Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Apiaceae'

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Botânica, 2009.
Submitted by Elna Araújo (elna@bce.unb.br) on 2011-05-09T22:18:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_MariaRaqueldeCarvalhoCosta.pdf: 86153475 bytes, checksum: 390010e0d04cd01322bd106fa8a8efbf (MD5)
Approved for entry into archive by Luanna Maia(luanna@bce.unb.br) on 2011-05-16T14:07:07Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_MariaRaqueldeCarvalhoCosta.pdf: 86153475 bytes, checksum: 390010e0d04cd01322bd106fa8a8efbf (MD5)
Made available in DSpace on 2011-05-16T14:07:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2009_MariaRaqueldeCarvalhoCosta.pdf: 86153475 bytes, checksum: 390010e0d04cd01322bd106fa8a8efbf (MD5)
Este trabalho faz parte do projeto “Flora dos estados de Goiás e Tocantins: Coleção Rizzo”, o qual tem como objetivos o levantamento e o tratamento morfológico e taxonômico das espécies nativas e espontâneas de Apiaceae destes estados. Apiaceae é uma das grandes famílias de Angiospermas, compreende 300-462 gêneros e 2500-3750 espécies de distribuição cosmopolita, principalmente em áreas montanhosas e temperadas, sendo rara nas regiões tropicais. Na flora brasileira é pouco representada, com oito gêneros e ca. de 100 espécies encontradas principalmente em ambientes úmidos e com altitudes elevadas. Nos estados de Goiás e Tocantins, a família está representada por duas das quatro subfamílias: Saniculoideae Burnett e Azorelloideae Plunkett & Lowry, e por 22 taxa, distribuídos em 3 gêneros, Eryngium L. com 20 espécies: Eryngium brasiliense Const., E. ebracteatum Lam., E. floribundum Cham. & Schltdl., E. foetidum L.*, E. goyazense Urb., E. hemisphaericum Urb., E. hookeri Walp.*, E. horridum Malme, E. irwinii Const., E. juncifolium (Urb.) Math. & Const., E. marginatum Pohl ex Urb., E. pandanifolium Cham. & Schltdl., E. pohlianum Urb., E. pristis Cham. & Schltdl., E. regnellii Malme, E. serra Cham. & Schltdl., E. subinerme (Wolff) Math. & Const., E. aff. zosterifolium Wolff*, E. sp.1, E. sp.2; Klotzschia Cham. e Spananthe Jacq. com uma espécie cada: Klotzschia glaziovii Urb. e Spananthe paniculata Jacq. A monografia inclui chaves de identificação, descrições, ilustração e mapas de distribuição para os gêneros e espécies, além de comentários sobre morfologia, taxonomia e ecologia. Três espécies de Eryngium (*) são novas citações para o bioma Cerrado; duas espécies não foram identificadas, e podem ser uma nova espécie; para uma espécie, E. aff. zosterifolium foi uma tentativa de identificação. Coletas adicionais e talvez um estudo da variabilidade morfológica da população de E. goyazense e E. zosterifolium na Serra dos Cristais seria interessante, assim como mais coletas da primeira espécie na Chapada dos Veadeiros. Coletas adicionais de Eryngium sp.2 no sudoeste de Goiás são necessárias para auxiliar a sua identificação. ________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT
This study is a contribution to the Flora dos estados de Goiás e Tocantins: Coleção Rizzo Project. Its aim is a morphological study and taxonomic monograph of the species of Apiaceae native or spontaneous to these states. Apiaceae is one of the large, cosmopolitan Angiosperm families. It includes 2500-3750 species, distributed in 300-462 genera, most of which are temperate or subtemperate; it is rare in tropical regions and usually concentrated in highland habitats. In the Brazilian flora it is poorly represented with 100 species in eight genera, found mostly in wet, high altitude areas. In Goiás and Tocantins, the family is represented by two of the four subfamilies: Saniculoideae and Azorelloideae and by 22 taxa, distributed in three genera. Eryngium L. is represented by 20 species: Eryngium brasiliense Const., E. ebracteatum Lam., E. floribundum Cham. & Schltdl., E. foetidum L.*, E. goyazense Urb., E. hemisphaericum Urb., E. hookeri Walp.*, E. horridum Malme, E. irwinii Const., E. juncifolium (Urb.) Math. & Const., E. marginatum Pohl ex Urb., E. pandanifolium Cham. & Schltdl., E. pohlianum Urb., E. pristis Cham. & Schltdl., E. regnellii Malme, E. serra Cham. & Schltdl., E. subinerme (Wolff) Math. & Const., E. aff. zosterifolium Wolff*, Eryngium sp.1 and Eryngium sp.2. Klotzschia Cham. And Spananthe Jacq. are represented by one species each: Klotzschia glaziovii Urb. and Spananthe paniculata Jacq. The monograph includes identification keys, descriptions, illustrations and distribution maps for the genera and species, as well as comments on morphology, taxonomy and ecology. Three species of Eryngium are new citations for the Cerrado Biome; two are unidentified to species level, and may be a new species; for one species, E. aff. zosterifolium, the determination is tentative. Additional collections and perhaps a population study of the morphological variability of E. goyazense and E. zosterifolium in the Serra dos Cristais would be of interest, as well as additional collections of the first species in the Chapada dos Veadeiros. Additional collections of Eryngium sp. 2 in southwestern Goiás are necessary to clarify its identity.

Dans cette thèse, on a travaillé sur 3 plantes médicinales : Ammoides pusilla, Pituranthos tortuosus et Tetraclinis articulata. L'objectif était : (i) d'identifier la composition chimique des extraits organiques et des huiles essentielles issues de ces plantes, (ii) établir un screening biologiques in vitro des activité anti-Alzheimer, anti-Superoxyde dismutase, anti-xanthine oxidase, antidiabétique, anti-inflammatoire et anti-cancer (iii) évaluer in vivo le pouvoir hépatoprotecteur et anti-inflammatoire de A. pusilla, (iv) étudier l'activité litholytique de l'extrait aqueux d'A. pusilla contre différents types de calculs rénaux et (v) déterminer la relation structure-activités de 20 flavonoïdes. Les extraits organiques ont été obtenus par extraction avec des solvants de polarité croissante. D'autre part, une hydrodistillation a permis d'extraire les huiles essentielles de chaque partie aérienne. Une caractérisation de la composition chimique de ces extraits/huiles essentielles a été établie par CPG-SM/CG-FID et HPLC (pour les extraits). L'activité anti-cancer a été réalisée par le test MTT sur des lignées cellulaires différentes. Pour A. pusilla, 2 nouveaux composés ont été identifiés dans l'extrait de cyclohexane et 4 nouveaux composés dans l'extrait de dichlorométhane. L'effet hépato protecteur de l'extrait d'A. pusilla sur le foie a été mis en évidence. L'extrait de dichlorométhane a permis d'obtenir 77,02% d'inhibition, pour l'activité anti-inflammatoire in vivo. Pour P. tortuosus, 17 composés ont été détectés dans l'huile essentielle pour la première fois. Pour les 20 flavonoïdes testés le pouvoir antioxydant a été corrélé à des propriétés biologiques. Cinq types de calculs rénaux différents ont été identifiés (typologie et composition élémentaire) par MEB/EDX. A. pusilla a présenté une activité litholytique à 100% pour les calculs rénaux de type urinaire et oxalate de calcium
In this thesis, we worked on 3 medicinal plants: Ammoides pusilla, Pituranthos tortuosus and Tetraclinis articulata. The aim was: (i) identify the chemical composition of organic extracts and essential oils from these plants, (ii) establish a biological screening of in vitro anti-Alzheimer, anti-superoxide dismutase, anti-xanthine oxidase , anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities (iii) evaluate in vivo hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory power of A. pusilla, (iv) study litholytic activity of aqueous extract of A. pusilla against different types of kidney stones and (v) determine the relationship structure-activity of 20 flavonoids. The organic extracts were obtained by extraction with solvents of increasing polarity. Furthermore, a hydrodistillation was used to extract essential oils from each aerial part. A characterization of the chemical composition of these extracts / essential oils was determined by GC-MS/GC-FID and HPLC (for extracts). The anti-cancer activity was carried out by MTT assay on different cell lines. For A. pusilla, two novel compounds were identified in the extract of cyclohexane and 4 novel compounds in the dichloromethane extract. A. pusilla hepatoprotective effect on the liver has been highlighted. The dichloromethane extract of P. tortuosus gives 77.02% inhibition for in vivo anti-inflammatory activity, 17 compounds were detected in the essential oil for the first time. For the 20 flavonoids tested the antioxidant power was correlated with biological properties. Five different types of kidney stones have been identified (typology and elemental composition) using SEM / EDX. A. pusilla litholytic activity presented at 100% for urinary-type and calcium oxalate kidney stones

Orientador : Prof. Dr. Paulo Henrique Labiak Evangelista
Coorientador : Prof. Dr. Pedro Fiaschi
Coorientador : Prof. Dr. Renato Goldenberg
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica. Defesa: Curitiba, 18/05/2017
Inclui referências : f. 85-88
Resumo: Eryngium pertence à família Apiaceae e possui cerca de 220 espécies, ocorrendo em regiões temperadas e tropicais de todos os continentes. O gênero possui ampla distribuição no Brasil, está presente em todos os Estados, com cerca de 60 espécies. Os indivíduos desse gênero são geralmente ervas eretas ou rasteiras, glabras, de folhas aculeadas agrupadas em roseta basal. As inflorescências geralmente possuem coloração alva, azuil ou roxa. Eryngium é facilmente distinguido dos outros membros de Apiaceae pelas inflorescências do tipo capítulo e por possuír uma única bráctea por flor. Espécies de Eryngium podem ser perenes ou bienais, ocorrendo em substratos terrícolas, rupícolas ou aquáticos. O presente estudo apresenta o primeiro tratamento taxonômico para o referido gênero no Paraná. O trabalho foi realizado a partir de análise de exsicatas de herbários e coletas para complementação das informações sobre espécies pouco coletadas. Foram catalogadas 24 espécies para o estado. Destas, sete são endêmicas do Brasil, incluindo E. ombrophilum que é endêmica do Paraná. E. aloifolium e E. stenophyllum var. corymbosum correspondem a novos registros para o Paraná e para o Brasil, respectivamente. As áreas de campos naturais presentes no estado apresentaram-se como as mais ricas para o gênero (nelas ocorrem 75% das espécies), isso por combinar extensas áreas abertas e elevadas altitudes, características que favorecem a maioria das espécies de Eryngium. As manchas de Cerrado presentes no estado, apesar de não apresentarem um grande número de espécies de Eryngium, merecem destaque, pois E. rochei ocorre somente em um pequeno fragmento deste tipo de vegetação, tornando-a criticamente ameaçada no estado. São apresentadas chaves de identificação, descrições, mapas de distribuição, ilustrações e avaliação do status de conservação das espécies. Palavras-chave: Apiales. Biodiversidade. Mata Atlântica. Taxonomia. Umbelliferae.
Abstract: Eryngium belongs to the Apiaceae. It has about 220 species distributed in temperate and tropical regions of all continents. In Brazil the genus is represented by 60 species, being widely distributed and present in all states. Its species are usually erect or creeping herbs, glabrous throughout, with aculeate leaves grouped in basal rosette and inflorescences that vary from white to bluish or purplish. Eryngium is easily distinguished from other members of Apiaceae by its head type inflorescences, and by having a single bract per flower. Species of Eryngium can be perennials or biennials, occurring as terrestrial, aquatic or epipetric. This study is the first taxonomic treatment for the genus in Paraná state, and it is based on collections available in several herbaria and additional collections that were carried out in the main vegetation types of the state. In total, 24 species were recorded. Of these, seven are endemic to Brazil, including E. ombrophilum, endemic to Paraná. E. aloifolium and E. stenophyllum var. corymbosum are new records for Paraná and for Brazil, respectively. The areas of Native Grasslands, combining extensive open areas and high altitudes, were the richest for the genus (occur 75% of the species). The fragments of Savannah, although they do not present a large number of species of Eryngium, deserve special attention, because E. rochei occur only in a small fragment of this type of vegetation, making it critically endangered in the state. Identification key, descriptions, images, distributions maps, taxonomic comments and evaluation of the conservation status.for the species from Paraná are provided. Key words: Apiales. Atlantic Forest. Biodiveristy. Taxonomy. Umbelliferae.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, 2006.
Title from title screen (viewed 15 January 2009). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print form.

A renewed focus on generalised pollinator systems has inspired a conceptual framework which highlights that spatial and temporal interactions among plants and their assemblage of pollinators can vary across the individual, population, regional and species levels. Pollination is clearly a dynamic interaction, varying in the number and interdependence of participants and the strength of the outcome of the interaction. Therefore, the role of variation in pollination is fundamental for understanding ecological dynamics of plant populations and is a major factor in the evolution and maintenance of generalised and specialised pollination systems. My study centred on these basic concepts by addressing the following questions: (1) How variable are pollinators in a generalised pollination system? To what degree do insect visitation rates and assemblage composition vary spatially among populations and temporally among flowering seasons? (2) How does variation in pollinators affect plant reproductive success? I chose to do this using a model system, Trachymene incisa subsp. incisa (Apiaceae), which is a widespread Australian herbaceous species with simple white flowers grouped into umbels that attract a high diversity of insect visitors. The Apiaceae are considered to be highly generalist in terms of pollination, due to their simple and uniform floral display and easily accessible floral rewards. Three populations of T. incisa located between 70 km and 210 km apart were studied over 2-3 years. The few studies investigating spatial and temporal variation simultaneously over geographic and yearly/seasonal scales indicate that there is a trend for more spatial than temporal variation in pollinators of generalist-pollinated plants. My study showed both spatial and temporal variation in assemblage composition among all populations and variation in insect visitation rates, in the form of a significant population by year interaction. However, removing ants from the analyses to restrict the assemblage to flying insects and the most likely pollinators, resulted in a significant difference in overall visitation rate between years but no difference in assemblage composition between the Myall Lakes and Tomago populations. These results indicate more temporal than spatial variation in the flying insect visitor assemblage of T. incisa. Foraging behaviour provides another source of variation in plant-pollinator interactions. Trachymene incisa exhibits umbels that function as either male or female at any one time and offer different floral rewards in each phase. For successful pollination, pollinators must visit both male and female umbels during a foraging trip. Insects showed both preferences and non-preferences for umbel phases in natural patches where the gender ratio was male biased. In contrast, insects showed no bias in visitation during a foraging trip or in time spent foraging on male and female umbels in experimental arrays where the gender ratio was equal. Pollinator assemblages consisting of a mixture of different pollinator types coupled with temporal variation in the assemblages of populations among years maintains generalisation at the population/local level. In addition, spatial variation in assemblages among populations maintains generalisation at the species level. Fire alters pollination in T. incisa by shifting the flowering season and reducing the abundance of flying insects. Therefore, fire plays an important role in maintaining spatial and temporal variation in this fire-prone system. Although insect pollinators are important in determining the mating opportunities of 90% of flowering plant species worldwide, few studies have looked at the effects of variation in pollinator assemblages on plant reproductive success and mating. In T. incisa, high insect visitation rates do not guarantee high plant reproductive success, indicating that the quality of visit is more important than the rate of visitation. This is shown by comparing the Agnes Banks and Myall Lakes populations in 2003: Agnes Banks received the highest visitation rate from an assemblage dominated by ants but produced the lowest reproductive output, and Myall Lakes received the lowest visitation rate by an assemblage dominated by a native bee and produced the highest seedling emergence. Interestingly, populations with different assemblage composition can produce similar percentage seed set per umbel. However, similar percentage seed set did not result in similar percentage seedling emergence. Differences among years in reproductive output (total seed production) were due to differences in umbel production (reproductive effort) and proportion of umbels with seeds, and not seed set per umbel. Trachymene incisa is self-compatible and suffers weak to intermediate levels of inbreeding depression through early stages of the life cycle when seeds are self-pollinated and biparentally inbred. Floral phenology, in the form of synchronous protandry, plays an important role in avoiding self-pollination within umbels and reducing the chance of geitonogamous pollination between umbels on the same plant. Although pollinators can increase the rate of inbreeding in T. incisa by foraging on both male and female phase umbels on the same plant or closely related plants, most consecutive insect movements were between plants not located adjacent to each other. This indicates that inbreeding is mostly avoided and that T. incisa is a predominantly outcrossing species, although further genetic analyses are required to confirm this hypothesis. A new conceptual understanding has emerged from the key empirical results in the study of this model generalised pollination system. The large differences among populations and between years indicate that populations are not equally serviced by pollinators and are not equally generalist. Insect visitation rates varied significantly throughout the day, highlighting that sampling of pollinators at one time will result in an inaccurate estimate and usually underestimate the degree of generalisation. The visitor assemblage is not equivalent to the pollinator assemblage, although non-pollinating floral visitors are likely to influence the overall effectiveness of the pollinator assemblage. Given the high degree of variation in both the number of pollinator species and number of pollinator types, I have constructed a model which includes the degree of ecological and functional specialisation of a plant species on pollinators and the variation encountered across different levels of plant organisation. This model describes the ecological or current state of plant species and their pollinators, as well as presenting the patterns of generalisation across a range of populations, which is critical for understanding the evolution and maintenance of the system. In-depth examination of pollination systems is required in order to understand the range of strategies utilised by plants and their pollinators, and I advocate a complete floral visitor assemblage approach to future studies in pollination ecology. In particular, future studies should focus on the role of introduced pollinators in altering generalised plant-pollinator systems and the contribution of non-pollinating floral visitors to pollinator assemblage effectiveness. Comparative studies involving plants with highly conserved floral displays, such as those in the genus Trachymene and in the Apiaceae, will be useful for investigating the dynamics of generalised pollination systems across a range of widespread and restricted species.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
A renewed focus on generalised pollinator systems has inspired a conceptual framework which highlights that spatial and temporal interactions among plants and their assemblage of pollinators can vary across the individual, population, regional and species levels. Pollination is clearly a dynamic interaction, varying in the number and interdependence of participants and the strength of the outcome of the interaction. Therefore, the role of variation in pollination is fundamental for understanding ecological dynamics of plant populations and is a major factor in the evolution and maintenance of generalised and specialised pollination systems. My study centred on these basic concepts by addressing the following questions: (1) How variable are pollinators in a generalised pollination system? To what degree do insect visitation rates and assemblage composition vary spatially among populations and temporally among flowering seasons? (2) How does variation in pollinators affect plant reproductive success? I chose to do this using a model system, Trachymene incisa subsp. incisa (Apiaceae), which is a widespread Australian herbaceous species with simple white flowers grouped into umbels that attract a high diversity of insect visitors. The Apiaceae are considered to be highly generalist in terms of pollination, due to their simple and uniform floral display and easily accessible floral rewards. Three populations of T. incisa located between 70 km and 210 km apart were studied over 2-3 years. The few studies investigating spatial and temporal variation simultaneously over geographic and yearly/seasonal scales indicate that there is a trend for more spatial than temporal variation in pollinators of generalist-pollinated plants. My study showed both spatial and temporal variation in assemblage composition among all populations and variation in insect visitation rates, in the form of a significant population by year interaction. However, removing ants from the analyses to restrict the assemblage to flying insects and the most likely pollinators, resulted in a significant difference in overall visitation rate between years but no difference in assemblage composition between the Myall Lakes and Tomago populations. These results indicate more temporal than spatial variation in the flying insect visitor assemblage of T. incisa. Foraging behaviour provides another source of variation in plant-pollinator interactions. Trachymene incisa exhibits umbels that function as either male or female at any one time and offer different floral rewards in each phase. For successful pollination, pollinators must visit both male and female umbels during a foraging trip. Insects showed both preferences and non-preferences for umbel phases in natural patches where the gender ratio was male biased. In contrast, insects showed no bias in visitation during a foraging trip or in time spent foraging on male and female umbels in experimental arrays where the gender ratio was equal. Pollinator assemblages consisting of a mixture of different pollinator types coupled with temporal variation in the assemblages of populations among years maintains generalisation at the population/local level. In addition, spatial variation in assemblages among populations maintains generalisation at the species level. Fire alters pollination in T. incisa by shifting the flowering season and reducing the abundance of flying insects. Therefore, fire plays an important role in maintaining spatial and temporal variation in this fire-prone system. Although insect pollinators are important in determining the mating opportunities of 90% of flowering plant species worldwide, few studies have looked at the effects of variation in pollinator assemblages on plant reproductive success and mating. In T. incisa, high insect visitation rates do not guarantee high plant reproductive success, indicating that the quality of visit is more important than the rate of visitation. This is shown by comparing the Agnes Banks and Myall Lakes populations in 2003: Agnes Banks received the highest visitation rate from an assemblage dominated by ants but produced the lowest reproductive output, and Myall Lakes received the lowest visitation rate by an assemblage dominated by a native bee and produced the highest seedling emergence. Interestingly, populations with different assemblage composition can produce similar percentage seed set per umbel. However, similar percentage seed set did not result in similar percentage seedling emergence. Differences among years in reproductive output (total seed production) were due to differences in umbel production (reproductive effort) and proportion of umbels with seeds, and not seed set per umbel. Trachymene incisa is self-compatible and suffers weak to intermediate levels of inbreeding depression through early stages of the life cycle when seeds are self-pollinated and biparentally inbred. Floral phenology, in the form of synchronous protandry, plays an important role in avoiding self-pollination within umbels and reducing the chance of geitonogamous pollination between umbels on the same plant. Although pollinators can increase the rate of inbreeding in T. incisa by foraging on both male and female phase umbels on the same plant or closely related plants, most consecutive insect movements were between plants not located adjacent to each other. This indicates that inbreeding is mostly avoided and that T. incisa is a predominantly outcrossing species, although further genetic analyses are required to confirm this hypothesis. A new conceptual understanding has emerged from the key empirical results in the study of this model generalised pollination system. The large differences among populations and between years indicate that populations are not equally serviced by pollinators and are not equally generalist. Insect visitation rates varied significantly throughout the day, highlighting that sampling of pollinators at one time will result in an inaccurate estimate and usually underestimate the degree of generalisation. The visitor assemblage is not equivalent to the pollinator assemblage, although non-pollinating floral visitors are likely to influence the overall effectiveness of the pollinator assemblage. Given the high degree of variation in both the number of pollinator species and number of pollinator types, I have constructed a model which includes the degree of ecological and functional specialisation of a plant species on pollinators and the variation encountered across different levels of plant organisation. This model describes the ecological or current state of plant species and their pollinators, as well as presenting the patterns of generalisation across a range of populations, which is critical for understanding the evolution and maintenance of the system. In-depth examination of pollination systems is required in order to understand the range of strategies utilised by plants and their pollinators, and I advocate a complete floral visitor assemblage approach to future studies in pollination ecology. In particular, future studies should focus on the role of introduced pollinators in altering generalised plant-pollinator systems and the contribution of non-pollinating floral visitors to pollinator assemblage effectiveness. Comparative studies involving plants with highly conserved floral displays, such as those in the genus Trachymene and in the Apiaceae, will be useful for investigating the dynamics of generalised pollination systems across a range of widespread and restricted species.

Les fruits de coriandre ont été identifiés comme une source riche en huile végétale de haute qualité, à forte teneur en acide pétrosélinique et en huile essentielle. Un système d'extraction innovant a été conçu et développé en utilisant la technologie d'extrusion bi-vis. Il a permis l’obtention d'un produit nouveau, à savoir une huile végétale de coriandre aromatisée et à haute valeur ajoutée, d’un condensat présentant une concentration élevée en huile essentielle et d’un tourteau révélant une forte teneur en protéines. Le tourteau a montré son intérêt en tant que liant naturel pour la production de panneaux de fibres renouvelables issus de la paille de coriandre, un résidu de la culture de la plante, conduisant à des agromatériaux auto-liés et ayant un rapport performance/coût élevé. Les fibres de la paille de coriandre ont également présenté une bonne capacité de renforcement lorsqu’elles étaient utilisées comme charge naturelle dans des biocomposites thermoplastiques à base de polypropylène ou de biopolyéthylène, permettant le moulage par injection de matériaux peu couteux et aux propriétés mécaniques prometteuses. Ce travail présente ainsi une forte contribution à la mise en place d'une véritable bioraffinerie intégrée de la coriandre et à la démonstration de sa mise en oeuvre à une échelle industrielle
Coriander fruits of French origin were identified as a rich source of a high-quality vegetable oil, with a high petroselinic acid content, and essential oil. An innovative extraction system was designed and developed using twin-screw extrusion technology and resulted in the recovery of a novel flavored coriander oil with high added value, as well as a hydrosol product with a high essential oil concentration and a press cake with an important protein fraction. The press cake was shown valuable as a natural binding agent for the production of renewable materials from coriander straw, a crop residue, and led to binderless boards with a high performance-cost ratio. Simultaneously, the coriander straw fibers displayed good reinforcing capacity as a natural filler in thermoplastic biocomposites from polypropylene or biopolyethylene, resulting in cost-effective materials with attractive properties. This work thus presents a strong contribution to the setup of a true integrated biorefinery for coriander fruits and its industrial implementation on a relevant production scale

L'utilisation massive des antibiotiques a contribué à l'apparition de phénomènes importants de multi-résistance des bactéries constituant une menace pour la santé publique. Plusieurs mécanismes sont mis en cause mais le principal est l'expulsion active des drogues. Les transporteurs "multidrug" peuvent être divisés en deux classes majoritaires : les secondaires qui utilisent un gradient électrochimique transmembranaire de protons ou des ions Na+, comme pour la protéine TetK ou la NorA de Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) et ceux du type ABC (ATP-Binding Cassette) utilisant l'énergie libre de l'hydrolyse de l'ATP, comme les protéines YvcC et LmrA de Escherichia Coli C41 (DE3). Une étude chimique et biologique a été réalisée sur Ligusticum porteri et Mirabilis jalapa principalement à la suite d'un criblage systématique in vitro d'extraits bruts d'Apiaceae, de Nyctaginaceae, de Scrophulariaceae, de Solanaceae afin de découvrir des composés chefs de file montrant une activité modulatrice
The important use of antibiotics is becoming a cause of the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms which is threat to public health. More mechanisms are involving but the major one is the multidrug efflux system. The pump of active efflux can be divided into two families: the membrane protein that extrudes drugs by using proton-motive force (a H+ anti-drug antiporter) or Na+ ions, like TetK or NorA proteins in Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the ABC transporters (ATP-Binding Cassette) with energy derived from the hydrolysis of ATP, like YvcC and LmrA proteins in Escherichia Coli C41 (DE3). The phytochemistrical and biological studies realized on Ligusticum porteri and Mirabilis jalapa mainly, after a screening in vitro of crude extracts in several plants of the family Apiaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Scrophulariaceae and Solanaceae in order to find a modulator activity of leader anti-oxydant, huile essentielle, phtalides, terpénoi͏̈des, polyphénols

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T16:27:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo1172_1.pdf: 2079949 bytes, checksum: 939b3a302bb35eb64c2f54f2b04e5768 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Foeniculum vulgare Mill, família Umbelliferae/Apiaceae, é uma erva aromática bienal, de folhas invaginantes verde-amareladas e com flores amarelas que se reúnem em umbelas. Conhecida pelo nome de funcho, falso anis e erva-doce-brasileira, é nativo na Europa mediterrânea, norte da África e Ásia ocidental, sendo amplamente cultivada em todo o Brasil. Seu uso é difundido na medicina tradicional de muitos países para o tratamento de várias doenças como: desordens digestivas e problemas menstruais, sendo também empregada como: analgésico, diurético, expectorante, lactígeno, antiinflamatório e antiespasmódico. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a toxicidade aguda, atividade farmacológica (antinociceptiva em roedores), realizar um estudo fitoquímico, bem como identificar a atividade antimicrobiana dos extratos da semente de Foeniculum vulgare Mill. Os ensaios de toxicidade aguda foram realizados por via oral e intraperitoneal, com observações das respectivas alterações comportamentais para cada dose administrada. Os resultados demonstraram pela via intraperitoneal efeitos estimulantes e depressores; e via oral demonstraram baixas reações comportamentais. Os resultados indicaram que a DL50 de Foeniculum vulgare Mill foi 3g/kg via intraperitoneal. Para a avaliação da atividade antimicrobiana, in vitro, usou-se o método de difusão em disco de papel. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que os extratos testados foram ativos apenas frente à bactérias Gram-positivas, não inibindo bactérias Gram-negativas e levedura, apresentando melhores resultados o extrato acetato de etila. O estudo fitoquímico foi realizado em cromatografia de camada delgada e identificou a maioria dos compostos secundários presentes na fração metanólica, foram observados: triterpenos, glicosídeos de flavanóides, terpenos menores (monoterpenóides, sesquiterpenóide e diterpenóides) e açucares redutores. Para a atividade antinociceptiva utilizou-se o modelo de contorções abdominais induzida pelo ácido acético e os resultados demonstraram que apenas a dosagem de 298 mg/Kg comparado ao padrão conseguiu uma redução significativa no número de contorções. O extrato etanólico das sementes de Foeniculum vulgare Mill não indicou evidências da toxicidade oral, porém apresentou moderada toxicidade intraperitoneal. Estudos posteriores devem ser realizados para a identificação e isolamento de alguns compostos secundários, bem como a realização de outros protocolos de analgesia e atividade antimicrobiana

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2004.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: There is increasing evidence that the rapid and anomalous changes in climate experienced in the last century have had widespread ecological impacts. Indeed, sub- Antarctic Marion Island has experienced particularly large increases in temperature and declines in rainfall. However, the effects of these changes on the island's extensive fellfield vegetation remain largely unexamined. The aim of this study was to examine the sensitivity of a dominant and keystone fellfield plant species, the cushion-forming Azorella selago Hook. (Apiaceae), to changes in climate. Three complementary approaches (two mensurate, one experimental) were used, and all showed that A. selago is likely to change in response to further changes in climate. First, the unimodal age class distribution of A. selago suggested that the species' establishment is episodic, and therefore reliant on specific (possibly climatic) conditions. Azorella selago growth rate was related to environmental factors, suggesting that both the establishment and growth rate of the species is likely to be sensitive to changes in climate. Second, altitudinal variation in A. selago plant attributes suggested that the species' morphology would be responsive to changes in climate (assuming that a spatial gradient in climate is a suitable analogue for similar changes in climate over time). Plant height, leaf size and trichome density differed most consistently over altitude across the island. The altitudinal range of some epiphyte species, as well as the cover and species richness of epiphytes growing on A. selago, also showed consistent patterns along the altitudinal gradient. These cushion plant and epiphyte attributes appeared to be related to climatic factors, and are therefore predicted to change in response to further shifts in climate. Finally, A. selago showed a rapid vegetative response to short-term experimental reductions in rainfall and increases in temperature and shading. Reduced rainfall accelerated autumnal senescence, shortening the species' growing season. Plants were relatively unaffected by the magnitude of warming imposed, although the foliar nutrient concentrations of some elements were higher in warmed plants than in control plants. Experimental shading of A. selago (simulating a predicted indirect effect of climate change: increased cover of the dominant epiphyte species, Agrostis magellanica (Lam.) Vahl (Poaceae)) caused greater stem elongation, and the production of larger, thinner leaves, with lower trichome densities and higher foliar nutrient concentrations of some elements. Given this sensitivity of A. selago to shading, it is possible that changes in epiphyte load could overshadow the direct effects of changes in climate on this species. Ongoing changes in climate are predicted for the next century. Based on the results of this study the following scenarios are proposed. Continued warming and drying of the island will potentially favour the upslope expansion of A. selago (although also shortening its growing season) and decrease the abundance of its dominant epiphyte. Under such a scenario fellfield primary production may decline. In contrast, under warming alone, most epiphyte species could increase in abundance and expand their altitudinal ranges upslope. This would bring about much heavier shading of A. selago plants, leading to a short-term increase in stem growth and leaf nutrient concentrations. However, ultimately a decline in A. selago abundance and production would also be expected if cushion plants experience stem mortality under longer-term shading. Nonetheless, monitoring A. selago leaf size, trichome density and phenology, as well as the altitudinal range of dominant epiphyte species (attributes that this research suggests may be most sensitive to short-term changes in climate), will indicate the biological consequences of these changes in climate. This study, therefore, shows that further climate changes on Marion Island will affect A. selago and its epiphytes, with likely repercussions for fellfield communities.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is toemende bewys dat die vinnige en onreëlmatige veranderinge in klimaat oor die laaste half-eeu wye ekologiese gevolge gehad het. Inderdaad, sub-Antarktiese Marion Eiland het 'n ook 'n besondere groot toename in temperature en daling in reënval ervaar. Nogtans is die gevolge van hierdie veranderinge op die eiland se uitgebreide dorveld (fellfield) plantegroei nog nie nagevors nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die sensitiwiteit van 'n dominante hoeksteen spesie, die kussingvormige Azorella selago Hook. (Apiaceae), aan veranderinge in klimaat te ondersoek. Drie aanvullende metodes (twee waarnemend, een eksperimenteel) was gebruik, en al drie het aangedui dat A. selago waarskynlik sal reageer op verdere veranderinge in klimaat. Eerstens, die enkelpiek-vormige ouderdomsverspreiding van A. selago dui daarop dat die spesie ongereeld vestig, en is daarom afhanklik van spesifieke (dalk klimatiese) toestande. Verder, was A. selago se groeitempo aan omgewingsfaktore verwant. As gevolg hiervan sal die spesie se vestiging en groeitempo vermoedelik sensitief vir klimaatsveranderinge wees. Tweedens, veranderinge in A. selago eienskappe met 'n toename in hoogte bo seespieël (hoogte) dui daarop dat die spesie se morfologie sal reageer op veranderinge in klimaatstoestande (op voorwaarde dat 'n ruimtelike verandering in klimaat goed ooreenstem met 'n soortgelyke verandering in klimaat oor tyd). Planthoogte, blaaroppervlakte en trigoomdigteid het geleidelik met hoogte verander oor die eiland. Die verspreiding en bedekking van sommige epifitiese spesies, asook epifiet spesie rykheid, was ook aan hoogteverwant. Hierdie verwantskap tussen A. selago (en die epifiete) en hoogte is vermoedelik deur klimatiese faktore veroorsaak, en daarom word voorspel dat dit sal verander soos die klimaat verander. Laastens, het A. selago 'n vinnige vegetatiewe reaksie tot korttermyn eksperimentele vermindering in reënval en toename in temperatuur en beskaduwing gewys. 'n Afname in reënval het blaarveroudering versnel, en dus A. selago se groeiseisoen verkort. Plante het min verander as gevolg van hoër temperature, alhoewel die konsentrasie van sommige plantvoedingstowwe hoër was in blare van verwarmde plante as in die wat gewone temperature ervaar het. Eksperimentele beskaduwing van A. selago (wat 'n verwagde indirek effek van klimaatsverandering naboots, naamlik die toename in bedekking van A. selago deur die dominante epifiet spesie, Agrostis magellanica (Lam.) Vahl (Poaceae)) het stingel groei versnel, en veroorsaak dat groter en dunner blare met laer trigoomdigthede en hoër konsentrasies van sommige plantvoedingstowwe op die plante groei. As gevolg van die sensitiwiteit van A. selago op beskaduwing, is dit moontlik dat die gevolge van veranderinge in die bedekking van epifiete belangriker sal wees as die direkte gevolge van klimaatsverandering. Verdere klimaatsveranderinge word vir die volgende eeu voorspel. Gebasseer op die resultate van hierdie navorsing, word twee moontlike toekomstige omstadighede voorgestel. Toenemende verwarming en verdroging van die eiland sal vermoedelik veroorsaak dat A. selago op hoër hoogtes voorkom (alhoewel die spesie se groeiseisoen ook sal verkort), en dat die volopheid van A. magellanica sal afneem. In so 'n geval sal dorveld se plantproduksie waarskynlik effens verminder. In teenstelling, as die eiland slegs verwarm (sonder 'n verandering in reënval) kan die volopheid en verspreiding van epifiet spesies waarskynlik toeneem. Dit sal vermoedelik tot 'n toename in the verskaduwing van A. selago lei, wat tot 'n kort-termyn verhoging van stingel groeitempo en plantvoedingstof konsentrasies sal lei. Alhoewel, uiteindelik, word 'n vermindering van A. selago volopheid en groei verwag as plantstingels van lang-termyn beskaduwing vrek. Nietemin, as die blaargroote, trigoomdigteid en groeiseisoenlengte van A. selago en die hoogte verspreiding van die dominante epifiet spesie gemonitor word (eienskappe wat deur hierdie studie aangedui is as gevoelig aan kort-termyn veranderinge in klimaat), kan die biologiese gevolge van hierdie klimaatsveranderinge aangewys word. Hierdie navorsing bewys dus dat verdere veranderinge in klimaat op Marion Eiland 'n invloed sal hê op A. selago en geassosieerde epifiete, met moontlike gevolge vir die hele dorveld gemeenskap.

La croissance démographique, la consommation incontrôlée des ressources naturelles ainsi que l’activité industrielle jouent un rôle déterminant dans la dégradation de l'environnement mondial. A ce sujet et en se basant sur le concept que les consommateurs partagent la responsabilité de la pollution et de l'épuisement des ressources et leur coût, la mise en oeuvre des ressources renouvelables dans les processus industriels apparait comme une clé décisive. La renouvelabilité, la recyclabilité, la durabilité, la biodégradabilité sont les concepts de base sur lesquels nous pouvons compter pour protéger la nature et l’environnement. Dans ce contexte, une nouvelle approche de la bioraffinage a été développée dans cette thèse, elle a été appliquée à cinq espèces appartenant à 3 familles différentes (Foeniculum vulagre, Cuminum cyminum and Carum carvi (Apiaceae), Salvia hispania (Lamiaceae) et Amaranthus cruentus (Amaranthaceae)). Ces espèces partagent une caractéristique commune, elles peuvent être définies comme Aroma Tincto Oleo Crops (ATOC) puisqu’elles sont une source d'huile végétale et d'huile essentielle (ou de colorant). Notre objectif est donc de déterminer la faisabilité biologique et technologique de l'application du concept ATOC-bioraffinage basé sur le développement, l'optimisation et la production de nouveaux produits biologiques, des nouvelles molécules biosourcées et d'autres technologies innovantes. Notre étude met l'accent sur l'évaluation de divers paramètres influençant le rendement et la qualité de l’huile dans les graines d'ATOC, y compris leurs origines géographiques et le procédé d'extraction, et leur impact sur l'activité biologique des extraits de résidus. La valorisation des huiles pour des applications dans l’industrie cosmétique a été realisée en les utilisant comme (i) additifs dans des formulations de crème hydratante. De plus, l’utilité du tourteau d'extraction comme (ii) substrat pour la fabrication d'agromatériaux par thermopressage et comme (iii) un ingrédient dans des formulations de pain de blé entier a été examinée
In an age where the risk of environmental degradation have become more apparent due to a combination of several factors including the sheer rise of world population, consumption, industrial activity, etc. With regard to this and since the concept that consumers share responsibility for pollution and resources depletion and their cost has been increasingly believed, the implementation of renewable resources in industrial processes could be a decisive key. Renewability, recyclability, sustainability, biodegradability are the basic concepts on which we can rely to make a difference in the environment today and tomorrow. In this context, a new biorefinery approach was developed in this thesis and applied to five plant species belonging to 3 different plant families (Foeniculum vulagre, Cuminum cyminum and Carum carvi (Apiaceae family), Salvia hispania (Lamiaceae family) and Amaranthus cruentus (Amaranthaceae family). These species share a common characteristic, they can be defined as Aroma Tincto Oleo Crops (ATOC) as they are a source of both vegetable oil and essential oil or color. Our aim is thus to determine the biological and technological feasibility of application of ATOC-biorefinery concept based on the development, optimization and production of new bio-based products and other innovative technologies. Our study focus on the evaluation of major various parameters influencing oil’s yield and quality in ATOC seeds including their geographic origins and extraction process, and their impact on biological activity of residues extracts. The feasability of valorization of oils as (i) additive in cosmetic formulas, and of extraction cake as (ii) substrate for agromaterial manufacturing by thermopressing or as (iii) ingredient in whole wheat bread formulations were also stated

Ispitani su hemijski sastav i biološka aktivnost šest samoniklih vrsta iz tribusa Scandiceae(familija Apiaceae): Anthriscus sylvestris, Anthriscus cerefolium, Chaerophyllum bulbosum,Chaerophyllum hirsutum, Chaerophyllum temulentum i Scandix pecten-veneris. LC-MS-MSanalizom ekstrakata identifikovano je više desetina sekundarnih biomolekula iz klasa flavonoida,fenilpropenskih kiselina, lignana i kumarina. GC-MS analiza pružila je uvid u sastav volatilnihkomponenti i njihov hemosistematski značaj. Potvrđeno je da sve ispitivane vrste imaju umerenoantioksidantno, antiinflamatorno i antiproliferativno dejstvo.
Chemical composition and biological activity of six wild-growing species from Scandiceae tribe (Apiaceae family) – Anthriscus sylvestris, Anthriscus cerefolium, Chaerophyllum bulbosum, Chaerophyllum hirsutum, Chaerophyllum temulentum and Scandix pecten-veneris – was examined. By LC-MS-MS analysis, a large number of secondary biomolecules was identified in extracts, including flavonoids, phenylpropenic acids, lignans and coumarins. GC-MS analysis provided insight into volatile components composition and chemosystematic significance. All investigated species exhibited moderate antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activity.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Understanding the responses of species to climate change is a scientific problem that requires urgent attention, especially under current conditions of global climate change. The large and rapid rates of climate change reported for sub-Antarctic Marion Island makes the island highly suitable for studying the biotic consequences of climate change. Furthermore, the extreme environments on the island result in a close coupling of the biotic (e.g. population dynamics) and abiotic (e.g. climate) factors. Therefore, examining the response of the dominant and keystone plant species on the island, Azorella selago Hook. (Apiaceae), to climate-associated environmental change (e.g. temperature) may provide insight into how A. selago and the associated species communities will be affected by climate change. This study described the variability in microclimate temperatures associated with A. selago across altitudinal gradient and between the eastern and western sides of Marion Island. Microclimate temperatures were also compared to the island’s Meteorological data to determine variation between temperatures experienced by A. selago cushion-plants in the field and those recorded at the island’s Meteorological Station. Temperature variation inside and outside A. selago cushions was also examined. Azorella selago cushions were found to have a buffering effect on temperature, such that species occurring epiphytically on A. selago experience more moderate temperatures than the surrounding environment. However, A. selago were found to experience more extreme temperatures than temperatures recorded at the Meteorological Station. Therefore, A. selago may possibly experience greater environmental warming than recorded by the Meteorological Station. While temperatures decline with altitude, temperature conditions on the western side of the island were more temperate than the eastern side. This presents the first record of temperature conditions on the western side of the island. This study also quantified fine-scale (e.g. within-site) and broad-scale (e.g. island-wide) variability patterns of A. selago (morphology, phenology, and epiphyte load) across Marion Island. Altitudinal gradient and climatic exposure at different sides of the island were used to understand the likely effects of climate associated environmental change on this dominant component of the fellfield habitat. Site-specific processes were found to determine the spatial structure of A. selago characteristics at fine-scales. However, broad-scale observations established strong responses of A. selago characteristics to altitudinal gradients and different sides of the island. Azorella selago morphological features (e.g. plant size and leaf size) were found to be more responsive to differences between the eastern and western sides of the island than to altitudinal gradient. Azorella selago micro-morphological features (e.g. leaf trichomes and stomatal densities) were also found to be more responsive to climatic exposure at different sides of the island than to altitudinal gradient. However, differences in A. selago epiphyte density (e.g. Agrostis magellanica) and phenology resembled microclimate temperatures in that they were more responsive to altitudinal gradient than to side of the island differences. From these results it can therefore be predicted that the A. selago of Marion Island is likely to be morphologically fairly resilient to moderate climatic shifts, although at lower altitudes and on the eastern side of the island, it may be outcompeted by the epiphytic grass, Agrostis magellanica. The results also suggest that the warming climate of Marion Island may result in an early occurrence of phenological processes particularly at lower altitudes and the eastern side. Azorella selago at lower altitudes and on the eastern side of Marion Island are therefore expected to largely show more symptoms of climate change (e.g. warming) on this species. Azorella selago is also predicted to move up altitudinal gradients in response to warming.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ’n Begrip van hoe spesies reageer op klimaatsverandering is ’n wetenskaplike vraag wat onmiddellike aandag benodig, veral onder huidige globale klimaatsverandering. Die groot en snelle tempo waarteen klimaatsverandering waargeneem word op sub-Antarktiese Marion Eiland, maak die eiland hoogs geskik om die biotiese gevolge van klimaatsverandering te bestudeer. Verder veroorsaak die uiterste omgewing van die eiland tot ’n nabye koppeling tussen die biotiese (bv. populasie dinamika) en abiotiese (bv. klimaat) faktore. Dus, deur die reaksies van ’n dominante- en sleutel-spesie op die eiland, Azorella selago Hook. (Apiaceae), op klimaat-geassosieerde omgewings verandering (bv. temperatuur) te bestudeer, mag insig verskaf hoe A. selago en geassosieerde spesie gemeenskappe geaffekteer sal word deur klimaatsverandering. Hierdie studie beskryf die wispelturigheid in mikroklimaat temperature geassosieer met A. selago oor ’n hoogte gradiënt asook tussen die oostelike en westelik dele van Marion Eiland. Mikroklimaat temperature was ook vergelyk met die eiland se Meteorologiese data met die doel om die mate van variasie tussen temperature verduur deur A. selago kussing-plante in die natuurlike omgewing met die van die eiland se Meteorologiese stasie te vergelyk. Temperatuur variasie binne en buite A. selago kussing-plante is ook vasgestel. Dit was gevind dat Azorella selago kussing-plante die temperatuur buffer, met die gevolg dat spesies wat epifities op A. selago voorkom, meer gematigde temperature ondervind as die onmiddellike omgewing om die plant. Daar is egter gevind dat A. selago meer uiterste temperature ondervind as temperature gemeet by die Meteorologiese stasie. Dus mag A. selago groter omgewings verwarming ervaar as wat temperature gemeet by die Meteorologiese stasie dui. Terwyl temperatuur afneem met ’n toename in hoogte, was temperatuur aan die westekant van die eiland mere gematig as die oostekant. Dit verskaf die eerste rekord van temperatuur toestande aan die westekant van die eiland. Hierdie studie bepaal ook die fyn-skaal (e.g. binne-terrein) en groot-skaal (e.g. oor die eiland) variasie patrone van A. selago (morfologie, fenologie, en epifiet lading) oor Marion Eiland. Die hoogte gradiënt en klimaat blootstelling aan verskillende kante van die eiland is gebruik om die waarskynlike effekte van klimaats-geassosieerde omgewings verandering op die dominante deel van die felfield habitat te verstaan. Daar is gevind dat terrein spesifieke prosesse die ruimtelike struktuur van A. selago se klein-skaal eienskappe bepaal. Groot-skaalse waarnemings dui egter ’n sterk antwoord van A. selago eienskappe op die hoogte gradiënt en aan verskillende kante van die eiland. Azorella selago morfologiese eienskappe (e.g. plant- en blaar grootte) is gevind om meer te reageer op verskille tussen oostelike en westelike kante van die eiland as op die hoogte gradiënt. Azorella selago mikromorfologiese eienskappe (e.g. blaar trigome en stomata digtheid) is ook gevind om meer te reageer op omgewings blootstelling tussen verskillende kante van die eiland as op die hoogte gradiënt. Verskille in A. selago epifiet digtheid (e.g. Agrostis magellanica) en fenologie het egter mikroklimaat temperature gevolg, in dat beide meer gereageer het op die hoogte gradiënt as eiland-kant verskille. Hierdie resultate voorspel dus dat dit waarskynlik is dat A. selago van Marion Eiland morfologies redelik terugspringend sal wees ten opsigte van matige klimaatsverandering, al mag dit uitgekompeteer word deur die epifitiese gras, Agrostis magellanica by lae hoogtes en aan die oostekant van die eiland. Hierdie resultate dui ook dat verwarming van Marion Eiland se klimaat ’n vervroeging van fenologiese prosesse mag hê, veral by lae hoogtes en aan die oostekant van die eiland. Dus word dit verwag dat Azorella selago by lae hoogtes en aan die oostekant van Marion Eiland om meer simptome van klimaatsverandering (e.g. verwarming) te dui. Dit word ook voorspel dat Azorella selago opwaarts teen die hoogte gradiënt sal beweeg in reaksie tot verwarming.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The spatial distribution of animals and plants at different scales is a central theme in ecology. Knowledge of biodiversity distribution is essential, especially with the current threat of climate change and invasion by alien species. Since the impact of climate change and alien species will be, and has already been pronounced in polar regions, information on the current spatial distributions of biota in these regions is critical to predict the consequences of climate change and alien species on the future survival, distribution and abundance of indigenous biota. This study was conducted on the sub- Antarctic Prince Edward Islands (consisting of Marion Island and Prince Edward Island), which have experienced rapid climate changes over the past 50 years. Additionally, a number of alien plant, vertebrate and invertebrate (also microarthropod) species have been introduced to these islands. Since microarthropods (mites and springtails) play an essential role in decomposition and mineralization of plant material on the islands, the loss of microarthropods from decomposer communities might have disastrous results for ecosystem processes. Therefore it is essential to know the current distributions of microarthropods in order to predict future distributions patterns in reaction to climate change and invasive species. In this study, the spatial distribution of mites and springtails inhabiting the cushion plant Azorella selago Hook, were examined at different scales of observation. Firstly, the microarthropod community was examined at a fine scale. The relationship between microarthropod species richness and abundance and plant size, isolation, within-plant variability, grass cover and microclimate variables were investigated. Thereafter, the spatial variability of microarthropod abundances was examined within stands of plants, with statistical methods using varying degrees of locational information to determine if microarthropod abundance is random, regular or aggregated at this scale. Further, the spatial variability of microarthropod communities in A. selago at different altitudes and on different sides of Marion Island, i.e. island-wide scale, was examined. The last scale of observation was the island-wide scale, in which microarthropod assemblages were compared between Marion Island and Prince Edward Island, as well as in different plant species. Microarthropods showed spatial heterogeneity within A. selago plants (higher abundances in eastern and southern sides of plants), island-wide (lower springtail abundance on the eastern side of the island and at high altitudes) and between islands (more alien species on Marion Island). In contrast, microarthropod abundance was not spatially heterogeneous within a stand of plants, i.e. mostly randomly distributed. The possible mechanisms responsible for these patterns differ between scales, and range from temperature and nutrient availability at the within plant and island wide scale to alien species between islands. Climate change is likely to alter these distribution patterns of microarthropods, either directly (unfavourable climate for indigenous species growth, development and dispersal) or indirectly (favouring alien microarthropod species; increase in grass cover on A. selago plants may alter community structure). The information presented here, is essential for predicting the possible impacts of climate change on microarthropods in fellfield ecosystems on sub-Antarctic islands.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ruimtelike verspreiding van diere en plante op verskillende skale is ‘n sentrale tema in ekologie. Kennis van die verspreiding van biodiversiteit is belangrik, veral met die huidige bedreiging van klimaatsverandering en indringerspesies. Omdat die impak van klimaatsverandering en indringerspesies in die poolstreke alreeds duidelik is en nog meer so sal word, is inligting oor die huidige ruimtelike verspreiding van biota in hierdie streke noodsaaklik. Hierdie studie is op die sub-Antarktiese Prins Edward-eilande (bestaande uit Marion Eiland en Prins Edward Eiland) uitgevoer, waar die klimaat vinnig verander het oor die afeglope 50 jaar. Bykomend is ‘n aantal indringer plant, vertebraat en invertebraat (ook mikroartropood) spesies op die eilande ingebring. Omdat mikroartropoda (myte en springsterte) ‘n baie belangrike rol in ontbinding en mineralisering van plantmateriaal op hierdie eilande speel, sal die verlies van mikroartropoda uit die ontbindingsgemeenskap rampspoedige gevolge vir die prosesse in die ekosisteem hê. Kennis van die huidige verpreiding van mikroartropoda is dus noodsaaklik om die toekomstige verspreidingspatrone, asook oorlewing en volopheid van inheemse spesies in reaksie op klimaatsveranding en indringerspesies, te voorspel. In hierdie studie is die ruimtelike verspreiding van myte en springsterte wat in die kussingplant Azorella selago Hook voorkom, op verskillende ruimtelike skale ondersoek. Eerstens is die mikroartropood gemeenskap op ‘n klein skaal ondersoek. Die verwantskap tussen mikroartropood spesies rykheid en volopheid en plantgrootte, isolasie, binne-plant variasie, gras bedekking en mikroklimaat faktore is ondersoek. Daarna is die ruimtelike variasie van mikroartropood volopheid binne in ‘n plantstand ondersoek deur gebruik te maak van metodes wat verskillende grade van ligging data gebruik. Dit is gedoen om uit te vind of mikroartropood volopheid lukraak, reëlmatig of versameld verspreid is. Verder is die ruimtelike verspreiding van mikroartropood gemeenskappe in A. selago op verskillende hoogtes bo seespieël en op verskillende kante van Marion Eiland ondersoek. Laastens is die mikroartropood gemeenskap op Marion Eiland en Prins Edward Eiland, asook die gemeenskap in verskillende plant spesies vergelyk. Mikroartropoda is ruimtelik heterogeen verspreid binne-in A. selago (meer individue in die oostelike en suidelike kante van plante), asook regoor Marion Eiland (minder springstert individue aan die ooste kant van die eiland asook minder op hoë hoogtes bo seespieël) en tussen eilande (meer indringerspesies op Marion Eiland). In teenstelling hiermee is mikroartropood volopheid ruimtelik homogeen oor ‘n plantstand, dus meestal lukraak verspreid. Die meganismes wat moontlik vir hierdie patrone verantwoordelik is wissel van temperatuur en voedselbeskikbaarheid op die binne-plant en oor die eiland skaal tot indringerspesies op die tussen-eiland skaal. Klimaatsverandering mag waarskynlik mikroartropood verspreidingspatrone direk (ongunstige klimaat vir inheemse spesies se groei, ontwikkeling en verspreiding), of indirek verander (indringer spesies word begunstig; toename in grasbedekking bo-op A. selago mag die gemeenskapstruktuur van mikroartropoda verander). Hierdie inligting is belangrik vir die voorspelling van die moontlike impak van klimaatsverandering op mikroartropoda in klipveld ekosisteme op sub-Antarktiese eilande.

Nous avons donc focalisé notre travail sur la recherche de substances naturelles antiradicalaires et inhibitrices de la tryptase, deux cibles potentielles pour la prévention du vieillissement et de l’assèchement cutané. Les racines d’Eryngium alpinum L. (Apiaceae, Saniculoideae) possèdent une activité antiradicalaire. Les substances actives isolées sont l’acide chlorogénique, l’acide rosmarinique et un nouveau composé, l’acide R-(+)-3’-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl rosmarinique. Une étude chimiotaxonomique a permis de sélectionner une plante plus riche en composés actifs, la Sanicule (Sanicula europeae L). L’acide R-(+)-3’-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl rosmarinique, détecté uniquement dans les espèces appartenant à la sous-famille des Saniculoideae, peut être utilisé comme marqueur de cette sous-famille. Un criblage de 123 plantes a permis de mettre en évidence l’activité inhibitrice de la tryptase des graines de Sinapis alba L. (Brassicaceae). La substance active isolée est la 4-hydroxybenzylamine (IC50 0,24 mM ; Ki 0,21 mM). Trois substances trois fois plus actives, la 4-hydroxybenzamidine, la benzamidine et la 3-chlorobenzylamine ont été identifiées. Une étude de la sélectivité tryptase vs d’autres sérines protéases de la 4-hydroxybenzylamine et de la 4-hydroxybenzamidine montra que la 4-hydroxybenzylamine inhibe préférentiellement la tryptase. Elle constitue de ce fait un candidat potentiel pour une utilisation en cosmétologie
We focused our work on the search for natural, antiradical, and tryptase-inhibiting substances, two potential targets for preventing accelerated skin aging and drying. The roots of Eryngium alpinum L. (Apiaceae, Saniculoideae) have an antiradical activity. The isolated active substances are chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid and a new compound, R-(+)-3’-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl rosmarinic acid. By a chemotaxonomic study, we could select a plant enriched in rosmarinic acid and R-(+)-3’-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl rosmarinic acid : sanicula (Sanicula europeae L). R-(+)-3’-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl rosmarinic acid, only detected in those species belonging to the Saniculoideae subfamily, can be used as a marker of this subfamily. A screening of 123 plants made it possible to show the tryptase-inhibiting activity of Sinapis alba L. (Brassicaceae) seeds. The isolated active compound is 4-hydroxybenzylamine (IC50 0. 24 mM; Ki 0. 21 mM). Three substances three times more active, namely 4-hydroxybenzamidine, benzamidine and 3-chlorobenzylamine were identified. The tryptase selectivity towards other serine proteases of 4-hydroxybenzylamine and 4-hydroxybenzamidine showed that 4-hydroxybenzylamine preferentially inhibits tryptase. This substance thus constitutes a potential candidate for a cosmetic application

Étude phytochimique et activité cytotoxique des métabolites secondaires de Ferula elaeochytris Korovin et Ferula lycia Boiss. (Apiacées) Les plantes du genre Ferula (Apiacées) sont des herbacées vivaces répandues dans l'Asie centrale, la région méditerranéenne et l'Afrique du Nord. Des études récentes ont montré l'intérêt de certains composés isolés des espèces de ce genre comme agents chimiopréventifs ainsi que pour surmonter la résistance aux anticancéreux. Dans ce cadre deux plantes du genre Ferula récoltées dans deux régions différentes de la Turquie ont été choisies pour ce travail : Ferula elaeochytris Korovin et Ferula lycia Boiss. Vingt esters sesquiterpéniques dont sept structures nouvelles, deux acides phénoliques et un saponoside ont été isolés. Toutes ces stuctures ont été établies par méthodes spectrales (SM et RMN). Sur le plan pharmacologique, toutes les molécules isolées ont été testées pour leurs activités cytotoxiques vis-à-vis des lignées cellulaires leucémiques résistantes aux inhibiteurs de tyrosine kinase : K562R (imatinib-résistantes) et DA1-3b/M2 (imatinib et dasatinib-résistantes). L'élaeochytrine A (6-anthraniloyljaeschkeanadiol), s'est révélée être le composé le plus actif et le plus sélectif vis-à-vis des cellules tumorales avec des CI50 de l'ordre de 10 :M.

Submitted by Jorge Silva (jorgelmsilva@ufrrj.br) on 2017-06-20T20:36:51Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2012 - Vinicius de Abreu D'?vila.pdf: 623654 bytes, checksum: 2c91585552193e53bcefc6b559fe2a2f (MD5)
Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-20T20:36:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2012 - Vinicius de Abreu D'?vila.pdf: 623654 bytes, checksum: 2c91585552193e53bcefc6b559fe2a2f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-31
CAPES
The biological control is as important method to regulate the pest populations in a system of sustainable agricultural production, because it is a promising alternative to the use of the organic synthetic pesticides that cause great ecotoxicological impacts. The predator ladybeetles are part of the biological control agents of agricultural pests, could be management by the three biocontrol strategies: classical, conservative and augmentative. In the present work, it was tried to generate knowledge for using the aphidophagous predator ladybeetle Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) under the perspective of the last two strategies. The conservative biological control involving predator insects bases on the fact that in the absence or scarceness of their preferential prey or in the presence of the other preys with inferior nutritional quality, they may use alternative foods, such as pollen, to guarantee their survivorship and, sometimes, their reproduction, and because of that botanical species that provide this floral resource might integrate the agricultural landscape, inside and/or around the agricultural property; meanwhile the augmentative control requests the multiplication of the predator in the laboratory, using natural or artificial preys. Even though some authors proved the visitation of the flowers of some species of Apiaceae by C. maculata, there are no records in the literature of the ingestion of pollen grains of this botanical family by this ladybeetle. In this context, this work was carried out with the aim to select the plant species whose flowers are source of pollen as alternative or complementary food to C. maculata in the perspective to compose the vegetation of the agroecosystems to contribute in the conservation of this ladybeetle, and /or to aid in its mass rearing in the laboratory conditions. The objective of the chapter I was to prove the ingestion of pollen of three species of the family Apiaceae [coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)] from the provision of their flowers to the larvae of the 4th instar and adults of C. maculata. It was observed the presence of pollen grains in the five replicates of all treatments, proving the ingestion of the pollen of these three species of Apiaceae from their flowers by C. maculata. At 24 hours of exposition, adults fed on average more pollen of dill than pollens of coriander and fennel, while the larvae consumed more pollen of fennel. The objective of the chapter II was to determine the suitability of nine diets to C. maculata, including provision of pollen of the two species of Apiaceae (coriander and dill), under controlled conditions of the laboratory. Even though the diets with only flowers of these two Apiaceae did not provided the full development of C. maculata, they used as complementary food with eggs of Anagasta kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) resulted in reduction of larval period, increased the egg number by cluster, and increased the body weight. The diet with alive larvae of Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae) was proved to be an essential food as well as resulted in adults with higher body weight, and the number of eggs per cluster increased in comparison with the feeding with only eggs of A. kuehniella.
O controle biol?gico ? um importante m?todo para regular as populac?es de pragas em um sistema de produ??o agr?cola sustent?vel, pois ? uma alternativa promissora ao uso de agrot?xicos org?nicos sint?ticos que causam grandes impactos ecotoxicol?gicos. As joaninhas predadoras fazem parte dos agentes de controle biol?gico de pragas agr?colas, podendo ser manejadas pelas tr?s estrat?gias de controle biol?gico: cl?ssico, conservativo e aumentativo. No presente trabalho, buscou-se gerar conhecimento para uso da joaninha predadora afid?faga Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) sob a perspectiva das duas ?ltimas estrat?gias. O controle biol?gico conservativo envolvendo insetos predadores baseia-se no fato de que, na aus?ncia ou escassez da presa preferencial ou na presen?a de outras presas de qualidade inferior, podem usar alimentos alternativos, tais como p?len, para garantir sua sobreviv?ncia e, por vezes, sua reprodu??o e, por isso, esp?cies bot?nicas provedoras desse recurso floral devem integrar a paisagem agr?cola, dentro e/ou no entorno da propriedade agr?cola; enquanto o controle aumentativo requer a multiplica??o do predador no laborat?rio, podendo se valer de presas naturais ou artificiais. Apesar de alguns autores comprovarem a visita??o das flores de algumas esp?cies de Apiaceae por C. maculata, n?o h? relatos na literatura da ingest?o de gr?os de p?len dessa fam?lia bot?nica por essa joaninha. Nesse contexto, este trabalho foi conduzido a fim de selecionar esp?cies de plantas cujas flores sejam fonte de p?len como alimento alternativo ou complementar para C. maculata na perspectiva de compor a vegeta??o dos agroecossistemas para contribuir na conserva??o dessa joaninha, e/ou auxiliar na cria??o massal da mesma em condi??es de laborat?rio. O objetivo do cap?tulo I foi comprovar a ingest?o de p?len de tr?s esp?cies da fam?lia Apiaceae [coentro (Coriandrum sativum L.), endro (Anethum graveolens L.) e erva-doce (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)] a partir da oferta de suas flores para larvas de 4? instar e adultos de C. maculata. Constatou-se a presen?a de gr?os de p?len nas cinco repeti??es de todos os tratamentos, comprovando a ingest?o de p?len dessas tr?s Apiaceae a partir de suas flores por C. maculata. Em 24 horas de exposi??o, os adultos consumiram em m?dia mais p?len de endro em compara??o aos polens de coentro e erva-doce, enquanto que as larvas consumiram mais p?len de erva-doce. O objetivo do capitulo II foi determinar a adequabilidade de nove dietas para C. maculata, incluindo oferta de p?len de duas esp?cies de Apiaceae (coentro e endro), em condi??es controladas de laborat?rio. Apesar das dietas apenas com flores dessas duas Apiaceae n?o proporcionarem o desenvolvimento completo de C. maculata, elas usadas com complementa??o da alimenta??o com ovos de Anagasta kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) possibilitam a redu??o do per?odo larval, aumento no n?mero de ovos por postura e aumento do peso corp?reo. A dieta com larvas vivas de Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae) n?o foi s? comprovada como alimento essencial como tamb?m resultou em adultos de maior peso corp?reo e um aumento no n?mero de ovos por postura em compara??o ? alimenta??o apenas com ovos de A. kuehniella.

Subtribe Reynoutriineae is a monophyletic group within the Polygonaceae, containing three genera: Reynoutria, Muehlenbeckia and Fallopia. The clade is strongly supported by molecular data and is characterised by the presence of a nectariferous gland at the base of leaf petioles, which secretes a sweet, sugary exudate. In this thesis the evolutionary relationships within the subtribe were investigated, and a revised classification is presented that amalgamates all three genera under Fallopia, which has priority. This treatment is supported by phylogenetic analysis, and the detection of intergeneric hybridisation between Reynoutria and Muehlenbeckia. A phylogenetic analysis of molecular sequence data from six gene regions (two nuclear & four plastid) was conducted with the widest sampling of ingroup taxa for this clade to date, in particular being the first to include species from Fallopia sect. Parogonum. The results of this analysis revealed four main clades within the subtribe: a Reynoutria clade, a Fallopia sect. Parogonum clade, a Fallopia s.s. clade (including Fallopia sects. Fallopia & Sarmentosae), and a Muehlenbeckia clade. The Fallopia s.s. and Muehlenbeckia clades are sister to one another, while the Fallopia sect. Parogonum clade is immediately basal. Fallopia, as currently circumscribed, appears to be paraphyletic as species of Muehlenbeckia are nested within it. The parentage of putative hybrids collected as open-pollinated seed from Japanese knotweed s.l. (Reynoutria) in New Zealand, where Muehlenbeckia was the nearest identifiable pollen source, was investigated using: chromosome counts, fluorescent in situ hybridisation with labelled total genomic probes (GISH), and sequence data from three gene regions, one plastid (matK) and two nuclear (the ITS & LEAFYi2). The hybrids were found to be the result of intergeneric hybridisation between Reynoutria and Muehlenbeckia, which supports the amalgamation of the genera. The diversity and geographical origin of Japanese knotweed s.l. in Australasia was also investigated, using: morphology, chromosome counts and PCR-RFLP derived chloroplast haplotypes. The majority of clones match those found in Europe, but there is evidence for an independent introduction from Japan.

ABSTRACT A Floristic Study of the Cal Poly Swanton Pacific Ranch and a New Combination in Sanicula crassicaulis (Apiaceae), Sanicula crassicaulis var. nudicaulis Reed J. Kenny Globally we are experiencing a biodiversity crisis and potentially a sixth mass extinction event. Plant specimens are one of the best, most concrete records of biodiversity that we can create. Despite this, the rate of plant collecting has declined steeply since World War II. Now more than ever, plant collections are vital, both for the purpose of quantifying the plant biodiversity in an area and for discovering previously unrecognized diversity. In Chapter 1, we conducted a floristic survey of the Cal Poly Swanton Pacific Ranch. The Swanton Pacific Ranch (SPR) is located north of the small town of Davenport California, in Santa Cruz county. SPR is 3,200 acres and contains areas of salt marsh, coastal bluff, coastal prairie, riparian forest, redwood forest, mixed conifer forest and chaparral in approximate ascending order of elevation. The property extends over an elevational gradient from 0 m to 420 m (1400 ft). We documented 634 taxa at SPR. In total, 974 specimens were collected during this project, 405 specimens in 2017 and 569 in 2019. We reviewed 211 historic specimens. We vouchered 546 taxa between 2017 and 2019 and observed but did not collect 6 taxa. 53 taxa are represented from historic collections and were not relocated. There are 30 taxa listed as historically present from personal observations of the authors but without vouchers. Though these do not have the same value as a physical specimen, we believe that all information is valuable and have included them with a clear indication of the source of the record. There were 465 native and 169 non-native taxa documented in the study area. There were 93 families represented, with Asteraceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae be ing the top three most speciose respectively. There were 83 taxa noted as locally rare following Neubauer, of these 16 taxa have a California Native Plant Society (CNPS) rare plant rank. We vouchered one new taxon for Santa Cruz County, Senecio aphanactis, which has a CNPS rare plant rank of 2B.2 In Chapter 2, we describe a new combination in the Sanicula crassicaulis species complex. During the project detailed in Chapter 1, we observed and collected several specimens that keyed to Sanicula crassicaulis Poepp. ex. D.C. but were notably distinct from other S. crassicaulis that we collected in the area. On further investigation, we found that these plants match the type specimen of S. nudicaulis Hook & Arn., described in 1839 and later synonymized with S. crassicaulis. This taxon is distinguished primarily by its long, sinuate marginal leaf trichomes, in contrast to the short, straight marginal trichomes of S. crassicaulis. Additionally, the length of the most proximal prickles on the schizocarps is about the same as the length of the most distal rather than the distal prickles being much longer as in S. crassicaulis and the angle of attachment of the prickles is more or less perpendicular as opposed to acute in S. crassicaulis. The known range of this taxon is between the San Francisco Bay Area and Santa Barbara County, generally near the coast. Here we recognize this taxon as a variety in S. crassicaulis, Sanicula crassicaulis var. nudicaulis. We provide a diagnosis, a map of the known range of the taxon and a key to the varieties of S. crassicaulis. Overall this project has significantly increased or knowledge and documentation of the flora of both SPR and Santa Cruz county. In addition to the immediate benefits of this study (a complete species list for SPR, the discovery of a new taxon, and the mapping of all rare species at SPR) we have also contributed almost 1,000 physical specimens to the Cal Poly Hoover herbarium which may be used in future taxonomic and ecological studies.

Les huiles essentielles (HE) de Pituranthos chloranthus, plante médicinale traditionnelle utilisée en Afrique du Nord, ont été extraites par hydrodistillation. Le rendement d’extraction est faible (de 1,5 à 6%) pour toutes les régions (Gabès, Médenine et Benguerdane) et toutes les saisons (novembre, février, avril et août) échantillonnées. L’analyse des HE par GC /FID et GC/MS a permis d’identifier 170 composés. Les monoterpènes (hydrocarbonés et oxygénés) sont prédominants pour toutes les saisons et origines géographiques et varient de 62,3 à 91,5%. Au stade végétatif la somme de l’ a-pinène (composé majoritaire), du b-pinène et du p-cymène constitue environ 50 % de tous les échantillons. Les HE récoltées en avril (floraison) comportent une plus grande quantité d’exo-2-hydroxycineole acétate. Les HE récoltées en août dans les trois régions sont riches en aldéhydes (8,1 à 14%) et en alcools (2,3 à 5. 4%). Le E,E-déca-2,4-dienal, le carvacrol et l’acétate de géranyle sont les composés majoritaires de la période de fructification. Une analyse par régression PLS a permis de discriminer les HE selon le stade de croissance et l’origine géographique. L’activité antibactérienne a été évaluée vis-à-vis de différentes souches bactériennes de référence. Des activités sont observées vis-à-vis de toutes les bactéries testées. Les HE récoltées à Médenine ont un pouvoir bactériostatique de 0,25 ; 0,75 et 1 mg/ml respectivement pour les périodes d’août, novembre et avril vis-à-vis de Staphylococcus. L’HE de Gabès récoltée au mois d’août inhibe fortement la croissance bactérienne d’Echerichia coli (0,5mg/ml), de Staphylococcus aureus (0,8mg/ml) et Enterococcus faecalis (0,8mg/ml). L’activité génotoxique et antigénotoxique a été évaluée au moyen de plusieurs tests: (1) le test d’Ames qui vise à examiner si une substance est capable d’induire des mutations spécifiques chez différentes souches de salmonella typhimurium, (2) le SOS Chromotest qui consiste à examiner si une substance est capable d’induire les fonctions SOS et entraîner une augmentation de l’expression du gène sfiA et (3) un test d’évaluation de la dénaturation de l’ADN plasmidique par photolyse du peroxyde d’hydrogène après exposition au rayonnement UV. Si aucune HE n’a montré d’effet génotoxique, elles ont toutes un effet antigénotoxique important. L’activité antiradicalaire a été évaluée vis-à-vis des deux radicaux DPPH et ABTS, et l’activité antioxydante à l’aide des systèmes xanthine/xanthine oxydase, NBT/Ribovlavine et le système 2-desoxyribose. Toutes les huiles essentielles montrent un effet antiradicalaire et antioxydant plus ou moins important
Pituranthos chloranthus (Apiaceae) is a small aromatic plant which grows naturally in North Africa and is widespread in central and southern Tunisia. The chemical composition of the essential oils (EO) of Pituranthos chloranthus harvested at the vegetative, flower budding, flowering and fruiting stages from three distinct geographical areas of Tunisia was investigated using GC-FID and GC–MS. One hundred and fifty compounds were identified in which α-pinene, β-pinene, α-phellandrene, β-myrcene, β-phellandrene, p-cymene, 8-methyldecanal, exo-2-hydroxycineole acetate and carvacrol could reach more than 10% of the total amount. The geographical and seasonal composition changes were discriminated using a PLS regression analysis. The antimicrobial properties were tested against five different bacteria. The EO were found to be weakly active with MIC and MBC values in the range 0. 6 – 4 and 2. 2 – 5 mg/ml respectively. The antimutagenic activities of oils were tested using Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA104 and TA1535. The EO were not mutagenic towards all strains. They reduced significantly benz(a)pyren, 2-aminoanthracene as well as sodium azide and methyl methanesulfonate induced mutagenicity. The EO were not genotoxic towards both E. Coli PQ37 and PQ35 strains. They reduced significantly Aflatoxin B1, Nifuroxazide and H2O2 induced genotoxicity. A protective effect was shown against damages induced by radicals obtained from the photolysis of H2O2 on DNA plasmid through free radical scavenging mechanisms. Finally, the antioxidative activities of essential oils were investigated using various established in vitro systems including xanthine/xanthine oxidase assay, superoxide radicals scavenging, reducing power as well as the deoxyribose degradation model. The essential oils scavenging capacity was tested for its DPPH radical scavenging and was also estimated by evaluating the inhibition of ABTS+. Radical. SDS-PAGE protein profile was carried out with the fresh aerial parts extracts to observe the variety and evolution of the proteins during vegetative cycle

Les furocoumarines constituent l'une des classes de métabolites secondaires dérivant de la voie de biosynthèse des phénylpropanoïdes. Elles ont été décrites comme étant des phytoaléxines mais sont également très largement utilisées par l'Homme pour leurs propriétés thérapeutiques. Un certain nombre d'études biochimiques ont été réalisées afin d'en comprendre la biosynthèse mais peu de choses sont connues concernant leur déterminisme moléculaire. Dans cette étude, nous nous sommes concentrés sur la caractérisation fonctionnelle de gènes appartenant aux prényltransférases aromatiques potentiellement impliquées dans cette voie de biosynthèse. Les prényltransférases catalysent la première étape de la voie de biosynthèse des furocoumarines linéaires ou angulaires. Elles permettent l'addition d'un groupement dimethylally pyrophosphate (DMAPP) sur l'umbelliférone. En utilisant SfN8DT-1, une prényltransférase aromatique récemment caractérisée, comme sonde, nous avons identifié 7 gènes candidats chez deux familles de plantes (Rutaceae et Apiaceae). Dans la mesure où il a été décrit que ces enzymes étaient des protéines membranaires, nous avons adapté un système d'expression hétérologue basé sur l'utilisation de N. benthamiana. Ce système a été validé par l'expression de deux protéines membranaires : un cytochrome P450 CYP98A22 et une prényltransférase déjà caractérisée SfN8DT-1. Nous avons ensuite utilisé ce système d'expression pour réaliser l'étude des 7 gènes nouvellement isolés. Ces travaux nous ont permis de caractériser la première umbelliferone prenyltransferase de Petroselinum crispum capable de catalyser in vitro et in vivo la prénylation du carbone 6 ou 8 de l'umbelliférone en présence de DMAPP permettant ainsi la synthèse respectivement de demethylsuberosin et d'osthenol. Par ailleurs, une étude réalisée in planta chez le persil a permis de mettre en évidence une relation positive entre le niveau d'expression du gène et la teneur en umbelliférone prénylée. L'étude de la surexpression du gène chez Ruta graveolens a permis de mettre en évidence un lien entre l'expression du gène et la disparition de l'umbelliférone. Enfin nous avons identifié la même activité pour une prényltransférase de Pastinaca sativa, ce qui nous amène à émettre l'hypothèse que l'étape de prénylation n'est pas une étape limitante dans la biosynthèse des furocoumarines angulaires, étant donné que le persil ne produit que des furocoumarines linéaires, tandis que le panais produit des furocoumarines linéaires et angulaires. L'utilisation de ces mêmes systèmes d'expression hétérologue de N. benthamiana et R. graveolens nous a également permis d'identifier une seconde prényltransférase aromatique capable de catalyser l'addition de géranylpyrophosphate (GPP) sur l'umbelliférone et sur l'esculétine
Furanocoumarins constitute one of the classes of secondary metabolites deriving from the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway. These molecules are described as phytoalexins in plants but are also used by humans for their pharmaceutical properties. A large number of biochemical studies were carried out to understand their biosynthetic pathway but little information was available concerning the genes involved in the pathway. In this study, we focused on the characterization of genes encoding for aromatic prenyltransferases which were described to be involved in this pathway. Prenlyltransferases catalyze the entry step to the linear or angular furanocoumarin pathway. Hence they catalyze the addition of a dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) prenyl moiety to umbelliferone. Using a recently characterized aromatic prenyltransferase (SfN8DT-1) as a probe, we isolated 7 different candidate genes from two plant families (Rutaceae and Apiaceae). As these enzymes were described as membrane bound proteins, we adapted a heterologous expression system made up of Nicotiana benthamian aand we validated its efficiency by using two membrane-associated enzymes: a cytochrome P450 (CYP98A22) and the already described prenyltransferase SfN8DT-1. Subsequently, this system was used to perform the functional characterization of the 7 newly identified proteins. This way we succeeded to characterize the first umbelliferone prenyltransferase of Petroselinum crispum that was able to catalyze both the 6-C and 8-C prenylation of umbelliferone with DMAPP producing demethylsuberosin and osthenol respectively. We made evidence that these reactions occurred both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, in planta studies performed in P.crispum showed a positive relationship between the gene expression level and the content of prenylated umbelliferone. The overexpression of this gene was investigated in Ruta graveolens and we could provide evidences of a link between the enzymatic activity and the disappearance of umbelliferone. We also reported a similar activity for a prenyltransferase isolated from Pastinaca sativa, which makes us assume that the prenylation step is not a rate limiting step in the biosynthetic pathway of angular furanocoumarins since parsley is producing only linear furanocoumarins whereas parsnip is producing both linear and angular furanocoumarins. In addition, using the same N. benthamiana and R. graveolens heterologous expression systems, we identified a second aromatic prenyltransferase able to catalyze the addition of geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP) both to umbelliferone and esculetin

Nous nous sommes intéressés à l’étude de la domestication de l’arracacha, une carotte présentant l’originalité d’être reproduite végétativement et d’être native de la région andine tropicale. Le polymorphisme de cette espèce était réputé faible. Dans un premier temps, les marqueurs microsatellites sont donc apparus les marqueurs de choix et ont été développés. Une diversité allélique significative de la forme cultivée mais une diversité plus grande des formes sauvages con-spécifiques sont observées. Cependant, une fraction de cette diversité de la forme cultivée ne s’observe pas parmi les formes sauvages. Un criblage plus large du génome, avec des marqueurs AFLPs et un marqueur de l’ADN chloroplastique, a cependant permis d’identifier la forme sauvage la plus probablement à l’origine de la forme cultivée. En accord avec un patron de domestication fréquemment rencontré parmi les multiples espèces à racines et tubercules domestiquées de la région andine, la forme pérenne serait l’ancêtre direct. Une divergence cryptique entre deux groupes clairement définis de variétés cultivées a par ailleurs été mise en évidence. Elle est attribuable à une introgression génétique de la forme monocarpique sauvage postérieurement à la domestication. Mais une fraction de la diversité génétique de la forme cultivée reste non attribuable à ces formes ancestrales et conduit à tester l’hypothèse d’autres espèces plus éloignées représentées dans le génome de la forme cultivée par introgression génétique. L’approche méthodologique est de repérer des locus microsatellites présumés introgressés et d’en séquencer la région flanquante du motif. Une marche génomique permet d’allonger cette région et d’augmenter le polymorphisme observé. Le travail a été conduit à la fois sur l’arracacha et sur le manioc (suite aux résultats relatés dans le mémoire de DEA). La phylogénie des différents allèles observés à ces locus a permis d’en déterminer l’origine et, dans certains cas parmi les deux genres étudiés, de valider l’hypothèse d’allèles introgressés à partir d’espèces éloignées. L’introgression est aussi démontrée réciproque car des allèles de la forme cultivée sont retrouvés dans des espèces sauvages, ce qui est important des points de vue de l’impact potentiel de la biotechnologie dans les agroécosystèmes et de l’évolution de l’agrobiodiversité. Dans le cas d’un locus de l’arracacha, l’introgression aurait conduit à l’existence de deux groupes d’allèles représentés à la fois parmi les cultivars, ses formes ancestrales et chez une espèce éloignée. Des allèles recombinants sont observés parmi cette espèce sauvage, impliquant des recombinaisons répétées entre les deux groupes d’allèles. L’hypothèse d’une origine anthropique de cette espèce éloignée peut être avancée.

Aciphylla species (wild spaniard/speargrass) are an iconic component of the Australasian high country flora, but their reproductive system is enigmatic. They are insect-pollinated dioecious mast seeders (synchronous highly variable seed production), which seems maladaptive. The resource supply to pollinators is highly variable, yet dioecious plants are dependent on pollinators, and dioecious masting requires male and female plants to flower synchronously. Floral display in Aciphylla is relatively large, with tall inflorescences bearing thousands of flowers, suggesting that plants would not have the resources to produce such large stalks every year. But why do they have such huge inflorescences in the first place? I tested whether pollinator attraction is providing an economy of scale which favours intermittent production of very large inflorescences, by manipulating floral display size during a high-flowering year and measuring insect visitation rates and seed set (female reproductive success). Using space-for-time substitution and selective removal of male inflorescences, I also tested whether female seed set was affected by distance to flowering male plants (i.e. changes in local pollen availability) to see if flowering asynchrony would reduce pollination success. Bags were used to exclude pollination by insects and test for wind pollination, and hand pollination was done to test for pollen limitation. Insect surveys suggest that Aciphylla has a generalist pollination system (to avoid satiating a specialist pollinator during 'mast' years'). Male inflorescences received significantly more visits than females, and some seeds were set inside bags (although only 20-30%), suggesting wind pollination may occur at low levels. Seed set rate was higher for taller inflorescences with greater flowering length in A. aurea but tall inflorescences with excess flowers led to a decrease in seed set rates in A. scott-thomsonii. Hand pollination significantly increased seed set rates although these effects were not as large as expected (e.g. 10% increases from natural to hand-pollinated inflorescences were typical). There was no evidence for resource limitation in any species. Female plants in dense flowering populations had higher seed set rates, and individual floral display size in females was particularly important when females were 'isolated' from males. Insect visitation rates were generally higher on inflorescences with a larger floral display, suggesting that display size is important for pollinator attraction. Overall, these results suggest that the pollinator-attraction benefits of such a large floral display (at both the plant and population level) are possibly providing an economy of scale, although the relative effects are small.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T14:57:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2008 - Alice Teodorio Lixa.pdf: 2009465 bytes, checksum: a5ff9f635d75eab4106b026e084105fb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-06-25
Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior
Among the natural enemies of agriculture pests, the Coccinellidae predators are detached. Some coccinellids only complete their development and produce viable eggs and progenies when they consume their preferred prey. However, when this prey is scarce or in presence of a prey of low quality, certain coccinellids feed on alternative food resources, such as extra floral nectar and pollen, to guarantee their survivorship. Thus, the absence of these floral resources limits the occurrence and abundance of ladybeetles in the agroecosystems. Due to these characteristics, the coccinellids have great potential for being managed by the three strategies of biological control: classic, augmentative and conservation. However, to use the coccinellids as biological control agent, more information about their biology and ecology are still necessary. In this context, the present work was conducted with the general objective of producing information about ecological and biological aspects of the Coccinellidae. These approaches are in the Chapters I and II, respectively. In the Chapter I, the studies aimed to determine if Anethum graveolens (dill), Coriandrum sativum (coriander) and Foeniculum vulgare (sweet fennel) favor the abundance of Coccinellidae; to evaluate the potential of these aromatic plants to provide vital resources for these predators; to determine the species diversity of these insects attracted by these plants; and to characterize their community structure. The experiment was carried out in an integrated crop-livestock organic production area (Seropedica/RJ, Brazil) in a completely randomized design with three treatments (aromatic plants) and three replicates. From September 14th, 2007 to January 21st, 2008, samplings of adults and immature stages of ladybeetles were realized. Besides an unidentified species of Chilocorini, Coleomegilla maculata, Coleomegilla quadrifasciata, Cycloneda sanguinea, Eriopis connexa, Harmonia axyridis, Olla v-nigrum and Hippodamia convergens were collected. The dill provided significant increase in the abundance of coccinellids in relation to the coriander and sweet fennel. These three aromatic vegetal species were used as ovipositon sites and shelter for immature forms and adults of ladybeetles. The dill and sweet fennel were also used as mating sites and proved food resources (pollen and/or alternative prey). The principal species visiting these aromatic plants were C. sanguinea, H. convergens, and E. connexa (more frequent, constant and dominant). In the Chapter II, the studies aimed to determine biology aspects of Coleomegilla maculata and Eriopis connexa feed on two diets: ultraviolet-unviable and frozen eggs of Anagasta kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and the alive aphids of Lipaphis erysimi (Hemiptera: Aphididae) under laboratory condition (25 ? 1?C, relative humidity of 70 ? 10%, and photophase of 12 hours). The experimental design was complete randomized in a 2x2 split-plot arrangement (two ladybeetle species and two diets). In general, the biological characteristics of C. maculata and E. connexa were similar, when their larvae and adults fed on the two diets. Both diets were suitable for C. maculata and E. connexa, keeping their development and oviposition for a generation, and the eggs of A. kuehniella still maintained the rearing of these ladybeetles for one more generation.
Entre os inimigos naturais de pragas agr?colas, destacam-se os Coccinellidae predadores. Alguns coccinel?deos s? completam seu desenvolvimento e produzem ovos e prog?nie vi?vel quando consomem sua presa preferencial. Todavia, quando esta presa est? escassa ou na presen?a de uma presa de qualidade inferior, certos coccinel?deos alimentam-se de alimentos alternativos, tais como n?ctar extrafloral e p?len, para garantir sua sobreviv?ncia. Desse modo, a aus?ncia desses recursos florais limita a ocorr?ncia e abund?ncia de joaninhas nos agroecossistemas. Devido essas caracter?sticas, os coccinel?deos apresentam grande potencial para serem manejados por meio do controle biol?gico cl?ssico, aumentativo e conservativo. Todavia, para usar os coccinel?deos como agente de controle biol?gico, mais informa??es sobre sua biologia e ecologia s?o ainda necess?rias. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo geral de gerar informa??es sobre aspectos ecol?gicos e biol?gicos dos Coccinellidae, sendo esses temas abordados nos Cap?tulos I e II, respectivamente. No cap?tulo I, os estudos foram conduzidos com os seguintes objetivos: determinar se Anethum graveolens (endro), Coriandrum sativum (coentro) e Foeniculum vulgare (erva-doce) favorecem a abund?ncia de Coccinellidae; avaliar o potencial dessas esp?cies arom?ticas como provedoras de recursos vitais para esses predadores; determinar a diversidade de esp?cies desses insetos atra?dos por essas plantas; e caracterizar a estrutura de sua comunidade. O experimento foi conduzido em ?rea de produ??o org?nica integrada animalvegetal (Serop?dica/RJ), em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com tr?s tratamentos (esp?cies arom?ticas) e tr?s repeti??es. De 14 de setembro de 2007 a 21 de janeiro de 2008, foram realizadas amostragens de adultos e formas imaturas de joaninhas. Al?m de uma esp?cie n?o identificada da tribo Chilocorini, coletou-se Coleomegilla maculata, Coleomegilla quadrifasciata, Cycloneda sanguinea, Eriopis connexa, Harmonia axyridis, Olla v-nigrum e Hippodamia convergens. O endro proporcionou aumento significativo na abund?ncia de coccinel?deos em compara??o ao coentro e ? erva-doce. Essas tr?s esp?cies arom?ticas foram usadas como s?tios de oviposi??o e abrigo para formas imaturas e adultas de joaninhas. O endro e a erva-doce tamb?m foram utilizados como s?tios de acasalamento e de alimenta??o pelas joaninhas. As principais esp?cies visitantes das arom?ticas foram C. sanguinea, H. convergens e E. connexa (mais freq?entes, constantes e dominantes). No cap?tulo II, os estudos foram conduzidos com os seguintes objetivos: 1) determinar aspectos biol?gicos de C. maculata e E. connexa alimentadas com duas dietas: ovos de Anagasta kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) inviabilizados com ultravioleta e congelados e pulg?es vivos de Lipaphis erysimi (Hemiptera: Aphididae), em condi??es de laborat?rio (25?1?C, 70?10% UR e fotofase de 12 horas). O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado em arranjo fatorial 2 x 2 (duas esp?cies de joaninhas e duas dietas). No geral, as caracter?sticas biol?gicas de C. maculata e E. connexa foram bem semelhantes, quando suas larvas e adultos se alimentaram das duas dietas. Ambas as dietas foram adequadas para C. maculata e E. connexa, assegurando seu desenvolvimento e oviposi??o por uma gera??o e os ovos de A. kuehniella permitiram ainda manter a cria??o dessas joaninhas por mais uma gera??o.

This thesis examines the cytochrom P450 (CYP) drug metabolizing enzyme inhibition and antimicrobial properties of 46 common food plants available in the Canadian Market and the inhibitory properties of 17 traditional Cree antidiabetic medicines on aldose reductase. Inhibitory activity profiles of CYP 3A4, 3A5, 3A7 and 2D6 were created for the 46 samples. The most active plants in the CYP inhibition assay were the spices, belonging to the Apiaceae and Lamiaceae. Similarly, the most active plants in the antimicrobial assay were also the Apiaceae and Lamiaceae. Swine lens homogenate was tested as a novel model for the aldose reductase inhibition assay. Several Cree plants selected for the aldose reductase study showed a high activity, primarily in samples which also contained high levels of phenolics. A positive correlation was observed between total phenolics content and aldose reductase inhibition r2=0.44, p=0.05. Crude extracts of Rhododendron groenlandicum exhibited inhibitory activities of 35.11 ± 0.16 %. The subfractionation and HPLC analysis of R. groenlandicum revealed high levels of phenolics compounds including, catechin, epicatechin, quercetin and quercetin glycosides. This study found that medicinal and food plants contain phytochemicals that may have both beneficial and detrimental biological effects.
Nous avons étudié dans cette thèse les capacités de 46 plantes comestibles, disponibles sur le marché canadien, à inhiber le cytochrome P450 (CYP), enzyme responsable du métabolisme des médicaments, les propriétés antimicrobiennes, et les propriétés inhibitrices de l'aldose réductase à partir de 17 médicaments antidiabétiques traditionnellement utilisés par les Cris. Les profils de l'activité inhibitrice du CYP 3A4, 3A5, 3A7 et 2D6 ont été réalisés pour les 46 plantes à l'étude. Les plantes les plus actives dans le test d'inhibition du CYP furent les épices, plantes appartenant aux familles des Apiaceae et Lamiaceae. De même, les plantes les plus actives dans le bioessai antimicrobien furent aussi les plantes de ces deux mêmes familles. Un homogénat de cristallin de porc a été utilisé comme modèle nouveau pour le test d'inhibition de l'aldose réductase. Plusieurs plantes, utilisées par la nation Cri, qui ont été sélectionnées pour l'étude ont montré une forte activité inhibitrice de l’aldose réductase, principalement dans les échantillons qui contenaient des teneurs élevées en composés phénoliques. Une corrélation positive a été observée entre la teneur totale en composés phénoliques et l'inhibition de l'aldose réductase (r2 = 0.44, p = 0.05). Des extraits bruts de Rhododendron groenlandicum ont montré des activités inhibitrices de 35.11 ± 0.16%. Le sous-fractionnement et l'analyse HPLC de R. groenlandicum ont aussi révélé des teneurs élevées des composés phénoliques, incluant la catéchine, l'épicatéchine, la quercétine et les glycosides de quercétine. Cette étude a montré que les plantes médicinales et alimentaires contiennent des composés phytochimiques qui peuvent avoir à la fois des effets biologiques bénéfique et préjudiciable.

Le crithme maritime (crithmum maritimum l. , apiacees) est une plante halophyte et chasmophyte, commensale des littoraux du monde entier et particulierement abondante dans notre region. Dans un but de valorisation cosmetique et/ou dietetique de cette plante, nous nous sommes interessee a sa composition biochimique et plus particulierement a l'etude de son huile essentielle qui s'est revelee peu volatile du fait de sa richesse en sesquiterpenes. Nous avons par ailleurs effectue une determination du contenu mineral de la plante. Les differentes etudes analytiques ont ete menees sur l'ensemble d'un cycle vegetatif complet. Par ailleurs, les prelevements vegetaux ont ete effectues en quatre stations du littoral francais (trois sur la cote atlantique et une sur la cote mediterraneenne) et des comparaisons avec la composition du terrain ont ete realisees

Polyploidization belong to principal evolutionary mechanisms in plants. Although it is rather rare in the family Apiaceae, there are several interesting polyploid complexes here. The present study deals with Libanotis pyrenaica, species three previously reported ploidy levels, namely diploid (2n = 2x = 22), tetraploid (2n = 4 x = 44) and most likely very rare triploid (2n = 3x = 33). The present study aims at geographical pattern of ploidal diversity in central Europe, genetic variation and selected biological features of this species. Flow cytometru, analysis of two chloroplast DNA markers (trnF-trnL and cp018-cp020), morphometrics and in vitro germination experiments were used. The tetraploid cytotype occurs throughout the studied area; in the Czech Republic it was found in the České středohoří Mts., southern Bohemia and Moravia, in Slovakia it especially in the Carpathian mountains in western and central parts of the country and in the Pieniny Mts. in the northeast. Tetraploid cytotype occurs mainly in central-east Europe; in the Czech Republic it is common in the lowlands along the river of Labe and locally in Moravia; in Slovakia it was found along the river of Váh, in the Slovenské rudohorie Mts. and in the Belanské Tatry Mts. A mixed-ploidy population (2x, 4x) was discovered in southern...

The generic boundaries and relationships of Annesorhiza Cham. & Schlechtd., Chamarea Eckl. & Zeyh. and two deciduous species Peucedanum L. (P. filicaule and P. triternatum) have until now been unsatisfactory. This is mainly due to the fact that the species are inconspicuous, poorly known and poorly represented in herbarium collections. The present study has resulted in the recognition of three sections and 21 species within a broadened concept of Annesorhiza. The genus Chamarea is included in Annesorhiza as a section and P. filicaule and P. triternatum are transferred to Annesorhiza to make the genus Peucedanum more uniform. A new section, Ternata Vessio et al., and a new species, A. elsiae Vessio et al., are described. Morphological, anatomical, phenological and geographical evidence is used to investigate the relationships between the genera and species. These characters are discussed and illustrated. The anatomy and structure of leaves (pinnate or ternate), as well as the symmetry, morphology and anatomy of the fruit, and the size and shape of sepals proved to be of taxonomic value in distinguishing between taxa. The data is analysed cladistically, using Glia Sond. as an outgroup. The analyses show that all members of the study group form a monophyletic group characterized by deciduous leaves and the periodic replacement of fleshy roots. Within this larger group (Annesorhiza sensu lato) three monophyletic entities can be distinguished, each of which is treated as a formal sections: Section 1. Annesorhiza sensu stricto (including all except three species of the genus Annesorhiza sensu stricto); Section 2. Chamarea (including all except two species of the genus Chamarea); Section 3. Ternata Vessio et al. (a new section to accommodate all species with ternate leaves – three from Annesorhiza sensu stricto, two from Chamarea and two from Peucedanum). A formal taxonomic treatment is presented, including keys to the recognized sections and species, correct nomenclature, typification, descriptions and distribution maps.
Dr. P.M. Tilney

Recent molecular studies (Plunkett et al., 1996b, 1997; Downie et al., 1999, 2001; Plunkett, 2001; Valiejo-Roman et al., 2002) on the family Apiaceae have shown that the existing classification system is largely artificial and that genera and tribes are in need of considerable re-arrangement. The fruit morphology and anatomy of 212 genera and 267 species of the family were studied. This study shows that a new interpretation of traditional morphological evidence will not only help to improve our understanding of the newly emerging molecular phylogeny of the Apiaceae, but also be useful for systematic studies of the family. Fruit structure, the very wide commissure and thick mesocarp as is found in Araliaceae fruits especially, provides some support for the molecular systematic study (Plunkett, 2001) in which it was proposed to move Hydrocotyle L. from Drude’s (1898) Hydrocotyloideae Link. to be a sister of ‘core Araliaceae’. Fruit structural evidence from selected Araliaceae suggests that the Araliaceae and Apiaceae are not fundamentally different and that the two families, as currently circumscribed are linked by taxa sharing character states of both families. Hydrocotyle shows features of both Araliaceae and Mackinlayeae. Two genera, Myodocarpus Brongn. & Gris. and Mackinlaya F. Muell., should be moved from Araliaceae to respectively the Myodocarpeae R. Vig. and Mackinlayeae R. Vig., which cladistically are placed below the Apiaceae. The former has median wings and large vittae and the latter has crystals present in the innermost portion of the mesocarp adjacent to the endocarp. These features are usually absent in Araliaceae but may be present in Apiaceae. A study of fruit features of all other genera with laterally compressed mericarps of Drude’s (1898) Hydrocotyloideae (except for Hydrocotyle) suggests that it may be possible to move these taxa to Mackinlayeae because they share not only laterally compressed mericarps, but a similar crystal position and arrangement of ventral bundles (there are cells between the ventral bundles, but a true carpophore is absent), as with Mackinlaya. In the present study the subfamily Mulinoideae [Plunkett et al. (2004) has now independently described this subfamily as the Azorelloideae Plunkett & Lowry subfam. nov. ined.] is proposed and used for Drude’s (1898) Mulineae DC. The Mulinoideae includes three groups, viz. the Klotzschia Cham., Azorella Lam. and Bolax Commerson ex Jussieu groups. The mericarps of the genera in the Klotzschia group may have five prominent ribs and a very wide commissure. In the Azorella group the lateral ribs are small and the marginal ribs may be prominent or winged and the commissure narrow. In the Bolax group the mericarps have more prominent lateral ribs or wings and the marginal ribs are small or undeveloped. The commissure is very narrow. Crystals may be present in the Klotzschia group. They are usually absent in the Azorella group and present in most genera of the Bolax group. These results partly support a molecular study (Plunkett, 2001), in which three groups: the Klotzschia, Azorella and Bowlesia groups, were indicated. The subfamily Saniculoideae is unique in fruit structure. Intrajugal oil ducts are present and there are sometimes some small vittae scattered in the mesocarp. Crystals are dispersed in the mesocarp. Lagoecia L., which has vallecular and commissural vittae, should not be grouped in Saniculoideae but rather be positioned with Apioideae as was indicated by a molecular study (Plunkett et al. 1996; Downie et al., 2001; Valiejo-Roman et al., 2002). Several African genera, including Lichtensteinia Cham. & Schltdl., Marlothiella H. Wolff, Arctopus L., Polemanniopsis B.L. Burtt and Steganotaenia Hochst, have only large intrajugal oil ducts as in Saniculoideae (Steganotaenia also has some small vittae scattered in the mesocarp). A slightly lignified endocarp may be present in most genera (except in Marlothiella) and crystals are present in Lichtensteinia and Marlothiella as in Saniculoideae and absent in other genera. It is proposed that these taxa be moved from Apioideae to near the Saniculoideae as different groups: the Arctopus, Polemanniopsis and Lichtensteinia groups (the latter includes Marlothiella), in addition to the Saniculoideae sensu stricto. This corresponds to a large extent with DNA sequence data (Downie & Katz-Downie, 1999; Plunkett, 2001). The ‘basal Apioideae’ is morphologically poorly defined but can be recognized by a combination of plesiomorphic characters, such as the woody habit, heteromorphic fruits, deciduous leaves and poorly developed carpophores. The most reliable difference between this group and the genera of ‘remaining Apioideae’ is the dispersed crystals in the mesocarp as in Saniculoideae. In ‘basal Apioideae’, DNA studies (Downie et al., 2001; Plunkett, 2001) indicated that the Heteromorpheae Downie & Watson include five endemic African genera: Anginon Raf., Dracosciadium Hilliard & B.L. Burtt, Glia Sond., Heteromorpha Cham. & Schltdl. and Polemannia Eckl. & Zeyh. The fruit study shows that in these genera laterally-winged mericarps (of heteromorphic fruits) and lignified endocarps and mesocarps may be present as well as crystals dispersed in the mesocarp and ventral bundles usually becoming free. Some other endemic African and Madogascar genera, viz. Andriana B-E. van Wyk, Cannaboidea B-E. van Wyk, Pseudocannaboides B-E. van Wyk, Pseudocarum C. Norman and Tana B-E. van Wyk, should also be placed in, or close to, the Heteromorpheae because they have crystals dispersed in the mesocarp and ventral bundles usually becoming free as in some Heteromorpheae. In the Annesorhiza Cham. & Schltdl. group (Annesorhiza and Chamarea Eckl. & Zeyh.), laterally-winged fruits (in heteromorphic fruits), a distinct hypoderm and a lignified endocarp may be present. The monotypic genus Molopospermum W.D.J. Koch is related to Annesorhiza (Downie, personal communication to B-E. van Wyk and P.M. Tilney); it has lateral wings on one of the two mericarps and an abundance of crystals in the mesocarp. The mericarps of the Bupleureae Spreng. may have irregular vittae as in Saniculoideae sensu stricto. All these fruit features are present in the ‘basal Apioideae’ and may be found in Saniculoideae and related groups. Remaining Apioideae differs from the genera of ‘basal Apioideae’ in the absence of dispersed crystals in the mesocarp and various other characters that occur alone or in combination (see above). Eight tribes (including some subtribes) and seven additional clades in ‘remaining Apioideae’ were defined by Downie et al. (2001). The circumscription of some of the tribes, subtribes and clades distinguished by Downie et al. (2001) on the basis of DNA data receive support from fruit structure. These taxa include tribes Aciphylleae and Echinophoreae, subtribes Daucinae and Torilidinae, and clades the Arracacia, Conioselinum and Heracleum clades. The present study shows that Drude’s (1898) system has significant taxonomic value, although many problems are present in his Hydrocotyloideae and Apioideae. These problems may have arisen because some fruit characters were not available, were overlooked, ignored or over-emphasised. Although some of Drude’s groups will be retained in a new system, a clear break from the Drude system is indicated by molecular systematics. This study suggests that taxonomically important fruit characters are wing configuration, presence or absence of intrajugal oil ducts and vittae and their size, presence or absence of crystals and their positions, possible lignification of the endocarp, and the arrangement and position of ventral bundles that may or may not form free carpophores. Therefore, evidence provided by fruit structure, if properly interpreted, can help to support and strengthen the newly emerging molecular phylogeny of the Apiaceae and facilitate understanding of the evolution of taxa in the family.
Prof. B.E. van Wyk

碩士
國立臺灣師範大學
生物學系
93
The genus Hydrocotyle (Apiaceae) in Taiwan was taxonomically revised based on morphological, palynological, cytotaxonomic, phytogeographical, and ecological studies. Morphology of leaves, vesture of leaf-blades and petioles, inflorescence, length of peduncles, flower number in single umbel, and micro-morphology of fruits are important characters for the classification of Taiwan taxa. Stem form, distribution, sizes of leaf-blade, and micro-morphology of leaves also provide useful application. Palynologically, sexine sculpture shows interspecific difference. Cytologically, chromosome numbers of six Taiwan Hydrocotyle were counted. The counts of H. javanica (2n=ca. 66) and H. ramiflora (2n=ca. 84) from this study are not congruent with previous study (Liu et al., 1961). The chromosome number 2n=ca. 84 is reported for H. ramiflora from Taiwan for the first time. As a result, eight species and two varieties, including one new variety - H. dichondroides var. tatunensis, were treated. Two erroneous names, H. benguetensis and H. dichondroides were corrected as H. delicate and H. ×ranunculifolia respectively. A natural hydrid Hydrocotyle ×ranunculifolia, putatively derived from H. batrachium and H. dichondroides var. tatunensis, was recognized based on intermediate morphology and extremely low stainability of pollen grains. The rediscovery of H. javaica and H. dichondroides var. dichondroides, which has been ignored for a long time, is also documented. Based on the re-collection of H. keelungensis, a species has never been collected except the type collection, the author treats it as synonymy of H. sibthorpioides var. tuberifera (Ohwi) Yamazaki.

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências - Especialidade em Biologia
The development of biopesticides follows a strong rising trend over the last two decades, and a continued growth of the global biopesticides market is forecasted. This phenomenon is largely supported by the growing awareness to environmentally friendly food production and the introduction of restrictive regulations for pesticides. In light of their multiples advantage over synthetic pesticides, biopesticides appear economical, eco-friendly and less prone to the development of resistance, and hence are expected to provide more environmentally sustainable methods of biocontrol (Czaja et al., 2015). In fact, biopesticides have been integrated in several pest and vector management programs. As a complementary approach or alternative to synthetic pesticides, phytochemicals, namely essential oils (EOs) and volatile compounds are incorporated into crop protection products, as well as repellent formulations (Regnault- Roger et al., 2012). The best market opportunities have been assigned to EO-based pesticides, owing to the great availability, GRAS status, chemical simplicity, relatively low toxicity to vertebrates and specific mode-of-action of their constituents (Isman & Akhtar, 2007; Shaaya & Rafaeli, 2007). In this context, the Apiaceae (=Umbelliferae) family, which comprised economically important plants species, presents a wide variety of bioactive compounds being also an important source of EOs and volatile compounds distributed by several distinct chemicals classes. Aware of their traditional use, their relatively large worldwide production and the bioactive potential described by many authors, we proposed to perform an appraisal of the biopesticidal potential of well-known Apiaceae species, whose experimental approach, results and discussion are here reported. In a few words, this work consisted in: (1) the characterization of EOs extracted from different plant parts of four species [Anethum graveolens (dill), Cuminum cyminum (cumin), Foeniculum vulgare var. vulgare (bitter fennel), Petroselinum crispum (plain leaf parsley)] and (2) the toxicological evaluation of some EOs and individual constituents, using as target organisms a mosquito (Anopheles atroparvus), a lepidopteran (Pseudaletia unipuncta) and a freshwater snail (Radix peregra). The anti-nematode properties of bitter fennel EOs and two phenylpropanoids against Meloidogyne javanica was also evaluated. EOs were isolated by hydrodistillation and chemically characterized by GC and GC-MS. Quantitative data were obtained using GC-FID and the identification of constituents was achieved with the help of spectra libraries and determination of their KI. The overall identification of their content ranged between 88 and 99.5%. The EOs content (ranging between 0.10-3.45%) and chemical profiles were highly variable depending of the organ type, developmental stage and origin of the material. The development of dill umbels from the pre-flowering to the ripe fruit stage was accompanied by a significant increase of (S)- carvone (from 4 to 61% of the EO content) and a reduction of α-phellandrene and dill ether contents. Bitter fennel infrutescences and leaves plus stems EOs were mainly composed by estragole (64 and 28%, respectively), followed by α-phellandrene, α-pinene and fenchone. We also identified intra-individual variations in the cultivated population of bitter fennel. Concerning cumin EOs, all fruit samples and the commercial EO were mainly constituted by cuminaldehyde (28-39 %), followed by variable amounts of pmentha- 1,4-dien-7-al, p-mentha-1,3-dien-7-al, β-pinene, p-cymene and γ-terpinene. EOs from parsley were the most complex of the four species, being characterized by a high percentage of hydrocarbon monoterpenes and several phenylpropenes (myristicin, apiole, elemicin and/or allyltetramethoxybenzene). The activity of EOs and individual compounds was assessed against A. atroparvus (3rd instar larvae), P. unipuncta (eggs and larvae) and R. peregra (eggs, juveniles and adults). Bitter fennel EOs were also tested against eggs and juveniles of M. javanica. Whenever possible, mortality (%) was recorded for a range of optimized concentrations or at different times of exposure, and the lethal parameters for 50 % and 90% (lethal concentrations, LCs, and/or lethal times, LTs) were estimated by Log-Probit analysis. EOs from parsley, cumin and bitter fennel (leaves more stems) were highly active towards the snail (both eggs and adults) and the mosquito larvae. Estimated LC50 against adult snails varied from 13.7 to 46.5 mg L-1 (48 h), and from 16 to 143 mg L-1 (24 h) against the mosquito larvae, with parsley fruit EO being the most doseeffective one in both situations. A short-time exposure (8 h) to bitter fennel EOs was also effective for snail control. Regarding assays performed on P. unipuncta, dill, cumin and parsley EOs, as well as the compounds (S)-carvone, cuminaldehyde and myristicin, showed satisfactory egg hatching inhibition, and acute contact toxicity to the 4th instar larvae (24 h-LC50 ranging from 108 to 197 μg cm-2). Dill, cumin and bitter fennel EOs and some of their constituents were effective by fumigation (≥80%). In addition, the EO from parsley fruits, trans-anethole and cuminaldehyde displayed significant feeding deterrence and growth inhibition (FDI and GI >70%), when performing the no-choice assay with treated corn leaves, causing significant negative impact on the metabolism of this lepidopteran. Parsley fruits EO was of great efficacy against P. unipuncta, acting as ovicide, larvicide (by contact), feeding deterrent and growth inhibitor. Its constituents myristicin and apiole (purified by CC) showed similar effectiveness in several assays. Besides, we distinguish the phenylpropanoid trans-anethole (a constituent of bitter fennel EOs) for its acute insecticidal, nematicidal and molluscicidal activities, being more active than its isomer (estragole). The present study demonstrates that EOs from the four studied Apiaceae species, along with some of their major compounds, have moderate to strong anti-insect and molluscicidal properties. EOs and compounds showed distinct performances depending on the type of assay, the exposure period, the tested organism and/or its developmental stage. In general, the reproductive organs (umbels-bearing fruits and eventually ripen fruits) were optimum sources of EOs containing the highest percentage of biologically active compounds (except bitter fennel). As a whole, the results demonstrates that the four plant species are promising sources of botanical biopesticides in the context of the biochemical control of phytophagous insects and vectors of human and animal diseases.
O desenvolvimento de biopesticidas tem progredido consistentemente ao longo das duas últimas décadas e as previsões apontam para uma tendência de crescimento contínuo do mercado global destes produtos. Este fenômeno é explicado essencialmente por uma maior consciencialização para a produção de alimentos de um modo sustentável e pela introdução de regulamentações mais restritivas ao uso de pesticidas. Em virtude das suas múltiplas vantagens relativamente aos pesticidas sintéticos, os biopesticidas afiguram-se económicos, ecológicos e menos propensos ao desenvolvimento de resistências constituindo, portanto, métodos de biocontrolo ambientalmente mais sustentáveis (Czaja et al, 2015). Com efeito, os biopesticidas têm sido integrados em vários programas de gestão de pragas e vetores. Como abordagem complementar ou alternativa aos pesticidas sintéticos, os fitoquímicos, nomeadamente óleos essenciais (OE) e seus constituintes voláteis, são incorporados em produtos de proteção das culturas bem como em formulações repelentes (Shaaya & Rafaeli, 2007; Regnault-Roger et al, 2012). Existe uma grande oportunidade de mercado para os pesticidas à base de OEs ou seus constituintes, em virtude da sua grande disponibilidade, da sua classificação GRAS, da simplicidade estrutural das moléculas, da relativa baixa toxicidade para os vertebrados e modos de ação específicos (Isman & Akhtar, 2007; Shaaya & Rafaeli, 2007). Neste contexto, a família Apiaceae (= Umbelliferae), que compreende espécies de plantas economicamente importantes, apresenta uma ampla variedade de compostos bioativos, sendo ainda uma importante fonte de OEs e compostos voláteis pertencentes a diversas classes químicas. Com fundamento nas suas utilizações tradicionais, na importante produção mundial e no potencial bioativo descrito por muitos autores, propusemos realizar uma avaliação do potencial biopesticida de espécies de Apiaceae bem conhecidas. Em resumo, este trabalho consistiu na: (1) caracterização dos OEs de diferentes partes de planta de quatro espécies [Anethum graveolens (aneto), Cuminum cyminum (cominho), Foeniculum vulgare var. vulgare (funcho amargo), Petroselinum crispum (salsa)] e (2) na avaliação toxicológica de alguns OEs, bem como de alguns constituintes, usando uma espécie de mosquito (Anopheles atroparvus), um lepidóptero (Pseudaletia unipuncta) e um caracol de água doce (Radix peregra) como organismos alvo. As propriedades anti-nemátode dos OEs de funcho amargo e dois fenilpropanoides contra Meloidogyne javanica foram igualmente avaliadas. Os OEs foram isolados por hidrodestilação e caracterizados quimicamente por GC e GC-MS. Os dados quantitativos foram obtidos através de GC-FID sendo a identificação dos constituintes concretizada com base na consulta de bibliotecas espectrais e na determinação dos KI. A identificação abrangeu 88 a 99,5% do conteúdo total. Os teores em OE (compreendidos entre 0,10 a 3,45% w/w) e os perfis químicos variaram consideravelmente em função do órgão, do estágio de desenvolvimento e da origem do material. O desenvolvimento de inflorescências de aneto desde a prefloração à maturação dos frutos foi acompanhado por um aumento significativo de (S)-carvona (de 4 a 61% do teor dos OEs) e uma redução dos teores de α-felandreno e anetofurano. Por seu lado, os OEs de infrutescências e caules do funcho amargo eram maioritariamente constituídos por estragole (64 e 28%, respetivamente), seguida de α-felandreno, α-pineno e fenchona. Também identificamos a ocorrência de variações intra-individuais na população cultivada de funcho amargo. Em relação aos OEs do cominho, todas as amostras de frutos e o OE comercial foram maioritariamente constituídos por cuminaldeído (28-39%), e quantidades variáveis de p-menta-1,4-dien-7-al, p-menta-1,3-dien-7-al, β-pineno, pcimeno e γ-terpineno. De entre as quatro espécies os OEs de salsa foram os mais complexos, sendo caracterizados por uma elevada percentagem de hidrocarbonetos monoterpénicos e vários fenilpropenos (miristicina, apiole, elemicina e/ou alil-tetrametoxibenzeno). Posteriormente, foi investigada a atividade dos OEs e alguns compostos individuais sobre A. atroparvus (larvas de terceiro ínstar), P. unipuncta (ovos e larvas) e R. peregra (ovos, jovens e adultos). Os OEs do funcho amargo foram ainda testados contra ovos e jovens de M. javanica. Sempre que possível, a mortalidade (%) foi registrada para uma gama de concentrações otimizadas ou em diferentes tempos de exposição, sendo os parâmetros letais para 50% e 90% (concentrações letais, CLs e/ou tempos letais, TLs) estimadas por análise Log-Probit. Os OEs de salsa, cominho e funcho amargo (folhas e caules) foram extremamente ativos contra as formas embrionária e adulta do caracol, assim como nas larvas de mosquito. As CL50 estimadas para os caracóis adultos variaram entre 13,7 a 46,5 mg L-1 (48 h), e entre 16 a 143 mg L-1 par as larvas do mosquito, sendo evidenciada a maior eficácia do OE de frutos de salsa na dose-resposta, contras ambos os organismos. A exposição de curta duração (8 h) aos OEs do funcho amargo foi também eficaz no controlo dos caracóis. Nos ensaios realizado com P. unipuncta, os OEs de aneto, cominho e salsa, bem como os compostos (S)-carvona, cuminaldeído e miristicina mostraram acentuados efeitos inibitórios na eclosão dos ovos, e uma aguda toxicidade por contacto sobre as larvas no quarto instar (as CL50 às 24 h variaram entre 108 a 197 μg cm-2). Os OEs de aneto, cominho e funcho e alguns dos seus constituintes foram eficazes por fumigação (≥80%). Além disso, o OE de frutos de salsa, o trans-anetole e o cuminaldeído apresentaram efeitos inibitórios agudos no consumo de folhas de milho tratadas e no crescimento das larvas (FDI e GI> 70%), revelando um impacto negativo no metabolismo deste lepidóptero muito significativo. O OE dos frutos da salsa foi de grande eficácia ovicida, larvicida, fago-repelente, e inibidor do crescimento larvar. Os constituintes miristicina e apiole, ambos purificados do OE de frutos de salsa por CC, mostraram eficácia similar em alguns ensaios. Além disso, distinguimos o phenylpropanoid trans-anetole (constituinte do OE de funcho) pela sua forte atividade inseticida, nematicida e moluscicidas, sendo mais ativo que o seu isómero (estragole). O presente estudo demonstra que os OEs das quatro espécies de Apiaceae, e alguns dos compostos testados, apresentam propriedades anti-inseto e moluscicidas moderadas a elevadas. Os OEs e compostos apresentaram desempenhos distintos, dependendo do tipo de ensaio, do período de exposição, do organismo testado e/ ou do seu estágio de desenvolvimento. Em geral, os órgãos reprodutivos destas plantas (infrutescências, eventualmente frutos maduros) foram ótimas fontes de OEs contendo percentagens superiores de compostos biologicamente ativos (exceto o funcho amargo). No seu todo, os resultados demonstram que as quatro espécies de plantas são promissoras fontes de biopesticidas botânicos no contexto do controlo bioquímico de insetos fitófagos e vetores transmissores de doenças em humanos e animais.

D.Phil. (Botany)
A taxonomic revision of the genus Centella is presented that is based on vegetative and reproductive characters. Genetic data was included in the extensive research ofpossible hybridisation. Hybridization as a possible mechanism of evolution may account for the lack of conguence between taxonomic characters in Centella. Phylogenetic and phenetic methods of analysis were used to explore the relationships among species. The results show that Centella is a particularly difficult genus, with many ofthe problems experienced at species level being a reflection ofthe problematic nature of the Apiaceae. The taxonomic treatment includes nomenclature, synonymy, typification, diagnostic characters, detailed illustrations and geographical distribution of all 45 species that are recognized. Keys to the subgenera, sections and species are provided. The revision includes several taxonomic and nomenclatural changes. The genus is subdivided as follows: Subgenus Trisanthus Subgenus Solandra Subgenus Centella 1 species 4 species Section Erianthae Section Tri/obae Section Centella Section Virgatae 9 species 3 species 16 species 12 species The following 13 new species were described: C. annua, C. calcaria, C. rotundifolia, C. umbellata, C. ternata, C. crenata, C. cryptocarpa, C. gymnocarpa, C. pi/osa, C. brachycarpa, C. dolichocarpa, C. thesioides and C. glauca. One ofthese species C. cryptocarpa, has been collected for the first time. Centalla rotundifolia, C. cordata and C. longifolia were elevated to species rank and C. rigescens was reinstated as a species of Centella. The number of varieties was significantly reduced and variation within the species is mostly described informally. Varieties were retained for only two species. New varieties are: C. tridentata var. tridentata, C. tridentata var. littoralis, C. tridentata var. hermanniifolia, C. tridentata var. dregeana, C. graminifolia var. graminifolia, C.graminifolia var. natalensis and C. graminifolia var. stipitata.

Ph.D.
Recent anatomical and molecular studies have highlighted the importance of the African and Malagasy Apiaceae, many of which have been found to occupy early diverging positions within the subfamilies Apioideae and Saniculoideae. Despite the recent interest in the African contingent however, there remain several anomalous and poorly known African and Malagasy taxa in which generic boundaries remain unclear and which have yet to be incorporated within the emerging tribal classification for the family. Generic circumscriptions and affinities amongst hitherto poorly known African and Malagasy genera are here explored using anatomical, cytological, morphological and molecular sequence data. Substantial rearrangements at almost all infrafamilial levels are formalized in order to incorporate the unique African and Malagasy members for the first time. Generic circumscriptions and phylogenetic relationships of the Cape genera Capnophyllum, Dasispermum, and Sonderina are explored through parsimony and Bayesian inference analyses of nrDNA ITS and cpDNA rps16 intron sequences, morphology, and combined molecular and morphological data. The relationship of these genera with the North African genera Krubera and Stoibrax is also assessed. Analyses of both molecular data sets place Capnophyllum, Dasispermum, Sonderina, and the only southern African species of Stoibrax (S. capense) within the newly recognized Lefebvrea Glade of tribe Tordylieae. Capnophyllum is strongly supported as monophyletic and is distantly related to Krubera. The monotypic genus Dasispermum and Stoibrax capense are embedded within a paraphyletic Sonderina. This complex is distantly related to the North African species of Stoibrax in tribe Apieae, in which the type species, Stoibrax dichotomum, occurs. Consequently, Dasispermum is expanded to include both Sonderina and Stoibrax capense. A taxonomic revision of Dasispermum s.l. is presented which includes keys to the species, complete nomenclature, typifications, descriptions as well as geographical distributions. New combinations are formalized for Dasispermum capense, hispidum, D. humile, and D. tenue. In addition two new species, namely D. grandicarpum and D. perrenans, are described. As a result seven species of Dasispermum s.l. are recognised and can be distinguished from one another by their habit (life history and growth form), leaf morphology (leaf texture, leaf colour and breadth of the ultimate leaflet segments), inflorescence structure (length of the peduncle, presence or absence and division of involucre and involucel bracts), fruit morphology (relative length of the styles, fruit size, rib prominence and relative orientation) and fruit anatomy (shape of the cells external to the vittae).

Phylogenetic relationships within Apiaceae tribe Scandiceae subtribe Ferulinae were investigated using sequence data from the chloroplast DNA and nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. One hundred and seventy-six accessions were examined, representing the genera of the subtribe (Ferula, Dorema, Leutea) and outgroup taxa. The cpDNA markers included three non-coding loci: rpoB-trnC intergenic spacer, rps16 intron and rpoC1 intron. These loci were analyzed separately and combined to assess their relative utility for resolving relationships. Partition homogeneity tests yielded trees that demonstrated the incongruency between cpDNA and nrDNA regions. Among the loci examined, rps16 intron showed less variability relative to its size than the other used cpDNA markers. Phylogenies derived from maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of combined cpDNA and nrDNA sequences for 156 accessions (representing 114 species of Ferula, 6 species of Dorema, 9 species of Leutea and 10 outgroup taxa) were resolved to some extent. Based on these analyses, Dorema is nested within Ferula and should be therefore subsumed within the latter. In contrast, Leutea appears to be in a sister position to Ferula and should be retained as a separate genus. Biogeographical inferences were obtained by applying statistical dispersal- vicariance analysis (S-DIVA) and Bayesian binary MCMC (BBM) analysis implemented in RASP. These analyses revealed that subtribe Ferulinae has originated in the Armeno-Iranian Province and diversified in central Asia, floristically encompassing the central and eastern part of the Irano-Turanian Floristic Region, where the representatives of nearly all major groups occur. The notable exceptions are two groups that are mostly distributed in the Mediterranean region and in China. Since the species boundaries in Ferula are not clear, one may also suspect that the high number of species, particularly of the central Asiatic endemics, may have resulted from taxonomic splitting rather than rapid radiation of the genus in this region.

M.Sc. (Botany)
Morphological, anatomical, palynological, cytological, phenological and geographical evidence are used to investigate relationships between the species of Anginon. These characters are discussed and illustrated. Characters of' the genus Glia Sond. were also studied and the genus is shown to be an obvious outgroup in a phylogenetic analysis. Despite the paucity of characters and the variability of character states in the genus Anginon, it is possible to give here a summary of character evolution as interpreted within the genus and also an explicit hypothesis (cladogram) of phylogenetic relationships amongst the species. Especially, the study of the fruit anatomy has resulted in a better understanding of taxonomic relationships at the generic and infrageneric levels. A formal taxonomic treatment is presented, including a key to the species, correct nomenclature, typification, descriptions and distribution maps.