Pale Greenish Research Articles

Tranzschelia discolor as the Causal Agent of Rust on Nectarine, Peach, and Japanese Plum in Highland Areas of Northern Thailand.

A severe outbreak of rust disease was observed on Prunus species, P. persica (peach), P. persica var. nectarina (nectarine), and P. salicina (Japanese plum) cultivated in northern Thailand in the rainy season. Previous reports have identified the causal agents as Tranzschelia discolor and T. pruni-spinosae based on only morphological characteristics. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify rust fungi of Prunus spp. based on morphology and molecular analyses. Between May and July in 2020 and 2022, 18 isolates were collected from five areas in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces. Symptoms of rust consisted of cinnamon brown pustules of uredinia that were hypophyllous and visible as pale greenish to chlorotic yellowish angular spots on the upper leaf surfaces. Urediniospore shape, size, and color were similar to T. discolor. Molecular analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial 28S large subunit (LSU) region rRNA genes confirmed the isolates to be T. discolor. This is the first report of P. salicina as a host of T. discolor in Thailand.

New arsenate minerals from the Arsenatnaya fumarole, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. XVII. Paraberzeliite, NaCaCaMg2(AsO4)3, an alluaudite-group member dimorphous with berzeliite

AbstractThe new alluaudite-group mineral paraberzeliite was found in the Arsenatnaya fumarole, Second scoria cone of the Northern Breakthrough of the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. In the deepest zone of Arsenatnaya, paraberzeliite (holotype) is associated with anhydrite, diopside, hematite, svabite, berzeliite, schäferite, calciojohillerite, magnesioferrite, ludwigite, fluorapatite, powellite, baryte, and rhabdoborite-group and aphthitalite-group members. In the middle zone of the fumarole, paraberzeliite occurs with hematite, calciojohillerite, badalovite, johillerite, nickenichite, tilasite, svabite, fluorophlogopite, sanidine, cassiterite, anhydrite, metathénardite and belomarinaite. Paraberzeliite forms prismatic crystals up to 0.2 mm × 0.2 mm × 1 mm often occurring in open-work aggregates. It is transparent, brown (from light to dark brown, sometimes with purple or red hue) or green (from pale greenish to yellow–green). The mineral is brittle, cleavage was not observed. The Mohs hardness is 3½. Dcalc is 3.811 g cm–3. Paraberzeliite is optically biaxial (+), α = 1.718(4), β = 1.728(4), γ = 1.742(4) and 2Vmeas. = 85(5)°. The chemical composition (wt.%, electron-microprobe; holotype) is: Na2O 6.43, CaO 16.65, MgO 11.64, MnO 1.65, CuO 0.06, Fe2O3 2.45, V2O5 1.10, As2O5 59.46, total 99.44. The calculated empirical formula based on 12 O atoms per formula unit is (Na1.20Ca1.71Mg1.66Mn0.13Fe3+0.18)Σ4.88(As2.98V0.07)Σ3.05O12. Paraberzeliite is monoclinic, C2/c, a = 12.3143(7), b = 13.0679(5), c = 6.7717(4) Å, β = 113.657(7)°, V = 998.14(10) Å3 and Z = 4. The crystal structure was solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, R = 0.0349. Paraberzeliite is isostructural with other alluaudite-group minerals. Its simplified crystal chemical formula is A(1)CaA(2)'NaM(1)CaM(2)Mg2(TAsO4)3. The idealised formula is NaCa2Mg2(AsO4)3, or, according to the actual nomenclature of alluaudite-group arsenates, NaCaCaMg2(AsO4)3. The name paraberzeliite reflects the dimorphism of this alluaudite-group mineral with the arsenate garnet berzeliite, ideally (Ca2Na)Mg2(AsO4)3.

Fungi fabrication, characterization, and anticancer activity of silver nanoparticles using metals resistant Aspergillus niger

The purpose of this study was to assess the bio-fabrication possibilities of pre-isolated (from bauxite mine tailings) metal-tolerant Aspergillus niger biomass filtrate and the anticancer potential of synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) tested with a Human Cervical cancer cell line (HeLa cells: Henrietta Lacks cells). The nitrate reduction test demonstrated that A. niger has the ability to reduce nitrate, and filtrate derived from A. niger biomass efficiently fabricated AgNPs from AgNO3, as demonstrated by a visible color change from pale greenish to brownish. The UV–visible spectroscopy analysis revealed an absorbance peak at 435 nm, which corresponded to the AgNPs. These AgNPs have been capped and stabilized with several functional groups related to various bioactive molecules such as aldehyde, benzene rings, aldehydic, amines, alcohols, and carbonyl stretch protein molecules. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed the capping and stabilizing chemical bonding pattern. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed that the synthesized AgNPs were spherical, with an average size of 21.38 nm. This bio-fabricated AgNPs has in-vitro anticancer potential when tested against the HeLa cell line due to its potential size and shape. At 100 g mL−1 concentrations of this bio-fabricated AgNPs, the anticancer activity percentage was found to be 70.2%, and the IC50 value was found to be 66.32 g m−1. These findings demonstrated that the metal-tolerant A. niger cell filtrate could produce AgNPs with anticancer potential.

Analytics on Antimicrobial Activity of Lichen Extract

Lichen has a great medicinal value and represents the symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae or cyanobacteria. The genus Usnea longissima (Parmeliaceae), is a fruticose lichen with numerous biological activities like antimicrobial, antifungal and inhibitory activities for plant and human pathogens. Taxonomically it is well distinguished by pale greenish to yellowish-green colour and pendulous thallus with dense branches usually emerging from the main stem. Its fungal partner releases an extracellular compound called Usnic acid, a derivative of Dibenzofuran which is a naturally occurring secondary metabolite. In the present work, antimicrobial activities of Usnea longissimi are explored in various extraction solvents. The crude extracts were prepared in methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, acetone and different concentrations (2.5,5,10,15,20mg/ml) followed by the determination of its antimicrobial activity against various microbes viz. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Fusarium oxysporum using agar well diffusion process. The maximum zone of inhibition was observed in the 15 mg/ml methanolic extract for Escherichia coli(34 mm), 10 mg/ml methanolic extract for Staphylococcus aureus (30 mm), 10 mg/ml ethyl acetate for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16 mm) and 0.5 mg/ml ethanolic extract for Fusariumoxysporium (14 mm). Usnea longissimi have shown significant antibacterial and antifungal activity that encourage us to explore novel antimicrobial components within lichen biodiversity. These lichens further can be used as food supplements to cure various human diseases.

New arsenate minerals from the Arsenatnaya fumarole, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. XIII. Pansnerite, K3Na3Fe3+6(AsO4)8

AbstractThe new mineral pansnerite, ideally K3Na3Fe3+6(AsO4)8, was found in the Arsenatnaya fumarole at the Second scoria cone of the Northern Breakthrough of the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. It is associated with aphthitalite, hematite, sanidine, badalovite, khrenovite, achyrophanite, arsenatrotitanite, ozerovaite, tilasite, calciojohillerite, johillerite, nickenichite, svabite, katiarsite, yurmarinite, anhydrite, rutile, cassiterite and pseudobrookite. Pansnerite forms tabular to lamellar (flattened on {010}), usually pseudo-hexagonal crystals up to 0.2 mm × 0.7 mm × 1 mm and crystal clusters up to 2 mm across. It is transparent to translucent, light green, pale greenish, yellowish–greenish or yellowish, with vitreous lustre. The mineral is brittle, with perfect {010} cleavage. The Mohs’ hardness is ca 3. Dcalc is 3.596 g cm–3. Pansnerite is optically biaxial (–), α = 1.702(4), β = 1.713(4), γ = 1.717(4), 2Vmeas = 45(10)° and 2Vcalc = 62°. Chemical composition (holotype, wt.%, electron microprobe data) is: Na2O 6.39, K2O 8.52, CaO 0.08, MgO 0.08, MnO 0.02, NiO 0.02, CuO 1.35, ZnO 0.34, Al2O3 7.35, Cr2O3 0.04, Fe2O3 16.72, SiO2 0.16, P2O5 0.22, V2O5 0.09, As2O5 57.76, SO3 0.04, total 99.20. The empirical formula based on 32 O apfu is K2.86Na3.26Ca0.02(Fe3+3.31Al2.28Cu0.27Zn0.07Mg0.03Cr0.01)Σ5.97(As7.95P0.05Si0.04V0.02S0.01)Σ8.06O32. Pansnerite is orthorhombic, Cmce, a = 10.7372(3), b = 20.8367(8), c = 6.47335(15) Å, V = 1448.27(7) Å3 and Z = 2. The strongest reflections of the X-ray powder diffraction pattern [d,Å(I)(hkl)] are: 10.49(100)(020), 5.380(88)(111), 4.793(65)(220), 3.105(46)(311, 002), 3.079(32)(112, 061), 2.932(35)(260), 2.783(65)(202) and 2.694(52)(400, 222). The crystal structure was solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, R1 = 2.82%. The structure is based on heteropolyhedral layers formed by MO6 octahedra (M = Fe3+ and Al) sharing common vertices and connected by AsO4 tetrahedra. Na+ and K+ cations are located in the interlayer space. The mineral is named in honour of the German–Russian mineralogist and geographer Lavrentiy Ivanovich Pansner (1777–1851). Pansnerite forms a solid-solution series with the isotypic mineral ozerovaite, ideally KNa2Al3(AsO4)4.

Agapetes brevipedicellata (Ericaceae), a new species from Putao, Kachin State, Northern Myanmar

Agapetes brevipedicellata, a new species of Ericaceae from Putao, Kachin State, Myanmar, is here described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to Agapetes pseudogriffithii, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by its nearly fleshy branchlets, linear-lanceolate leaf blades, stout, fleshy, bracteate peduncles, pedicels and calyx pale greenish tinged with pale pink, and stems and branches with prominent leaf and inflorescence scars.

Fermiite, Na4(UO2)(SO4)3·3H2O and oppenheimerite, Na2(UO2)(SO4)2·3H2O, two new uranyl sulfate minerals from the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA

AbstractThe new minerals fermiite (IMA2014-068), Na4(UO2)(SO4)3·3H2O and oppenheimerite (IMA2014-073), Na2(UO2)(SO4)2·3H2O, were found in the Blue Lizard mine, San Juan County, Utah, USA, where they occur together as secondary alteration phases in association with blödite, bluelizardite, chalcanthite, epsomite, gypsum, hexahydrite, kröhnkite, manganoblödite, sideronatrite, tamarugite and wetherillite.Fermiite descriptive details: pale greenish-yellow prisms; transparent; vitreous lustre; bright greenishwhite fluorescence; white streak; hardness (Mohs) 2½; brittle; conchoidal fracture; no cleavage; slightly deliquescent; easily soluble in RT H2O; densitymeas = 3.23(2) g cm–3; densitycalc = 3.313 g cm–3. Optically, biaxial (+), α = 1.527(1), β = 1.534(1), γ = 1.567(1) (white light); 2Vmeas.= 51(1)°, 2Vcalc.= 50°; dispersionr<v, distinct. Pleochroism:X,Y= colourless,Z= pale greenish yellow;X=Y<Z. Energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) analyses yielded the empirical formula Na3.88(U1.05O2)(S0.99O4)3(H2O)3. Fermiite is orthorhombic,Pmn21,a= 11.8407(12),b= 7.8695(5),c= 15.3255(19) Å,V= 1428.0(2) Å3andZ= 4. The structure (R1= 2.21% for 1951Io> 3σI) contains [(UO2)(SO4)3] chains that are linked by bonds involving five different Na–O polyhedra to form a framework. The mineral is named for Italian-American theoretical and experimental physicist Dr. Enrico Fermi (1901–1954).Oppenheimerite descriptive details: pale greenish-yellow prisms; transparent; vitreous lustre; bright greenish-white fluorescence; white streak; hardness (Mohs) 2½; slightly sectile; three good cleavages, {110}, {011} and {101}; irregular fracture; slightly deliquescent; easily soluble in RT H2O; densitycalc = 3.360 g cm–3. Optically, biaxial (+), α = 1.537(1), β = 1.555(1), γ = 1.594(1) (white light); 2Vmeas.= 72(2)°, 2Vcalc.= 70°; dispersion isr>v, moderate, inclined; optical orientation:X≈ ⊥ {101},Z≈ [111]; pleochroism: X very pale greenish yellow, Y pale greenish yellow, Z greenish yellow; X < Y < Z. EDS analyses yielded the empirical formula Na1.94(U0.97O2)(S1.02O4)2(H2O)3. Oppenheimerite is triclinic,P1,a= 7.9576(6),b= 8.1952(6),c= 9.8051(7) Å, α = 65.967(5), β = 70.281(5), γ = 84.516(6)°,V= 549.10(8) Å3andZ= 2. The structure (R1= 3.07% for 2337Io> 3σI) contains [(UO2)(SO4)2(H2O)] chains that are linked by bonds involving two different Na–O polyhedra to form a framework. The mineral is named for American theoretical physicist Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904–1967).

Fluor-tsilaisite, NaMn3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3F, a new tourmaline from San Piero in Campo (Elba, Italy) and new data on tsilaisitic tourmaline from the holotype specimen locality

AbstractFluor-tsilaisite, NaMn3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3F, is a new mineral of the tourmaline supergroup. It occurs in an aplitic dyke of a LCT-type pegmatite body from Grotta d'Oggi, San Piero in Campo, Elba Island, Italy, in association with quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, elbaite, schorl, fluor-elbaite and tsilaisite. Crystals are greenish yellow with a vitreous lustre, sub-conchoidal fracture and white streak. Fluor-tsilaisite has a Mohs hardness of ∼7 and a calculated density of 3.134 g/cm3. In plane-polarized light, fluor-tsilaisite is pleochroic (O = pale greenish yellow and E = very pale greenish yellow), uniaxial negative. Fluor-tsilaisite is rhombohedral, space group R3m, a = 15.9398(6), c = 7.1363(3) Å, V = 1570.25(11) Å3, Z = 3. The crystal structure of fluor-tsilaisite was refined to R1 = 3.36% using 3496 unique reflections collected with MoKα X-ray intensity data. Crystal-chemical analysis resulted in the empirical formula: X(Na0.69〈0.29Ca0.02)Σ1.00Y(Mn2+1.29Al1.21Li0.56Ti0.03)Σ6.00ZAl6T(Si5.98Al0.03)Σ6.00B2.92O27V(OH)3W[F0.39(OH)0.25O0.36]Σ1.00.Comparisons were performed between fluor-tsilaisite and a tsilaisitic tourmaline from the same locality as the holotype specimen. This latter tourmaline sample was selected for this study due to its remarkable composition (MnO = 11.63 wt.%), the largest Mn content found in tourmaline so far.Fluor-tsilaisite is related to tsilaisite through the substitution WF ↔ W(OH) and with fluor-elbaite through the substitution Y(Al + Li) ↔ 2YMn2+, and appears to be a stepwise intermediate during tourmaline evolution from tsilaisite to fluor-elbaite.

First Report of Anthracnose Caused by Colletotrichum sansevieriae on Sansevieria in Korea.

Sansevieria, Sansevieria trifasciata Prain, is cultivated in greenhouses and is used as a potted interior foliage plant in Korea. In April 2012, several plants (cv. Moonshine) exhibiting typical anthracnose symptoms from a local nursery were sent to the plant clinic of Gyeonggi-Do Agricultural Research and Extension Services for diagnosis. The leaf lesions began as round, partly water-soaked, pale greenish to grayish spots, which enlarged and ultimately coalesced, resulting in severe leaf blight. Concentric rings of blackish acervuli were formed in the expanding lesions of mostly 2 to 4 cm in diameter. Acervuli were mostly epiphyllous, circular to ellipsoid. Setae were aseptate to 3-septate, dark brown at the base, paler upwards, acicular, and up to 180 μm long. Conidia (n = 30) were oblong-elliptical to obovate, sometimes fusiform-elliptical, guttulate, hyaline, and 14 to 24 × 5 to 7.5 μm (mean 18.6 × 6.4 μm). Hyphopodial appressoria were dark brown to blackish, globose to clavate in outline, and 5 to 12 × 4 to 8 μm. Colonies on potato dextrose agar (PDA) were grayish-white, felted with cottony-white aerial mycelium on a gray to olivaceous gray background in culture. Gelatinous salmon- to orange-colored conidial masses were produced abundantly after one week's incubation. The morphological and cultural characteristics of the fungus were consistent with the description of Colletotrichum sansevieriae M. Nakamura & M. Ohzono (2,3). A voucher specimen was deposited in the Korea University herbarium (KUS-F26637). An isolate was deposited in the Korean Agricultural Culture Collection (Accession No. KACC46835). Fungal DNA was extracted with DNeasy Plant Mini DNA Extraction Kits (Qiagen Inc., Valencia, CA). The complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA was amplified with the primers ITS1/ITS4 and sequenced. The resulting 569-bp sequences were deposited in GenBank (Accession No. KC847065). A BLAST search in GenBank exhibited 100% nucleotide identity with sequence of C. sansevieriae (JF911349) from the United States and >99% similarity with that of HQ433226 from Australia. To confirm pathogenicity, inoculum was prepared by harvesting conidia from 3-week-old cultures on PDA. A conidial suspension (2 × 106 conidia/ml) was sprayed over the five leaves of sansevieria 'Moonshine' wounded with a fine needle. Five leaves sprayed with sterile water served as controls. Plants were covered with plastic bags to maintain 100% relative humidity for 48 h and then kept in a greenhouse (22 to 28°C and 70 to 80% RH). Within 12 days, symptoms identical to those observed in originally infected leaf developed on all inoculated leaves. No symptoms were observed on control plants. C. sansevieriae was reisolated from the lesions of inoculated plants, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Sansevieria anthracnose associated with C. sansevieriae has been reported in Japan (2), Australia (1), and the United States (3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of sansevieria anthracnose in Korea. Our observations in sansevieria nurseries suggest that preventing wound infection as well as maintaining good plant hygiene in greenhouses might be main strategies for this disease.

First Report of Leaf Spot Disease Caused by Glomerella magna on Lobelia chinensis in China.

Lobelia chinensis is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Campanulaceae that is native to China, where it grows well in moist to wet soils. It is commonly used as a Chinese herbal medicine. In May 2012, symptoms of leaf spot were observed on leaves of L. chinensis in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The leaf lesions began as small, water-soaked, pale greenish to grayish spots, which enlarged to gray to pale yellowish spots, 4 to 6 mm in diameter. At later stages, numerous acervuli appeared on the lesions. Acervuli were mostly epiphyllous, and 40 to 196 μm in diameter. On potato dextrose agar (PDA), a fungus was consistently recovered from symptomatic leaf samples, with a 93% isolation rate from 60 leaf pieces that were surface sterilized in 75% ethanol for 30 s and then in 0.1% mercuric chloride for 45 s. Three single-spore isolates were used to evaluate cultural and morphological characteristics of the pathogen. Setae were two to three septate, dark brown at the base, acicular, and up to 90 μm long. Conidia were long oblong-elliptical, guttulate, hyaline, and 11 to 20 × 4.1 to 6.3 μm (mean 15.2 × 5.1 μm). These morphological characteristics of the fungus were consistent with the description of Colletotrichum magna (teleomorph Glomerella magna Jenkins & Winstead) (1). The rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of one isolate, LC-1, was sequenced (GenBank Accession No. KC815123), and it showed 100% identity to G. magna, GenBank HM163187.1, an isolate from Brazil cultured from papaya (2). Although KC815123 was identified as G. magna, it shows 99% identity to GenBank sequences from isolates of C. magna, and more research is needed to elucidate the relationships between these taxa, especially with consideration to host specificity. Pathogenicity tests were performed with each of the three isolates by spraying conidial suspensions (1 × 106 conidia/ml) containing 0.1% Tween 20 onto the surfaces of leaves of 30-day-old and 6- to 8-cm-high plants. For each isolate, 30 leaves from five replicate plants were treated. Control plants were treated with sterilized water containing 0.1% Tween 20. All plants were incubated for 36 h at 25°C and 90% relative humidity in an artificial climate chamber, and then moved into a greenhouse. Seven days after inoculation, gray spots typical of field symptoms were observed on all inoculated leaves, but no symptoms were seen on water-treated control plants. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by reisolation of G. magna from diseased leaves. To our knowledge, this is the first report of G. magna infecting L. chinensis worldwide.

First Report of Oak Anthracnose Caused by Apiognomonia errabunda on Oriental White Oak in Korea

Oriental white oak, Quercus aliena Blume, is native to East Asia including Korea. It is one of the major deciduous tree species in natural forests in Korea. In May 2012, several hundred trees were found to be heavily damaged by a previously unknown leaf disease in a forest near Songjiho Lake in Goseong County of central Korea. Leaf symptoms began as small, water-soaked, pale greenish to grayish lesions, which enlarged to follow the veins or midribs and to be bounded by them, often killing part of the leaf. Leaf distortion and blight resulted in the later stage of disease development. A number of grayish brown to nearly black acervuli were formed on the lesions, especially on the midribs and veins. Acervuli were mostly hypophyllous, intraepidermal, erumpent, circular to ellipsoid in outline, cushion-like, and 70 to 220 μm in diameter. Conidia (n = 30) were elliptical to fusiform-elliptical, occasionally obclavate, aguttulate or guttulate, hyaline, aseptate, and 7.5 to 20 × 5 to 7.5 μm (mean 14.6 × 6.1 μm). These morphological characteristics of the fungus were consistent with the description of conidial state of Apiognomonia errabunda (Roberge ex Desm.) Höhn. (3,4). Voucher specimens were deposited in the Korea University Herbarium (KUS). An isolate obtained from KUS-F26690 was deposited in the Korean Agricultural Culture Collection (Accession No. KACC46842). Fungal DNA was extracted with DNeasy Plant Mini DNA Extraction Kits (Qiagen Inc., Valencia, CA). The complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA was amplified with the primers ITS1/ITS4 and sequenced. The resulting 549-bp sequence was deposited in GenBank (KC426947). This showed >99% similarity with sequences of A. errabunda (AJ888475 to 888477). For pathogenicity test, inoculum was prepared by harvesting conidia from 4-week-old cultures on potato dextrose agar. A conidial suspension (1 × 106 conidia/ml) was sprayed onto young leaves of three potted seedlings. Three seedlings treated with sterile distilled water served as controls. Plants were covered with plastic bags to maintain 100% relative humidity for 24 h and then kept in a greenhouse (20 to 26°C and 60 to 80% RH). After 26 days, typical leaf spot symptoms, identical to the ones observed in the field, developed on the inoculated leaves. No symptoms were observed on controls. A. errabunda was reisolated from the lesions of inoculated plants, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Oak anthracnose associated with A. errabunda (including A. quercina) has been recorded in Europe and North America (1,4). Oak anthracnose of evergreen Quercus glauca Thunb. (syn. Cyclobalanopsis glauca (Thunb.) Oerst.) associated with A. supraseptata in Japan is not related to this disease (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of oak anthracnose of Q. aliena globally and also the first finding of A. errabunda in Asia as well as in Korea. This pathogen is known as one of the major forest pathogens in oak stand in Europe and North America (3). Pending further studies, including a risk assessment, A. errabunda may be considered as a potentially new and serious threat in native and planted ranges of Q. aliena in Korea.

Authentication of herbal drug Senna (Cassia angustifolia Vahl.): A village pharmacy for Indo-Pak Subcontinent

The present study deals with the taxonomic and pharmacognostic authentication of the herbal medicine Senna (Cassia angustifolia Vahl.). This plant of considerable pharmaceutical importance, has been recommended for constipation, piles, epilepsy, respiratory diseases, skin infections, migraine and heart diseases. No studies are available on the micro, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), pharmacognostic and taxonomic analysis of traded parts of C. angustifolia and its substitute Cassia obtusifolia. Hence, the present study was undertaken to authenticate genuine source of herbal drug Senna based on microscopic palynomorph, anatomical features, behavior of powdered drug with different chemical reagents and fluorescence analysis. The C. angustifolia is a perennial herb up to 80 cm tall with tricolporate pollen, foveolate sculpturing, paracytic stomata and single celled non-glandular trichome. It is differentiated from its substitute, C. obtusifolia, which is a perennial shrub up to 3.5 m tall having pollen with widely minute holes on surface, anomocytic stomata and elongated trichomes with pointed tips. The powdered drug of C. angustifolia is pale greenish in color, while its adulterant C. obtusifolia is dark green. It was concluded from this study that the knowledge of morpho-palynological, anatomical and pharmacognostical analysis may lead to authentication of herbal drugs like Senna for the purpose of employment in quality assurance of pharmaceutical products globally. Key words: Senna, authentication, herbal drug, pharmacognosy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

First Report of Anthracnose of Tricyrtis macropoda Caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Korea.

Tricyrtis macropoda Miq. (syn. T. dilatata Nakai), known as speckled toadlily, is a perennial herb native to China, Japan, and Korea. The plant has been highly praised for its beautiful flowers and rare populations in natural habitats. In September 2006, several dozen plants were heavily damaged by leaf spots and blight in cultivated plantings in the city of Pocheon, Korea. The infections with the same symptoms were repeated every year. In July 2011, the same symptoms were found on T. macropoda in the cities of Gapyeong and Osan, Korea. The leaf lesions began as small, water-soaked, pale greenish to grayish spots, which enlarged to form concentric rings and ultimately coalesced. A number of blackish acervuli were formed in the lesions. Acervuli were mostly epiphyllous, circular to ellipsoid, and 40 to 200 μm in diameter. Setae were two- to three-septate, dark brown at the base, paler upwards, acicular, and up to 100 μm long. Conidia (n = 30) were long obclavate to oblong-elliptical, sometimes fusiform-elliptical, guttulate, hyaline, and 12 to 20 × 4 to 6.5 μm (mean 15.4 × 5.2 μm). These morphological characteristics of the fungus were consistent with the description of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. (2). Voucher specimens (n = 7) were deposited in the Korea University herbarium (KUS). Two isolates, KACC46374 (ex KUS-F25916) and KACC46405 (ex KUS-F26063), were deposited in the Korean Agricultural Culture Collection. Fungal DNA was extracted and the complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA was amplified with the primers ITS1/ITS4 and sequenced. The resulting sequences of 549 bp were deposited in Genbank (Accession Nos. JQ619480 and JQ619481). They showed 100% similarity with a sequence of C. gloeosporioides (EU32619). Isolate KACC46374 was used in a pathogenicity test. Inoculum was prepared by harvesting conidia from 3-week-old cultures on potato dextrose agar. A conidial suspension (2 × 106 conidia/ml) was sprayed onto 15 leaves of three plants. Three noninoculated plants served as controls. Plants were covered with plastic bags to maintain 100% relative humidity for 24 h and then kept in a greenhouse (22 to 28°C and 70 to 80% RH). After 5 days, typical leaf spot symptoms, identical to the ones observed in the field, started to develop on the leaves of inoculated plants. No symptoms were observed on control plants. C. gloeosporioides was reisolated from the lesions of inoculated plants, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. An anthracnose associated with C. tricyrtii (Teng) Teng was recorded on T. formosana and T. latifolia in China (3) and on T. formosana in Taiwan (1), respectively, without etiological studies. The morphological features of C. tricyrtii are within the variation of C. gloeosporioides (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of anthracnose of T. macropoda. This report has significance to indigenous plant resource conservation managers and scientists because T. macropoda has been listed as one of the 126 "Rare and Endangered Plants" by the Korea Forest Service since 1991.

Tsilaisite, NaMn3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3OH, a new mineral species of the tourmaline supergroup from Grotta d'Oggi, San Pietro in Campo, island of Elba, Italy

Tsilaisite, NaMn3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3OH, is a long-expected new mineral of the tourmaline supergroup. It occurs in an aplitic dike of a LCT-type pegmatite body from Grotta d’Oggi, San Pietro in Campo, island of Elba, Italy, in association with quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, elbaite, and schorl. Crystals are greenish yellow with a vitreous luster, a white streak, and show no fluorescence. Tsilaisite has a Mohs hardness of approximately 7; it is brittle with a sub-conchoidal fracture, and has a calculated density of 3.133 g/cm3. In plane-polarized light, tsilaisite is pleochroic, O = pale greenish yellow, E =very ale greenish yellow; it is uniaxial negative, ω = 1.645(5), Ɛ = 1.625(5). Tsilaisite is rhombohedral, space group R3m, a = 15.9461(5), c = 7.1380(3) Å, V = 1571.9(1) Å3, Z = 3. The strongest eight ‑raydiffraction lines in the powder pattern [d in Å(I)(hkl)] are: 3.974(100)(220), 2.942(94)(122), 2.570(79) (051), 2.034(49)(152), 4.205(41)(211), 6.329(22)(101), 2.377(21)(003), and 1.592(21)(550). Analysis by a combination of electron microprobe, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and optical absorption spectroscopy gives SiO2 = 36.10(3), TiO2 = 0.32(4), Al2O3 = 37.10(5), MnO = 9.60(10), CaO = 0.09(4), Na2O = 2.11(7), K2O = 0.03(1), F = 0.79(3), B2O3 = 10.2(6), Li2O = 0.8(1), H2O = 3.1(2), sum 99.95 wt%. The unit formula is X(Na0.67⃞0.30Ca0.02K0.01)Y(Mn2+1.34Al1.14Li0.54Ti0.04)ZAl6T(Si5.94Al0.06)B2.91O27V(OH)3W(OH0.39F0.41O0.20). The structure, refined also taking into account the positional disorder of the O1 and O2 anions, converged to statistical indices R1 for all reflections of about 2%. The resulting site populations indicate that the Z site is occupied by Al and that the Y site is dominated by Mn2+. Aluminum is incorporated at Y through two types of substitutions: YAl+WO2- → YMn2++WOH, which has the result of replacing OH at the W site by O2-, and Y(Al+Li)+WF → 2YMn2++WOH, which relates fluor-elbaite to the tsilaisite component. Infrared absorption spectra measured in the principal OH-stretching region were interpreted on the basis of local arrangements consistent with the short-range bond-valence requirements. A compositional trend from fluor-elbaite to tsilaisite is observed in samples from Elba Island. The occurrence of tsilaisite is very rare in nature, as a consequence of both the requirement of extraordinary petrogenetic conditions and limited structural stability.

Leaf Spot of Nymphoides peltata Caused by Septoria villarsiae in Korea

Nymphoides peltata (syn. Limnanthemum nymphoides, Villarsia nymphaeoides) is an aquatic flowering plant in the family Menyanthaceae, and commonly called fringed water-lily or water fringe. The plants are widely cultivated for ornamental purposes in ponds and water gardens in Korea. In June 2008, plants showing typical symptoms of leaf spots with yellowing were first found in a pond in Osan, Korea. Simple microscopic examination suggests that the spots are associated with infections by a species of Septoria (Shin and Sameva, 2004). Further surveys of water gardens in Korea were made in 2008 and 2009, and we confirmed the occurrence of the disease in Daejeon, Incheon, Pocheon, Pyeongchang and Suwon. The leaf spots frequently occurred, detracting from the beauty of glossy leaves of the plant (Fig. 1A). Under certain circumstances, leaves were heavily infected even before they unfold at the water surface, devastating whole host populations. Initial symptoms were circular, pale greenish to brownish, later expanding to form larger lesions without definite margin. Numerous black conidiomata were formed on the surface of the lesion (Fig. 1B). Under humid condition and also by placing the infected leaves in humid chamber, white to cream-colored conidial horns were produced from conidiomata (Fig. 1C). Microscopic examination of the lesions from fresh materials was performed under a microscope. Conidiomata were pycnidial, epiphyllous, scattered to confluent, sometimes 2-3(-5) pycnidia touched with their walls, dark brown to rusty brown, globose, immersed in host tissue or somewhat erumpent, 40-90 μm in diameter, with an ostiole of 15-30 μm in diameter. Conidia were substraight, guttulate, hyaline, 25-55×2-2.5 μm, (0-)1-5-septate (Fig. 1D). Single conidial isolates formed dark greyish colonies on potato dextrose agar (Fig. 1E). Based on the morphological characteristics, the causal fungus was identified as Septoria villarsiae Desm. (Radulescu et al., 1973; Paul and Singh, 2003). Voucher specimens are housed at Korea University (KUS-F23403, F24594) and isolates were deposited in the Korean Agricultural Culture Collection of the National Academy of Agricultural Science (KACC43773, KACC44794). Conidiomata matured after 5 weeks when plates were incubated under fluorescent illumination for 12 hrs photoperiods at 25oC, producing abundant conidia. Pathogenicity was confirmed by inoculating the leaves of three plants with a conidial suspension (ca. 2×105 conidia/ml). Three non-inoculated plants served as controls. The plants were covered with plastic bags for maintaining 100% relative humidity for 48 hrs. After 8 days, typical leaf blotch symptoms, identical to the ones observed in the field, started to develop on the leaves of inoculated plants. No symptoms were observed on control plants. Septoria villarsiae was reisolated from the lesions of inoculated plants, fulfilling Koch’s postulates. The leaf spot diseases associated with S. villarsiae have previously been recorded on N. peltata in Romania (Radulescu et al., 1973), the Netherlands (Van der Velde et al., 1982), and India (Paul and Singh, 2003). To our knowledge, this is the first report of this fungus as well as its host plant in East Asia.

ESSENTIAL OIL COMPOSITION OF SOME WILD AND CULTIVATED MEDICINAL PLANTS

Thymbra species are abundantly found in the wild, and also Tanacetum densum (Lab.) Schultz Bip. subsp. amani Heywood is an endemic plant of the Southeastern Anatolian, Turkey. Air-dried aerial parts of the plants were submitted to hydrodistillation, for 3 hours, using a Clevenger-type apparatus. Cultivated and wild Thymbra spicata var. spicata, Thmybra sintenisii Bornm. & Aznav. and Tanacetum densum subsp. amani species were compared for their essential oil constituents using GC/MS analysis. The results showed that the major constituents of essential oil of both Thymbra species were carvacrol, γ-terpinene, p-cymene, β-caryophyllene, myrcene and α-phellandrene. Essential oil of cultivated T. spicata contained lower carvacrol percentage (67.91%) compared to the carvacrol percentage of cultivated species (72.56%). Conversely α-pinene percentage of cultivated T. sintenisii was higher compared to wild forms. P-cymene was found second major constituent in the essential oil T. sintenisii. Tanacetum oil was pale greenish and had a pleasant odour, with a yield of 0.1% (v/w) for wild form and 0.15% for cultivated form. Twenty-three components representing 84.53-93.41% of the oil were characterized, of which bisabolone oxide (25.62%), carvacrol (26.73%), isoborneol (10.07%), borneol (14.05%), β-panasinsene (8.95%), eucalyptol (10.13%) and camphor (4.71%) were the main compounds.

Birchite, a new mineral from Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia: Description and structure refinement

The new mineral species birchite, idealized formula Cd2Cu2(PO4)2(SO4)·5H2O, occurs on specimens from the Block 14 Opencut, Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, as sprays and aggregates of crystals to 0.75 mm across on a host rock composed of quartz, garnet, galena, chalcopyrite, and fluorapatite. It is a late-stage supergene mineral formed as part of a suite of secondary phosphate minerals under low-temperature conditions. Associated secondary minerals are covellite, cerussite, anglesite, plumbogummite-hinsdalite, pyromorphite, libethenite, and sampleite. Individual crystals are bladed to prismatic and acicular in habit, with a maximum length of 0.3 mm and width of 0.05 mm. The crystals are elongated along [001] and sometimes also flattened on (100). The crystal forms are major {100} and {010}, and minor {101} and {001}. Birchite is orthorhombic, space group Pnma, with unit-cell parameters refined from powder X-ray diffraction data, a = 10.489(6), b = 20.901(7), c = 6.155(5) Å, V = 1349.6(3) Å3, and Z = 4. The eight strongest lines in the diffraction pattern are [d(Å)(I)(hkl)]: 10.451(100)(020); 5.146(28)(111); 4.223(38)(131); 3.484(39)(060); 2.902(70)(260); 2.719(33)(132); 2.652(32)(042); 1.919(80)(432). Birchite is translucent (masses) to transparent (crystals); pale blue with a vitreous luster. Optically, birchite is biaxial positive, with nα = 1.624(4), nβ = 1.636(5), nγ = 1.669(4), and 2Vcalc = +63°. The optical orientation is X = b, Y = a, Z = c; the optical axis plane lies within the {100} plane. Birchite shows very faint pleochroism, X = pale bluish, Z = pale greenish, absorption Z ≥ X. Birchite is brittle, has a conchoidal fracture and is nonfluorescent. Hardness (Mohs) is 3.5-4; the measured density is 3.61(4) g/cm3, and the calculated density is 3.647 g/cm3 (from the empirical formula). Average electron microprobe analysis (wt%): CdO 36.79, CuO 21.22, CaO 0.17, MnO 0.17, ZnO 1.07, P2O5 20.21, SO3 9.70, H2O (from crystal-structure analysis) 12.37, total 101.70. The empirical formula, calculated on the basis of 17 O atoms and with H2O calculated to give 5H2O is (Cu1.94,Zn0.10)Σ2.04(Cd2.09,Ca0.02,Mn0.02)Σ2.13P2.07S0.88O12·5H2O. The crystal structure has been refined to an R index of 4.3% for 846 observed reflections measured with MoKα X-radiation. Alternating [CdO4(H2O)2] octahedra and [CuO3(H2O)2] square-pyramids share edges to form chains that extend along the a axis, which are linked by (PO4) tetrahedra to form [CdCu(PO4)(H2O)2O] sheets in the (010) plane. Two such sheets are linked via (PO4) tetrahedra vertices to form a layer in the (010) plane. Two layers, which are related by mirror symmetry, are linked via (SO4) tetrahedra vertices to form a heteropolyhedral framework structure. Interstitial channels within the framework extend along both the a and c axes and are occupied by a H2O group. The mineral is named for William D. Birch, Senior Curator of Geosciences at Museum Victoria, Australia.

Tyzzeria parvula (Kotlan, 1933) Klimes, 1963 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) in the greylag goose (Anser anser Linnaeus, 1758) in southeastern Brazil

Tyzzeria parvula from the greylag goose (Anser anser) is described in Southeastern Brazil. Oocysts are spherical to subspherical ranging from 12.4-180 to 10.7-15.9 microm (15.4 X 13.4 microm), shape index 1.15, with a double layered wall 0.4 to 0.7 microm thick (n=20), outer smooth and colorless, inner pale greenish. Micropyle is absent, but oocyst residuum is present containing numerous granules and spherules. Surrounded by residuum there are eight sporozoites having one end round and other fine and slightly curved.

Synthesis, emission and spectro-electrochemical studies of bithienylnaphthalene systems

Four new bis(2-thienyl)naphthalene monomers were synthesized and their absorption, emission and redox properties were studied. Thus, 1,5-dimethoxy-2,6-bis(2-thienyl)naphthalene (2,6-BTDMN), 1,5-dimethoxy-4,8-bis(2-thienyl)-naphthalene (4,8-BTDMN), and 1,4,5,8-tetramethoxy-2,6-bis(2-thienyl)naphthalene (2,6-BTTMN) were synthesized by Stille coupling reaction between the respective dibromides and 2-(tributylstannyl)-thiophene while 2,6-bis(2-thienyl)-naphthalene (2,6-BTN, previously prepared from dibromo precursor) and 1,5-bis(2-thienyl)-naphthalene (1,5-BTN) were prepared similarly between the corresponding di-triflates and 2-(tributylstannyl)thiophene. Monomers 1,5-BTN and 4,8-BTDMN reveal only one peak in both absorption and emission spectra, while monomers 2,6-BTN, 2,6-BTDMN, and 2,6-BTTMN show multiple bands for absorption and a single doublet for emission. The oxidation potential values for the monomers range from 0.95 V, for monomer 1,5-BTN to 0.59 V, for monomer 2,6-BTTMN. Electropolymerized monomers, with the exception of 2,6-BTTMN, form good polymeric films on ITO coated glass substrate. They are pale greenish in color in their oxidized states and relatively transmissive and pale yellow in their reduced state. Spectro-optoelelectrochemistry revealed a band gap range of 2.4–2.9 eV. Iodine-doped polymer from chemically polymerized monomer 2,6-BTTMN has a conductivity of 5×10 −2 S/cm.

Interchange trisomics in pea.

Nine interchange trisomics were isolated in the progeny of interchange heterozygotes in M3 generation; frequency of trisomics was found to be genotype specific. Morphologically they might be called as pale greenish, elongated stipule, reduced internode, weak-slender with elongated stipule, slender with round stipule, reduced stipule and leaflets, dark green, elongated internode and small-thick-errect leaflets. At MI, characteristic configurations were 104+5II+1I (46.2% cells) and 1III+6II (31.1% cells). At Al, 7-8 disjunction was most frequent ranging from 34.6 to 78.7%. Seed yield was very poor; only 1 to 4 seeds per plant were harvested.