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Tea scale, Fiorinia theae Green (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), has long been one of the most important pests of Ilex and Camellia plants, particularly in the southeastern United States. This exotic armored scale insect reduces host plant health and function, and often requires insecticide use, which poses risks to nontarget organisms. While the use of Ilex (Aquifoliales: Aquifoliaceae) and Camellia (Ericales: Theaceae) spp. as landscape ornamentals for aesthetic function is firmly established, we have a poor understanding of species-level susceptibility to F. theae. Additionally, two species, Ilex vomitoria Ait. and Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze are emerging tisane- and tea-producing commodities in the region, respectively. We propose that these consumable plants may be well-suited alternatives to their traditionally used ornamental congeners in residential landscapes where they may provide enhanced ecosystem services. However, the potential impact of key pests, like F. theae , on these species should be evaluated to anticipate pest pressure that may undermine or offset benefits. In this study, we examine six species within the known host range of tea scale, comparing nonnative I. cornuta Lindl. 'Dwarf Burford,' C. japonica L. C. sasanqua Thunb. and C. sinensis , along with native I. opaca Ait. and I. vomitoria. We found that plant species show a wide range of susceptibility to F. theae and associated damage, with the two native Ilex species and tea-producing C. sinensis displaying the least susceptibility. By reducing the impact of a key pest and considering other ecosystem service traits, these results may help guide more sustainable plant selection decisions where the goal is to integrate native and edible plants into residential landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emetic Bacillus cereus is a common foodborne pathogen that can cause vomiting after ingesting the contaminated food. Detection of emetic B. cereus plays an important role in food industry. In this study, a flow cytometric bead assay based on hybridization chain reaction (HCR) were developed to detect emetic B. cereus . Forward primer labeled magnetic beads (MBs) could capture single-strand DNA (ssDNA), which were generated through the asymmetric polymerase chain reaction from the partial cereulide-encoded gene of emetic B. cereus . Then the ssDNA initiated HCR to self-assemble with two fluorescent hairpin probes. Flow cytometry was then performed to monitor the HCR products of MBs. Under optimal experimental conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) for emetic B. cereus was 7.6 × 10 0 CFU/mL with a liner range from 7.6 × 10 0 CFU/mL to 7.6 × 10 6 CFU/mL in pure culture. The proposed strategy can be used in spiked milk with LOD of 9.2 × 10 2 CFU/mL without enrichment. The high specificity of the assay was verified using closely related strains, such as B. subtilis , non-emetic B. cereus . The proposed strategy offers a great promise for simple, low-cost, sensitive, and specific pathogen diagnosis in a real food matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years several studies have attempted to understand the use of caffeinated beverages in North America before the coming of Europeans using absorbed residues. These studies have focused on the two key plant sources of caffeine in North America: Theobroma cacao (cacao) and Ilex vomitoria (yaupon holly). The authors initiated a study to explore the possibility that one or both plants were used at the Mississippian period (900–1600 CE) center of Etowah in northern Georgia. In the process, a series of problems with methodologies in use were revealed. Key among those were limitations on the methods used to identify ancient caffeinated beverage residues, distinguish them from modern contamination, and differentiate residues made by each plant. In this paper we explore what our data from the Etowah site reveal about methodologies currently in use and make suggestions for future studies of residues created by caffeinated beverages in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Understanding relationships between the distributions of species and their surrounding environment provides a basis for forecasting how species will respond to future environmental changes. In this study, we examined the effects of environmental factors and human developmental features associated with disturbances on probability of occurrence of juveniles of invasive Triadica sebifera and three native plant species, Baccharis halimifolia, Ilex vomitoria and Morella cerifera within a typical coastal transition in coastal Mississippi, USA. Methods We recorded presence of juveniles of focal species and measured environmental factors (soil salinity, canopy openness, soil texture and soil carbon to nitrogen ratio) along an 11.3 km transect located at Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Further, we documented anthropogenic features and associated activities as a proxy for human disturbance. Important Findings With the exception of I. vomitoria, all other species occurrences were significantly influenced by an interaction between soil salinity and canopy openness. The occurrence of I. vomitoria sharply decreased with salinity. B. halimifolia occurrence peaked at moderate levels of salinity and low to moderate levels of canopy openness. Occurrences of M. cerifera and the invasive T. sebifera were highest at low levels of salinity and canopy openness. These results indicate that salinity is a strong driver that limits distribution of juvenile native and invasive species in coastal transitions. Logistic regression confirmed the positive effects of anthropogenic disturbances on T. sebifera and I. vomitoria occurrence. It appears that while soil salinity is likely to drive retreat of the seaward boundaries of woody plant species distributions, increased human developments along the coast likely enhance the inland spread of species, in particular the invasive T. sebifera by increasing disturbances and facilitating dispersal. Results from this study can offer insight for the development of T. sebifera management and preventive measures for further spread along coastal areas of the southeastern USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restoration of woody plants to barrier islands requires development of production and outplanting protocols as well as determination of "safe sites" for reestablishment. Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria Aiton [Aquifoliaceae]) is a shrub associated with scrub dunes and shallow, interdunal swales of barrier islands along the northern Gulf Coast. We studied the effect of microsite (lowest point of the depression within interdunal swale versus low dune ridge around swale), rooting depth (production container depth), and absorbing gel on seedling survival and subsequent growth of I. vomitoria planted at 5 sites associated with barrier island swales of Santa Rosa Island, Florida. Survival of I. vomitoria was greater in depressions than on ridges and with greater rooting depths. Survival on ridges did not improve with addition of hydrogel but survival for standard pots was increased in depressions. When outplanted in depressions with gel, plant height increased by as much as 6 cm (2.4 in) compared to all other outplanting combinations. Plants on ridges were half the height of plants in depressions in 2006 but no differences were found in 2007. Plants grown in Treepots were more than twice as tall as plants grown in round containers in 2006 but did not differ in 2007. Plants had greater canopy area in depressions than on ridges and with greater rooting depth. For establishment and growth on barrier islands, I. vomitoria should be grown in pots 35 cm (14 in) deep (for example, Treepots) and planted in centers of shallow swales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Toxic Sugar Bait (TSB, active ingredient 1% boric acid) was evaluated against Aedes taeniorhynchus (Diptera: Culicidae) in the laboratory and the field at St. Augustine, Florida. The laboratory component was comprised of plants located in known Ae. taeniorhynchus resting areas, i.e., black mangrove (Avecennia germinans L.) and yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria Ait.). The results indicated that TSB sprayed on black mangrove and yaupon holly cuttings at 48 h resulted in significant mortality of resting Ae. taeniorhynchus, compared with the mortality of mosquitoes in the control group under the laboratory conditions. Also, the field studies indicated a significant reduction in mosquito populations after TSB was applied on plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Coastal-ridge plains are progradational landforms composed of elevated ridges and low-lying swales. The transitions between ridges and swales are steep, promoting dynamic shifts between xeric and mesic systems. Two understory plants that co-occur in ridge plains of North American mid-Atlantic maritime forests are Sabal minor and Ilex vomitoria. As coastal-ridge plains foster varying amounts of surface and sub-surface water driven largely by topography, the purpose of this study was to evaluate plant–water relations and chlorophyll a fluorescence in these two species. Ridge plants had lower leaf- and xylem-water potentials, lower osmotic potential (I. vomitoria), and lower symplastic water content (S. minor). Although there were no differences in potential- and effective-quantum yields, there were decreases in fluorescence performance index for ridge I. vomitoria and swale S. minor. While the data support potential water-stress conditions in ridge plants of both species, the data also suggest that I. vomitoria and S. minor use different physiological processes to tolerate hydrologically dynamic ridge–swale maritime forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful completion and long-term maintenance of eradication of boll weevil (BW), Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman, in Texas would be improved by the development of adult control technologies to eliminate BW reproduction in active eradication zones and help prevent dispersal into and reproduction in post-eradication zones. Spinosad (Tracer®) mixed with 10% sucrose in ppm active ingredient (wt: vol) was evaluated as a toxicant when ingested by field-captured adult BW with additional field assessments of spinosad/feeding stimulant mixtures or bait formulations with grandlure as an attractant. Ingested spinosad was highly toxic to BW adults with a lethal concentration to kill 90% (LC90) of 27.79 ppm after 24 hours. Ingestion of spinosad by BW at lethal concentrations ranging from 28 to 10,000 ppm was inhibitory compared to the sucrose solution alone, but the level of inhibition was not consistent relative to gender or concentrations. In field tests, bait formulations mixed with spinosad at 300 ppm and sprayed on individual yaupon shrubs baited with a pheromone lure killed BW in numbers similar to BW captured in individual traps baited with the pheromone lure alone. This study demonstrates that sugar-based adult control technologies with spinosad as a toxicant and grandlure as an attractant effectively attract and kill BW adults. This strategy may have potential to attract and kill BW in environmentally-sensitive non-cotton habitats, and may have application during the host free window to reduce populations and curtail movement of adults into eradicated zones, both goals of BW eradication programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Black drink is a native North American caffeinated tea produced from the leaves of Ilex vomitoria. The beverage was an important part of prehistoric Southeastern culture, as it was the only native source of caffeine in North America. The leaves of I. vomitoria were, therefore, a potentially valuable trade resource during the period. As such, the ability to identify archaeological black drink residues is useful to Southeastern archaeologists. In order to determine the plausibility of detecting I. vomitoria in residues, black drink was repeatedly produced in experimental unglazed pottery. The resulting potsherds were buried in several environmental contexts, recovered, and underwent absorbed pottery residue analysis. After two months of burial in three different soil types, plus a control stored in the freezer, caffeine was well-preserved in all sherds, suggesting that caffeine is a potentially useful biomarker for the detection of black drink. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents brief profile of botanist John Bartram and talks about botanic garden Bartram's Garden in North America made by him. Topics discussed include his working experience as the Royal Botanist of North America, and member of Royal Academy of Science in Stockholm; herbal medicines made by him by using plants such as Ilex vomitoria and Lobelia siphilitica; and catalog of American plants published by Bartram.

The author discusses the observations of English naturalist and colonist John Lawson in his 1709 book "A New Voyage to Carolina." It examines his engagement with the fields of botany, natural history, and geography. The author notes that Lawson particularly commented on the potential to cultivate and exploit natural resources. Trees discussed include the live oak, or Quercus virginiana, the bald cypress, or Taxodium distichum, and the dogwood, or Cornus florida. Lawson's observations concerning the plant yaupon, or Ilex vomitaria, is also considered.

Binding of ligands to DNA gives rise to several relevant biological and biomedical effects. Here, through the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM), we studied the consequences of drug binding on the morphology of single DNA molecules. In particular, we quantitatively analyzed the effects of three different DNA-binding molecules (doxorubicin, ethidium bromide, and netropsin) that exert various pharmacologic and therapeutic effects. The results of this study show the consequences of intercalation and groove molecular binding on DNA conformation. These single-molecule measurements demonstrate morphological features that reflect the specific modes of drug-DNA interaction. This experimental approach may have implications in the design of therapeutically effective agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yaupon holly (hex vomitoria Ait.) is a caffeine-containing shrub native to the southeastern United States where its leaves and twigs were traditionally used to prepare a stimulating and healthful beverage by Amerindians and more recent colonists. For a variety of mostly socioeconomic and cultural reasons, widespread consumption of yaupon tea ceased by the late 19th century, but the species is widely used in ornamental horticulture. Given the environmental damage associated with other caffeine crops, we believe that disuse of this species is unfortunate, and we report on traits that consumers may consider valuable. We found that total foliar biomass, caffeine, and antioxidant production all increased with nitrogen fertilization in one common ornamental yaupon cultivar, Nana.' Increasing light availability was associated with increased antioxidant activity but not with the decreased caffeine production predicted by the carbon/nutrient balance hypothesis for secondary metabolite production. We also found the highest caffeine concentrations in another yaupon cultivar, Pendula,' but suggest that the wide range of chemical variation offered by wild-type yaupon populations renders them more suitable as sources for the development of high caffeine-producing varieties. The results of this study suggest that yaupon is a viable caffeine alternative for North Americans living within its range on the southeastern coastal plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yaupon ( Ilex vomitoria) is a caffeine-containing dioecious shrub native to the southeastern United States that was historically brewed into a stimulating beverage. We tested predictions of the carbon/nutrient balance (CNB) hypothesis by determining whether nitrogen availability and gender influence production of caffeine and related alkaloids as well as phenolic compounds in leaves of pot-grown yaupon plants fertilized with ammonium nitrate. The CNB hypothesis predicts that additional nitrogen should result in increased alkaloid concentrations and decreased phenolic concentrations. An extension of the CNB hypothesis to dioecious plants predicts that females have higher C/N ratios and therefore higher phenolic concentrations and lower alkaloid concentrations than male conspecifics. In our study, caffeine and total alkaloid concentrations were 5–10 times higher in fertilized than control plants but did not vary by gender. Nevertheless, an observed interaction between gender and fertilization suggests that females respond more to fertilization than males in caffeine production. In addition, fertilized plants not only contained higher concentrations of alkaloids and total nitrogen but also allocated a larger proportion of their nitrogen to alkaloid production than control plants. Total phenolic concentrations were higher in control females than control males as predicted by the CNB hypothesis, but did not vary by treatment nor were there differences by gender among fertilized plants. We also found high correlations between antioxidant capacity and both classes of phenolic compounds detected in our study (cinnamic acid derivatives and flavonoids) indicating that in addition to their putative defensive function against herbivores, phenolics protect yaupon from oxidative stress. Explanation of the inconsistencies between our data and predictions of the CNB hypothesis may benefit from a re-appraisal of the physiological mechanisms by which resource availability affects secondary metabolism as well as consideration of the selective pressures to which secondary metabolism responds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the longevity of seeds of 12 common woody species buried in fresh condition in the forest floor at three forest locations in Mississippi and Louisiana. Seed samples of each species were retrieved annually for 5 years from each location. Germination and tetrazolium chloride staining tests were conducted on the samples to determine germinative capacity. When averaged across all species, seeds remained viable longer at the Alexandria, Louisiana site than at the two sites in Mississippi. Seeds of the 12 species varied widely in their response to burial. Some species, such as American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana L.), muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.), and sugarberry (Celtis laevigata Willd.), had relatively high germinative capacities (from 33 to 60 percent, depending on species) even after burial in the forest floor for 5 years, whereas other species, such as flowering dogwood (Cornus florida L.) and yaupon (Ilex vomitoria Ait.), had very low germinative capacities (less than 6 percent) by the end of the first year after burial. Species were classified into five groups based on their similarity of response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the role of fruit availability in the diet of wintering Catharus guttatus Pallas (Hermit Thrushes) in southeastern Louisiana. Most fecal samples contained fruit and arthropods (N = 126), while few samples contained only arthropods (N = 32). We observed 26 species of fruiting plants at our sites, and found nine in fecal samples. Ilex vomitoria (Yaupon, 52% of samples), Ligustrum sinense (Chinese privet, 27% of samples) and Myrica cerifera (wax myrtle, 9.5% of samples) were the most common in fecal samples, and their presence was associated with availability. Yet, fecal samples contained more yaupon and less privet and wax myrtle than expected based on availability. Fruit availability within territories and sampling period predicted presence in fecal samples. Samples without fruits may be associated with low fruit availability, and not with higher arthropod activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous people of southeastern North America drank cassina, a stimulant and emetic decoction that the colonial British termed "black drink" Though most authors cite hex vomitoria Ait. as the botanical source of cassina, confusion persists because some researchers identify the source as I. cassine L. To clarify the link between plant and product, the methylxanthine alkaloid contents of I. vomitoria and I. cassine were compared. Since methylxanthines (i.e., caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline) have pharmacological properties congruent with the recorded effects of cassina consumption, the alkaloids provide a chemical basis for the evaluation of both taxa as sources of the beverage. Methylxanthine levels are higher in I. vomitoria than in I. cassine, and the principal alkaloid of the former is caffeine. Based on its alkaloid content, I. vomitoria is the best-supported candidate source of cassina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetone, ethanol and water extracts of mature fruits of yaupon (Hex vomitoria Ait.) inhibited germination of mesquite (Prosopis juliflora Swartz DC. var. glandulosa (Torr.) Cockerell, and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). Extracts of guava fruit (Psidium guajava L.) inhibited cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seed germination. Water soluble inhibitors were found in fruits, leaves, roots and bark of several tropical species representing 10 different families. Strong inhibition of cucumber seed germination and growth did not occur in sand when water extracts containing inhibitors were applied. Growth of corn, sorghum, cucumber and bean was reduced in soils collected beneath Malay apple (Eugenia malaccensis L.) trees. Plant growth-inhibitors occurred in all species studied in various plant parts, and some apparently affect the growth and ecology of other plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]