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Breynia spp. are a key source of sulfur-containing spiroketal glycosides with potential anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, three new sulfur-containing spiroketals – breynin J (1), epibreynin J (2), and probreynogenin (3) – along with four known compounds – probreynin I (4), phyllaemblic acid (5), breynin B (6), and epibreynin B (7) – were isolated from the roots of Breynia disticha. The structures of compounds 1–7 were elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses, including 1D total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY), HSQC, HMBC, double quantum-filtered (DQF)-COSY, heteronuclear two-bond correlation (H2BC), and HSQC-TOCSY experiments, as well as high-resolution electrospray ionization HRESIMS analysis, and quantum chemical electronic CD calculations. Furthermore, the absolute configurations of sugar residues were determined by derivatization of the hydrolysates with ʟ-cysteine methyl ester and o-tolyl isothiocyanate followed by HPLC analysis. The anti-inflammatory effects of the isolated compounds were evaluated based on the mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. Compounds 1, 2, 6, and 7 inhibited the increase in interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 mRNA levels stimulated by LPS. Moreover, the most potent compound 7 was found to significantly inhibit the production of IL-1β and IL-6 proteins, as revealed by the analysis of culture supernatants.

The utilization of cuttings remains a prevalent method for vegetative propagation in various plant species. Synthetic rooting hormones have conventionally been employed to enhance the rooting process; however, their high cost and potential environmental risks have necessitated the exploration of natural alternative compounds. In this study, the efficacy of natural plant extracts (pure honey, aloe extract, willow extract, moringa extract, and cinnamon powder) and synthetic auxin derivatives (indole-3-butyric acid and α-naphthaleneacetic acid) at a concentration of 2000 ppm was compared for their influence on rooting and vegetative growth of snowbush (Breynia disticha) cuttings, a significant ornamental and medicinal shrub. Results demonstrated that while the synthetic hormones produced the highest survival percentages and root number, the roots were consistently short, thick, friable, and largely void of secondary roots. Conversely, the alternative natural plant extracts, particularly aloe extract, exhibited promising outcomes, showcasing good rooting percentage and root number, significantly increased root length, and fresh and dry root weight. Furthermore, aloe extract demonstrated the potential to enhance shoot length and alter the chemical constituents of the cuttings. The highest values of total phenols and nitrogen percentage were recorded with cuttings treated with indole-3-butyric acid, followed by cuttings treated with aloe extract. While using aloe extract, we recorded the highest values of total carbohydrates, phosphorus, and potassium percentages. Notably, the highest endogenous levels of indole acetic acid and gibberellic acid, along with the lowest abscisic acid concentration in cutting tissues, were associated with the highest rooting percentage observed with indole-3-butyric acid, followed by the use of aloe extract. We hypothesized that natural plant extracts, specifically aloe extract, have potential as a viable alternative for synthetic auxins in promoting successful rooting and vegetative growth in snowbush cuttings. Further research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms and optimize the application of these natural compounds in vegetative propagation techniques.

Breynia spp. are a key source of sulfur-containing spiroketal glycosides with potential anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, three new sulfur-containing spiroketals - breynin J ( 1 ), epibreynin J ( 2 ), and probreynogenin ( 3 ) - along with four known compounds - probreynin I ( 4 ), phyllaemblic acid ( 5 ), breynin B ( 6 ), and epibreynin B ( 7 ) - were isolated from the roots of Breynia disticha . The structures of compounds 1 - 7 were elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses, including 1D total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY), HSQC, HMBC, double quantum-filtered (DQF)-COSY, heteronuclear two-bond correlation (H2BC), and HSQC-TOCSY experiments, as well as high-resolution electrospray ionization HRESIMS analysis, and quantum chemical electronic CD calculations. Furthermore, the absolute configurations of sugar residues were determined by derivatization of the hydrolysates with ʟ-cysteine methyl ester and o -tolyl isothiocyanate followed by HPLC analysis. The anti-inflammatory effects of the isolated compounds were evaluated based on the mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. Compounds 1 , 2 , 6 , and 7 inhibited the increase in interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 mRNA levels stimulated by LPS. Moreover, the most potent compound 7 was found to significantly inhibit the production of IL-1β and IL-6 proteins, as revealed by the analysis of culture supernatants., (Copyright © 2023, Nakashima et al.)

Melanchroia chephise Stoll, 1782 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae) is a species widely distributed from southern North America to South America and Lesser Antilles. The presence of M. chephise is recorded for the first time on plants Phyllanthus niruri L. and Breynia disticha J.R. Forst. & G. Forst. (Phyllanthaceae) in the garden of a peri-urban residential complex of Lara State, Venezuela and aspects of its life cycle were determined under laboratory conditions. The duration of the life cycle was 27.40 ± 0.90 days (egg 6.00 ± 0.00 days, larva 17.60 ± 1.10 days and pupa 7.00 ± 1.90 days). It is necessary to perform further studies into the biology of M. chephise, especially with the herbivore - host plant interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides an overview of the Snowbush (Breynia disticha), a rounded shrub known for its attractive variegated foliage. It details the plant’s characteristics, including its height, spread, leaf arrangement, and color. The Snowbush is suitable for various uses such as specimen planting, hedges, and indoor growth. It thrives in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 11 and requires full sun for dense growth. The document also covers the plant’s soil and light requirements, propagation methods, and pest resistance. Additionally, it highlights the Snowbush’s ornamental features and its potential as a landscape plant. Original publication date October 1999.

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Microbial growth during plant tissue culture is a common problem that causes significant losses in the plant micro-propagation system. Most of these endophytic microbes have the ability to propagate through horizontal and vertical transmission. On the one hand, these microbes provide a rich source of several beneficial metabolites. Results: The present study reports on the isolation of fungal species from different in vitro medicinal plants (i.e., Breynia disticha major, Breynia disticha, Duranta plumieri, Thymus vulgaris, Salvia officinalis, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Ocimum basilicum l) cultures. These species were tested for their indole acetic acid (IAA) production capability. The most effective species for IAA production was that isolated from Thymus vulgaris plant (11.16 µg/mL) followed by that isolated from sweet basil plant (8.78 µg/mL). On screening for maximum IAA productivity, medium, "MOS + tryptophan" was chosen that gave 18.02 μg/mL. The macroscopic, microscopic examination and the 18S rRNA sequence analysis indicated that the isolate that given code T4 was identified as Neopestalotiopsis aotearoa (T4). The production of IAA by N. aotearoa was statistically modeled using the Box-Behnken design and optimized for maximum level, reaching 63.13 µg/mL. Also, IAA extract was administered to sweet basil seeds in vitro to determine its effect on plant growth traits. All concentrations of IAA extract boosted germination parameters as compared to controls, and 100 ppm of IAA extract exhibited a significant growth promotion effect for all seed germination measurements. Conclusions: The IAA produced from N. aotearoa (T4) demonstrated an essential role in the enhancement of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) growth, suggesting that it can be employed to promote the plant development while lowering the deleterious effect of using synthetic compounds in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Microbial growth during plant tissue culture is a common problem that causes significant losses in the plant micro-propagation system. Most of these endophytic microbes have the ability to propagate through horizontal and vertical transmission. On the one hand, these microbes provide a rich source of several beneficial metabolites. Results The present study reports on the isolation of fungal species from different in vitro medicinal plants (i.e., Breynia disticha major, Breynia disticha, Duranta plumieri, Thymus vulgaris, Salvia officinalis, Rosmarinus officinalis, and Ocimum basilicum l) cultures. These species were tested for their indole acetic acid (IAA) production capability. The most effective species for IAA production was that isolated from Thymus vulgaris plant (11.16 µg/mL) followed by that isolated from sweet basil plant (8.78 µg/mL). On screening for maximum IAA productivity, medium, “MOS + tryptophan” was chosen that gave 18.02 μg/mL. The macroscopic, microscopic examination and the 18S rRNA sequence analysis indicated that the isolate that given code T4 was identified as Neopestalotiopsis aotearoa (T4). The production of IAA by N. aotearoa was statistically modeled using the Box-Behnken design and optimized for maximum level, reaching 63.13 µg/mL. Also, IAA extract was administered to sweet basil seeds in vitro to determine its effect on plant growth traits. All concentrations of IAA extract boosted germination parameters as compared to controls, and 100 ppm of IAA extract exhibited a significant growth promotion effect for all seed germination measurements. Conclusions The IAA produced from N. aotearoa (T4) demonstrated an essential role in the enhancement of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) growth, suggesting that it can be employed to promote the plant development while lowering the deleterious effect of using synthetic compounds in the environment.

Biodiversity conservation is a key factor in meeting sustainable development goals. This is even more important in cities, where green spaces are becoming increasingly scarce. This study analyzes Kinshasa's proliferating ornamental plant nurseries, known as informal horticultural sites (IHSs). The analysis focused on characterizing the profile of horticulturists, their production conditions, and the ornamental species produced. A total of 15 IHSs were sampled using the "snowball" technique, and 178 horticulturists were surveyed. Based on the socio-professional profile of the horticulturists, five groups of IHS are distinguished after a hierarchical clustering of principal components (HCPC). We found that IHSs exclusively employed men, most of whom were new to the trade, from all levels of education, and most of whom ranged from 19 to 45 years old. Production conditions are relatively similar from one site to another. However, all IHSs are characterized by permanent land insecurity, the use of phytosanitary products, plant-conditioning methods that are not very diversified and calibrated to growers' investment capacities, and diversified seed acquisition methods. A total of 139 ornamental species, most of them exotic, were identified. Of these, 37% are phanerophytes, and 24% are considered potentially invasive. We suggest ways of professionalizing the activity and protecting the urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest phylogenetic and taxonomic studies emphasizing Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae) have significantly altered the relationships between its taxa. In this work, we inferred a phylogeny for the Brazilian phyllocladiferous species of Phyllanthus, traditionally included within Phyllanthus sects. Choretropsis and Xylophylla from eastern Brazil and Caribbean, respectively. Our analysis demonstrated that Brazilian phyllocladiferous species has no relation to P. sect. Xylophylla from the Caribbean, but sect. Choretropsis, as it currently stands, does not form a monophyletic group. Thus, phylloclades arose in Phyllanthus at least in five distinct clades. Most species of sect. Choretropsis are recovered among representatives of other groups (sects. Antipodanthus and Phyllanthus subsect. Claussenianii), but no macromorphological feature could be traced for the clades we recovered. One exception is a clade containing P. dracenoides, P. gladiatus and P. pedicellatus, species with dracenoid habit and exclusive to the humid dense forests along Atlantic Forest domain, for which we describe a new section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Breynia vitis‐idaea (Burm.f.) C.E.C.Fisch. is illustrated and its remarkable mutualism with a seed‐parasitic moth pollinator is described. The species is cultivated in the glasshouse of Koishikawa Botanical Garden together with its specific moth pollinator, which helps the plant to produce showy red fruits throughout the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homegarden (HG) agroforestry combines biological carbon (C) sequestration with biodiversity conservation outcomes. Although C stocks and species richness of HGs vary along elevational gradients and as a function of holding sizes, there is no consensus on the nature and magnitude of such variations. Field studies were conducted in the Western Ghats region of central Kerala, India (180 homesteads in 20 selected panchayats), to evaluate the effects of elevation (near sea level to 1938 m) and garden size (162–10,117 m2) on aboveground C stocks and floristic diversity. The C stocks (per unit area) of HGs (arborescent species) were highly variable (0.63–93.65 Mg ha–1), as garden management was highly individualistic and it exhibited a weak negative relationship with elevation. Likewise, there was a weak negative relationship between C stocks and garden size. Tree stocking levels (stems/garden) and species richness (species/garden) positively impacted total C stocks per garden. Floristic diversity was high in the study area (753 species) and included many rare and endangered species (43 IUCN Red-Listed species) making homegardens circa situm reservoirs of biodiversity. Elevation and holding size exerted a weak negative linear relationship on Simpson's floristic diversity index, which ranged from 0.26 to 0.93 for the arboreal species. Homegardens, regardless of elevation or size, contribute to C sequestration and agrobiodiversity conservation and help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Climate Action (SDG-13) and conserving agrobiodiversity (SDG-15, Life on Land). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achillea fragrantissima Forssk. (Family: Asteraceae) has been used as a natural remedy in the Arabian region for its antihyperglycemic activity. As a result of the intensive demand for this plant in folk medicinal uses, its scarcity has become problematic. This study has explored methods that produce an efficient in vitro culture protocol for the conservation of this plant as well as the enhancement of its hypoglycemic activity. A. fragrantissima cultures on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3.6 µM/L of 6-benzyl aminopurine (BAP) for a two month period resulted in maximum in vitro shoot proliferation (12.33 shoots/explant) while MS medium supplemented with 2.4 µM/L 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) provided maximum in vitro adventitious root formation (2.46 roots/shoot tip explant). Callus induction was favored by leaf explants cultured on MS medium and supplemented with 3 µM/L BAP and 3 µM/L IAA media in dark conditions. Further in vivo study of some selected feedings determined that the best hypoglycemic activity was obtained in either indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)-fed plants (24%) or NAA-fed plants (22%). Both treatments enhanced insulin-like activity in STZ-treated diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats when compared with the wild plant (10%). Moreover, the IBA-fed plants showed significant antioxidant activity while the NAA-fed plants inhibited salivary alpha amylase. The framework of this study provides in vitro culture methods that can sustain the cultivation of this over-exploited A. fragrantissima plant as well as increase its antioxidant and insulin-like activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban Agro-forestry and Landscaping (UAL) is a term referring to farming systems and technologies to transform unused urban landforms into a beautiful and attractive piece of land by combining trees, crops, flower cultivation and as well as livestock keeping. UAL has been touted to reduce the effect of urbanization by enhancing biodiversity, food production, and livelihoods, promote ecotourism and urban beatifications as well as increasing urban resilience. To exemplify the contribution of UAL to urban tourism, a cross-section research design using questionnaires and interview was conducted in Mwanza city. A total of 114 enterprises involved in UAL were surveyed. Findings indicate that UAL are contributing to expanding tourism satisfactions in Mwanza city tours. Among the 114 enterprises surveyed 54 enterprises (47%) often receive tourists as part of Mwanza city tours while 60 enterprises (53%) often don't receives tourists at their sites. Tourists usually visits these UAL enterprises for photographing (36%), organizing events (23%), Trees and flowers collection (15%) urban farms and livestock walking tours (9%), Visiting Agro-forestry markets (9%) and others (8%). Interestingly, name and identity of some areas in Mwanza city notably Mkuyuni and Mkolani are related to indigenous fig tree "nkuyu" (Ficus sycomorus) and pod mahogany "nkola" (Afzelia quanzensis) which existed in this area. Some of the trees and flowers such as ginger bush (Tetradenia riparia), Life plant (Bryophylum pinnatum) basil "kashwagala" (Ocimum basilicum), blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) lemon (Citruslimon), lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) guava (Psidium guajava) have medicinal values and were linked to low Covid-19 incident within Mwanza city in 2020 and are still being used for same purposes by administering either orally or through self steaming. Similarly, UAL contributed significantly to city beautification, cultural food supply, green environment and clean air which contribute a resiliency and sustainable development of city tourism. This suggests UAL is paramount concept in enlarging urban tourism and it should be incorporated in urban policy and planning in order to broaden tourist experiences in urban areas as well as reducing the negative effects of urbanization in Tanzania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cabo Verde's biodiversity is threatened by activities that meet human needs. To counteract this, an integration of scientific and indigenous knowledge is required, but no comprehensive list of the useful local plants is available. Thus, in this work, we assess (1) their diversity and phytogeography; (2) the role of geophysical, historical, and socio-economic factors on species distribution and uses; and (3) potentially relevant species for sustainable development. Data were obtained from flora, scientific publications, historical documents, herbarium specimens and field work. Many species were introduced since the 15th century to support settlement and commercial interests. We identified 518 useful taxa, of which 145 are native, 38 endemic and 44 endangered. The number of useful taxa is correlated with altitude and agricultural area, as well as with rural population indicators, but not with total population or socio-economic indicators such as gross domestic product. Native taxa are mostly used for fuelwood, forage and utilitarian purposes. Agrobiodiversity and traditional practices seem crucial to cope with recurrent droughts and ensure food security. Most of the introduced species do not present conservation problems, contrasting with the overuse of some native taxa. The safeguarding of native populations will ensure the sustainable exploitation of these resources and benefit the local economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Landscape Architecture Frontiers is the property of Higher Education Press Limited Company and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The review article serves as a mini directory of medicinal plants (662 medicinal plants have been identified) that have been investigated for antiviral property between 2015 and 2019. Data have been extracted from Scopus using specific keywords followed by manual sorting to avoid any duplication. Critical analyses of handpicked data have been presented. Mapping of medicinal plants, followed by critical analysis on the families and plant parts investigated in the said tenure, and its correlation with the participating countries and virus types have been critically analyzed. Interceptive role of phytochemicals in impeding viral replication has also been taken note of. Emphasis on India's exploration of various medicinal plants has also been given. Also presents a tutelage, which is likely to revive the interest in natural products for search of potential antivirals. This review is expected to serve as a rich data bank and as a guiding principle for researchers who are planning to explore medicinal plants in search for potential antiviral. It is time that researchers need to revisit their countries' own history of traditional medicine to predict something worthful in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas is the property of Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas is the property of Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Super-generalism is a pollinator trait where species obtain floral resources from a very wide range of plant species. Theoretical and empirical studies suggest that on islands with low pollinator diversity, such pollinators should evolve to exploit a very wide range of floral morphologies. Super-generalism has implications not only for securing pollination network stability, but also for the invasibility of potential weeds that require specialist pollinators in their original ranges. Here we expand earlier studies on bees in Fiji to include a wider range of bee-plant interactions for bees that have been recently introduced into Fiji as well as the endemic Fijian halictine bee, Homalictus fijiensis. Our data show that the endemic Fijian bee has a much wider range of floral hosts than introduced bees, and this extends to pollen larceny of solanoid plant species that are usually buzz pollinated. Importantly, solanoid plants were not visited by introduced bee species, including the honeybee Apis mellifera, which is usually regarded as a super-generalist. Our findings are important because they add critical support to the hypothesis that super-generalism evolves in insular ecosystems with low pollinator diversity and that this may make such ecosystems vulnerable to invasion by exotic weeds. However, insular super-generalists may also have potential to stabilize plant-pollinator networks and may also be effective pollinators for exotic crop species, and this needs to be further explored in agricultural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Phyllanthus is paraphyletic as currently circumscribed, with the genera Breynia, Glochidion and Synostemon nested within it. A phylogeny based on nuclear (ITS, PHYC) and chloroplast (matK, accD‐psaI, trnS‐trnG) markers is presented, including 18/18 subgenera and 53/70 sections. Differences in habit, branching type, floral and fruit characters are discussed, and we find indications for shifts in pollination and dispersal strategies possibly underlying the convergent evolution of these characters in multiple clades. Several taxonomic issues were found in the subgeneric classification of Phyllanthus that will require new transfers and rank changes. Phyllanthus subg. Anesonemoides, subg. Conami, subg. Emblica, subg. Gomphidium, subg. Kirganelia and subg. Phyllanthus are polyphyletic, and several sections appear to be paraphyletic (e.g., P. sect. Anisonema, sect. Emblicastrum, sect. Pseudoactephila, sect. Swartziani, and sect. Xylophylla); P. subg. Phyllanthodendron is furthermore paraphyletic with the genus Glochidion nested within. To create a classification of tribe Phyllantheae that comprises exclusively monophyletic taxa, it is necessary to treat several clades at the same taxonomic rank as the genera Breynia, Glochidion and Synostemon. Since combining all genera would lead to one giant heterogeneous genus that is difficult to define, we recommend dividing Phyllanthus into several monophyletic genera, which have previously been recognized and often possess diagnostic (combinations of) morphological characters. This new classification is forthcoming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Etudes Romanes de Brno is the property of Masaryk University, Faculty of Arts and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Premise of research. The Caribbean is an important area of species diversity within the large pantropical genus Phyllanthus. With the goal of illuminating the evolutionary origins of Caribbean Phyllanthus , we undertook a phylogenetic analysis significantly increasing previous samplings of the genus in the Neotropics. We reconstructed the evolution of selected morphological characters and evaluated the implications of our results in light of the representation of Caribbean and Neotropical species in the infrageneric classification of the genus. Methodology. We estimated phylogentic trees using parsimony, Bayesian, and likelihood approaches based on plastid and nuclear sequence data sets. These represented 78 taxa from the Neotropics, most of which were generated for this study, as well as most other subgenera and sections of Phyllanthus and other genera of Phyllanthaceae. Four vegetative and four floral morphological characters were assessed for the whole study group. Ancestral character states were reconstructed using BayesTraits. Pivotal results. Plastid and nuclear partitions agree on a highly supported Caribbean clade that contains the vast majority of the species from this region as being part of a large Neotropical clade. Another small Caribbean clade is found nested among African linages. Although morphological characters exhibit some level of homoplasy, some trends are evident, for example, in the large Neotropical clade. Conclusions. The majority of species in the Caribbean belong to a single clade that has evolved from Neotropical ancestors. This is well circumscribed with morphology and corresponds to subgenus Xylophylla , the concept of which is adjusted here to be monophyletic. The existence of a small Caribbean clade related to African species marks a noteworthy case of Caribbean plant origin. Although phyllanthoid branching is not a synapomorphy for Phyllanthus s.l. (including Breynia , Glochidion , and Sauropus), combinations of vegetative and floral characters allow a clear assignment to the Phyllanthus s.l. clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because the different plant species showed a different behaviour against air pollution in the different sites and even in the same site, the present study was conducted on some selected ornamental plants grown together in different parts of Japanese garden, industrial Helwan City, the greatest Cairo, Egypt during the summer season 2017 to determine the relative tolerance of these plants to air pollution prevailing in this city using the air pollution tolerance index (APTI), which estimated by the use of four physio-biochemical parameters of the leaves, i.e. ascorbic acid content, relative water content (RWC %), leaf extract pH and total chlorophyll content as a practical tool for determining tolerance level of the plants and comparing among themselves. Mature leaf samples were monthly collected for 3 times during the morning hours from the selected ornamental plants grown in the North, Middle, South, East and West parts of the garden for analyzing. The APTI scale was used for determination of sensitivity/tolerance degree for every plant species.The obtained results indicated that a considerable variation in the means of ascorbic acid content, RWC %, pH of the leaf extract, total chlorophyll content and APTI values were observed among the different plant species selected from each part. Thus, every species exhibited a sole behaviour than the other ones under air pollution conditions of the same place. Based on the APTI values of various species in every individual place of the garden and the corresponding tolerance degree, it can be advised to plant Yucca elephantipes, Ficus benjamina, Bauhinia variegata and Lantana camara species in the North part; Yucca elephantipes, Cassia nodosa, C. fistula and F. benjamina species in the Middle part; C. fistula, Delonix regia (Poinciana), Ficus cycomorus (Gemez), Lantana camara and Washingtonia filifera palm in the South part; Ficus benghalensis, Codiaeum variegata (Croton), Duranta erecta and Lantana camara species in the East part, while for the West part, it is prefer to plant Delonix regia (Pionciana), Pinus halepensis, Bauhinia variegata, Ficus retusa ( F. nitida), F. microcarpa "Hawii", Lantana camara and Brachychiton porpulenum species as the most suitable ornamental plants for air pollution load prevailing in every part of Japanese garden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obligate pollination mutualisms (OPMs) are specialized interactions in which female pollinators transport pollen between the male and female flowers of a single plant species and then lay eggs into those same flowers. The pollinator offspring hatch and feed upon some or all of the developing ovules pollinated by their mothers. Strong trait matching between plants and their pollinators in OPMs is expected to result in reciprocal partner specificity i.e., a single pollinator species using a single plant species and vice versa, and strict co-speciation. These issues have been studied extensively in figs and fig wasps, but little in the more recently discovered co-diversification of Epicephala moths and their Phyllanthaceae hosts. OPMs involving Epicephala moths are believed occur in approximately 500 species of Phyllanthaceae, making it the second largest OPM group after the Ficus radiation (> 750 species). In this study, we used a mixture of DNA barcoding, genital morphology and behavioral observations to determine the number of Epicephala moth species inhabiting the fruits of Breynia oblongifolia, their geographic distribution, pollinating behavior and phylogenetic relationships. Results: We found that B. oblongifolia hosts two species of pollinator that co-occurred at all study sites, violating the assumption of reciprocal specificity. Male and female genital morphologies both differed considerably between the two moth species. In particular, females differed in the shape of their ovipositors, eggs and oviposition sites. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the two Epicephala spp. on B. oblongifolia likely co-exist due to a host switch. In addition, we discovered that Breynia fruits are also often inhabited by a third moth, an undescribed species of Herpystis, which is a non-pollinating seed parasite. Conclusions: Our study reveals new complexity in interactions between Phyllantheae and Epicephala pollinators and highlights that host switching, co-speciation and non-pollinating seed parasites can shape species interactions in OPMs. Our finding that co-occurring Epicephala species have contrasting oviposition modes parallels other studies and suggests that such traits are important in Epicephala species coexistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical biological control can provide an ecologically sound, cost‐effective, and sustainable management solution to protect diverse habitats. These natural and managed ecosystems are being invaded and transformed by invasive species. Chinese tallowtree, Triadica sebifera (L.) Small (Euphorbiaceae), is one of the most damaging invasive weeds in the southeastern USA, impacting wetlands, forests, and natural areas. A defoliating moth, Gadirtha fusca Pogue (Lepidoptera: Nolidae), was discovered feeding on Chinese tallowtree leaves in the weed's native range and has been tested for its suitability as a biological control agent. Natural history studies of G. fusca indicated that the neonates have five instars and require 15.4 days to reach pupation. Complete development from egg hatch to adult emergence required 25.8 days. No differences were found between males and females in terms of life history and nutritional indices measured. Testing of the host range of G. fusca larvae was conducted with no‐choice, dual‐choice, and multigeneration tests and the results indicated that this species has a very narrow host range. No‐choice experiments indicated that most larvae died in <3 days when fed each of the 78 non‐target taxa; a similar duration as larvae fed only water. Although 81.6% of the neonates fed Chinese tallowtree survived to adult, the only survivors in no‐choice tests were those fed the four non‐target taxa, Euphorbia hypericifolia L., Euphorbia hyssopifolia L., Euphorbia milii Des Moul., or Gymnanthes lucida Sw. where 14.3% or less of the larvae fed and completed development. The results of dual‐choice tests indicated that very little of each of these non‐target taxa was eaten when given a choice with Chinese tallowtree. Furthermore, when neonates were reared for multiple generations on each non‐target taxon, no more than two generations were completed when fed the non‐target G. lucida, whereas the larvae were unable to complete more than one generation when fed the remaining non‐targets. These tests indicate that although a small amount of feeding may occur in no‐choice conditions on four species of non‐targets, the larvae will not be able to maintain a population for more than two generations on any species except the target weed Chinese tallowtree. This species may play an important role and contribute to the integrated control of this invasive weed. This research examined the quarantine host range of Gadirtha fusca (Lepidoptera: Nolidae), a potential biological control agent of Chinese tallowtree (Euphorbiaceae). Results indicate that this species has narrow specificity and will be a safe control agent of this invasive weed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing trade in plants and plant products across continents heightens the risk of exotic insect pests expanding geographically into new habitats. This threatens not only the production and economic value of widely traded crops but the survival of species grown or sought by low-income communities. The first European outbreak of Scirtothrips dorsalis was detected in the Palm House collections at Kew in 2007 and triggered a monitoring program. This monitoring along with a robust review of the literature brought together information on new and known hosts for S. dorsalis. Further to this, we used molecular characterization techniques to identify which proposed cryptic species of S. dorsalis was present in this outbreak. The study revealed that 39% of the species of plants among the collections supported the proposed S. dorsalis South Asia 1 cryptic species, with over 50% of those species supporting immature life stages of the thrips confirming that they are suitable breeding hosts. Of particular importance are the newly identified hosts that are crops, and two further hosts reported as endangered/critically endangered. This study demonstrates the role that botanic garden collections can play in generating host relationship data that can feed into the development of robust predictive risk assessments for invasive insects. This can provide plant health authorities with the scientific basis for prioritizing management plans to protect important, vulnerable crop and non-crop plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alien species are often first introduced to urban areas, so it is unsurprising that towns and cities are often hotspots for invasions. However, while large cities are usually the first sites of introduction, small towns are more numerous and have a greater chance of launching invasions into natural areas as they have proportionally larger interfaces with their surroundings. In this paper we develop a set of scenarios as hypotheses to explore the role of small towns in facilitating within-country dispersal of alien plants. In particular, we developed ten scenarios for how introductions to small towns, agricultural and natural areas can lead to landscape-scale invasions. We tested a part of these scenarios using a case study of a highly invaded region in South Africa (the Berg River catchment in the Western Cape). We specifically investigated the main plant invasion routes between 12 small towns and their surrounding agricultural and natural areas. This was accomplished by conducting urban-specific alien plant surveys in towns, then comparing these results to regional databases of naturalized and/or invasive plants. Many of the alien plants found in urban areas were listed as invasive or naturalized in the catchment (over 30% of the total alien species pool). Despite marked environmental gradients across the study area, we found no relationships between the alien plant species richness in towns and climatic variables or with levels of anthropogenic disturbances. All towns hosted large numbers of invasive plant species and nearly half of the alien species found in towns were naturalized or invasive in surrounding areas. The likelihood of alien plants being naturalized or invasive outside urban areas increased in proportion to their local abundance in towns and if they were tall and woody. Ornamental horticulture was the main reason for introduction of these alien species (69%). Small towns can and do harbour significant populations of plant taxa that are able to spread to surrounding natural areas to launch invasions. Comparing lists of species from urban alien plant surveys with those from naturalisation records for the region is a useful protocol for identifying species which may be moving along the introduction-naturalization-invasion continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutualisms are interactions from which both partners benefit but may collapse if mutualists' costs and benefits are not aligned. Host sanctions are one mechanism whereby hosts selectively allocate resources to the more cooperative partners and thereby reduce the fitness of overexploiters; however, many mutualisms lack apparent means of host sanctions. In mutualisms between plants and pollinating seed parasites, such as those between leafflowers and leafflower moths, pollinators consume subsets of the seeds as larval food in return for their pollination service. Plants may select against overexploiters by selectively aborting flowers with a heavy egg load, but in many leafflower species, seeds are fully eaten in some fruits, suggesting that such a mechanism is not present in all species. Instead, the fruits of Breynia vitis- idaea have stalk-like structures (gynophore) through which early-instar moth larvae must bore to reach seeds. Examination of moth mortality in fruits with different gynophore lengths suggested that fruits with longer gynophore had higher moth mortality and, therefore, less seed damage. Most moth mortality occurred at the egg stage or as early larval instar before moths reached the seeds, consistent with the view that gynophore functions to prevent moth access to seeds. Gynophore length was unaffected by plant size, extent of moth oviposition, or geography; thus, it is most likely genetically controlled. Because gynophores do not elongate in related species whose pollinators oviposit directly into the ovary, the gynophore in B. vitis- idaea may have evolved as a defense to limit the cost of the mutualism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese tallowtree, Triadica sebifera (L.) Small ( Euphorbiaceae), is one of the worst invasive weeds of the southeastern USA impacting coastal wetlands, forests, and natural areas. Traditional mechanical and chemical controls have been unable to limit the spread, and this invasive species continues to expand its range. A proposed biological control candidate, the flea beetle Bikasha collaris ( Baly) ( Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), shows high specificity for the target weed Chinese tallowtree. Results from a series of no-choice and choice feeding tests of B. collaris adults and larvae indicated that this flea beetle was highly specific to Chinese tallowtree. The larvae of B. collaris feed by tunneling in the roots, whereas the adults feed on the leaves of Chinese tallowtree. A total of 77 plant taxa, primarily from members of the tallow plant family Euphorbiaceae, were tested in numerous test designs. Larval no-choice tests indicated that larvae completed development only on two of the non-target taxa. Of 80 B. collaris larvae fed roots of Hippomane mancinella L. and 50 larvae fed roots of Ricinus communis L., two and three larvae completed development, respectively. The emerging adults of these five larvae died within 3 days without reproducing. Larval choice tests also indicated little use of these non-target taxa. Adult no-choice tests indicated little leaf damage by B. collaris on the non-targets except for Ditrysinia fruticosa ( Bartram) Govaerts & Frodin and Gymnanthes lucida Sw. When given a choice, however, B. collaris adults consumed much less of the non-targets D. fruticosa (7.4%) and G. lucida (6.1%) compared with the control leaves. Finally, no-choice oviposition tests indicated that no eggs were produced when adults were fed all non-target taxa, except those fed G. lucida. These B. collaris adults fed G. lucida leaves produced an average of 4.6 eggs compared with 115.0 eggs per female when fed Chinese tallowtree. The eggs produced from adults fed G. lucida were either inviable or the emerging larvae died within 1 day. These results indicate that the flea beetle B. collaris was unable to complete its life cycle on any of the non-target taxa tested. If approved for field release, B. collaris will be the first biological control agent deployed against Chinese tallowtree in the USA. This flea beetle may play an important role in suppressing Chinese tallowtree and contribute to the integrated control of this invasive weed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Previous molecular phylogenetic studies indicated expansion of Breynia with inclusion of Sauropus s.str. (excluding Synostemon). The present study adds qualitative and quantitative morphological characters to molecular data to find more resolution and/or higher support for the subgroups within Breynia s.lat. However, the results show that combined molecular and morphological characters provide limited synergy. Morphology confirms and makes the infrageneric groups recognisable within Breynia s.lat. The status of the Sauropus androgynus complex is discussed. Nomenclatural changes of Sauropus species to Breynia are formalised. The genus Synostemon is reinstated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]