Wild Flowers Research Articles

Stingless bees: uses and management by meliponiculturist women in the Chaco region of Bolivia

BackgroundStingless bees have a great value as main pollinators of wild flowering and cultivated plants, thus playing a fundamental role in the maintenance of biodiversity and food security in Latin America. Despite their importance, stingless bees face numerous threats causing alarming population declines. Moreover, stingless bees have a great cultural and traditional value, since most products from the hive are used for a wide variety of purposes. A growing number of initiatives are encouraging the breeding of these bees, through training courses and modern management techniques. This study documents the knowledge on stingless bees and their products that meliponiculturists from the Chaco region of Bolivia have, as well as the influence that meliponiculture initiatives have on the management and general knowledge of the bees.MethodsLocal richness and diversity of stingless bees was calculated using Hill numbers. Structured interviews were conducted with 59 meliponiculturists in order to characterize traditional and formal knowledge on stingless bees and meliponiculture. Generalized linear models were applied to assess the influence of training courses on the management of the bees. Also, a relative cultural importance index was calculated for each species.ResultsTwelve Meliponini species were identified, and 15 local names were reported with morphological, defensiveness behavior, and nest description. There was no significant difference in the knowledge between different ethnical backgrounds or ages. A significant difference was observed in the use of supplementary feeding and assisted division, but none in the success in racking hives or in pest management, regarding the number or courses taken. The relative cultural importance index recorded 30 specific uses for bee products grouped in four categories, from which 29 were attributed (but not exclusively) to Tetragonisca angustula, making it the most versatile species.ConclusionsThe products of the hive, especially honey, are used for a wide variety of purposes, mostly in medicine. These uses are mostly attributed to just one species, T. angustula, in coincidence with what was taught in meliponiculture training courses by NGOs. The influence of formal knowledge is mostly positive, but it is recommended that other meliponini species are taken into account as well.

Analysis of Floral Color Differences between Different Ecological Conditions of Clematis tangutica (Maxim.) Korsh

The Clematis tangutica (Maxim.) Korsh. is a wild flowering plant that is most widely distributed on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with beautiful, brightly colored flowers and good ornamental properties and adaptability. In diverse natural environments, the blossom color of C. tangutica (Maxim.) Korsh. varies greatly, although it is unclear what causes this diversity. It was examined using UPLC-MS/MS and transcriptome sequencing for the investigation of various compounds, differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and flavonoid biosynthesis-related pathways in two flowers in two ecological settings. The results showed that a total of 992 metabolites were detected, of which 425 were differential metabolites, mainly flavonoid metabolites associated with its floral color. The most abundant flavonoids, flavonols and anthocyanin metabolites in the G type were cynaroside, isoquercitrin and peonidin-3-O-glucoside, respectively. Flavonoids that differed in multiplicity in G type and N type were rhoifolin, naringin, delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside, chrysoeriol and catechin. Rhoifolin and chrysoeriol, produced in flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, two flavonoid compounds of C. tangutica (Maxim.) Korsh. with the largest difference in floral composition in two ecological environments. In two ecological environments of flower color components, combined transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed that BZ1-1 and FG3-1 are key genes for delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside in anthocyanin biosynthesis, and HCT-5 and FG3-3 are key genes for rhoifolin and naringin in flavonoid biosynthesis and flavone and flavonol. Key genes for chlorogenic acid in flavonoid biosynthesis include HCT-6, CHS-1 and IF7MAT-1. In summary, differences in flavonoids and their content are the main factors responsible for the differences in the floral color composition of C. tangutica (Maxim.) Korsh. in the two ecological environments, and are associated with differential expression of genes related to flavonoid synthesis.

Levels of Contamination by Pesticide Residues, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in Honeys Retailed in Europe

Honey is consumed worldwide because of its nutritional, therapeutic and medicinal properties. Generally, honey should reach the consumer in a pure form, but it is often contaminated in various ways. Thus, this study was designed to check for the presence of pesticide residues, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels, and the content of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in selected European honeys (26 samples) obtained from shops. The most frequently detected organochlorine pesticide (OCPs) was 4,4’-DDD, which was found in fourteen honey samples. Slovakian rapeseed honey was most polluted due to the presence of eight OCPs. The presence of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) was detected in all the analysed samples, and at least one OP in each tested sample exceeded the acceptable limit. PAHs were detected in most of the analysed samples. As for PAH4s, benzo[a]pyrene was found in forest honey from Slovakia and in Polish lime tree honey, whereas wild flower honey from the UK contained the highest level of PAH4. The investigated honeys from Spain and France met the requirements for HMF content, while honeys of Slovak, Italian and Polish origin in most cases exceeded the established levels (40 mg/kg).

Названия растений как часть поэтического лексикона (на материале «Словаря языка русской поэзии ХХ века»)

The article discusses the features of the lexicographic description of plant names (phytonyms) in the dictionary of the poetic language. The Dictionary of the Language of the Twentieth Century Russian Poetry, describing the lexicon of ten outstanding authors of the Silver Age (I. Annensky, A.Akhmatova, A. Blok, S. Yesenin, M. Kuzmin, O. Mandelstam, V. Mayakovsky, B. Pasternak, V. Khlebnikov, M. Tsvetaeva), includes more than 500 such lexical items. Plants representation in the poetic language differs significantly. On the one hand, the names of fundamentally important, culturally significant plants belong to the core of the poetic lexicon: these are mainly trees (birch, oak, willow, pine), fruit trees or shrubs and their fruits (cherry, raspberry, apple tree/apple), as well as roseand some other flowers (stock, lily, violet). These plant names usually receive a poetic interpretation, cf. iva ‘willow ’, and ivka ‘little willow ’, ivnyak ‘willow shrubs’, iva-providitsa ‘willow-seer’. On the other hand, the poetry of the Silver Age is characterized by close attention to the real, material world, and rarer lexemes are organically included in the poetic text. These are the names of garden and wild flowers (anemone, aster, marigolds, cornflower, carnation), common names (Ivan-da-Maria‘cow wheat’, kashka‘clover’, lubka‘butterfly orchids’, weeping-grass‘purple loosestrife’), a kind of non-poetic names (turnip, elder, box-thorn, carrot, radish). The Russian National Corpus allows us to trace the variability of the poetic lexicon: a number of names (primarily specific, common names) first appear in the poetry of the Silver Age, other names eventually leave the lexicon.

Analysis on SSR Loci in Transcriptome and Development of EST-SSR Molecular Markers in <i>Lonicera macranthoides</i>

Huizhanmao-rendong ( Lonicera macranthoides ), as a species of original plant of wild honeysuckle flower ( Flos Lonicerae ), the traditional Chinese medicine, is widely distributed in South China and features high medicinal and economic value. In this study, the SSR loci of 74 057 unigenes in the transcriptome of L .  macranthoides  were analyzed by MISA. Among them, 15 587 unigenes contained 20 161 SSR loci, and the frequency of SSR was 21.05%. The types of SSR sites in the transcriptome of L .  macranthoides  were distributed from single nucleotide to six nucleotide repeats. The main repeats were dinucleotide (9 704) and trinucleotide (5 847), accounting for 48.13 % and 29.00 % of the total SSRs, respectively. The main repeat units were AG/CT (6 086), AT/AT (3 071) and A/T (2 826), accounting for 30.79%, 15.23%, and 14.02% of the total SSRs, respectively. There were 4 897 and 3 531 repeats (the numbers of repeats were the most) in 6 and 5 SSR loci, accounting for 24.29 % and 17.51 % of the total SSR number, respectively. By using primer 6.0 software, 17 611 pairs of SSR primers were designed, and 30 pairs of primers were randomly selected for amplification verification. Among them, 14 pairs of amplified bands showed polymorphism, and then the genetic diversity of 6 varieties of L .  macranthoides  was analyzed by using these 14 pairs of primers. The results will provide a scientific basis for species identification, genetic diversity analysis, and molecular marker-assisted breeding of  L .  macranthoides .

Mediating a host cell signaling pathway linked to overwinter mortality offers a promising therapeutic approach for improving bee health

IntroductionHoney bees provides valuable pollination services for world food crops and wild flowering plants which are habitats of many animal species and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, a powerful tool in the fight against climate change. Nevertheless, the honey bee population has been declining and the majority of colony losses occur during the winter. ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to understand the mechanisms underlying overwinter colony losses and develop novel therapeutic strategies for improving bee health. MethodsFirst, pathogen prevalence in overwintering bees were screened between 2015 and 2018. Second, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) for transcriptional profiling of overwintering honey bees was conducted and qRT-PCR was performed to confirm the results of the differential expression of selected genes. Lastly, laboratory bioassays were conducted to measure the effects of cold challenges on bee survivorship and stress responses and to assess the effect of a novel medication for alleviating cold stress in honey bees. ResultsWe identified that sirtuin signaling pathway is the most significantly enriched pathway among the down-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in overwintering diseased bees. Moreover, we showed that the expression of SIRT1 gene, a major sirtuin that regulates energy and immune metabolism, was significantly downregulated in bees merely exposed to cold challenges, linking cold stress with altered gene expression of SIRT1. Furthermore, we demonstrated that activation of SIRT1 gene expression by SRT1720, an activator of SIRT1 expression, could improve the physiology and extend the lifespan of cold-stressed bees. ConclusionOur study suggests that increased energy consumption of overwintering bees for maintaining hive temperature reduces the allocation of energy toward immune functions, thus making the overwintering bees more susceptible to disease infections and leading to high winter colony losses. The novel information gained from this study provides a promising avenue for the development of therapeutic strategies for mitigating colony losses, both overwinter and annually.

Visitors to a University pollinator event have positive attitudes towards honey bees

Honey bees are important for crop and wild flower pollination and are facing population decline due to several factors that may be mitigated through conservation efforts. The purpose of this study was to assess attitudes towards honey bees of adults visiting a honey bee information table at a University's weeklong pollinator event in the spring of 2019. Attitudes were assessed utilizing 12 statements scored on a 5-point Likert scale of strongly agree to strongly disagree. Relationships between demographics and attitudes were explored using chi-square test and Bonferroni correction. Attitudes towards honey bees were, overall, positive. Participants recognize the intelligence of honey bees and agree it is important to learn about honey bees, protect them, and that they are an important part of the environment. They disagreed that they felt fear when near a honey bee, and disagreed that it is better to kill a bee than be stung. Additionally, they disagreed that they would kill a honey bee found in their home. Participants strongly disagreed that honey bees are dangerous. Significant relationships were found between number of times a person was stung and attitudes towards learning about honey bees and whether a person felt that killing a honey bee is better than being stung. A significant relationship was also found between geographic location and importance of honey bees to the environment. This study highlighted the need to continue education and exposure of the public to honey bees in order to positively affect perceptions.

Women's Legacy in the Bible

Every poet and storyteller sing a poem and writes story comparing women to Pushpam, means flower. There are many kinds of flowers, each with different speciality. Their colours and smells are different. Similarly, every woman created by God has different qualities and nature. Even in the Bible, each story portrays women in a different form with different characteristics. But only some flowers attract human attention. Many kind of flowers that grow in the forest bloom and wither, no one is there to take care of it. No one enjoys its beauty, and no one consumes its fragrance. However, God does not refuse to give beauty and fragrance to it. The Lord Jesus Christ tells us to observe how the wild flowers grow. If God takes care of them, will He not take care of humans? Every woman in the scripture’s blossoms like a flow and God uses them for a good purpose. This article explains about the women’s legacy in the Bible

Edible Flowers Used in Some Countries of the Mediterranean Basin: An Ethnobotanical Overview

Edible flowers are becoming an essential component of people's nutrition in the Mediterranean basin. In the last decades, many researchers also have focused their attention on the nutritional composition of the edible flowers, as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, including studies on their safety issues. Despite the growing interest in the use of flowers in human nutrition, the ethnobotanical literature is lacking coverage of some important issues, particularly those which concern the use of flowers in the folk tradition. Only recently, a review regarding the contribution of 32 edible flowers to the Mediterranean diet was published. The aim of the present review is to document the plant lore regarding the wild and cultivated edible flowers consumed in the Mediterranean basin. Based on the 112 studies reviewed, we documented 251 taxa as being used in the Mediterranean basin as edible flowers. The plant species belong to 45 families and 141 genera. Asteraceae (54 taxa) is the most frequently cited family. Sambucus nigra L. is the most cited species. This study can be the basis for future research on the supposed bioactivity and toxicity of wild and cultivated flowers.

Consumption of edible flowers in South Africa: nutritional benefits, stakeholders' views, policy and practice implications

PurposeEdible flowers have traditionally been consumed for their nutritional and medicinal properties. Aponogeton distachyos is an aquatic flowering plant native to the Western Cape of South Africa (SA) that used to be a wild plant gathered during the winter months, but it is now considered to be underutilised and endangered. This study aims at gaining insights from different stakeholders into the activities across the plant value chain and their impact on the consumption of Aponogeton distachyos.Design/methodology/approachThe study methodology involved the identification of different stakeholders in the plant value chain and conducting qualitative in-depth interviews during the data collection. Twelve study participants were selected via purposive sampling and interviewed using semi-structured interviews (face-to-face, telephone and online).FindingsNostalgic connection of the flower with local culture and heritage and its unique taste and flavour are key consumption drivers. Promotional and educational efforts by food advocates and at public events help raise consumer awareness, which is generally lacking. Limited geographic and seasonal availability, perishability, price and quality issues emerged, together with low awareness, as main barriers to more frequent and geographically spread consumption.Originality/valueAlthough wild edible flowers have been consumed for centuries, there has been little attention to their nutritional value and journey to their final consumers. The present study identifies important challenges emanating at different stages of the food value chain to consumption of one particular neglected and underutilised plant, with certain implications for people's dietary quality, environmental sustainability and biodiversity of natural resources beyond Aponogeton distachyos and SA.Highlights(1)Aponogeton distachyos is a neglected and underutilised aquatic flowering plant native to the Western Cape of South Africa (SA). (2)The plant offers benefits related to people's dietary quality, environmental sustainability and biodiversity of natural resources. (3)Flower's nostalgic connection with local culture and heritage emerge as a key consumption driver. (4)Its unique taste and flavour highly appeal to consumers. (5)Low awareness, limited availability, price and quality are main consumption barriers. (6)There is largely unexploited public policy potential for supporting dietary diversity through growing edible flowers.

Comparison of the Chemical Components, Efficacy and Mechanisms of Action of Chrysanthemum morifolium Flower and Its Wild Relative Chrysanthemum indicum Flower against Liver-Fire Hyperactivity Syndrome of Hypertension via Integrative Analyses.

To clarify the differences in the clinical application scope of Chrysanthemum morifolium flower (CMF) and Chrysanthemum indicum flower (CIF), two herbs of similar origin, an integrated strategy of network pharmacology, molecular pharmacology, and metabolomics was employed, with a view to investigating the commonalities and dissimilarities in chemical components, efficacy and mechanisms of action. Initial HPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis revealed that CMF and CIF had different flavonoid constituents. The biological processes underlying the therapeutic effects of CMF and CIF on liver-fire hyperactivity syndrome of hypertension (LFHSH) were predicted to be related to inflammatory response, fatty acid production, and other pathways based on network pharmacology analysis. ELISA, molecular docking, Western blot, and metabolomics techniques showed similar effects of CMF and CIF in lowering blood pressure, resistance to tissue, organ and functional damage, and dyslipidemia. However, distinct effects were found in the regulation of inflammatory response, PI3K-Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways, lipid anabolism, renin-angiotensin system, and metabolic abnormalities. The comparable efficacies of CMF and CIF, despite having distinct mechanisms of action, may be attributed to the integration and counteraction of their different regulating capabilities on the above anti-LFHSH mechanisms. This study offers a vital platform for assessment of differential and precise applications of herbs of close origin with similar but slightly different medicinal properties, and provides a research strategy for bridging Chinese medicine and modern precision medicine.

The Yield, Chemical Composition, and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils from Different Plant Parts of the Wild and Cultivated Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.)

The present study focuses on the yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant activity of essential oils from different parts (flowers or leaves/stems) of cultivated plants grown under pearl shade nets with a 40% shaded index or in nonshaded plants and wild-grown oregano. The chemical composition of isolated essential oils was determined by GC/MS and GC/FID. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH assay. The highest yield of oregano essential oils (OEOs) was obtained in cultivated shaded plants (flowers) at 0.35 mL/100 g p.m., in contrast to nonshaded plants (flowers), where the yield of OEOs was low (0.21 mL/100 g p.m.). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the OEOs identified 16–52 constituents that varied with origin and plant organs. The oxygenated sesquiterpene caryophylleneoxide (7.4–49.9%) was predominant in all the essential oil samples. Other major constituents were sesquiterpene hydrocarbon-germacrene D (8.4–22.5%) and (E)-caryophyllene (8.5–10.8%), monoterpene hydrocarbon-sabinene (1.6–7.7%), and oxygen-containing monoterpenes-terpinen-4-ol (1.5–7.0%). The plant part has a significant effect on the antioxidant activity of OEOs, while the influenceof modified light under the shade nets is significantly lower. The OEOs from wild flowers showed the highest antioxidant activity, with an EC50 value of 4.78 mg/mL. OEOs from cultivated nonshaded plants (flowers) recorded the lowest antioxidant activity with an EC50 value of 24.63 mg/mL. The results suggest that the yield and quality of OEOs can be scaled-up by optimizing plant production in comparison with wild-growing plants. The content and quality of OEO can be increased by optimizing its production compared to plants from the spontaneous flora. Adequate cultivation techniques, such as shading, can achieve high-quality oregano yields and better quality parameters in terms of specific OEO components and meet the different requirements of the market and industrial sectors.

Transcriptome responses to salt stress in roots and leaves of Lilium pumilum

Salt stress seriously affects the growth and development of plants. Most species of lilies are not salt tolerant, thus salt affecting their geographical application. As a wild flower, Lilium pumilum is an excellent breeding material because of its bright colors, strong salt tolerance and cold tolerance. There are few studies on the salt tolerance mechanism and salt tolerance gene mining of L. pumilum. In this study, the salt tolerance threshold of L. pumilum was determined to be approximately 150 mM and the abundant ion translocation occurs in roots and leaves at the concentration. RNA-seq was used to characterize the transcriptome differences between L. pumilum leaves and roots treated with 150 mM NaCl for 2 and 12 h. By de novo assembly, 47,763 and 76,871 unigenes were identified in L. pumilum leaves and roots, respectively. Differentially expressed genes in leaves were higher than those in roots at 2 h, whereas the opposite result was obtained at 12 h. GO analysis of DEGs showed that transcriptional regulation and redox processes were significantly enriched, and KEGG annotation indicated that L. pumilum roots and leaves responded to salt stress mainly through phytohormone signaling, MAPK signaling pathways, and starch and sucrose metabolism. These results reveal important salt stress-related genes and metabolic pathways in L. pumilum, providing valuable information for exploring the salt tolerance mechanism of L. pumilum, screening salt tolerance genes and breeding new salt-tolerant L. pumilum varieties.

Residue status and risk assessment of neonicotinoids under real field conditions: Based on a two-year survey of cotton fields throughout China

There is considerable controversy regarding the harm caused by neonicotinoids to pollinators. Oilseed rape, corn and wild flowers, but not cotton, have been identified as important for toxicity risk of neonicotinoids to pollinators. To this end, 396 stamens and maternal flowers from major cotton areas across China were analyzed, 97.3% (2020) and 100% (2021) of samples contained at least one neonicotinoid pesticide. The probability of multiple residues was greater than that of a single neonicotinoid residue, and there was no significant difference between stamen and maternal flowers. The median total concentration of neonicotinoids ranged from 3.73 to 638 ng g −1 . Acetamiprid (detection rate ratio (DRR): 14.3%; concentration ratio (CR): 53.1%), dinotefuran (DRR: 23.3%; CR: 19.9%), and clothianidin (DRR: 21.1%; CR: 6.49%) were the most frequently detected neonicotinoids. Based on the Hazard Quotient (HQ) assessment, acetamiprid, clothianidin and dinotefuran (median HQ value > 1,000) reached the risk level; while the Risk Quotient (RQ) assessment indicated that they have not yet reached the degree of risk concern (median RQ value < 0.4). This research provides the first overview of neonicotinoid residues in cotton field, and supplements the data of cotton field planting for international risk assessment of neonicotinoids. • Neonicotinoid insecticides were detected in 98.6% of cotton flowers. • Multiple neonicotinoid residues have a higher detection rate than single residues. • The number of neonicotinoids detected mostly ranged from 3–5. • The risk of neonicotinoids to honeybees was assessed using HQ and RQ models. • Acetamiprid, clothianidin, and dinotefuran are the most common and potentially risky neonicotinoids.

A Review of Antifungal Activities of Ziziphora clinopodioides

Ziziphora clinopodioides, also known with vernacular names such as Kakuti-e kuhi, Pinah kuhi, Ankh, Lip vanilla, and mountain mint, is a wild flowering plant that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It is used in treating typhoid fever, stomach strengthening, abdominal pains, inflammatory and cardiovascular disease, asthma, cough, bronchitis, insomnia, colds, flu, and other infectious diseases in traditional medicine. Additionally, Z. clinopodioides has various biological activities, including antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, appetizer, carminative, antiseptic, and wound-healing properties. In this study, the antifungal activities of Z. clinopodioides were summarized. The Keywords were searched in Scopus until 19 October 2021 and the articles that contain relevant information about the antifungal activity of Z. clinopodioides were included. Z. clinopodioides leaf and aerial parts had significant antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida guilliermondii, Candida krusei, Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum, and Trichophyton schoenleini. In some studies, its effects were higher than standards (such as amphotericin B, fluconazole, nystatin, and terbinafine). Therefore, it seems that Z. clinopodioides can be a good choice for more experimental and clinical studies as an antifungal agent.

Asghar Seyed-Gohrab. Martyrdom, Mysticism and Dissent: The Poetry of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988)

Asghar Seyed-Gohrab. <i>Martyrdom, Mysticism and Dissent: The Poetry of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988)</i>

Wild vegetation and ‘farming with alternative pollinators’ approach support pollinator diversity in farmland

AbstractSeveral management practices have been suggested to mitigate the global pollinator decline in agro‐ecosystems, including wildflower strips and Farming with Alternative Pollinators (FAP). FAP proposes to dedicate 25% of the field area to seed Marketable Habitat Enhancement Plants (MHEP) around the main crop, occupying 75% of the field. However, wild pollinators may not rely fully on the resources that fields provide due to differences in flying period and host‐plant preferences, and need additional resources from wild flowering plant communities. Here we aim to compare wild pollinator communities between FAP fields, monoculture of pollinator dependent crops and the nearby wild flowering plants. We developed two experimental trials with two main crops (faba bean and eggplant) in 16 fields in North‐West Morocco and we compared wild pollinator richness and wild pollinator specialization between FAP fields, control fields and the nearby wild flowering plants. We recorded a significantly higher pollinator richness in FAP fields compared to wild flowering plants and monoculture. Pollinator specialization index (i.e. degree of interaction specialization at the species level) did not differ significantly between the three treatments in faba bean trial (i.e. FAP, control and wild plants), whilst in eggplant trial, wild plants harboured significantly more specialist species than FAP fields. Yet, no significant differences in pollinator specialization index were reported between the other treatments in eggplant trial (i.e. FAP vs. control and control vs. wild plants). Moreover, 28% of the pollinator species collected, were only observed on wild plants, particularly thistles. These results highlight the potential of FAP approach as a tool for pollinator conservation in farmlands. However, the FAP approach alone is not sufficient to cater the diverse pollinators present in the agro‐ecosystem, and hence, the maintenance of the surrounding wild flowering plants is necessary to support pollinators in farmlands.

Quantitative Ethnobotanical Report of Wild Flowers used by Tribes of Wayanad Forest Division, Kerala- India

The quantitative ethnobotany deals the computation and importance of the plants and vegetation to people. It helps quantification of qualitative data in the biological and social science. The traditional source of medicinal plants is an important way for daily curative uses in the rural area. A survey was carried out among the tribes of Munnar forest division, Idukki district, Kerala India. The present study identified traditionally using 47 species of ethnomedicinal plants distributed in 41 genera belonging to 29 families to treat various diseases. Moreover, among the plant studied habit wise analyzed they are 12 herbs, 13 shrubs, 12 trees, each one of climbing shrub, twining shrub, prostrate shrub, climber. The status of plants are analyzed and recorded as 26 common, 14 rare, 5 common &amp; Cultivated and 2 sporadic are described under this study. In this communication, the information’s got from the rural inhabitant were compared with the already existing literature. The data were col- lected randomly from tribal and healers of 85 informants the data were statistically analyzed by using suitable statistical tools such as Use Value (UV), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Fidelity Value (FL) and various ranking methods.

Pursuing best practices for minimizing wild bee captures to support biological research

AbstractBees are important pollinators of wild and domesticated flowering plant species. Over the last 30 years, an increasing number of scientific articles have been published on the ecology and conservation of wild bees. To achieve research goals, many studies have pursued the lethal take of wild bees. Although the impact of lethal take for scientific pursuits is likely negligible compared to the negative impacts of human‐mediated phenomena such as climate change, urbanization, and agricultural intensification, it is important to evaluate the history of lethal take on scientific endeavors. In our study, we evaluated a random sample of 30 years of scientific publications on wild bees. Across 1426 surveyed publications, 536 reported the lethal take of wild bees. We found that 61% of these studies lethally captured wild bees primarily for species identification. Furthermore, we determined passive sampling of wild bees resulted in substantially more lethal collections than active methods per study. However, combined approaches of passive and active collection resulted in the greatest lethal take of wild bees per study. Finally, we determined that 64% of the studies did not provide deposition information for their samples, hindering additional research that could be done with them. The increasing availability of video and photographic devices and artificial intelligence approaches to identification, the development of low and noninvasive molecular methods, and the ease of sharing information, allow for a timely discussion on alternative routes and potentially new best practices in bee research. We focus our discussion on alternative methods for minimizing lethal captures for identification purposes and through passive methods, and for maximizing the utility of the data collected. Finally, we provide a framework for continued engagement among researchers and managers to develop strategies that can contribute to reducing our impact on wild bee communities and making the most of collected specimens.

Richness of Wild Flowering Plants and Ferns in Northern Cyprus

Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, is situated just outside of the Gulf of &#x0D; Iskenderun, south of Turkey. Its topography can be summarized as ‘The Coastal Belt, Northern Range, &#x0D; Southern Range and Central plain’. The island has been divided into 8 phytogeographical divisions by &#x0D; Meikle in 1977. The whole checklist of the vascular plants taxa, occurring in Northern Cyprus, has been &#x0D; prepared. The checklist comprises of 1564 wild taxa (species and subspecies) belonging to various &#x0D; families. Taxonomic status of the taxa has been updated according to two databases as follows ‘The &#x0D; Plants Names’ and ‘International Plant Name Index (IPNI)’. Cyprus is a hotspot in Mediterranean basin &#x0D; and its number of the endemic taxa are 143; 73 of them occurring as endemic in Northern Cyprus and &#x0D; 15 of them are distributed only in the area of Northern Cyprus. The list of the vascular plants is given &#x0D; as tables and the endemic taxa is listed as a separate table in the article.