Sericea Var Research Articles

An ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants used by the Tibetan in the Rongjia River Valley, Tibet, China

BackgroundWild edible plants (WEPs) play a crucial role in communities with limited communication with the outside world, where unstable factors, such as poor food supply and insufficient access to timely nutritional supplementation, are common, as in the Himalayan region. To document the traditional knowledge of WEPs and explore their significance for communities with minimal global economic exchange, an ethnobotanical study was conducted in the town of Rongjia, which lies in a narrow valley near Mount Everest, Tibet, China.MethodsThis ethnobotanical study was conducted in three villages in the Rongjia River Valley between August 2021 and June 2023. Semi-structured interviews and participatory observations were used to collect information on WEPs. The fieldwork was performed with the assistance of local guides. Voucher specimens were collected from each documented plant species for taxonomic identification. We used the use report (UR) and relative frequency of citations (RFC) to evaluate the comprehensive utilization value of WEPs.ResultsWe interviewed 161 informants who provided us with 2499 use reports. We collected 50 WEPs belonging to 28 families and 42 genera used by the Tibetan people in the Rongjia River Valley. WEPs are used in vegetables, fruits, seasonings, healthcare foods, substitute grains, and beverages. Wild vegetables were the most commonly used, followed by wild fruits. Leaves were the most commonly consumed part of the plant. The three most important WEPs ordered by RFC values were Rosa sericea var. glandulosa Osmaston (RFC = 0.76), Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. (RFC = 0.75), and Urtica hyperborea Jacquem. ex Wedd. (RFC = 0.71). Other than that, we also document some of WEPs used in the past. Arisaema erubescens Schott, Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Makino, and Satyrium nepalense var. ciliatum (Lindl.) Hook. f. used to serve as important substitute grains, are no longer in use, however, they remain vivid in the memories of older people.ConclusionsWEPs included wild vegetables, fruits, seasonings, healthcare food, and substitute grains for Tibetan people in the Rongjia River Valley. Some WEPs have become important cultural symbols for older people, which can help in understanding the relationship between plants and local people in the past. In addition, WEPs can increase the resilience of local people living in remote areas when facing sudden destabilizing events in future. This is the significance of WEPs for communities with minimal global economic exchange. Therefore, we suggest that future studies focus more on WEPs in communities with limited communication with the world to improve their resilience.

Chemical Composition, in Vitro Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Different Parts Essential Oils of Neolitsea sericea var. aurata From Taiwan

This study examined the chemical composition and antimicrobial activities of essential oils isolated from the leaves, twigs, and fruits of Neolitsea sericea var. aurata from Taiwan. The major compounds responsible for antimicrobial activity were isolated and identified. The leaf, twig, and fruit essential oils were obtained through hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus and were characterized through gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection (GC/FID) and GC/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The major compounds were ( E)-β-ocimene (49.3%) and sericenine (31.6%) in the leaf oil; ( E)-β-ocimene (73.7%), α-cadinol (6.8%), and α-muurolol (4.0%) in the twig oil; and ( E)-β-ocimene (84.7%) in the fruit oil. The twig oil exhibited the strongest antibacterial and antifungal activities. We isolated α-cadinol and α-muurolol, the main components of NTO4 fraction, and used them in antimicrobial tests; the two compounds exhibited excellent antimicrobial activities. The twig essential oil contains α-cadinol and α-muurolol and exhibited excellent antimicrobial activities against food-borne pathogens; thus, they are worthy of further research and development.

Status, Distribution and Conservation of <i>Terminalia coronata</i> (Stapf) Gere & Boatwr. in India

Present study deals with distribution, status and conservation of Terminalia coronata (Stapf) Gere & Boatwr. (Syn. Anogeissus sericea var. nummularia King ex Duthie) in India. Terminalia coronata locally known as Indrok/Indroka, is a multipurpose endemic and threatened tree species of fragile and stressed ecosystems of arid and semi-arid regions of north-west India. It has been observed that Indroka mostly prefers to grow in a gregarious form making pure patches in sandy-loam to loamy sand soil of the depressed areas like Naadi (dug out village ponds), Johad (small earthen check dam), valleys or bottom of the hills. Regarding the presence of this tree in Naadi people of Sawant Kua village said the Indroka trees were planted in Naadis because of their fibrous and lateral root system that helps in soil and water conservation. It comes under Indeterminate (I) global threat status of the species as per IUCN (1997), CITES Appendices I and as 'Rare' by Nayar and Sastry (1998), Bhandari (1990), WCMC (1994), IUCN (2002) GEC, MSU and GUIDE (2002). As per IUCN Red List criteria, we have assessed it as Endangered (EN).

Bark spectral signatures of one-year-old twigs of different shrubs mainly depend on their biochemical traits

The interaction of bark with light depends on the optical properties of the bark, which are important for plant energy balance especially out of the vegetation season. Light reflected from bark also represents a kind of “bark spectral signature” that may be species-specific. This study examines some morphological, biochemical, and physiological traits that may affect the reflectance of the bark of 1-year-old twigs of different shrubs: Corylus avellana, Rosa canina, Ligustrum vulgare, Sambucus nigra, Cornus sericea var. flaviramea, and Viburnum lantana. High variability was seen across these species for morphological, biochemical, and physiological traits, except for photochemical efficiency of photosystem II. The bark spectral signatures differed significantly across these species. The reflectance peak for C. sericea var. flaviramea was in red, for C. avellana in green, and the other species showed a wide peak from green to red light. Redundancy analysis revealed that UV-B–absorbing substances and anthocyanin content, along with outer and inner bark thickness, together explained 61% of the reflectance spectra variability. Outer bark thickness was important for reflectance in UV, violet, and blue, while anthocyanins were important for reflectance in green and yellow. Chlorophyll b was negatively related to the reflectance of visible light. This study revealed great importance of biochemical traits for explaining bark reflectance. Differences in “bark spectral signatures” enable differentiation across species out of the vegetation season.

On the taxonomic identity and status of 'Silene sericea' var. 'balearica' (sect. 'Dipterosperma', Caryophyllaceae)

This paper presents a re-evaluation of the taxonomic relationships of Silene sericea var. balearica based on morphological features Critical examination of herbarium specimens (including type material) and living plants has shown that S. sericea var. balearica should be recognized at species level. Therefore, the new name, Silene migjornensis, is proposed to designate the endemic species growing on maritime sands in southern Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). This taxon is described, illustrated and compared with its morphologically closest relatives from Silene sect. Dipterosperma.

Relative contribution of reproductive attributes to the density-dependent effects on fruit-set.

Reproductive success of a plant species can be affected by the distribution pattern of its conspecifics in a small population. Besides the low mate availability, the dynamics of breeding system and pollination mechanism may also contribute to low fruit-set in such populations. We examined the relative contribution of these reproductive attributes on fruit-set across the contrasting distribution pattern (denser vs. sparser plots) in two isolated natural populations of a near-threatened tree species, Anogeissus sericea var. nummularia. Although flowers in the species are of generalist type, the narrow stigmatic surface appears to impose a requirement for a specialist pollinator. Pollination in the tree species is mediated only by the flies. The trees exhibit partial selfing and suffer from strong inbreeding depression at the early life-history stages of the selfed progeny. We recorded significant difference between the denser and sparser plots in terms of inflorescence visits per tree, and the number of trees covered in a bout by the pollinators. Moreover, tree density showed a strong positive correlation with fruit-set. Besides the requirement of having proximity among the conspecifics to facilitate pollinator movement, pollen quality also seemed to be a crucial attribute in the reproductive success of the tree species. It is inferred that the mating pattern and fecundity of plants in small and isolated populations are significantly influenced by the extent of sexual incompatibility and magnitude of their dependence on pollinators.

Morphometric and karyological study of Genista sericea (Cytiseae-Fabaceae)

A morphometric and karyological study of several populations of Genista sericea, a northern Illyrian amphiadriatic species, with a disjunct distributional area centered on Pollino Massif (southern Italy), has been undertaken, based on herbarium specimens and field research. Morphometric analysis allowed to individuate three distinct groups of populations which are here attributed to three taxa at subspecific level. One of them is here newly described: G. sericea subsp. pollinensis, endemic to northern Calabria in Pollino and neighbouring areas of Basilicata. The taxonomic status of G. sericea var. rigida was re-evaluated and a name of a new rank is proposed: G. sericea subsp. rigida (occurring in southern Illyria), while subsp. sericea is a southeastern Alpine northern Illyrian taxon. The names G. sericea and G. sericea var. rigida are lectotypified. Karyologically, all the taxa are characterized by the same somatic number 2n = 48, sometimes with B chromosomes (up to four).

Isolation of genomic DNA suitable for community analysis from mature trees adapted to arid environment

Isolation of intact and pure genomic DNA (gDNA) is essential for many molecular biology applications. It is difficult to isolate pure DNA from mature trees of hot and dry desert regions because of the accumulation of high level of polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, tannins etc. We hereby report the standardized protocol for the isolation and purification of gDNA from seven ecologically and medically important tree species of Combretaceae viz. Anogeissus ( Anogeissus sericea var. nummularia, Anogeissus pendula, and Anogeissus latifolia) and Terminalia ( Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia catappa and Terminalia chebula). This method involves (i) washing the sample twice with Triton buffer (2%) then (ii) isolation of gDNA by modified-CTAB (cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide) method employing a high concentration (4%) of PVP (Polyvinylpyrrolidone) and 50 mM ascorbic acid, and (iii) purification of this CTAB-isolated gDNA by spin-column. gDNA isolated by modified CTAB or spin-column alone were not found suitable for PCR amplification. The Triton washing step is also critical. The quality of DNA was determined by the A 260/ A 280 absorbance ratio. gDNA was also observed for its intactness by running on 0.8% agarose gel. The suitability of extracted DNA for PCR was tested by amplification with RAPD primers, which was successful. Further, rbcLa (barcoding gene) was amplified and sequenced to check the quality of extracted gDNA for its downstream applications.

A systematic study of Rosa sericea (Rosaceae) complex: Are R. omeiensis and R. sericea conspecific?

The Rosa sericea complex contains R. omeiensis, R. sericea and R. mairei. They are morphologically similar to one another and the systematic status of R. omeiensis has been controversial. In this study we examined ca. 2000 herbarium specimens of the three taxa in major herbaria in China and conducted field observations in Sichuan and Yunnan. We also performed SEM study of pollen morphology and seed coat structure. We further carried out intensive morphometric study on the leaflet, pollen, and seed morphology. Our results showed that R. mairei can safely be distinguished from other two, while there are no obvious discontinuities in pollen morphology, seed coat structure and plant morphology in general for R. omeiensis and R. sericea. Nevertheless, in most cases R. omeiensis and R. sericea can be distinguished from each other to some extent. They also have different geographical distributions. Therefore we here sink R. omeiensis to be a variety of R. sericea. Six forms related with these two taxa are synonymized. The four synonyms of R. sericea var. sericea include R. omeiensis f. glandulosa T. T. Yu & T. C. Ku, R. omeiensis f. pteracantha Rehder & E. H. Wilson, R. sericea f. glabrescens Franchet, and R. sericea f. pteracantha Franchet, while two synonyms of R. sericea var. omeiensis include R. omeiensis f. paucijuga T. T. Yu & T. C. Ku and R. sericea f. glandulosa T. T. Yu & T. C. Ku. Detailed morphological descriptions and geographical distributions of the three taxa are given.

Investigation of Flavonoid Glycosides from Neolitsea Sericea var. Aurata via the General Method and HPLC‐SPE‐NMR

AbstractSix flavonoid rhamnosides (1‐2, 4‐7) were separated from the water‐soluble non‐alkaloidal portion of the EtOH extract of the leaves of Neolitsea sericea var. aurata using various chromatographic techniques including Sephadex LH‐20, centrifugal partition chromatography, and RP‐18 Lobar. One additional compound (3) besides these six was identified by application of HPLC‐SPE‐NMR in a flavonoid rich fraction. The latter approach consumed only 1.5 mg of samples, theoretically equivalent to 0.2 g of dry leaves. This study demonstrates that HPLC‐SPE‐NMR has great advantage over the general methods on the aspects of manpower, research time, amounts of plant materials, and consumables in separation and characterization of natural products.

A taxonomic revision of Hemigenia section Malleantha sect. nov. (Lamiaceae: Westringieae)

A new section of Hemigenia, Hemigenia sect. Malleantha G.R.Guerin sect. nov., is split from the typical section of Hemigenia, as its members do not belong with the type species of the genus (and therefore of the typical section), H. purpurea R.Br. A taxonomic revision of Hemigenia sect. Malleantha is presented which recognises 27 species, including the following 13 new species: H. appressa G.R.Guerin, H. benthamii G.R.Guerin, H. botryphylla G.R.Guerin, H. bracteosa G.R.Guerin, H. buccinata G.R.Guerin, H. ciliata G.R.Guerin, H. dulca G.R.Guerin, H. pachyphylla G.R.Guerin, H. royceana G.R.Guerin, H. tenelliflora G.R.Guerin, H. tomentosa G.R.Guerin, H. virescens G.R.Guerin and H. wandooana G.R.Guerin. Hemigenia parviflora Bartl. is reinstated from synonymy under H. sericea var. parviflora (Bartl.) Benth. Hemigenia eutaxioides C.R.P.Andrews is synonymised with H. teretiuscula F.Muell. and H. sericea var. lanosa F.Muell. ex Benth. is synonymised with H. argentea Bartl.

Characterization of Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Neolitsea sericea var. aurata by HPLC-SPE-NMR

Application of the HPLC-SPE-NMR technique to identify the alkaloids in an EtOH extract of the leaves of Neolitsea sericea var. aurata led to the characterization of 14 alkaloids while consuming plant material equivalent to 1.1 g. Of these, seven are N-oxides, four of which are new, namely, 9S,17S-pallidine Nalpha-oxide (6), 1S,2S-reticuline Nalpha-oxide (8), 6R,6aS-boldine Nbeta-oxide (9), and 6S,6aS-N-methyllaurotetanine Nalpha-oxide (13). Their structures were also confirmed by partial synthesis.

Predator or disperser? A test of indigenous fruit preference of alien rats (Rattus rattus) on Nishi-jima (Ogasawara Islands)

The Black Rat Rattus rattus has invaded many of the Ogasawara Islands, including Nishi-jima. To evaluate the effects of this alien rat on fruits in Nishi-jima, I set out 1 772 fruits of five indigenous tree species and tracked them for two months by locating attached long-labelled lines. The rats consumed more than 95% of the small Neolitsea sericea var. aurata and Livistona boninensis fruits. For larger fruits, rats consumed 48.3% of Pandanus boninensis, 11.2% of Terminalia catappa, and 64.4% of Ochrosia nakaiana. Larger fruits were carried further than small fruits, however, the ratio of survival to frugivory decreased with increasing distance carried in all species. The role of Rattus rattus as seed disperser is limited, and its fruglvory impact is more serious for trees producing small fruits.

Clonal Propagation of Anogeissus sericea var. nummularia- A Rare Tree of Arid Forestry

Season for collection of the explant, nature of the explant, different antioxidants [ascorbic acid (AA) and citric acid (CA), activated charcoal (AC)] and additives [L-arginine (Arg) and adenine sulphate (AS)] profoundly influenced in vitro propagation of 25-30 year-old selected trees of Anogeissus sericea var. nummularia King ex. Duthie (Combrettaceae). Axillary shoots developed from nodal cuttings having 3 or 4 axillary buds on Murashige and Skoogs's (MS) (1962) medium containing 0.56 μM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 11.0 μM benzylaminopurine (BA) along with 50 mg l_1AA, 25 mg l_1AS, 25 mg l_1Arg, 25 mg l_1 CA and 0.1% (w/v) AC. Increase in the number of shoots from the nodes was achieved by repeated transfer of the explants onto fresh initiation medium devoid of AC. Multiplication of shoots were done by subculturing shoots which has two or three nodes after removing their shoot apices onto MS medium containing 0.56 μM IAA, 6.6 μM BA, 50 mg l_1AA, 25 mg l_1AS, 25 mg l_1Arg and 25 mg l_1 CA. High frequency rooting (97%) was obtained by pulse treating the isolated shoots with 98.0 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for 6 hours in half-strength liquid MS medium and then transferring these shoots onto half-strength hormone free semisolid MS medium. The plantlets were hardened and acclimatized by transferring to autoclaved soilrite moistened with one-fourth strength liquid MS mineral salts in glass bottles and then to soil mixture containing sandy soil, black soil and pond soil (1:1:1 v/v). One thousand plants were hardened and transplanted to their natural habitats. All the plants transferred to field survived.

Cytological investigations in a synaptic variant of Anogeissus sericea var. sericea Brandis (Combretaceae), an important hardwood tree of Rajasthan

Studies of male meiosis in two varieties of Anogeissus sericea have led to the identification of a desynaptic variant tree of A. sericea var. sericea in the hills of Mt Abu in Rajasthan Province, India. The desynaptic variant exhibited a regular occurrence of univalents as opposed to bivalents in all the PMCs analysed, a convincing indication of failure of synapsis between homologous pairs of chromosomes. The number of bivalents influenced the orientation of the univalents at metaphase I and their regular disjunction at later stages. As well as the role of various causative factors such as temperature, humidity, nutrients, etc. leading to partial failure of synapsis (desynapsis), the possibility of adopting synaptic failure as a means of obtaining novel genetic variations of this economically important variety is discussed in detail. © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2003, 142, 103–109.

Micropropagation ofAnogeissus rotundifoliaBlatt, and Hallb.-An Endemic and Rare Tree of the Thar Desert

Abstract Multiple shoots and plantlets were developed in vitro from cotyledonary nodal segments of in vitro raised seedlings of Anogeissus rotundifolia (syn. A. sericea var. nummularia)-a rare and endemic tree species of the Thar Desert. About 15-20 shoots differentiated from a single cotyledonary node within four weeks on Mu-rashige and Skoog's (MS) basal medium containing 0.1 mg l−1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) + 2.0 mg l−1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) + additives (25 mg l−1 each of adenine sulphate, L-arginine, and citric acid, and 50 mg l−1 of ascorbic acid) at 26 ± 2°C temperature and 36 μmol m−2 s−1 photon flux density with a 12 h/day photoperiod. The shoots produced in vitro were further multiplied by subculturing on fresh medium. The original cotyledonary nodal segment was repeatedly transferred (5 to 6 times) onto fresh medium containing 1.0 mg l −1 BAP + 0.1 mg I −1 IAA + additives to yield fresh crops of multiple shoots. These shoots were rooted on half-strength MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg l−...

The Australian species of Sesbania Scopoli (Leguminosae)

The Australian representatives of Sesbania Scopoli nom. cons. are revised. Ten species are recognized, of which three are known in varietal form as well as in the type form. With the exception of S. cannabina, S. javanica, and S. sesban, which are widespread in Malaysia, all are endemics restricted to the tropical zone and adjacent parts of the northern Eremaea of Australia. The distribution patterns show that the majority of species are associated either with the drainage systems of the Ord, Fitzroy, and Victoria Rivers in the west or with the region draining into the Gulf of Carpentaria. The view is expressed that this is the result of discontinuity during an arid climatic phase. The nomenclatural results are as follows: S. grandiflora sensu Benth. = S. Formosa comb. nov. ; S. sericea sensu Domin = S. cannabina (Retz.) Poir. ; S. aculeata var. parviflora Benth. = S. brachycarpa F. Muell.; S. benthamiana var. orthocarpa Domin sens. str. = S. benthamiana Domin; S. benthamiana var. campylocarpa Domin = S. campylocarpa stat. nov.; S. benthamiana var. erubescens (Benth.) Domin = S. Erubescens stat. nov. One new species, S. chippendalei, is described; S. sericea var. inermis Domin sens. str. is referred to S. cannabina var. sericea; and S. simpliciuscula F. Muell. ex Benth. is recognized in the type variety and also under var.fitzroyensis. A few specimens are tentatively referred to S. sesban (L.) Merrill. A number of specimens are placed under S. javanica Miq., including some of the material referred to S. benthamiana var. orthocarpa by Domin.