An Endemic Plant of the Mediterranean Area: Phytochemical Characterization of Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo L.) Fruits Extracts at Different Ripening Stages

This work focused on the extraction, quantification, and characterization of bioactive compounds of Arbutus unedo L. fruits, comparing the results obtained from the different ripening states. Extractions were performed by different methods (such as maceration extraction and ultrasonic extraction) and food grade solvents (aqueous and hydroalcoholic solvents) in each of the all ripening states (four states considered, associated with four different colors, i.e., green, yellow, orange, and red). The presence of (poly)phenols was quantified and characterized, and scavenging activity was determined by the Folin–Ciocâlteu reagent and the DPPH method, respectively. The content of bioactive compoun…

Note cariologiche e morfologiche sulla popolazione siciliana di Hieracium atrovirens Froel. (Asteraceae).

Una stazione di Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris nota in Sicilia fin dal XIX secolo

Studio della struttura genetica di Ambrosina bassii L. (Araceae, Ambrosineae) in Sicilia, attraverso l’analisi del polimorfismo enzimatico

Caratterizzazione morfologica del polline dei taxa siciliani del genere Pyrus (Rosaceae)

Contributo alla caratterizzazione morfologica del polline di Prunus avium L.

Affinità genetiche tra Abies nebrodensis e gli altri abeti mediterranei.

Soils, Past Landscapes and Cultural Heritage: Phytoliths as Indicators of Ancient Crops

Soils, Past Landscapes and Cultural Heritage: Phytoliths as Indicators of Ancient Crops

The essential oil compositions of three Sicilian accessions of Viscum album L. growing on three different host trees

Viscum album L., (Common Mistletoe), is a hemiparasitic shrub that lives on a wide range of woody plant species, known since Neolithic period for its ritual and for pharmacological properties. Up to now, no investigation has been reported on the chemical composition of the essential oils of V. album aerial parts in relation with the diverse host trees. Consequently, the essential oils compositions of three Sicilian accession of V. album, growing on Quercus suber L., Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and Olea europaea L. var. europaea cv. 'Santagatese', respectively, were evaluated by GC-MS. The three populations showed quite different profiles indicating that the nature of the host considerably infl…

Ibridazione interspecifica nel genere Quercus L. (Fagaceae): il caso di Quercus soluntina Tin. ex Lojac.

LC‐ESI / HRMS analysis of glucosinolates, oxylipins and phenols in Italian rocket salad ( Diplotaxis erucoides subsp. erucoides (L.) DC .) and evaluation of its healthy potential

BACKGROUND This study investigated the chemical profile and biological activity of Diplotaxis erucoides subsp. erucoides (L.) DC. (Brassicaceae) collected in Sicily (Italy). RESULTS Liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization and high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/HRMS) analysis of the ethanol extract revealed the presence of 42 compounds - glucosinolates, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids, and oxylipins. The extract was tested for its antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic) acid (ABTS), ferric reducing ability power (FRAP), and β-carotene bleaching tests. Promising protection from lipid peroxida…

Does genetic population structure of Ambrosina bassii L. (Araceae, Ambrosineae) attest a post-Messinian land-bridge between Sicily and Africa?

Abstract Aim of the present work is the analysis (through the study of enzyme polymorphism) of Sicilian and African (Tunisian) populations of Ambrosina bassii , a small perennial endemic to the Central-Western Mediterranean basin, in order to verify if the complex geological history of this part of the Mediterranean area left its mark in the present-day genetic structure of this taxon. Starch gel allozyme electrophoresis of seven putative loci of A. bassii was employed to estimate genetic diversity, genetic structure and gene flow. Populations from Sicily, Tunisia and Sardinia (as outgroup) were sampled. Results show that Sicily populations have 4 private alleles, Sardinia 3, Tunisia just o…

Fixed oil from seeds of narrow-leaved ash (F. angustifolia subsp. angustifolia): Chemical profile, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities.

Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. angustifolia is a plant with an age-old use for the production of manna. However, it is also a valuable source of fixed oil rich-seeds. In the present study we examined the chemical and biological properties of this oil in order to support a possible application in foodstuffs, nutraceuticals and cosmetics. Fatty acid composition, volatile and phenolic substances were evaluated. Oleic and linoleic acid represented 45.5% and 50.0%, respectively, of the total fatty acid composition. Among polar phenolic substances identified (secoiridoids, phenylethanoid glycosides, phenolic acids and alcohols, flavonoids, coumarins) isoverbascoside is for the first time reported i…

Reports (1813-1814) In: Kamari G., Blanché C., Siljak-Yakovlev S. (EDS) Mediterranean Chromosome Number Reports - 23

Investigating the ecology of Chara cf. baltica (Characeae) in the Lago Preola ecosystem (Sicily, Italy)

Lago Preola is a small lake, located in SW Sicily, in a karstic depression within the Nature Reserve “Lago Preola e Gorghi Tondi”. With about 33 ha (maximum depth: 2 m), it is the widest of the 5 natural lakes occurring in the Reserve. The presence of species of conservation concern (e.g., Emys trinacris, the Sicilian Pond Turtle, and several migratory birds), but also of invasive alien species (e.g., Procambarus clarckii, the Red Swamp Crayfish), has been reported for the area. The flora of terrestrial habitats surrounding the basins has been studied extensively, while the aquatic flora and vegetation have not been studied in detail. The coastal aquifer supplying groundwater to the study a…

Variabilità genetica in tre specie del genere Cyanus (Centaureinae, Asteraceae) della Bulgaria

Genetic diversity in five populations of Galanthus from Sicily using isozymes

Modelli di variabilità genetica in alcuni gruppi del genere Centaurea (Centaureinae, Asteraceae) in Italia

Genetic diversity and local population structure in Ambrosina bassii (Araceae, Ambrosineae), a Mediterranean relict species

The effects of habitat fragmentation on the genetic structure of Ambrosina bassii are analyzed. The species, whose reproductive biology is mostly unknown, is the only representative of its genus and tribe and it is endemic to the central Mediterranean area. The selected study area was the island of Sicily, in which wild populations show a wide morphological variability and ecological amplitude. Patterns of within- and among-population genetic diversity in eleven Sicilian populations, occurring in six disjunct areas, were examined by means of allozyme electrophoresis. High levels of genetic diversity were found as shown by the mean expected heterozygosity (He ¼ 0.263), the percentage of poly…

Assessing the genetic diversity ofCentaurea parlatorisgroup (sect.Dissectae, Compositae) in Sicily using isozymes

Abstract The Centaurea parlatoris group belongs to sect. Dissectae and is one of the most taxonomically critical groups in Sicily. The taxa included in it inhabit dry slopes, pastures and rocky places. Some of them are narrow endemics to Sicily, and others to Italy. The great morphological variability at the intrapopulation level has not permitted the creation of an adequate taxonomic scheme. The recent proposal of two new species from Sicily confirms the insufficient knowledge of the taxonomic diversity. This study involves eight Sicilian populations of the C. parlatoris group. Seven loci from nine enzyme systems [isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), 6-phosphoglucona…

Caratterizzazione genetica di Genista gasparrini e G. demarcoi (Leguminosae) endemiche siciliane.

Variabilità genetica in popolazioni di Galium rotundifolium L. (Rubiaceae)

Phytochemical investigation of the needles of Aabies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei (Pinaceae) is a species living in a very small population only in a confined area of Sicily. In this study, the dichloromethane extract of the leaves was analyzed. Apart from three already known metabolites namely dehydroabietic acid; maltol; and rheosmin, previously detected in other species of Abies, a lanostane derivative was isolated. Its chemical structure was elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic methods.

Biologia riproduttiva in Ambrosina bassii L. (Araceae, Ambrosineae): osservazioni sulla fenologia e sulla morfologia del seme

Osservazioni sul polline di popolazioni siciliane di ambrosinia basii L. (Araceae, Ambrosineae)

Morphological and genetic diversity within Pilosella hoppeana aggr. (Asteraceae) in Italy and taxonomic implications

Morphological variation, ploidy level and genetic diversity have been studied on 10 populations of the Pilosella hoppeana aggr. from the Alps, Abruzzo, Calabria and Sicily.Chromosome counts showed that the plants from Abruzzo and those from Sicily are tetraploid (2n = 36); they are assigned to P. hoppeana subsp. macrantha. The plants from the Alps (P. hoppeana subsp. hoppeana) and those from Calabria are diploid. The Calabrian populations, previously included in P. hoppeana subsp. macrantha, are shown to belong to a separate species, P. leucopsilon. The principal component analysis, based on 25 morphological characters, allowed distinguishing clearly four groups. An allozymes study using 10…

CHARACTERIZATION OF WATER RELATION TRAITS IN WILD SICILIAN POPULATIONS OF BRASSICA

The aims of this work are to Investigate the variability in water relation traits among wild Brassica relatives adapted to arid and saline environments and to Identify specific differences in physiological traits that may be used to improve cultivated relatives widely used in our diet, such as broccoli, cabbage and kale.

Biosystematic investigation on Hieracium symphytifolium Froel. (Asteraceae)

On the peptidergic hypothesis for non-adrenergic non-cholinergic innervation in the rat duodenum

1. The nature of the non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) transmitter was studied in vitro in the rat duodenum, by use of an isometric-isovolumic preparation. 2. Electrical field stimulation (EFS) induced a tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive fall both in luminal pressure and in isometric tension. 3. Neurotensin (NT) induced TTX-insensitive inhibitory responses similar to those induced by EFS. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) caused a delayed, slow, concentration-dependent, TTX-insensitive inhibitory effect, detected only by a change in luminal pressure. 4. alpha-chymotrypsin prevented the NT- and VIP-induced inhibitory effects and antagonized the response to EFS. 5. Apamin antagonized the EF…

Indagini per la caratterizzazione dei complessi ibridogeni di Pistacia L.

Investigation on the pollen morphology of traditional cultivars of Prunus species in Sicily

In this study pollen grains of 13 cultivars and 3 rootstocks belonging to 5 species (<em>P. armeniaca</em>, <em>P. domestica</em>, <em>P. dulcis</em>, <em>P. persica</em>, <em>P. avium</em>) of the genus <em>Prunus </em>collected from North-East Sicily were examined for the micromorphological characterization through the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The length of polar axis (<em>P</em>) and the equatorial diameter (<em>E</em>) of grain, <em>P/E </em>ratio, the length of colpi (<em>C</em>), diameter of perforations (<em>DP</em>) and the number of perforat…

Physio-morphological traits and drought stress responses in three wild Mediterranean taxa of Brassicaceae

Crop wild relatives (CWRs) have extremely relevant roles in biodiversity conservation, in investigating phylogeny and improving abiotic stress tolerance of crop plants. We screened the variability in leaf functional traits of three CWRs of kale crops (Brassica oleracea) from Sicily, Italy, grown in pots under well-watered and drought conditions. Our aim was to highlight traits in the different genotypes of endemic Sicilian threatened taxa. We measured several structural/anatomical traits (stomatal size, density and stomatal pore index—SPI, leaf mass per area—LMA) and leaf functional traits (stomatal conductance—gs, leaf water potential—ΨL, leaf temperature (TL), leaf relative water content—…

Reuse of Food Waste: The Chemical Composition and Health Properties of Pomelo (Citrus maxima) Cultivar Essential Oils

The aim of the present study is to investigate the chemical profile, antioxidant activity, carbohydrate-hydrolysing enzyme inhibition, and hypolipidemic effect of essential oils (EOs) extracted from Sicilian Citrus maxima (pomelo) flavedo. Using gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) we analysed the Eos of five cultivars of C. maxima, namely, ‘Chadock’, ‘Maxima’, ‘Pyriformis’, ‘Terracciani’, and ‘Todarii’, and their blends. The antioxidant activity was performed by using a multi-target approach using 2,2′-Azino-Bis-3-Ethylbenzothiazoline-6-Sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reduc…

La componente floristica dei giardini storici siciliani

Floristic elements of historical Sicilian gardens. – The ornamental flora of historical Sicilian gardens, com- piled on recent literature data and new investigations on representative sites is here analyzed. The catalogue of taxa with their distribution in investigated gardens is presented together with the floristic list alphabetically ordered by family. In total 736 taxa, belonging to 363 genera and 124 families were recorded. Rosaceae, Arecaceae, Cactaceae, Agavaceae, Oleaceae, Liliaceae and Moraceae are the richest families in species. The main part of such flora consists of American and Asiatic taxa. The most recurring species are Phoenix canariensis, Nerium oleander, Pittosporum tobir…

Typification of the Linnaean name Ambrosinia bassii and other nomenclatural remarks in the genus Ambrosinia (Araceae)

Although Ferdinando Bassi is the nomenclatural authority for the genus Ambrosina, the correct spelling of the name should be the Linnaean “Ambrosinia”. A lectotype is designated for A. bassii, the only species currently recognized. In addition, two lectotypes, two epitypes and one neotype are designated for other names of taxa currently treated within the infra-specific variability of A. bassii.

Isozyme variation in Centaurea cineraria gr. (Compositae) in Sicily.

Genetic diversity in theCentaurea cinerariagroup (Compositae) in Sicily using isozymes

Abstract The genetic diversity of seven taxa endemic to Sicily, C. cineraria, C. busambarensis, C. ucriae subsp. ucriae, C. ucriae subsp. umbrosa, C. todari, C. erycina and C. saccensis, from 11 localities was investigated using isozymes. Eight loci from five enzyme systems (IDH, MDH, PGD, PGM and PGI) were examined. A total of 19 alleles were identified, some rare and two of them exclusive to different populations. The allelic frequencies and the genetic variability values for each population were calculated. On the whole, the genetic diversity, i.e., average polymorphism (P) = 0.41, average number of alleles per locus (A) = 1.75, Nei's gene diversity (H) = 0.18, is moderate, with the high…

Comparative study of the isozyme variation of genus Centaurea in Sicily and South Italy

Indagini preliminari sulla variabilità genetica in Pilosella hoppeana (Asteraceae) aggr. in Italia

CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRADITIONAL USES OF NATIVE PLANTS IN SICILY

The Sicilian territory as a whole presents orographic, geopedological, hydrographic characters and climate conditions that determine a wide diversity of environments that host a rich vascular flora consisting of over 3250 specific and intraspecific taxa (subspecies, varieties and forms), belonging to 880 genera of 134 botanical families (1). Of the above mentioned flora, about 500 entities are endemic and in several cases their populations are constituted by a small number of individuals and / or distributed on limited areas. Within this great biodiversity, which places Sicily among the regions with greater floristic diversity of both Italy and the Mediterranean area, it is noteworthy that …

Osservazioni citotassonomiche su popolazioni siciliane afferenti a Hieracium pallidum (Asteraceae)

Genetic variation patterns in some groups of Centaurea (Asteraceae) in Italy

In the current work the data of the isozyme analysis of all the twenty studied Italian Centaurea taxa were compared. They belong to Centaurea parlatoris, C. cineraria, C. tenorei and C. jacea groups. The following parameters of the genetic variability were considered: the total number of the alleles, the mean number of alleles per locus (A), the mean percentage of polymorphic loci (P95), the expected heterozygosity (He) that is a measure of the intra-population diversity, the Wright’s fixation index (F) and inbreeding coefficient (FIS) that are measures for the deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The present study contributes to insight some aspects of the genetic diversity relat…

Morphological observations on the reproductive structures of Ambrosina (Araceae), a Mediterranean endemic monotypic genus

This research was carried out to better define the pollen, fruit and seed morphology of Ambrosina bassii , the only species of this rare Mediterranean endemic genus. Pollen traits were already known, but here we investigated on their variability in distant populations and in different morphotypes (‘varieties’). Fruit and seed traits were almost unknown, also because of the rarity of fruit-set in this species. The surface features of pollen, fruit and seed, as well as length, width and length/width ratio, were analysed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Comparative observations were made also on Arisarum vulgare , since Arisarum is the closest genus. The principal component anal…

Isozyme investigation on some taxa of Mediterranean Centaurea (Compositae)

Diploid Ruppia cirrhosa populations from a southern Mediterranean shallow system

Abstract This paper focuses on the morphology and karyology of representative Ruppia populations from a southern Mediterranean shallow system. The cosmopolitan genus Ruppia L. generally inhabits shallow waters such as coastal lagoons and brackish habitats. Ruppia species are characterised by a simplified morphology and high intraspecific phenotypic plasticity. The chromosome number of Sicilian Ruppia populations is reported here for the first time. The analysed populations showed morphological and reproductive characters of Ruppia cirrhosa (Petagna) Grande but a diploid cytotype (2n = 20). A low fruit production was also observed, suggesting that vegetative reproduction is the main reproduc…

Reports (1752)IN: Kamari G., Blanché C., Siljak-Yakovlev S. (EDS) Mediterranean Chromosome Number Reports - 21

Native taxa of Sicilian flora utilized as vegetables

Studio della variabilità genetica di popolazioni afferenti al genere Dianthus (Caryophyllaceae) in Sicilia mediante analisi del polimorfismo isoenzimatico

Phytochemical investigation of the needles of Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei (Pinaceae) is a species living in a very small population only in a confined area of Sicily. In this study, the dichloromethane extract of the leaves was analyzed. Apart from three already known metabolites namely dehydroabietic acid; maltol; and rheosmin, previously detected in other species of Abies, a lanostane derivative was isolated. Its chemical structure was elucidated by means of extensive spectroscopic methods.

Chemodiversity of the essential oil from leaves of Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei

As activities of the project "Preservation of Abies nebrodensis and restore of Geraci Siculo peatlands", the chemical composition of essential oils, obtained from leaves of Madonie fir, was compared with the ones of essential oils derived from Eurasian species studied up to now

Ethnobotany of dye plants in Southern Italy, Mediterranean Basin: floristic catalog and two centuries of analysis of traditional botanical knowledge heritage

Abstract Background Since ancient times, man has learned to use plants to obtain natural dyes, but this traditional botanical knowledge (TBK) is eroding. In the late, during, and the early 1800s, there was an increase in research related to dye species, and this allowed the development of industry and economy in rural contexts of Southern Italy. Today, dyes are mainly obtained from synthetic products, and this leads to risks for human health related to pollution. Methods Starting from the literature, three catalogs of the dyeing species (plants, algae, fungi, and lichens) used in the Mediterranean Basin and mainly in Southern Italy have been created. Percentages of parts used and colors ext…

Chemical composition and microencapsulation suitability of sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) fruit extract

Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.), a spice obtained by grinding whole sumac berries, is a complex natural product with a plethora of biological activities that can be favorably explored in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields. Sicilian sumac is herein chemically investigated by means of a combined NMR/HR MS-based profiling. A hydroalcoholic extract was prepared and its complexity unraveled following fractionation in an alcoholic and an aqueous fraction. The 1H-NMR spectrum of this latter fraction was dominated by the signals of gallic acid and its derivatives, whereas HR MS and HR MS/MS analyses highlighted the diversity in malic acid derivatives. Gallotannins and galloyl flavonol glycosides with…

The wild taxa utilized as vegetables in Sicily (Italy): a traditional component of the Mediterranean diet

Background: Wild vegetables in the Mediterranean Basin are still often consumed as a part of the diet and, in particular, there is a great tradition regarding their use in Sicily.In this study, an ethnobotanical field investigation was carried out to (a) identify the wild native taxa traditionally gathered and consumed as vegetables in Sicily, comparing the collected ethnobotanical data with those of other countries that have nominated the Mediterranean diet for inclusion in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and (b) highlight new culinary uses of these plants.Methods: Interviews were carried out in 187 towns and villages in Sicily between 2005 an…

A contribution to the characterization of Ruppia drepanensis (Ruppiaceae), a key species of threatened Mediterranean wetlands

To elucidate the taxonomic status of Ruppia drepanensis Tineo ex Guss. (Alismatales, Ruppiaceae), we performed morphological analysis and DNA barcoding of historical materials (including the lectotype) and fresh samples (including those from a recently discovered population near the locus classicus in Sicily, Italy). We conclude that R. drepanensis is a separate species, closely related to R. spiralis L. ex Dumort., that occurs in temporary inland waters from the western to central sectors of the Mediterranean region. We also highlight the importance of vouchers and the need to link molecular investigations to field, ecological, and morphological investigations.

Reports (1837). In Kamari G., Blanché C., Siljak-Yakovlev S. (EDS), Mediterranean chromosome number reports - 24

This is the twenty-four of a series of reports of chromosomes numbers from Mediterranean area, peri-Alpine communities and the Atlantic Islands, in English or French language. It comprises contributions on 21 taxa: Hymenonema from Greece by E. Liveri, P. Bareka & G. Kamari (Nos 1824-1825); Fritillaria from Turkey by Mine Koçyiğit, N. Özhatay, U. Rastgeldi & E. Kaya (Nos 1826-1836); Hieracium from Sicily by E. Di Gristina, G. Domina & A. Geraci (No 1837); Bellevalia and Leopoldia from Tunisia by A. Troia, G. Domina & V. Spadaro (Nos 1838- 1839); Bubon, Centaurea, Crepis, Rindera and Scaligeria from Greece by Ch. Kyriakopoulos, P. Bareka & G. Kamari (Nos 1840-1844).

Analisi isoenzimatiche

Contributo alla caratterizzazione morfologica del polline di cultivar del genere Prunus (Prunoideae, Rosaceae) in Sicilia

Genetic diversity on Centaurea parlatoris gr. (Compositae) in Sicily

Innovative In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation Strategies of the Madonie Fir Abies nebrodensis

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei is an endemic species of the north-west of Sicily located in an 84 ha area in the Madonie Regional park. The current population is limited to 30 relic adult trees and a fluctuating number of juveniles of natural regeneration. The species is defined as “Critically Endangered” in the Italian list of threatened plants and is classified as CR-D in the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This article reports the key action undertaken by the LIFE4FIR project aimed at preserving A. nebrodensis, and the results obtained so far in three years of activity. OpenArrays SNPs genotyping revealed a high rate of inbreeding in the natural population and that the adult…

Studio della struttura epidermica delle foglie di Centaurea parlatoris s.l. (Centaurinae, Asteraceae) in Sicilia

The Monumental Olive Trees as Biocultural Heritage of Mediterranean Landscapes: The Case Study of Sicily

Monumental olive trees, with their longevity and their remarkable size, represent an important information source for the comprehension of the territory where they grow and the human societies that have kept them through time. Across the centuries, olive trees are the only cultivated plants that tell the story of Mediterranean landscapes. The same as stone monuments, these green monuments represent a real Mediterranean natural and cultural heritage. The aim of this paper is to discuss the value of monumental trees as “biocultural heritage” elements and the role they play in the interpretation of the historical stratification of the landscape. We present the results of a survey of the most s…

Schede per una Lista Rossa della Flora vascolare e crittogamica Italiana: Brassica macrocarpa Guss.

Studio della struttura epidermica delle foglie di Centaurea parlatoris s.l. (Centaureinae, Asteraceae) in Sicilia

Chemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils, and Their Combinations, Obtained from Flavedo By-Product of Seven Cultivars of Sicilian Citrus aurantium L.

In this work, seven Citrus aurantium essential oils (EOs) derived from flavedo of cultivars ‘Canaliculata’, ‘Consolei’, ‘Crispifolia’, ‘Fasciata’, ‘Foetifera’, ‘Listata’, and ‘Bizzaria’ were investigated. EOs were also combined in 1:1 (v/v) ratio to identify possible synergism or antagonism of actions. GC-MS analysis was done to investigate Eos’ phytochemical profiles. The antioxidant activity was studied by using a multi-target approach based on FRAP, DPPH, ABTS, and β-carotene bleaching tests. A great difference was observed in EOs’ phytochemical profiles. d-limonene (33.35–89.17%) w…

IDPlanT: the Italian database of plant translocation

IDPlanT is the Italian Database of Plant Translocation, an initiative of the Nature Conservation Working Group of the Italian Botanical Society. IDPlanT currently includes 185 plant translocations. The establishment of a national database on plant translocation is a key step forward in data sharing and techniques improvement in this field of plant conservation. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2021.1985004.

Genetic diversity on Pyrus L. (Rosaceae) in Sicily

The genetic diversity on six Pyrus species (P. amygdaliformis, P. pyraster, P. communis, P. vallis- demonis, P. sicanorum, P. castribonensis) from Sicily was investigated using isozymes. Atotal of 26 alleles was found in 8 loci of 5 enzyme systems (IDH,MDH, 6-PGD, PGI and SKD). The allelic frequencies and the genetic variability values for each population were calculated. The greatest rate of polymorphism was found in P. sicanorum, P. castribonensis and P. amygdaliformis from Sicani Mts. The relationships among the populations were computed by Nei’s genetic identity/distance and the obtained dendrogram shows a remarkable genetic distance of P. vallis-demonis from of all other investigated t…

Comparative investigation of the pollen morphology of Centaurea parlatoris gr. (sect. Dissectae, Compositae) in Sicily

Notes on the karyology, genetics and ecology of Genista sect. Voglera in Sicily

To investigate the biosystematic and genetic relationships among Sicilian species of Genista sect. Voglera, four populations of three species, Genista aristata C. Presl, Genista cupanii Guss., and Genista madoniensis Raimondo, have been studied. Genista madoniensis is tetraploid, with a chromosome number of 2n = 48, as are the other two species. An isozyme study showed that G. madoniensis is taxonomically closer to G. aristata than to G. cupanii, the latter possessing four unique alleles. The results are discussed in the context of the ecological characteristics of each species.

Genetic relationships between Sicilian wild populations of Brassica analysed with RAPD markers

Brassica comprises very variable species, both morphologically and genetically. Among these species, the Sicilian populations of Brassica sect. Brassica, species related to kale crops form a complex group. The genetic relationships among 15 populations occurring in Sicily and one from Calabria, representing the existing diversity, have been investigated using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. This assay, carried out with 22 arbitrary primers, generated 236 polymorphic fragments, 21 of which were specific for single populations (mainly Brassica insularis, Brassica incana and Brassica macro-carpa). Jaccard's genetic distances were computed and the phylogenic tree was establishe…

Isozyme analysis of genetic diversity in wild Sicilian populations of Brassica sect. Brassica in view of genetic resources management

In Sicily and in the small surrounding islands the section Brassica of the genus Brassica comprises five species, B. insularis Moris, B. incana Ten., B. macrocarpa Guss., B. rupestris Raf. and B. villosa Biv. These taxa represent a genetic resource as relatives of kale crops but some populations are endangered or threatened, thus isozyme analyses were performed to assess the genetic diversity degree at population and species levels in order to assist the design of conservation management programs. Eleven loci from five enzyme systems (aconitase, leucine aminopeptidase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucoisomerase phosphoglucomutase) were analyzed in sixteen natural population (fi…

Analisi Genetiche

Essential oil components of orange peels and antimicrobial activity

In this study, the orange peel of 12 cultivars of Citrus sinensis from central-eastern Sicily was employed to obtain essential oils and extracts. The ones were extracted through steam distillation, the others through extraction in hexane. Chemical constituents were evaluated in terms of qualitative and quantitative analyses by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Fifty-four components were identified in the steam essential oils and 44 in the extracts. In all the cultivars, the main component is d-limonene (73.9–97%); discrete percentages of linalool, geraniol and nerol were also found. Cluster analysis based on essential oils composition showed a certain degree of affinity between cultivar…

Relazioni genetiche e filogeografiche tra popolamenti di Ambrosina bassii L. (Araceae, Ambrosineae) nel mediterraneo centrale

Studies on the Sicilian populations ofAnacolia webbii(Mont.) Schimp. (Bartramiaceae, Bryophyta), rare moss in Europe

New data on the distribution, biology, intra- and inter-population variability and conservation state of Sicilian populations of Anacolia webbii are provided. Two new localities are reported, so that total five fragmented populations occur in the island, all of them in a rather small area in the western part of the province of Palermo. They live on wet limestone or sandstone cliffs with base at 900–1200 m a.s.l. and N, N-NE aspect, within communities of Aceri campestris-Querco-ilicis sigmetum. The plants are particularly vigorous, but some data suggest a condition of vulnerability of the populations. In fact, in addition to specificity to a rare habitat on the island, a morphometric and all…

Neurotensin: dual effect on the motor activity of rat duodenum

The effects of neurotensin on mechanical activity of rat duodenum were investigated using an isometric-isovolumic preparation. Neurotensin (1 pM to 10 nM) induced a concentration-dependent, tetrodotoxin (TTX)-insensitive fall in both endoluminal pressure and isometric tension. At higher concentrations of neurotensin (1 nM to 1 microM) the relaxation was followed by a concentration-dependent TTX-insensitive contraction, detected only by an increase in endoluminal pressure. Different concentrations of neurotensin were required to desensitize the relaxant and the contractile actions of the neuropeptide. The relaxation was antagonized by apamin, while the contractile response was blocked by nif…

Ethnobotanical uses of wild taxa as galactagogues in Sicily (Italy)

<p>Breastfeeding furnishes optimal nutrition, immune support, and a multitude of health benefits to mothers and newborns. Since ancient times plants have been employed as galactagogues in the folk medicine of many human cultures. In Sicily, a region with great floristic diversity in the Mediterranean area, where a conspicuous pool of species is traditionally used for food and aromatic, cosmetic, handicraft, agricultural, forestry, and medicinal purposes, some people recognize the galactagogue properties of some spontaneous plants.</p><p>The goal of this study was to identify wild plants with galactagogue properties and vegetable-food remedies traditionally used by women du…

Contributo alla conoscenza di Opuntia Miller in Italia: caratterizzazione di O. amyclaea Ten. e O. ficus-indica (L.) Miller mediante analisi isoenzimatica

Genetic diversity on Pyrus L. (Rosaceae) in Sicily using isozymes

Reports (1640-1644)IN: Kamari G., Blanché' C., Garbari F.(EDS) Mediterranean Chromosome Number Reports-17

Osservazioni micromorfologiche ed architetturali su specie del genere Pyrus (Maloideae, Rosaceae) in Sicilia

Diversità genetica e assetto cromosomico di popolazioni siciliane del genere Prospero Salisb. (Hyacinthaceae)

Caratterizzazione morfologica di cultivar del genere Prunus (Rosaceae, Prunoideae) in Sicilia.

Brassica tardarae (Brassicaceae), a New Species from a Noteworthy Biotope of South-Western Sicily (Italy)

A new species of Brassica sect. Brassica is described here from Sicily (Italy), which is known to be one of the centers of the diversification of wild taxa of this group. The new species (named Brassica tardarae) is restricted to the carbonate cliffs in the Tardara Gorges between Menfi and Sambuca di Sicilia (Agrigento province), an area with a peculiar geological history and where another strictly endemic species was recently described. The morphological relationships between the new species and other similar taxa are discussed, and an analytical key to the Sicilian taxa belonging to the genus Brassica sect. Brassica is also provided.

Reports (1736)IN: Kamari G., Blanché C., Siljak-Yakovlev S. (EDS) Mediterranean Chromosome Number Reports - 20

Osservazioni morfologiche su cultivar siciliane di Pyrus communis L. (Pomoideae, Rosaceae)

Isozyme investigation on four mediterranean Centaurea species gr. (Compositae)

Chemodiversity of the Essential Oil from Leaves of Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei (Pinaceae) is a species occurring in a very small population only in a restricted area of Sicily. Its taxonomic classification as different species has been object of discussion. In this work the chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves is presented for the first time and compared to the essential oils from other euroasiatic species reported in literature. Peculiar characteristics of the essential oil of A. nebrodensis are highlighted.

Indagini biosistematiche preliminari su popolazioni siciliane di Valantia muralis L. e V. deltoidea Brullo (Rubiaceae)

IDPlanT: the Italian database of plant translocation

IDPlanT is the Italian Database of Plant Translocation, an initiative of the Nature Conservation Working Group of the Italian Botanical Society. IDPlanT currently includes 185 plant translocations. The establishment of a national database on plant translocation is a key step forward in data sharing and techniques improvement in this field of plant conservation. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2021.1985004 .