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Vepris Comm. ex A. Juss. is a genus of 96 species extending from Africa to India that are distinct in their unarmed stems and their digitately (1-)3(-5) foliolate leaflets, and whose many secondary compounds earn them uses in traditional medicine. Mziray (1992) subsumed six related genera into Vepris , with Vepris amaniensis (Engl.) Mziray becoming somewhat of a dustpan for ambiguous specimens (Cheek & Luke, 2023). This study, using material from the Kew herbarium, sought to pull out novel species from those previously incorrectly filed as Vepris amaniensis , and here describes the new species Vepris usambarensis sp. nov. This species is morphologically distinct from Vepris amaniensis with its canaliculate to winged petioles, 0.5-2.3 cm long inflorescences, 1-3 foliolate leaflets, and hairs on inflorescences and stem apices. Phytochemical analysis attributed seven compounds to Vepris usambarensis : tecleanthine ( 1 ), evoxanthine ( 2 ), 6-methoxytecleanthine ( 3 ), tecleanone ( 4 ), 1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-1,2,3-propanetriol ( 5 ), lupeol ( 6 ), and arborinine ( 7 ). This is a unique mixture of compounds for a species of Vepris , though all are known to occur in the genus, with the exception of 1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-1,2,3-propanetriol ( 5 ) which was characterized from a species in the Asteraceae. An attempt at constructing a phylogeny for Vepris using the ITS and trnL-F regions was made, but these two regions could not be used to differentiate at species level and it is suggested that 353 sequencing is used for further research. Originally more than one new species was hypothesized to be within the study group; however, separating an additional species was unsupported by the data produced. Further phylogenetic analysis is recommended to fully elucidate species relationships and identify any cryptic species that may be present within Vepris usambarensis ., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2024 Ciambrone et al.)

This study aimed to reveal the diversity and variation in panicle traits of the Chinese prickly ash and clarify their influence on the its systematic classification to provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the efficient utilization of Chinese prickly ash germplasm resources and breeding. Sixteen panicle traits were identified from 35 Chinese prickly ash germplasm resources from 2021 to 2022. The diversity of these panicle traits and their role in the plant's systematic classification were studied using variance, correlation, cluster, and principal component analyses. Cluster analysis showed that the 35 Chinese prickly ash germplasm resources could be divided into two groups with Euclidean distances of 25. Further analysis showed that yield traits such as panicle length, panicle width, primary branching, grain number per panicle, and grain weight per panicle were significantly positively correlated with grain chlorophyll content, while grain anthocyanin content was negatively correlated with both panicle (panicle length, panicle width, panicle length to width ratio, primary branching, grain number per panicle, and grain weight per panicle) and grain characteristics (single grain weight, thousand-grain weight, grain length, grain width and fruit shape index). In conclusion, Chinese prickly ash germplasms have diverse panicle traits. Z. armatum has dark green grains, long and wide panicles, a long conical shape, many primary branches, high grain weight, and high grain number per panicle. In contrast, Z. bungeanum has bright red seeds, a panicle width larger than its length, short and conical panicles, a small number of primary branches, and low grain weight per panicle and number of grains per panicle. Overall, Z. armatum had a significant yield advantage over Z. bungeanum., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Subtribe Galipeinae (tribe Galipeeae) is the most diverse group of Rutaceae (the orange family) in the Neotropics, with 27 genera and ca. 130 species. The largest genus in the subtribe is Conchocarpus, with ca. 50 species, distributed from Central America to southern Brazil, and is particularly diverse in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The circumscription of the genus was recently changed to accommodate the species of Almeidea. However, even with this inclusion, Conchocarpus did not appear as monophyletic because the position of C. concinnus, which appeared in a clade with the other genera of Galipeinae rather than in the clade with the other species of Conchocarpus. The objective of the present study is to investigate the phylogenetic position of four other species of Conchocarpus (hereafter called "C. gauchaudianus group") that share morphological traits and geographical distribution with C. concinnus suggesting a close phylogenetic affinity. Phylogenetic analyses were based on morphological and molecular data from nuclear regions ITS-1 and ITS-2 as well as plastid regions trnL-trnF and rps-16, and were conducted with parsimony and Bayesian inference as optimization criteria. Results showed Conchocarpus as polyphyletic with its species divided in two clades, one, herein called "the Conchocarpus sensu stricto group," includes the type species C. macrophyllus, and the other "the Conchocarpus gaudichaudianus group" includes C. concinnus. The latter group is here recognized as a new genus, Dryades, the name given by Carl Friederich von Martius (1794-1868) to the Domain of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, inspired by the tree nymphs in Greek mythology. Floral structure and leaf morphology provided further support to the findings of phylogenetic analysis. A description of the new genus, new combinations, a key to the species of the new genus, discussions of the affinities of the species are also provided, as well as data on the conservation status of the species of Dryades. Additionally, new data on floral structure of C. heterophyllus, C. macrophyllus and C. minutiflorus (all from the Conchocarpus sensu stricto group) are provided., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The genus Paramignya (Rutaceae) comprises about 30 species typically distributing in tropical Asia. Like other genera of the family Rutaceae, the significant variation in the morphology of Paramignya species makes the taxonomic study and accurate identification become difficult. In Vietnam, Paramignya species have been mostly found in Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong provinces and used as traditional medicines. Recently, Paramignya trimera, a species of the genus Paramignya with local name "Xao tam phan" has been drawn attention and intensively exploited to treat liver diseases and cancers. However, the significant variations in the morphology and different local names of P. trimera have caused confusion and difficulty in the accurate identification and application of this plant for medicine. In this study, the combination of both morphological and DNA sequence data has effectively supported the taxonomic identification of P. trimera and some relatives collected in Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong provinces. The comparison of the morphology and analysis of the phylogenetic trees suggested that there was a significant variation of P. trimera. In addition, some accessions of P. trimera with morphological characteristics similar and Atalantia buxifolia were likely the intergeneric hybrids between the two species. Analysis of genetic variation, interspecific and intraspecific distances using ITS, matK and rbcL sequences shown that P. trimera was closely related to A. buxifolia, Severinia monophylla and Luvunga scandens. In addition, matK sequences represented as the effective candidate DNA barcode to identify and distinguish Paramignya species from others of the family Rutaceae.

The aim of the study was to compare the mineral content between the peel and the pulp of citrus fruits and to determine which citrus fruit, among orange (Citrus sinensis), pomelo (Citrus maxima), mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco), lemon (Citrus limon), key lime (Citrus aurantifolia), and red, yellow, or green grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), is the richest in minerals. The research material consisted of fresh citrus fruits belonging to the genus Citrus L in the family Rutaceae. The fruits were purchased at a supermarket at one time. To prepare laboratory samples, each fruit was cut in half, and one half was homogenized, treating the sample as a whole (peel + flesh), while the other half was peeled and the pulp (F) and peel (P) were homogenized separately. To determine the content of minerals (Na + , K + , Ca +2 , Mg +2 , Fe +2 , Zn +2 , Cu +2 , Mn +2 , and Se +2 ), the samples were mineralized and analyzed using an Analytik Jena PlasmaQuant PQ 9000 inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer. The content of macro- and micronutrients in the peel of most of the fruits far exceeded their quantity in the pulp. Oranges and pomelos are the fruits richest in iron and copper, so they could be recommended in cases such as hemoglobin production disorders resulting from a deficiency of these elements. Oranges can additionally enrich the body with potassium, phosphorus, and manganese, while lime can be a source of calcium, zinc, sodium, and especially potassium. It should also be noted that all citrus fruits are a very valuable source of potassium, which is needed to ensure the water and electrolyte balance.

The authentication and traceability of spices is a major concern for industrials and consumers. We focused on species from Zanthoxylum genera which are used for many different applications by local populations and also for trading as spices (dried pericarps or whole fruits). In this case, literature gives contradictory data about botanical names, and commercial labelling is often confusing. We studied commercial fruits pericarps extracts obtained by supercritical CO 2 and analyzed them by GC/MS. The very complex volatile and semi volatile fractions composition of each extract is described. The barcoding method including molecular biology and phylogenetic analyses was also developed in order to check the commercial botanical identification of the raw material. This is a robust method to identify species in berries samples. We used one genetic marker to identify two Rutaceae clusters, including several species of Zanthoxylum genus. These results indicate that Fagara and Zanthoxylum groups could be considered as two different genera. Combination of chemical analysis and DNA analysis provides an original approach to increase chemical and botanical Zanthoxylum genus knowledge., (© 2018 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

The Clauseneae (Aurantioideae, Rutaceae) is a tribe in the Citrus family that, although economically important as it contains the culinary and medicinally-useful curry tree (Bergera koenigii), has been relatively understudied. Due to the recent significant taxonomic changes made to this tribe, a closer inspection of the genetic relationships among its genera has been warranted. Whole genome skimming was used to generate chloroplast genomes from six species, representing each of the four genera (Bergera, Clausena, Glycosmis, Micromelum) in the Clauseneae tribe plus one closely related outgroup (Merrillia), using the published plastome sequence of Citrus sinensis as a reference. Phylogenetically informative character (PIC) data were analyzed using a genome alignment of the seven species, and variability frequency among the species was recorded for each coding and non-coding region, with the regions of highest variability identified for future phylogenetic studies. Non-coding regions exhibited a higher percentage of variable characters as expected, and the phylogenetic markers ycf1, matK, rpoC2, ndhF, trnS-trnG spacer, and trnH-psbA spacer proved to be among the most variable regions. Other markers that are frequently used in phylogenetic studies, e.g. rps16, atpB-rbcL, rps4-trnT, and trnL-trnF, proved to be far less variable. Phylogenetic analyses of the aligned sequences were conducted using Bayesian inference (MrBayes) and Maximum Likelihood (RAxML), yielding highly supported divisions among the four genera., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The tribe Toddalieae Hook. F. (Rutaceae) has been controversial since its inception by Bentham and Hooker. The nine taxa examined, Acronychia J.R. & G.Foster, Diphasia Pierre, Diphasiopsis Mendonca, Fagaropsis Mildbr.ex. Siebenl., Oricia Pierre, Teclea Delile, Toddaliopsis Engl., Toddalia Juss. and Vepris Comm. ex. A. Juss, have been recognized under the tribe Toddalieae or Tribes Acronychia, Phellodendron and Toddalia. More recently Araliopsis Engl., Diphasia, Diphasiopsis, Oricia, Teclea, and Toddaliopsis have been incorporated into the genus Vepris, while Toddalia and Fagaropsis have continued to be recognized as closely related. For this study, sequence data of one non-coding chloroplast region (trnL-F) and one nuclear region (ITS) and various morphological characters, based on Mziray's taxonomic studies were examined to try to elucidate these relationships. This study found that the taxa Diphasia, Diphasiopsis, Oricia, Teclea, Toddaliopsis, Vepris, Toddalia eugeniifolia Engl. and Toddalia glomerata F. Hoffm. form a monophyletic group. Due to the amount of intrageneric and intraspecific variation, species delimitations were difficult to determine; however, these genera should be united into Vepris. The analyses also confirmed that Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam., Zanthoxylon sp. and Fagaropsis angolensis (Engl.) H.M. Gardner are the closest relatives to this group.

Background: Chloroplast DNA is a primary source of molecular variations for phylogenetic analysis of photosynthetic eukaryotes. However, the sequencing and analysis of multiple chloroplastic regions is difficult to apply to large collections or large samples of natural populations. The objective of our work was to demonstrate that a molecular taxonomic key based on easy, scalable and low-cost genotyping method should be developed from a set of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) diagnostic of well-established clades. It was applied to the Aurantioideae subfamily, the largest group of the Rutaceae family that includes the cultivated citrus species., Results: The publicly available nucleotide sequences of eight plastid genomic regions were compared for 79 accessions of the Aurantioideae subfamily to search for SNPs revealing taxonomic differentiation at the inter-tribe, inter-subtribe, inter-genus and interspecific levels. Diagnostic SNPs (DSNPs) were found for 46 of the 54 clade levels analysed. Forty DSNPs were selected to develop KASPar markers and their taxonomic value was tested by genotyping 108 accessions of the Aurantioideae subfamily. Twenty-seven markers diagnostic of 24 clades were validated and they displayed a very high rate of transferability in the Aurantioideae subfamily (only 1.2 % of missing data on average). The UPGMA from the validated markers produced a cladistic organisation that was highly coherent with the previous phylogenetic analysis based on the sequence data of the eight plasmid regions. In particular, the monophyletic origin of the "true citrus" genera plus Oxanthera was validated. However, some clarification remains necessary regarding the organisation of the other wild species of the Citreae tribe., Conclusions: We validated the concept that with well-established clades, DSNPs can be selected and efficiently transformed into competitive allele-specific PCR markers (KASPar method) allowing cost-effective highly efficient cladistic analysis in large collections at subfamily level. The robustness of this genotyping method is an additional decisive advantage for network collaborative research. The availability of WGS data for the main "true citrus" species should soon make it possible to develop a set of DSNP markers allowing very fine resolution of this very important horticultural group.

Fruit oil from five species of kumquat (Fortunella japonica, F. margarita, F. crassifolia, F. obovata, and F. hindsii) grown in the same pedoclimatic conditions have been analyzed by a combination of chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The compositions of the five fruit oils were strongly dominated by limonene (84.2-96.3%). Other components present with appreciable contents were myrcene (1.3-12.9%) and germacrene D (0.3-2.4%).

Ruta, which belongs to tribe Ruteae, is the type genus of the subfamily Rutoideae and the family Rutaceae. Molecular systematic studies have shown that the genera in Ruteae are closer related to Aurantioideae than to most other genera of Rutoideae, some of the genera traditionally placed in Ruteae have been shown to be nested within the Aurantioideae clade, but the diagnostic characters for determining new patterns in the relationship are poor. In this study, we investigated the floral development of Boenninghausenia in Ruteae (sensu stricto), Haplophyllum in the basal position of Aurantioideae and Murraya in traditional Aurantioideae using scanning electron microscopy. The androecium of Boenninghausenia is obdiplostemony. As androecia in other genera within Ruteae (s.s.) are also obdiplostemonous, reconstruction of the ancestral state indicates that obdiplostemony is an ancestral character in this clade. Because the androecia of Haplophyllum and Murraya are also obdiplostemonous, obdiplostemony is also an ancestral character in Aurantioideae clade. The ancestral state reconstruction indicates this character can serve as a synapomorphy of the Ruteae-Aurantioideae clade. The results of our work also shed light on the evolution of the androecium in Rutaceae, as the obdiplostemony of this group is clearly derived from haplostemony in the ancestral genera in Rutaceae and has develop into polyandry by increasing antepetalous stamens.

Subtribe Galipeinae (tribe Galipeeae, subfamily Rutoideae) is the most diverse group of Neotropical Rutaceae, with 28 genera and approximately 130 species. One of its genera is Almeidea, whose species are morphologically similar to those of the genus Conchocarpus. Species of Almeidea occur in the Atlantic Rain Forest of Eastern Brazil, with one species (Almeidea rubra) also present in Bolivia. The objective of this study was to perform a phylogenetic analysis of Almeidea, using a broader sampling of Galipeinae and other Neotropical Rutaceae, the first such study focused on this subtribe. To achieve this objective, morphological data and molecular data from the nuclear markers ITS-1 and ITS-2 and the plastid markers trnL-trnF and rps16 were obtained. Representatives of eight genera of Galipeinae and three genera of Pilocarpinae (included also in Galipeeae) and Hortia (closely related to Galipeeae) were used. Five species of Almeidea and seven of Conchocarpus were included, given the morphological proximity between these two genera. Individual (for each molecular marker) and combined phylogenetic analyses were made, using parsimony and Bayesian inference as optimization criteria. Results showed Galipeinae as monophyletic, with the species of Almeidea also monophyletic (supported by the presence of pantocolporate pollen) and nested in a clade with a group of species of Conchocarpus, a non-monophyletic group. Additionally, C. concinnus appeared in a group with Andreadoxa, Erythrochiton, and Neoraputia, other members of Galipeinae. As a result, Conchocarpus would be monophyletic only with the exclusion of a group of species related to C. concinnus and with the inclusion of all species of Almeidea with the group of species of Conchocarpus that includes its type species, C. macrophyllus. Thus, species of Almeidea are transferred to Conchocarpus, and the new combinations are made here.

Studies of genetic diversity in plant species present in the remaining fragments of the Atlantic Forest are very important for understanding their resilience to such a degraded ecosystem. We analyzed the genetic diversity of 3 populations of the high-density understory species Metrodorea nigra St. Hill. (Rutaceae) located in forest remnants in the region of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil (M13-Rib, BSQ-Rib, and FAC-Crav), by using simple sequence repeat (SSR) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers for conservation purposes. A total of 133 polymorphic loci were observed in 136 inter-simple sequence repeat loci (average of 17 per primer). The Nei genetic diversity (HE) was relatively high considering all populations (0.31). The BSQ-Rib population exhibited the highest value (0.27), followed by the M13-Rib (0.26) and FAC-Crav (0.24) populations. The simple sequence repeat markers analyzed showed a high number of alleles (K = 104), with an average of 14.85 alleles per locus. The average observed heterozygosity was 0.516 and the average expected heterozygosity was 0.771, ranging from 0.688 (FAC-Crav) to 0.765 (BSQ-Rib). The fixation indexes showed positive and significant differences from zero for all sample sets, indicating inbreeding, which may have resulted from the species' mating patterns and the barochoric seed dispersal system of M. nigra. Both markers indicated differentiation among populations, with higher values observed for inter-simple sequence repeat markers. No significant differences between juvenile and adult generations in any of the fragments were observed, indicating the resilience of M. nigra to the effects of fragmentation and reduced habitat.

We present the first detailed phylogenetic study of the genus Melicope, the largest genus of the Citrus family (Rutaceae). The phylogenetic analysis sampled about 50% of the 235 accepted species of Melicope as well as representatives of 26 related genera, most notably Acronychia and Euodia. The results based on five plastid and nuclear markers have revealed that Acronychia, Euodia and Melicope are each not monophyletic in their current circumscriptions and that several small genera mainly from Australia and New Caledonia need to be merged with one of the three genera to ensure monophyly at the generic level. The phylogenetic position of the drupaceous Acronychia in relation to Melicope, which has capsular or follicular fruits, remains unclear and Acronychia might be a separate genus or a part of Melicope. The seed coats of Melicope, Acronychia and related genera show adaptations to bird-dispersal, which might be regarded as key innovations for species radiations. Euodia and its relatives, which lack these adaptations, include only about 20 species while the Melicope-Acronychia group consists of about 340 species. The drupaceous genera Comptonella, Dutaillyea, Picrella and Sarcomelicope are nested within Melicope and need to be merged with Melicope. The expanded genus is a prime example of the artificial classification system of Engler, who defined Rutaceous subfamilies mainly based on gynoecial and fruit characters., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The members of the genus Atalantia belonging to the family Rutaceae have many uses in traditional medicine. The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the chemical composition of essential oils of three species of Atalantia namely Atalantia monophylla (Roxb.) DC., Atalantia racemosa Wight. and Atalantia wightii Tanaka. The extract percentage of the obtained essential oil was found to be 0.2, 0.17 and 0.31% in A. monophylla, A. racemosa and A. wightii respectively. The major compounds identified were alpha-Asarone (28.82%), Sabinene (13.19%), Eugenol methyl ether (12.71%), 1,2-Dimethoxy-4-(2-methoxyethenyl)benzene (11.63%) and beta-Pinene (5.3%) in the essential oil of A. monophylla. In A. racemosa, T-Cadinol (11.08%), Caryophyllene oxide (9.78%), beta-Caryophyllene (9.20%), Spathulenol (7.21%), beta-Phellandrene (5.67%) and Decanal (4.01%) and in A. wightii beta-Caryophyllene (16.37%), D-Limnonene (12.15%), Decanal (10.49%), beta-Myrcene (7.67%), Tetradecanal (6.99%), Caryophyllene oxide (6.29%) and Hexadecylene oxide (5.87%) were the main constituents. Sesquiterpenes were the major class of compounds in A. racemosa and A. wightii, while in A. monophylla the essential oil was predominated by ether compounds. The results showed that GC/MS analysis of essential oils is a significant step in the bio-chemical profiling and bio-prospecting of Atalantia species.

Premise of the Study: The development of microsatellite primers for Duperrea pavettifolia will be the foundation for mating system analysis and conservation research., Methods and Results: Nineteen microsatellite markers were developed and characterized in two wild populations by using the Fast Isolation by AFLP of Sequences COntaining repeats (FIASCO) protocol. Polymorphisms were evaluated in 24 individuals from two natural populations. Eleven of these primers generated polymorphic loci., Conclusions: These microsatellite markers will be useful in future investigations into the population genetics and mating system of D. pavettifolia.

Premise of the Study: The main aim of this study was to isolate and characterize microsatellite loci in Cneorum tricoccon (Cneoraceae), a Mediterranean shrub relict of the early Tertiary, which inhabits western Mediterranean islands and coasts. Microsatellites will be useful for investigating biogeography and landscape genetics across the species distribution range, including current or past gene flow., Methods and Results: Seventeen microsatellite loci were characterized, of which 10 were polymorphic and amplified for a total of 56 alleles in three populations of C. tricoccon. The markers revealed average coefficients of expected heterozygosity (H(e) = 0.425), observed heterozygosity (H(o) = 0.282), and inbreeding coefficient value per population (F(IS) = 0.408)., Conclusions: These microsatellite primers will potentially be useful in the study of population and landscape genetics, conservation status of isolated populations, island-continental distribution, current or historical movements between populations, and in the investigation of the consequences of dispersal mechanisms of these plants.

The dichloromethane extract from taproots of Hortia oreadica afforded six limonoids, these are 9,11-dehydro-12α-acetoxyhortiolide A, hortiolide C, 11α-acetoxy-15-deoxy-6-hydroxyhortiolide C, hortiolide D, hortiolide E, 12β-hydroxyhortiolide E, in addition to the known limonoid, guyanin. The dichloromethane extract from stems of H. oreadica also afforded two limonoids 9,11-dehydro-12α-hydroxyhortiolide A and 6-hydroxyhortiolide C. As a result of this study and literature data, Hortia has been shown to produce highly specialized limonoids that are similar to those from the Flindersia (Flindersioideae). The taxonomy of Hortia has been debatable, with most authors placing it in the Toddalioideae. Considering the complexity of the isolated limonoids, Hortia does not show any close affinity to the genera of Toddalioideae. That is, the limonoids appear to be of little value in resolving the taxonomic situation of Hortia., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: The Spathelia-Ptaeroxylon clade is a group of morphologically diverse plants that have been classified together as a result of molecular phylogenetic studies. The clade is currently included in Rutaceae and recognized at a subfamilial level (Spathelioideae) despite the fact that most of its genera have traditionally been associated with other families and that there are no obvious morphological synapomorphies for the clade. The aim of the present study is to construct phylogenetic trees for the Spathelia-Ptaeroxylon clade and to investigate anatomical characters in order to decide whether it should be kept in Rutaceae or recognized at the familial level. Anatomical characters were plotted on a cladogram to help explain character evolution within the group. Moreover, phylogenetic relationships and generic limits within the clade are also addressed., Methods: A species-level phylogenetic analysis of the Spathelia-Ptaeroxylon clade based on five plastid DNA regions (rbcL, atpB, trnL-trnF, rps16 and psbA-trnH) was conducted using Bayesian, maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. Leaf and seed anatomical characters of all genera were (re)investigated by light and scanning electron microscopy., Key Results: With the exception of Spathelia, all genera of the Spathelila-Ptaeroxylon clade are monophyletic. The typical leaf and seed anatomical characters of Rutaceae were found. Further, the presence of oil cells in the leaves provides a possible synapomorphy for the clade., Conclusions: The Spathelia-Ptaeroxylon clade is well placed in Rutaceae and it is reasonable to unite the genera into one subfamily (Spathelioideae). We propose a new tribal classification of Spathelioideae. A narrow circumscription of Spathelia is established to make the genus monophyletic, and Sohnreyia is resurrected to accommodate the South American species of Spathelia. The most recent common ancestor of Spathelioideae probably had leaves with secretory cavities and oil cells, haplostemonous flowers with appendaged staminal filaments, and a tracheidal tegmen.

Understanding the origin of island endemics is a central task of historical biogeography. Recent methodological advances provide a rigorous framework to determine the relative contribution of different biogeographic processes (e.g., vicariance, land migration, long-distance dispersal) to the origin of island endemics. With its complex but well-known history of microplate movements and climatic oscillations, the Mediterranean region (including the Mediterranean basin and Macaronesia) provides the geographic backdrop for the diversification of Ruta L., the type genus of Rutaceae (citrus family). Phylogenetic, molecular dating, and ancestral range reconstruction analyses were carried out to investigate the extent to which past geological connections and climatic history of the Mediterranean region explain the current distribution of species in Ruta, with emphasis on its island endemics. The analyses showed that Ruta invaded the region from the north well before the onset of the Mediterranean climate and diversified in situ as the climate became Mediterranean. The continental fragment island endemics of the genus originated via processes of land migration/vicariance driven by connections/disconnections between microplates, whereas the oceanic island endemics were the product of a single colonization event from the mainland followed by in situ diversification. This study emphasizes the need for an integrative, hypothesis-based approach to historical biogeography and stresses the importance of temporary land connections and colonization opportunity in the biotic assembly of continental fragment and oceanic islands, respectively.

Ptaeroxylaceae is an Afro-Malagasy family containing three genera, Bottegoa, Cedrelopsis, and Ptaeroxylon. Although the family is morphologically well delimited, it is currently considered part of the subfamily Spathelioideae in a broadly circumscribed orange family (Rutaceae). The Malagasy Cedrelopsis has traditionally been associated with different families of the order Sapindales and its phylogenetic placement in Rutaceae sensu lato has yet to be tested with molecular data. The present molecular phylogenetic study reaffirms the monophyly of Ptaeroxylaceae and its placement in Spathelioideae. Therefore, molecules and morphology support close affinities between Bottegoa, Cedrelopsis, and Ptaeroxylon and also their current generic circumscriptions. We report a case of an evolutionary change from one-seeded to two-seeded carpels within the Harrisonia-Cneorum-Ptaeroxylaceae clade of Spathelioideae. Finally, the sister-group relationship between the African Bottegoa and the Afro-Malagasy Ptaeroxylon-Cedrelopsis clade suggests an African origin of Cedrelopsis., (Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Phylogenetic analyses of three cpDNA markers (matK, rpl16, and trnL-trnF) were performed to evaluate previous treatments of Ruteae based on morphology and phytochemistry that contradicted each other, especially regarding the taxonomic status of Haplophyllum and Dictamnus. Trees derived from morphological, phytochemical, and molecular datasets of Ruteae were then compared to look for possible patterns of agreement among them. Furthermore, non-molecular characters were mapped on the molecular phylogeny to identify uniquely derived states and patterns of homoplasy in the morphological and phytochemical datasets. The phylogenetic analyses determined that Haplophyllum and Ruta form reciprocally exclusive monophyletic groups and that Dictamnus is not closely related to the other genera of Ruteae. The different types of datasets were partly incongruent with each other. The discordant phylogenetic patterns between the phytochemical and molecular trees might be best explained in terms of convergence in secondary chemical compounds. Finally, only a few non-molecular synapomorphies provided support for the clades of the molecular tree, while most of the morphological characters traditionally used for taxonomic purposes were found to be homoplasious. Within the context of the phylogenetic relationships supported by molecular data, Ruta, the type genus for the family, can only be diagnosed by using a combination of plesiomorphic, homoplasious, and autapomorphic morphological character states.

South Africa has offered the world two indigenous aromatic plants from which commercially important natural products have been developed: Pelargonium graveolens (and its hybrids) the source of geranium oil and Agathosma betulina, from which 'Buchu' oil is produced. Despite the historical use of 'Buchu' and the commercial interest developed around this coveted indigenous resource the (limited) research has not been coherently assembled. This overview aims to unite aspects on the botany, traditional and modern day uses, chemistry and pharmacological data on 'Buchu' which is undeniably one of South Africa's most renowned botanical assets.

Pollen morphology of the genus Skimmia was studied. Of six species of the genus, five species were investigated by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Pollen grains of Skimmia had striate to striate-reticulate sculpture and variable aperture number (3-7), and these characters differed from even the phylogenetically closest relatives such as Dictamnus and Casimiroa which have 3-colporate pollen grains with reticulate exine. In Skimmia laureola, pollen dimorphism is suggested in the aperture number in accordance with the floral system. Pollen grains of Skimmia japonica, a morphologically very variable species, were extensively surveyed covering its whole distribution area. The grains were also striate to striate-reticulate, and the exine sculpture was not different between varieties. However, the aperture number of S. japonica showed a geographical variation ranging from 4 to 6; in Sakhalin, Hokkaido, most part of Honshu and Taiwan, grains with 4-5 apertures were dominant, while in the southern part of Japan, including the Ryukyu Islands and the Izu Islands, those with 5-6 apertures were common.

Objective: To study and establish the fingerprint of raw Fructus Citri by phased high performance liquid chromatography., Method: The chromatographic conditions were as follows: a Kromasil C18 column was used; the mobile phase was composed of methanol and acetic-water(3.1:100, v/v) with gradient elution; the flow rate was 1.0 ml/min and the UV absorbance detection was set at 284 nm., Result: Under the selected chromatographic conditions, good HPLC fingerprints of Fructus Citri were obtained., Conclusion: Quality of raw Fructus Citri can be controlled effectively by HPLC fingerprint.

Investigation on the leaves of Melicope bonwickii (F.Muell.) T.Hartley (Rutaceae) afforded a new 7-(2'-hydroxy-3'-chloroprenyloxy)-4-methoxyfuroquinoline (1) together with the known 7-(2',3'-epoxyprenyloxy)-4-methoxyfuroquinoline (2), evellerine (3) kokusaginine (4) and an amide aurantiamide acetate (5). Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant activity against cervical cell lines (Hela).

The in vitro trypanocidal activity of 22 extracts and 43 fractions of plants belonging to the families Meliaceae and Rutaceae was evaluated. The extracts from leaves of Conchocarphus heterophyllus and branches of Trichilia ramalhoi were the most active. The trypanocidal activity seems to be increased by fractionation of the extracts. Fractions from C. heterophyllus and Galipea carinata were the most active and a 100% lysis of the parasites was observed for five fractions. From one of them were isolated two flavonoids: flavone and 7-methoxyflavone, which showed weak trypanocidal activity. The results obtained from the extracts and fractions revealed that the order Rutales is a promising source for the search of new drugs for Chagas disease. Phytochemical studies with the other active fractions are underway in order to isolate compounds, which could be associated with observed activities.

Five alkaloids, four beta-indoloquinazoline and one furoquinoline, and four terpenoids, three limonoids and one modified sesquiterpene, have been obtained from the aerial parts of Bouchardatia neurococca (Rutaceae). Two of the alkaloids, 1,2-dihydroxyrutaecarpine and 2-(2-[3-formylindolyl])-(3H)-quinazolin-4-one (bouchardatine), and two of the limonoids, 23-oxo-21xi-hydroxy-21,23-dihydroveprisone (veprisonic acid) and 21-oxo-23xi-hydroxy-21,23-dihydroveprisone (isoveprisonic acid) are new. The pattern of secondary metabolites isolated is rather unusual in the Rutaceae and is reminiscent of Tetradium, a genus with which Bouchardatia has not previously been associated.

The dichloromethane extract from leaves of Dictyoloma vandellianum afforded five alkaloids 2-(14'-hydroxy-14',15'-dimethylhexadecanyl)-4-quinolone, 2-(12'-hydroxy-12'-methyltridecanyl)-3-methoxy-4-quinolone, 2-(12'-hydroxy-12'-methyltridecanyl)-4-quinolone, 2-(14'-hydroxy-14',15'-dimethylhexadecanyl)-3-methoxy-4-quinolone, 6-methoxydictyolomide A, besides the known alkaloid 8-methoxyflindersine and beta-sitosterol. The presence of 2-alkyl-4(1H)-quinolones in D. vandellianum shows strong similarities with the Zanthoxyleae, which contains several 2-alkyl-4-quinolones. Thus, the Dictyolomatoideae apparently occupies a position between the proto-Rutaceae genera and the Spathelioideae, but close to the Zanthoxyleae.

In this paper, direct and accurate identification of Retinervus Citri Reticulatae and its confused species has studied. The IR of Retinervus Citri Reticulatae and its confused species were obtained by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrum directly. Obvious characteristics for its identification in FTIR were revealed, which can be used to identify Retinervus Citri Reticulatae and its confused Reticulatae and its confused species were directly, fastly and accurately identificated by FTIR.

A new C-8 prenylated 5,7-dimethoxycoumarin named omphamurrayin was isolated from the leaves of Murraya paniculata var. omphalocarpa, and its structure was established as 5,7-dimethoxy-8-(1-oxo-2-senecioyl-3-methyl-3-butenyl)-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one on the basis of the spectroscopic evidence. The taxonomic status of M. paniculata var. omphalocarpa is briefly discussed, along with its synonymity to M. paniculata from the chemosystematic viewpoint.

Objective: To sort out the main original plants of Chinese drugs Zhiqiao and Zhishi., Method: Investigating the medicinal plant resources in the growing area and conducting morphological identification of more than 40 pieces of these two commercial drugs., Result: A taxonomic table, a distribution table and a commercial drug identification table are given. CONVLUSION: The Chinese medicinal plants Zhiqiao and Zhishi originated from Citrus aurantium and its varieties C. aurantium "Xiucheng", C. aurantium "Xiangcheng" and Poncirus trifoliata x C. aurantium, some other plants from Citrus genus and Poncirus trifoliata are taken as the origin of Zhiqiao and Zhishi only in a few areas.