Morphometric Study of Musanga cecropioides R. Brown and Myrianthus arboreus Palisot de Beauvois (Family Cecropiaceae)

Morphometric or Numerical taxonomic analysis of 56 quantitative and qualitative characters, obtained from Musanga cecropioides R. Brown and five species of Myrianthus, M. arboreus Palisot de Beauvois, M. holstii  Engler, M. libericus Rendle, M. preusii Engler and M. serratus (Trecul) Bentham was carried out by calculating  similarity and distance indices followed by cluster analysis and construction of a dendrogram for visual  appreciation of the taxonomic relationship among these species. The dendrogram showed close similarity among the Myrianthus species, with Musanga cecropioides clearly distinct from the Myrianthus species. This confirms the monotypic status of Musanga, with only one species, Musanga cecropioides

Comparative Chromatographic Analysis of Ethanolic Extracts of Leaves and Stem-Bark of Piptadeniastrum africanum (Hook.f.) Brenan and Cathormion altissimum (Hook.f.) Hutch. & Dandy

This study investigated the flavonoid compounds present in the ethanolic extracts of leaves and stem-bark of Pipitadeniastrum africanum and Cathormion altissimum using Chromatographic technique with a view to assessing their degree of relatedness. The upper phase of Butanol Acetic Acid Water (BAW) solvent in the ratio of 4:1:5 was used. Results showed that the plants have several flavonoid compounds in common such as Chalcone, Flavone, Flavonol, Anthocyanin, Aurone and Isoflavonol. It was however discovered that Flavanone was present only in the leaves and stem-bark of P. africanum but was absent in C. altissimum. This discovery, which has never been previously demonstrated, may be taxonomically significant and may be justifying the placement of these plants in different genera; and by implication the monotypic status of genus Piptadeniastrum Brenan. There is need for further studies to determine the specific flavonoid compounds in these plants and especially the flavanone compounds that seem to be one of the chemical bases for the delimitation of the genera to which these plants belong

Identification of antimicrobial properties of cashew, Anacardium occidentale L. (Family Anacardiaceae)

The antimicrobial capabilities of plant extract derived from the leaves of the cashew plant, Anacardium occidentale L. (Family Anacardiaceae), on two common human pathogens of clinical importance, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were investigated. All test organisms were identified to be sensitive to the plant extract, although zones of inhibition were about 50% of those observed using the commercial antibiotic, ampicillin. In terms of sensitivity, S. aureus, a Gram +ve organism, without an outer membrane in its cell wall was more sensitive relative to E. coli, a Gram –ve organism, which possesses an outer membrane in its cell wall. The degree of sensitivity could probably be due to this outer membrane which when present prevents a substantial amount of the extract from making contact with the cell. The antimicrobial properties of A. occidentale are derived from the presence of a polyphenol, anacardic acid and other compounds, tatrols and tanins. Therefore, it is suggestive of the fact that extracts could be used as an antibiotic especially in poor communities

Taxonomic Studies on the genus Cissus L. (Vitaceae) present in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

This study was aimed at addressing the problematic taxonomy of the genus Cissus L. using three species namely; Cissus aralioides (Welw. ex Bak.) Planch, Cissus petiolata Hook.f and Cissus lageniflora Gilg and Brandt found in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The investigation was carried out using morphological, anatomical, epidermal and phytochemical lines of evidence. Macromorphology results showed that Cissus aralioides, Cissus lageniflora and Cissus petiolata matured leaf possess digitately compound leaf type, trifoliate compound leaf type and simple leaf type respectively. Micromorphological results showed that all studied species were hypostomatic with anomocytic stomata type present in the abaxial surface of all species. Epidermal cell shape of the adaxial and abaxial surface of all species were pentagonal and irregular to polygonal respectively. Transverse sections of the petiole of studied species shows an arranged and open vascular bundles in all species, variations where however seen in the number of vascular bundles. Methanolic extract of the three cissus species studied revealed the presence of secondary metabolites like; Phenols, Alkaloids, Aglycone Glycosides, Cardiac Glycosides, Steroidal Aglycone Glycosides in the stem and leaf of all species. The results obtained shows that all studied species show diverse characteristic differences but these differences are not adequate and convincing enough to separate them into different genera but it shows that that Cissus aralioides and Cissus lageniflora are more closely related than they are to Cissus petiolate. Moreover, more species and other lines of evidence should be used in future research. A dendogram to the relatedness of the species and a dichotomous bracketed key to their identification is provided.Keywords: Cissus species, Taxonomy, dichotomous key, Dendogra

Phytochemical Screening of Leaf Extracts of Eleven selected Tropical Plants Species from Eastern and Southern Nigeria

The pyhtochemical constituents of butanol and acid leaf extracts of eleven (11) plant species from three different families (Annonaceae, Apocynaceae and Euphorbiaceae) obtained from various locations in eastern and southern Nigeria were made following standard techniques. Results obtained show that the leaf extracts contain alkaloids, flavonoids and saponins. This paper provides evidence that alcoholic and acid leaf extract of the selected plant species studied contains medicinally important metabolites that justifies their usage as traditional medicine for treatment of various ailments.Keywords: Tropical plants, Phytochemicals, Ethno-medicine, Extract

Physico-chemical conditions and distribution of phytoplankton in the Brass River, Nigeria

The physiology, physico-chemical conditions and distribution of phytoplankton in the Brass River, Nigeria has been assessed. The data on physico-chemical conditions revealed a near constant water surface conditions for all the stations sampled. The relative abundance of phytoplankton population of the Brass River system revealed the presence of the following marine phytoplankton families Bacillariophyceae (Bidulphia auria, M. mobiliencesis, B. sinsensis, Skeletonema costatum), Chlorophyceae (Halosphaera ividis), and Dinophyceae (Ceeratium sectum). Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management Vol. 10(1) 2006: 43-4

Genetic Diversity on Amaranthus hybridus L., Amaranthus viridis L. and Amaranthus spinosus L. in parts of Rivers State, Nigeria

The Amaranth plants are annuals or short-lived perennials with over 103 species of flowering plants in the family Amaranthaceae, distributed nearly worldwide. Several amaranth species are useful as food crops and are grown both for their leaves and for their edible seeds, which are a nutritious pseudocereal (nongrass seeds used like cereal grains). This paper reports the genetic diversity of three species of Amaranthus (A. hybridus L., A. viridis L. and A. spinosus L.) in Rivers state of Nigeria. Result obtained from this research showed high rate of diversity. DNA characterization and sequencing of the species were done through plastid Ribulose-1,5biophosphate Carboxylase large chain (rbcL) genetic marker to determine the rate of genetic variation among members of this genus in our study area. The sequence figures were firstly compared on Basic Local Alignment Sequence Tool for validation. Phylogenetic and molecular evolutional analysis was conducted using MEGA version 7. The dendogram of the molecular phylogeny generated from MEGA 7 software shows elevated rate of variation among studied species.Keywords: Amaranthus, Genetic, Diversity, rbc

Morphological and Anatomical Diversity Study on three Species of Amaranthus namely; A. hybridus L., A. viridis L. and A.spinosus L. from Rivers State, Nigeria

A study of morphological and anatomical diversity on three species of Amaranthus in the Amaranthaceae family namely; A. hybridus L., A.viridis L. and A. spinosus L. from the three senatorial district of Rivers state namely; Rivers East (upland), Rivers South East (upland) and Rivers West (coastal region) was studied to examine the diversity that exist even among similar species from different regions. Result obtained from this research showed high rate of diversity. Examination of the tran–sections of blades revealed uni–seriate epidermis, ground tissue with angular collenchyma and slender parenchyma. The vascular bundles shape had only crescent as the shape pattern. The midrib shape in cross section has three patterns in which arc, rounded and crescent bundle occurs. The examination of the petioles exhibits new and varied characters for A. viridis such as petiole shape (cross section), vascular bundles (shape, number, arrangement). While the resulted characters from the observation of the stem structure showed less variation. 52 quantitative and qualitative characters were achieved from morphological and anatomical characters and applied for construction of a dendogram using the Paleontological statistics (PAST) software which showed variation even among similar species from different senatorial district.Keywords: Amaranthus, Morphology, Anatomy, Diversity

Physico-chemical conditions and distribution of phytoplankton in the Brass River, Nigeria

The physiology, physico-chemical conditions and distribution of phytoplankton in the Brass River, Nigeria has been assessed. The data on physico-chemical conditions revealed a near constant water surface conditions for all the stations sampled. The relative abundance of phytoplankton population of the Brass River system revealed the presence of the following marine phytoplankton families Bacillariophyceae ( Bidulphia auria , M. mobiliencesis, B. sinsensis, Skeletonema costatum ), Chlorophyceae( Halosphaera ividis ), and Dinophyceae ( Ceeratium sectum )

Distribution and origins of members of the Family Portulacaceae (Centrospermae)

The present day distribution of members of the family Portulacaceae shows that whilst some genera such as Portulaca L., and to some extent Montia L. and Talinum Adanson are cosmopolitan in distribution, others such as Ceraria Pearson and Stephens, Lyallia Hooker fil., Portulacaria Jacquin, Silvaea Philippi and Talinella Baillon with more than six species at the most are endemic to Africa, Australia, Eurasia and South America respectively. This pattern of distribution shows that members of the family Portulacaceae could have originated in Gondwanaland and migrated to new niches by long range dispersal after the breakup of Gondwanaland by continental drift. @JASE