Do Hybrid Trees Inherit Invasive Characteristics? Fruits of Corymbia torelliana X C. citriodora Hybrids and Potential for Seed Dispersal by Bees

Antibacterial Properties of Flavonoids from Kino of the Eucalypt Tree, Corymbia torelliana

Traditional medicine and ecological cues can both help to reveal bioactive natural compounds. Indigenous Australians have long used kino from trunks of the eucalypt tree, Corymbia citriodora, in traditional medicine. A closely related eucalypt, C. torelliana, produces a fruit resin with antimicrobial properties that is highly attractive to stingless bees. We tested the antimicrobial activity of extracts from kino of C. citriodora, C. torelliana × C. citriodora, and C. torelliana against three Gram-negative and two Gram-positive bacteria and the unicellular fungus, Candida albicans. All extracts were active against all microbes, with the highest activity observed against P. aeruginosa. We tested the activity of seven flavonoids from the kino of C. torelliana against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. All flavonoids were active against P. aeruginosa, and one compound, (+)-(2S)-4',5,7-trihydroxy-6-methylflavanone, was active against S. aureus. Another compound, 4',5,7-trihydroxy-6,8-dimethylflavanone, greatly increased biofilm formation by both P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. The presence or absence of methyl groups at positions 6 and 8 in the flavonoid A ring determined their anti-Staphylococcus and biofilm-stimulating activity. One of the most abundant and active compounds, 3,4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavanone, was tested further against P. aeruginosa and was found to be bacteriostatic at its minimum inhibitory concentration of 200 µg/mL. This flavanonol reduced adhesion of P. aeruginosa cells while inducing no cytotoxic effects in Vero cells. This study demonstrated the antimicrobial properties of flavonoids in eucalypt kino and highlighted that traditional medicinal knowledge and ecological cues can reveal valuable natural compounds.

The role of hybridization in facilitating tree invasion

Hybridization events can generate additional genetic diversity upon which natural selection can act and at times enhance invasiveness of the species. Invasive tree species are a growing ecological concern worldwide, and some of these invasions involve hybridization events pre- or post-introduction. There are 20 hybrid invasive tree taxa in 15 genera (11 plant families) discussed here. When reported, abundance of hybrids comprised 10-100% of an invasion, the remainder being parental taxa. In seven hybrid taxa researchers identified phenotypes that may make hybrids better invaders. Twelve hybrid tree taxa involved introgression and more hybrids involved all non-native taxa than native x non-native taxa. Three hybrid tree taxa were the result of intentional crosses and all hybrid taxa involved intentional introduction of either one or more parental taxon or the hybrid itself. The knowledge gaps present in some hybrid tree taxa can weaken our effectiveness in predicting and controlling invasions, as hybrids can add a level of complexity to an invasion by being morphologically cryptic, causing genetic pollution of a native parental taxon, presenting novel genotypes for which there may not be coevolved biological control agents, or evolving adaptive traits through increased genetic variation.