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Pollen morphology of 34 taxa belonging to genera Scabiosa and Lomelosia were investigated using a light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Pollen grains of Scabiosa and Lomelosia taxa are tricolpate and triporate, respectively. Pollen shapes vary from oblate to prolate. The exine surface ornamentation can be divided into five types, namely echinate, echinatemicroechinate, echinate-gemmate, echinate-microechinate/gemmate and microechinate-gemmate. Pollen grain sizes were classified as very large in three species of Lomelosia and large in the rest. Statistical analyses revealed some quantitative morphological features, such as equatorial axes, L (polar view amb), and t (apocolpium) as the primary characters for separating the examined taxa. The taxa were separated from each other by clustering analysis of selected pollen characters, and the investigated species were placed within two clusters. Present findings revealed that some Scabiosa species should be transferred to Lomelosia depending on palynological characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing seed germination of native medicinal plant species is fundamental to improving conservation and restoration practices, especially for threatened ecosystems. However, the seeds of some species exhibit poor germination, limiting propagation and large-scale distribution. In this study, the effect of temperature on seed germination of a medicinal plant Scabiosa stellata was investigated in vitro. Germination of S. stellata was tested at constant temperatures of 10, 20, 25, 30 and 40 °C, coupled with total darkness. The seeds enclosed by achenes were cultured in Petri dishes (0.8% agar water) with 7 replicates of 10 seeds, for 15 days of incubation. The germination kinetics were determined according to the final germination percentage (FGP), the mean germination time (MGT), the seedling survival percentage (SS) and the seedling total length (STL). Temperatures had a significant effect (p< 0.001) on all parameters studied. Germination kinetics indicated that S. stellata seeds were non-dormant. The average seed germination percentage relative to temperatures ranged from 31.4% (30 °C) to 94.2% (25 °C). The temperature of 25 °C was found to be very suitable with 94.2% FGP, 5.37 days of MGT and 7.82 cm of STL, while the temperature of 20 °C optimally improved germination with 58.5% of FGP. In addition, a significant 62.8% reduction in FGP was observed at 30 °C temperature compared to 25 °C. No germination was observed at 10 °C and 40 °C over a period of 15 days. Analysis also revealed that a period of 10 days after sowing seeds is suitable for final germination counts in S. stellata seeds. An overview of the establishment of S. stellata seedlings over a 30-day period in pots is also presented. Germination of seeds of S. stellata is epigeal type.

The members of the Scabiosa genus are one of the traditional medicinal plants used in the treatment of many diseases, in particular the treatment of scabies. In this study, it was aimed to determine antioxidant activities and chemical composition of methanolic extracts of leaves and flowers of Scabiosa columbaria subsp. columbaria var. columbaria. The phenolic contents of both parts of the plant were analyzed by LC–MS/MS. A total of 6 phenolic compounds were determined and chlorogenic acid was the major compound in both flower and leaf parts of the plants, with 5936.052 µg/g and 8021.666 µg/g, respectively. 6 different methods were used to determine the antioxidant activity of the plant parts. Both leaf and flower parts of the plant showed high antioxidant activity in all tested methods and the antioxidant activity values of the leaf part were measured higher than those of the flower part for four tests. The methanol extracts of the plant parts was analyzed with GC–MS and number of the essential oil compounds in the leaf and flower parts were determined as 17 and 13, respectively. Linalool compound was also found to be common in both parts of the plant. The major compounds of the essential oils were identified as 4-Octadecenal (30.01%) in the flower and carvone (35.44%) in the leaf. In addition, terpene derivatives was determined as 90.32% of the highest essential oil group in the leaf, while this value was determined as 1.42% in the flower. For the flower, aromatics were determined as the main component group with 21.31%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scabiosa comosa and S. tschilliensis (SCST) are traditionally used for liver diseases in Mongolian medicine. However, their active ingredients and molecular mechanisms are unknown. The present study employed network pharmacology and experimental verification approaches to decipher the common pharmacological mechanisms of SCST on liver fibrosis, which is the key step in liver diseases. We predicted the targets of all available SCST ingredients with the SWISS and SuperPred servers and clustered the targets related to liver fibrosis from DrugBank, the OMIM database and the literature. We further evaluated the links between the herbal ingredients and pharmacological actions to explore the potential mechanism of action of SCST. We found that the PPARG signalling pathway could be regulated by SCST for liver fibrosis through enrichment analysis. The key targets included 8 co-targets, including HSP90AA1, PPARG, HSP90AB1, STAT1, etc., which play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. Additionally, the top 15 key compounds included flavonoids and phenylpropanoids. Central to the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis is trans-differentiation or activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Therefore, LX2 cells, an immortalized human HSC line, were studied. Here, a total 37 components were isolated and identified from the inflorescences of SCST, including the new compound tschilliensisin, and the first separated components, β-sitosterol and luteolin, and these compounds were assessed against anti-hepatic fibrosis. An MTT assay and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting analyses demonstrated that the flavonoids of SCST revealed anti-hepatic fibrosis effects via anti-proliferation and increases in the Stat1, Pparg, Hsp90aa1 genes and STAT1 and PPARG proteins in LX-2 cells. In conclusion, these results indicate that SCST has multi-targeted and multi-component synergistic anti-hepatic fibrosis effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Infectious diseases caused by bacteria and fungi have affected billions of people worldwide. Throughout human history, infectious diseases have been the leading cause of death and disability. Infectious diseases today account for one-third of all deaths in the world .The general objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of Scabiosa Olivieri on gram-positive, gram-negative bacteria and fungi, as well as to study its anti-inflammatory properties by investigating the factors of human IL-1 and TNF-α, which ultimately led to the introduction of an antimicrobial agent and new anti-inflammatory drugs with a natural and inexpensive source. Materials & Methods: First, the extract of the plant was prepared by maceration. Then, the antimicrobial properties of this extract on E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans were investigated by MIC. Also, the effect of this extract on the expression of IL-1 and TNFα in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was evaluated by ELISA. Results: Scabiosa Olivieri's extract significantly showed anti-inflammatory properties and has antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and a mild antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. But the antifungal property was not observed. Conclusion: It seems that Scabiosa Olivieri's extract can be used as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent. However, the effects of its use in the in vivo environment and the chemical analysis of its constituent compounds require further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, the chemotaxonomic status and fatty acid compositions of eleven species of Scabiosa L., naturally growing in Iran, were determined using gas chromatography. The main compounds were found to be palmitic acid (16:0; 4.63–23%), behenic acid (22:0; 2.40–35.52%), lignoceric acid (24:0; 1.91–34.02%) and linoleic acid (18:3n6; 0.73–13.95%). Principal Component and Principal Coordinate analyses revealed the segregation of the studied Scabiosa species in two groups. This was consistent with the traditional classification presented by Rechinger. However, there is a lot of debate about the taxonomy of the Scabiosa species. Based on pitted epicalyx, Greuter and Raus have removed members of the Scabiosa sect. Asterocephalus to the genus Lomelosia. Our results showed that the fatty acid profiles of the species belonging to the sect. Scabiosa were distinct and confirmed the opinion supported by Greuter and Raus, that these species should be moved to the Lomelosia genus. Highlights • A chemotaxonomic evaluation of Scabiosa L. species in Iran. • The phytochemical data confirmed opinion supported by Greuter and Raus. • The fatty-acid profiles supported transferring the Scabiosa sect. Asterocephalus to Lomelosia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scabiosa comosa inflorescence is a traditional Mongolian medicine in the treatment of liver diseases. In the study, we investigated the anti-fibrotic efficacy of flavonoid-rich Scabiosa comosa inflorescence extract (TF-SC) in a rat model of CCl 4 -induced hepatic fibrosis and explored its underlying mechanism in vitro and in vivo. Rats (Wistar, Male, weight 200–250 g) were injected intraperitoneally with CCl 4 (1:1v/v in peanut oil, 2 mL/kg body weight) to induce liver fibrosis, followed by treatment with TF-SC or vehicle. In addition, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were used for measuring Smad3 phosphorylation. We found decrease in liver function and liver fibrosis markers in serums. Also, TF-SC decreased hydroxyproline content and collagen deposition in liver tissues. TF-SC also decreased the expression of α-SMA, collagen I and fibronectin in CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis rats. Mechanistically, TF-SC attenuated liver fibrosis by selectively inhibiting Smad3 phosphorylation. In TGF-β1-stimulated HSCs, TF-SC blocked the interaction between Smad3 and TGF-β type I receptor (TβRI), suppressed subsequent phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Smad3, and down-regulated the transcription of fibrotic genes. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that TF-SC was an effective therapeutic agent for treatment of hepatic fibrosis, and provided a molecular basis through which TF-SC exerts its anti-fibrotic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eight undescribed triterpenoid saponins, scabiostellatosides A-H, together with three known compounds were isolated from the whole plant of Scabiosa stellata L. Their structures were established by spectroscopic analyses (1D, 2D-NMR and HRESIMS) and chemical methods. Scabiostellatosides A-H were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against human fibrosarcoma cell line (HT1080). Scabiostellatoside F, a heptasaccharide derivative of oleanolic acid, exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against HT1080 cell line with IC 50 value of 12.0 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors have considered all the Linnaean names in Scabiosa, proposing 13 new typifications (10 lectotypes, 2 neotypes, and noting 1 automatic typification). The designation of S. columbaria as the type of Scabiosa is recognized as attributable to Rafinesque. A previous synonymization (Scabiosa pterocephala L.) is discussed. Several elements believed to belong to the original material employed by Linnaeus were actually added to his herbarium after publication of the relevant protologues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Species-rich dry grasslands have declined drastically in recent decades leading to spatial isolation of associated species. This can disrupt gene flow leading to genetic erosion, inbreeding and increased differentiation. Using Scabiosa canescens as a case for a threatened central European species confined to dry grasslands, we investigate the genetic consequences of spatial and functional isolation. In particular, inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity are expected to be more pronounced in populations at the northern margin of the sampling area due to more intense agriculture, less suitable habitat and potential post-glacial colonization from the south. Location Germany. Methods We genotyped 563 individuals at 10 microsatellite loci from 22 populations across the species' range in Germany. We analyse spatial genetic structure and patterns of isolation by distance ( IBD) at multiple scales. Further, we identify latitudinal and altitudinal patterns of genetic diversity and inbreeding. Results We found strong population differentiation but no IBD up to at least 200 km. Levels of inbreeding were positively correlated with latitude and tended to decline with altitude. An integration of altitude and latitude into temperature-corrected altitude ( CA) was positively correlated with genetic diversity. Populations in the Upper Rhine Valley appear to have a distinct ancestry. Main conclusions We interpret the strong population differentiation combined with no IBD up to at least 200 km as a sign for disrupted extensive gene flow. A trend for reduced genetic diversity towards the northern populations occurring at lower altitudes is probably driven by more intense land use but cannot be conclusively distinguished from other potential factors such as a more recent colonization history. Apart from the distinct Upper Rhine Valley populations, our findings suggest that assisted gene flow up to 100 km would mitigate genetic differentiation, inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity caused by disrupted long-distance dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lectotypes are designated for names published by Josef Freyn from the Iberian Peninsula in Bulletin de l’Herbier Boissier in 1893: Genista anglica var. pilosa, Leontodon reverchonii, Linaria supina var. glaberima, Scabiosa tomentosa var. cinerea, Trifolium hervieri, Valerianella willkommii and Vicia lusitanica. Relectotypification is done for Thymus portae. Names Arabis reverchonii Freyn and Astragalus aragonensis Freyn from the same publication are mentioned as well.

The genus Scabiosa (family Caprifoliaceae) is considered large (618 scientific plant names of species) although only 62 have accepted Latin binominal names. The majority of the Scabiosa species are widely distributed in the Mediterranean region and some Scabiosa species are used in traditional medicine systems. For instance, Scabiosa columbaria L. is used traditionally against diphtheria while S. comosa Fisch. Ex Roem. and Schult. is used in Mongolian and Tibetan traditional medical settings to treat liver diseases. The richness of Scabiosa species in secondary metabolites such as iridoids, flavonoids and pentacyclic triterpenoids may contribute to its use in folk medicine. Details on the most recent and relevant pharmacological in vivo studies on the bioactive secondary metabolites isolated from Scabiosa species will be summarized and thoroughly discussed.

The pollen morphology of six species of Scabiosa L. (Caprifoliaceae) from Iran has been examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Pollen grains were tricolpate in S. columbaria and triporate in the rest studied species. Two types of exine ornamentation were revealed: spinulate and gemmate. The pollen shape in polar view varied from triangular to circular among investigated taxa. Statistical analysis showed that some quantitative morphological features such as polar axis (P), equatorial axis (E) and aperture diameter were main characters in identification of the taxa studied. These taxa were separated from each other using cluster analysis and placed within two clusters. Our result based on UPGMA analysis is in agreement with morphological classification and recent findings on taxonomic position of the Scabiosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grazing is an important management action to conserve biodiversity in semi-natural grasslands but it is important to understand how grazing influences the life-history components and population dynamics of plant species. In this study, we analysed effects of grazing intensity and abandonment on population dynamics of the semi-natural grassland species Knautia arvensis which is an important nectar source for pollinating species and an indicator of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. We recorded life-history stage, survival, establishment of seedlings and ramets, number of inflorescences and grazing marks on permanently marked individuals in eight populations in mid-Norway for three consecutive years. Matrix modelling was used to estimate population growth rates and elasticities, and life Table response experiments (LTREs) were used to assess the contribution of different life-history components to the observed variation in population growth rates between different management treatments. Generalized linear mixed effects models (GLMMs) were used to investigate the effect of management on vital rates and number of inflorescences as well as damage to K. arvensis individuals. Populations in abandoned grasslands had more inflorescences, a lower proportion of seedlings and a higher proportion of flowering ramets compared to populations in grasslands under high grazing intensity. There were no differences in population growth rates between different grazing intensities. Fecundity however, contributed more to the growth rate in grazed grasslands compared to abandoned grasslands where clonal regeneration contributed the most. Survival of non-flowering rosettes made the largest impact to overall growth rates. Our results indicate that a long life-span and clonal growth buffer the effect of environmental change in abandoned grasslands and that there is a trade-off between fertility and clonal regeneration in K. arvensis populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This work describes the bioguided fractionation of the flower's ethyl acetate fraction of Scabiosa arenaria Forssk. (Dipsacaceae). Methods The identification of the pure compound isolated has been studied by mono-dimensional NMR experiments. The mixture of phenolic compounds was analysed by LC- ESI- MS/ MS. The antioxidant activity has been evaluated by the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl ( DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Key findings The bioguided fractionation of the flower's ethyl acetate fraction of Scabiosa arenaria led to the isolation of a pure compound: luteolin. The mixture of three phenolic compounds was identified as: 1, 4- O-dicaffeoylquinic acid, apigenin 7- O-glucoside and luteolin-7- O-glucoside. Two of which are reported here for the first time in Scabiosa genus. Luteolin had the highest antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 0.02 ± 0.007 mg/ml, followed by the three phenolic compounds with an IC50 value of 0.025 ± 0.008 mg/ml. Conclusions The results of the present work indicate that S. arenaria flower's ethyl acetate extract could be used as natural antioxidant agents in food preservation and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the bioactive constituents of the inflorescences of Scabiosa comosa and S. tschilliensis, which are used traditionally for liver diseases, we tested the antioxidant activity using 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), and DPPH-ultra high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS) assay. In addition, cell-based anti-HCV activity of the major compounds were evaluated. The plant extracts showed strong antioxidant activity. For the first time, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (DCQA), 3,5-DCQA and 4,5-DCQA were identified from genus Scabiosa. A UPLC-MS method in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode was established to quantify 18 constituents in the inflorescences of Scabiosa. The 3,5-DCQA, chlorogenic acid and some glycosides of luteolin or apigenin were found to be the most abundant constituents. Chlorogenic acid and 3,5-DCQA showed excellent radical scavenging activity and demonstrated anti-HCV activity. These findings provided scientific evidences for the clinic use of this herbal medicine for liver diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed ten polymorphic microsatellite markers for the herbaceous species Scabiosa canescens Waldst. & Kit. The species is currently not assessed under the IUCN Red List but has been declining historically due to intensification in agriculture and is recently declining due to habitat loss caused by agricultural abandonment of steppe-like dry grasslands. The microsatellite loci were tested for polymorphism on DNA templates extracted from 26 specimens collected across the species' range in Germany. Across the ten loci, two to eight alleles were detected with an observed and expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.192 to 0.769 and 0.265 to 0.768, respectively. These newly developed markers provide a valuable tool for population genetic investigations required to design effective conservation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have witnessed a sharp increase in the incidence and prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. One antidiabetic therapeutic approach is to reduce gastrointestinal glucose production and absorption through the inhibition of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes such as α-amylase and α-glucosidase. In this study, crude extracts and their corresponding fractions of flowers, fruits, (stems and leaves) and roots of the endemic North African plant Scabiosa arenaria Forssk. were screened for their ability of α-glucosidase inhibition. It was found that the fruits ethyl acetate (EtOAc), the fruits butanolic (n-BuOH) and the flowers ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fractions inhibited α-glucosidase in a non competitive manner with IC 50 values of 0.11 ± 0.09, 0.28 ± 0.04 and 0.221 ± 0.01 mg/ml, respectively. RP-HPLC analysis indicated that the major components of these active fractions are flavonoid aglycone, cinnamic acid and its derivatives. This result supports the conclusion that the three studied fractions could be a useful natural source for the development of a novel α-glucosidase inhibitory agent against diabetic complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lectotypification of four Linnaean names in the genus Scabiosa (Dipsacaceae): S. alpina (≡ Cephalaria alpina), S. arvensis (≡ Knautia arvensis), S. leucantha (≡ Cephalaria leucantha) and S. succisa (≡ Succisa pratensis) is discussed. The designation of the nomenclatural type is based on the consultation of Linnaeus's original material and the literature cited in the respective protologues. The names are lectotypified using specimens from Linnaeus, Burser and Clifford herbaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Plants growing on serpentine bedrock have to cope with the unique soil chemistry and often also low water-holding capacity. As plant-soil interactions are substantially modified by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis, we hypothesise that drought tolerance of serpentine plants is enhanced by AM fungi (AMF). Methods: We conducted a pot experiment combining four levels of drought stress and three AMF inoculation treatments, using serpentine Knautia arvensis (Dipsacaceae) plants as a model. Results: AMF inoculation improved plant growth and increased phosphorus uptake. The diminishing water supply caused a gradual decrease in plant growth, accompanied by increasing concentrations of drought stress markers (proline, abscisic acid) in root tissues. Mycorrhizal growth dependence and phosphorus uptake benefit increased with drought intensity, and the alleviating effect of AMF on plant drought stress was also indicated by lower proline accumulation. Conclusions: We documented the role of AM symbiosis in plant drought tolerance under serpentine conditions. However, the potential of AMF to alleviate drought stress was limited beyond a certain threshold, as indicated by a steep decline in mycorrhizal growth dependence and phosphorus uptake benefit and a concomitant rise in proline concentrations in the roots of mycorrhizal plants at the highest drought intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: There is a need for the discovery of novel natural antioxidants and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) that are safe and effective at a global level. This is the first study on antioxidant and anti-acethylcholinesterase activity of Scabiosa arenaria Forssk (Dipsacaceae). Objective: The antioxidant potential and anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of S. arenaria were investigated. Material and methods: The crude, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), butanol ( n-BuOH) and water extracts prepared from flowers, fruits and stems and leaves of S. arenaria were tested to determine their total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total condensed tannin content (CTC) and their antioxidant activity by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), reducing power and β-carotene bleaching inhibition activity. Anti-AChE activity was also determined. Results: EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions of fruits had both the highest (TPC) (269.09 mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight). The crude extract of stems and leaves had the highest TFC (10.9 mg quercetin equivalent/g dry weight). The n-BuOH fraction of stems and leaves had the highest CTC (489.75 mg catechin equivalents/g dry weight). The EtOAc fraction of flowers exhibit a higher activity in each antioxidant system with a special attention for DPPH assay (IC50 = 0.017 mg/mL) and reducing power (EC50 = 0.02 mg/mL). The EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions of stems and leaves showed strong inhibition of AChE (IC50 = 0.016 and 0.029 mg/mL, respectively). Discussion and conclusions: These results suggest the potential of S. arenaria as a possible source of novel compounds and as an alternative antioxidant and AChEIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To reconstruct the temporal and biogeographical history of Old World disjunctions in Scabiosa (Dipsacaceae) and the timing of diversification in the Mediterranean Basin, in order to evaluate the importance of biogeographical and climatological history (particularly the onset of a mediterranean climate) in shaping Scabiosa distributions. Location Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, southern Africa and eastern Asia. Methods This study uses maximum-likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of chloroplast DNA ( atpB- rbcL, trnL- trnF, trnS- trnG, psbA- trnH) and nuclear ribosomal DNA [internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and external transcribed spacer (ETS)] from 24 out of c. 37 ingroup taxa, beast molecular dating, and the dispersal-extinction-cladogenesis method (L agrange) to reconstruct ancestral geographical ranges and the timing of diversification of the major clades of Scabiosa. Results Biogeographical and divergence time reconstructions showed that Scabiosa originated during the Miocene and diversified in Europe, followed by independent movements into Asia and Africa. Several of the major clades were inferred to have radiated sometime between the late Miocene and early Pleistocene, a timeframe that encompasses the onset of the mediterranean climate in Europe. More recent middle-late Pleistocene radiations in the Mediterranean Basin and southern Africa have played a large role in Scabiosa diversification. Main conclusions Members of Scabiosa appear to have capitalized on adaptations to montane and/or dry conditions in order to colonize similar habitats in different biogeographical regions. The formation of the East African Rift mountains is potentially of great importance in explaining the southward migration of Scabiosa. The initial diversification of Scabiosa in Europe during the Miocene is not consistent with the initiation of the mediterranean climate, but may instead be associated with increased aridity and the retreat of subtropical lineages during this time. However, the radiation of some of the major subclades within Scabiosa may have been associated with an emerging mediterranean climate. More recent and rapid radiations in both the Mediterranean Basin and southern Africa highlight the probable importance of Pleistocene climate fluctuations in Scabiosa diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe localities and sites of Orobanche pancicii, a new species of the Slovenian flora. It was recorded in the subalpine belt (1500 to 2000 m a.s.l.) on forest edges, clearings and on stony grasslands in the Julian Alps and the eastern Karavanke mountains, on the hosts Knautia drymeia, K. longifolia and Scabiosa lucida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An established population of Cream Pincushions (Scabieuse jaune pale, Scabiosa ochroleuca L.) in the Ottawa Valley approximately 16.5 km southeast of Amprior is new to the flora of Ontario and eastern Canada. Other Canadian reports include a nonpersisting occurrence in Victoria, British Columbia, in 1908 and a recent occurrence from Keremeos in southcentral British Columbia. Identification and ecology of this species are discussed. In the Ottawa Valley, the plant occurs with introduced Heath Snail (Xerolenta obvia), which also originates in eastern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The first synthesis of scabiosaponins E (1), F (2), and G (3), three new oleanolic acid saponins with strong inhibitory activity on pancreatic lipase isolated from the Chinese traditional medicinal herb Scabiosa tschiliensis, was efficiently achieved in an one-pot strategy under the combined use of glycosyl trichloroacetimidates and p-toluene 1-thioglycosides (STol) as donors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

One of the fundamental questions in biomineralization is how organisms control crystallographic orientation during biomineral production. The understanding of how diagenetic changes influence the preservation of original crystallographic patterns in fossilized biomineral structures provides a priori fundamental information for such an assessment. Fossil craniid brachiopods Petrocrania scabiosa (Late Ordovician) and Crania craniolaris (Late Cretaceous) are analysed using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) to provide crystallographic data at high spatial resolution in the structural context. EBSD analyses show that P. scabiosa maintains most of the original crystallographic signature, including data from individual calcite tablets and laminae, while C. craniolaris only retains fragmentary crystallographic data reflecting the crystallographic continuity of tablets across laminae. Data show that the preservation of the original crystallographic signature is independent of that of shell ultrastructure and geological time. In addition, results allow us to propose a series of steps in the evolution of ‘crystallographic loss’ due to diagenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to changes in land use, remnants ofunfertilised, nutrient-poor calcareousgrassland in the Swiss Jura are small in areaand are highly fragmented. We selected 89 seedfamilies from eleven populations of varioussizes of Scabiosa columbaria for a studyof molecular diversity, and used the samematerial in a greenhouse experiment to measurevariation in fitness-related traits and theability of populations to cope withcompetition. Using RAPD-PCR we detected 71RAPD-phenotypes among 87 genotypes. Moleculardiversity within populations was variable andrelatively high, with an expectedheterozygosity He ranging from 0.09 to0.24. He, the Shannon index (SI) and thepercentage of polymorphic bands were notcorrelated with population size, but thesmallest populations had the lowest moleculardiversity (He, SI). Populationdifferentiation was moderate with 12% of themolecular diversity among populations. Measuresof fitness in the greenhouse differed amongseed families (P < 0.001), but not amongpopulations. Mean above-ground biomass waslargely reduced when plants had to compete withBromus. Mean fitness of populationsdecreased when molecular diversity (He)was low, but only when plants had to competewith Bromus (P = 0.02). Accordingly, therelative competition ability of Scabiosaplants decreased when molecular diversity(He) was low (P = 0.01). Our resultssuggest an increased risk of local extinctionof Scabiosa columbaria in the Swiss Juracaused by a decreased viability and reducedphenotypic plasticity due to genetic erosion insmall populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tests whether there was a relationship between petal fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in Scabiosa canescens and Scabiosa columbaria and allozyme heterozygosity, the heritabilities of eight traits and population size.

In the current study, we used bootstrap analyses and the common principal component (CPC) method of Flury (1988) to estimate and compare the G-matrix of Scabiosa columbaria and S. canescens populations. We found three major patterns in the G-matrices: (i) the magnitude of the (co)variances was more variable among characters than among populations, (ii) different populations showed high (co)variance for different characters, and (iii) there was a tendency for S. canescens to have higher genetic (co)variances than S. columbaria. The hypothesis of equal G-matrices was rejected in all comparisons and there was no evidence that the matrices differed by a proportional constant in any of the analyses. The two ‘species matrices’ were found to be unrelated, both for raw data and data standardized over populations, and there was significant between-population variation in the G-matrix in both species. Populations of S. canescens showed conservation of structure (principal components) in their G-matrices, contrasting with the lack of common structure among the S. columbaria matrices. Given these observations and the results from previous studies, we propose that selection may be responsible for some of the variation between the G-matrices, at least in S. columbaria and at the between-species level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruits of Dipsacaceae are single-seeded, have bristle-shaped calyx segments and are tightly enclosed by four fused bracts forming an epicalyx. Comparative morphological and anatomical studies reveal a great diversity of epicalyx and calyx, often relevant to fruit dispersal. The present contribution deals with the Scabiosa group of genera, the core of the Scabioseae tribe. Most of its taxa develop a diaphragma from a meristem on the inside of the epicalyx. This diaphragma, together with the lower part of the epicalyx encloses the fruit proper, whereas the upper parts form a so-called “epi-diaphragma” (ed) and a ± hyaline corona. Differences of the epicalyx with respect to the size and position of the ed, elaboration of the corona, origin of pits (=foveoles) and other morphological and anatomical specializations can be demonstrated. Together with palynological and karyological data these new facts support an improved concept of relationships and systematics for the taxa studied: Scabiosa sect. Scabiosa and sect. Cyrtostemma are closely related and should be united to form the genus Scabiosa s. str.; Pycnocomon can be maintained as an independent genus, sister to Scabiosa sect. Trochocephalus which then has to be treated as a genus, Lomelosia. In contrast, the following genera have to be included in Lomelosia: Tremastelma as Lomelosia sect. Callistemma, and Scabiosiopsis as part of Lomelosia sect. Lomelosia. Pseudoscabiosa deviates in so many features that it has to be excluded from the redefined Scabioseae s. str. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We quantified allozyme diversity and quantitative genetic variation within and between six populations of the locally rare Scabiosa canescens and the more common and widespread S. columbaria (Dipsacaceae). For the within-population component, we quantified allozyme diversity as the expected heterozygosity (He), followed by a sib analysis to estimate the heritability (h2) for eight vegetative and floral characters. There was no consistent association between h2 and He, or between h2 and current population size. Regarding the between-population component, we compared the overall level of population differentiation for the allozymes (FST), assumed to be selectively neutral, with the corresponding estimates for the quantitative traits (QST) to determine if the marker genes and the polygenic characters have been influenced by the same evolutionary force(s). Differences between estimates of FST and QST for S. canescens were too small to be declared as significant, indicating that neutral phenotypic evolution has led to the observed differentiation in this species. Our data indicate higher levels of phenotypic differentiation in S. columbaria with values of QST exceeding the allozymic FST for all traits. This finding indicates a great potential for S. columbaria to respond to local selection pressures, perhaps explaining why this species has a broader ecological amplitude than S. canescens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tile phytophagous insect communities dwelling in the flower heads of Cirsium acaule and Centaurea scabiosa were studied in mown, sheep-grazed and abandoned calcareous grasslands. Phytophagous species developing in the stemless C. acaule were not affected directly by mowing or grazing, but by changes in microclimate due to habitat management. The community in C. scabiosa was affected both directly by the removal of flower heads and indirectly by changes in microclimate. The responses of the particular insect species to management were not uniform and depended mainly on life-style and habitat preferences. Mowing reduced species packing and mean densities for a number of univoltine species on C. scabiosa compared with abandoned or sheep-grazed sites. Bivoltine species were only slightly affected. Most species were most abundant in abandoned sites, but two species had their focus in mown and sheep-grazed sites. In C. acaule, no differences in species packing were found between managed and unmanaged sites. The densities of the most common species were affected inversely, with the fly Tephritis conura being more abundant in abandoned sites and two weevil species (Larinus spp.) more abundant in managed areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All known Danish habitats of Scabiosa canescens have been visited. Sociological investigations have been carried out, assembled in Tables A and B, and the soil has been examined for pH, conductivity, water-retaining capacity, loss on ignition, content of CaCO3 (Table C) and particle-size (Table D). Emphasis on ecological investigations in soil profiles at these sites has elucidated the action of leaching and the resulting change in the floristic composition of the vegetations. A survey of the occurrences in Denmark is to be found on page 98 and in the remaining regions of distribution (Central Europe) on page 100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizes the new name of Scabiosa semipapposa to Scabiosa Galianoi Devesa in Africa. Characteristics of the species; Difference between Scabiosa galianoi and Moroccan plants; Ecology and distribution of Scabiosa.