A vindication of etnnobotany : between natural and social science

Ethnobotany, a discipline located at the intersection between natural science and social science, is sometimes misunderstood by researchers from one or other of these fields. In this article we discuss the positive and negative aspects of interdisciplinarity regarding this subject, and we argue for its status as a true science from different points of view. Our conclusion is that ethnobotanical research ? like all ethnobiological research in general ? undoubtedly exists within the scientific field and is successfully established, active and productive. In addition, ethnobotany is a citizen science: the participation of the population is essential for research, which must be communicated to academia and to the general citizen

Fitodermologia i cariologia d'Onobrychis viciifolia Scop., O. Supina (Chaix) DC. i O. saxatilis Lam. de Catalunya

Epidermal fragments from 47 populations of Onobrychis viciifolia, 0. supina and 0. saxatilis are studied. The stomatal size, orientation, type and stomatal index are calculated for taxonomical application. The form of the epidermal cells is the most important characteristic for this application. The basic number of genus Onobrychis x=7, the chromosome number of 0 . supina, 2n=14, and 0. viciifolia, 2n=28, are confirmed. The chromosome number 2n=14 is new for 0. saxatilis. The karyotypes, the chromosome formula and asymmetry index are calculated

Festuca dertosensis (Poaceae), an overlooked fescue from the NE Iberian Peninsula

A new species of Festuca L. (Poaceae) is described from the southern mountains of Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain). The new taxon belongs to the F. rubra aggregate, and superficially resembles plants of the F. trichophylla group. Its leaf anatomy, however, suggests a closer relationship with F. rubra and, in particular, F. heterophylla. Although sharing some features with F. paucispicula, a sympatric taxon, there are sufficient differences to warrant its separation from this local endemic. A comparative table and key are provided to assist in the identification of this overlooked fescue, and its relationship to other species present in the area is discussed, with special attention paid to species sharing a similar distribution. Mitosis studies have been carried out to determine the chromosome number, and the results suggest a decaploid, with a chromosome number of 2n = c. 70

Filling the gaps: ethnobotanical study of the Garrigues district, an arid zone in Catalonia (NE Iberian Peninsula)

This study has focused on the Garrigues district, one of the most arid regions in Catalonia (NE Iberian Peninsula), which, in general terms, has remained unexplored from the ethnobotanical point of view. This area, of 22,243 inhabitants, comprises 33 municipalities distributed across 1123.12 km2. The natural vegetation is dominated by holm oak forests and maquis called 'garriga', the latter giving its name to the district. During the last few decades, this landscape has been transformed by agricultural activities, nowadays in recession. The main aim of this work was to collect and analyse the ethnoflora of this area in order to fill a gap in the ethnobotanical knowledge in Catalonia

Progress in the study of genome size evolution in Asteraceae: analysis of the last update

The Genome Size in Asteraceae database (GSAD, http://www.asteraceaegenomesize.com) has been recently updated, with data from papers published or in press until July 2018. This constitutes the third release of GSAD, currently containing 4350 data entries for 1496 species, which represent a growth of 22.52% in the number of species with available genome size data compared with the previous release, and a growth of 57.72% in terms of entries. Approximately 6% of Asteraceae species are covered in terms of known genome sizes. The number of source papers included in this release (198) means a 48.87% increase with respect to release 2.0. The significant data increase was exploited to study the genome size evolution in the family from a phylogenetic perspective. Our results suggest that the role of chromosome number in genome size diversity within Asteraceae is basically associated to polyploidy, while dysploidy would only cause minor variation in the DNA amount along the family. Among diploid taxa, we found that the evolution of genome size shows a strong phylogenetic signal. However, this trait does not seem to evolve evenly across the phylogeny, but there could be significant scale and clade-dependent patterns. Our analyses indicate that the phylogenetic signal is stronger at low taxonomic levels, with certain tribes standing out as hotspots of autocorrelation between genome size and phylogeny. Finally, we also observe meaningful associations among nuclear DNA content on Asteraceae species and other phenotypical and ecological traits (i.e. plant habit and invasion ability). Overall, this study emphasizes the need to continue generating and analyzing genome size data in order to puzzle out the evolution of this parameter and its many biological correlates

Traditional knowledge in semi-rural close to industrial areas: ethnobotanical studies in western Gironès (Catalonia, Iberian Peninsula)

Background The western Gironès is a district located in NE Catalonia (NE Iberian Peninsula). This area comprising 186.55 km2 and 10,659 inhabitants is composed of 5 municipalities encompassing 29 villages, located in the hydrographic basins of the Ter and Llémena rivers. Methods Following the methodology based on the semi-structured interviews, we carried out 40 interviews with 57 informants, 31 were women and the remaining 26 were men, with an average age of 78.6 years. Results In the present study, data from 316 taxa (301 angiosperms, 8 gymnosperms, and 7 pteridophytes) belonging to 89 botanical families were collected. The interviewed informants referred 3776 UR of 298 taxa, 1933 (51.19%) of them corresponding to the food category, 949 (25.13%) to the medicinal ones, and 894 (23.68%) to other uses. In addition, 581 vernacular names for 306 species, subspecies, and varieties have also been collected. Conclusions These results reveal the validity of traditional knowledge in the studied area, which can be seriously threatened by the loss of its rural condition and its proximity to industrialized areas

Molecular insights into the diversification of Cheirolophus (Asteraceae) in Macaronesia

Podeu consultar el llibre complet a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/67430The diversification of Cheirolophus in Macaronesian archipelagos constitutes a paradigmatic example of radiation on oceanic islands. Phylogenetic and molecular dating analyses indicate an extraordinarily fast process, showing one of the highest speciation rates ever found on plants from oceanic islands. Such radiation has been recently studied employing phylogeographic, population genetic and molecular cytogenetic approaches. Here, the main potential patterns and processes involved in the diversification of the genus in the Canary Islands and Madeira are reviewed and discussed as a whole

Genetic structure and seed germination in Portuguese populations of Cheirolophus uliginosus (Asteraceae): Implications for conservation strategies

Cheirolophus uliginosus is a threatened species, endemic to the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, where it occupies a few restricted localities. In our study we analysed the patterns of cpDNA haplotypes variation and reproductive success germinability among seven Portuguese populations of varying size. The aim was to examine the reproductive performance of Ch. uliginosus related to genetic structure and population size. The results showed very low within-population variability of cpDNA markers. Our study indicates that the germination rate is significantly reduced in small populations ( 250 individuals) do not show any constraint. In the search for plausible causes explaining the lower germination success in the smallest populations, ecological concerns and genetic isolation must be taken into account. Besides, in large-sized populations of Ch. uliginosus (> 250 plants) a higher incidence of predispersal seed predation was observed, maybe affecting their sexual reproductive response. Finally, smaller populations presenting a reduced reproductive success contain also the most evolutionary distant haplotypes, so their conservation should be a priority

On Papaver alpinum L. subsp. rhaeticum (Leresche) Markgr. in the Catalan Pyrenees

El primer autor d’aquest treball va trobar i fotografiar, l’any 2000, una población de Papaver alpinum al coll de la Marrana, del municipi de Setcases. Després d’haver-la visitada diverses vegades i d’haver-ne estudiat els exemplars, tot comparant-los amb material d’herbari, hem arribat a la conclusió que cal atribuir-la a la subsp. rhaeticum. En la present nota repassem les opinions exposades per diversos autors sobre l’existència d’aquest tàxon als Pirineus, assagem una caracterització morfològica de les poblacions del sector oriental de la serralada, aportem dades citogenètiques i filogenètiques moleculars i comentem diversos aspectes de la taxonomia, l’ecologia i la distribución d’aquesta planta tan rara als Pirineus.The first author of the present work found and photographed, in 2000, a population of Papaver alpinum in the coll de la Marrana, municipality of Setcases. After visiting it several times and studying its plants, comparing them with herbarium materials, we came to the conclusion that this population must be attributed to subsp. rhaeticum. In the present note we review the opinions expressed by several authors on the existence of this taxon in the Pyrenees, we try to do a morphological characterisation of the populations of the eastern sector of the range, contribute cytogenetic and molecular phylogenetic data and comment some aspects of the taxonomy, ecology and distribution of this very rare plant in the Pyrenees