Taxonomy of prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus group): A phytochemical-morphometric combined approach at the contact zone of two cryptospecies

Digitization of the historical Herbarium of Michele Guadagno at Pisa (PI-GUAD)

The herbarium digitization process is an essential first step in transforming the vast amount of data associated with a physical specimen into flexible digital data formats. In this framework, the Herbarium of the University of Pisa (international code PI), at the end of 2018 started a process of digitization focusing on one of its most relevant collections: the Herbarium of Michele Guadagno (1878-1930). This scholar studied flora and vegetation of different areas of southern Italy, building a large herbarium including specimens collected by himself, plus many specimens obtained through exchanges with Italian and foreign botanists. The Herbarium is composed by 547 packages of vascular plants. Metadata were entered into the online database Virtual Herbaria JACQ and mirrored into a personalized virtual Herbarium of the Botanic Museum. After the completion of the digitization process, the number of sheets preserved in the Herbarium amounts to 44,345. Besides Guadagno, who collected 42% of his specimens, a further 1,102 collectors are represented. Most specimens were collected in Europe (91%), but all the continents are represented. As expected, Italy is the most represented country (59%), followed by France, Spain, Germany, and Greece. The specimens cover a time span of 99 years, from 1830 to 1929, whereas the specimens collected by Guadagno range between 1889 and 1928. Furthermore, we traced 134 herbarium sheets associated with documents, among which 75 drawings handmade by Guadagno, 34 letters from various corresponding authors, 16 copies of publications, and 14 copies of published iconographies.

Morphological and phylogenetic features of the Crimean population of Juniperus deltoides R.P. Adams

Juniperus deltoides is a relict species from the Tertiary Period. It is a typical representative of the Mediterranean group of the section Juniperus. It is included in the Red Books of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. Until recently, it was believed that a population of J. oxycedrus grew in Crimea. Currently, J. deltoides is described as a cryptic species, morphologically difficult to distinguish from J. oxycedrus. As a result, it became necessary to conduct a series of detailed studies to determine the morphological and phylogenetic features of the Crimean cryptic population in order to identify it as being one of the species of the cryptic pair. The studies were carried out in two stages: at the first stage, the morphological features of the vegetative and generative organs and their difference from J. oxycedrus were determined; the second stage included genetic research. The length of the needles of the Crimean population is 12.94 ± 0.19 mm, which corresponds to the Eastern Italian population of J. deltoides. At the same time, the width of the needles is 1.39 ± 0.02 mm, which is typical of the Portuguese population of J. oxycedrus. The dimensions of the cones are d1 (conditional height) = 7.54 ± 0.14 mm, and d2 (conditional width) = 9.11 ± 0.09 mm, which is more in line with J. deltoides. The shapes of the cones are very diverse. Some individuals have cones, the covering scales of which are visually indistinguishable, and their tops are completely fused. A similar phenomenon is characteristic of the Western Mediterranean populations of J. oxycedrus. Morphological analysis of the vegetative and generative organs of J. deltoides showed that when these two traits are combined, it is not possible to reliably distinguish between J. deltoides and J. oxycedrus individuals. Nuclear (ITS internal transcribed spacer) and chloroplast (petN-psbM, trnS-trnG) non-coding regions of the genome were used for genetic analysis. Studies have shown that the nuclear regions of genes have greater variability than chloroplast regions. The sequences obtained in this work formed a clade with J. deltoides samples 9430 and 9431 (BAYLU) growing in Turkey, which makes it possible to assign the samples studied to J. deltoides.

Isolation and characterization of a mesophilic cellulolytic endophyte Preussia africana from Juniperus oxycedrus

The medicinal plant Juniperus oxycedrus is less recognized for the diversity of its fungal endophytes and their potential to produce extracellular enzymes. The present study is the first report on the isolation and identification of a mesophilic endophytic strain JO-A, Preussia africana, from fresh stems of the J. oxycedrus endemic tree in the Ifrane region-Morocco, and the evaluation of its ability to produce cellulases. A one-time multi-parameter one-factor screening was optimized to select factors that enhance cellulase production in P. africana. The maximum production of both CMCase and FPase activities were 1.913 IU.mL^-1 and 0.885 IU.mL^-1, respectively, when the medium was supplemented with 2% w/v glucose. These remarkable titers were tenfold greater than those obtained under the initial non-optimized conditions. This mesophilic P. africana JO-A strain grows and actively produces cellulases at 37 °C demonstrating its great potential for various biotechnology applications. The cellulolytic extract showed the highest enzymatic activities at pH 5.0 and 50 °C with a half-life of 24 h at 50 °C.

Essential Oils and Extracts of Juniperus macrocarpa Sm. and Juniperus oxycedrus L.: Comparative Phytochemical Composition and Anti-Proliferative and Antioxidant Activities

In this work, we conducted a comparative phytochemical, chemotaxonomic, and biological study of essential oils (EOs) and extracts (ethyl acetate and methanol) obtained from the leaves of Juniperusmacrocarpa and J. oxycedrus. The dominant compounds of J. macrocarpa EO, analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), are α-pinene, sabinene, manoyl oxide, and germacrene D, whereas α-pinene, limonene, (Z,E)-farnesol, β-pinene, and γ-cadinene are the most representative volatiles of J. oxycedrus EOs. A multivariate analysis of EOs, included a selection of literature data comparing our samples to samples of J. oxycedrus/macrocarpa/deltoides from the Mediterranean area, was performed. As evident by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses, apigenin, (−)-epicatechin, and luteolin were abundant in J. oxycedrus extracts, while gallic acid, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, and protocatechuic acid were the dominant constituents of J. macrocarpa extracts. EOs and extracts have been investigated for their potential antioxidant properties and anti-proliferative activity against lung adenocarcinoma (A549), breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), and lung large cell carcinoma (COR-L23) human cell lines. The methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of J. oxycedrus exerted the most valuable antioxidant activity and exhibited the most promising activity against the COR-L23 cell line with an IC₅₀ of 26.0 and 39.1 μg/mL, respectively, lower than that obtained with the positive control (IC₅₀ of 45.5 μg/mL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report highlighting the anti-proliferative activity of J. oxycedrus and J. macrocarpa extracts against this lung cancer cell line. Our results indicate that J. oxycedrus may be considered a source of natural compounds with antioxidant and anti-proliferative effects that could be suitable for future applications.

Can Electrochemical Sensors Be Used for Identification and Phylogenetic Studies in Lamiaceae?

Electrochemical sensors have shown potential in recent years for plant species identification and phylogenetic studies. These works have been used to investigate the affinities of different species in many genera. However, the ability of electrochemical sensors to study relationships between different genera within a family has not been investigated. In this work, we selected 31 species in the Labiatae and 5 exotaxa as subjects to investigate the feasibility of electrochemical sensors at the genus level. The results show that electrochemical sensors are still very effective for the identification of these plants. Different pattern recognition techniques can make the identification more efficient. Also, the fingerprint profiles collected by the sensors can be used for phylogenetic studies of Labiatae. The phylogram divides all the species into five clusters, where the exotaxa are in one cluster. Species in the Labiatae are mainly distributed in four other clusters. Importantly, the different genera of species all showed close affinities, representing that electrochemical fingerprinting can well distinguish the affinities between the different genera. The results of this work demonstrate the great potential of electrochemical sensors in the study of plant phylogeny. Its application is not limited to the study at the species level, but can be extended to the genus level.

An updated checklist of the vascular flora of Montagna di Torricchio State Nature Reserve (Marche, Italy)

This study aims to increase floristic knowledge of Marche by means of a survey in the Montagna di Torricchio State Nature Reserve (central Italy). The Reserve, located in the central Apennines, covers about 3.2 km2 at altitudes ranging from 820 to 1,491 m a.s.l. It has been owned and managed as a strict reserve by the University of Camerino since 1970: all the anthropic activities ceased about 50 years ago, except for a minimal area where mowing and cattle grazing are still allowed.

The floristic list consists of 789 specific and subspecific taxa belonging to 81 families and 352 genera. Two species are new for Italy (Taraxacum calocarpum and T. pulchrifolium) and 14 for Marche regional flora. Compared to previous floristic studies, we found 127 more taxa but we showed a certain stability in the life-form spectrum, suggesting limited effects of dynamic processes related to climate and land-use changes. The negligible number of alien species (11) is probably related to the limitations to anthropic activities in the Reserve. The occurrence of taxa never recorded for Italy and Marche highlights the floristic value of the Reserve for species conservation in the central Apennines.

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, Anti-Tyrosinase, Anti-Cholinesterase and Cytotoxic Activities of Essential Oils of Six Algerian Plants

In this study, the essential oils (EOs) of six Algerian plants (Artemisia campestris L., Artemisia herba-alba Asso, Juniperus phoenicea L., Juniperus oxycedrus L., Mentha pulegium L. and Lavandula officinalis Chaix) were obtained by hydrodistillation, and their compositions determined by GC-MS and GC-FID. The antioxidant activity of the EOS was evaluated via 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric-reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) assays. Moreover, their cytotoxic effect was evaluated-as well as their tyrosinase, acetyl- and butyryl-cholinesterase (AChE and BuChE) inhibitory activities. The chemical analyses detected 44, 45, 51, 53, 26 and 40 compounds in EOs of A. campestris, A. herba-alba, J. phoenicea, J. oxycedrus, M. pulegium and L. officinalis, respectively. A. campestris EO was mainly composed of β-pinene (20.7%), while A. herba-alba EO contained davanone D (49.5%) as the main component. α-Pinene (41.8%) was detected as the major constituent in both J. phoenicea (41.8%) and J. oxycedrus (37.8%) EOs. M. pulegium EO was characterized by pulegone as the most abundant (76.9%) compound, while linalool (35.8%) was detected as a major constituent in L. officinalis EO. The antioxidant power evaluation revealed IC50 values ranging from 2.61 to 91.25 mg/mL for DPPH scavenging activity, while the FRAP values ranged from 0.97-8.17 µmol Trolox equivalents (TX)/g sample. In the ABTS assay, the values ranged from 7.01 to 2.40 µmol TX/g sample. In the presence of 1 mg/mL of the samples, tyrosinase inhibition rates ranged from 11.35% to 39.65%, AChE inhibition rates ranged from 40.57% to 73.60% and BuChE inhibition rates ranged from 6.47% to 72.03%. A significant cytotoxic effect was found for A. herba-alba EO. The obtained results support some of the traditional uses of these species in food preservation and for protection against several diseases.

Contribution to the knowledge of the vascular flora of Miniera di Murlo area (southern Tuscany, Italy)

This work aims to increase the floristic knowledge of southern Tuscany by means of a floristic investigation which took place in the Miniera di Murlo (southern Tuscany, Italy). The study area, located in the province of Siena, has an extension of 2.26 km2 and hosts a heterogeneity of habitats like rocky outcrops, woodlands, meadows and riparian formations. The prevalent geological type is an acidic sedimentary rock known as diaspri formation (jasper). The checklist of vascular flora consists of 501 taxa and includes six endemics and 13 alien species, among which Vitislabrusca is a newly-found species for the Province of Siena along with the native Rosabalsamica and Rosasquarrosa. The most interesting species, such as Anthoxanthumaristatum, Gageabohemica, Paragymnopterismarantae, Saxifragagranulata, and Teesdaliacoronopifolia, are found on acidic rocks. Species of the Italian Red List, such as Ruscusaculeatus, and species of Regional conservation interest, such as Centaureaaplolepasubsp.carueliana, Ervilialoiseleurii, and Vicianigricans, were recorded. The chorological spectrum reveals a dominance of Mediterranean species indicating warm climate conditions and mild winters whereas the life-form spectrum shows a slight dominance of hemicryptophytes followed by therophytes. However, a clear dominance of one life-form type over the other is lacking, since the acidic and dry rocky substrate partially compensates for the humidity provided by the stream. This study highlights the relevant floristic value of the Miniera di Murlo area and supports the possible creation of a protected area or its inclusion in the adjacent one.

Geobotanical Study of the Microforests of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. badia in the Central and Southern Iberian Peninsula

We have studied Juniperus oxycedrus L. subsp. badia (H.Gay) Debeaux in the central and southern Iberian Peninsula, where the macrobioclimate ranges from Mediterranean-pluviseasonal-oceanic to Mediterranean-pluviseasonal-continental, and the thermotype from the thermo- to the supramediterranean. The relevés were taken following the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological methodology. A statistical treatment was applied to establish a separation among Juniperus communities. To understand the presence of Juniperus communities in territories dominated by species in the Quercus genus, we applied Thornthwaite’s formula to calculate potential evapotranspiration. The general cluster analysis clearly distinguishes two groups of plant communities and separates the different associations in each group. All the plant communities growing on rocky crests and in extremely steep sloping areas are significantly influenced by the soil. The ombroclimatic index does not explain the presence of plant communities influenced by substrate, so we proposed a new ombroedaphoxeric index which explains the presence of Juniperus communities in territories with a thermotype between the thermo- and supramediterranean. The areas of distribution of Juniperus species are expanding due to the spread of rocky areas; this phenomenon causes an increase in edaphoxerophilous areas and a decrease in climatophilous ones. We propose four new plant associations, with updated structures and floristic compositions. Efficient conservation is possible in both the territories studied (Spain and Portugal) through the implementation of specific cross-border cooperation projects.

An updated inventory of the vascular flora of Elba island (Tuscan Archipelago, Italy)

We present an updated list of the vascular flora occurring on Elba island (Tuscan Archipelago). The list is based on bibliographic analysis and field studies carried out in the years 2006–2018. With a total of 1,098 specific and subspecific taxa currently occurring on the island (including 101 naturalized aliens), plus 67 casual aliens and 16 hybrid taxa, Elba shows the highest number of species among the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago. Two taxa are new for Tuscany: Hieraciumsymphytaceum s.l. and Ophrysexaltatasubsp.morisii; 22 taxa are new for the island, 34 have been confirmed, while 326 were reliably recorded previously by other authors, but not confirmed by our study. We excluded 41 taxa and considered doubtful the occurrence of 87. Life forms and chorotypes are in agreement with the Mediterranean climate of the island. Despite this, Elba also hosts a considerable proportion of Eurosiberian taxa. We detected significant differences in chorotypes and life forms spectra among different geographical portions of the island, paralleling distinct bioclimatic patterns. Despite the institution of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, we are still far from an integrated protection of the island flora. Based on our results, it has been possible to arrange a geodatabase of the flora on the island, useful for its protection.