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Background and purpose: The Convolvulus genus (Convolvulaceae) is one of the medicinally and economically important genera, including about 250 species broadly distributed worldwide. Many researchers have paid attention to this genus because of its important phytochemical composition, biological activities, and safety. The Convolvulus genus contains various chemical profiles such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, tannins, and essential oils. All the parts of these plants possess pharmacological activities such as antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant activities. This investigation was designed to study the antioxidant and antihypoxic activities of C. fructicodus. Materials and methods: The aerial parts were extracted by maceration with methanol as a solvent. In this experimental study, antioxidant activities were evaluated by four methods, DPPH and nitric oxide radical scavenging activities, iron chelatory capacity, and reducing power. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also investigated. High-performance liquid chromatography was used for the determination of phenolic compounds. The protective effects of extract at 62.5-250 mg/kg were evaluated against hypoxia-induced lethality in mice by three experimental models of hypoxia, i.e. asphyctic, haemic, and circulatory. The time it took for the mice to die (latency for death) was recorded in minutes. The Institutional Animal Ethical Committee of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences approved the experimental protocol. In the asphyctic hypoxic model, phenytoin (50 mg/kg, i.p.) and in the next two tests, propranolol (20 mg/kg, i.p.) were used as the positive control. Normal saline (0.5 ml, i.p.) was used as the negative control. Analysis of variance was performed followed by Newman-Keuls multiple comparisons (by GraphPad Prism 8) to determine the differences in means. The extract did not show any metal-chelating activity in the chelating test. Results: Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract were 113.37 GAE and 20.32 QE, respectively. IC50 of extract for DPPH radical-scavenging activity and nitric oxide-scavenging were 85.28 and 177.40 µg/ml, respectively. The extract showed a good effect in reducing the power test and there was no significant difference between extract and standard in higher concentrations (p>0.05). In the haemic model, the extract showed a good and dose-dependent effect in all tested doses. The extract at 62.5 mg/kg increased the survival time by about 2 minutes (P

Background and purpose: The Convolvulus genus (Convolvulaceae) is one of the medicinally and economically important genera, including about 250 species broadly distributed worldwide. Many researchers have paid attention to this genus because of its important phytochemical composition, biological activities, and safety. The Convolvulus genus contains various chemical profiles such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, tannins, and essential oils. All the parts of these plants possess pharmacological activities such as antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant activities. This investigation was designed to study the antioxidant and antihypoxic activities of C. fructicodus. Materials and methods: The aerial parts were extracted by maceration with methanol as a solvent. In this experimental study, antioxidant activities were evaluated by four methods, DPPH and nitric oxide radical scavenging activities, iron chelatory capacity, and reducing power. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also investigated. High-performance liquid chromatography was used for the determination of phenolic compounds. The protective effects of extract at 62.5-250 mg/kg were evaluated against hypoxia-induced lethality in mice by three experimental models of hypoxia, i.e. asphyctic, haemic, and circulatory. The time it took for the mice to die (latency for death) was recorded in minutes. The Institutional Animal Ethical Committee of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences approved the experimental protocol. In the asphyctic hypoxic model, phenytoin (50 mg/kg, i.p.) and in the next two tests, propranolol (20 mg/kg, i.p.) were used as the positive control. Normal saline (0.5 ml, i.p.) was used as the negative control. Analysis of variance was performed followed by Newman-Keuls multiple comparisons (by GraphPad Prism 8) to determine the differences in means. The extract did not show any metal-chelating activity in the chelating test. Results: Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract were 113.37 GAE and 20.32 QE, respectively. IC50 of extract for DPPH radical-scavenging activity and nitric oxide-scavenging were 85.28 and 177.40 µg/ml, respectively. The extract showed a good effect in reducing the power test and there was no significant difference between extract and standard in higher concentrations (p>0.05). In the haemic model, the extract showed a good and dose-dependent effect in all tested doses. The extract at 62.5 mg/kg increased the survival time by about 2 minutes (P<0.01). At 250 mg/kg, the extract showed a similar effect to propranolol. In the circulatory model, it showed very good completely dose-dependent effects. At 62.5 mg/kg, the extract increased the survival time by more than 2 minutes (P<0.01). The extract at 250 mg/kg increased the survival time by about 8 minutes (P<0.0001). The effect of the extract at 62.5 mg/kg was similar to propranolol. In the asphyctic model, the extract did not show activity in any of the tested doses. Conclusion: The presence of phenolic compounds in the extract can be responsible for the antioxidant activity observed in the plant extract. By conducting anti-hypoxia tests in two models of haemic and circulatory models, the extract was able to show good protective effects in increasing the survival time of mice. The good antioxidant activity of this extract can be a possible mechanism for the anti-hypoxia activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hormozgan province in the south of Iran is one of the main regions in producing tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, and other vegetables as well as sesame in the winter season. In a 2021–2022 survey for phytoplasmas in different areas of this province, phytoplasma–type symptoms were observed in tomato, bell pepper, eggplant and sesame crops and many weed plants including Chenopodium album, Taraxacum officinale, Erodium cicutarium, Physalis angulata, Convolvulus virgatus, Tephrosia apollinea, and Malva sylvestris. Nested PCR assays using primers P1/P7 followed by R16mF2/R16mR1 confirmed association of phytoplasma with all symptomatic plants. 16 S rRNA nucleotide sequencing followed by virtual RFLP analysis showed that all detected phytoplasma strains from different hosts and locations belonged to 16SrII-D subgroup, 'Candidatus Phytoplasma australasia'. The latter seemed to be the dominant phytoplasma among herbaceous plants in the region. To our knowledge, this is the first world report of natural infection of T. officinale, E. cicutarium, P. angulata, C. virgatus, T. apollinea, and M. sylvestris by a 16SrII-D phytoplasma. These plants can act as alternative hosts for transmission of the phytoplasma strains to major agricultural plants including tomato, pepper, eggplant, sesame and probably other plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weed control tries to suppress competitors for a crop and often relies on differential intoxication, making use of differences in uptake, development, or metabolism. We explored the possibility of using natural signals to shift competition in favour of the crop. Using the competitive horsemint (Mentha longifolia) as a paradigm, we showed that essential oils from certain mint species suppress the seedling development of different target species in a specific and efficient manner. The specificity concerned both the donor and the receptor. We demonstrated further that the effect of horsemint oil was specific for actin filaments, and not for microtubules. Since the elimination of actin will impair auxin transport, which is essential for root regeneration in vegetatively propagating weeds, we tested the efficacy of horsemint essential oil in combination with a slow-release carrier against field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), a pertinent weed in organic cereal production. We observed that the development of this weed can be specifically blocked, especially if the carrier is worked into the soil. We propose that allelopathic interactions, often relying on manipulative chemical signalling, harbour significant potential for organic weed control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant specimens obtained by the authors from several expeditions to the Selvagens Islands (2004-2021), complemented by the study of herbarium specimens, led to the identification of several new species records for the Selvagens archipelago, namely the taxa currently considered as Canary Islands endemics Trisetaria lapalmae and Polycarpaea divaricata. Other new taxa records for the Selvagens Islands include Convolvulus siculus subsp. elongatus and the grasses Bromus rigidus and Phalaris minor. Notes on Misopates salvagense, Asplenium marinum, Spergularia diandra and Rostraria pumila are also included. Comments on taxa include distribution, ecology, taxonomy, nomenclature, conservation, and historical data. Results are discussed in the light of habitat restoration, following Nicotiana glauca near eradication and rodent eradication. These aspects are also discussed considering the historical evolution of knowledge on the Selvagens vascular flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. It is known that some members of the genus Convolvulus (C) L. are commonly used in Turkish folk medicine. These species are powerful in curing toothache and joint pains. Due to the limited information on the biological activities of C. aucheri, a species almost exclusively occurring in Turkey, we aimed to investigate the antioxidant and cytotoxic effects of three extracts obtained from the plant, as well as to characterize their phenolic profile. Methods. The anti-oxidant activity of the extracts was determined by using ABTS, NO, FRAP, phosphomolybdenum, and metal chelating assays. In addition, the bioactive compounds found in the extracts, such as total phenolics, flavonoids, and saponins, were determined. Cytotoxicity was assessed by using the CellTiter-Glo assay on HeLa and H1299 cancer cells. Results. The methanol extract of C. aucheri demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity as well as the highest phenolic, flavonoid, and saponin content. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that the major phenolic compounds in the extract were chlorogenic acid, (+)-catechin, rosmarinic acid, and rutin. The methanolic extract obtained from the aerial parts of C. aucheri was found to interfere with the viability of HeLa cells, with an IC50 value of 14.22 μg/mL being recorded. Conclusion. Our results showed that C. aucheri could be a good candidate as a novel and alternative natural antioxidant and antitumor source.

Convolvulaceae is a family of c. 2,000 species, distributed across 60 currently recognized genera. It includes species of high economic importance, such as the crop sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.), the ornamental morning glories (Ipomoea L.), bindweeds (Convolvulus L.), and dodders, the parasitic vines (Cuscuta L.). Earlier phylogenetic studies, based predominantly on chloroplast markers or a single nuclear region, have provided a framework for systematic studies of the family, but uncertainty remains at the level of the relationships among subfamilies, tribes, and genera, hindering evolutionary inferences and taxonomic advances. One of the enduring enigmas has been the relationship of Cuscuta to the rest of Convolvulaceae. Other examples of unresolved issues include the monophyly and relationships within Merremieae, the “bifid-style” clade (Dicranostyloideae), as well as the relative positions of Erycibe Roxb. and Cardiochlamyeae. In this study, we explore a large dataset of nuclear genes generated using Angiosperms353 kit, as a contribution to resolving some of these remaining phylogenetic uncertainties within Convolvulaceae. For the first time, a strongly supported backbone of the family is provided. Cuscuta is confirmed to belong within family Convolvulaceae. “Merremieae,” in their former tribal circumscription, are recovered as non-monophyletic, with the unexpected placement of Distimake Raf. as sister to the clade that contains Ipomoeeae and Decalobanthus Ooststr., and Convolvuleae nested within the remaining “Merremieae.” The monophyly of Dicranostyloideae, including Jacquemontia Choisy, is strongly supported, albeit novel relationships between genera are hypothesized, challenging the current tribal delimitation. The exact placements of Erycibe and Cuscuta remain uncertain, requiring further investigation. Our study explores the benefits and limitations of increasing sequence data in resolving higher-level relationships within Convolvulaceae, and highlights the need for expanded taxonomic sampling, to facilitate a much-needed revised classification of the family.

Weed control tries to suppress competitors for a crop and often relies on differential intoxication, making use of differences in uptake, development, or metabolism. We explored the possibility of using natural signals to shift competition in favour of the crop. Using the competitive horsemint (Mentha longifolia) as a paradigm, we showed that essential oils from certain mint species suppress the seedling development of different target species in a specific and efficient manner. The specificity concerned both the donor and the receptor. We demonstrated further that the effect of horsemint oil was specific for actin filaments, and not for microtubules. Since the elimination of actin will impair auxin transport, which is essential for root regeneration in vegetatively propagating weeds, we tested the efficacy of horsemint essential oil in combination with a slow-release carrier against field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), a pertinent weed in organic cereal production. We observed that the development of this weed can be specifically blocked, especially if the carrier is worked into the soil. We propose that allelopathic interactions, often relying on manipulative chemical signalling, harbour significant potential for organic weed control.

Urbanization alters the natural environment, with broad negative impacts on living organisms. Urbanization can also disrupt plant-pollinator networks by reducing the abundance and diversity of invertebrates. Firstly, I investigated whether the field bindweed ( Convolvulus arvensis ) is an obligatory entomophilous plant because previous reports were ambiguous. Secondly, I investigated how the obligatory entomophilous plant, field bindweed, responds to urbanization by comparing the flowering duration (anthesis) and the reproductive success of field bindweeds in urban and rural populations. Unlike cross-pollinated flowers and controls, flowers experimentally prevented from pollination and self-pollinated flowers did not produce seeds, suggesting that the field bindweed is self-incompatible and obligatory entomophilous. The abundance of urban pollinators was 5-6 times lower than the abundance of rural pollinators, and flies (Diptera), beetles (Coleoptera) and moths (Lepidoptera) were significantly more negatively influenced by the urban environment than hymenopterans (Hymenoptera). Urban plants showed significantly longer anthesis duration and lower reproductive success than rural plants. Illuminance and low pollinator abundance were negatively associated with the duration of the anthesis, but relative humidity did not affect the anthesis. Prolonged duration of the anthesis may be an adaptation to pollinator scarcity because more prolonged flowering increases the likelihood of pollination. Future research should unravel whether the longer anthesis of urban flowers is determined by behavioral plasticity or by the evolutionary selection of plants with a genetically determined longer anthesis.

The composition of polyphenols, chlorophylls and carotenoids of eight extracts of Convolvulus althaeoides L. leaves, harvested in two different seasons, winter and spring, and extracted by hot extraction method using four solvents (dichloromethane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol) with increasing polarity, were evaluated along with their antioxidant and antifungal activities. Qualitative and quantitative variations were observed in the composition based on two different high performance liquid chromatography systems, liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection coupled to either atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry or to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, permitting the identification of 22 polyphenols, 11 chlorophyll derivatives and 10 carotenoid compounds. Polyphenolic compounds were predominant in extracts from leaves collected in winter, whereas pigments were predominant in the spring collections. Antioxidant activities of the extracts were determined by DPPH radical scavenging method, revealing a half inhibition concentration (IC50) ranging from 0.1369 ± 0.0272 mg g−1 to 0.432 ± 0.0018 mg g−1, with no correlation to seasonal fluctuation. Concerning antifungal assays, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts have been shown to be the most active against dermatophytes (T. rubrum, T. menthagrophytes, M. canis), with inhibiting percentages reaching 100% with 50 mg mL−1. Moreover, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts showed a maximum inhibition potential with minimum inhibitory/fungicidal concentrations ranging from 0.78 to 6.25 mg mL−1 on Candida spp. cultures. The winter collect of these extracts showed an inhibitory effect of 90% on Candida albicans germ tubes formation, at a concentration of 3.1 mg mL−1. In conclusion, seasonality seems to influence the quality and the quantity of natural substances from leaves of C. althaeoides L., which have major importance on the antioxidant and the antifungal effectiveness.

Background: The Convolvulus genus is distributed all over the world and has a long history in traditional medicine. As nanotechnology expands its reach into areas like drug delivery and biomedicine, this study intends to assess the potential of Convolvulus arvensis L. extracts as anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents, along with chemical profiling of the methanolic (MeOH) extract active ingredients., Methods: The chemical composition of an 85% MeOH extract was investigated by liquid chromatography with an electrospray source connected to mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS). Both the 85% MeOH extract and n-butanol fraction of C. arvensis were loaded for the first time on alginate/chitosan nanoparticles. The 85% MeOH extract, n-butanol fraction and their loaded nanoparticles were tested for their cytotoxicity, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activity (against pathogenic bacteria, E. coli and S. aureus)., Results: The chemical investigation of 85% MeOH extract of C. arvensis underwent LC-ESI-MS analysis, revealing twenty-six phenolic substances, of which 16 were phenolic acids, 6 were flavonoids, 1 glycolipid, 1 sesquiterpene and 2 unknown compounds. The FT-IR spectra confirmed the encapsulation of the 85% MeOH extract and n-butanol fraction onto alginate/chitosan nanoparticles and small size obtained by TEM maintained them nontoxic and enhanced their anti-inflammatory activity (the IC 50 was decreased from 1050 to 175 µg/ml). The anti-cancer activity against HepG2 was increased and the cell viability was decreased from 28.59 ± 0.52 to 20.80 ± 0.27 at a maximum concentration of 1000 µg/ml. In addition, the MIC of encapsulated extracts was decreased from 31.25 to7.78 µg/ml in E. coli (Gm-ve) and from 15.56 to 7.78 µg/ml in S. aureus (Gm + ve) bacteria., Conclusion: Both alginate and chitosan are excellent natural polymers for the encapsulation process, which affects positively on the bioactive constituents of C. arvensis extracts and improves their biological properties., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Aim: By using an in vivo phenotypic screening assay in zebrafish, we identified Convolamine, a tropane alkaloid from Convulvus plauricalis, as a positive modulator of the sigma-1 receptor (S1R). The wfs1ab KO zebrafish larva, a model of Wolfram syndrome, exhibits an increased visual-motor response due to a mutation in Wolframin, a protein involved in endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria communication. We previously reported that ligand activating S1R, restored the cellular and behavioral deficits in patient fibroblasts and zebrafish and mouse models., Experimental Procedures: We screened a library of 108 repurposing and natural compounds on zebrafish motor response., Key Results: One hit, the tropane alkaloid Convolamine, restored normal mobility in wfs1ab KO larvae without affecting wfs1ab WT controls. They did not bind to the S1R agonist/antagonist binding site nor dissociated S1R from BiP, an S1R activity assay in vitro, but behaved as a positive modulator by shifting the IC 50 value of the reference agonist PRE-084 to lower values. Convolamine restored learning in Wfs1 ∆Exon8 , Dizocilpine-treated, and Aβ 25-35 -treated mice. These effects were observed at low ~1 mg/kg doses, not shared by Convolvine, the desmethyl metabolite, and blocked by an S1R antagonist., Conclusion and Implications: Convolamine therefore acts as an S1R positive modulator and this pharmacological action is relevant to the traditional use of Shankhpushpi in memory and cognitive protection., (© 2023 The Authors. Phytotherapy Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

• First characterization of the chemical profile of Convolvulus althaeoides L. leaf extracts, with a focus on polyphenol, chlorophyll and carotenoid content. • Chemical and biological profiles were correlated with season variability and the difference in solvents used for extraction. • C. althaeoides L. leaf extracts had great effect against Candida spp. proliferation and C. albicans filamentation. • Ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of C. athaeoides L. leaves, collected in winter and spring seasons were considered as strong anti-dermatophyte agent. • All C. athaeoides L. leaf extracts demonstrated high antioxidant potential. The composition of polyphenols, chlorophylls and carotenoids of eight extracts of Convolvulus althaeoides L. leaves, harvested in two different seasons, winter and spring, and extracted by hot extraction method using four solvents (dichloromethane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol) with increasing polarity, were evaluated along with their antioxidant and antifungal activities. Qualitative and quantitative variations were observed in the composition based on two different high performance liquid chromatography systems, liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection coupled to either atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry or to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, permitting the identification of 22 polyphenols, 11 chlorophyll derivatives and 10 carotenoid compounds. Polyphenolic compounds were predominant in extracts from leaves collected in winter, whereas pigments were predominant in the spring collections. Antioxidant activities of the extracts were determined by DPPH radical scavenging method, revealing a half inhibition concentration (IC 50) ranging from 0.1369 ± 0.0272 mg g−1 to 0.432 ± 0.0018 mg g−1, with no correlation to seasonal fluctuation. Concerning antifungal assays, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts have been shown to be the most active against dermatophytes (T. rubrum , T. menthagrophytes , M. canis), with inhibiting percentages reaching 100% with 50 mg mL−1. Moreover, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts showed a maximum inhibition potential with minimum inhibitory/fungicidal concentrations ranging from 0.78 to 6.25 mg mL−1 on Candida spp. cultures. The winter collect of these extracts showed an inhibitory effect of 90% on Candida albicans germ tubes formation , at a concentration of 3.1 mg mL−1. In conclusion, seasonality seems to influence the quality and the quantity of natural substances from leaves of C. althaeoides L., which have major importance on the antioxidant and the antifungal effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Trichomes of 35 species of the genus Convolovulus and one species of the genus Calystegia (C. sepium) were investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. The trichomes show a great variation, which provides valuable data for sections and species delimitation in Convolvulus. Trichomes of Convolvulus are nonglandular, simple, and basifixed or rarely asymmetrically medifixed. Characters of taxonomic interest were the degree of curviness (straight to spiral), orientation relative to the epidermal surface (appressed to erect), and presence of papillae on trichome surface. The trichomes are divided into two basic types: cylindrical and flattened ribbon-like. Our data provide the additional evidence to include Calystegia in Convolvulus; the former is characterized by glabrous shoots supporting its inclusion in the Convolvulus sect. Convolvulus. Using the evolutionary framework provided by recent molecular phylogenetic investigations, the following trends can be proposed in Convolvulus: long cylindrical trichomes are advanced against the flattened ribbon-like ones, densely papillate trichomes are derived against the nonpapillate or loosely papillate ones, long trichomes are advanced against the short ones, and appressed trichomes are primitive compared with the erect ones. In most investigated species of Convolvulus, a mixture of various kinds of trichomes has been detected, and the level of advancement should be determined by a collective approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convolvulus genus is a representative of the family of Convolvulaceae. Convolvulus plants are broadly distributed all over the world and has been used for many centuries as herbal medicine. Convolvulus genus contains various phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, mucilage, unsaturated sterols or terpenes, resin, tannins, lactones, and proteins. This review highlights the phytochemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, application as food preservative, traditional medicine use, anticancer activities, and clinical effectiveness in human of Convolvulus plants. All the parts of Convolvulus plants possess therapeutic benefits; preliminary pharmacological data validated their use in traditional medicine. However, further preclinical and clinical experiments are warranted before any application in human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A molecular survey of native and adventive psyllids in the central Macaronesian islands provides the first comprehensive phylogenetic assessment of the origins of the psyllid fauna of the Canary and Madeira archipelagos. We employ a maximum likelihood backbone constraint analysis to place the central Macaronesian taxa within the Psylloidea mitogenome phylogeny. The native psyllid fauna in these central Macaronesian islands results from an estimated 26 independent colonization events. Island host plants are predicted by host plants of continental relatives in nearly all cases and six plant genera have been colonized multiple times (Chamaecytisus, Convolvulus, Olea, Pistacia, Rhamnus, and Spartocytisus) from the continent. Post-colonization diversification varies from no further cladogenesis (18 events, represented by a single native taxon) to modest in situ diversification resulting in two to four native taxa and, surprisingly, given the diverse range of islands and habitats, only one substantial species radiation with more than four native species. Specificity to ancestral host plant genera or family is typically maintained during in situ diversification both within and among islands. Characterization of a recently discovered island radiation consisting of four species on Convolvulus floridus in the Canary Islands shows patterns and rates of diversification that reflect island topographic complexity and geological dynamism. Although modest in species diversity, this radiation is atypical in diversification on a single host plant species, but typical in the primary role of allopatry in the diversification process., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Bastin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Flower colour polymorphism refers to the presence of multiple colour variants in plant populations. Investigation of this phenomenon led to multiple discoveries, including the principles of heredity and the foundations of population genetics. I examined flower colour variation across native and introduced ranges of Convolvulus arvensis, which exhibits flower colour polymorphism (individuals have white or pink petals). To study flower colour variation of this species throughout large geographic scale, I used observations gathered from the iNaturalist platform. To handle a large amount of data, I trained a neural network to classify the plants' morphs based on photographs. After which I performed spatial analyses to examine the patterns of the colour frequency, also in relation to environmental factors. The results show that flower colours are polymorphic across the whole species range, but the frequency of pink versus white flowers varies. In the Palearctic, I observed geographic clines of colour morph frequencies: a higher frequency of the pink morph in populations from Northwest Europe, whereas in South and East Europe, towards the eastern edge of the range, the white morph was dominant. In contrast, pattern of colour distribution in North America (where the species is invasive) seems random, but the model indicates a link between higher proportions of pink morphs in mild and humid climates. The mechanisms behind the observed patterns remain largely unknown, as changes in a morphs' frequency are not strongly linked to abiotic factors. To understand the spatial pattern, a detailed investigation, accounting for the species' phylogeography is needed. This study provides another example of how the general public may collect data relevant to ecological studies, even when the data are not collected for a specific project., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Dillenius's Hortus Elthamensis was published in 1732. In most versions the plates are uncoloured, but a few surviving coloured versions are known. The plates are of considerable historical and scientific importance as many Linnaean types are founded on these illustrations. The specimens on which the plates were based are still housed in the Oxford University Herbaria (OXF) and examples from Convolvulaceae are discussed to show how the plates were based on and sometimes copied exactly from the original specimens. A second-step lectotypification is made for Ipomoea glaucifolia. Our study of Convolvulaceae types highlights the value of consulting corresponding specimens in other families when interpreting ambiguous types based on plates in Hortus Elthamensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four species of the rare and scarcely known weevil genus Sharpia Tournier (Curculionidae: Curculioninae: Smicronychini) in Israel are recorded; two, S. sabulicola and S. torretassoi, for the first time, in addition to previously recorded S. rubida and S. soluta. The association of S. rubida with Cressa cretica is proved, and the association of S. soluta and S. torretassoi with Convolvulus dorycnium and C. lanatus respectively is recorded for the first time. The status of S. 'filirostris' is discussed. A key and illustrations for all species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen morphology of six taxa of the genus Convolvulus (Convolvulus assyricus , C. betonicifolius subsp. betonicifolius, C. cataonicus, C. galaticus, C. lineatus, and C. pseudoscammoni, provided by Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Science Herbarium (CUFH) (Sivas-Turkey) were investigated. Three of these taxa, C. assyricus, C. cataonicus, and C. pseudoscammonia, are endemic to Turkey. Pollen grains were prepared by the method of Wodehouse and evaluated mainly for four diagnostic characteristics: pollen type, pollen shape, apertureties, and ornamentation. Following the measurements and observations, pollen grains were photographed under an optical and a scanning electron microscope. The pollen grains of the examined taxa are all 3-zonocolpate. The pollen shape is oblate, suboblate, oblate spheroidal or prolate spheroidal. The nexine is thinner than the sexine or equal, and the tectum is reticulated and rarely or densely perforated in all species except C. pseudoscammonia. Colpus borders and tapering ends are distinct and the colpus area is gemmate and granulate in all examined species