Tribe Mentheae Research Articles

Phytochemical analysis for ten Peruvian Mentheae (Lamiaceae) by liquid chromatography associated with high resolution mass spectrometry

The profile of secondary metabolites in ten members of tribe Mentheae (Nepetoideae, Lamiaceae) from Peru by liquid chromatography associated with high resolution mass spectrometry, is presented. Salvianolic acids and their precursors were found, particularly rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid ester derivatives, as well as a diversity of free and glycosylated flavonoids as main substances. At all, 111 structures were tentatively identified.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of the medicinal plant, Dracocephalum rupestre (Lamiaceae)

Dracocephalum rupestre (tribe Mentheae; Lamiaceae) is a perennial herb from Korea and China with high ornamental and medicinal value. Here, we report its complete chloroplast genome to provide insight into the phylogenetic relationships of Dracocephalum. The genome is 151,230 bp long, with two inverted repeat regions (25,643 bp each) that separate a large single-copy region (82,536 bp) and a small single-copy region (17,408 bp). It contains 133 genes that encode 88 proteins, eight rRNAs, and 37 tRNAs. The maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis strongly supported Dracocephalum monophyly, showing that the genus forms a sister group with the subtribe Menthinae in the tribe Mentheae.

Species diversity and phylogenetic relationships within the tribe Mentheae (Lamiaceae) in Uzbekistan using ITS sequence data

Regular monitoring and comprehensive study of natural populations rare endangered species, both by classical taxonomy and molecular genetic analysis methods are of considerable importance all over the world. This work has focused at the research of species diversity flora of Uzbekistan using combinations of DNA markers. Currently, there are no universal DNA site for plant species identification. Pairwise sequence alignments and multiple sequence alignments are made using ClustalW program. DNA sequence data were used to verify the taxonomic identity and phylogenetic aspects of the studied representatives the tribe Mentheae (Lamiaceae) collected in Uzbekistan territory. The phylogenetic analyzes of this tribe was reconstructed for 44 species, representing 19 genera using nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region (nrITS), containing ITS1 and ITS4 adopted as an important basis, since it can provide a high resolution of relationships. 15 consensus ITS gene sequences were obtained for studied species in this work and 29 published molecular sequence data from GenBank were used. Dendrograms were constructed using hierarchical clustering with the software Mega X. The parsimony analyses were resulted in an accurate consensus tree. Three major clades was identified within the tribe Mentheae. So, this paper demonstrates the successfully usefulness of DNA technology as a tool for genetic inventory at the species diversity assessment of rare endangered plants.

Characterization of the Complete Chloroplast Genome of the Dragonhead Herb, Dracocephalumheterophyllum (Lamiaceae), and Comparative Analyses with Related Species

Dracocephalum heterophyllum (Lamiaceae: tribe Mentheae) is an annual aromatic herb native to East Asia with a long record of human uses, including medicinal, alimentary, and ornamental values. However, no information is available about its molecular biology, and no genomic study has been performed on D. heterophyllum. Here, we report the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of D. heterophyllum and a series of comparative genomic analyses between this and closely related species of Lamiaceae. Results indicated that the cp genome has a typical circular structure of 150,869 bp in length, consisting of a long single-copy (LSC) region with 82,410 bp, a short single-copy (SSC) region with 17,098 bp, and two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 51,350 bp. A total of 133 genes were identified, including 37 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes and 88 protein-coding genes, with a GC content of 37.8%. The gene content, organization, and GC values observed here were similar to those of other Dracocephalum species. We detected 99 different simple sequence repeat loci, and the codon usage analysis revealed a preferential use of the Leu codon with an A/U ending. Comparative analysis of cp genome sequences revealed five highly variable regions with remarkably higher Pi values (>0.03). The mean Ka/Ks between D. heterophyllum and three other Dracocephalum species ranged from 0.01079 (psbB) to 1.0497 (ycf2). Two cp genes, ycf2 and rps11, were proven to have high ratios of Ka/Ks, implying that cp genes may had undergone positive selection in the evolutionary history. We performed multiple sequence alignments using the cp genome of 22 species and constructed maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian trees, and found that D. heterophyllum were more closely related to D. moldavica and D. palmatum. In addition, the phylogenetic relationships between Dracocephalum and other members of Lamiaceae were consistent with previous results. These results are valuable for further formulating effective strategies of conservation and management for species in Dracocephalum, as well as providing a foundation for future research on the genetic resources of Dracocephalum.

Biosystematic Study in Some Dracocephalum Species (Lamiaceae) Based on Morphology and Anatomy in Iran

The genus Dracocephalum L. (Lamiaceae) with about 60 to 70 species is a genus in the sub-tribe Nepetinae, tribe Mentheae of Lamiaceae family, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. They are mostly perennial herbs, and rarely annual. Flora Iranica reports 8 Dracocephalum species and the Flora of Iran reports 10 Dracocephalum species in Iran out of which, 4 species are endemic. We collected 7 Dracocephalum species and studied species delimitation and species relationship by morphometric and anatomic results. The species were efficiently delimited by morphological and anatomical characters. Morphological and anatomical characters revealed closer affinity between D. moldavica and D. subcapitatum and D. thymiflorum were placed with distance from these species.

Downy mildew of lavender caused by Peronospora belbahrii in Israel

Peronospora belbahrii is one of the most destructive downy mildew diseases that has emerged throughout the past two decades. Due to the lack of quarantine regulations and its possible seed-borne nature, it has spread globally and is now present in most areas in which basil is produced. While most obligate biotrophic, plant parasitic oomycetes are highly host-specific, there are a few that have a wider host range, e.g. Albugo candida, Bremia tulasnei, and Pseudoperonospora cubensis. Recently, it was shown that Peronospora belbahrii is able to infect Rosmarinus, Nepetia, and Micromeria in Israel in cross-infection trials, hinting an extended host range for also this pathogen. In this study, a newly occurring downy mildew pathogen on lavender was investigated with respect to its morphology and phylogeny, and it is shown that it belongs to Peronospora belbahrii as well. Thus, it seems that Peronospora belbahrii is currently extending its host range to additional members of the tribe Mentheae and Ocimeae. Therefore, it seems advisable to scrutinise all commonly used members of these tribes in order to avoid further spread of virulent genotypes.

Comparative petioler anatomy of tribe Mentheae subfamily Nepetoideae, Lamiaceae from Pakistan

The current study was carried out to investigate the anatomical characteristics of the petiole of eight species of tribe Mentheae collected from different phytogeographical regions of Pakistan. The transverse section was cut using Shandon Microtome (Finesse 325) to prepare slides. Cluster analysis was carried out to represent the agglomeration schedule of species viewed from the cluster point of view. The distinguishing anatomical characteristics of petioles were noted including petiole shapes, number and shape of vascular bundles, number of vessels, layers of collenchyma, and sclerenchyma. Prunella vulgaris and Salvia plebeia were observed with sclerenchyma cells arranged outside the vascular bundle. The comparative anatomical characteristics of petiole provide valuable information in identifying the tribe Mentheae species. Petiole anatomy plays a significant role in future taxonomic and phylogenetic studies. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the taxonomical importance of the petiole anatomy in the tribe Mentheae. This work will be helpful for the taxonomist and the taxonomic importance of the petiole anatomy in this tribe specifically, and generally will provide baseline to the other studies in family Lamiaceae.

High Resolution Melting (HRM) Genotyping in the Genus Origanum: Molecular Identification and Discrimination for Authentication Purposes.

Origanum L. (Lamiaceae) is an important genus of medicinal and aromatic plants used since ancient times as culinary herbs and remedies in traditional medicine. Although it is a relatively small genus, intra-generic species delineation, as well as its inter-generic relationships within tribe Mentheae, are still poorly understood. High resolution melting (HRM) analysis, coupled with microsatellite markers (SSRs), could facilitate the molecular identification and characterization of certain genotypes more efficiently and relatively faster when compared to other analytical methods. In this study, 38 Origanum samples corresponding to six Origanum taxa (O. dictamnus, O. majorana, O. onites, O. scabrum, O. sipyleum, and O. vulgare subsp. hirtum) were analyzed, using six microsatellite loci. Our goal was to molecularly identify and discriminate among the selected samples and to evaluate the ability of the HRM technique as an analytical tool for the discrimination of Origanum species from Greece. The temperature-shifted melting curves produced by the HRM analysis, resulted in 98 unique HRM profiles, which enabled the discrimination of the Origanum genotypes studied. According to the similarity dendrogram based on the HRM profiles, six unique clusters were formed, each one corresponding to a single taxon. In conclusion, HRM genotyping provided a fast, cost-effective method, well suited for the molecular characterization and identification of Origanum taxa and for the authentication of the original genetic material.

Pollen Morphology of Some Turkish Salvia L. (Lamiaceae: Mentheae) Species

ABSTRACT: In this presented work, the pollen morphologies of twenty-one taxa, nine of them endemic from Turkey, belonging to the genus Salvia (Lamiaceae: sub-family Nepetoideae: tribe Mentheae: sub-tribe Salviinae), S. aethiopis L., S. argentea L., S. aytachii Vural & Adigüzel, S. blepharochlaena Hedge & Hub.-Mor., S. cadmica Boiss., S. ceratophylla L., S. cryptantha Montbret & Aucher, S. frigida Boiss., S. fructicosa Miller, S. halophile Hedge, S. napifolia Jacq., S. microstegia Boiss. & Bal., S. recognita Fisch. & Mey. S. sclarea L., S. smyrnaea Boiss. S. suffruticosa Montbret & Aucher, S. tchihatcheffii (Fisch. & Mey.) Boiss., S. tometosa Bertol, S. verbenaca L., S. viridis L., and S. wiedemanni Boiss. and collected throughout the Turkey, have been intensively studied by using light (LM) and a scanning electron (SEM) microscopy. The objectives of this study are to investigate the pollen morphologies of twenty-one taxa of Turkish Salvia (nine of which are endemic) and to present similar and different characteristics of the taxa. The investigated whole pollen grains had a structure of both isopolar and radial symmetry. Overall, types of aperture were mostly hexacolpate, but it was also determined that the aperture type of S. viridis was both hexacolpate and octacolpate. The pollen grains had characteristic shapes of spheroidal, suboblate, prolate and subprolate. The exine ornamentation was bireticulate and reticulate-perforate. It was determined by the results of palynological studies that pollen morphology changed amongst these studied taxa. As a conclusion, the results of the present study show that palynological characters such as pollen shape, polar axis length (P), equatorial axis length (E), aperture numbers and types and exine ornamentation, exhibit remarkable differences amongst the studied taxa.

Pericarp Ultrastructure of Salvia Section Hemisphace (Mentheae; Nepetoideae; Lamiaceae)

The genus Salvia L. (sage), which belongs to the tribe Mentheae of the subfamily Nepetoideae within the family Lamiaceae, is well-known for its medicinal, ornamental, culinary and hallucinogenic uses. The section Hemisphace Benth. of this genus is respresented in Turkey by three species. The present study is conducted on two morphologically similar Salvia species belonging to this section: Salvia napifolia Jacq. and S. russellii Benth. (excluding S. verticillata L.). For this purpose, the pericarp ultrastructure of these species is investigated in detail with the help of light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Morphometric characters are analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD) post-hoc test for multiple comparisons. The taxonomic potential of pericarp characteristics is discussed. The most prominent traits are the thickness of the pericarp, mesocarp and sclerenchyma region that permit the separation of the species studied. Myxocarpy (mucilage formation) is recognized on the surface of the wetted mericarps of both species. Mucilaginous cells reveal a moderate reaction but S. napifolia is of a somewhat thicker mucilaginous layer, about 0.20-0.34 mm. This study represents the first comprehensive findings on the pericarp ultrastructure of the species examined.

Pollen morphology of some Nepeta L. species in NW Iran

The genus Nepeta L., with approximately 300 species, is one of the largest genera in the tribe Mentheae, subtribe Nepetinae of the Lamiaceae family. In the present work, pollen morphology of eight species of Nepeta was examined using scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the majority of the studied species were characterized by monad, hexazonocolpate, isopolar, heterobrochate, and prolate pollen grains. It was also revealed that there were some differences in pollen characters among the studied taxa. Hence, they could be divided into three major groups based on exine ornamentation. It is worthy of mention that the species pollen characters appear to correlate with the Rechiger (1982) subgeneric classification of Nepeta. However, due to different pollen attributes, it is suggested that Nepeta haussknechtii could be transferred to a new section. Pollen morphology of N. crassifolia, N. haussknechtii, N. speciosa and N. amoena was described for the first time.

Identity of Salvia weihaiensis (Lamiaceae) from China

Salvia Linnaeus (1753: 23) (tribe Mentheae, subfamily Nepetoideae) is by far the largest genus of Lamiaceae with approximately 1000 species (Alziar 1988–1993). Molecular phylogeny researches demonstrate that the genus is polyphyletic, and the clade “Salvia” in effect includes four distinct lineages, with intercalation of five other genera of tribe Mentheae (Walker et al. 2004, Walker & Sytsma 2007, Takano & Okada 2011, Will & Claßen-Bockhoff 2014). East Asia is one of three centers of diversity of Salvia with approximately 100 species (Walker et al. 2004), 82 species are native to China (Li & Hedge 1994, Hu et al. 2014). Additionally, S. coccinea Buc’hoz ex Etlinger (1777: 23) and S. tiliifolia Vahl (1794: 3), which are native to Central and South America, have naturalized successfully in China (Li & Hedge 1994, Hu et al. 2013).

Comparative floral development in the tribe Mentheae (Nepetoideae: Lamiaceae) and its bearing on the evolution of floral patterns in asterids

AbstractA comparative developmental study of flowers was carried out using epi‐illumination light microscopy on four genera of Lamiaceae (Nepeta, Rosmarinus, Salvia, and Ziziphora), representing all three subtribes of Mentheae. All species examined share unidirectional (adaxial to abaxial) sepal initiation, except Rosmarinus, which has the reverse unidirectional sequence, starting abaxially. Initiated but suppressed bracteoles were detected only in Rosmarinus. In Rosmarinus, Salvia, and Ziziphora, initiation of petals and stamens proceeds unidirectionally from the abaxial side. Floral initiation of Nepeta has bidirectional inception of petals and unidirectional stamen initiation from the adaxial side. Temporal overlap in organ initiation between petal and stamen whorls occurs in all taxa, though this feature is more prominent in Rosmarinus. Significant structural and developmental features that distinguish the four genera include: (1) polysymmetric calyx tube, highly tomentose corolla and deeply four‐partitioned ovary in Nepeta; (2) monosymmetric two‐lipped calyx and shallowly four‐partitioned ovary in Ziziphora; and (3) suppression of adaxial stamens in Salvia and Rosmarinus. Adaxial stamens are absent from Rosmarinus, but reduced stamens remain as staminodia in Salvia. In a phylogenetic context, the late monosymmetry of Nepeta and very early monosymmetry of Rosmarinus could both be regarded as derived conditions compared with the early monosymmetry of Salvia and Ziziphora.

Phylogenetics, biogeography, and staminal evolution in the tribe Mentheae (Lamiaceae)

The mint family (Lamiaceae) is the sixth largest family of flowering plants, with the tribe Mentheae containing about a third of the species. We present a detailed perspective on the evolution of the tribe Mentheae based on a phylogenetic analysis of cpDNA and nrDNA that is the most comprehensive to date, a biogeographic set of analyses using a fossil-calibrated chronogram, and an examination of staminal evolution. Data from four cpDNA and two nrDNA markers representing all extant genera within the tribe Mentheae were analyzed using the programs BEAST, Lagrange, S-DIVA, and BayesTraits. BEAST was used to simultaneously estimate phylogeny and divergence times, Lagrange and S-DIVA were used for biogeographical reconstruction, and BayesTraits was used to infer staminal evolution within the tribe. Currently accepted subtribal delimitations are shown to be invalid and are updated. The Mentheae and all five of its subtribes have a Mediterranean origin and have dispersed to the New World multiple times. The vast majority of New World species of subtribe Menthinae are the product of a single dispersal event in the mid-late Miocene. At least four transitions from four stamens to two stamens have occurred within Mentheae, once in the subtribe Salviinae, once in the subtribe Lycopinae, and at least twice in the subtribe Menthinae. Worldwide cooling trends probably played a large role in the diversification and present day distribution of the tribe Mentheae. Additional work is needed to ascertain relationships within some Mentheae genera, especially in the subtribe Menthinae.

ChemInform Abstract: Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities of Nepeta Species

AbstractReview: 205 refs.

Testing the Monophyly and Placement of Lepechinia in the Tribe Mentheae (Lamiaceae)

Lepechinia (Lamiaceae subf. Nepetoideae) is a New World genus composed of about 42 species distributed primarily from Northern California to Central Argentina. Previous morphological and molecular studies on Lepechinia have raised questions on the mono- phyly of the genus and its placement within the tribe Mentheae. In this paper the phylogenetic placement and monophyly of Lepechinia is examined within the context of the tribe Mentheae using cpDNA ( ycf1 and trnL-F ) and nrDNA (ITS and ETS) markers. Melissa is shown to be sister to Lepechinia in both cpDNA and nrDNA analyses, and the monotypic genera Chaunostoma and Neoeplingia are found to be embedded within Lepechinia . The subtribe Menthinae is shown to be paraphyletic, with several genera needing to be reassigned. In particular, Neoeplingia should be included within the subtribe Salviinae. The genera Heterolamium and Melissa , both previously unplaced with regard to subtribe, are now clearly assigned to the subtribes Nepetinae and Salviinae, respectively. The cpDNA marker ycf1 has great phylogenetic utility, and is shown to be 50% more informative than trnL-F for the taxa used in this study. Keywords—Chaunostoma , cpDNA , Melissa , molecular phylogeny , Neoeplingia , ycf1.

Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities of Nepeta Species

Contents1. Introduction2. Chemical Constituents2.1. Monoterpenes2.1.1. Nepetalactones and Related Compounds2.1.2. Iridoid Glucosides2.1.3. Other Monoterpenes2.2. Sesquiterpenes2.3. Diterpenes2.4. Triterpenes2.5. Flavonoids2.6. Phenols2.7. Essential Oils2.8. Others3. Biological Activities3.1. Activity on Central Nervous System3.2. Antibacterial, Antifungal, and Antiviral Activities3.3. Antioxidant Activity3.4. Antinociceptive, Analgesic, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities3.5. Cytotoxic Activity3.6. Phytotoxic Activity3.7. Spasmolytic and Bronchodilatory Activities3.8. Anti-Atherosclerotic Activity3.9. Vasorelaxant and Platelet-Aggregation Activity3.10. Feline-Attractant and Insect-Repellent Activities4. Concluding Remarks1. Introduction. – The genus Nepeta, one of the largest genera of the Lamiaceaefamily, belongs to the subfamily Nepetoideae and tribe Mentheae. It comprises ca. 300herbaceous perennial, rarely annual species most of which are spread out over thelarger part of central and southern Europe, the Near East, central and southern Asia,and some areas of Africa. The plants of this genus have beautiful flowers with apleasantodor;thepollengrainsarehexacolpate[1].Thegreatestdiversityandrichness

Morphological, karyological and phylogenetic evaluation of Cyclotrichium: a piece in the tribe Mentheae puzzle

The genus Cyclotrichium, a member of the tribe Mentheae subtribe Menthinae (Lamiaceae, Nepetoideae), was analysed with respect to morphological revision, phylogenetic analysis, and cytogenetic properties. All species of the genus were investigated for morphological characters and ITS (internal transcribed spacers) of nrDNA sequence comparison (except C. hausknechtii for ITS). Six members of the genus were also analysed for chromosome numbers. The combined results strongly suggested that Cyclotrichium is a separate genus in Nepetoideae with distinct morphological, phylogenetic, and cytogenetic characteristics. For intrageneric phylogeny of Cyclotrichium, 3 groups were recognised: 1. C. niveum; 2. C. origanifolium; and 3. the remaining 6 species. Clinopodium s.l. and Mentha appear to be most closely related to Cyclotrichium. The phylogenetic relationship of Cyclotrichium with Clinopodium s.l., Mentha, Micromeria, Melissa, and Satureja is discussed. This is the first report on the somatic chromosome numbers of 6 Cyclotrichium species and phylogenetic analysis of Cyclotrichium based on (nrDNA) ITS sequences.

Micromorphology and Character Evolution of Nutlets in Tribe Mentheae (Nepetoideae, Lamiaceae)

Mentheae is an economically important tribe in Lamiaceae with many ornamentals and culinary herbs. Although its monophyly is well supported by molecular data, the subtribal delimitation and the intergeneric relationships are still poorly understood. The nutlet morphology (SEM) of the tribe and the presence/absence of myxocarpy is documented here for 57 out of 65 genera in order to assess the systematic value of nutlet characters and to evaluate the existing molecular phylogenies for this group. Significant variation was found in nutlet shape, morphology of the abscission scar, distribution of trichomes, and surface sculpture. Five different surface types were recognized in Mentheae based on differences in cell outline, anticlinal walls, cell boundary relief, and curvature of the outer periclinal wall. Representative nutlet features proved to be phylogenetically informative in Mentheae mainly at the generic level. Cladistic analyses were performed based on 15 morphological nutlet characters and/or available molecular data (nuclear ribosomal ITS and chloroplast trnL-trnF spacer sequences). The resulting topologies indicate that the addition of nutlet characters to the DNA-data matrix improved the overall resolution and also increased bootstrap support values in comparison with exclusively molecular phylogenetic analyses. The evolution of major nutlet characters within the tribe Mentheae is discussed.

Morphological and Anatomical Studies on Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. (Labiatae)

In this study 39 macro-morphological features of 8 populations of Z. clinopodioides Lam. were studied to find their diagnostic features for distinguishing their different subspecies in Iran. Micro-morphological characters of epidermis and pollen grains were considered. In order to determine the most variable morphological characters among the species studied, factor analysis based on principal components analysis was performed using SPSS ver. 9. Palynological studies show the general form of tribe Mentheae. According to the present results, the pollen morphology in Ziziphora clinopodioides may be helpful in elucidating the infra specific relationships. Leaf micro-characters of epidermis were shown to be of great importance in the taxonomy of the Z. clinopodioides subspecies. Using complement macro-characters for taxonomic purposes is highly recommended in Ziziphora L.