Mamey (Mammea americana L.) in Martinique Island : un patrimonio para ser valorizados

Introduction. Mamey (Mammea americana L., Clusiaceae) was present in Martini-que before the Spanish colonization. Its distribution area includes tropical America and the Carib-bean. A significant phenotypical diversity is observed on the island, with fruits of very uneven quality as well as various agronomic, pomological and biochemical characteristics. The aim of our work was to localize, identify and characterize trees considered of superior quality. Materials and methods. A survey carried out between April and September 2005 allowed the selection of 10 trees renowned by the people as bearing high-quality fruits. These fruits present a small number of seeds and nonadhesive pulp, and develop a sweet taste as well as a strong flavor. During the year 2006, pomological description and biochemical analysis (total soluble solids and total titrable acidity) were carried out on the fruits. Results and discussion. The biometric and biochemical characteristics measured were generally better than those cited in the literature. Some accessions stand out and present great assets for their promotion for the fresh market as well as for processing. Moreover, some tendencies emerged from the variability observed for a few characters: thus, the variability of the biochemical characteristics measured within one accession, as well as between accessions originating from the same land, is low. It is null for the seed adhesion to the pulp for fruits belonging to the same accession. Conclusion and perspectives. Our work is one of the first relating to identification and characterization of phenotypical diversity of the M. americana L. species, especially in Martinique Island. Our results are likely to pro-mote the development of a diversification network. Some highlighted trends suggest new research to be able to distinguish the role of the environmental versus genetic components in the performance of the phenotypes observed

A Systematic Review for Anti-Inflammatory Property of Clusiaceae Family: A Preclinical Approach

Background. Clusiaceae family (sensu lato) is extensively used in ethnomedicine for treating a number of disease conditions which include cancer, inflammation, and infection. The aim of this review is to report the pharmacological potential of plants of Clusiaceae family with the anti-inflammatory activity in animal experiments. Methods. A systematic review about experiments investigating anti-inflammatory activity of Clusiaceae family was carried out by searching bibliographic databases such as Medline, Scopus and Embase. In this update, the search terms were “anti-inflammatory agents,” “Clusiaceae,” and “animals, laboratory.” Results. A total of 255 publications with plants this family were identified. From the initial 255 studies, a total of 21 studies were selected for the final analysis. Studies with genera Allanblackia, Clusia, Garcinia or Rheedia, and Hypericum showed significant anti-inflammatory activity. The findings include a decrease of total leukocytes, a number of neutrophils, total protein concentration, granuloma formation, and paw or ear edema formation. Other interesting findings included decreased of the MPO activity, and inflammatory mediators such as NF-κB and iNOS expression, PGE2 and Il-1β levels and a decrease in chronic inflammation. Conclusion. The data reported suggests the anti-inflammatory effect potential of Clusiaceae family in animal experiments

INDEPENDENT ORIGINATION OF FLORAL ZYGOMORPHY, A PREDICTED ADAPTIVE RESPONSE TO POLLINATORS: DEVELOPMENTAL AND GENETIC MECHANISMS

Observations of floral development indicate that floral organ initiation in pentapetalous flowers more commonly results in a medially positioned abaxial petal (MAB) than in a medially positioned adaxial petal (MAD), where the medial plane is defined by the stem and the bract during early floral development. It was proposed that the dominant MAB petal initiation might impose a developmental constraint that leads to the evolution of limited patterns of floral zygomorphy in Asteridae, a family in which the floral zygomorphy develops along the medial plane and results in a central ventral (CV) petal in mature flowers. Here, I investigate whether the pattern of floral organ initiation may limit patterns of floral zygomorphy to evolve in pentapetalous angiosperms. I analyzed floral diagrams representing 405 species in 330 genera of pentapetalous angiosperms to reconstruct the evolution of floral organ initiation and the evolution of developmental processes that give rise to floral zygomorphy on a phylogenetic framework. Results indicate that MAB petal initiation is the most common; it occupies 86.2% of diversity and represents the ancestral state of floral organ initiation in pentapetalous angiosperms. The MAD petal initiation evolved 28 times independently from the ancestral MAB petal initiation. Among the 34 independent originations of floral zygomorphy, 76.5% of these clades represent MAB petal initiation, among which only 47% of the clades result a CV petal in mature flowers. The discrepancy is explained by the existence of developmental processes that result in floral zygomorphy along oblique planes of floral symmetry in addition to along the medial plane. Findings suggest that although the early floral organ initiation plays a constraining role to the evolution of patterns of floral zygomorphy, the constraint diverges along phylogenetically distantly related groups that allow the independent originations of floral zygomorphy through distinct development processes in pentapetalous angiosperms. In additional study, the butterfly-like flowers of Schizanthus are adapted to pollination by bees, hummingbirds, and moths. I investigated the genetic basis of the zygomorphic corolla, for which development is key to the explosive pollen release mechanism found in the species of Schizanthus adapted to bee pollinators. I examined differential gene expression profiles across the zygomorphic corolla of Schizanthus pinnatus, a bee-pollinated species, by analyzing RNA transcriptome sequencing (RNA- seq). Data indicated that CYC2 is not expressed in the zygomorphic corolla of Sc. pinnatus, suggesting CYC2 is not involved in the development of floral zygomorphy in Schizanthus (Solanaceae). The data also indicated that a number of genes are differentially expressed across the corolla

Chaconia heliconiae and C. clusiae sp. novae from French Guiana with notes on the genus Chaconia (Uredinales/Pucciniales) in the neotropics

Chaconia clusiae on Clusia cf. palmicida (Clusiaceae) and C. heliconiae on Heliconia psittacorum, H. bihai and Heliconia sp. (Heliconiaceae) are described as new from French Guiana in northern South America. Clusiaceae and Heliconiaceae are new host families for members of Chaconia, Heliconiaceae is the first one from Monocotyledoneae. Chaconia clusiae, C. heliconiae and C. maprouneae formed tuberous to worm-like D-haustoria originating from haustorial mother cells that were part of the intercellular parasitic mycelium. A key to the recognized Chaconia spp. is provide

Occurrence and damages of Danothrips trifasciatus (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) on Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae) in Brazil.

Occurrence and damages of Danothrips trifasciatus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae) in Brazil. Danothrips trifasciatus Sakimura, 1975 (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) is recorded for the first time in Brazil, in the municipality of Garça, São Paulo state. Individuals were collected in April 2011 damaging young leaves of guanandi, Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess. (Clusiaceae), forest species of increasing importance in Brazil. Future studies involving aspects on biology and population dynamics of the thrips in this plant species need to be carried out, in order to establish its potential economic importance to guanandi.Short Communication

Kajian Etnobotani Tumbuhan Famili Clusiaceae di Kawasan Kebun Raya Banua Banjarbaru, Kalimantan Selatan, Indonesia

Kajian etnobotani meliputi kajian botani, kajian etnofarmakologi, kajian etnoantropologi, kajian etnoekonomi dan kajian etnolinguistik. Kajian etnobotani tumbuhan khususnya tumbuhan dari famili Clusiaceae belum pernah dilaporkan, padahal jenis-jenis tumbuhan ini memiliki potensi strategis untuk dikembangkan sebagai bahan obat, pangan dan keperluan ekonomis lainnya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melakukan kajian etnobotani tumbuhan famili Clusiaceae yang dikoleksi di Kebun Raya Banua Banjarbaru. Pengambilan data botani dilakukan di Kebun Raya Banua, kemudian untuk pengumpulan data etnobotani dilakukan dengan wawancara dengan teknik Snowball Sampling pada masyarakat sekitar Kebun Raya Banua. Hasil yang didapatkan terdapat 5 jenis tumbuhan Clusiaceae yang dimanfaatkan oleh masyarakat Suku Banjar dan Suku Jawa yaitu Nyamplung (Calophyllum inophyllum L.), Mundar (Garcinia forbesii King.), Manggis (Garcinia mangostana L.), Manggis Burung (Garcinia porrecta Laness) dan Asam Kandis (Garcinia xanthochymus Hook.). Jenis-jenis tumbuhan tersebut dimanfaatkan untuk berbagai keperluan, diantaranya untuk obat-obatan, ritual, kegiatan ekonomi dan lain-lain

Galhadores (Cecidomyiidae, Diptera) em Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae): descrições e biologia

Five new species of gall makers (Cecidomyiidae, Diptera) associated with Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae) are described and illustrated from Carapebus, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil : Lopesia caulinaris, L.conspicua, L. elliptica, L. linearis and Contarinia gemmae. Some biological and ecological data are given.Cinco espécies novas galhadoras (Cecidomyiidae, Diptera) associadas com Calophyllum brasiliense (Clusiaceae) são descritas e ilustradas de Carapebus, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Lopesia caulinaris, L. conspicua, L. elliptica, L. linearis and Contarinia gemmae. Algumas informações biológicas e ecológicas são fornecidas

A phytosociological study of a lowland forest at the Tesso Nilo National Park, Riau.

A  phytosociological study of a lowland forest was carried out at the Tesso Nilo National Park (TNNP), Riau. The objective of the study was to obtain quantitative data on the floristic composition and structure of the above-mentioned lowland forest. By establishing a plot of 1.0 ha, the quadrat method was used to collect the data. We recorded a total of 1,303 individuals of trees and saplings with diameters ≥ 2 cm, comprising 304 species, 153 genera, and 62 families. Using the dominance and density of two tree species, the forest community in the plot can be designated as Sloetia elongata-Pimelodendron griffithianum Association. The species sharing the dominance were Sloetia elongata (Importance Value, IV = 14.43), Pimelodendron griffithianum (IV = 6.17), Santiria laevigata (IV = 5.45) and Xylopia caudata (IV = 5.17). Diameter records showed that 80% of trees in the plot were dominated by small individuals with diameters between 10-30 cm. Trees with diameters 30 cm were Dracaena cf. porteri (diam. 75.6 cm), Artocarpus elasticus (63.3 cm), and Ctenolophon parviflorus (62.1 cm).  Dipterocarp species was not important since they contributed only 4%, while non-dipterocarps shared 96% comprising 61 families. The highest basal area was shared by nine species, including one dipterocarp, Shorea leprosula. Several dipterocarp species occurring in TNNP have been listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, including Anisoptera megistocarpa, Hopea ferruginea, Hopea pachycarpa, Shorea atrinervosa, Shorea faguetiana,   Shorea lepidota and Vatica gamosepala. The presence of a large number of small trees and a few large trees indicated that the forest in the plot was regenerating after heavy disturbances. Regenerating species were divided into five categories, in which 13 species were regenerating well with Sloetia elongata being the best regenerating species while dipterocarps were represented by Shorea acuminata. The occurrence of the majority of trees with a height of 20 m further confirmed the dynamic status of the forest. The importance of primary and secondary forests in TNNP was discussed. Restoration to the original forest was recommended by planting primary forest species, including endemic, rare, and endangered tree species

สารประกอบแซนโทนจากเปลือกต้นมะดะหลวง (XANTHONES FROM THE STEM BARK OF GARCINIA XANTHOCHYMUS)

มะดะหลวง (Garcinia xanthochymus Hook. f.) เป็นพืชสมุนไพรที่พบได้ทางแถบประเทศจีน ซึ่งนิยมนำมาใช้เป็นยาถ่ายพยาธิ และใช้กำจัดสารพิษออกจากร่างกาย พืชในสกุล Garcinia จัดอยู่ในวงศ์ Clusiaceae มีองค์ประกอบทางเคมีส่วนใหญ่เป็นสารจำพวก Oxygenated xanthone จากการศึกษาองค์ประกอบทางเคมีจากเปลือกต้นมะดะหลวงที่เก็บมาจากทางภาคเหนือของประเทศไทย สามารถแยกสารประกอบแซนโทนได้ 5 ชนิด คือ 2,5-dihydroxy-1-methoxyxanthone (1), 2,6-dihydroxy-1,5-dimethoxyxanthone (2), 6-deoxyisojacareubin (3), 1,6-dihydroxy-4,5-dimethoxyxanthone (4) และ 12b-hydroxy-des-D-garcigerrin A (5) โดยที่สารประกอบ 1 และ 2 เป็นสารประกอบแซนโทนที่ยังไม่เคยมีผู้รายงานการพบในพืชชนิดนี้ การพิสูจน์โครงสร้างของสารบริสุทธิ์ใช้เทคนิคทางสเปกโทรสโคปี และใช้วิธีเปรียบเทียบข้อมูลทางสเปกโทรสโคปีของสารกับข้อมูลที่มีผู้รายงานไว้แล้วคำสำคัญ: มะดะหลวง Clusiaceae สารประกอบแซนโทนGarcinia xanthochymus Hook. f. is a medicinal plant native to P. R. China and has been used as a traditional medicine for dispelling worms and removing food toxin. Phytochemicals investigation of the G. xanthochymus stem bark, collected from the northern part of Thailand, led to the isolation of five xanthones, 2,5-dihydroxy-1-methoxyxanthone (1), 2,6-dihydroxy-1,5-dimethoxyxanthone (2), 6-deoxyiso jacareubin (3), 1,6-dihydroxy-4,5-dimethoxyxanthone (4) and 12b-hydroxy-des-D-garcigerrin A (5). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic method, especially 1D and 2D NMR techniques, and by comparison of the data with the reported value. This is the first report of compounds 1 and 2 obtained from this plant species.Keywords: Garcinia xanthochymus, Clusiaceae, Xanthone compoun

Robert Folger Thorne—A Botanical Legacy

Robert F. Thorne, distinguished botanist and former curator of the herbarium at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, left a rich botanical legacy. Contributions featured include a list of his articles appearing in Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, as well a list of plant taxa named for him