South African Journal Of Botany Research Articles

Corrigendum to An in vitro study on the potential of selected South African plant extracts to prevent and treat bovine mastitis, South African Journal of Botany 154 (2023) pp. 98-107

Corrigendum to An in vitro study on the potential of selected South African plant extracts to prevent and treat bovine mastitis, South African Journal of Botany 154 (2023) pp. 98-107

Erratum to ‘Role of endophytic bacteria in salinity stress amelioration by physiological and molecular mechanisms of defense: A comprehensive review’ South African Journal of Botany, Volume 151, December 2022, Pages 33-46

Erratum to ‘Role of endophytic bacteria in salinity stress amelioration by physiological and molecular mechanisms of defense: A comprehensive review’ South African Journal of Botany, Volume 151, December 2022, Pages 33-46

Corrigendum to ‘Comparative evaluation on chemical composition, in vitro antioxidant, antidiabetic and antibacterial activities of various solvent extracts of Dregea volubilis leaves’ South African Journal of Botany, Volume 138, May 2021, Pages 115-123

Corrigendum to ‘Comparative evaluation on chemical composition, in vitro antioxidant, antidiabetic and antibacterial activities of various solvent extracts of Dregea volubilis leaves’ South African Journal of Botany, Volume 138, May 2021, Pages 115-123

Orchids - discoverers and firsts

When Dr. Paromik Bhattacharyya first asked me to write for this special issue of the South African Journal of Botany, I refused for several good reasons: Retired for 20 years, not having done research for 21 years, 89 1/2 years old, no longer reading as extensively as before my retirement, recovering from surgeries, trying to manage health problems, which even if not severe are vexing, and being lazy. However, Dr. Bhattacharyya would not take no for an answer. After exchanging several (too many) emails I agreed to think about it. I did think and decided that since this issue deals with orchid biotechnology it may be a good idea to clear the air.By “stealing” from my previous/other writings, using my extensive library, accessing literature on line, and utilizing knowledge accumulated since about 1956, I decided to write an article, which establishes beyond any doubt who were first to make several orchid discoveries, formulate a number of procedures and develop some methods. At my age, I have the necessary perspective and knowledge. And, most importantly, antagonizing people (so, what is new?) and making enemies (again, what is new?) will not be damaging.I decided to write about who:•Was the first to recognize orchid seeds as such and describe and illustrate them? There are no arguments or claims and counterclaims about it, but the information is buried in old, rare and not very well-known books in languages other than English.•Invented mass rapid clonal propagation of orchids and how to free plants from virus infections. Believe or not these two are tied to each other, there are unjustified claims of priority, and a widely admired “sole discoverer” did not discover them.•Used serology (now an outdated method) first to detect an orchid virus. There was an unwarranted claim at one time.•Inserted genes into orchids first. It becomes clear if one reads the literature, but what if another claim was repeated several times in writing and talks?•First studied control of flowering in mature orchid plants. There are no claims and counterclaims, but the information is not easy to find.•Managed to induce plantlets or seedlings in vitro to flower. The truth may have been late to come out due to political upheavals.

Insecticidal potentials of dry powder and solvent extracts of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray flower against rice meal moth, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton)

Insecticidal potentials of dry powder and solvent extracts of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray flower against rice meal moth, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton)

Evaluation of 100 most cited research articles on African medicinal plants

The mission for drug discovery and progress has prompt researchers to scientifically validate the therapeutic uses of medicinal plants available worldwide, of which, African medicinal plants serve as a great reservoir. Despite the extensive work in the field of medicinal plants of African origin, however, bibliometric report on the work conducted on African medicinal plants is scarce, and hence, the present study aimed at evaluating the top 100 most cited articles on medicinal plant wealth of Africa. The literature data used for the bibliometric analysis was explored from Web of Science (WoS) while RStudio and VOSviewer software were used for data analysis and collaboration network visualization, respectively. The most prolific authors were Van Staden J, Jager AK, Teklehaymanot T whereas, the top 3 journals were Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, and South African Journal of Botany. Most cited journals were Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry, Phytotherapy Research. The topmost institutions in terms of the number of articles were the University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Addis Ababa and Pretoria. South Africa was the most cited country followed by Nigeria. Single country publications dominated the field and therefore, multiple country collaboration should be a focus of social networks among the researchers in the field.

Morphological and Microscopical Characteristics of Oxalis corniculata L.

Morphological and microscopical characteristics of “Chua me dat hoa vang” collected in Ha Tinh province were studied. Results have identified the scientific name of the plant as Oxalis corniculata L. (family Oxalidaceae). Besides, the morphological characteristics and powder microscopy of leaf and stem of Oxalis corniculata L. species were established. Morphological characteristics of leaf and stem are pale yellow corolla, slightly pointed bracts and cube calcium oxalate crystals scattered in the soft tissue of the leaf. characteristics of herbal powder are twisted vascular grafts, hairs unicellular.
 Keywords
 Oxalis corniculata, Oxalis corniculata L., Oxalis, Oxalidaceae, morphological characteristics, microscopical characteristics.
 References
 [1] D.H. Bich, D.Q. Chung, B.X. Chuong, N.T. Dong, D.T. Dam, P.V. Hien, V.N. Lo, P.D. Mai, P.K. Man, D.T. Nhu, N. Tap, T. Toan, Medicinal plants and animals in Vietnam, Volume I, Science and Technology Publishing House, Hanoi, 2004. (in Vietnamese)[2] M. Ibrahim, I. Hussain, M. Imran, N. Hussain, A. Hussain, T. Mahboob, Corniculatin A, a new flavonoidal glucoside from Oxalis corniculata, Revista Brasileira de Farmacognosia 23(4) (2013) 630-634. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102- https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102695X2013005000059.[3] K.C. Oberlander, E. Emshwiller, D.U. Bellstedt, L.L. Dreyer, A model of bulb evolution in the eudicot genus Oxalis (Oxalidaceae), Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 51(1) (2009) 54–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2008.11.022.[4] J. Zietsman, L.L. Dreyer, B. Jansen, V. Vuuren, Genetic differentiation in Oxalis (Oxalidaceae): A tale of rarity and abundance in the Cape Floristic Region, South African Journal of Botany, 75(1) (2009) 27–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2008.06.003[5] L.D. Bich, Good folk remedies, Ethnic Culture Publishing House, Hanoi, 2000 (in Vietnamese).[6] L.D. Bich, T.V. On, Botany, Medical Publishing House, Hanoi, 2007 (in Vietnamese).[7] D.T. Loi, Vietnamese medicinal plants and herbs, Medical Publishing House, Hanoi, 2005 (in Vietnamese).[8] N.V. Than, Laboratory of Medicinal Materials by microscopic method, Science and Technology Publishing House, Hanoi, 2003 (in Vietnamese).
 
 

Screenning Bioactive Compounds from Allium sativum as HER2 Inhibitors Targeting Breast Cancer by Docking Methods

Screenning Bioactive Compounds from Allium sativum as HER2 Inhibitors Targeting Breast Cancer by Docking Methods

Water use efficiency and nutrient uptake of rice under soil water stress condition

One obstacle that can limit the growth and production of rice is low water availability. Therefore, a comprehensive study of the response of rice plants to drought is very important. The study was conducted in the greenhouse of the Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Agriculture, Diponegoro University, from April to August 2016. The study used a 3 x 3 factorial design with 3 replications. The first factor is three types of rice (Sidenuk, Way Apo Buru, Pepe) and the second factor is water stress treatment (KA <field capacity = enough water, field capacity (KL), water saturation (JA). The observed parameters are protein content, leaf levels rolling (number of leaves rolled), relative water content (RWC), water use efficiency (WUE), N, P, K uptake, rice protein content decreases with increasing water supply. The relative water content of rice plants decreases with increasing stress water that occurs in the limited water supply for the three types of rice Sidenuk rice has the lowest N seed content (2.1%) compared to Way Apo (3.0%) and Pepe (3.1%). The mineral content of P in both biomass and seeds is not really influenced by water stress, as well as K content of seeds. REFERENCES Badan Pusat Statistik. 2018. https://www.bps.go.id/dynamictable/2019/04/15/1608/luas-panen-produksi-dan-produktivitas-padi-menurut-provinsi-2018.html Darwesh, R, S,S. 2013. Improving growth of date palm plantlets grown undersalt stress with yeast and amino acids applications Annals of Agricultural Science (2013) 58(2), 247–256 Etienne P.I.D, S. Diquelou , M. Prudent, C. Salon., A. Maillard, and A.Ourry. 2018. Macro and Micronutrient Storage in Plants and Their Remobilization When Facing Scarcity: The Case of Drought. Agriculture 2018, 8, 14; 2-17. doi:10.3390/agriculture8010014 Farooq, M., S.M.A.Basra, A. Wahid, Z.A.Cheema, M.A.Cheema, A.Khaliq. 2008. The physiological role of exogenously applied glycine betaine in improving drought tolerance of fine grain aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.).Journal of Agronomy & Crop Science, 194: 325-333. Fitter, A.H.dan R.K.M. Hay. 1991. Fisiologi lingkungan tanaman. Gadjah Mada University Press, Yogyakarta Gholinezhad, E., A.Ayanaband, A. H. Ghorthapeh, G.Noormohamadi, I.Bernousi.2009. Study of the Effect of Drought Stress on Yield, Yield Components, and Harvest Index of Sunflower Hybrid Iroflor at Different Levels of Nitrogen and Plant Population. Not. Bot. Hort. Agrobot. Cluj 37 (2) 2009, 85-94 Kivuva, B.M. , S.M. Githiri, G. C. Yencho, J.Sibiya.2015. Screening sweet potato genotypes for tolerance to drought stress. Field Crops Research 171 (2015) 11–22 Jaleel CA, Manivannan P, Wahid A, Farooq M, Al-Juburi H J, Somasundaram R, Panneerselvam R. 2009. Drought stress in plants: A review of morphological characteristics and pigment composition. Int J Agric Biol, 11: 100–105. Nazar, R., S. Umar, N.A. Khan, O. Sareer. 2015. Salicylic acid supplementation improves photosynthesis and growth in mustard through changes in proline accumulation and ethylene formation under drought stress. South African Journal of Botany 98 (2015) 84–94. Nio, S.A. dan A.A. Lenak. 2014. Penggulungan daun pada tanaman monokotil saat kekurangan air. Journal Bio Logos, Agustus 2014, Vol.2, No 4: 48-55. Nuryani, S.H.U., Haji,M., Widya, N. Y., 2010. Serapan hara N,P,K pada tanaman padi dengan lama penggunaan pupuk organic pada vertisol Sragen. Jurnal Ilmu Tanah dan Lingkungan vul 10 No 1 : 1-13 Oh, M.W., and S. Komatsu. 2015. Characterization of proteins in soybean roots under flooding and drought stresses. Journal of Proteomics. 114 (2015): 161-181. Pandey, V., and A.Shukla.2015.Acclimation and Tolerance Strategies of Rice under Drought Stress. Rice Science, 2015, 22(4): 147-.161. Penny-packer, B. W., K. T. Leath., W. L. Stout, and R. R. Hill. 1990. Technique for stimulating field drought stress in the greenhouse. Agr. J. 82 (5): 951–957. Purbajanti, E.D., F. Kusmiyati, and E. Fuskhah. 2017. Growth, Yield, and Physiological Characters of Three Types of Indonesian Rice Under Limited Water Supply. Asian J. Plant Sci., 16 (2): 101-108, 2017. Shi, G., S. Xia., J. Ye, Y. Huang, C. Liu, Z. Zhang .2015. PEG-simulated drought stress decreases cadmium accumulation in castor bean by altering root morphology. Environmental and Experimental Botany 111 (2015) 127–134. Shao H B, L.Y.Chu, M.A. Shao, C.A.Jaleel, H.M. Mi. 2008. Higher plant antioxidants and redox signaling under environmental stresses. Comp Rend Biol, 331: 433–441. Steel, R.G.D., and J.H. Torrie, 1960. Principles and Procedures of Statistics. McGraw-Hill, New York, USA. Suryanti, S., D. Indradewa, P. Sudira, J. Widada. 2015. Water Use, Water Use Efficiency, and Drought Tolerance of Soybean Cultivars. AGRITECH, Vol. 35, No. 1, February 2015: 114-120. Wu,X. and W. Bao. 2011. Leaf Growth, Gas Exchange and Chlorophyll FluorescenceParameters in Response to Different Water Deficits in Wheat Cultivars. Plant Prod. Sci. 14(3): 254―259 (2011) Zhang, X., X. Chen, Z. Wu, X. Zhang, C. Huang and M. Cao, 2005. A dwarf wheat mutant is associated with increased drought resistance and altered responses to gravity. Afr. J. Biotechnol., 4: 1054-1057. Zou L., X.Sun, Z. Zhan, P. Li, J. Wu, Tian Cai-juan, Qiu Jin-long, Lu Tie-gang (2011) Leaf rolling controlled by the homeodomain leucine zipper class IV gene Roc5 in rice. Plant Physiology 156:1589– 1602

Comparative Analysis of Different DNA Extraction Methods and Preliminary Analysis of Genetic Diversity of Hedera nepalensis K. Koch. in Vietnam Based on GBSSI Marker

Though the ivy (Hedera nepalensis K. Koch.) has long been utilized in traditional medicine, its genome information is very limited. For plants, an effective method of DNA extraction is a very important step which greatly affects subsequent genetic analyses. In this study, four different methods of DNA extraction from dry leaves were used. A comparison of different protocols resulted in the yield of extracted DNA that ranged from 10.5 to 437.4 ng/μl and with a purity ranged from 1.8 to 2.2. Based on the PCR results of GBSSI gene, Gene JET Plant Genomic DNA Purification Mini Kit is the most optimal extraction method for Vietnam ivy’s dry leaves. A preliminary analysis of the phylogenetic tree based on the GBSSI marker showed that ivy growing in a number of northern mountainous provinces of Vietnam belonged to the H. nepalensis K. Koch species. The high - quality total DNA will allow us to amplify different DNA markers, providing valuable genetic information to preserve and develop medicinal resources in Vietnam.
 Keywords
 GBSSI, Hedera nepalensis K. Koch, DNA extraction.
 References
 [1] J. Ackerfield, J. Wen, A morphometric analysis of Hedera L. (the ivy genus, Araliaceae) and its taxonomic implications, Adansonia Sér. 24 (2002) 187-212.[2] U.S. National Plant Germplasm System, Taxon: Hedera nepalensis K. Koch, https://npgsweb.ars -grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id= 18567, 2019 (accessed 21 March 2019). [3] L. Jafri, S. Saleem, T.P. Kondrytuk, I.Q. Haq, N. Ullah, J.M. Pezzuto, B. Mirza, Hedera nepalensis K. Koch: A Novel Source of Natural Cancer Chemopreventive and Anticancerous Compounds, Phytotherapy Reserch. 30 (2016) 447-453.[4] S. Saleem, L. Jafri, I. Haq, L.C. Chang, D. Calderwood, B.D. Green, B. Mirza, Plants Fagonia cretica L. and Hedera nepalensis K. Koch contain natural compounds with potent dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitory activity, Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 156 (2014) 26-32.[5] W.J. Hashmi, H. Ismail, F. Mehmood, B. Mirza, Neuroprotective, antidiabetic and antioxidant effect of Hedera nepalensis and lupeol against STZ+ AlCl3 induced rats model, DARU: Journal of faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. 26 (2018) 179-190.[6] H. Ismail, A. Rasheed, I.U. Haq, L. Jafri, N. Ullah, E. Dilshad, M. Sajd, B. Mirza, Five indigenous plants of Pakistan with Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, and anticoagulant properties in Sprague Dawley rats, Evidence-based Complementary and alternative medicine 2017 (2017) 1-10.[7] A. Mitchell, J. Wen. Phylogenetic utility and evidence for multiple copies of granule-bound starch synthase I (GBSSI) in Araliaceae, Taxon 53 (2004) 29-44.[8] M.A. Saghai-Maroof, K.M. Soliman, R.A. Jorgensen, R.W.L. Allard, Ribosomal DNA spacer-length polymorphisms in barley: Mendelian inheritance, chromosomal location, and population dynamics, Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA. 81 (1984) 8014-8018.[9] M. Elias, G.S. Mühlen, D. McKey, A.C. Roa, J. Tohme, Genetic diversity of traditional South American landraces of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz): an analysis using microsatellites, Economic Botany. 58 (2004) 242-256.[10] B.D. Lade, A.S. Patil, H.M. Paikrao, Efficient genomic DNA extraction protocol from medicinal rich Passiflora foetida containing high level of polysaccharide and polyphenol, Springerplus. 3 (2014) 1-7.[11] J.H. Cota-Sánchez, K. Remarchuk, K. Ubayasena, Ready-to-use DNA extracted with a CTAB method adapted for herbarium specimens and mucilaginous plant tissue, Plant Molecular Biology Reporter. 24 (2006) 161.[12] J. Zhang, J.M. Stewart, Economical and rapid method for extracting cotton genomic DNA, Journal of Cotton Science. 4 (2000) 193-201.[13] T. Li, H. Pan, Y. Feng, H. Li, Y. Zhao, Bioactivity-guided isolation of anticancer constituents from Hedera nepalensis K. Koch, South African Journal of Botany. 100 (2015) 87-93.[14] L. Jafri, S. Saleem, N. Ullah, B. Mirza, In vitro assessment of antioxidant potential and determination of polyphenolic compounds of Hedera nepalensis K. Koch, Arabian Journal of Chemistry. 10 (2017) S3699-S3706.[15] B. Ahmad, N. Munir, S. Bashir, S. Azam, I. Khan, M. Ayub, Biological screening of Hedera nepalensis, Journal of Medicinal Plants Research. 6 (2012) 5250-5257.[16] K.H.E. Koch, Hortus Dendrologicus, F. Schneider & Co., Berlin, 1985, pp 250.[17] A. Rehder, New species, varieties and combinations from the herbarim and the collections of the Arnold arboretum, Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. 4 (1923) 250.

The role of the South African Journal of Botany as a vehicle to promote medicinal plant research– A bibliometric appraisal

South Africa's unique flora and extensive use of African traditional medicines has created a unique research opportunity on medicinal plants for local and international scientists. In this paper, submitted to a special issue of South African Journal of Botany(SAJB) dedicated to “sub-Saharan Ethnobotany”, we aim to explore the research landscape on medicinal plant research as published in SAJB. A bibliometric assessment (1982–2017) showed that medicinal plant research represents 24% of the published volume in SAJB and that contributions on this topic are increasing exponentially. Although most papers are broad-basedinvitro screening studies, the range of topics covered is impressive. Antimicrobial (41%) and anti-oxidant (21%) studies dominate the research space with fewer studies focusing on diseases highly relevant to the African continent, e.g. malaria (3%) and tuberculosis (2%). Although the SAJB has contributed greatly to disseminating knowledge on important species (e.g. Aspalathus and Cyclopia) several taxa of potential economic relevance remain poorly investigated (e.g. Adansonia, Bulbine etc.). The citation footprint and authorship networks which have been established attest the pivotal role the SAJB has played to build research capacity and create awareness in this important field of research.

Recent literature on lichens—240

Recent literature on lichens—240

Ecotones – where biomes meet

news and update ISSN 1948-6596 commentary Ecotones – where biomes meet The classification of biomes (or vegetation types) represents one of the most basic summaries of ecological units and provides part of the basis of biogeography. The first systematic continen- tal biome map was a map of Africa produced by Schantz in 1923 (Kuchler 1960). Since then, bi- ome mapping has continually developed to in- form biodiversity sciences. Initially such devel- opments were mainly in the form of expert mapping, where vegetation scientists with good knowledge of the area being mapped, and often drawing on actual plant community data, drew the boundaries of biomes (Kent 2012). More recently, ever more reliance has been put on remote-sensing data, where algo- rithms are used to interpret satellite imagery to classify biome distributions (and other land use types; Xie et al. 2008). With the concomitant development of other large-scale spatial datasets, such as of climate and soil, there has been an increased interest in the drivers of biome distribution, or elements of vegetation such as woody cover, at macroecological scales (e.g., Stephenson 1990, Greve et al. 2011, Campo-Bescos et al. 2013). Understanding what drives biome distribution is especially important in the face of global change, in response to which the distribution of biomes may be expected to shift. It has been suggested that if such shifts are to take place, the transition zones between vegetation types, i.e. the ecotones, would be most suitable for monitoring such changes (e.g., Berner et al. 2013; though see Kupfer and Cairns 1996). Eco- tones are often also areas of high richness as they may harbour species from different bi- omes (e.g., van Rensburg et al. 2009), and may be important areas of gene flow and hybridiza- tion (Kark and van Rensburg 2006). Against this background of the im- portance of ecotones, and a lack of attention historically afforded them (Kark and van Rens- burg 2006), it is exciting that the South African Journal of Botany will shortly be releasing a special issue dealing with “biome boundaries” in the South African context (Potts et al. 2015a). South Africa harbours a particularly high diversity of biomes (Mucina and Ruther- ford 2006), with some regions of high biome turnover across relatively small geographic dis- tances (Fig. 1). This, together with the rich his- tory for biome research in the country (Potts et al. 2015a), makes the region a natural labora- tory to understand ecotones and their drivers. The special issue presents work conduct- ed at a range of spatial scales (Potts et al. 2015a), ranging from transplant experiments across biome boundaries (Esler et al. 2015) to works conducted across all biomes in the coun- try. One of the country-scale studies examines the use and limitations of dynamic vegetation models in understanding the shifts of biome boundaries in response to climate change (Moncrieff et al. 2015), while another examines the extent to which ecotones can be also used to differentiate between alien plant composi- tion (Rouget et al. 2015). Other studies look at the role of soils in determining biome distribution (reviewed in Potts et al. 2015a). One of these used soil car- bon isotope analyses to ask whether soil type might drive biome boundaries in a grassland- forest mosaic (Gray and Bond 2015). By exam- ining the depth profile of carbon isotopes they concluded the opposite: that biome affects soil carbon. In the fire-prone grasslands, fires de- plete nutrients, while nutrient build-up hap- pens in forests, which are protected from fires. In this system, disturbances, rather than the abiotic environment, drive the position of eco- tones. A number of papers in the special issue look at changes in vegetation structure and boundaries through time using repeat aerial and ground-based photography (reviewed in Potts et al. 2015a). These studies, which could illustrate how shifts in biome boundaries occur (e.g., Masubelele et al. 2015), illustrate the im- frontiers of biogeography 7.3, 2015 — © 2015 the authors; journal compilation © 2015 The International Biogeography Society

Kappia lobulata (Apocynaceae, Periplocoideae), a new genus from South Africa

Abstract Kappia , a new genus from the Fish River Valley in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa is presented. At first described as Raphionacme lobulata Venter and R.L.Verh. [Venter, H.J.T., Verhoeven, R.L. 1988. Raphionacme lobulata (Periplocaceae), a new species from the eastern Cape Province, South Africa. South African Journal of Botany 54, 603–606.] based on a single specimen collected in 1936, recently discovered plants of this species proved it to be a new genus. In habit Kappia resembles Baseonema Schltr. and Rendle, Batesanthus N.E.Br., Mondia Skeels and Stomatostemma N.E.Br. However, as far as floral structure is concerned, Kappia reveals more affinity with Raphionacme Harv. DNA sequence data show Kappia to be distinct from Batesanthus , Mondia and Raphionacme Harv. and weakly supported as a sister to Stomatostemma.

Recent Literature on Lichens—190*

AFOLAYAN, A. J., D. S. GRIERSON, L. KAMBIZI, I. MADAMOMBE & P. J. MASIKA. 2002. In vitro antifungal activity of some South African medicinal plants. South African Journal of Botany 68: 72–76. 2 tab. [Includes testing of extract from Usnea barbata, which showed the second highest activity. This species is said to be used as a treatment for mammary infections in cattle and indigestion/catarrh in the human stomach.] AIDE, M. T. 1999. Entisol development on foreshore and aeolian dune sediments in the Hudson Bay lowlands near Churchill, Manitoba. Transactions of the Missouri Academy of Science 33: 1–7. 2 fig. [Brief mentions of lichens and their role in pedogenesis.] AKCIN, G., O. SALTABAS, F. YESILCIMEN & A. ASLAN. 2001. Biosorption of heavy metal from aqueous solution by dried lichens. International Journal of Chemistry 11: 141–146. 3 fig. AKCIN, G., O. SALTABAS, F. YESILCIMEN & A. ASLAN. 2001. Biosorption of heavy metal from aqueous solution by dried lichens. In 1st Black Sea Basin Conference on Analytical Chemistry, Programme and Book of Abstracts. I.I. Michnikov Odessa National University, Odessa, Ukraine. [Abstract.] ALSTRUP, V. 2002. Revisions of some lichens and lichenicolous fungi from Antarctica [Parandusi monede Antarktika samblike ja lihhenikoolsete seente taksonoomias]. Folia Cryptogamica Estonica 39: 1–2. 1 fig. [New: Polycoccum follmannii (Dodge) comb. nov.] ALVAREZ, J., M. J. SANCHEZ-BIEZMA & M. E. LOPEZ DE SILANES. 2001. Lista de los liquenes y hongos liquenicolas de Galicia [Checklist of lichens and liquenicolous (sic) fungi of Galicia]. Nova Acta Cientifica Compostelana (Bioloxia) 11: 53–151. [This update of the 1995 list by Carballal et al. now lists 888 lichens and lichenicolous fungi.] ALVAREZ ANDRES, J. & R. CARBALLAL DURAN. 2001. The genus Dimerella (Gyalectales, Ascomycotina) in Peninsular Spain. Nova Hedwigia 73: 409–418. 3–4. [Notes are given for three species.] ALVAREZ ANDRES, J. & M. E. LOPEZ DE SILANES. 2002. The genus Gyalecta (Gyalectales, Ascomycotina) in the Iberian Peninsula. Nova Hedwigia 74: 257–273. 4 fig. 8 maps. [Notes on eight species, and a key is also provided.] APTROOT, A. 2001. Lichens from Gambia, with a new black-fruiting isidiate Caloplaca on savannah trees. Cryptogamie, Mycologie 22: 265–270. 2 fig. [Reports 27 species. New: Caloplaca gambiensis sp. nov. (Gambia).]

How aphids lose their marbles.

Insects provide examples of many cunning stratagems to cope with the challenges of living in a world dominated by surface forces. Despite being the current masters of the land environment, they are at constant risk of being entrapped in liquids, which they prevent by having waxy and hairy surfaces. The problem is particularly acute in an enclosed space, such as a plant gall. Using secreted wax to efficiently parcel and transport their own excrement, aphids were able to solve this problem 200 Myr ago. Here, we report on the physical and physiological significance of this ingenious solution. The secreted powdery wax has three distinct roles: (i) it is hydrophobic, (ii) it creates a microscopically rough inner gall surface made of weakly compacted wax needles making the gall ultra-hydrophobic, and (iii) it coats the honeydew droplets converting them into liquid marbles, that can be rapidly and efficiently moved.

Wild Aloe harvesting in South Africa.

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary MedicineVol. 5, No. 2 PhotoessayWild Aloe Harvesting in South AfricaHassan Sachedina and Dr. Gerard BodekerHassan SachedinaSearch for more papers by this author and Dr. Gerard BodekerSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:24 Sep 2007https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.1999.5.121AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byCape aloe bitters – past and presentSouth African Journal of Botany, Vol. 147Analysis of enablers for vertical integration to enhance rural employabilityJournal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 34, No. 4Aloe Genus Plants: From Farm to Food Applications and Phytopharmacotherapy19 September 2018 | International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol. 19, No. 9Micropropagation of Aloe vera for Improvement and Enhanced Productivity8 November 2013Research on Water Soluble Polysaccharides Separated from Skin Juice, Gel Juice and Flower of Aloe ferox MillerFood Science and Technology Research, Vol. 19, No. 5African aloe ecology: A reviewJournal of Arid Environments, Vol. 85Current perspectives on the economic botany of the genus Aloe L. (Xanthorrhoeaceae)South African Journal of Botany, Vol. 77, No. 4Taxonomic significance of leaf surface morphology in Aloe section Pictae (Xanthorrhoeaceae)Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Vol. 160, No. 4Therapeutic uses of Aloe L. (Asphodelaceae) in southern AfricaJournal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol. 119, No. 3Growth of Aloe ferox Mill. at selected sites in the Makana region of the Eastern CapeSouth African Journal of Botany, Vol. 73, No. 2 Volume 5Issue 2Apr 1999 InformationCopyright 1999, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Hassan Sachedina and Dr. Gerard Bodeker.Wild Aloe Harvesting in South Africa.The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.Apr 1999.121-123.http://doi.org/10.1089/acm.1999.5.121Published in Volume: 5 Issue 2: September 24, 2007PDF download

Progress with the trial phase for registration of new plant names

In a spirit of co-operation and to publicise this proposed innovation in plant nomenclature widely in southern Africa, this note has been submitted simultaneously to the following botanical journals: Bothalia , South African Journal of Botany , Forum Botanicum and SAB - ONET News . A trial phase for the registration of new plant names in South Africa, co-ordinated by the International Association of Plant Taxonomy in Berlin, is introduced. Registration can be effected by publishing a new name in an accredited journal or series or by submitting it to the national Registration Office established for this purpose.

Diabetes, Oxidative Stress, and Platelet Activation

Diabetes mellitus is a major source of morbidity in developed countries and, among its comorbid conditions, atherosclerosis is perhaps the most important. Since the availability of insulin, up to three fourths of all deaths among diabetics can be directly attributed to coronary artery disease (CAD).1 In adult patients with diabetes, the risk of CAD is 3- to 5-fold greater in than nondiabetics despite controlling for other known CAD risk factors.1 In patients with IDDM, up to one third will die of CAD by the age of 50 years.2 A number of known risk factors for CAD, such as hypertension, central obesity, and dyslipidemia, are more common in diabetics than in the general population.1 Despite this prevalence of risk factors, no more than 25% of the excess CAD risk in diabetes can be accounted for by known risk factors.2 Thus diabetes represents a major contributing factor to the CAD burden in the developed world, and most of the excess attributed risk of CAD in diabetics cannot be readily quantified with the use of traditional risk factor analysis. Diabetes is associated with a variety of metabolic abnormalities, principle among which is hyperglycemia. The relation between hyperglycemia and CAD is the subject of considerable debate because serum glucose does not consistently predict the existence of CAD.2 Presumably, this confusion stems from the reliance on a single blood glucose measurement, as recent prospective data have clearly established a link between a marker for chronic average glucose levels (HbA1C) and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.3 There is considerable controversy with respect to the precise mechanism by which hyperglycemia may contribute to the development of CAD in diabetes. Established sequelae of hyperglycemia, such as cytotoxicity, increased extracellular matrix production, and vascular dysfunction, have all been implicated in the pathogenesis …

New editorial dispensation of the South African Journal of Botany

Since the end of office of Prof. J.N. Eloff as Editor of the South African Journal of Botany on 30 September 1998, a revised dispensation for the administration of the Journal has been designed. This contribution reiterates editorial policies and procedures that will remain unaltered and spells out the changes necessitated by the recent appointment of the three authors as Editors.