Search

In the interview transcript below, Emeritus Professor Dr. Dieter Mueller-Dombois talks about his prolific career in the Department of Botany (now a program within the Life Sciences Department) at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawai'i. Dr. Mueller-Dombois describes major projects and publications across his time in Canada, Sri Lanka, and Hawai'i, his experiences as a soldier in WWII, and his deep appreciation for the Hawaiian flora and for the Botany Department that inspired and nourished his far-reaching and deeply impactful contributions to the field of forest ecology. Included is a discussion of his work on 'ōhi'a (Metrosideros polymorpha) stand-level dieback in the 1980s in connection to the more recent episode of rapid 'ōhi'a death. Although the Botany Department is now merged with other departments, Dr. Mueller-Dombois hoped for it to remain with a distinct identity. In his view, it was an amiable department that made critical contributions to understanding and protecting the tremendous natural and cultural heritage of Hawai'i. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing urbanization and alienation from nature reduce children's opportunities to interact with plants and challenge teachers to devise educational practices that contribute to learning botany. This study presents the results of activities developed in a Brazilian school through explorations, drawings, dried and pressed specimens, and semi-structured interviews. The data were evaluated using mixed methods analysis. Leaves were the structure that was most frequently drawn by 1st- and 2nd-year students, followed by stems. Among students in their 3rd, 4th, and 5th years, more emphasis was on flowers and their detailed morphological structures. The 1st- and 2nd-year students included non-living elements and the surrounding environment in their drawings, whereas the older students focused on the plant itself. These particularities point to methods of teaching botany in context and link students' specific knowledge to values and practices that contribute to an environmental education that aims to minimize the utilitarian view of nature and move towards a view of human beings as integrated and interdependent with other living and non-living elements.

In May 1818, Joseph Arnold—a surgeon and naturalist working under British statesman Thomas Stamford Raffles—came across what he called the "vegetable of the prodigy world," a flower so unbelievable in its size, putrid odor, and fleshiness that it would challenge the limits of floral life for colonial naturalists thereafter. Tracing the material history of the so-called corpse flower, Rafflesia arnoldii , over the course of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and its place—or lack thereof—in colonial collections, this article explores how natural historical knowledge develops when specimens cannot be fully collected, described, or possessed outside of the field. Facing a lack of physical evidence and the utter inability to preserve, pack, and ship the massive, stinking, and ephemeral corpse flower to Britain and Europe from its Sumatran home, naturalists like Arnold struggled with disbelief and self-doubt while moving through colonial networks of exploration, competition, and death in the rainforests of Southeast Asia. Loss, this article argues, held significant weight in colonial collecting, challenging notions of material abundance in herbaria and natural history museums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Isatis indigotica Fort. (Chinese woad) is a species with an ancient and well-documented history as an indigo dye and medicinal plant. It is often confused with Isatis tinctoria L. (European woad), a medicinal plant in Europe. Here, the differences between I. indigotica and I. tinctoria are systematically described. The usage development history, clinical applications and pharmacological activities, and chemical components of I. indigotica are also summarized. Lignans, indole alkaloids, and their corresponding derivatives have been identified as the major active ingredients of I. indigotica and are associated with anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and other health-promoting activities. Notable progress has been made in understanding the biosynthetic pathway and regulation mechanism of lignans and indole alkaloids in I. indigotica, the results from which should facilitate the process of targeted metabolic engineering or synthetic biology. Moreover, multiple biotechnology methods such as polyploid breeding and genetic engineering have been used with I. indigotica to result in, for example, greater yields, higher levels of bioactive component accumulation, and enhanced stress tolerance to salt, drought, and insects. Some issues require additional analyses, and suggestions for future research on I. indigotica are also discussed.

In China, Russia, Mongolia, Japan, North Korea, and Mexico, Sedum aizoon L. (S. aizoon) is used as an edible plant. Up to now, over 234 metabolites, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, triterpenes, phytosterols, and alkaloids, among others, have been identified. In addition to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue, antimicrobial, anti-cancer, and hemostatic activities, S. aizoon is used for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. This paper provides an overview of the history, botany, nutritional value, traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and quality control of S. aizoon.

This article provides detailed information on the achachairú’s characteristics, botany, and recommended horticultural practices for commercial growers and county and state Extension faculty in south Florida and is also applicable for homeowners and students interested in growing achachairú. Written by Federico W. Sanchez, Jonathan H. Crane, Haimanote Bayabil, Ali Sarkhosh, Muhammad A. Shahid, and Bruce Schaffer, and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, March 2024.

This review aims to provide a detailed overview of the botanical, phytochemical, and dermatological properties of Juglans regia (J. regia). The entire tree contains a wealth of chemical compounds, including phenols, tannins, alkaloids, saponins, reducing sugars, and amino acids, which contribute to its significant nutritional and pharmacological value. Extracts and oils from all parts of J. regia have been studied for their effects on various skin conditions, demonstrating antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, UV-protective, and chemoprotective properties. Additionally, these substances have shown potential in promoting wound healing, anti-aging, skin hydration, anti-tyrosinase activity, and hair dyeing. These benefits have been evaluated in various in vitro and in vivo studies. The therapeutic potential of J. regia suggests that its components could be integrated into treatment protocols and skincare routines. However, to optimize effectiveness and safety, future research should focus on in vivo studies in human subjects to determine the ideal concentrations and formulations of J. regia active compounds for specific skin conditions.

Plants possess a natural genetic diversity that is used for various scientific research purposes. This diversity is useful in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fingerprint and barcode studies, which have many applications in scientific research such as determining the relationships between plant species, determining parentage, creating genome maps, and determining genetic variations. It can also help understand evolutionary issues, identify species’ subspecies or races, and prepare phylogenetic trees and cladograms. Moreover, genetic diversity can assist in population genetics, plant breeding, revision studies, and forensic medicine applications. The widespread use of plant material in human life has led to the formation of the concept of criminal botany in the field of forensic sciences. This study, it was aimed to determine the origin of plant findings which frequently encountered at crime scenes by conducting criminal botanical investigations so that the ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcL/RuBisCO) gene was used to identify various exotic/tropical plant species (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr, Chamaedorea elegans Mart., Nolina recurvata (Lem.) Hemsl. (Beaucarnea recurvata Lem.), Pandanus veitchii hort., Phoenix dactylifera L., Phormium tenax J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., Sansevieria trifasciata Prain, Theobroma cacao L., Washingtonia filifera (Linden ex André) H.Wendl.)) grown in the tropical greenhouses of Istanbul University Alfred Heilbronn Botanical Garden (AHBG). This gene is specific to plants and is obtained from chloroplast. Different restriction enzymes (AccI, BamHI, DraI, PstI, and SacII) were used for typing these plants. Their molecular characterizations were investigated by using Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequence (CAPS) markers, also known as Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), which is a technique based on the fragmentation of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-amplified DNA regions with restriction enzymes/endonucleases using appropriate primers, resulting in DNA particle length polymorphism. Exotic and tropical plant samples, which are also fibrous plants, were subjected to DNA analysis to contribute to forensic botany in solving illegal activities and increase the use of plants as evidence in crime scene investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the intersection of medievalism and Orientalism in the botanical study of the Holy Land from the Middle Ages itself through the 1930s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term 'Plant Blindness' describes people tending to overlook plants, even though they have an enormous importance for life on earth, especially because of their ability to photosynthesise. Many attempts have been made to counteract plant blindness in biology education. However, so far there is no comprehensive tool to assess the degree of plant awareness (instead of plant blindness) in students. Here, plant awareness is conceptualised in four domains: (1) visual perception of plants, (2) categorising plants as living organisms, (3) knowledge about plants, and (4) attitudes towards plants. We present results from the two developed scales 'Plants as living organisms' and 'Knowledge about plants'. To test the new scales, 345 Austrian secondary school students took part in a questionnaire study. A confirmatory factor analysis indicates sufficient model fit. Results show that students consider plants as 'less alive' than animals but 'more alive' than bacteria. Those who attribute the characteristics of life to plants have more knowledge about plants, indicating that both domains of plant awareness might have a common basis. The development of a plant awareness questionnaire will eventually provide a powerful tool to investigate the effectiveness of learning environments fostering plant awareness, a prerequisite to reach the sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Dianthi herba (called “Qumai” in Chinese) is the dried aerial part of Dianthus superbus L. and Dianthus chinensis L. The species are mainly distributed in the temperate and warm temperate regions in the northern hemisphere, and some regions in Africa and Oceania, as well as South America. However, the distribution pattern of Dianthi herba has not been reviewed. In this review, we summarize the research progress on the botany, traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical applications of Dianthi herba. Approximately 194 chemical compounds have been identified and isolated from Dianthi herba, the most important being triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, and volatile oil compounds. These compounds possess antiviral, anticancer, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties, inter alia. Further studies should be carried out on Dianthi herba to elucidate more of its active principles and their mechanisms of action.

In this new era of Mediterranean Botany, the editorial team opened the possibility of submitting manuscripts for evaluation to the ethnobotany/ethnopharmacology section of the journal. We present a compendium of the minimum standards that manuscripts based in field research should comply in order to positively pass to the review process, as a minimum quality requirement. We pay special attention to the contents that should be included in the method and results sections, which are often the ones that present problems of format, style or content. Without being in any way exhaustive in the listed standards, we believe that these recommendations will help authors to present their texts and reviewers to evaluate them.

Medicinal and aromatic plants have been one of the most important sources of medicine since the dawn of human civilization. Indigenous communities have used products from this plant in different conditions throughout history. Cannabis sativa L. is one of the most widely employed herbaceous medicinal plants for textiles, and fibers, in medicine, as a source of food, animal food, animal bedding, and agriculture for seeds. This paper highlights the traditional applications, botany, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties of C. sativa. Extensive database retrieval, such as Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, PubMed, SciFinder, ChemSpider, CNKI, PubFacts, etc., was performed by using the keywords “Hemp,” “Cannabis,” as well as the scientific name of this plant species (Cannabis sativa L). Besides, reviews of relevant textbooks, documents, and patents were also employed to collect sufficient information. This study revealed numerous pharmacological activities of C. sativa that could help with several medical diseases. Besides that, more than 565 bioactive constituents have been isolated and identified from diverse parts of C. sativa. This could help discover potential therapeutic effects and develop new medications to benefit human health.

This laboratory exercise affords students a hands-on experience learning about traditional dyes, fiber strength, and paper making. It is economical, simple to prepare, provides satisfactory results, and is student friendly. Dyes were extracted from plant leaves, stems, roots, and fruits. Hard-boiled eggs were place in the dyes for 15 minutes to determine what color each dye would produce. Colors of the eggs differed from the colors of the dye solutions. Fibers were procured from different materials (cotton, jute, hemp, etc.). Filaments were removed from the twine and a stress test was used to determine the strength:weight for each fiber type. Twine from each fiber type was used to make rope using the rope maker from the Boy Scout's Pioneering merit badge pamphlet (1993). Paper was made from recycled fibers suspended in water. A homemade deckle was used to collect and press the fibers to make a sheet of paper. Students found the exercise interesting and stimulating. (Contains 1 table.)

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Murrayae Folium et Cacumen (MFC) is a plant considered to be a traditional Chinese medicine with culinary value as well. The dry leaves and twigs of Murraya paniculata and M. exotica are used to treat stomach aches, rheumatism, toothaches, swelling, and insect and snake bites. They are also used to prepare spicy chicken dishes.Aim of the review: This review comprehensively summarizes the available information on the botanical characterization, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity of MFC.Methods: Relevant scientific literature up to August 2023 was included in the study. Chinese and English studies on MFC were collected from databases, including PubMed, Elsevier, Web of Science, Springer, Science Direct, Wiley, ACS, and CNKI (Chinese). Doctoral and Master’s dissertations were also included.Results: In total, 720 compounds have been identified and reported in the literature, including flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, sterols, phenylpropenols, organic acids, spirocyclopentenones, and volatile oils. Flavonoids and coumarins are the two most important bioactive compounds responsible for these pharmacological activities. MFC has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-depressant, potential anti-Alzheimer’s disease, chondroprotective, and analgesic properties. The pharmacological effects include interrupting the STAT3/NF-κB/COX-2 and EGFR signaling pathways, downregulating EpCAM expression, inhibiting NF-κB and ERK signals, inhibiting the EP/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway and miR-29a/Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity, and upregulating Foxo3a expression.Conclusion: This review demonstrates that the chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity of MFC support its use in traditional Chinese botanical medicines. MFC contains a wide range of chemical compounds. Flavonoids and coumarins promote strong pharmacological activity and, are low-toxicity natural phytomedicines that are widely used in medicine, food, ornamentation, and cosmetics, making MFC a promising compound for development and use in the treatment of several medical conditions.

Objectives Croton tiglium Linn. (Euphorbiaceae) is an ancient medicinal plant that has been used for a long time, which is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. And it is widely used for defecation, induced labour, treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, headache, as well as rheumatoid arthritis. Key findings Approximately 150 compounds have been isolated and identified from the seeds, stems, leaves and branches of C. tiglium , including fatty acids, terpenoids, alkaloids, the plants proteins and other types of components. Based on a wide range of biological properties, C. tiglium has a wide range of pharmacological effects, such as antitumor, anti-HIV, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Summary The review aims to provide a critical and comprehensive evaluation of the botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicity of C. tiglium , with a vision for promoting further pharmaceutical research to explore its complete potential for better clinical application. The tigliane diterpenoids have been the most studied compounds isolated from C. tiglium , which showing a variety of biological activities, but there is insufficient evidence to explain the mechanism of action. In addition, C. tiglium may have potential toxic effects, and it is necessary to reduce the toxic effects to ensure the safety of clinical medication, which may promote the discovery and development of new drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People's diminished awareness of plants, affected by anthropogenic environmental deterioration, has challenged science education to overcome the obstacles impeding a better understanding of their meaning and value. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the socioeconomic status of high-school students, as indicated by their attendance at private or state schools, on their knowledge of native plants. In total, 321 students aged 15-18 were asked to write down 10 plants native to Córdoba, Argentina, in a freelist questionnaire. Students listed a mean of 6.8 species of a total of 165 different categories of plant names. The majority of the species named were exotic to Córdoba (63%) or Argentina (50.6%, of which 33.8% were adventitious), indicating an "adventitious-to-native" effect by which all spontaneously reproducing plants were presumed to be native species. However, the 20 most frequently named plants were mainly native, with "Algarrobo" (Prosopis spp.) and "Espinillo" (Vachellia caven) being the most mentioned. Students' socioeconomic status had a significant effect on the number of species named, with the students of state schools (where the less well-off sectors of the society attend) mentioning more species and, among these, more native ones than the students from private schools. Furthermore, we defined size, colour and scent as being conspicuous traits of plant flowers that are relevant for human perception, and found that the most frequently named adventitious species, unlike the native ones, were those exhibiting big brightly-coloured flowers which ranged from being inodorous to having medium intensity scents.

This paper describes the master course design process at the largest institution of higher education in Colorado, USA. The master course design process demonstrated principles of backwards design and employed a team-based approach to course development. The course map was the primary vehicle for communicating the design of the course during development and later for accountability. This case study presented the redesign of General College Botany. The General College Botany curriculum employed authentic assessment and provided an andragogical learning environment. The central authentic assessment in the course was a term-long research project. Other assignments included wiki-building discussions, traditional quizzes, and at-home labs. The accounting of this process and the assignments described for an online science course provide a template for other institutions to follow when considering the implementation of master courses in higher education settings. As botanical curricula continue to be cut from degree programs and the need for remote learning becomes imminent in the modern world, the scaling of educational resources is facilitated by master course design. Master course design promotes accountability and standardization while also affording a well-researched, constructive, and blended learning environment.

Enlightenment colonial actors never used the term 'terra nullius', they used the phrase 'uninhabited land or island'. In the 1780s, uninhabited did not mean nobody lived there, but rather signified a land without a sovereign. This article contrasts British East India Company deliberations on the habitation of islands in the Eastern Indian Ocean, with the discussions on habitation in Botany Bay prior to 1788. Between 1778 and 1786, there were proposals for British settlements in the Nicobar Islands, Andaman Islands, Junk Ceylon and Penang. The people who lived on these islands were not considered the inhabitants. Instead, the British looked at the relationship between people on the islands and mainland Asian sovereigns to determine who inhabited these islands. A retrospective discourse developed that Penang and Singapore were uninhabited prior to the British arrival. This discourse was part of plans to end legal pluralism in the settlements and assert colonial sovereignty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]