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For a long time, the systematics of Atriplex was based solely on morphological characters and leaf anatomy. The latest worldwide phylogenetic study of Atriplex significantly improved our knowledge about the relationships within the genus, but a new classification has not been put forward thus far. Here we re-evaluate the taxonomy of C4-species of Atriplex that are native to Russia. Seven species are classified into two sections, A. sect. Obione (incl. A. sect. Sclerocalymma, syn. nov.) (A. altaica, A. centralasiatica, A. rosea, A. sibirica, and A. sphaeromorpha), and A. sect. Obionopsis (incl. A. sect. Psammophila, syn. nov.) (A. fominii and A. tatarica). Although the majority of Eurasian C4-species have similar morphology, leafy inflorescence is a typical character for A. sect. Obione. The members of A. sect. Obionopsis are characterised mostly by aphyllous inflorescences, but some species (A. laciniata, A. pratovii, and A. tornabenei) have leafy inflorescences. Geographically, almost all members of A. sect. Obione are confined to Central Asia, although A. rosea is a typical Mediterranean element and A. argentea occurs in North America. The representatives of A. sect. Obionopsis are distributed mostly in the Mediterranean and the Irano-Turanian floristic region. The alien status of A. rosea, A. sibirica and A. tatarica is discussed. Atriplex flabellum, a desert species from the Irano-Turanian region, is reported for the first time from Russia (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, North Siberia) as a casual alien. This species occupies a phylogenetic position distant from both aforementioned sections. An identification key to all C4-species of the genus growing in Russia is given, and a sectional checklist with updated nomenclature and revised synonymy is provided.

The family Amaranthaceae has a cosmopolitan distribution and it is one of the most diverse families within the order Caryophyllales. Species of Amaranthaceae live mainly in arid environments, saline habitats, or disturbed areas. Nomenclature is the necessary first-step to study the members of this group, aiming to clarify their identity which is often critical. The types of four names in Amaranthaceae (sensu lato, including Chenopodiaceae)—Chenopodium berlandieri, Celosia monosperma, Iresine grandis var. glabrata, Iresine interrupta—with Mexican loci classici are designated in the present paper, including comments on their identities.

During floristic research in 2017–2022 in the Emirate of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the authors discovered new alien species that complement the species composition of the flora of vascular plants in the Emirate and the UAE as a whole. The article presents new records of five alien species previously unknown from the flora of UAE and Fujairah: Gomphrena serrata L. (Amaranthaceae), Portulaca pilosa L., P. grandiflora Hook., P. umbraticolaKunth (Portulacaceae), and Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth (Piperaceae). Gomphrena serrata which is rare in the country was found only in one place in the mountainous region of Fujarah, and it is a novelty for the flora of the Arabian Peninsula as a whole, while Portulaca pilosa was observed in several different areas of Fujairah Emirate and is also known for Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman. Peperomia pellucida was found only in a single locality in the “Alamarey plant nursery” in Dibba town but in large number of individuals. For every species, synonyms, overall distribution, habitat preferences, affinity and taxonomic remarks as well as the list of localities are given. The herbarium materials were deposited in the Herbarium of the Komarov Botanical Institute (LE, Saint-Petersburg, Russia), duplicates were sent to the Herbarium of Altai State University (ALTB, Barnaul, Russia) and the Scientific Herbarium of Fujairah (FSH, Wadi Wuraya National Park, Fujairah, UAE)., В ходе флористических исследований в 2017–2022 гг. в эмирате Фуджейра в Объединенных Арабских Эмиратах (ОАЭ) авторами были сделаны новые находки чужеродных видов, которые дополняют видовой состав флоры сосудистых растений на территории эмирата и ОАЭ в целом. В статье представлены новые сведения о пяти чужеродных видах, ранее неизвестных во флоре ОАЭ: Gomphrena serrata L. (Amaranthaceae), Portulaca pilosa L., P. grandiflora Hook., P. umbraticola Kunth (Portulacaceae) и Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth (Piperaceae). Все они были впервые найдены в эмирате Фуджейра в восточной части ОАЭ. Gomphrena serrata редко встречается в стране, был обнаружен только в одном месте в горной части Фуджейры и является новым видом для флоры Аравийского полуострова в целом, в то время как Portulaca pilosa наблюдался в нескольких различных районах эмирата Фуджейра и также известен в Саудовской Аравии, Йемене и Омане. Peperomia pellucida также является редкостью в стране, был обнаружен только в одном месте, но в большом количестве в «питомнике растений Аламарей» в городе Дибба. Представлены виды, синонимы, общее распространение, предпочтения в среде обитания и таксономия видов с замечаниями по идентификации и дифференциации от наиболее похожих таксонов, встречающихся в районе исследования, а также список местонахождений. Гербарные материалы хранятся в Гербарии Ботанического института им. Комарова (LE, Санкт-Петербург, Россия), дубликаты отправлены в Гербарий Алтайского государственного университета (ALTB, Барнаул, Россия) и Научный гербарий Фуджейры (FSH, Вади Национальный парк Вурайя, Фуджейра, ОАЭ).

Ranjan, Vinay, Kumar, Anant, Krishna, Gopal (2023): Recollection, typification, and taxonomic notes on Stilbanthus scandens (Amaranthaceae). Phytotaxa 589 (2): 209-212, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.589.2.9, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.589.2.9

The Sierra de las Nieves National Park, declared by the Spanish Government in July 2021, is part of the Serranía de Ronda (Western Baetic mountains), which is considered one of the main centres of biodiversity and endemicity of the southern Iberian Peninsula (Andalusia, Spain) and the Mediterranean Basin. The park and its surroundings have an important diversity of vascular plants, mainly due to the orographic, climatic and geological diversity of the area, which is divided into three biogeographical sectors: Rondeño sector (limestones, dolomites and clays), Bermejense sector (peridotites and serpentines) and Aljíbico sector (gneisses and micaschists). This contribution presents the first catalogue of the vascular flora of this national park and its surrounding area, with 1,387 taxa distributed in 104 families and 542 genera. An amount of 79 taxa are endemic to Andalusia and 57 are endangered: 4 are Critically Endangered (CR), 17 are Endangered (EN) and 36 are Vulnerable (VU).

Three populations of Amaranthus powellii were discovered in Kerala region (SE-India), representing the first record of this species for the national flora. A morphological description based on the Indian plants, as well as ecological data are given. A preliminary list of all the Amaranthus species occurring in India, which was never published during the last 136 years, is also provided.

A taxonomic revision of the genus Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae) in Saudi Arabia, based on both field surveys and examination of harbarium specimens, is here presented. Collected exsiccata are kept the Herbaria PNUH and RO. An extensive literature was also analysed. Sixtheen non-hybrid taxa (twelve species) are recognized. Data about nomenclature (accepted names, main synonyms, and types), morphology, chromosome number, chorology (for native taxa) or alien status (for exotic taxa), occurrence in Saudi Arabia, ecology (preferential habitat, phenology, elevation), and taxonomic annotations are provided for each taxon. A diagnostic key is proposed. Four taxa (A. graecizans subsp. graecizans, A. graecizans subsp. sylvestris, A. graecizans subsp. thellungianus, and A. sparganicephalus) are native, whereas the other ones are to be considered aliens. A. dubius and A. blitoides var. blitoides are new for the national flora. Furthermore, the name A. sparganicephalus is neotypified on a specimen deposited at E and a nomenclatural change (A. blitum var. nanus comb. nov.) is proposed.

Indobanalia thyrsiflora is an endemic species occurring in peninsular India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu States) and Sri Lanka. A nomenclatural study of the basionym Banalia thyrsiflora, published by Moquin-Tandon in Candolle’s Prodromus (year 1849), is carried out and the name is lectotypified on a specimen deposited at P (barcode P00609924); isolectotypes are traced at K and CAL. A preliminary morphological characterization of the species is also given, based on field surveys and examination of herbarium specimens. We noted that I. thyrsiflora is highly variable. However, we prefer to avoid, for the moment, taxonomic conclusions about the various morphotypes found, waiting the complete results of this ongoing morphological and molecular investigations.

Amaranthaceae s.lat. is a stenopalynous family showing, in contrast, a considerable phenotypic diversity for macromorhological characters. A total of one quantitative and seven qualitative characte...

The reported annual temperature increase and significant precipitation drop in Armenia impact the country’s ecosystems and biodiversity. The present study surveyed the geographical distribution of the local wild beet species under the ongoing climate change conditions. We showed that B. lomatogona, B. corolliflora and B. macrorhiza are sensitive to climate change and were affected to various degrees, depending on their location. The most affected species was B. lomatogona, which is at the verge of extinction. Migration for ca. 90 and 200–300 m up the mountain belt was recorded for B. lomatogona and B. macrorhiza, respectively. B. corolliflora was found at 100–150 m lower altitudes than in the 1980s. A general reduction in the beet’s population size in the native habitats was observed, with an increased number of plants within the populations, recorded for B. corolliflora and B. macrorhiza. A new natural hybrid Beta x intermedium Aloyan between B. corolliflora and B. macrorhiza was described and confirmed using chloroplast DNA trnL-trnF intergenic spacer (LF) and partially sequenced alcohol dehydrogenase (adh) of nuclear DNA. An overview of the wild beets reported in Armenia with the taxonomic background, morphological features, and distribution is provided. Conservation measures for preservation of these genetic resources are presented.

First molecular and morphometric investigations for the genus Allmania are presented. A new species of Allmania from the granite hillocks of Palakkad district (Kerala state, India), is described as A. multiflora. It differs from A. nodiflora by shape and length of tepals, diameter of the gynoecium, diameter and hairiness of seeds, length of bracts, length and hairiness of peduncles, number of flowers per synflorescence, colour of stigma, and occurrence of setae associated with the aril. Furthermore, sequence analysis of chloroplast genes (rbcL and matK) also support the distinctness of the new taxon. Original illustrations, photographs, and ecological data are also provided, as well as an evaluation of the conservation status.

Guacchio, E. Del, Caputo, P. (2022): Towards a rational nomenclature of cultivated plants: proposal of taxonomic reassessment of Cicer reticulatum (Fabaceae) and Spinacia turkestanica (Chenopodiaceae). Phytotaxa 558 (3): 298-300, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.558.3.7

The names in Amaranthus described by Frère Sennen from Spain were studied and, when necessary, typified. Seventeen lectotypes, preserved in BC and MA herbaria, have been designated. Isolectotypes were traced at BCN, herb. Sennen II, JE, JBAG (herb. Laínz), K, MA, P, and PH.

A new species of Amaranthaceae, Alternanthera kanhae, is described and illustrated from the bank of Sabarmati estuary in the state of Gujarat of Peninsular India. The new species is closely allied with A. caracasana and A. pungens but differs in many attributes. The identity of the newly proposed species is confirmed by molecular analysis of three chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) regions viz., rbcL, psbA–trnH and trnL–trnF. The sequences showed that A. kanhae has an independent lineage to that of its sister clade.

Re-establishment of heritable latitudinal clines in growth-related traits has been recognised as evidence for adaptive evolution in invasive plants. However, less information is known about latitudinal clines in defence and joint clinal evolution of growth and defence in invasive plants. We planted 14 native Argentinean populations and 14 introduced Chinese populations of Alternanthera philoxeroides in replicate common gardens in China. We investigated the latitudinal clines of traits related to growth and defence, and plasticity of these traits in relation to experiment site and soil nitrogen. We found that chemical defence decreased with latitude in introduced populations but increased with latitude in native populations. For growth rate, latitudinal clines were positive in introduced populations but nonexistent in native populations. There were also parallel positive latitudinal clines in total/shoot biomass and specific leaf area. Experiment site affected the occurrence or magnitude of latitudinal clines in growth rate, branch intensity and triterpenoid saponins concentration. Introduced populations were more plastic to experiment site and soil nitrogen than native populations. We provide evidence for rapid evolution of clines in growth and defence in an invasive plant. Altered herbivory gradients and trade-off between growth and defence may explain nonparallel clines between the native and introduced ranges.

Background and Aims Internal seed morphological traits such as embryo characteristics and nutritive tissue can vary considerably within a plant lineage. These traits play a prominent role in germination processes and the success of seedling establishment, and are therefore under high selective pressure, especially in environments hostile to seedlings, such as arid, saline or highly dynamic habitats. We investigated the relationships of seed internal morphology and germination characteristics of 84 species of Amaranthaceae s.l., a family with numerous lineages that have adapted to stressful growing conditions. Methods We used seed cross-sections to assess embryo type and the ratios of embryo to seed surface and radicle to cotyledon length. Furthermore, seed mass, mean time to germination, habitat preferences and further plant traits such as C3 or C4 photosynthesis and life form were compiled for each species. Data were analysed using phylogenetic comparative methods. Key results We found embryo type (λ = 1), log seed mass (λ = 0.86) and the ratio of embryo to seed size (λ = 0.78) to be evolutionarily stable, with an annular embryo as ancestral in the family. Linked to shifts to the three derived embryos types (spiral, horseshoe-shaped and curved) is an increase in the ratio of root to cotyledon length and a reduction of nutritive tissue. We observed stabilizing selection towards seeds with relatively large embryos with longer radicles and less nutritive tissue that are able to germinate faster, especially in lineages with C4 photosynthesis and/or salt tolerance. Conclusions We conclude that the evolutionary shift of nutrient storage from perisperm to embryo provides an ecological advantage in extreme environments, because it enables faster germination and seedling establishment. Furthermore, the evolutionary shift towards a higher ratio of root to cotyledon length especially in small-seeded Amaranthaceae growing in saline habitats can provide an ecological advantage for fast seedling establishment.

A new species of Alternanthera from Kerala (SW-India), named Alternanthera indica, is described and illustrated. A detailed description, photographs, and drawings are provided. The new species resembles A. carcasana, A. paronychioides var. robusta, A. pungens, A. sessilis, and A. tenella for sharing habit and sessile synflorescences, but it differs from these species in several characters (i.e. shape and size of leaves, sepal length and hairiness, and appendages on the androecial tube margin and length).

A new species of Alternanthera from the northern region of Kerala (India)―Alternanthera ebracteolata―is described and illustrated. Morphological description as well as original photographs and drawings are provided. A. ebracteolata is morphologically similar to A. tenella from which differs by the peduncled inflorescence, number of flowers per glomerule, shape and colour of the bracts, absence of bracteoles, shape and color of appendages on androecial tube, and shape of seeds.

Background and Aims Plant invasions can change soil microbial communities and affect subsequent invasions directly or indirectly via foliar herbivory. It has been proposed that invaders promote uniform biotic communities that displace diverse, spatially variable communities (the biotic homogenization hypothesis), but this has not been experimentally tested for soil microbial communities, so the underlying mechanisms and dynamics are unclear. Here, we compared density-dependent impacts of the invasive plant Alternanthera philoxeroides and its native congener A. sessilis on soil fungal communities, and their feedback effects on plants and a foliar beetle. Methods We conducted a plant–soil feedback (PSF) experiment and a laboratory bioassay to examine PSFs associated with the native and invasive plants and a beetle feeding on them. We also characterized the soil fungal community using high-throughput sequencing. Key Results We found locally differentiated soil fungal pathogen assemblages associated with high densities of the native plant A. sessilis but little variation in those associated with the invasive congener A. philoxeroides, regardless of plant density. In contrast, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal assemblages associated with high densities of the invasive plant were more variable. Soil biota decreased plant shoot mass but their effect was weak for the invasive plant growing in native plant-conditioned soils. PSFs increased the larval biomass of a beetle reared on leaves of the native plant only. Moreover, PSFs on plant shoot and root mass and beetle mass were predicted by different pathogen taxa in a plant species-specific manner. Conclusion Our results suggest that plant invasions can rapidly increase the similarity of soil pathogen assemblages even at low plant densities, leading to taxonomically and functionally homogeneous soil communities that may limit negative soil effects on invasive plants.

The leaf epidermal anatomy of 15 salt-tolerant plant species belonging to the Amaranthaceae from the Salt Range of Punjab-Pakistan was studied using light microscopy (LM). The main purpose of this ...

The new combinations Oxybasis frigida (Phil.) Uotila, O. halophila (Phil.) Uotila and O. macrosperma subsp. salsa (Phil.) Uotila are proposed according to the recent splitting of the heterogeneous genus Chenopodium L. Chenopodium glaucum var. divaricatum Hook. f. is considered to be a synonym of Oxybasis ambigua (R. Br.) de Lange & Mosyakin. Lectotypes are designated here for the names Chenopodium halophilum Phil. and C. macrospermum f. nanum Aellen. Nomenclatural notes are also provided for Oxybasis macrosperma (Hook. f.) S. Fuentes et al. and O. ambigua. Finally, O. parodii (Aellen) Mosyakin & de Lange is newly recorded from Tierra del Fuego Province in Argentina.

Monograph The Quiçama National Park (PNQ), located in Luanda Province, Angola, is one of the oldest protected areas in the country. Although some work has been done on the flora of the Park, up to now a comprehensive record of the vascular plant species has been lacking. The objective of the present study was to produce an inventory of the vascular plant diversity of PNQ, as well as to record the types of vegetation in which each species occurs, their habits, uses by local communities, common names, and conservation status. A total of 452 species were recorded, from 285 genera and 85 families. Two species are Pteridophytes, 99 are Monocotyledons, and 351 are Dicotyledons. The two largest families of the PNQ flora are the Fabaceae and the Poaceae. The Park hosts 14 species endemic to Angola, and one of them is restricted to this protected area. Of the 128 species with data on conservation status, 109 are considered of least concern, 13 are vulnerable, and six are endangered. Regarding useful plants, 237 species from 67 families were recorded. Of these, 196 are Dicotyledons and 41 are Monocotyledons. Most of them are used for medicinal purposes, the manufacturing of artefacts, and as sources of food info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The history and progress of floristic knowledge on Amaranthaceae occurring in Greece and adjacent Balkan countries are briefly outlined and changes in family circumscription and generic delimitation are addressed. The new combinations Amaranthus blitoides [var. blitoides] f. thellungii (Sennen ex Thell.) Raus and A. blitoides [var. reverchonii] f. densifolius (Uline & W. L. Bray) Raus are published. The names Achyranthes argentea Lam. and Amaranthus commutatus A. Kern. ex Hayek are lectotypified, the former a synonym of Achyranthes sicula (L.) All , the latter of Amaranthus blitum L. Amaranthus commutatus A. Kern. has long been known as a designation with no nomenclatural value for a fictitious taxon but is still erroneously accepted in current floristic online sources.

Genus Salsola s.l. was recently split into several genera of different phylogenetic placements within Salsoloideae, but both taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships of some parts of the former broadly defined Salsola still need to be clarified. A remarkable example is Salsola canescens nom. illegit. ≡ Salsola boissieri, a taxon with tricky taxonomic history that was only recently transferred to the genus Caroxylon (tribe Caroxyleae). Salsola daghestanica, a narrow endemic of Central Dagestan (Russian Federation), was not even included in previous molecular studies of Salsoloideae and therefore still lacks an appropriate estimation of its relationships. Molecular phylogeny constructed here using nuclear and plastid DNA sequence data clearly placed Salsola daghestanica and Caroxylon carpathum as sister taxa and the clade S. daghestanica, Caroxylon canescens (Salsola boissieri), C. carpathum (Salsola carpatha) as a sister of the monophyletic Caroxylon. All three species are distinct from Caroxylon from a morphological standpoint. In conclusion, a new genus, Akhania, was established for these taxa. The detailed distribution of Akhania daghestanica is presented for the first time.

Gomphrena virgata Mart. popularly known as ‘Cangussu-branco’, is used in Brazilian folk medicine to treat inflammations and infections. This work aimed to carry out phytochemical analysis and evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential of Gomphrena virgata. In the phytochemical investigation, in addition to the presence of two ecdysteroids, 20 R-dihydroxyecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone, identified by HPLC-PDA-MS and NMR, 22 compounds were identified by GC-MS. In the cytotoxicity study, the aqueous extract of the roots of this species did not show in vitro toxicity of PBMCs in the concentrations of 250, 500 and 1000 µg/mL when analyzed by the trypan blue exclusion method. Also, it was effective in reducing lymphocyte proliferation, stimulated with the mitogen PHA, by 26.02%, 48.57% and 50.49% when compared to dexamethasone, respectively. In this work we present information about the phytochemicals of G. virgata, showing that the species is promising in obtaining compounds with medicinal potential mainly anti-inflammatory potential.

Background Amaranthus spp. are problematic weeds and competitors for nutrients in several crops, especially in soybean and corn. Resistance to glyphosate has been detected in several weed species, and a triple mutation in its EPSPS target gene was detected recently in Amaranthus hybridus. Objective The aim of this work was to develop a simple polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to detect the EPSPS triple mutation in A. hybridus. Methods Two pairs of primers were designed for PCR-based detection of the EPSPS TAP-IVS triple mutation, which confers resistance to glyphosate, in A. hybridus. Results These sets of allele-specific primers were tested on five Amaranthus species and in 65 different field accessions. The PCR reaction using one set of the primers amplifies the wildtype (TAP) allele while the PCR reaction using the other pair of primers amplifies the triple mutation (IVS) allele. The presence of PCR products in both sets of primers identifies the heterozygous resistant individuals, and PCR product amplified only with the triple mutation set of primers identifies the homozygous resistant individuals. A DNA concentration test was performed and the recommend DNA amount to be used is 100 ng. Conclusions We developed and tested two sets of primers to detect the EPSPS TAP-IVS triple mutation and the results showed a 100% genotypic to phenotypic association. The triple mutation detection assay is easy to use and can be applied in a molecular laboratory with basic equipments. Early detection of resistance helps to better manage and control its spreading.

Background Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many degenerative diseases. Antioxidant compounds can potentially be derived from plant sources. Consequently, investigations are been focused on plants as potential sources of treatments for oxidants-induced diseases. Some class of compounds that have been reported in many medicinal plants includes phenolics, alkaloids, saponins, tannins and terpenoids. Amaranthus belong to a more complex Amaranthaceae family and are widely used as leaf vegetables around the world. Interest has grown towards the search of Amaranthus species as potential sources of antioxidants. Hypothesis Compounds that can break the chain reaction initiated by reactive oxygen species are vital in treating and preventing disease caused by ROS. Method In this review, we did a comprehensive literature search on research articles published on the antioxidant activity of some Amaranthus species and in-vitro antioxidant assays. Results To establish the antioxidant potential of a plant, researchers customarily used more than a single evaluation method. Remarkable success has however been made using different evaluation methods in establishing the radical scavenging and antioxidant activities of some Amaranthus species. Some of the conventional methods enumerated in this write-up assessed the antioxidant activity by monitoring the radical scavenging activity of the plant extracts. Conclusions The antioxidant activity of the Amaranthus family has been reported to contribute largely to the various medicinal values. This review further outlined the antioxidant properties of Amaranthus species vis-a-vis their health benefits.

The interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and non-host species are poorly studied. Particularly scarce is information on members of the Amaranthaceae/Chenopodiaceae family. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) plants were co-cultivated with a host species (Hordeum vulgare) in the presence (+AMF) or absence of Rhizophagus intraradices to explore the hypothesis that the presence of an active, pre-established AMF mycelium induces defense responses in the non-host species. Biomass of sugar beet did not respond to the +AMF treatment, while its root exudation of organic acids and phenolic acids was drastically decreased upon co-cultivation with +AMF barley. The most conspicuous effect was observed on a wide range of potential defense parameters being differentially influenced by the +AMF treatment in this non-host species. Antioxidant defense enzymes were activated and the level of endogenous jasmonic acid was elevated accompanied by nitric oxide accumulation and lignin deposition in the roots after long-term +AMF treatment. In contrast, significant reductions in the levels of endogenous salicylic acid and tissue concentration and exudation of phenolic acids indicated that AM fungus hyphae in the substrate did not induce a hypersensitive-type response in the sugar beet roots and downregulated certain chemical defenses. Our results imply that the fitness of this non-host species is not reduced when grown in the presence of an AMF mycelium because of balanced defense costs. Further studies should address the question of whether or not such modulation of defense pattern influences the pest resistance of sugar beet plants under field conditions.

The paper presents the data on taxonomical diversity and distribution patterns and dynamics of the Corispermum species in the Baltic States over the last hundred years. Field studies and the herbarium material analyses were carried out. The distribution dynamics was analysed by comparing all known localities of the Corispermum species in two time periods: by 1990, and from 1991 to the present. Analysis of the herbarium material confirmed that currently there are four species in the Baltic States: Corispermum hyssopifolium, C. declinatum, C. intermedium and C. pallasii. The only endemic species to the Eastern Baltic Region, C. intermedium, is considered as typical for annual vegetation on embryonic shifting dunes and other coastal habitats. In Lithuania, this species is considered extinct or almost extinct, as has not been found for more than 30 years, only its hybrids with C. pallasii. The largest and most stable population of C. intermedium has been found on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Rīga in Latvia. Other species such as ephemerophytic C. hyssopifolium and C. declinatum also prefer dry and disturbed habitats. Both have become less frequent in recent years. However, potentially invasive C. pallasii has been observed in the region with increasing distribution dynamics. The Estonian and Latvian herbaria analysis confirmed that all specimens previously identified as C. algidum after re-examination were identified as C. pallasii or C. intermedium and more often as hybrid C. intermedium × C. pallasii.

Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae) is a widespread genus that includes noxious weeds, economically important species for food, forage, medicinals and ornamentals. Three species of Amaranthus have been cultivated for their grain in the world, i.e. A. hypochondriacus, A. caudatus, and A. cruentus. It has been postulated that A. cruentus was domesticated from the probable wild progenitor A. hybridus, and that the domestication event occurred between southern Mexico and Guatemala, the region where the Mayan civilization flourished. Morphological variation in this grain amaranth and its putative wild progenitor has been poorly documented, even though this area is a possible center of domestication of A. cruentus. Samples of A. cruentus, A. hybridus, hybrids between these two species and aberrant morphotypes collected were studied morphologically using multivariate statistical methods on pistillate floral characters to (1) assess the diversity of grain amaranth A. cruentus and its postulated wild progenitor A. hybridus in the proposed domestication center of origin, (2) test the hypothesis that some hybrids and aberrant morphotypes found in the region can be morphologically differentiated from A. hybridus and A. cruentus based on statistical analyses, and (3) test and review the diagnostic characters traditionally used for assessing species circumscription. Our results showed high morphological diversity for these two species in the study region, indicating differentiation of both species, apparently based primarily on hybridization. Morphological variants on flower, bract, sepal, seed, and fruit characters were significant for confirming and circumscribing species.

Celosia argentea (Amaranthaceae) can accumulate both Cd and Mn. This study reveals the interactive effect and underlying mechanism of Cd and Mn during their uptake in this species. Plants were grown in hydroponic and soil media with different Cd and Mn treatments. The concentrations of Cd and Mn in plants and soil solutions were determined by ICP-MS. The real-time Cd2+ flux values into roots were measured with non-invasive micro-test technology. Manganese supply significantly decreased Cd bioaccumulation in C. argentea in hydroponic experiments. The mean net Cd2+ flux rates into roots decreased by 10.5% and 56.9% with the addition of 0.01 and 0.5 mM Mn2+, respectively. The Mn supply (1 mM) increased the Michaelis constant by 1.8-fold but did not significantly change the maximum uptake velocity of Cd. In soil culture experiments, Mn application significantly increased Cd bioaccumulation and Cd concentrations in soil solutions. The interactions of Cd and Mn in C. argentea differ between hydroponic and soil cultures. Mn inhibits Cd uptake in hydroponic experiments via competition in common transport systems. The enhancement effect of Mn on Cd uptake in soil systems is attributed to an increase of Cd in soil solutions by competitive adsorption.

Highly biodiversity communities have been shown to better resist plant invasions through complementarity effects. Species richness (SR) is a widely used biodiversity metric but lacks explanatory power when there are only a few species. Communities with low SR can have a wide variety of phylogenetic diversities (PD), which might allow for a better prediction of invasibility. We assessed the effect of diversity reduction of a wetland community assemblage typical of the Beijing area on biotic resistance to invasion of the exotic weed Alternanthera philoxeroides and compared the reduction in SR and PD in predicting community invasibility. The eight studied resident species performed similarly when grown alone and when grown in eight-species communities together with the invasive A. philoxeroides. Variation partitioning showed that PD contributed more to variation in both A. philoxeroides traits and community indicators than SR. All A. philoxeroides traits and community indicators, except for evenness index, showed a linear relationship with PD. However, only stem length of A. philoxeroides differed between the one- and two-species treatments, and the diversity index of the communities differed between the one- and two-species treatments and between the one- and four-species treatments. Our results showed that in natural or semi-natural wetlands with relatively low SR, PD may be a better predictor of invasibility than SR. When designing management strategies for mitigating A. philoxeroides invasion, deliberately raising PD is expected to be more efficient than simply increasing species number.

A new species of Amaranthus from Kerala (SW-India)—Amaranthus rajasekharii—is described and illustrated. Macro- and micro-morphological descriptions (with SEM analysis of pollen and seed), as well as original photos and drawings were provided. The new species is similar to A. dubius, from which it differs by stem color, inflorescence structure, gynoecium colour, number of stamens, and shape and lenght of tepals and bracts in pistillate flowers, seed ornamentation, and pollen architecture.

Kochia monticola was previously considered as a synonym for the widely distributed Irano-Turanian Panderia pilosa. After the merger of Kochia and Panderia with Bassia based on molecular phylogeny, K. monticola remained a synonym of Bassia pilosa. We claim that Bassia monticola, a name proposed by Kuntze (1891) for K. monticola, should be separated from B. pilosa based on morphological characters and localised distribution in mountainous regions of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon at altitudes 1800–2600 m a. s. l.

Chenopodium ficifolium flowered under long days despite much lower expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T homolog than under short days. Frequent duplications of the FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene across various taxonomic lineages resulted in FT paralogs with floral repressor function, whereas others duplicates maintained their floral-promoting role. The FT gene has been confirmed as the inducer of photoperiodic flowering in most angiosperms analyzed to date. We identified all FT homologs in the transcriptome of Chenopodium ficifolium and in the genome of Chenopodium suecicum, which are closely related to diploid progenitors of the tetraploid crop Chenopodium quinoa, and estimated their expression during photoperiodic floral induction. We found that expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T like 1 (FTL1), the ortholog of the sugar beet floral activator BvFT2, correlated with floral induction in C. suecicum and short-day C. ficifolium, but not with floral induction in C. ficifolium with accelerated flowering under long days. This C. ficifolium accession was induced to flowering without the concomitant upregulation of any FT homolog.

Fil: Brignone, Nicolas Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Botanica Darwinion. Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales. Instituto de Botanica Darwinion; Argentina

Quinoa has acquired a great interest due to its high content of nutrients and biomolecules that have nutritional and medicinal properties. The aim of this study was to compare the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), and the antioxidant capacity of 20 varieties of seeds and sprouts of quinoa extract. Quinoa seeds were germinated for 72 h and dried in an oven at 45 °C. The extracts were obtained by dynamic extraction using methanol. Phytochemical analysis with liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS), TPC, TF, and the antioxidant capacity was carried out and compared between both extracts. The TPC was determined with Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, TF with AlCl3, and the antioxidant capacity was determined according to the DPPH and ABTS assays. Sprout extracts showed high values of TPC (31.28 ± 0.42 mg GAE/g, Pasankalla variety), TF (14.31 ± 0.50 mg EQ/g, black Coito variety), and antioxidant capacity (IC50 (DPPH): 12.69 ± 0.29 µg/mL and IC50 (ABTS): 3.51 ± 0.04 µg/mL, Pasankalla). The extracts of the Pasankalla variety revealed 93 and 90 phytochemical constituents in the seeds and sprouts, respectively, such as amino acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, fatty acids, and triterpene saponins, among others. Quinoa sprouts showed a high content of TPC and TF, and high antioxidant capacity compared with seed extracts, especially the Pasankalla variety.

Sarcocornia A. J. Scott is a halophytic edible succulent plant belonging to the Amaranthaceae family. To date, the genus includes 28 species distributed worldwide in saline environments, usually salt marshes. Sarcocornia (Scott) is similar to Salicornia (L.), which has a recognized commercial value in morphological and taxonomical traits. Species of both genera are commonly named samphire or glassworts in Europe, and their fleshy shoots are commercialized under their traditional names. Due to their nutritional, organoleptic and medicinal properties, Sarcocornia species have a high economic potential in various biotechnology sectors. Being highly tolerant to salt, they can be cultivated in saline conditions, and dissimilar to Salicornia, they are perennial, i.e., they can be harvested year-round. Therefore, Sarcocornia species are considered promising gourmet vegetables to be explored in the context of climate change, soil and water salinization and eco-sustainability. We hereby put together and reviewed the most relevant information on Sarcocornia taxonomy, morphology, nutritional and pharmacological properties, uses in ethnomedicine, potential applications in biotechnology, and propagation strategies.

The existence of more of 16,000 varieties of quinoa accessions around the world has caused a disregard on their structural and phytochemical characteristics. Most of such accessions belong to cultivars settled in Colombia. The goal of this research was to evaluate the structural attributes and antioxidant capacities from six quinoa cultivars with high productive potential from central regions in Colombia. This study used middle-range infrared spectroscopy (IR-MIR) to determine the proteins, starch and lipids distinctive to quinoa grains. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization Orbitrap, along with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC/ESI-Orbitrap MS), were also used to identify the existence of polyphenols in cultivars. The antioxidant capacity was determined through DPPH, ABTS and FRAP. The spectrums exhibited significant variances on the transmittance bands associated with 2922 cm−1, 1016 cm−1 and 1633 cm−1. Moreover, the intensity variations on the peaks from the secondary protein structure were identified, mainly on the bands associated with β-Sheet-1 and -2, random coil α elice and β-turns-2 and -3. Changes found in the ratios 996 cm−1/1014 cm−1 and 1041 cm−1/1014 cm−1 were associated with the crystalline/amorphous affinity. Regarding the antioxidant capacity, great differences were identified (p &lt, 0.001) mainly through FRAP methods, while the phenolic acids and flavonoids were determined by UHPLC/ESI-Orbitrap MS techniques. The presence of apigenin and pinocembrin on grains was reported for the first time. Titicaca and Nariño were the most phytochemically diverse quinoa seeds.

Axyris is a small genus of six species with a disjunct geographic range. Five species are present in Siberia, Central Asia, the Himalayas, and Tibet, whereas Axyris caucasica has been registered in the Central Caucasus only. Axyris species diversity is the highest in the Altai Mountains (four spp.), followed by the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains (three spp.), and the Himalayas and Tibet (two spp.). Axyris sphaerosperma, sometimes considered endemic to Southern Siberia, in fact has a disjunct range: it is present in the lowlands of Eastern Siberia and in the Altai, Tian Shan, and Pamir Mountains. It has also been found in Mongolia and China for the first time. An updated detailed distribution of Axyris in Siberia is presented on the basis of thorough herbarium revisions. One nuclear and three plastid markers were selected for phylogenetic analysis. Divergence times were estimated using a time-calibrated Bayesian approach. Axyris shows two major clades: an Axyris amaranthoides clade and a clade including the remaining species. The latter clade consists of two subclades (A. sphaerosperma/A. caucasica and A. mira/A. prostrata + A. hybrida). The crown age for Axyris dates back to the Early Pliocene (~5.11 mya, the Zanclean). The ancestral range of Axyris covers Southern Siberia, Mongolia, NW China, and the Tian Shan/Pamir Mountains, with extensions toward Eastern Siberia, the Himalayas/Tibet, and the Caucasus. Fruit and seed characteristics of Axyris are discussed with reference to the present phylogenetic results. Closely related A. sphaerosperma and A. caucasica have the thickest seed coat among all Chenopodiaceae, and these traits have probably evolved as adaptations to extremely low winter temperatures. This reproductive peculiarity may explain the disjunct range of A. sphaerosperma, which is restricted to harsh climatic conditions.

This paper is the second in a series treating the Amaranthaceae s.l. in South America. We present here a taxonomic revision of tribes Salicornieae and Suaedeae (subfamily Salicornioideae) based on the study of herbarium material, type specimens, digital images, original publications, and field observations. The South American Amaranthaceae s.l. flora includes Allenrolfea Kuntze, Heterostachys Ung.-Sternb., Mangleticornia P. W. Ball, G. Kadereit & Cornejo, and Salicornia L. from Salicornieae, and Suaeda Forssk. ex J. F. Gmel. from Suaedeae. Lectotypes for seven names are here designated. The distribution of all species is updated based on the revision and proper identification of many herbarium specimens and field observations. A new synonym for Salicornia neei Lag. is here proposed. Fil: Jocou, Adriel Ian. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Biología Aplicada; Argentina. Fil: Brignone, Nicolás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion; Argentina. Fil: Denham, Silvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion; Argentina.

The Marmarica Plateau, which is situated on both sides of the Libyan-Egyptian border, has significant historical and ecological importance. Nevertheless, its botanical components have not been updated or reviewed recently. This paper aims to study the floristic composition of the plateau on the Libyan side by a comprehensive review of the five most detailed studies conducted in the area during the period 1930−2008. The study area covers only 3.4% of the Libyan territory, while the plant inventory at the species level comprises 31% (642/2082) of the National flora. Plant life-form is dominated by therophytes (60.7%) and chamaephytes (23.7%). Seven taxa are new records for the Libyan flora, 14 are alien, 28 were cultivated, and 37 taxa are endemic or near-endemic to the Libyan flora and nearby countries. A total of 225 taxa have not been recorded since 1930, which revealed that they are scarce and may have gone locally extinct due to climatic and unsustainable anthropogenic stresses. Another possibility is that these taxa may be incorrectly identified in the original publications, and this data have never been updated. The present study highlighted the richness and importance of the flora in the Libyan part of the Marmarica Plateau, necessitating conservation intervention, particularly for protecting endemic and rare plants and the biodiversity hotspots.

Background: The present study was conducted to explore the ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal uses of plants in 12 remote villages of Tehsil Darora, district Dir Upper, Pakistan. Methods: Among the residents both, men, and women (some traditional healers like Hakeen and Pansires) were interviewed about the useful plants existing in the area using comprehensive questionnaires. Results: A total of 91 plant species belonging to 37 families were recorded in the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter) in 2019-2020. These included 86 angiosperms (94%) 2 gymnosperms (2%) 2 fungi (2%) and 2 pteridophytes (2%). Asteraceae was the dominant family having 9 species, followed by Lamiaceae (8 species), 6 species of Amaranthaceae, and Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae (5 species), Euphorbiaceae, and Rosaceae, each with 4 species. Conclusions: The documented plants were used by the local communities medicinally and for other purposes such as fuel, vegetables, fodder, shelter, and timber wood, etc. Keywords: Ethnobotanical plants, Fungi, Tehsil Darora, District Dir Upper, Pakistan

After a rather turbulent taxonomic history, Dysphanieae (Chenopodioideae, Amaranthaceae) were established to contain five genera, four of which are monospecific (Cycloloma, Neomonolepis, Suckleya, Teloxys) and geographically restricted, and the fifth genus, Dysphania, having a nearly worldwide distribution and comprising ca. 50 species. This study investigates the phylogeny, biogeography and taxonomy of Dysphanieae. We studied specimens from 32 herbaria to infer morphological differences and distribution areas of the species and sampled 121 accessions representing 39 accepted species of the tribe for molecular phylogenetic analyses. The molecular phylogeny tested generic relationships of the tribe and infrageneric relationships of Dysphania on the basis of two plastid DNA markers (atpB-rbcL spacer, rpl16 intron) and two nuclear ribosomal markers (ETS, ITS) and was also used for an ancestral area reconstruction with BioGeoBEARS. Three of the monospecific genera (Neomonolepis, Suckleya, Teloxys) form a basal grade and appear to be relictual lineages of the tribe, while Cycloloma is nested within Dysphania. The ancestral area reconstruction favors a widespread ancestry for Dysphanieae, and the relictual lineages in Asia (Teloxys) and North America (Neomonolepis, Suckleya) might be explained by a wide distribution across Beringia during the Late Oligocene/Early Miocene. Dysphania likely originated in North America; however, the simultaneous diversification into three major clades, an Asian/African, an American and an Australian/African clade, indicates a widespread ancestor at the crown node of Dysphania. Our taxonomic revision results in four accepted genera in Dysphanieae, Dysphania, Neomonolepis, Suckleya and Teloxys. The sectional subdivision for Dysphania is revised. We subdivide the genus into five sections, D. sect. Adenois (13 spp.), D. sect. Botryoides (10 spp.), D. sect. Dysphania (17 spp.), D. sect. Incisa (2 spp.) and D. sect. Margaritaria (4 spp.); three strongly deviating species remain unplaced and need further attention.

Understanding the salt tolerance mechanism in obligate halophytes provides valuable information for conservation and re-habitation of saline areas. Here, we investigated the responses of three obligate halophytes namely Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Sarcocornia fruticosa and Salicornia europaea to salt stress (0, 100, 200, 400 and 600 mM NaCl) during their vegetative growth with regard to biomass, ions contents (Na+, K+ and Ca+2), chlorophyll contents, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and esterase activities. S. europaea showed the lowest biomass, root K+ content, Chl a/b ratio, and carotenoids under salinity. This reduction of biomass is concomitant with the increase in proline contents and peroxidase activity. On the other hand, the promotion of growth under low salinity and maintenance under high salinity (200 and 400 Mm NaCl) in A. Macrostachyum and S. fruticosa are accompanied by an increase in Chl a/b ratio, carotenoids, phenolics contents, and esterase activity. Proline content was decreased under high salinity (400 and 600 mM NaCl) in both species compared to S. europaea, while peroxidase showed the lowest activity in both plants under all salt levels except under 600 mM NaCl in Arthrocnemum macrostachyum compared to S. europaea. These results suggest two differential strategies, (1) the salt tolerance is due to activation of antioxidant enzymes and biosynthesis of proline in S. europaea, (2) the salt tolerance in A. macrostachyum, S. fruticosa are due to rearrangement of chlorophyll ratio and biosynthesis of antioxidant compounds (carotenoids, phenolics and flavonoids) which their cost seem to need less energy than activation of antioxidant enzymes. The differential behavior in halophytes of the same habitat confirms that the tolerance mechanism in halophytes is species-specific which provides new insight about the restoration strategy of saline areas.

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea Linnaeus, 1753) is an ideal material for studying molecular mechanisms of early-stage sex chromosome evolution in dioecious plants. Degenerate oligonucleotide-primed polymerase chain reaction (DOP-PCR) technique facilitates the retrotransposon-relevant studies by enriching specific repetitive DNA sequences from a micro-dissected single chromosome. We conducted genomic subtractive hybridization to screen sex-biased DNA sequences by using the DOP-PCR amplification products of micro-dissected spinach Y chromosome. The screening yielded 55 male-biased DNA sequences with 30 576 bp in length, of which, 32 DNA sequences (12 049 bp) contained repeat DNA sequences, including LTR/Copia, LTR/Gypsy, simple repeats, and DNA/CMC-EnSpm. Among these repetitive DNA sequences, four DNA sequences that contained a fragment of Ty3-gypsy retrotransposons (SP73, SP75, SP76, and SP77) were selected as fluorescence probes to hybridization on male and female spinach karyotypes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) signals of SP73 and SP75 were captured mostly on the centromeres and their surrounding area for each homolog. Hybridization signals primarily appeared near the putative centromeres for each homologous chromosome pair by using SP76 and SP77 probes for FISH, and sporadic signals existed on the long arms. Results can be served as a basis to study the function of repetitive DNA sequences in sex chromosome evolution in spinach.

The name Caroxylon articulatum, basionym of Hammada articulata, and based on the illegitimate name “Salsola articula Cav.” is typified from a specimen collected by A.J. Cavanilles in Elda (Alicante, Spain) in 1791.