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Abstract: Leaf secondary compounds were examined in browsed and non-browsed Juniperus ashei trees to identify selective browsing patterns by goats and deer. Analysis of volatile leaf oils (terpenoids) revealed that the browsed trees were lower in total oil than non-browsed trees (2.18 vs. 3.46%, DW basis). Extractable and fiber-bound condensed tannins (CT) were not different but protein-bound CT concentrations were greater in browsed trees. Among digestibility measures (NDF, ADF, IVDMD), IVDMD was greater in non-browsed leaves. Terpene components analyzed on a percent total oil basis had 3 differences versus 12 significant differences on a mg/g DW basis. The terpenoid components profile differed little between browsed and non-browsed trees. Total CT are negatively associated with oil yields. No association was found between crude protein and oil yields or between digestibility (IVDMD, NDF, ADF) and oil yields. The question of whether individual plants or populations may invest less in CT when greater amounts of terpenes are produced (or vice-versa) may have evolutionary implications since individual browsers or populations may adapt to consuming or avoiding either CT or terpenes. The fact that browsed tree leaves were less digestible than non-browsed tree leaves may be a result of complex interactions between CT, terpenes, fiber, and nutrients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: ‘Karnataka’ and ‘Malaysia’ cultivars of vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash, =Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty) were subjected to meristem tissue culture in order to produce plants that were bacteria- and fungi-free. Tissue cultured (“cleansed” or phytosanitary) vetiver was grown for five months in sterilized soil contained in pots, and the oil content of plants grown on the medium was compared to that of non-cleansed (normal) vetiver plants grown in unsterilized soil under the same conditions. Statistical analysis of 49 of the major oil components revealed numerous significant differences between tissue culture derived and natural plants for both genotypes. Although oil yields differed, this may reflect the larger size of the initial plantlets obtained from natural sources. Tissue cultured vs. natural plantlets grown in sterilized soil resulted in the largest number of differences in compounds. The least number of differences of compounds were between tissue cultured vs. natural plantlets grown in non-sterile soil. The thesis that many of the compounds found in vetiver roots originate from endogenous fungi was not supported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: During a survey of the flora of the Mexican state of Durango, a subalpine, shrubby–prostrate form of Juniperus blancoi Martinez was discovered on the summit of Cerro Huehuento. A comparison among populations of J. blancoi growing in different environments indicate that this subalpine taxon is differentiated in its morphology and RAPD DNA banding from J. blancoi populations growing at lower elevations. A new variety is recognized, J. blancoi Mart. var. huehuentensis R. P. Adams, S. González and M. González Elizondo. In addition to being shrubby–prostrate in habit, J. blancoi var. huehuentensis has the female cones attached to the lower sides of planate branchlets. A comparison of the leaf essential oils of Juniperus scopulorum, Juniperus mucronata, J. blancoi and J. blancoi var. huehuentensis revealed that the oil of var. huehuentensis exhibited few differences from typical J. blancoi. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Analyses of individuals classically treated as Juniperus oxycedrus L. var. oxycedrus from Morocco, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey, using DNA sequencing of nrDNA (ITS 1, 5.8S, ITS 2) plus RAPDs, leaf terpenoids and morphology revealed that two cryptic, genetically distinct but morphologically almost identical species are present. These species, J. oxycedrus L. var. oxycedrus and Juniperus deltoides R.P. Adams, are about as different from each other as Juniperus navicularis and Juniperus macrocarpa are from J. oxycedrus var. oxycedrus. Examination of herbarium specimens revealed that the two species are largely allopatric with J. deltoides occurring from Italy eastward through Turkey into the Caucasus Mts. and Iran. J. oxycedrus var. oxycedrus appears to be largely concentrated west of Italy (France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco). Cryptic speciation is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The ‘Sunshine’ cultivar of vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash, =Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty) was subjected to meristem tissue culture in order to produce plants that were bacteria- and fungi-free. Tissue cultured (“cleansed” or phytosanitary) vetiver was grown for five months in pots of sterilized soil, and the oil compared to non-cleansed (normal) vetiver plants grown in the same conditions except using pots of unsterilized soil. The steam distilled (24 h) oil of the roots from tissue cultured (cleansed) vetiver yielded 0.02% clear oil compared to a 0.35% yield of light yellow oil for the normal vetiver plants, a 17-fold smaller yield. GC/MS analyses of the oils revealed that the non-cleansed (normal) vetiver had the typical vetiver oil profile, whereas the tissue cultured (cleansed) vetiver produced large amounts of C19–C29 alkanes plus several alkanols along with typical vetiver oil compounds, but lacked presumed fungal metabolites such as β-funebrene, prezizaene, α-amorphene, and β-vetispirene. An unidentified biotic factor (apparently bacteria or fungi) appears to enhance the oil production in normal vetiver by both increasing yield and by the generation of signature oil compounds. These preliminary results of endogenous microbial transformations of plant chemistry may have broader physiological implications, especially among monocotyledons (including cereals). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The identity of a major unknown component in Juniperus volatile leaf oils has recently been determined as pregeijerene B. The occurrence of pregeijerene B in Juniperus is shown to be highly correlated with 8-α-acetoxyelemol. These compounds are shown to be present in section Sabina, but absent in sections Caryocedrus and Juniperus. In section Sabina, these compounds are very common among the smooth leaf margined, one seeded junipers of the eastern hemisphere and the smooth leaf margined junipers of the western hemisphere. Pregeijerene B and 8-α-acetoxyelemol are thought to arise from 8-α-acetoxyhedycaryol, accounting for their co-occurrence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Plants of Juniperus communis L. var. communis, J. c. var. depressa Pursh, J. c. var. hemispherica J. & C. Presl, J. communis var. megistocarpa Fern. & St. John, J. c. var. nipponica (Maxim.) Wils., J. c. var. oblonga hort. ex Loudon and J. c. var. saxatilis Pall. were sampled and DNA fingerprinting (RAPDs, Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs) was performed. Based on 191 RAPD bands, there was little evidence to support the recognition of J. communis var. hemispherica, J. c. var. oblonga and J. c. var. nipponica. Juniperus communis var. communis (Sweden) was found to be most similar to J. c. var. hemispherica from Sicily, and also very similar to J. c. var. saxatilis. The recognition of J. c. var. saxatilis, sensu stricto, and var. hemispherica (from Sicily) was not supported by the RAPD data in this study. All of the J. c. var. depressa populations sampled from the Western Hemisphere formed a distinct group. Juniperus communis var. megistocarpa, endemic to maritime eastern Canada, was the most distinct variety of J. communis. Juniperus communis var. “saxatilis” populations from the Kamchatka peninsula and J. c. var. “hemispherica” from the Sierra Nevada, Spain, were very distinct from other J. c. var. communis–saxatilis populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Twelve individual genotypes selected from Juniperus populations, varieties and species were analyzed using ITS sequences, RAPDs, ISSRs, and leaf volatile terpenoids. These four data sets, all analyzed in the same manner, illustrated that these data sets can be used at different organizational levels: specific, inter-specific and intraspecific. Similarity matrices for the ITS, RAPD, and ISSR data sets were highly correlated (r ranged from 0.83 to 0.95). In contrast, the terpenoid matrix had a low correlation with the other data matrices (r ranged from −0.04 to 0.38). Because these 12 genotypes were taken from several species, the terpenoids, having been shown to most useful at the infra-specific level, were not concordant at this taxonomic level. The high correlation between DNA markers and ITS sequence data implies that these data are measuring concordant patterns among these genotypes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

DNA was examined by RAPD banding for Junipers chinensis, J.c. var. sargentii, J.c. var. tsukusiensis, J. communis, J.c. var. nipponica, J.c. var. saxatilis, J. conferta, J. formosana, J. procumbens, J. rigida, J. taxifolia and J.t. var. lutchuensis. The DNA data readily separated junipers of section Sabina from section Juniperus. J.c. var. tsukusiensis from Taiwan was found to be sufficiently different from J.c. var. tsukusiensis (Yakushima) to warrant the recognition of a new variety: J. chinensis var. taiwanensis R.P. Adams and C-F. Hsieh nov. var. Juniperus formosana from mainland China was found to be different from J. formosana from Taiwan and a new variety is recognized: J. formosana var. mairei (Lemee and Lev.) R.P. Adams and C-F. Hsieh comb. nov. Juniperus communis var. nipponica was found to be very distinct from J. communis and this supports its recognition as a variety. The recognition of J. conferta as a variety of J. rigida [J. rigida var. conferta (Parl.) Patschke] is supported by the data. The data also supports the recognition of J. lutchuensis Koidz. [=J. taxifolia var. lutchuensis (Koldz.) Satake] and J. morrisonicola Hayata [=J. squamata var. morrisonicola (Hayata) H.L. Li and H. Keng] at the specific levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) were analyzed for J. phoenicea var. phoenicea from Spain, J.p. var. canariensis from the Canary Islands, and J.p. subsp. eu-mediterranea from Portugal, and J.p. var. turbinata from Corsica, Greece, and Spain. Juniperus phoenicea was clearly divided into J.p. var. phoenicea and J.p. var. turbinata and affiliated populations. J.p. subsp. mediterranea Lebr. and Thiv. from Portugal was confirmed to be conspecific with J.p. var. turbinata. Thus, by nomenclatural priority, J.p. subsp. mediterranea must be recognized as J.p. var. turbinata (Guss.) Parl. The J.p. var. canariensis from the Canary Islands showed a strong relationship to plants from southern Greece and to J.p. var. turbinata plants. The major trend in the population affinities was east–west (Canary Islands, Portugal, Spain to Greece). The plants from near Delphi, Greece were found to more like var. turbinata whereas, those from near Nea Epidavios, Greece were more like the plants from the Canary Islands. Based on RAPD data and morphological observations, only two infraspecific taxa are recognized: J.p. var. phoenicea and J.p. var. turbinata until additional research is completed in Morocco and Turkey. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]