verbacoside up to 44.8-fold higher than intact plants. Thus, they can be the efficient and sustainable alternatives for production of verbascoside.

English

Chia (Salvia hispanica), originated in Mexico, has outstanding nutritional and health-promoting values, but it is the only ancient American Indian staple crop failed in introduction to the Old Continents. After the rediscovery and revival of chia as a new crop in recent years, the short-day (SD) habit is a crucial limitation for its worldwide cultivation. The circadian oscillator GIGNATEA (GI) is an important transcription factor regulating flowering time through photoperiod-pathway. In this study, we cloned the full-length cDNAs of two GI genes from chia, and analyzed the molecular characteristics of the genes and the encoded proteins. Alternative transcription initiation sites, alternative poly A tailing sites, and 5’-UTR intron retention exist in some of their mRNAs. The origin of GI gene accompanied with the transition from aquatic to terrestrial habits during plant evolution. GI duplication events occurred at order, family and genus levels in angiosperms. ShGI-1 and ShGI-2 were similar to each other in organ specificity with peak expression in small buds. In mature leaf, ShGI-2 is dominant over ShGI-1 in terms of expression level with highest expression in the afternoon, but on the Autumnal Equinox day ShGI-1 is dominant over ShGI-2 with peaks at noon and in the evening. KT, BR, GA3 and IAA upregulated the expression of ShGI-1 and ShGI-2 in long-days (LDs) and inhibited their expression in SDs, with GA3 being the most effective phytohormone. Under most abiotic stresses, ShGI expression fluctuated and returned to near-basal levels. ShGI expression was upregulated by low temperature. SA sharply upregulated ShGI expression after 24 h of treatment. This is the first report of GI genes from the order Lamiales, which will promote the dissection of flowering mechanism of chia and other Lamiales plants, enrich the evolution and expression characteristics of plant GIs, and promote the study on interaction between photoperiod and hormone pathways in flowering time control. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers

ESSENTIAL OIL AND VOLATILE COMPONENTS DRACOCEPHALUM DIVERSIFOLIUM

Plants of the genus Dracocephalum belong to the subfamily Nepetoideae of the family Lamiaceae of the order Lamiales and include about 70 species worldwide. In Uzbekistan grows 16 species of this genus. The purpose of this study was to study the chemical composition of the essential oil and gasoline extract of Dracocephalum diversifolium.
 To obtain the essential oil and gasoline extract were used the aerial parts of the plant (stems, flowers and leaves). Essential oil was isolated by hydrodistillation method. The gasoline extract was obtained by treating the air-dried aerial part of the plant with extraction gasoline. The composition of the isolated essential oil and gasoline extract was studied by GC-MS. It was revealed that the predominant components of essential oil content of D. diversifolium was sabinene (20.7%), β-pinene (10.6%), DL-limonene (7.5%), trans-valerenil acetate (7.5%), m-cymene (6.2%), 1,8-cineole (5.0%), T-cadinol acetate (4.4%), δ-cadinene (3.9%), caryophyllene (2.4%). Among the volatiles of the gasoline extract of D. diversifolium was dominated 1,8-cineole (17.0%), 3,5,5,9-tetramethyl-2,4a,5,6,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-benzo[a]cycloheptene (11.2%), δ-cadinene (8.7%), myrtenyl acetate (4.3%), β-pinene (3.9%), 4-terpinenyl acetate (3.2%), δ-cadinol (3.1%), δ-elemene (2.8%), eremophila-1(10),8,11-triene (2.8%), sabina ketone (2.5%), m-cymol (2.2%), 10,12-octadecadiynoic acid (2.0%). For the first time, by hydrodistillation method isolated essential oil from the aerial part of D. diversifolium, growing in Uzbekistan, in which 29 compounds were identified by GC-MS analysis. For the first time the chemical composition of the gasoline extract of the aerial part of D. diversifolium was studied by GC-MS. It was identified 28 components. A comparative analysis of the component composition of the essential oil and gasoline extract of D. diversifolium was carried out, in which established the dominant components for each sample.

Jasmonate-independent regulation of digestive enzyme activity in the carnivorous butterwort Pinguicula × Tina.

Carnivorous plants within the order Caryophyllales use jasmonates, a class of phytohormone, in the regulation of digestive enzyme activities. We used the carnivorous butterwort Pinguicula × Tina from the order Lamiales to investigate whether jasmonate signaling is a universal and ubiquitous signaling pathway that exists outside the order Caryophyllales. We measured the electrical signals, enzyme activities, and phytohormone tissue levels in response to prey capture. Mass spectrometry was used to identify proteins in the digestive secretion. We identified eight enzymes in the digestive secretion, many of which were previously found in other genera of carnivorous plants. Among them, alpha-amylase is unique in carnivorous plants. Enzymatic activities increased in response to prey capture; however, the tissue content of jasmonic acid and its isoleucine conjugate remained rather low in contrast to the jasmonate response to wounding. Enzyme activities did not increase in response to the exogenous application of jasmonic acid or coronatine. Whereas similar digestive enzymes were co-opted from plant defense mechanisms among carnivorous plants, the mode of their regulation differs. The butterwort has not co-opted jasmonate signaling for the induction of enzyme activities in response to prey capture. Moreover, the presence of alpha-amylase in digestive fluid of P. × Tina, which has not been found in other genera of carnivorous plants, might indicate that non-defense-related genes have also been co-opted for carnivory.

Coleus forskohlii: advancements and prospects of in vitro biotechnology.

Coleus forskohlii syn. Plectranthus barbatus is a popular medicinal plant belonging to the family Lamiaceae and order Lamiales. The leaf and root extracts can be utilized for the treatment of various ailments like bronchitis, asthma, hay fever, angina and abdominal disorders. The major metabolite that is found exclusively in the cork cells of the root in C. forskohlii is forskolin, which is used commercially for the treatment of glaucoma, asthma and several heart ailments. The essential oil extracted from the tubers of the plant also exhibits anti-microbial properties. The present review recounts the existing reports on biotechnological approaches like direct, indirect organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis for mass propagation of plantlets; the amelioration of forskolin production through cell suspension and genetic transformation as well as slow growth storage for germplasm conservation. Additionally, the unexplored arenas and the prospective novel approaches are also addressed in this review that can be utilized in designing new experiments in near future on this plant.

Evaluation of genetic resource of Chinese potato (Plectranthus rotundifolius) for abiotic stress management — a review

Tropical tuber crops are mainly grown in limited scales even in the areas where they are consumed as staple foods. Due to change in the feeding habits tuber crops are gradually disappearing from the human diet. There is a necessary to promote the tuber crops cultivation by realizing their nutritional value and adaptability to harsh weather conditions. Chinese potato is one of the important minor tuber crops of nutritional and commercial value in tropical regions of the world. Chinese potato (Plectranthus rotundifolius) belongs to the family Lamiaceae (Labiatae) of order Lamiales with a chromosome number of 2n= 64. It has several medicinal properties due to the presence of flavanoids that help to lower the cholesterol level of blood. It is facing several production problems like photosensitivity, low yield and poor tuberization. Moreover, very less genetic variation is available in the country. As germplasm serves as an invaluable source of variation, there is a necessity to collect, conserve and make utilisation of it.

Molecules and Metabolites from Natural Products as Inhibitors of Biofilm in Candida spp. pathogens.

BackgroundBiofilm is a critical virulence factor associated with the strains of Candida spp. pathogens as it confers significant resistance to the pathogen against antifungal drugs.MethodsA systematic review of the literature was undertaken by focusing on natural products, which have been reported to inhibit biofilms produced by Candida spp. The databases explored were from PubMed and Google Scholar. The abstracts and full text of the manuscripts from the literature were analyzed and included if found significant.ResultsMedicinal plants from the order Lamiales, Apiales, Asterales, Myrtales, Sapindales, Acorales, Poales and Laurales were reported to inhibit the biofilms formed by Candida spp. From the microbiological sources, lactobacilli, Streptomyces chrestomyceticus and Streptococcus thermophilus B had shown the strong biofilm inhibition potential. Further, the diverse nature of the compounds from classes like terpenoids, phenylpropanoid, alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenol, naphthoquinone and saponin was found to be significant in inhibiting the biofilm of Candida spp.Conclusion: Natural products from both plant and microbial origins have proven themselves as a goldmine for isolating the potential biofilm inhibitors with a specific or multi-locus mechanism of action. Structural and functional characterization of the bioactive molecules from active extracts should be the next line of approach along with the thorough exploration of the mechanism of action for the already identified bioactive molecules.

The Reference Genome Sequence of Scutellaria baicalensis Provides Insights into the Evolution of Wogonin Biosynthesis

Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi is important in Chinese traditional medicine where preparations of dried roots, “Huang Qin,” are used for liver and lung complaints and as complementary cancer treatments. We report a high-quality reference genome sequence for S. baicalensis where 93% of the 408.14-Mb genome has been assembled into nine pseudochromosomes with a super-N50 of 33.2 Mb. Comparison of this sequence with those of closely related species in the order Lamiales, Sesamum indicum and Salvia splendens, revealed that a specialized metabolic pathway for the synthesis of 4′-deoxyflavone bioactives evolved in the genus Scutellaria. We found that the gene encoding a specific cinnamate coenzyme A ligase likely obtained its new function following recent mutations, and that four genes encoding enzymes in the 4′-deoxyflavone pathway are present as tandem repeats in the genome of S. baicalensis. Further analyses revealed that gene duplications, segmental duplication, gene amplification, and point mutations coupled to gene neo- and subfunctionalizations were involved in the evolution of 4′-deoxyflavone synthesis in the genus Scutellaria. Our study not only provides significant insight into the evolution of specific flavone biosynthetic pathways in the mint family, Lamiaceae, but also will facilitate the development of tools for enhancing bioactive productivity by metabolic engineering in microbes or by molecular breeding in plants. The reference genome of S. baicalensis is also useful for improving the genome assemblies for other members of the mint family and offers an important foundation for decoding the synthetic pathways of bioactive compounds in medicinal plants.

Developing a protocol for the isolation of high quality DNA from carbohydrate rich medicinal plant for molecular identification

There is an increasing international market for medicinal plants, which are used both for herbal medicine and for pharmaceutical products. For rapid and accurate identification of plants DNA barcoding is most authentic tool. The aim of this study is first optimize a method for the genomic DNA isolation from non-identified, carbohydrate rich, plant leaf tissues. Than do the DNA barcoding by using the ITS 2 as a potential molecular marker. In this study we first optimize a method for the genomic DNA isolation from non identified, carbohydrate rich, plant leaf tissues. For the optimization of DNA isolation method different combination and permutation were done at different stages of the DNA isolation. Further, the genomic DNA was utilized as a template for the amplification and sequencing of ITS2 region. BLAST search was performed against GenBank database by using annoted ITS2 region as sample query. We found very high yield around 123 µg per gram of leaf samples and the ratio at 260/280 nm found to be 1.82. Hence the yield as well as quality of the DNA was very good. Two PCR products of 419 and 390 bp were amplified by using ITS2F1, ITS2F2 as forward and ITS2R as reverse primers respectively. In annotation out of 419, 228 bp sequences were annotated as ITS2 for this plant in blast search it shows close resemblance to the plants of plantaginaceae in the order lamiales. In herbarium identification the plant was identified as Anisochilus carnosus (Lf) which belongs to Lamiaceae family in the order lamiales.

Taxonomic Significance of Petal and Sepal Micromorphological Characteristics in Some Justicia Nees (Acanthaceae) Species in Peninsular Malaysia

Acanthaceae is a flowering plants family under the order Lamiales and comprises at least 4,000 species regardless of tropical and subtropical species with Justicia being the largest genus under this family. The study on the flower’s petal and sepal micromorphology have been done on six Justicia species, namely as Justicia betonica L., J. carnea Lindl., J. comata (L.) Lam., J. gendarussa Burm.f., J. procumbens L. and J. ptychostoma Nees. Methodology used involves fixation, dehydration series, critical point drying technique and observation under scanning electron microscope. Results have shown that all six species have differences in micromorphological characteristics in the sepals and petals epidermal surfaces. Cuticular wax can be found on both abaxial and adaxial epidermal surfaces of petal and sepal for all species studied. Granular cuticular wax is the only type of cuticular wax was found present on petal and sepal of all species studied. There are also eight types of trichomes present on the petal epidermal surface and eight types of trichomes present on the sepal epidermal surface. J. betonica can be recognised directly by having amphidiacytic stomata on petal epidermal surface while stomata were absent on the petal epidermal surface of other species. As a conclusion, findings in this study have proven that petal and sepal micromorphological characteristics have systematic significant and can be used as supporting data for species differentiation and identification in the genus Justicia.