Search results for "Botanica"
showing 10 items of 1665 documents
Essential oils of Chiliadenus lopadusanus (Asteraceae).
2013
The essential oils from the leaves and flowers of Chiliadenus lopadusanus growing on Lampedusa Island were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. The major component was camphor (39.4% in the leaves and 24.0% in the flowers), followed in the leaves by torreyol (6.7%), t-cadinol (5.2%) and 1,8-cineole (3.8%), while in the flowers by t-cadinol (15.2%), t-muurolol (5.1%) and torreyol (4.5%). Among the compounds identified, several seem to play a role in antibacterial, antifungal, allelopathic and spasmolytic activity. In addition, several compounds identified in this study seem to influence the attraction of Megachile (Eutricharaea) apicalis (Megachilidae) and Halictus (Seladonia…
Geographical and ecological outline of metal(loid) accumulating plants in Italian vascular flora
2018
The decontamination of heavy metal polluted soils is one of the major challenges that our industrialized world has to face. Remediation technologies are being developed and employed in order to reduce the potential hazards of metal and metalloid contamination. Plants capable of uptaking metals and metalloids in their tissues can be an effective tool to remove such pollutants from contaminated soils. The use of this plant-driven process (Phytoremediation) requires the knowledge of the right phytoextractors to use when facing different types of contamination. The aim of this paper is to provide an inventory of phytoextractors that can be used in Phytoremediation procedures in Italy. The check…
Recognition of Trace Element Contamination Using Ficus macrophylla Leaves in Urban Environment
2020
Urban areas are characterized by numerous pollutants emitted by anthropic sources both in the form of solid and gaseous particulates. Biomonitoring is an easy, economical, and accessible approach for the determination of atmospheric pollutants. In this study, we used the leaves of Ficus macrophylla Desf. ex Pers., collected in the city of Palermo (Italy), to determine major and trace elements. Geogenic elements exhibited the highest concentrations, making up 99% of the weight of the analyzed elements (Ca, K, Mg, P, S, Na, Fe, and Al)
Impact of 70 years urban growth associated with heavy metal pollution
2014
Historical trends in trace element deposition were analyzed using herbaria specimens. We determined Al, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ca, Na, P, K, S, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn contents in leaves of eight specimens collected in 1941. To assess changes, we collected the same plants from a botanical garden in 2012. The concentrations of major elements showed large species variability. However, temporal trends were predominately detected for heavy metals. The Cd, Ni and Cr contents in the 2012 leaves were 10, 13 and 16 times higher, respectively, than in 1941. Urban activities have substantially raised the levels of these metals in urban atmospheres due to changes in human activities over 70 years of urban …
Fixed oil from seeds of narrow-leaved ash (F. angustifolia subsp. angustifolia): Chemical profile, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities.
2019
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…
Karyological data of three Hieracium (Asteraceae) from Sicily and South Italy
2021
Chromosome numbers are given for three endemic Hieracium taxa from Sicily and Campania (Southern Italy). All the examined taxa resulted triploid (2n = 3x = 27). The triploid chromosome set found in the population of H. pallidum from Rocche dell’Argimusco (Peloritani Mountains, NE-Sicily) differs from the previous counts (2n = 4x = 36) reported for the same species from its locus classicus (Mt. Etna).
Up-to-date report on the distribution ofHelianthemum lippii(Cistaceae) in Italy
2015
An up-to-date report on the distribution of Helianthemum lippii in Italy is provided also on the basis of the findings by Lojacono-Pojero in 1889 who reported the existence of a relic population in Sicily (southern Italy), which is now thought to be extinct because of human disturbance. Field excursions permitted to confirm the locus classicus reported by Lojacono-Pojero as the other Sicilian localities that have been reported more recently. Based on a careful analysis of the literature the presence of H. lippii is currently excluded in Calabria and Apulia. The main causes that threaten the habitat of H. lippii in Sicily are pointed out according to IUCN Threats Classification Scheme.
Preliminary insights into the molecular barcoding data of Turraea socotrana (Meliaceae) from Socotra (Yemen)
2020
The relationship of two geographically and ecologically separated populations of Turraea socotrana Styles and F. White (Meliaceae), a vulnerable and scattered shrub from the island of Socotra (Yemen), was explored using preliminary molecular data. The nuclear ribosomal ITS region was used to screen the level of genetic divergence of T. socotrana from ecologically distant localities in comparison to a few other species of Turraea and closely related genera. The individuals from the inland (Diksam) differed from the western coastal ones (Ma’alah) by vegetative characters and by the rbcL gene. This may be due to the fact that the population from Ma’alah grows on lithosoil slopes directly expos…
Poronia punctata, a rare ascomycetes from Italy
2007
Poronia punctata is reported from Sicily as a rare species. Ecological observations in comparison with literature data from Italy and other European countries demonstrated that the rarity of P. punctata should be attributed to environmental factors different from the presence or absence of suitable substrata.
Ecological role and exploitation of Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean area
2018
The paleoendemic seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile (Posidoniaceae) represents a key species of the most important and productive ecosystem in subtidal habitats of the Mediterranean Sea. This species is the most common seagrass in Sicily where it forms dense and extensive beds, which are characterized by high coverage and primary production values, along the Western coasts. According to phenological processes, the beaching of P. oceanica residues (banquette) represents a great environmental, economic, social and, hygienic problem, conflicting with a number of activities (tourism, bathing establishments, etc.). Even though seagrasses play a fundamental ecological role in limiting coasta…