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One of the challenges of the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries is to deliver biochemical compounds that can be advantageous for the skin. Research on Boraginaceae taxa has confirmed their use in traditional medicine and proved the potential biological importance of various molecules in cosmetology. The main classes of valuable compounds associated with Boraginaceae taxa are fatty acids, including γ-linolenic acid, essential oils, phenolic acids (e.g., rosmarinic acid), flavonoids, anthocyanins, tannins, and saponins. Highly specific are naphthoquinone pigments (including shikonin) and allantoin. Another distinguishing feature is the accumulation of silica (silicon dioxide) in trichomes. Some taxa produce mucilages. However, pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) with toxic properties are also found (mainly in Symphytum spp.); therefore, their applications should be avoided. Extracts or individual compounds of Boraginaceae plants are characterized by antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-irritant, antiaging, and photoprotective activities. Boraginaceae products are widespread in the cosmetic industry as ingredients of creams, balms, lotions, gels, shampoos, lipsticks, perfumes, and deodorants. The most valuable for the cosmetic industry are raw materials obtained from the genera Alcanna Anchusa, Arnebia, Borago, Buglossoides, Cerinthe, Cordia, Echium, Ehretia, Eriodictyon, Glendora, Lappula, Lithospermum, Lycopsis, Macrotomia, Maharanga, Mertensia, Messerschmidia, Myosotis, Omphalodes, Onosma, Pulmonaria, Rindera, Symphytum, Trachystemon, and Trigonotis. Further research should focus on the search for active substances in other plants of the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants of the genus Kalanchoe are the most frequently purchased potted plants because of their decorative qualities and easy cultivation. Modern commercial plants have unique shapes that are usually not genetically determined; hence, in vitro cultures are used to propagate such specimens. The efficiency of regeneration is significantly affected by the type of explant used when that explant was previously located on one of several parts of a complex plant organ. The study aimed to investigate the influence of the topophysical location of collected explants on the regeneration efficiency of adventitious shoots. Various regeneration pathways were observed in the in vitro micropropagation of Kalanchoe daigremontiana leaf fragments, i.e., direct and indirect organogenesis from the callus stage. The results show a dependent relationship between the location of the collected explant and its regenerative potential. The most remarkable regenerative capacity of K. daigremontiana was found in leaf blade fragments taken from the middle and proximal zones. In addition, the explants collected from the marginal zone of the leaf blade were notably more valuable than those from the part located near the midrib. The research results indicate that the growth and development of new seedlings propagated vegetatively with the in vitro method depends on their location on the mother plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a modern agricultural landscape the assurance of food resources is a key issue in the maintaince and control of food niche for pollinators. In the present study we evaluated bee forage flora composition and diversity within railway embankments located in the agricultural landscape, SE Poland. We also analysed the abundance of pollinators that use food resources along railway embankments and recognized insect visitors preference for selected plant species. Railway embankments represent valuable refuge areas for bee forage flora (307 species, i.e. 76.1% of total flora) and pollinators (in total 4172 insect visits from 9 taxonomic groups). However, the richness and abundance of bee forage flora significantly differed between types of the railway distinguished by traffic volume. The highest diversity of bee forage flora is noted along the railway with intermediate traffic volume. Approx. 25% and 40% less bee forage species was identified along railways with low and high traffic volume. Likewise, bee forage flora differed considerably between microhabitat types, i.e. top vs. slope vs. bottom of the embankment. Providing support (e.g. mowing) seems to be an important management type in order to strengthen the native bee forage flora particularly on railway embankments along low and high traffic volume tracks. Such activity is crucial to counteract the spread of aggressive non-forage species (e.g. Calamagrostis epigejos, Artemisia vulgaris, Phragmites communis) and invasive species (e.g. Bunias orientalis, Solidago gigantea).

Properly arranged ornamental gardens in both urban and agricultural landscapes can be of a benefit to bees. In this study, we observed the flowering phenology, nectar, and pollen production of the ornamental Hosta species and varieties (H. sieboldiana Engler, H. capitata Nakai, H. crispula Maekawa, H. fluctuans Maekawa, syn. H. sieboldiana var. fluctuans hort., H. undulata var. univittata Miquel (Hylander), syn. H. univittata). Our experiment was conducted in the 2012 - 2014 time period, at the UMCS Botanical Garden in Lublin, Poland (51° 14’ N, 21° 34’ E). The total sugar yield varied almost 5-fold among Hosta ornamentals; the lowest amount was calculated for H. fluctuans (2.31 g per 10 m2) and the highest for H. capitata (11.80 g per 10 m2). The average pollen yield was from 0.24 g per 10 m2 (H. undulata var. univittata) to 9.53 g per 10 m2 (H. capitata). Pollen grains were bilaterally symmetrical, and large-sized. In polar view, they were prolatum (shape index 1.33 - 1.61), while in equatorial view, oblatum (shape index 0.5 - 0.7). Hosta species can complete the summer pasture mainly for bumblebees. In four of the five Hosta representatives, bumblebees accounted for 60 - 70% of the total visits. The honeybee predominated only on the flowers of H. capitata (54 - 71%). Solitary bees were rarely observed (3 - 9% of visits). The phenotypic traits of Hosta flowers (the accumulation of nectar in the deep and narrow perianth tube) reduced the access to nectar reward and restricted an array of insect visitors.

Understanding the factors that have an impact on the diversity of forage flora in the agricultural landscape is a key issue in the maintenance and control of food niches for pollinators. Field margins are common linear structures in the agricultural landscape. In the present study, we evaluated the factors that exert an impact on the forage flora composition and on the diversity in field margins. The study was conducted in the 2010 - 2011 time period across the agricultural landscape on the Lublin Upland of SE Poland. Data on the forage flora were obtained while making floristic charts along 45 transect plots x 300 m; the total length being 13500 m. Multivariate ordination techniques (PCA and RDA) were employed to analyse forage-flora characteristics. Field margins represent valuable refuge areas for forage-species richness, but not for the abundance of forage species. On field margins, forage-species diversity benefits from the location of natural habitats (forests or meadows), primarily if the distance from these habitats is

The flowering phenology and pollen production of three ornamental Centaurea species were investigated in the years 2009 and 2012-2013. The study objects, Centaurea montana L. = Cyanus montanus (L.) Hill, Centaurea mollis Waldst & Kit, and Centaurea dealbata Willd. were cultivated within an area of the UMCS Botanical Garden in Lublin, Poland (51° 14’ N, 22° 34’ E). Under the environmental conditions of SE Poland, the Centaurea species flowered continuously from mid-May to the first week of June. The mass of pollen in anthers was found to be species-related: 3.70 mg (C. montana), 4.02 mg (C. mollis), and 6.01 mg (C. dealbata) per 100 anthers. The total pollen yield was related to the mass of pollen produced in flowers and the abundance of blooming. Pollen grains were medium-sized, spheroid (C. dealbata) or prolato-spheroid (C. mollis and C. montana) in shape, and characterized by high viability (over 80% on average). The pollen provided by the plants of ornamental Centaurea species amounted to 6.0 - 7.9 g per m2 on average. The honeybee was the most frequent visitor of C. dealbata, accounting for 55.2% of the total pollinators, and bumblebee species predominated on the flowers of both C. montana (77.7%) and C. mollis (85.6%). Solitary bees and dipterans were also observed on the flowers of all species studied, but C. mollis was avoided by lepidopterans. Ornamental Centaurea species provide pollen reserves that could support communities of invertebrate pollinators, although the period of effective supply fluctuates annually due to changeable periods of blooming.

This study, conducted in 2008 and 2012 - 2013, evaluated the flowering pattern (seasonal and diurnal), the abundance of flowering, nectar, and pollen yield, and insect visitor activity for Corydalis solida (L.) Clairv. and C. cava Schweig. et Koerte. The populations occur in the ground layer of a deciduous forest (Fagetalia ordo, Querco-Fagetea class) in a natural gorge within the current area of the UMCS Botanical Garden in Lublin, Poland (51° 16’ N, 22° 30’ E). The phenology of Corydalis species showed distinct year-to-year plasticity (e.g., blooming period in March - April or in April - May; duration 18 - 42 days). The most intensive flower opening was noted in the early morning hours (85 - 90% of daily openings occurred between 6.00 and 10.00 h, GMT +2 h). The average sugar yield was similar at 4.6 kg/ha (C. cava) and 5.2 kg/ha (C. solida), but the average pollen production differed and reached 2.1 kg/ha (C. cava) and 4.1 kg/ha (C. solida). The flower-visitor interaction in Corydalis species involved both biological (early pattern of diurnal flowering, protandry, pollen presentation at the moment of anthesis) and morphological (nectar hidden in deep spur) features. Apis mellifera foragers predominated on both Corydalis species (mean of total visitors, 68.0% to C. solida; 62.5% to C. cava) and foraged mainly for pollen (82% of foragers), while bumblebee queens (mean of total visitors, 32.0% to C. solida; 37.5% to C. cava) collected mainly nectar (68.0% of foragers).

Uprawa różnych gatunków entomofilnych roślin ozdobnych w terenach zieleni miejskiej istotnie wpływa na utrzymanie lokalnych populacji owadów zapylających. W niniejszej pracy przedstawiono wyniki wieloletnich badań dotyczących obfitości i dynamiki kwitnienia, wydajności pyłkowej oraz oblotu kwiatów przez owady dwóch ozdobnych odmian Potentilla fruticosa L. (‘Maanleys’ oraz ‘Blink’) uprawianych na terenie Lublina. Przeciętnie kwitnienie P. fruticosa ‘Maanleys’ rozpoczynało się w połowie maja i trwało do pierwszej dekady września, natomiast termin kwitnienia P. fruticosa ‘Blink’ przypadał w okresie od czerwca do października. Dzienna dynamika rozkwitania była podobna w przypadku obu odmian. W ciągu dnia szczyt rozkwitania obserwowano o godz. 8.00 (GMT +2h), gdy rozkwitało od 80 - 90% wszystkich kwiatów, ale wystąpiło nieznaczne opóźnienie dziennego rytmu kwitnienia w okresie lato/jesień w stosunku do okresu wiosna/lato. Masa pyłku produkowanego w kwiatach zależała od liczby wykształcanych pręcików oraz efektywności tkanki archesporialnej. Wydajność pyłkowa z 10 kwiatów ‘Maanleys’ wahała się w granicach 1,4 - 7,2 mg, zaś 10 kwiatów ‘Blink’ produkowało 2,6 - 4,5 mg pyłku. Średnia wydajność pyłkowa w pełni kwitnienia była stosunkowo niska i wyniosła 1,0 g (‘Maanleys’) oraz 1,5 g (‘Blink’) na każde 10 m2 powierzchni krzewów. Kwiaty badanych odmian P. fruticosa zwabiały owady, głównie: pszczoły samotnice (33 - 43%), muchówki (31 - 42%), motyle (4 - 14%), trzmiele (3 - 15%) oraz pszczołę miodną (3 - 4%). Z uwagi na długi okres kwitnienia oraz walory dekoracyjne, krzewy P. fruticosa ‘Maanleys’ oraz ‘Blink’ mogą być wykorzystywane w założeniach zieleni miejskiej, stanowiąc równocześnie uzupełnienie pokarmu pyłkowego dla owadów.

The paper presents the morphology of the flower of Iris aphylla L., which is a protected species in many European countries. The study comprises phenological observations of flowering and assessment of nectar and pollen production, and flowering and fruiting abundance. Additionally, the number of insect visitors on the flowers was monitored. The investigations of specimens originating from 4 populations in central-eastern Poland (Wyżyna Lubelska Upland) were conducted in the Botanical Garden of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University. It was found that morphological features of the analysed flowers, i.e. the 6-angular ovary and the perianth tube, which is 2-fold longer than the ovary, are typical for the taxon I. aphylla [=I. aphylla var. typica L.]. The first flowers developed at the turn of April and May at air temperature of 12-13 °C. The plants produced, on average, 3 flowers per stem, 84.2 flowers per 1 m², and 6.2 capsules per 1 m². The flowers released nectar with a moderate amount of sugar and produced high quantities of pollen. Mononychus punctumalbum Herbst. and bumblebees were found to be the main flower pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]