Plant Taxonomy Research Articles

Stipules in angiosperms

Abstract Stipules are generally regarded as the outgrowths of the leaf base in angiosperms. Other interpretations see stipules as independent organs comparable to leaves. Stipules have been recognized as an important trait for plant taxonomy and identification, and there has been great progress in the understanding of their morphology, development, origin, function, and gene regulation over time. Therefore, this review will briefly summarize past research and aims to clarify the occurrence, location, and morphology of stipules in the families recognized by APG IV and reconstruct their ancestral states. Additionally, the developmental morphology of different types of stipule is presented through scanning electron microcopy observations and a survey of the existing literature. The difference between stipules and ligules is discussed in relation to the occurrence of postgenitally or congenitally fused ‘continuous’ stipules. A distinction is made between ‘true’ stipules and ‘pseudostipules’. The origin of stipules at the base of the leaf is explained from different perspectives. About one-third of the families are reported to have stipules, mostly concentrated in the Rosid clade with the highest level of diversity. On the basis of the ancestral state reconstructions, stipules may be absent in the ancestors of angiosperms, but are present in the ancestor of Rosids, with a pair appearing on both sides of the petiole base. The transition between paired and annular stipules is discussed, the latter arising postgenitally or congenitally. Several hypotheses are discussed to explain the abundance of stipules in the Rosid clade and their limited presence in the Asterid clade.

First investigation of the chemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial and larvicidal activities of the essential oil of the subspecies Ononis angustissima Lam. subsp. filifolia Murb.

This study is the first to explore the essential oil of Ononis angustissima Lam. subsp. filifolia Murb., a subspecies growing in the Algerian northeastern Sahara. The chemical composition was evaluated by GC/GC-EIMS. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using two methods. Thirty-four (91.6%) individual components were identified. The main constituents were linalool (12.6%), hexahydrofarnesylacetone (8.4%), β-eudesmol (6.6%), α-cadinol (6.4%) and T-cadinol (6.1%). The findings provide a chemical basis for understanding relationships between North African subspecies, supporting botanical and genetic classification. The oil exhibited moderate scavenging activity against DPPH radicals (IC50 = 102.30 µg/ml) and high activity in the β-carotene bleaching assay (91.346%). Antimicrobial tests revealed effectiveness against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and ATCC 43300), limited impact on Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922), and good inhibition against Aspergillus niger and Scedosporium apiospermum. A notable larvicidal activity was observed against Date Moth, particularly on L2 larvae.

Trials and tribulations of Neotropical plant taxonomy: Pace of tree species description

Societal Impact StatementGiven the current unprecedented concerns for global biodiversity loss, it is critical to identify best practices for describing new species more efficiently so we can complete the inventory of the Neotropical flora and implement appropriate conservation strategies in a timely manner. This study aims to answer the question of how long it takes to describe a new species of tree in the Neotropics by calculating the time elapsed from collection of the first specimen to the publication of a new species. It demonstrates that enhancing international collaboration and promoting taxonomy training may be the most efficient ways to accelerate species descriptions.Summary One of the main aspects of taxonomic research is the description of new species. Identifying how to describe new species more efficiently is key to completing the inventory of the Neotropical flora in an era of massive biodiversity loss. Here, we calculate the interval between first specimen collection and publication of new species for a group of 2123 Neotropical trees, and discuss the historical context surrounding specimen collection and new species publication events. Our results reveal that on average, it takes almost 16 years from specimen collection to publication of a new Neotropical tree species, which is considerably shorter than previous estimates for other tropical groups. Peru had the longest average time lags by country, while Haiti had the shortest. The average time lags increased until the early 1900s, when a decrease was observed, with the shortest lags between 1941 and 1960. We found that the majority of the species described more rapidly are from plants collected by a field botanist and described by a herbarium‐based researcher as part of ad hoc collaboration, and the ones collected and described by the same researcher. We demonstrate how political instability and conflict can delay or impede the completion of taxonomic research initiatives in the region. We argue that enhancing international collaboration and training opportunities in Latin American countries, as well as ensuring safe plant collection campaigns, are critical to complete the inventory of the Neotropical flora.

Estudos anatômicos, cariotípicos e de conteúdo de DNA nuclear em quatro morfotipos de alface silvestre

ABSTRACT Wild lettuce (Lactuca aff. canadensis L.), belonging to the Asteraceae family, occurs subspontaneously in Brazil and may originate from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Popularly known as Canada lettuce, it is an unconventional leafy vegetable. Studies on this species are scarce in Brazil, and its scientific name is debated among experts. It has high morphological variability and controversial botanical classification. This study characterized the stomata, organized the karyotype, and determined the nuclear DNA content of four morphotypes of wild lettuce to facilitate correct classification. The genetic material used was acquired from the non-conventional vegetable germplasm in UFLA. The leaves of wild lettuce morphotypes are hypoamphiestomatic with a greater number of stomata in the abaxial epidermis. There were similarities between the morphotypes (green and purple) and between the smooth purple types (narrow leaf and broad leaf) for the number and size of stomata. No variation was found in the number of chromosomes (2n = 18) or DNA content among the four morphotypes. The separation of the morphotypes of wild lettuce did not match the morphological classification or the karyological data. The four morphotypes evaluated were placed under the same species, and the results obtained when compared to other studies led us to infer that the four morphotypes of wild Lactuca belonged to the species L. indica and not L. canadensis as previously assumed. Further investigation may provide insights into the evolutionary history of this species.

Биоразнообразие растений коллекционного фонда Ботанического сада БФУ им. И. Канта

The article is dedicated to summarizing the results of the inventory of the plant collection at the Botanical Garden of the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (IKBFU). Over the past 20 years, the taxonomic composition has nearly doubled. New collection sections have been created (for fruit plants, magnolias, lilacs, rhododendrons, medicinal plants, and others), and the reconstruction of the greenhouse collection has significantly enriched the assortment of tropical, subtropical, and arid plants. The inventory was conducted using standard methodologies applied for plant accounting in botanical gardens. The plant names comply with the requirements of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (2017), taking into account the modern International Taxonomic System of Classification (APG IV) and the database of the International Plant Taxonomy Encyclopedic Internet Project (The Plant List). As a result of the inventory of the taxonomic composition of the collections, a new “Catalogue of Plants of the Botanical Garden of IKBFU for the 120th Anniversary of its Founding” has been prepared for publication. The catalogue provides an informational resource on the biodiversity of the garden’s collection, a systematic characterization of taxa, and the scientific organization of the objects.

A Machine Learning Perspective on Daisy and Dandelion Classification: Gaussian Naive Bayes with Sobel

This study explores the classification of Daisy and Dandelion flowers using a Gaussian Naive Bayes classifier, enhanced by Sobel segmentation and Hu moment feature extraction. The research adopted a quantitative approach, utilizing a balanced dataset of Daisy and Dandelion images. The Sobel operator was employed for image segmentation, accentuating the floral features crucial for classification. Hu moments, known for their invariance to image transformations, were extracted as features. The Gaussian Naive Bayes algorithm was then applied, with its performance evaluated through a 5-fold cross-validation process. The results exhibited moderate accuracy, with the highest recorded at 60%, and precision peaking at 62.60%. These findings indicate a reasonable level of effectiveness in distinguishing between the two species, though variations in performance metrics suggested room for improvement. The study contributes to the field of botanical image classification by demonstrating the potential of integrating image processing techniques with machine learning for flower classification. However, it also highlights the limitations of the Gaussian Naive Bayes approach in handling complex image data. Future research directions include exploring more advanced machine learning algorithms and expanding the feature set to enhance classification accuracy. The practical implications of this research extend to ecological monitoring and agricultural studies, where efficient and accurate plant classification is vital

MOLECULAR GENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF UKRAINIAN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMPLEX SPECIES ACONITUM ANTHORA BASED ON THE ITS1-5.8S- ITS2 REGION OF THE NUCLEAR GENOME

Problem. The question of determining the boundaries of a species, in addition to the fundamental aspects, is of practical importance for nature conservation activities. One of the taxonomically problematic groups is the complex species A. anthora s. l. In the flora of Ukraine, four taxa with controversial status are distinguished within its borders, A. anthora L., A. eulophum Rchb., A. jacquinii Rchb. and A. pseudanthora Błocki ex Pacz. The last two species are included in the Red Book of Ukraine and the IUCN list. Determining the taxonomic position of these closely related forms requires the use of molecular genetic approaches. The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of 35S rDNA is considered the most popular and informative marker for plant taxonomy and barcoding. Aim. To clarify the taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships of representatives of A. anthora s. l. using the molecular marker ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 of 35S rDNA. Methods. Herbarium specimens of four representatives of the group A. anthora s. l. were collected on the territory of Western Ukraine. DNA was isolated by a modified CTAB method and then used for PCR amplification of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region. PCR products were purified and Sanger sequenced. The sequences obtained were aligned with the sequences deposited in the GenBank database for representatives of two subgenera of the genus Aconitum, i.e. the nominative subgenus and the subgenus Lycoctonum. The resulting matrix was used for principal component analysis (PCA) and phylogenetic analysis using the Maximum Likelihood method. Main results. The sequences of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 that we obtained for A. anthora, A. eulophum, A. jacquinii, and A. pseudanthora samples were found to be almost identical. They differed from each other in only five of the 641 alignment positions. Among them, four out of five positions appeared to be polymorphic even within individual genomes. According to the results of PCA analysis, all four samples of A. anthora s. l. formed a dense cluster separated by significant distances from the clusters formed by representatives of the subgenera Aconitum and Lycoctonum. In the generated phylogenetic tree, three main monophyletic clades are present, which correspond to the subgenera Aconitum and Lycoctonum and the A. anthora s. l. group. The Lycoctonum clade was sister to other members of the genus, and the Aconitum and A. anthora s. l. clades were sister to each other. Conclusions. The use of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of 35S rDNA for phylogenetic analysis confirms the need to grant the A. anthora s. l. group the status of a separate subgenus within the genus Aconitum. The high genetic affinity between samples of A. anthora s. l. from the territory of Ukraine indicates that the species names A. eulophum, A. jacquinii, and A. pseudanthora should be considered synonyms of A. anthora.

Taxa proposed by Pourret based on the specimens conserved in Salvador herbarium (eighteenth century)

The Salvador herbarium (seventeenth to eighteenth century) is one of the oldest pre-Linnaean herbaria in Spain. Currently preserved in the Botanical Institute of Barcelona, it was reviewed by Pourret during the eighteenth century, who added the Linnaean name of the species to the labels and proposed many new names. Our study has allowed us to enlist all taxa proposed by Pourret (a total of 335); however, only 12 were validly published (some by other authors), and two of them are lectotypified here. We have also classified the rest of names into three categories: 35 that were included in publications by other authors but are not validly published names; 160 that were published by other authors; and 128 that we have not been able to find in any publication, and they should be considered as merely Pourret’s proposals without any validity. These results reflect the situation of plant taxonomy in the late eighteenth century; in Pourret’s time the number of published taxa was very low while taxonomical studies done by other contemporary authors were rarely available. Thus, Pourret was not able to assign already published taxa to all specimens and, therefore, he was forced to do new proposals that were mostly incorrectly published.

Divergence of Seed Mass in Riparian Plant Communities Dominated by Filtering and Random Processes

Restoration of degraded riparian zones is the primary challenge for ensuring the sustainability of watershed ecosystems. An essential aspect of this endeavor is gaining a deep understanding of how riparian plant communities are assembled. The main focus of this study was to investigate how riparian plant communities respond to varying levels of flooding stress along the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in China’s Yangtze River. To accomplish this, we calculated the diversity of plant taxonomy, traits and phylogeny, and used a null model to reflect the plant community assembly rules within the riparian zones along the TGR. The riparian zones were divided into four regions based on water regime: the fluctuating backwater area, the permanent backwater area, mainstream and tributaries of the TGR, covering the reservoir area of 1084 km2 with 180 sampling sites surveyed. Our results showed that within the permanent backwater area of the tributaries, the gradient variation in taxonomic and trait diversity of the riparian community was strongly aligned with the varying levels of flooding stress, which suggests that strong environmental selection plays a significant role in this section. Furthermore, through analysis of phylogenetic and trait structures based on the null model, we found that environmental filtering and random processes were the primary mechanisms shaping plant communities in the riparian zones across the entire study area. However, by further examining single traits, we found that seed mass was the sole trait displaying noteworthy divergence in the riparian communities throughout the study area. This finding highlights that seed mass appears as a pivotal divergent trait in the herb succession stage of the riparian communities that is strongly governed by filtering and random processes. In conclusion, we recommend prioritizing seed mass differences in ecological restoration efforts for herb succession in flooding-stressed riparian communities. This approach is crucial for enhancing source utilization, facilitating community assembly, and improving overall recovery outcomes.

Application of chloroplast genome analysis in plant taxonomy

Chloroplasts are important components of plants and photosynthetic organs, which have played an important role in the long history of biological evolution. Because of this, chloroplast genome research has gradually become the focus of plant research. With the further development of biotechnology, it has been found that the information of chloroplast genome structure and sequence is of great value in revealing the origin of species, evolutionary evolution and the relationship between different species. At the same time, chloroplast transformation technology, which has obvious advantages over nuclear transformation, has shown great potential in genetic improvement and the production of biological agents. Chloroplast genome structure and sequence analysis is the foundation of chloroplast transformation. Based on these important roles of chloroplasts, the application of chloroplast genome in plant classification, variation and distribution analysis was discussed in this paper. At the same time, the current analysis and research methods were summarized and briefly introduced according to different objectives. According to this study, ISSR marker analysis, DNA barcoding technology and high-throughput sequencing technology are still the main biogenic analysis methods for chloroplast gene analysis, and chloroplast transformation is the focus of future research.

Unveiling the diverse medicinal properties of Murraya koenigii

Since the beginning of time, nature has provided medicines for treating fatal illnesses. Herbalists believe that certain plants have medicinal qualities. In tribal and rural communities, medicinal plants provide as an easily accessible source of treatment. The identification of various rejuvenating molecules that can halt or lessen the pathology of a variety of diseases will be regarded as a significant development of the present. There has been a scientific advancement in this area, and current studies on herbal medicines and traditional cures have attracted significant interest from all over the world. This plant, popularly known as the curry tree, is frequently used as herb and is also used to treat a variety of problems in traditional Indian medicine. About 80–85% of people worldwide rely on herbal products because they are thought to be efficient, secure, and cost-effective. Reviewing the plant taxonomy, ethnobotanical characteristics, folkloric or traditional uses, phytochemical, and pharmacological qualities of the Murraya koenigii plant was the goal of the current study. The leaves are used internally for dysentery as a carminative, tonic, stomachic, and inducer of vomiting. The usage of other parts includes treating piles, preventing helminthiasis, and reducing body heat, itchiness, and inflammation. Following several reports that this plant may treat a wide range of illnesses, scientists have worked to confirm the effectiveness of this plant by biological screening. A review of the literature suggests that Murraya koenigii has various medical benefits, including activity of antimicrobial, cardiac, anti-oxidative, anti-diabetic and cholesterol reduction, cytotoxic action, antiulcer, and anti-diarrhea.

Utilization of Plants at FMIPA UNM as a Learning Resource for Plant Taxonomy Subjects

Utilization of Plants at FMIPA UNM as a Learning Resource for Plant Taxonomy Subjects

Response of riparian plant community to landscape matrix differs by taxonomic and functional diversity: Implications for the planning of riparian landscapes regulated by dams

Local plant communities are embedded within the landscape matrix, and thus, diversity of these communities is largely determined by the spatial pattern of surrounding land-use. However, it is not yet clear how taxonomic and functional diversity within riparian plant communities respond differently to the landscape matrix at different scales, and whether and how these landscape-scale responses can be shaped by flooding conditions in the riparian landscape. This study is based upon field surveys of riparian plant communities in a total of 136 quadrats exposed to two different levels of flooding intensity along the reservoir formed by the Three Gorges Dam (TGD). We investigated the relationship between plant diversity of riparian communities and the surrounding landscape at different scales, which examined how the diversity, in terms of both plant taxonomy and functional traits, was affected by the landscape matrix at 15 different spatial scales ranging from 200 m to 3000 m in increments of 200 m around each sampling site. Furthermore, the community diversity in response to the landscape matrix under different levels of flooding intensity was also examined. Our findings suggested that trait-based functional diversity was more closely related to the landscape matrix at all 15 scales examined, compared to taxon-based diversity. The dispersal trait was found to be more susceptible to landscape connectivity across the matrix. Further, both types of diversity responded more strongly to landscape configurational metrics than compositional metrics. In addition, we observed that, in the communities exposed to high flooding intensity, the two types of diversity tended to have more consistent responses to the landscape matrix compared to those exposed to low flooding intensity. We concluded that while the landscape matrix had different effects on taxonomic and functional diversity, the high flooding intensity could lessen their differences in the riparian landscape. Our findings revealed that the robust local environmental filtering process, which affects the diversity of riparian communities, could lead to both diversity components exhibiting similar responses to the landscape matrix in riparian landscapes.

БАРНА МИКОЛА МИКОЛАЙОВИЧ – ВІДОМИЙ УКРАЇНСЬКИЙ ВЧЕНИЙ–БОТАНІК, ЦИТОЕМБРІОЛОГ, ЗАСЛУЖЕНИЙ ДІЯЧ НАУКИ І ТЕХНІКИ УКРАЇНИ, ПЕДАГОГ

Mykola Mykolaiovych Barna, who celebrated his 85th birthday on February 8, 2023, is a renowned Ukrainian scientist in the fields of botany, morphology, dendrology, and plant cytoembryology. He holds the titles of Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Higher Education of Ukraine, Merited Science and Technology Functionary of Ukraine, Education Excellence of Ukraine, Nature Conservation Excellence of Ukraine, and is an Honorary Member of the Ukrainian Botanical Society. He is also a scholarship holder of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, a Doctor of Biological Sciences, and a Professor at the Department of Botany and Zoology at Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University.
 This article highlights Professor’s impressive 62-year career in production, research, education, pedagogy, and public service. He began as a lecturer and senior lecturer at the Department of Botany in 1971, became an associate professor in 1975, and a professor in 1996. He served as the head of the Department of Botany from 2002 to 2012 and as the head of the Department of Botany and Zoology from 2012 to 2014. Additionally, he held positions such as Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences from 1977 to 1985 and Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology from 1990 to June 2006.
 Professor M. M. Barna’s extensive scholarly output includes over 450 published works, including monographs, bibliographies, dictionaries, scientific publications, educational materials for high and secondary education institutions, and methodological recommendations. He has supervised the defence of seven PhD theses and served as an official opponent at academic councils for the defence of doctoral and PhD theses. He was a member of specialised academic councils at the M. G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the National Forestry University of Ukraine. For over two decades, he chaired the editorial board of the specialised scientific publication “Scientific notes of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University. Series: Biology.”
 Professor Barna's contributions also extend to initiatives such as the establishment of the Arboretum of Ternopil State Pedagogical Institute, the creation of the herbarium of the Department of Botany (now the “Herbarium-laboratory of plant morphology and taxonomy”), and the establishment of the laboratory of biology and ecology known as the “Holytskyi biostation of the university.” He played a crucial role in the realisation of the Biblical Botanical Garden on TNPU’s premises, turning this idea into a reality. Professor Mykola Mykolaiovych Barna's lifelong dedication to science and education has left an indelible mark on his field and the academic community.

Origin of Angiosperms: Problems, Challenges, and Solutions.

Angiosperms are frequently assumed to constitute a monophyletic group. Therefore, the origin of angiosperms is a key question in systematic botany since the answer to this question is hinged with many questions concerned with angiosperm evolution. Previously, the lack of fossil evidence undermines the robustness of related hypotheses, and explains the instability of the systematics of angiosperms in the past century. With increasing evidence of early angiosperms, the origin and early evolution of angiosperms become approachable targets. However, reaching a strict consensus is still a mission impossible now: there are too many issues open to debate. A good sign in research is that palaeobotanists started addressing the issue of criterion identifying angiosperms, this would bring order in studies of early angiosperms. Several flaws in fundamental concepts inflicting botany require efforts to elucidate and remedy. The author here opens a discussion on these problems, hoping that more botanists will join to discuss and clarify previously blurry concepts and place a solid foundation for future development in botany.

Zasługi Karola Linneusza dla postępu nauk farmaceutycznych w XVIII w.

The importance of Linnaeus’ taxonomy for the progress of pharmaceutical science in the 18th century Fundamentals of Linnaean taxonomy were established from the late 1730s and had a gradual ordering impact on all plant knowledge of the time. Pharmaceutical botany was enlivened by the following assertions, ideas or publications issued by Linnaeus: 1) the sexual system as a tool for practical identifi cation of genera; 2) the genera were newly defi ned or corrected to build a clear system; 3) botanists were encouraged to construct and study a natural system of genera which was expected to reveal similarities in pharmacological actions (as analogous to morphological similarities of allied species); 4) a critical and minimalist review of medicinal species and their therapeutical uses was published; 5) the synonymy of species was rectifi ed by selecting only good and suffi ciently descriptive polynomials; and fi nally 6) it became the new scientifi c standard to typify the name and description of a species on a proof sample, the role of which began to be played by a herbarium specimen of a plant, called a type. The practice of assigning binominal names to known or newly described species enabled botanists to place them immediately in the sexual system (by assigning a generic name, the genus was ranked in terms of fl ower structure). The increase in the number of medicinal plant species at the end of the 18th century was the result of a desire to make the knowledge complete and modern, and to add new facts about related species in a wellorganized form. Canons for the experimental and clinical study of effects of known and new medicinal plants on healthy and sick patients were being developed. The introduction of many new species into practical therapy took pharmacy by surprise, as the pharmacist had to learn to recognise medicinal plants previously unknown to pharmacy, which was not without its mistakes. Misrecognised plants that became drug ingredients could exert unintended effects in therapy, undermining the authority of physicians, hindering the evaluation of drugs and threatening to fl ood scientifi c pharmacy with a stream of erroneous knowledge. Continued practical self-education of pharmacists in the fi eld of plant taxonomy was therefore claimed.

Do Abiotic Stresses Affect the Aroma of Damask Roses?

Roses are popular ornamental plants all over the world. Rosa damascena Mill., also known as the damask rose, is a well-known scented rose species cultivated to produce essential oil. The essential oils obtained are high in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are in demand across the pharmaceutical, food, perfume, and cosmetic industries. Citronellol, nonadecane, heneicosane, caryophyllene, geraniol, nerol, linalool, and phenyl ethyl acetate are the most important components of the rose essential oil. Abiotic factors, including as environmental stress and stress generated by agricultural practises, frequently exert a selective impact on particular floral characteristics, hence influencing the overall quality and quantity of rose products. Additionally, it has been observed that the existence of stress exerts a notable impact on the chemical composition and abundance of aromatic compounds present in roses. Therefore, understanding the factors that affect the biosynthesis of VOCs, especially those representing the aroma and scent of rose, as a response to abiotic stress is important. This review provides comprehensive information on plant taxonomy, an overview of the volatolomics involving aromatic profiles, and describes the influence of abiotic stresses on the biosynthesis of the VOCs in damask rose.

Statistics and Analysis of Digital Information on Vascular Plant Specimens and the History of Plant Collecting in Guangzhou, China.

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of digitized specimen data and relevant literature to investigate the vascular plant diversity in Guangzhou City, China. Specimen data were collected from various sources, including the China Digital Herbarium (CVH), the National Specimen Resource Sharing Platform (NSII), Global Plants on JSTOR, and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Following data standardization, the study identified 41,890 vascular plant specimens, encompassing 248 families, 1563 genera, and 4536 species, including subspecies and cultivated plants. Among them, the native plants of Guangzhou city accounted for 60.6% of the species. The temporal analysis identified three distinct peaks in specimen collection: 1916-1920, 1928-1936, and 1950-1964. Collection activities were primarily concentrated between the months of April and November. The distribution of collected specimens exhibited significant variation among different species, with families such as Fabaceae, Poaceae, and Myrtaceae having the highest number of specimens. Similarly, genera such as Eucalyptus, Ficus, and Citrus were well-represented. The most frequently collected species included Litchi chinensis, Eucalyptus robusta, and Cycas taiwaniana. Remarkably, 21 species had specimen counts exceeding 100. Unfortunately, approximately three-quarters of the species had fewer than 10 recorded specimens. Alarmingly, 1220 species were represented by only one specimen. Geographically, the majority of specimens originated from the former suburbs of Guangzhou, Conghua Delta Mountain, and Liuxi River areas, while other regions had limited representation. In terms of specimen collections, the Herbarium of South China Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBSC) recorded the highest number of specimens (13,828 specimens), followed by the Tree Herbarium of South China Agricultural University (CANT; 3869 specimens) and the Herbarium of Sun Yat-sen University (SYS; 3654 specimens). The collection history in Guangzhou spans nearly 300 years and can be broadly divided into two distinct periods. The first period extends from the late 13th century to 1949, primarily encompassing the collection efforts of foreign visitors in Guangzhou, and represents the pioneering phase of plant taxonomy research in China. The second period, from 1949 to the present, is characterized by extensive investigations and collection activities conducted by local scholars, with a specific emphasis on native plant resources. By meticulously organizing and verifying information derived from historical documents and specimens, the paper effectively summarizes the plant collection and research history of Guangzhou, providing detailed profiles of the key collectors. These findings furnish reliable historical reference materials for the study of plant taxonomy and diversity in Guangzhou.

Tobamoviruses show broad host ranges and little genetic diversity among four habitat types of a heterogeneous ecosystem.

Host ranges of plant viruses are poorly known, as studies have focused on pathogenic viruses in crops and adjacent wild plants. High throughput sequencing (HTS) avoids the bias towards plant-virus interactions that result in disease. Here we study the host ranges of tobamoviruses, important pathogens of crops, by HTS analyses of an extensive sample of plant communities in four habitats of a heterogeneous ecosystem. Sequences of 17 virus operational taxonomic units (OTUs) matched references in the Tobamovirus genus, eight had narrow, and five had wide host ranges. Regardless of host range, each OTU host belonged to taxonomically distant families, suggesting no phylogenetic constraints in host use associated with virus adaptation, and that tobamoviruses may be host generalists. The OTUs identified as TMGMV, TMV, PMMoV and YoMV, had the largest realized host ranges that occurred across habitats, and exhibited host use unrelated to the degree of human intervention. This result is at odds with assumptions that contact transmitted viruses would be more abundant in crops than in wild plant communities, and could be explained by effective seed, contact, or pollinator-mediated transmission, or by survival in the soil. TMGMV and TMV had low genetic diversity that was not structured according to habitat or host plant taxonomy, which indicated that phenotypic plasticity allows virus genotypes to infect new hosts with no need for adaptive evolution. Our results underscore the relevance of ecological factors in host range evolution, in addition to the more often studied genetic factors.

SENSORY, GC-MS AND FTIR ANALYSIS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF HIBISCUS SABDARRIFFA AND VERNONIA AMYGDALINA HERBAL TEA WITH BLENDS OF GINGER AND LEMON ZEST

The use of herbal remedies, especially in the form of teas for management of various diseases is gaining increasing popularity, making them the main stay of health care system, especially among the rural populace in the developing countries. Therefore, it is imperative to carryout proper analysis and screening of these plants, such as Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina, to investigate their informed use. This research aimed at producing herbal teas from leaves of Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina with additives of ginger and lemon zest with acceptable sensory attributes and also to investigate the phytocomponents of these herbal teas produced using GC-MS spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Ginger, lemon zest and fresh leaves of Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina were collected from modern market areas of makurdi Benue State, authenticated by a plant taxonomist in Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Makurdi. Aqueous extracts of the herbal teas were analyzed using GC-MS Clarus 500 Perkin Elmer system. Identification of functional groups of samples (was done using FT-IR spectroscope (Shimadzu, IR Affinity 1, Japan). Results: FT-IR analysis of the herbal tea samples revealed the presence of phytochemicals like alkanes, alkenes, Carboxylic acids, phenols, alcohols, flavonoids, aromatics and saturated aliphatic esters,. GC-MS analyses of aqueous extract of the samples provided different peaks determining the presence of twenty two compounds with highest abundance. Twelve compounds were identified for Vernonia Amygdalina herbal tea sample and ten for Hibiscus Sabdarriffa herbal tea sample. The findings from this research showed that herbal teas produced from leave of Hibiscus Sabdarriffa and Vernonia Amygdalina had acceptable sensory attributes and also contains bioactive constituents of pharmacological importance for management of diseases which were identified by GC-MS and FTIR analysis.