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Cestrum lozadai Cruz Durán & S. Valencia, sp. nov. , Fig. 1. Cestrum lozadai is similar to C. laxum; however, it is distinguished from the latter by presenting narrower leaf blades, with up to 15 pairs of secondary veins, flowers with longer pedicels, up to 16 mm and articulated, the corolla tube longer, up to 21 mm and internally with retrorse trichomes in the portion attached to the filaments, with the fused part of the filaments up to 15 mm. TYPE:— MEXICO. Guerrero: Muncipality of Atoyac de Álvarez, approx. 1 km W of El Molote, road to Nueva Dehli, 17°24´5.1” N, 100°10´55.1” W, 13 January 2005 (fl), R. de Santiago et al. 1431 (holotype FCME!, isotypes FCME!, MEXU!). Trees 4‒6 m tall or shrubs 2‒3 m tall, slender, glabrous. Leaves (5‒) 6.5‒12.2 cm long, with alternate phyllotaxis; laminae (4.5‒) 6‒11 × 1.1‒2.5 cm, lanceolate to subelliptic, upper surface glabrous, lower surface glabrous, with 8‒15 secondary veins per side, vein divergence 80‒90 degrees, base acute to cuneate, margin entire, apex acuminate, occasionally acute; petioles 5‒8 mm long, glabrous. Inflorescences in terminal racemes, 6‒9 cm long, lax, rachis in zig-zag, glabrous, the flowers never conglomerated; bracts ca. 1 mm long, filiform, soon caducous; pedicels (11‒) 12‒16 mm, glabrous, jointed, the joint at 2‒5 mm long. Flowers pentamerous, white or white-greenish, 2.5‒3 cm long; calyx tubular, green, 4‒5 mm long, glabrous, with evident middle veins, lobes 1‒1.3 mm long, apex slightly hairy; corolla hypocrateriform, with a tube 20‒21 mm long, externally glabrous, instead internally with retrorse trichomes up to the level where the free part of the filaments begins, diameter of the base ca. 1 mm, expanding to ca. 3 mm wide at sublimbus, lobes 5‒6 × 2‒4 mm, triangular, marginal folds 1 mm wide, tomentose on the outside; stamens with filaments fused to the base of the corolla in the first 14‒15 mm, free part 5‒6 mm, with a hairy knee-like appendage, shortly after the free part begins; style 19‒20 mm long, glabrous, ovary 2 mm long, ovoid. Fruits white berries, ovoid, 9 × 6 mm, with persistent calyx, covering less than 1/4 of the fruit. Seeds not registered. Habitat and ecology:—It is common in cloud forest and coffee plantations, from 1612 to 1750 m above sea level, on red soil. Phenology:—It is found in flower and fruit from (September) December to January. Conservation status:—According to the IUCN Red List guidelines (2021), C. lozadai should be categorized as Data Deficient (DD) because there are only 5 collections of one single locality in the Municipality of Atoyac de Álvarez, Guerrero. Etymology:—The specific epithet is dedicated to Lucio Lozada Pérez, outstanding Mexican botanist, well known for his career on the study of the tree flora of the state of Guerrero, Mexico. Additional specimens examined: — MEXICO. Guerrero: Municipality of Atoyac de Álvarez, El Molote, to 0.5 km N, 17°25´29.3” N, 100°10´28.6” W, 14 January 2005 (fl, fr), L. Lozada, R. de Santiago & J. Rojas 2755 (FCME). Approx. 1 km W of El Molote, road to Nueva Dehli, 17°25´5.1” N, 100°10´55.1” W, 13 January 2005 (fl), R. de Santiago, L. Lozada & J. Rojas 1430 (FCME). 0.5 km W of El Molote, 17°25´28.2” N, 100°10´10.21” W, 26 September 1999 (fl, fr), J. Rojas 24a (FCME), 5 December 1999 (fl), J. Rojas 72 (FCME)., Published as part of Durán, Ramiro Cruz & Valencia-A, Susana, 2022, Cestrum lozadai (Solanaceae), a new species from the state of Guerrero, Mexico, pp. 295-300 in Phytotaxa 564 (3) on page 296, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.564.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/7095406

The central Africa is a center of diversity and speciation for the Solanaceae. The objective of this study was to inventory and to examine the diversity of the specimens of herbaria of the Solanaceae harvested in the central Africa region (Rwanda Burundi-DR Congo) and, to establish the ecological characters of species inventoried in the Herbarias. The specimens of Herbarias of BR, P, BRLU and IUK of the University of Kinshasa have been studied. An analysis of 3650 specimens of herbaria indicates that the Solanaceae in central Africa are only represented with 15 kinds for 61 species. The Capsicum kinds (2 species), Solanum (36 species), Brugmansia (2 species), Physalis (3 species), Solandra (1 species), Petunia (1espece), Discopodium (1 species), Datura (3 species), Nicandra (1 species), Whitania (1 species), Nicotiana (2 species), Cestrum (2 species), Brunfelsia (1 species), Physalis (3), Cestrum (2 species), Petunia (1 species), Datura (3 species). The Solanum, kind alone, is represented with 36 species for the central Africa. In this geographical area of central Africa the Solanaceae are distributed in all countries which compose the phytogeographic regions of central Africa.

Poisonous plants are widely distributed and may have risk of phytotoxicity upon mixing with medicinal plants. Several species of Cestrum genus are poisonous and linked with many serious health issues. In the present study, cross-mixing of a toxic plant, Cestrum diurnum with morphologically resembling medicinal plant, Adhatoda vasica was studied using chemical fingerprinting approach. LC-ESI-MS/MS tool was used to develop the chemical fingerprints of three toxic species of Cestrum, including, C. diurnum, C. nocturnum and C. parqui. Total forty-three compounds were identified using high-resolution LC-ESI-MS/MS data comparison. Chemometric analyses were done to compare the distribution of identified compounds present in these Cestrum species. One of the identified compounds, nornicotine (a toxic compound) was also quantified using LC-IT-MS/MS. Adulteration study was conducted by mixing toxic C. diurnum in A. vasica with various ratios (w/w) and five differentiable compounds were identified to detect the adulteration. The method was able to detect up to the limit of 5% mixing of toxic C. diurnum. Moreover, cytotoxicity of the methanolic extracts of these three species were also studied on normal human PBMC (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) and all found to be toxic, while the C. nocturnum showed the highest level of toxicity with the IC50 12.5 μg/mL.

* Cestrum parqui (Lam.) L’Hér. — Habit: Shrub. Habitat: LMDF. Distribution: IV. Voucher: N/A. Reference: Edmonds (2012)., Published as part of Zhou, Ya-Dong, Mwachala, Geoffrey, Hu, Guang-Wan & Wang, Qing-Feng, 2022, Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Mount Kenya, East Africa, pp. 1-108 in Phytotaxa 546 (1) on page 79, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.546.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6550464, {"references":["Edmonds, J. M. (2012) Solanaceae. In: Beentje, H. J. (Ed.) Flora of Tropical East Africa. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, 242 pp."]}

Antifungal assay-guided fractionation of the methanolic crude extract of

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:28:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-01-01 The 35S and 5S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) organized in thousands of copies in genomes, have been widely used in numerous comparative cytogenetic studies. Nevertheless, several questions related to the diversity and organization of regulatory motifs in 5S rDNA remain to be addressed. The 5S rDNA unit is composed of a conserved 120 bp length coding region and an intergenic spacer (IGS) containing potential regulatory motifs (Poly-T, AT-rich and GC-rich) differing in number, redundancy and position along the IGS. The Cestrum species (Solanaceae) have large genomes (about 10 pg/1C) and conserved 2n = 16 karyotypes. Strikingly, these genomes show high diversity of heterochromatin distribution, variability in 35S rDNA loci and the occurrence of B chromosomes. However, the 5S rDNA loci are highly conserved in the proximal region of chromosome 8. Comparison of seventy-one IGS sequences in plants revealed several conserved motifs with potential regulatory function. The AT- and GC-rich domains appeared highly conserved in Cestrum chromosomes. The 5S genic and the GC-rich IGS probe produced FISH signals in both A (pair 8) and B chromosomes. The GC-rich domain presented a strong potential for regulation because it may be associated with CpG islands organization, as well as to hairpin and loop organization. Another interesting aspect was the ability of AT- and GC-rich motifs to produce non-heterochromatic CMA/DAPI signals. While the length of the 5S rDNA IGS region varied in size between the Cestrum species, the individual sequence motifs seem to be conserved suggesting their regulatory function. The most striking feature was the conserved GC-rich domain in Cestrum, which is recognized as a signature trait of the proximal region of chromosome pair 8. Laboratório de Citogenética e Diversidade Vegetal Departamento de Biologia Geral Centro de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Estadual de Londrina Departamento de Morfologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Departamento de Morfologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)

The Drosophila genus is one of the main model organisms in evolutionary studies, including those investigating the role of transposable elements (TE) in genomic evolution both at the nucleotide and chromosome levels. D. incompta is a species with restricted ecology, using Cestrum (Solanaceae) flowers as unique sources for oviposition, feeding and development. In the present study, we deeply characterise the D. incompta mobilome and generate a curated dataset. A total of 277 elements were identified, corresponding to approximately 14% of the genome, and 164 of these elements are new, of which 32.62% are putatively autonomous and 8.9% are transcriptionally active in adult flies. The restricted ecology does not seem to influence the dynamics of TE in this fly, since the proportion and diversity of TEs in its genome are similar to that of other Drosophila species. This result is reinforced by the absence of a clear pattern when comparing the TE landscape between generalist and specialist flies. Using 32 available Drosophila genomes-24 ecologically generalist species and 8 specialist species-no difference was found between their TE landscape patterns. However, differences were found between species of the Sophophora and Drosophila subgenus, indicating there are lineage-specific factors shaping TE landscapes.

Acute hepatotoxicity caused by plants poisoning is responsible for economic losses in farm animals in Brazil. Reports of Cestrum intermedium natural poisoning in cattle are not commonly described in Rio Grande do Sul (RS). This study aimed to document an outbreak of spontaneous C. intermedium poisoning in dairy cattle in the Central-Eastern Mesoregion of RS. Three nine-month-old Holstein and Jersey heifers were affected after they were placed in a small paddock with shortage forage. In this area, specimens of C. intermedium Sendtn with signs of consumption were observed. Morbidity and lethality rates were 100% and clinical courses ranged from 9 to 12 hours. At post mortem examination of the three heifers, there was predominance of acute liver lesions. The liver was moderately enlarged and on the cut surface there was a marked accentuation of the lobular pattern and hemorrhage. Inside the rumen, partially digested C. intermedium Sendtn leaves were observed. The histological aspects of the liver were mostly centrilobular coagulative necrosis and hemorrhage, frequently extended to the midzonal region. The immunohistochemistry technique was performed, in which the polyclonal antibody caspase 3 was used in liver fragments. Moderate to marked immunolabeling was observed in the cytoplasm and nucleus of hepatocytes, predominantly on the periphery of areas of hepatic necrosis indicating cell apoptosis. The diagnosis of C. intermedium Sendtn poisoning in dairy cattle in this study was based on epidemiological, clinical and anatomopathological findings. Since the C. intermedium poisoning is uncommon in dairy cattle, we are describing it for the first time in the Central-Eastern Mesoregion of RS, and represents a differential diagnosis of other acute toxic liver diseases in cattle. RESUMO: Intoxicações por plantas que causam hepatotoxicidade aguda são responsáveis por prejuízos econômicos em animais de produção no Brasil. Relatos de intoxicações naturais por Cestrum intermedium em bovinos não são comumente descritos no Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Este trabalho teve como objetivo documentar um surto de intoxicação espontânea por C. intermedium em bovinos leiteiros ocorrido na região Centro-Oriental do RS. Três bovinos com nove meses de idade, das raças Holandês e Jersey, foram acometidos depois de serem introduzidos em um pequeno piquete com escassez de forragem. Nessa área foram observados exemplares de Cestrum intermedium Sendtn com sinais de consumo. As taxas de morbidade e letalidade foram de 100% e os cursos clínicos variaram de 9 a 12 horas. Na necropsia dos três bovinos, observou-se predomínio de lesões hepáticas agudas. O fígado dos animais acometidos estava moderadamente aumentado de tamanho e na superfície de corte havia marcada acentuação do padrão lobular e hemorragia. Na abertura do rúmen, foram observadas folhas de Cestrum intermedium Sendtn parcialmente digeridas. Histologicamente, o fígado apresentava necrose coagulativa centrolobular e hemorragia. Frequentemente, essas alterações se estendiam para a região mediozonal. Foi realizada a técnica de imuno-histoquímica, na qual utilizou-se o anticorpo policlonal caspase 3 em fragmentos de fígado. Notou-se marcação moderada a acentuada em citoplasma e núcleo de hepatócitos, predominantemente na periferia das áreas de necrose hepática indicando apoptose celular. O diagnóstico de intoxicação por Cestrum intermedium Sendtn nos bovinos leiteiros desse estudo, foi realizado com base nos achados epidemiológicos, clínicos e anatomopatológicos. A intoxicação por C. intermedium é incomum em bovinos leiteiros, sendo descrita pela primeira vez na região centro oriental do RS e representa um diagnóstico diferencial de outras hepatopatias tóxicas agudas.

A survey carried out in the dairy region of Pernambuco was conducted to determine the most important poisonous plants for ruminants in the region. A total of 95 farmers from 19 municipalities were interviewed and the grazing areas of ruminants were inspected. According to the survey, the most important poisonous plants for ruminants were Manihot esculenta, Palicourea aeneofusca, Brachiaria decumbens, Indigofera suffruticosa, Ricinus communis and Cestrum axillare. Less reported classes of poisonous plants included nephrotoxic plants and plants that cause abortions or congenic malformations. Psychotria hoffmannseggiana, Psychotria colorata and Psychotria capitata were reported by farmers as the cause of sudden death in cattle. These plants should be better investigated to evaluate their importance as the cause of cattle deaths. RESUMO: Neste estudo prospectivo, realizou-se um levantamento sobre a ocorrência das principais plantas tóxicas e a ocorrência de intoxicações por plantas em ruminantes na bacia leiteira de Pernambuco. Para isso, foram entrevistados 95 produtores rurais de 19 municípios e as áreas de pastagem de ruminantes foram inspecionadas. De acordo com o levantamento, as plantas tóxicas mais importantes para ruminantes foram Manihot esculenta, Palicourea aeneofusca, Brachiaria decumbens, Indigofera suffruticosa e Ricinus communis. As classes menos importantes de plantas tóxicas incluíram plantas nefrotóxicas e plantas que causam abortos e malformações congênitas. Psychotria hoffmannseggiana, Psychotria colorata e Psychotria capitata foram relatadas por produtores rurais como a causa de mortes súbitas em bovinos. Essas plantas devem ser investigadas melhor para avaliar sua importância como a causa de mortes de bovinos.

Solanaceae é uma das maiores famílias de plantas vasculares, com 100 gêneros e ca. de 2.500 espécies, com distribuição subcosmopolita e maior diversidade na região Neotropical. Este trabalho realizou um levantamento florístico das espécies de Solanaceae no município de Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, em área ecotonal entre Caatinga e Mata Atlântica. Foram realizadas coletas semanais de agosto/2019 a março/2020, totalizando 30 espécimes, depositados nos herbários HUESBVC e HVC. Foram registradas 19 espécies, distribuídas em nove gêneros: Brunfelsia (2 spp.), Capsicum (1 sp.), Cestrum (1 sp.), Datura (1 sp.), Iochroma (1 sp.) Nicandra (1 sp.), Nicotiana (1 sp.), Physalis (1 sp.) e Solanum (10 spp.). Dentre as espécies coletadas, cinco são endêmicas para o Brasil e 11 foram novos registros para o município. Nossos resultados demonstram que Solanaceae é uma família de elevada riqueza de espécies no município, contribuindo para o conhecimento da flora local.

The methanolic extract of leaves and stem of Cestrum nocturnum and Cestrum diurnum were investigated for their antioxidant and anticancer attribute through standard methods. 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was carried out to estimate the antioxidant activity of the extracts. Whereas, anticancer potential of extracts were tested against colon cancer cell line, HCT 116 and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines, THP-1. Results showed that extracts of both plants exhibited a very strong antioxidant activity in a dose dependent manner. In addition, both extracts efficiently increased the cell death in two different cancer cell lines. Moreover, DNA fragmentation analysis further strengthens the anticancer potential of extracts of both types of plants. Current study, therefore, provide a preliminary data highlighting the antioxidant and anticancer activities of methanolic extract of leaves and stem of Cestrum nocturnum and Cestrum diurnum.

Cestrum species are being used as hedge and ornamental plants in Turkey. In this study, a Cestrum elegans plant showing chlorotic spots, rings and reddening was subjected to high throughput sequencing of small RNAs, in order to clarify its etiology. Results suggested the presence of tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV), which was further confirmed by RT-PCR using two specific primers amplifying RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and coat protein (CP) of the virus. When 25 Cestrum samples were tested using CP primers, one symptomatic C. elegans and four symptomless C. nocturnum were infected by ToCV. The obtained sequences shared 83–99.9% nucleotide identity with ToCV isolates available in the GenBank. Phylogenetic relationship among Turkish tomato isolates of ToCV and those available in the GenBank showed that two Cestrum spp. isolates of ToCV were closely related to Turkish tomato isolates, while the other three clustered with isolates from different countries.

Previously, various steroidal glycosides were reported from plants of Cestrum species. However, phytochemical investigation has not been conducted on Cestrum newellii. A systematic phytochemical investigation of the leaves of C. newellii resulted in the isolation of eight novel steroidal glycosides (1&ndash, 8), which were classified into three spirostanol glycosides (1&ndash, 3), two furostanol glycosides (4 and 5), two pseudofurostanol glycosides (6 and 7), and one cholestane glycoside (8). In addition, three known cholestane glycosides (9&ndash, 11) were isolated and identified. The structures of the new compounds were determined based on spectroscopic data and chemical transformations. Compounds 1 and 2 are spirostanol glycosides having hydroxy groups at C-2, C-3, C-12, and C-24 of the aglycone moiety. Although C. newellii is known to be a poisonous plant, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay exhibited that none of the isolated compounds were cytotoxic to HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells.

espanolSe sabe que las comunidades Andino-Amazonicas a traves de la historia han hecho un correcto y eficaz uso de sus recursos floristicos, que al domesticarlas inteligentemente se han constituido en verdaderos aportes del Peru para la humanidad. Por ello esta investigacion se avoco a determinar los aspectos etnobotanicos de las especies empleadas por la Comunidad Campesina de Cuspon. Se aplicaron 150 entrevistas semi-estructuradas, para recabar informacion referente a: taxonomia, nombres vulgares, habito o porte, habitat, forma de propagacion, parte utilizada y uso etnobotanico, para luego determinar el Indice Cultural (IC). La comunidad de Cuspon utiliza en sus mas diversas necesidades 57 especies de plantas distribuidas en 48 generos y 30 familias; siendo las mas representativas las Asteraceaes (11), solanaceae (4), Euphorbiaceae (3), Malvaceae (3), Onagraceae (3) y Urticaceae (3); y las especies mas importantes: Solanum tuberosum L. "papa" (IC = 1,33), Zea mays L. "maiz" (IC = 1,31), Chenopodium quinoa Willd. "quinua" (IC = 1,06), Caesalpinia spinosa (Molina) Kuntze "talla" (IC = 0,97), Capsicum pubescens Ruiz & Pav. "rocoto" (IC = 0,95), Juglans neotropica Diels "nogal" (IC = 0,92), Alnus acuminata Kunth "aliso" (IC = 0,86), Cestrum auriculatum L'Her. "hierba santa", Minthostachys mollis (Benth.) Griseb. "muna" (IC = 0,85). EnglishIt is known that the Andean-Amazon communities throughout history have made a correct and effective use of its floristic resources, which by intelligently domesticating them have become true contributions of Peru for humanity. For this reason, this research focused on determining the aspects ethnobotanicals of the species used by the Cuspon Peasant Community. 150 semi-structured interviews were applied, to collect information regarding: taxonomy, common names, habit or bearing, habitat, way of propagation, part used and ethnobotanical use, to later determine the Cultural Index (CI). The Cuspon community uses 57 species of plants distributed in 48 genera and 30 families; the most representative being the Asteraceaes (11), solanaceae (4), Euphorbiaceae (3), Malvaceae (3), Onagraceae (3) and Urticaceae (3); and the most species Important: Solanum tuberosum L. "potato" (IC = 1.33), Zea mays L. "corn" (IC = 1.31), Chenopodium quinoa Willd. "quinoa" (IC = 1.06), Caesalpinia spinosa (Molina) Kuntze "tara" (IC = 0.97), Capsicum pubescens Ruiz & Pav. "rocoto" (IC = 0.95), Juglans neotropica Diels "walnut" (IC = 0.92), Alnus acuminata Kunth "alder" (IC = 0.86), Cestrum auriculatum L'Her. "holy grass", Minthostachys mollis (Benth.) Griseb. "muna" (IC = 0.85).

Background and Aims: Like other genera of Mexican vascular plants, more taxonomic work is needed in Cestrum . In Mexico, 36 species of the genus are distributed, but surely several more await to be described. One of these taxonomic novelties is described here. Methods: Based on material collected by Dr. Alfonso Delgado Salinas, a morphological analysis and bibliographic review was realized, detecting a taxon new to science. Key results: Cestrum chiangi , an endemic species of the Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico, is described and illustrated. The flower of C. chiangi morphologically resembles to the flower of C. fulvescens. Conclusions: Cestrum chiangi is endemic to Mexico and occurs in localities in Guerrero and Oaxaca.

A new steroidal saponin, named as (25R)-6α-[(β-D-glucopyranosyl) oxy]-5α-spirostan-3β-yl β-D-glucopyranosyl (1''→3')-O-β-D-glucopyranosid (2) was isolated from the flowers of Cestrum elegans. In addition, a known steroidal saponin (1), a flavonoid compound (3) along with a triterpene saponin (4) were isolated for the first time in genus Cestrum and identified based on their chromatographic properties, chemical and spectral data (HR-ESI-MS, 1H, 13C NMR, 1H-1H COSY, HSQC, and HMBC). The four compounds are characterized by different effects against Gram positive, Gram negative bacteria, antifungal and antiviral activities. The maximum non-toxic concentration (MNTC) on vero cell line was 1.56 µg/mL for all compounds. While compound 1 and 3 showed the highest biological activities against hepatitis A virus possess 34.3% and 25% antiviral activity respectively..

Many forest ecosystems in Kenya are at risk from the invasion of exotic plant species that pose numerous threats like decreasing biodiversity, deteriorating ecosystem processes and degrading their services. They also affect human, other animal health and various angles of the general economy. Cestrum aurantiacum Lindl. is a species with invasive reputation having been reported with very high biological success rating and has been noted in parts of Kenya in proportions that raise concerns. It has negative effects on other plants and animal species function and diversity. These impacts have been recorded in Kenya and elsewhere in this review, I synthesized data from studies that have examined the taxonomy of Cestrum aurantiacum, how this species become part of the ecosystem in Kenya and its ecological and economic impacts. I sourced relevant articles from the internet using keywords relating to the taxonomy, impacts and reports of invasive species and narrowed to records from different parts of Kenya. In this review, I looked across twenty-seven studies, on Cestrum aurantiacum in Kenya and went ahead to review one hundred and thirteen other articles for expanded discussion. Species data in published articles from different parts of Kenya were used as georefences to model overall species distribution which was noted to lie between Mt Kenya, Mt Elgon-Nandi hills and Cherangani hills. It was clearly established that there are major adverse effects associated with species. First, it can change native ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycle or hydrology and contribute significant role on the decrease of native species. A primary risk of Cestrum aurantiacum is that when this species alters the biodiversity, ecosystems are transformed into new configurations with unpredictable consequences to humans and other wildlife in totality. Despite the few positive applications of cestrum species, these can’t compensate for the enormous detrimental consequences associated with the species. Cestrum aurantiacum was introduced in Kenya as an ornamental plant in 1921 by the government and was distributed in several regions of high potential Kenya due to high level of hybridization within the genera, several variables of the species occur. By examining the level of information regarding the taxonomy and impacts of Cestrum aurantiacum on animal and plant species, this study provides pivotal information at the country level with a view to informing monitoring and conservation efforts, such as alien plant removal and control programmes, and ensuring that endemic terrestrial animal and plant diversity are maintained.

Species of Cestrum (Linnaeus, 1753) have shown large diversity in the accumulation and distribution of repetitive DNA families, and B chromosomes have been described in seven species. Some types of repetitive DNA were identified in A and B chromosomes in species of this plant group, such as AT-rich SSR, 35S and 5S rDNA, C-Giemsa and C-CMA/DAPI bands and retrotransposons. To increase our understanding of the relationships of A and B chromosomes, the B of C. strigilatum Ruiz & Pavón, 1799 was microdissected, amplified and hybridized in situ against chromosomes of this species, and in six other species of this genus. FISH signals were observed in whole the B of C. strigilatum, including stretches of A chromosomes, as well as in some A chromosomes of all tested species. A strong FISH signal was seen adjacent to the 5S rDNA in the proximal region of pair 8 of all species and, due to this, we have searched for 5S rDNA fragments in the microdissected B chromosome. PCR and sequencing data evidenced 5S rDNA deletion along evolutionary pathways of the B of C. strigilatum. Although A and B chromosomes displayed redundancy in the repetitive DNA families in different species, the B of C. strigilatum seemed to differ from those Bs of other Cestrum species by the loss of rDNA fractions. A possible origin of Bs in Cestrum was discussed.

Telomeres are basic structures of eukaryote genomes. They distinguish natural chromosome ends from double-stranded breaks in DNA and protect chromosome ends from degradation or end-to-end fusion with other chromosomes. Telomere sequences are usually tandemly arranged minisatellites, typically following the formula (TAG). Although they are well conserved across large groups of organisms, recent findings in plants imply that their diversity has been underestimated. Changes in telomeres are of enormous evolutionary importance as they can affect whole-genome stability. Even a small change in the telomere motif of each repeat unit represents an important interference in the system of sequence-specific telomere binding proteins. Here, we provide an overview of telomere sequences, considering the latest phylogenomic evolutionary framework of plants in the broad sense (Archaeplastida), in which new telomeric sequences have recently been found in diverse and economically important families such as Solanaceae and Amaryllidaceae. In the family Lentibulariaceae and in many groups of green algae, deviations from the typical plant telomeric sequence have also been detected recently. Ancestry and possible homoplasy in telomeric motifs, as well as extant gaps in knowledge are discussed. With the increasing availability of genomic approaches, it is likely that more telomeric diversity will be uncovered in the future. We also discuss basic methods used for telomere identification and we explain the implications of the recent discovery of plant telomerase RNA on further research about the role of telomerase in eukaryogenesis or on the molecular causes and consequences of telomere variability., This work was supported by ERDF [project SYMBIT, reg. no. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/15_003/0000477], EMBO Short-Term Fellowship 7368 to V.P., Spanish [CGL2016-75694-P (AEI/FEDER, UE)] and Catalan [grant number 2017SGR1116] governments. S.G. is the holder of a Ramón y Cajal contract (RYC-2014-16608)., TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract Introduction How Variable Are Telomere Sequences? From Screenings to Discovery: How Telomeric Motifs Can Be Identified? Is There Homoplasy in Telomere Sequences? What Are the Molecular Reasons for Changes in the Telomere Motifs? How Did Chromosomes Become Linear? Conclusion Author Contributions Funding Conflict of Interest Acknowledgments References

The mechanisms controlling evolutionary shifts between dry and fleshy fruits in angiosperms are poorly understood. In Solanaceae, Cestrum and Brugmansia represent cases of convergent evolution of fleshy and dry fruits, respectively. Here we study the anatomical and genetic bases of the independent origin of fleshy fruits in Cestrum and the reversion to dry dehiscent fruits in Brugmansia. We also characterize the expression of candidate fruit development genes, including ALCATRAZ/SPATULA, FRUITFULL, HECATE1/2/3, REPLUMLESS and SHATTERPROOF. We identify anatomical changes to establish developmental stages in the ovary-to-fruit transition in Cestrum nocturnum and Brugmansia suaveolens. We generate reference transcriptomes for both species, isolate homologs for all genes in the fruit genetic regulatory network (GRN) and perform gene expression analyses for ALC/SPT, FUL, HEC1/2/3, RPL and SHP throughout fruit development. Finally, we compare our results to expression patterns found in typical capsules of Nicotiana tabacum and berries of Solanum lycopersicum available in public repositories. We have identified homologous, homoplasious and unique anatomical features in C. nocturnum and B. suaveolens fruits, resulting in their final appearance. Expression patterns suggest that FUL, SHP and SPT might control homologous characteristics, while ALC and RPL likely contribute to homoplasious anatomical features. The convergent anatomical features in Cestrum and Brugmansia fruits are likely the result of changes in ALC and RPL expression patterns. The fruit GRN changes considerably in these genera when compared to typical capsules and berries of Solanaceae, particularly in B. suaveolens, where expression of FUL2 and RPL1 is lacking. RESUMEN: Los mecanismos que controlan las transiciones evolutivas entre frutos secos y carnosos en las angiospermas son probremente conocidos. En las Solanaceae, Cestrum y Brugmansia representan casos de evolución convergente de frutos carnosos y secos, respectivamente. En este trabajo estudiamos las bases anatómicas y genéticas del origen independiente de frutos carnosos en Cestrum y la reversión a frutos secos dehiscentes en Brugmansia. También caracterizamos la expresión de genes candidatos de desarrollo del fruto incluyendo ALCATRAZ/SPATULA, FRUITFULL, HECATE1/2/3, REPLUMLESS y SHATTERPROOF. Identificamos los cambios anatómicos y establecimos etapas de desarrollo en la transición ovario-fruto en Cestrum nocturnum y Brugmansia suaveolens. Generamos transcriptomas de referencia para ambas especies, aislamos los homólogos de todos los genes de la red genética que controla el desarrollo de frutos (GRN) y realizamos análisis de expresión de genes para ALC/SPT, FUL, HEC1/2/3, RPL y SHP a lo largo del desarrollo del fruto. Finalmente, comparamos nuestros resultados con los patrones de expresión encontrados en cápsulas típicas de Nicotiana tabacum y bayas de Solanum lycopersicum disponibles en repositorios públicos. Identificamos características anatómicas homólogas, homoplásicas y únicas en los frutos de C. nocturnum y B. suaveolens que resultan en su apariencia final. Los patrones de expresión sugieren que FUL, SHP, SPT y RPL controlan características homólogas mientras que ALC podría contribuir a las características anatómicas homoplásicas. Las características anatómicas convergentes en los frutos de Cestrum y Brugmansia podrían resultar de cambios en los patrones de expresión de ALC. La GRN de frutos cambia considerablemente en estos géneros en comparación a cápsulas y bayas típicas de Solanaceae, particularmente en B. suaveolens donde no hay expresión de FUL2 y de RPL1.

Background : Xanthium spp., the cockleburs, are invasive plants found on riverbanks, lakeshores, and floodplains. Ingestion of Xanthium sprouts or fruit causes cocklebur toxicosis, which is characterized clinically and pathologically by acute liver failure. The main lesion observed is an accentuation of the lobular pattern of the liver (nutmeg appearance), which is microscopically characterized by coagulation necrosis in the centrilobular region, hepatocyte degeneration in other regions of the hepatic parenchyma, and sinusoidal congestion. The objective of this study was to describe an outbreak of spontaneous cattle poisoning by ingestion of Xanthium spp. sprouts in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Case : In September 2018, a beef cattle farm located in Rio Grande county, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, reported significant mortality of cattle in a short period of time. There were 700 cattle on the property, divided by class into three different herds, all kept under extensive conditions in native wetlands. All fields were heavily infested by cocklebur, with most plants in the budding stage. Twenty animals developed muscle tremors, salivation, aggression, and recumbency. The clinical course lasted 24 to 48 hours, with a lethal outcome in all cases. An 18-month-old male crossbreed bovine was sent to the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory of the Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel) School of Veterinary Medicine for necropsy. Gross examination revealed ascites and accentuation of the lobular pattern of the liver. Organ fragments were harvested and fixed in 10% buffered formalin. Microscopically, the liver exhibited marked coagulation necrosis in the centrilobular region and vacuolization of the hepatocyte cytoplasm in the midzonal and periportal regions. In the brain, there was perineuronal edema, cytoplasmic shrinkage and basophilia, gliosis, and satellitosis. Discussion : In the present case, the diagnosis of cocklebur toxicosis was based on clinical and epidemiological data as well as macroscopic and microscopic histopathology findings, and was confirmed by the presence of Xanthium spp. in the grazing sites of the affected animals. The detection and identification of Xanthium spp. are essential for correct etiologic diagnosis, since the pathological lesions observed in cocklebur toxicosis are similar to those described in poisoning by other hepatotoxic plants ( Cestrum parqui , Cestrum corymbosum , Cestrum intermedium , Dodonea viscosa , Trema micranta ) and by Perreya flavipes larvae. Central nervous system (CNS) symptoms were the main clinical manifestation observed in this outbreak, and the CNS lesions observed on necropsy were similar to those described in previous cases of cocklebur toxicosis. The predominance of nervous signs in this condition often misdirects the clinical diagnosis toward diseases such as rabies and cerebral babesiosis, which are endemic in southern Rio Grande do Sul and important causes of mortality in cattle herds. In these cases, careful attention to epidemiology, necropsy findings, and histopathology are fundamental for establishing the definitive diagnosis of cocklebur toxicosis and thus preventing further cases from being missed. The description of this outbreak emphasizes the importance of cocklebur toxicosis as an underreported cause of acute mortality in cattle in southern Brazil.

Sixteen species of Solanaceae, belonging to five genera, were studied karyologically through chromosome counting, chromosomal measurement, and karyotype symmetry. Genome size (GS) estimation was performed on fifteen species using flow cytometry. The chromosome number 2n=24 was found in all Solanum species and Acnistus arborescens, 2n=22 was found in Brunfelsia uniflora, and 2n=16 in Cestrum representatives. Physalis pubescens was the only specie with evidence of polyploidy, showing 2n=4x=48 chromosomes. The chromosome numbers of S. adspersum, S. inodorum, S. flaccidum, S. sanctae-catharinae, and B. uniflora were reported for the first time. Haploid karyotype length (HKL) was statistically different between the studied species. The polyploid P. pubescens showed the largest HKL value, 93.10 µm. In general, karyotypes were symmetrical with predominance of metacentric chromosomes. Chromosome size was small in most species (, Caryologia. International Journal of Cytology, Cytosystematics and Cytogenetics, V. 72 N. 3 (2019)

O estudo do ecossistema de matas ciliares tem sido alvo de inúmeros trabalhos e pesquisas nos últimos anos. Porém, pelas condições microclimáticas dessas áreas, pouco se conhece a respeito das espécies com potencial para utilização em projetos de recuperação florestal, uma vez que, no mesmo local, pode haver condições de deficiência hídrica e inundações ao longo de um ano. Além disso, buscar alternativas para o plantio de mudas à beira de cursos d’água é essencial, uma vez que se trata de um ambiente muito propício à erosão, sendo o plantio por meio de estacas uma forma de evitar o revolvimento do solo. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial de enraizamento de estacas caulinares de Cestrum axillare Vell. e sua plasticidade morfoanatômica em condições de deficiência hídrica ou inundação do sistema radicular, a fim de verificar sua potencialidade de utilização em projetos de recuperação de matas ciliares. Para isso, foram confeccionadas estacas a partir de ramos coletados de uma planta matriz, as quais foram distribuídas em diferentes classes de diâmetro, e colocadas em substrato para enraizar. Depois de enraizadas, as mudas foram cultivadas em vasos de 4000 cm³ de volume e, aos quatro meses de idade, submetidas aos tratamentos de deficiência hídrica ou inundação do sistema radicular. As avaliações foram realizadas ao longo de todo o estudo, desde observações visuais até a quantificação das alterações morfoanatômicas por meio da análise de lâminas histológicas. A partir dos resultados obtidos, verificou-se que Cestrum axillare pode ser propagada pela técnica de estaquia e é uma espécie indicada para ser utilizada em projetos de recuperação de matas ciliares.

Ha existido una confusion taxonomica entre Cestrum guatemalense Francey, C. mexicanum Francey y C. pacayense Francey, especies distribuidas en el sur de Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras y El Salvador. La dificultad para reconocer estas especies se debe en parte a la plasticidad de algunos de sus caracteres morfologicos, por lo que incluso se han propuesto como sinonimos. Para tratar de diferenciar estas especies, se revisaron 158 ejemplares del acervo de los herbarios F, IEB, MEXU, MO, NY, TEX y US, evaluando 21 caracteres morfologicos vegetativos y florales, de los cuales 15 pasaron pruebas de normalidad, homocedasticidad y presentaron diferencias significativas. Con esta informacion se realizaron analisis de componentes principales y discriminante canonico. Las caracteristicas que tuvieron mas importancia en los analisis fueron las relacionadas con el caliz y filamentos de los estambres. El analisis de componentes principales presenta 2 agrupamientos, uno de estos es exclusivo de especimenes identificados como C. mexicanum , lo cual fue corroborado con el analisis discriminante. Por todo lo anterior, consideramos adecuado restablecer C. mexicanum como una especie valida y los individuos de las otras especies permanecen como un complejo que necesita estudios adicionales para determinar su delimitacion.

Aphid species were surveyed and identified from 18 ornamental plant in different localities in Taif governorate, KSA through 2015/2016 seasons. Eleven aphid species were recorded only on 14 ornamental host plants. Rhodobium porosum, Brachyunguis tamarics and Acyrthosiphon pisum were recorded on Rosa damascene var trigintipetala. There were two aphid species were recorded on Tecoma stans; Brachyunguis tamarics and Aphis compositae. Aphis compositae was more abundant. One aphid species was collected and identified on Rosa damascena, this species was known as Rhodobium porosum. For Jasminum grandiflorum, Cestrum sp. and Tegetes marigold, only one aphid species was recorded; namely Myzus persica, this aphid species was observed with very high density on Cestrum sp., followed by Jasminum grandiflorum but the lowest abundant was recorded on Tegetes marigold. Brachyunguis tamarics also was the only recorded species on Hibiscus rosa-sinensis., it was observed in weak density. The four ornamental plants; Bougainvillea sp., Nerium oleander, schefflera actinophyll and Ruta graveolens, recorded no aphid infestation through the two tested seasons 2015 and 2016. Four aphid species were identified on Ocimum basilicum during the season; these species were Rhopalosiphum maidis, Aphis copmpositae, Macrosiphum avenae and Rhodobium porosum, the lowest observed abundant species was Rhodobium porosum. On Plectranthus amboinicus, there was only one recorded aphid species, it was identified as Macrosiphum avenae, and was recorded in high density. Brachynguis tamaricis was the only species recorded on Petunia sp. and Caesalpinia pulcherrima, was demonstrated with high density on petunia sp. On Rosa damascene var semperflorens, there were four recorded species namely as; Macrosiphum rosae, Macrosiphumavenae

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Cestrum nitidum fue descrita con base en ejemplares de herbario recolectados por H. Galeotti alrededor de Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca, México. Posteriormente, se utilizó erróneamente este epíteto en especímenes provenientes de la Sierra Madre del Sur y del Cinturón Volcánico Transmexicano. Este trabajo aclara este conflicto taxonómico.Métodos: Se realizó la revisión de la literatura y de colecciones de herbario (BM, BR, CAS, CIMI, CODAGEM, E, EBUM, ENCB, F, G, GH, IBUG, IEB, K, L, M, MEXU, MICH, NDG, NY, P, PH, QMEX, US) de Cestrum para México.Resultados clave: El nombre Cestrum nitidum sólo debe aplicarse a colecciones provenientes de los alrededores de Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca, con flores aromáticas, largamente pediceladas; arregladas en panículas alargadas y laxas.Conclusiones: Cestrum commune es el nombre correcto para especímenes distribuidos en la Sierra Madre del Sur y el Cinturón Volcánico Transmexicano. Debe mantenerse C. nitidum para aquellos ejemplares de Ixtlán de Juárez, Provincia de Sierras Orientales, Oaxaca.

El bosque seco tropical es uno de los ecosistemas más amenazados por actividades humanas. Pese a eso, los esfuerzos para su restauración son insuficientes. Como en otros bosques tropicales, las gramíneas exóticas constituyen una barrera importante para su regeneración natural. El acolchado (mulch) es una técnica utilizada en el control de plantas arvenses para su evitar la competencia con los árboles nativos durante el proceso de restauración. Se estudió el efecto de dos acolchados (vegetal y de cartón) sobre el crecimineto y superviviencia de cuatro especies de plantas nativas (Pithecellobium dulce, Achatocarpus nigricans, Cestrum cf. nocturnum y Croton gossypiifolius). También se estudió el efecto del acolchado sobre las arvenses y el suelo por seis meses. Se encontró mayor crecimiento en el diámetro bajo el tratamiento de acolchado vegetal. Este tratamiento también permitió mayor retención de humedad en el suelo en el periodo de menor precipitación. En ambos acolchados hubo un menor crecimiento de arvenses y se observó la colonización de commelináceas sobre las áreas tratadas. Se concluye que el uso de acolchados es viable para el control de gramíneas exóticas en áreas en restauración. La reducción en la variación en la humedad del suelo puede favorecer el crecimiento de las plantas nativas a largo plazo.

Insect galls of the Floresta da Cicuta (Volta Redonda, RJ, Brazil). Galls are changes in the pattern of growth and development of plant tissues or organs in response to the action of an inducing organism, usually an insect. The goal of the present study was to inventory the insect galls of the Floresta da Cicuta (Volta Redonda, RJ, Brazil). The collections were carried out along all the trails, totaling 16 hours of sampling. Forty-three morphotypes of insect galls were found in 24 plant species (18 genera and 15 families). Sapindaceae and Euphorbiaceae were the most richness host plant families. Six new records of host plant species are presented: Senefeldera verticillata (Vell.) Croizat. (Euphorbiaceae), Inga acuminata (Fabaceae), Ocotea elegans (Lauraceae), Ouratea stipulata (Ochnaceae), Psychotria nuda (Rubiaceae) and Cestrum intermedium (Solanaceae). Most of the galls occurred on leaves (n = 21) and stems (n = 18), followed by buds (n = 2), two gall morphotypes occurred simultaneously on leaves and stems. One-chambered galls were more frequent (n = 31), as well as glabrous galls (n = 33). The gallers belong to three insect orders: Diptera (Cecidomyiidae), Hemiptera, and Lepidoptera. The associated fauna comprised parasitoids (Hymenoptera), inquilines (Hemiptera and Coleoptera) and successors (Isoptera and Acari).

Appropriately regulated gene expression requires a suitable promoter. A number of promoters have been isolated and shown to be functional in plants, but only a few of them activate transcription of transgenes at high levels constitutively. We report here the cloning and characterization of a novel, constitutively expressed promoter isolated from Cestrum yellow leaf curling virus (CmYLCV), a double-stranded DNA plant pararetrovirus belonging to the Caulimoviridae family. The CmYLCV promoter is highly active in callus, meristems and vegetative and reproductive tissues in Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana tabacum, Lycopersicon esculentum, Zea mays and Oryza sativa. Furthermore, the level of expression is comparable to, or higher than, that from the CaMV 35S, the 'super-promoter' or the maize ubiquitin 1 promoters, three frequently used promoters in agricultural biotechnology. The heritable, strong and constitutive activity in both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, combined with the extremely narrow CmYLCV host range, makes the CmYLCV promoter an attractive tool for regulating transgene expression in a wide variety of plant species.