Compounds of the methanolic leaf extract as chemotaxonomic markers for the Campanula pyramidalis complex (Campanulaceae)

During the past few years, the isophylloid Campanula pyramidalis complex has been the subject of studies aimed at an improved understanding of the relationships within it. The center of distribution of the C. pyramidalis complex is in the Balkan Peninsula with some smaller parts of the area located in the south Apennines. Although 21 taxa of the C. pyramidalis complex were described, only four species are accepted: C. pyramidalis, C. versicolor, C. secundiflora and C. austroadriatica. In the present study, we propose compounds of the methanolic leaf extract as possible chemotaxonomic markers for the C. pyramidalis complex. Eleven flavonoids and two phenolic acids were detected in leaf extract using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection analysis. The investigated taxa of the C. pyramidal is complex differ in terms of the composition of the methanolic leaf extract. Clustering of investigated taxa is not completely consistent with the previously reported molecular and morphometric dat

New localities of the subendemic species Berberis croatica, Teucrium arduini and Micromeria croatica in the Dinaric Alps

New localities of three subendemic species (Berberis croatica, Teucrium arduini and Micromeria croatica) have been found in the Dinaric Alps. Berberis croatica was found at ten new locations, nine of them in Croatia and one in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Teucrium arduini was found on Mt Učka, Mt Velebit, Mt Biokovo and Mt Sniježnica, at nine new locations while Micromeria croatica was found at four new locations, only on Mt Velebit

Environment-Related Variations of the Composition of the Essential Oils of Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) in the Balkan Penninsula

Composition of the essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis of ten populations from the Balkan Peninsula were determined by GC/FID and GC/MS. The main constituents were 1,8-cineole, camphor, a-pinene, and borneol. Multivariate statistical analysis (UPGMA cluster analysis and principal-component analysis (PCA)) revealed two major types of rosemary oil, i.e., 1,8-cineole and camphor-type, and two intermediate types, i.e., camphor/1,8-cineole/borneol type and 1,8-cineole/camphor type. The regression analyses (simple linear regression and stepwise multiple regression) have shown that, with respect to basic geographic, orographic, and 19 bioclimatic characteristics of each population, bioclimatic factor temperature of habitat represented the dominant abiogenetic factor, which, in chemical sense, led to differentiation of populations in the studied region. Also, the regression analysis have shown that some constituents of essential oils are independent of any single bioclimatic factors. However, some constituents display statistically significant correlations with some abiotic factors

Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from Chaerophyllum aureum L. (Apiaceae)

The essential oils of the aerial parts and fruits of Chaerophyllum aureum L., collected from two mountains in Serbia, were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Sabinene (18.5-31.6%), p-cymene (7.9-25.4%) and limonene (1.9-10.9%) were characterized as the main constituents. The oils were tested against six bacterial strains and one strain of yeast, Candida albicans. The highest antimicrobial activity was observed against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and Micrococcus luteus, while of the Gram-negative strains, Escherichia coli was the most sensitive

Composition and antimicrobial activity of the rhizome essential oils of two athamanta turbith subspecies

The hydrodistilled essential oils of the rhizomes of Athamanta turbith subsp. hungarica and A. turbith subsp. haynaldii were analyzed by GC-FID and GC/MS. Twenty-one compounds (99.8% of total oil) were identified in the oil from A. turbith subsp. hungarica, and 33 components (99.9% of total oil) were identified in the oil from A. turbith subsp. haynaldii. Both oils were characterized by high amounts of phenylpropanes, with myristicin (54.2% and 22.3%, respectively) and apiole (32.6% and 48.5%, respectively) being the main components. The antimicrobial activity of the oils was determined using the agar diffusion and broth microdilution method. Investigated essential oils were the most effective against Micrococcus luteus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and had no effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. As for antifungal activity, essential oils exerted similar and significant activity, but only in higher concentrations. © 2009, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved

The digital database of aquatic and semiaquatic vegetation in Serbia

Despite the absence of a centralized national phytocoenological database of Serbia, over 16,000 relevés of all vegetation types have been gathered and stored in the database “Phytocoenosis of Serbia” as a result of the Project “Habitats of Serbia”. However, as the data on aquatic and semiaquatic vegetation comprise only 5% of the collected relevés, the aim of this paper is to expand on this, complete the database and present the data on these vegetation types in Serbia. The work included the expansion of the existing database with the addition of relevant sources, their digitalization, using Flora and Turboveg programs, and their subsequent georeferencing, using OziExplorer and DIVAGIS softwares. Consequently, the phytocoenological database on aquatic and semiaquatic vegetation in Serbia now stores 1,720 relevés from 243 phytocoenological tables, collected and published by 24 authors during the period of 70 years (1940-2010), with the majority of the relevés collected over the last decade (56.40%). Phragmito-Magno-Caricetea Klika in Klika et Novák 1941 (Syn: Phragmitetea communis R. Tx. et Prsg. 1942), Potametea Klika in Klika et Novák 1941 (Syn: Potametea R. Tx. et Preising 1942) and Lemnetea de Bolós et Masclans 1955 (Syn: Lemnetea minoris W. Koch et R. Tx. 1955) have proven to be the most represented classes, while Scirpo-Phragmitetum W. Koch 1926 (nomen ambiguum) and Salvinio natantis-Spirodeletum polyrrhizae Slavnić 1956 are associations with the highest number of relevés in the database. Accordingly, the most common species (>500 relevés) are Ceratophyllum demersum L. subsp. demersum, Lemna minor L. and Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleiden