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Featured Application: The research on the protective properties of oleaster oil against oxidative stress and cytotoxicity induced by silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) in albino Wistar rats has substantial practical implications in the fields of toxicology and therapeutic interventions. This work has a specific application in the development of natural antioxidant therapies to mitigate the adverse effects of nanoparticle exposure in humans and animals. The potential for inadvertent or chronic exposure is high due to the increasing use of nanoparticles in a variety of industries. This research indicates that oleaster oil, which is abundant in bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties, has the potential to be used as a therapeutic agent or dietary supplement to protect against oxidative damage and organ toxicity resulting from nanoparticle exposure. In occupational health, where workers are at a higher risk of nanoparticle exposure, or in clinical contexts to treat patients experiencing nanoparticle-induced toxicity, such applications could be particularly valuable. Nanoparticles have found widespread application in a variety of fields, despite growing worry about their possible hazardous effects on both the environment and human health. In recent years, research efforts have focused on plants and vegetable oils, which have been identified as abundant sources of many bioactive compounds. Many of these substances are known to participate in antioxidant processes. As a result, the current study was designed to investigate the antioxidant and protective properties of oleaster oil against cytotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) in albino Wistar rats. Forty male rats were randomly assigned to four equally sized cohorts: a control group, SiNP-treated group (at a dose of 50 mg/kg), SiNP-treated group supplemented with oleaster oil (at a dose of 2 mL/kg), and those receiving only 2 mL/kg of oleaster oil. The findings demonstrated that SiNPs initiated an oxidative stress environment, as evidenced by higher lipid peroxidation levels and changes in antioxidant defense mechanisms. Antioxidant enzymes were significantly reduced, including glutathione levels between the control and SiNP-exposure treatments (36.01%, 36.59%, 60%), glutathione-S-transferase (29.74%, 29.90%, 13.49%), catalase (24.14%, 28.19%, 30.85%), and tissue superoxide dismutase (11.90%, 37.78%, 37.79%) in the liver, kidney, and heart, respectively. Furthermore, histological investigations revealed significant liver, kidney, and heart damage, as indicated by pathological alterations such as vascular dilatation and congestion, inflammatory cellular infiltration, and hepatocellular dysfunction. Encouragingly, the administration of oleaster oil significantly ameliorated a majority of these detrimental effects. These data suggest a potential protective effect of oleaster oil against the adverse histological effects induced by SiNP injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Progress in the systematic studies of the olive family (Oleaceae) during the last two decades provides the opportunity to update its backbone phylogeny and to investigate its historical biogeography. We also aimed to understand the factors underlying the disjunct distribution pattern between East Asia and both West Asia and Europe that is found more commonly in this family than in any other woody plant family. Methods Using a sampling of 298 species out of ~750, the largest in a phylogenetic study of Oleaceae thus far, with a set of 36 plastid and nuclear markers, we reconstructed and dated a new phylogenetic tree based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods and checked for any reticulation events. We also assessed the relative support of four competing hypotheses [Qinghai–Tibet Plateau uplift (QTP-only hypothesis); climatic fluctuations (climate-only hypothesis); combined effects of QTP uplift and climate (QTP–climate hypothesis); and no effects (null hypothesis)] in explaining these disjunct distributions. Key Results We recovered all tribes and subtribes within Oleaceae as monophyletic, but uncertainty in the position of tribe Forsythieae remains. Based on this dataset, no reticulation event was detected. Our biogeographical analyses support the QTP–climate hypothesis as the likely main explanation for the East–West Eurasian disjunctions in Oleaceae. Our results also show an earlier origin of Oleaceae at ~86 Mya and the role of Tropical Asia as a main source of species dispersals. Conclusion Our new family-wide and extensive phylogenetic tree highlights both the stable relationships within Oleaceae, including the polyphyly of the genus Chionanthus , and the need for further systematic studies within the largest and most undersampled genera of the family (Chionanthus and Jasminum). Increased sampling will also help to fine-tune biogeographical analyses across spatial scales and geological times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abeliophyllum distichum (Oleaceae), endemic to the Korean Peninsula and the sole member of its genus and species, possesses high scarcity value, escalating its importance under the Nagoya Protocol. Despite its significance, their metabolites and activities of A. distichum flowers remain unexplored. This study employs an integrated metabolomic approach utilizing NMR, LC/MS, GC/MS, and FTIR techniques to comprehensively analyze the metabolite profile of A. distichum flowers. By combining these methods, we identified 35 metabolites, 43 secondary metabolites, and 108 hydrophobic primary metabolites. Notably, distinct concentration patterns of these compounds were observed across five variants, classified based on morphological characteristics. Correlation analyses of primary and secondary metabolites unveiled varietal metabolic flux, providing insights into A. distichum flower metabolism. Additionally, the reconstruction of metabolic pathways based on dissimilarities in morphological traits elucidates variant‐specific metabolic signatures. These findings not only enhance our understanding of chemical differences between varieties but also underscore the importance of considering varietal differences in future research and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroclimatic variables may affect insect and plant phenology, with unpredictable effects on pest populations and crop losses. Bactrocera oleae Rossi (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a specific pest of Olea europaea plants that can cause annual economic losses of more than one billion US dollars in the Mediterranean region. In this study, we aimed at understanding the effect of olive tree phenology and other agroclimatic variables on B. oleae infestation dynamics in the Umbria region (Central Italy). Analyses were carried out on B. oleae infestation data collected in 79 olive groves during a 7-year period (from 2015 to 2021). In July-August, B. oleae infestation (1% attack) was negatively affected by altitude and spring mean daily temperatures and positively by higher wintermean daily temperatures and olive tree cumulative degree days. In September-October, infestation was negatively affected by a positive soil water balance and high spring temperatures. High altitude and cumulative plant degree days were related to delayed attacks. In contrast, high winter and spring temperatures accelerated them. Our results could be helpful for the development of predictive models and for increasing the reliability of decision support systems currently used in olive orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olea dioica Roxb, 1820 is a very important ethnomedicinal tree because of its medicinal properties and it belongs to the Oleaceae family. It is mainly distributed in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. However, the chloroplast genome of O. dioica has not yet been reported. In this study, the chloroplast genome sequence of O. dioica was sequenced using next-generation sequencing technologies. The complete chloroplast genome of O. dioica was 155,138 bp in length (GenBank accession no. PP048999), comprising a large single-copy (LSC) region of 86,048 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,816 bp, and two inverted repeat (IR) regions 25,637 bp each. The overall GC content was 37.8%. The complete chloroplast genome of O. dioica contains 131 complete genes, which are 88 protein-coding genes, 35 transfer RNA genes, and eight ribosomal RNA genes. A maximum-likelihood (ML) tree of O. dioica and 14 other species in the family Oleaceae suggested that O. dioica showed a close relationship with Olea brachiata.

Olea dioica Roxb, 1820 is a very important ethnomedicinal tree because of its medicinal properties and it belongs to the Oleaceae family. It is mainly distributed in evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. However, the chloroplast genome of O. dioica has not yet been reported. In this study, the chloroplast genome sequence of O. dioica was sequenced using next-generation sequencing technologies. The complete chloroplast genome of O. dioica was 155,138 bp in length (GenBank accession no. PP048999), comprising a large single-copy (LSC) region of 86,048 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,816 bp, and two inverted repeat (IR) regions 25,637 bp each. The overall GC content was 37.8%. The complete chloroplast genome of O. dioica contains 131 complete genes, which are 88 protein-coding genes, 35 transfer RNA genes, and eight ribosomal RNA genes. A maximum-likelihood (ML) tree of O. dioica and 14 other species in the family Oleaceae suggested that O. dioica showed a close relationship with Olea brachiata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Northern Hemisphere temperate forests exhibit a disjunct distributional pattern in Europe, North America, and East Asia. Here, to reveal the promoter of intercontinental disjunct distribution, Fraxinus was used as a model organism to integrate abundant fossil evidence with high-resolution phylogenies in a phytogeographic analysis. We constructed a robust phylogenetic tree using genomic data, reconstructed the geographic ancestral areas, and evaluated the effect of incorporating fossil information on the reconstructed biogeographic history. The phylogenetic relationships of Fraxinus were highly resolved and divided into seven clades. Fraxinus originated in western North America during Eocene, and six intercontinental dispersal events and five intercontinental vicariance events were occured. Results suggest that climate change and vicariance contributed to the intercontinental disjunct distribution pattern of Fraxinus. Moreover, results highlight the necessity of integrating phylogenetic relationship and fossil to improve the reliability of inferred biogeographic events and our understanding of the processes underlying disjunct distributions. A phylogenetic genomics study combining fossil data reveals that climate change led to the intercontinental disjunct distribution pattern of Fraxinus [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Privets (Ligustrum spp.) are popular hedge shrubs that escape from gardens and cause negative impacts by invading forests in the United States. The narrow host specificity of the seed-feeding weevil, Ochyromera ligustri, suggests that this weevil could be considered a fortuitous biological control agent of privets. To find out the host range of this weevil, time-consuming experiments involving rearing and dissections are often conducted. Herein, we developed PCR primers to rapidly and accurately detect the presence of the weevil in privet fruits. We confirmed that the novel PCR primers specifically work for O. ligustri even with a small quantity of DNA, which was 0.01 ng. Using the newly developed PCR-based detection saves time and labor in research related to the detection and impact of this weevil. Ligustrum spp. (Oleaceae) have become invasive species in the US and negatively affect native plant diversity and richness in forests. Ochyromera ligustri (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is considered a potential biological control agent in the US because adults feed on the foliage and larvae are seed-feeders of Ligustrum spp. To discover the relationships between O. ligustri and Ligustrum spp., fruit dissections or rearing and field observations are required. In the current research project, novel PCR primers were developed to rapidly detect the DNA of O. ligustri in molecular analyses without rearing and observation. The developed PCR primers worked even with 0.01 ng of DNA and did not amplify the DNA of the other five curculionid species tested. When the novel primers were tested with three Ligustrum spp. species common in the southeastern US, the DNA of O. ligustri was detected from all three species. We expect that the novel primers will be utilized to find out the presence and impact of O. ligustri on Ligustrum spp rapidly and accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jasmine (Jasminum), renowned for its ornamental value and captivating fragrance, has given rise to numerous species and accessions. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the evolutionary relationships among various Jasminum species. Results: In the present study, we sequenced seven distinct Jasminum species, resulting in the assembly of twelve high-quality complete chloroplast (cp) genomes. Our findings revealed that the size of the 12 cp genomes ranged from 159 to 165 kb and encoded 134–135 genes, including 86–88 protein-coding genes, 38–40 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. J. nudiflorum exhibited a larger genome size compared to other species, mainly attributed to the elevated number of forward repeats (FRs). Despite the typically conservative nature of chloroplasts, variations in the presence or absence of accD have been observed within J. sambac. The calculation of nucleotide diversity (Pi) values for 19 cp genomes indicated that potential mutation hotspots were more likely to be located in LSC regions than in other regions, particularly in genes ycf2, rbcL, atpE, ndhK, and ndhC (Pi > 0.2). Ka/Ks values revealed strong selection pressure on the genes rps2, atpA, rpoA, rpoC1, and rpl33 when comparing J. sambac with the three most closely related species (J. auriculatum, J. multiflorum, and J. dichotomum). Additionally, SNP identification, along with the results of Structure, PCA, and phylogenetic tree analyses, divided the Jasminum cp genomes into six groups. Notably, J. polyanthum showed gene flow signals from both the G5 group (J. nudiflorum) and the G3 group (J. tortuosum and J. fluminense). Phylogenetic tree analysis reflected that most species from the same genus clustered together with robust support in Oleaceae, strongly supporting the monophyletic nature of cp genomes within the genus Jasminum. Conclusion: Overall, this study provides comprehensive insights into the genomic composition, variation, and phylogenetic relationships among various Jasminum species. These findings enhance our understanding of the genetic diversity and evolutionary history of Jasminum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroclimatic variables may affect insect and plant phenology, with unpredictable effects on pest populations and crop losses. Bactrocera oleae Rossi (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a specific pest of Olea europaea plants that can cause annual economic losses of more than one billion US dollars in the Mediterranean region. In this study, we aimed at understanding the effect of olive tree phenology and other agroclimatic variables on B. oleae infestation dynamics in the Umbria region (Central Italy). Analyses were carried out on B. oleae infestation data collected in 79 olive groves during a 7-year period (from 2015 to 2021). In July–August, B. oleae infestation (1% attack) was negatively affected by altitude and spring mean daily temperatures and positively by higher winter mean daily temperatures and olive tree cumulative degree days. In September–October, infestation was negatively affected by a positive soil water balance and high spring temperatures. High altitude and cumulative plant degree days were related to delayed attacks. In contrast, high winter and spring temperatures accelerated them. Our results could be helpful for the development of predictive models and for increasing the reliability of decision support systems currently used in olive orchards.

Jasmine (Jasminum sambac Aiton) is a well-known cultivated plant species for its fragrant flowers used in the perfume industry and cosmetics. However, the genetic basis of its floral scent is largely unknown. In this study, using PacBio, Illumina, 10× Genomics and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) sequencing technologies, a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome for J. sambac was obtained, exploiting a double-petal phenotype cultivar ‘Shuangbanmoli’ (JSSB). The results showed that the final assembled genome of JSSB is 580.33 Mb in size (contig N50 = 1.05 Mb; scaffold N50 = 45.07 Mb) with a total of 39 618 predicted protein-coding genes. Our analyses revealed that the JSSB genome has undergone an ancient whole-genome duplication (WGD) event at 91.68 million years ago (Mya). It was estimated that J. sambac diverged from the lineage leading to Olea europaea and Osmanthus fragrans about 28.8 Mya. On the basis of a combination of genomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, a range of floral scent volatiles and genes were identified involved in the benzenoid/phenylpropanoid and terpenoid biosynthesis pathways. The results provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of its fragrance biosynthesis in jasmine.

Nanoparticles have found widespread application in a variety of fields, despite growing worry about their possible hazardous effects on both the environment and human health. In recent years, research efforts have focused on plants and vegetable oils, which have been identified as abundant sources of many bioactive compounds. Many of these substances are known to participate in antioxidant processes. As a result, the current study was designed to investigate the antioxidant and protective properties of oleaster oil against cytotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) in albino Wistar rats. Forty male rats were randomly assigned to four equally sized cohorts: a control group, SiNP-treated group (at a dose of 50 mg/kg), SiNP-treated group supplemented with oleaster oil (at a dose of 2 mL/kg), and those receiving only 2 mL/kg of oleaster oil. The findings demonstrated that SiNPs initiated an oxidative stress environment, as evidenced by higher lipid peroxidation levels and changes in antioxidant defense mechanisms. Antioxidant enzymes were significantly reduced, including glutathione levels between the control and SiNP-exposure treatments (36.01%, 36.59%, 60%), glutathione-S-transferase (29.74%, 29.90%, 13.49%), catalase (24.14%, 28.19%, 30.85%), and tissue superoxide dismutase (11.90%, 37.78%, 37.79%) in the liver, kidney, and heart, respectively. Furthermore, histological investigations revealed significant liver, kidney, and heart damage, as indicated by pathological alterations such as vascular dilatation and congestion, inflammatory cellular infiltration, and hepatocellular dysfunction. Encouragingly, the administration of oleaster oil significantly ameliorated a majority of these detrimental effects. These data suggest a potential protective effect of oleaster oil against the adverse histological effects induced by SiNP injection.

With populations of threatened and endangered species declining worldwide, efforts are being made to generate high quality genomic records of these species before they are lost forever. Here, we demonstrate that data from single Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION flow cells can, even in the absence of highly accurate short DNA-read polishing, produce high quality de novo plant genome assemblies adequate for downstream analyses, such as synteny and ploidy evaluations, paleodemographic analyses, and phylogenomics. This study focuses on three North American ash tree species in the genus Fraxinus (Oleaceae) that were recently added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as critically endangered. Our results support a hexaploidy event at the base of the Oleaceae as well as a subsequent whole genome duplication shared by Syringa, Osmanthus, Olea, and Fraxinus. Finally, we demonstrate the use of ONT long-read sequencing data to reveal patterns in demographic history. High-quality genome assemblies, each generated using a single MinION flow cell, are reported for three critically endangered ash tree species, Fraxinus americana (white ash), F. nigra (black ash), and F. pennsylvanica (green ash). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of the project was the isolation, structure elucidation, and anti-inflammatory evaluation of compounds from the leaves of Ligustrum sinense Lour. Methods: Chromatographic techniques were used to isolate anti-inflammatory compounds from the methanol extract of L sinense leaves. The structures of compounds were elucidated by analyses of mass spectra, nuclear magnetic resonance data, and Circular dichroism spectra. Compounds were evaluated using anti-inflammatory assays. Results: One new neolignane glucoside, neoligustrume A (1), along with eleven known compounds, ligujaponoside A (2), ligujaponoside B (3), ligustroside (4), oleuropein (5), ligustaloside A dimethyl acetal (6), ligustaloside B dimethyl acetal (7), olivil (8), (+)-cycloolivil (9), kaempferol 3-O- β-D-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (10), oleanoic acid (11), and hydroxytyrosol (12) were isolated from the methanol extract of L sinense leaves. Compounds 2, 3, and 12 showed significant inhibitory NO production with IC50 values of 16.3 ±0.5, 18.2 ±1.1, and 15.7 ±1.9 μM, respectively. Compounds 4-7 and 11 showed moderate inhibitory NO production with IC50 values ranging from 21.4 to 45.0 µM. Moreover, compound 12 showed the most TNF-α inhibition with 58.1 ±5.7% at a concentration of 50 μM. Conclusions: One new and 11 known compounds were isolated from L sinense. This is the first report of compounds 2-9 from L sinense. Compounds 2, 3, and 12 showed significant inhibitory NO production with IC50 values of 16.3 ±0.5, 18.2 ±1.1, and 15.7 ± 1.9 μM, respectively. Compound 12 could be the anti-inflammatory source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food products derived from Olea europaea are a fundamental part of the Mediterranean diet, and their health-promoting effects are well known. In this study, we analyzed the phytochemical characteristics, the redox state modulatory activity, and the cytotoxic effect of an olive leaf aqueous extract enriched by macroporous resin on different tumor and normal cell lines (LNCaP, PC3, HFF-1). HPLC-DAD analysis, the Folin–Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods confirmed the qualitatively and quantitatively high content of phenolic compounds (130.02 ± 2.3 mg GAE/g extract), and a DPPH assay (IC50 = 100.00 ± 1.8 μg/mL), the related antioxidant activity. The biological investigation showed a significant cytotoxic effect, highlighted by an MTT test and the evident cellular morphological changes, on two prostate cancer cell lines. Remarkably, the extract was practically non-toxic on HFF-1 at the concentrations (100, 150, 300 µg/mL) and exposure times tested. Hence, the results are selective for tumor cells. The underlying cytotoxicity was associated with the decrease in ROS production (55% PC3, 42% LNCaP) and the increase in RSH levels (>50% PC3) and an LDH release assay (50% PC3, 40% LNCaP, established necrosis as the main cell death mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerobiological studies constitute a relevant tool to predict the most influential parameters over the pollen seasons with significant clinical relevance in the allergic populations. The aim of this study was to describe the aerobiological behaviour of the most relevant allergenic sources in the semi-arid area of southeast of Spain (Almería) and to investigate the correlation with meteorological factors and clinical symptoms of allergic patients. Daily pollen count and meteorological parameters of Almería, Spain, were compiled for ten years. The clinical symptoms of 248 allergic patients were also recorded. Descriptive statistics and correlations between variables were assessed. Multivariate analyses were performed to predict the influence of meteorological factors on pollen concentration and the risk of suffer respiratory symptoms. Eight pollen families were identified as the most relevant allergenic sources. Temperature correlated with main pollen season evolution of all taxa whereas rainfall and relative humidity only correlated in Oleaceae, Pinaceae, Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae and Urticaceae. Rainfall and relative humidity were the most influential predictors of pollen concentration, except in Amaranthaceaea and Poaceae families, while temperature only influenced on Cupressaceae and Urticaceae pollen concentrations. A significant positive influence was observed between maximum temperature and rainfall with the appearance of allergic symptoms in patients sensitized to grasses, Parietaria sp. and Olea sp. This study, highlight the main aerobiological features in the region and establish a suitable tool for clinical follow-up and management of allergic patients. Further studies are needed to establish an accurate measurement aimed to control and prevent pollinosis in sensitized patients.

New chorological data are presented for 164 species and subspecies from Bulgaria (1, 2, 76, 127-139, 142, 158-162), Greece (32-62, 77-126, 140-141, 143-157, 163, 164), Republic of North Macedonia (63-75), and Turkey-in-Europe (3-31). The taxa belong to the following families: Alliaceae (61, 77-81, 137), Amaryllidaceae (2, 82), Anacardiaceae (4, 32), Apiaceae (5-16, 129, 143, 144), Araceae (85), Arecaceae (85), Asclepiadaceae (33), Asparagaceae (138), Asphodelaceae (125, 162), Aspleniaceae (127), Asteraceae (17-26, 44-48, 63, 118, 145, 159-161), Berberidaceae (140), Betulaceae (163), Boraginaceae (64, 65, 146), Brassicaceae (49, 147), Campanulaceae (66, 67), Capparaceae (34), Caryophyllaceae (142, 150), Casuarinaceae (35), Chenopodiaceae (50), Colchicaceae (86), Convallariaceae (155, 156), Convolvulaceae (51), Cyperaceae (87-89), Equisetaceae (3), Ericaceae (52), Euphorbiaceae (27, 53, 54), Fabaceae (68, 69, 119), Grossulariaceae (130), Hyacinthaceae (90-93), Iridaceae (94-98, 126, 139, 141, 158), Juncaceae (99, 100), Lamiaceae (55, 56, 120, 131, 151), Liliaceae (101), Lythraceae (28, 132), Moraceae (121), Oleaceae (36), Onagraceae (37, 70), Ophioglossaceae (1), Orchidaceae (75, 76), Orobanchaceae (29), Pinaceae (128), Plantaginaceae (152), Plumbaginaceae (38), Poaceae (30, 31, 43, 102-117, 157), Portulacaceae (57), Primulaceae (71, 122), Ranunculaceae (123, 133, 148), Rosaceae (72, 134, 135), Rutaceae (153), Santalaceae (58, 154), Scrophulariaceae s.l. (73, 124), Simaroubaceae (39), Solanaceae (40-42, 59, 164), Thymelaeaceae (60), Typhaceae (62), Ulmaceae (136), and Violaceae (74, 149). A new taxon for a country is: Greece - Berberis aquifolium (140). The publication includes contributions by: A. Asenov (1), A. Asenov & P. Avreyska (2), M. Aybeke (3-31), B. Biel & Kit Tan (32-43), C. Cattaneo & M. Grano (44-62), D. Dimitrov (63-75), I. Gavalas, R. Jahn & Kit Tan (77-117), V. Ioannidis, D. Doulkeridou, K. Marianthi & A. Strid (118-126), T. Karakiev (127-139), D. Mermygkas & M. Dimaki (140, 141), S. Stoyanov & Y. Marinov (142), Kit Tan & G. Kofinas (143-149), Kit Tan & Sister Pachomia (150-157), V. Trifonov (158), V. Vladimirov (159-162), and G. Zarkos & Kit Tan (163, 164). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: We have examined thermal control for embryo growth and seed germination in European ash. Using historical data (span of 36 years) of embryo index in matured seeds, we showed that maturation is not influenced by the annual average temperature. Secondary dormancy in ash's seeds is easily induced, and the thermal window for both embryo growth and seed germination was between 10 and 20 °C. Context: Seed germination plays a crucial role in establishing plant communities. Ash seeds are characterized by deep morphophysiological dormancy, usually overcome by 32 weeks of stratification. Observed climate changes might disrupt ash's thermal window for embryo growth and seed germination. Thus, proper examination of seed adaptability can be important for forest management. Aims: We investigated the effect of temperature on the embryo index (ratio between embryo and seed length) as well as embryo growth and germination of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) seeds under different thermal conditions. Methods: We used seeds collected at the same site in Poland between 1985 and 2021 to first analyze the influence of the growing season on the initial embryo index in mature seeds. Subsequently, we examined embryo growth and germination of seeds at constant temperatures of 3°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, and 30 °C from seeds collected in 2021. Using the modeled rate of embryo growth and germination, we predicted the cardinal temperatures for those processes in ash seeds. Results: The embryo index of ash seeds varied; however, there was no relationship between the index and year of seed collection. The base temperature for embryo growth was 1.4 ± 1.1 °C, with a ceiling temperature of 29.9 ± 2.0 °C and an optimal temperature of 15.7 ± 0.3 °C. The base temperature for germination was at − 1.8 ± 0.3 °C. Due to the induction of secondary dormancy, the ceiling temperature of germination was impossible to establish. Conclusions: The initial embryo index of mature ash seeds seems to be an individual trait and was not affected by local average annual temperatures. The most effective temperature ranges for embryo growth and germination were similar, however narrow (between 10 and 15 °C). Temperatures above 20 °C inducted secondary dormancy, hampering embryo growth as well as germination. Such a narrow thermal window for embryo growth can potentially act as a limiting factor for the natural regeneration of ash seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the complete chloroplast genome sequence of Ligustrum foliosum Nakai, an endemic species of Korea. The plastome was 165,731 bp long, with a large single copy (90,009 bp), a small single copy (11,448 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (32,137 bp). Moreover, 113 genes were encoded, including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis of 18 species using concatenated 78 protein-coding genes (excluding one pseudogene) revealed that L. foliosum is most closely related to L. quihoui, having strong bootstrap values. This study is the first report of the chloroplast genome of L. foliosum and provides important information for future phylogenetic studies on Ligustrum and distinguishing closely related species of Ligustrum.

Syringa oblata var. alba is a shrub or a small tree from China with high ornamental, medicinal, and edible value. Here, we present its first complete chloroplast genome. The entire circular genome is 155,648 bp in length, with large single-copy (LSC) length of 86,247, small single-copy (SSC) length of 17,937, inverted repeat (IR) length of 25,732, and GC content of 37.9%. One hundred and thirty-two genes, including 88 protein-coding, 36 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes were predicted. A phylogenetic tree of 25 plant species was constructed based on the maximum-likelihood method, indicating that S. oblata var. alba, S. vulgaris, and S. oblata form a sister group. This study will provide valuable basic information for phylogeny, species identification, and varieties breeding of this species.

Abstract Background The yellow jasmine flower (Jasminum humile L.) is a fragrant plant belonging to the Oleaceae family with promising phytoconstituents and interesting medicinal uses. The purpose of this study was to characterize the plant metabolome to identify the potential bioactive agents with cytotoxic effects and the underlying mechanism of cytotoxic activity. Methods First, HPLC–PDA-MS/MS was used to identify the potential bioactive compounds in the flowers. Furthermore, we assessed the cytotoxic activity of the flower extract against breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line using MTT assay followed by the cell cycle, DNA-flow cytometry, and Annexin V-FITC analyses alongside the effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS). Finally, Network pharmacology followed by a molecular docking study was performed to predict the pathways involved in anti-breast cancer activity. Results HPLC–PDA-MS/MS tentatively identified 33 compounds, mainly secoiridoids. J. humile extract showed a cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line with IC50 value of 9.3 ± 1.2 µg/mL. Studying the apoptotic effect of J. humile extract revealed that it disrupts G2/M phase in the cell cycle, increases the percentage of early and late apoptosis in Annexin V-FTIC, and affects the oxidative stress markers (CAT, SOD, and GSH-R). Network analysis revealed that out of 33 compounds, 24 displayed interaction with 52 human target genes. Relationship between compounds, target genes, and pathways revealed that J. humile exerts its effect on breast cancer by altering, Estrogen signaling pathway, HER2, and EGFR overexpression. To further verify the results of network pharmacology, molecular docking was performed with the five key compounds and the topmost target, EGFR. The results of molecular docking were consistent with those of network pharmacology. Conclusion Our findings suggest that J. humile suppresses breast cancer proliferation and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis partly by EGFR signaling pathway, highlighting J. humile as a potential therapeutic candidate against breast cancer.

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris L., olive family Oleaceae) is one of the widespread and popular ornamental plants. Species, many varieties and forms of lilacs are always in the center of horticultural and breeding interest. The 21st century was marked by a new stormy interest in this culture. New breeding centers have appeared in different countries, including those specializing in lilacs, and now a large number of new varieties are registered almost every year. There are more and more nurseries, the range of which is expanding every year. The number of lovers of lilacs is increasing, which also contribute to the promotion of private collections, as well as the widespread introduction of a new promising assortment of this crop into the practice of urban landscaping. Lilac is also unique in that it is often and successfully used for winter forcing. And the plants themselves after forcing are kept in cold greenhouses until they are planted in the ground and / or taken out into the open air upon the onset of stable positive temperatures to form shoots, normal growth and development of plants and prepare plants for forcing for the next year. In the period from February to the end of March, it is possible to harvest cuttings from plants in greenhouses for propagating especially valuable varieties, to form a bank of exchange material with botanical institutions. The authors share this experience, when and how to cut the cuttings, how to root them, what preparations turned out to be the most successful and effective, in order to eventually get a new healthy planting material of varietal lilac.

Ornamental shrubs are always at the center of horticultural interest. The 21st century was marked by a new stormy interest in the culture of species, varieties and forms of the genus Syringa. New breeding centers have appeared and a significant number of new varieties are registered every year. There are new nurseries, the range of which is expanding every year. The number of amateurs is increasing, which greatly contribute to the promotion and introduction of these beautiful plants into urban floristry. The 21st century was marked by a "boom" in lilac. Currently, in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the BIN RAS (St. Petersburg) there are already 17 species and about 160 varieties, including many varieties of modern selection of domestic breeders. Constant observations of the lilac collection in the Peter the Great Botanical Garden revealed a complex of pathogens of fungal and bacterial infections that manifest themselves in different periods of plant vegetation. A tested complex of agronomic measures is presented, which reduces the detection of fungal and bacterial diseases, as well as increases the resistance of plants to pathogens. To protect plants in the garden on collection plants, various immunomodulators are used: immunocytophyte, albite, siliplant, ecofus.

Objective: Traditionally, Olea ferruginea Royle (Oleaceae) has been used as a painkiller and antidiabetic in various ailments. To provide a scientific background to this folklore the current study was designed to anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects of one of the isolated compound from this plant. Methods: Ferruginan A was isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of Olea ferruginea bark. This isolated molecule was subjected to in-vitro anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects using HRBCs and glucose uptake tests. The compound was also tested for molecular docking and ADMET study. Results: Regarding the anti-inflammatory effect, the tested compound demonstrated a 69.82 % inhibition at a concentration of 100 µg/mL, while the Ferruginan A (100 µl/mL) increased the uptake of glucose (3.79–71.86 %) in the yeast cell. Similarly, the zone of inhibition values of Ferruginan A (24.98 mm) against Escherichia coli were found to be comparable to standard (Imipenem: 31.09 mm). The mechanism of antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects was explored by using docking simulations performed on four molecular targets related to diabetes and inflammation. The results showed that the isolated compound may act as an antidiabetic agent by inhibiting the 5′ Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). While it also showed inhibition of anti-inflammatory targets COX-1, COX-2, and Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The ADMET prediction study revealed that isolated compound possesses favorable ADMET profile. Conclusion: It was concluded that Ferruginan A might be a significant anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic molecule.

Fraxinus sogdiana Bunge (family Oleaceae) is a rare, relict species, with a disjunctive distribution range. The species is listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan. The aim of this study was to determine anatomical features and identify the phytochemical composition of F. sogdiana growing in different soils in Kazakhstan. The research objects were vegetative organs collected in the Temirlik River Valley of the Almaty region (the State National Nature Park "Sharyn") and the Boralday River Valley of the Turkestan region (the Syrdarya–Turkestan Regional Nature Park) in 2020–2022. A comparative anatomical analysis of the vegetative organs of F. sogdiana revealed similarities and differences between the specimens studied. The level of significance was taken at 5%. The main feature identified in the anatomical structure of the F. sogdiana leaves was the presence of large special motor cells in the upper and lower epidermis. A study of the phytochemical composition identified the ten most important biologically active substances with antimicrobial, antitumor, diuretic, and antioxidative properties. In the study areas, soils were different in terms of conditions and time of soil formation. The soil profile of the floodplain terrace of the Temirlik River was found to be stratified with alternating interlayers of light loamy and sandy loam granulometric composition with inclusions of pebbles; differentiation of the soil profile into genetic horizons was poorly pronounced. The soil profile of the floodplain terrace of the Boralday River had a clear differentiation into genetic horizons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assembled and characterized the complete chloroplast genome sequence of Chrysojasminum subhumile (W.W.Sm.) Banfi & Galasso 2014, a valuable horticultural and medicinal plant species. The total genome size was 159,918 bp in length and the GC content was 37.4%. It displayed a circular structure and could be divided into a large single-copy region, a small single-copy region, and a pair of inverted repeat regions. The genome encoded a total of 131 unique genes, including 82 protein-coding genes, 41 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Among these genes, 17 contained a single intron, and two genes had two introns. Phylogenetic analysis results showed that C. subhumile was closely related to Jasminum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The yellow jasmine flower (Jasminum humile L.) is a fragrant plant belonging to the Oleaceae family with promising phytoconstituents and interesting medicinal uses. The purpose of this study was to characterize the plant metabolome to identify the potential bioactive agents with cytotoxic effects and the underlying mechanism of cytotoxic activity. Methods: First, HPLC–PDA-MS/MS was used to identify the potential bioactive compounds in the flowers. Furthermore, we assessed the cytotoxic activity of the flower extract against breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line using MTT assay followed by the cell cycle, DNA-flow cytometry, and Annexin V-FITC analyses alongside the effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS). Finally, Network pharmacology followed by a molecular docking study was performed to predict the pathways involved in anti-breast cancer activity. Results: HPLC–PDA-MS/MS tentatively identified 33 compounds, mainly secoiridoids. J. humile extract showed a cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line with IC50 value of 9.3 ± 1.2 µg/mL. Studying the apoptotic effect of J. humile extract revealed that it disrupts G2/M phase in the cell cycle, increases the percentage of early and late apoptosis in Annexin V-FTIC, and affects the oxidative stress markers (CAT, SOD, and GSH-R). Network analysis revealed that out of 33 compounds, 24 displayed interaction with 52 human target genes. Relationship between compounds, target genes, and pathways revealed that J. humile exerts its effect on breast cancer by altering, Estrogen signaling pathway, HER2, and EGFR overexpression. To further verify the results of network pharmacology, molecular docking was performed with the five key compounds and the topmost target, EGFR. The results of molecular docking were consistent with those of network pharmacology. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that J. humile suppresses breast cancer proliferation and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis partly by EGFR signaling pathway, highlighting J. humile as a potential therapeutic candidate against breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syringa oblata var. alba is a shrub or a small tree from China with high ornamental, medicinal, and edible value. Here, we present its first complete chloroplast genome. The entire circular genome is 155,648 bp in length, with large single-copy (LSC) length of 86,247, small single-copy (SSC) length of 17,937, inverted repeat (IR) length of 25,732, and GC content of 37.9%. One hundred and thirty-two genes, including 88 protein-coding, 36 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes were predicted. A phylogenetic tree of 25 plant species was constructed based on the maximum-likelihood method, indicating that S. oblata var. alba, S. vulgaris, and S. oblata form a sister group. This study will provide valuable basic information for phylogeny, species identification, and varieties breeding of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New chorological data are presented for 147 species and subspecies from Bulgaria (24-31, 102-104, 125-144), Greece (16-23, 32-101, 105-124, 145-147), and Turkey-in-Europe (1-15). The taxa belong to the following families: Alliaceae (117, 122), Anacardiaceae (16), Apiaceae (106, 107, 125, 145), Asclepiadaceae (126), Asteraceae (1, 17, 108-110, 118, 119, 127-129), Brassicaceae (18, 111, 120, 130, 146), Cactaceae (131), Capparaceae (112), Caprifoliaceae (132), Caryophyllaceae (2, 24, 121, 133, 134), Chenopodiaceae (3), Convolvulaceae (4), Crassulaceae (19, 147), Cucurbitaceae (5), Ephedraceae (105), Euphorbiaceae (25, 113), Fabaceae (6, 7, 20, 26-28, 114, 115, 135), Fagaceae (40, 41), Frankeniaceae (42), Fumariaceae (21, 43), Geraniaceae (44, 136), Juncaceae (30), Lamiaceae (45-48, 137), Lentibulariaceae (103), Linaceae (49), Lythraceae (50), Malvaceae (51-53), Nymphaeaceae (138), Oleaceae (8, 116), Orchidaceae (23, 32-39), Orobanchaceae (29, 54-57), Papaveraceae (9, 59-61), Plumbaginaceae (10, 62, 63), Poaceae (31, 124, 143, 144), Polygalaceae (64), Polygonaceae (11, 22, 65-69), Portulacaceae (70), Rafflesiaceae (71), Ranunculaceae (72-76), Resedaceae (77), Rosaceae (12, 104, 139, 140), Rubiaceae (78, 79), Rutaceae (80), Santalaceae (81), Scrophulariaceae s.l. (13, 82, 83), Solanaceae (84-87, 123, 141), Thelypteridacee (102), Trapaceae (142), Tropaeolaceae (88), Urticaceae (89), Valerianaceae (14, 91, 92), Verbenaceae (15, 93), Veronicaceae (94-100), and Zygophyllaceae (101). New taxa for the countries are: Greece -- Bunium bulbocastanum (145). The publication includes contributions by: M. Aybeke (1-15), B. Biel & Kit Tan (16-23), D.S. Dimitrov (24-31), I. Gavalas (32-39), I. Gavalas, Kit Tan & R. Jahn (40-101), R. Natcheva, D. Ivanova & K. Lakovski (102-104), K. Polymenakos, Kit Tan & V. Pantavos (105-117), Kit Tan & G. Kofinas (118-122), I.T. Tsialtas & Kit Tan (123-124), R. Tzonev, Ch. Gussev, V. Georgiev, S. Tsoneva & K. Pachedjieva (125-144), G. Zarkos & Kit Tan (145-147). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ethnobotanical investigations conducted in Turkey demonstrated that Jasminum fruticans L. extract and fruit juice had been used against parasites in animals. In this study, the possible antihelmintic activity of various J. fruticans extracts contributing to its traditional use, was relatively assessed. In addition, the antioxidant potentials and phytochemical composition of the extracts were investigated since there is a relationship between helminthiasis, oxidative stress and phenolic metabolites. Methods: In this study, aerial parts of J. fruticans were subsequently extracted using n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH). In vivo anthelmintic activity of the extracts was compared with albendazole used as a reference in adult earthworms. Various methods, including free radical scavenging and metal-related activity assays, were used to assess the antioxidant capacity of the above-mentioned extracts. Assessment of phenolic composition was accomplished through total phenolic, phenolic acid, and flavonoid content assays as well as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan modes. Further chlorogenic acid (3-O-caffeoylquinic acid) contents of extracts were quantified using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). Results: Between all tested extracts, MeOH extract at a quantity of 50.0 mg/mL, paralysed worms in 8.1 min and killed them in 12.8 min, showing a high anthelmintic effect similar to albendazole. Similarly, in vitro DPPH radical scavenging activity, cupric ion reduction and total antioxidant capacity experiments demonstrated that MeOH extract had significant antioxidant activity. Further phytochemical screening showed that MeOH extract was richer regarding phenolic metabolites. Chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid and gallic acid were only detected in the MeOH extract. Conclusion: Results justify and support the use of J. fruticans in traditional medicine as an anthelmintic agent. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between the strong antioxidant capacity along with the phenolic composition determined in the MeOH extract and anthelmintic activity.

Inflammation is the first physiological defence mechanism against external and internal stimuli. The prolonged or inappropriate response of the immune system may lead to the persistent inflammatory response that can potentially become a basis for chronic diseases e.g., asthma, type II diabetes or cancer. An important role in the alleviation of inflammatory processes, as an adjunct to traditional pharmacological therapy, is attributed to phytotherapy, especially to raw materials with a long tradition of use, e.g., ash leaves. Despite their long-term use in phytotherapy, the specific mechanisms of action have not been confirmed in a sufficient number of biological or clinical studies. The aim of the study is a detailed phytochemical analysis of infusion and its fractions, isolation of pure compounds from the leaves of Fraxinus excelsior and evaluation of their effect on the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and IL-10 receptor expression in an in vitro model of monocyte/macrophage cells isolated from peripheral blood. Methods: Phytochemical analysis was carried out by the UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS method. Monocytes/macrophages were isolated from human peripheral blood using density gradient centrifugation on Pancoll. After 24 h incubation with tested fractions/subfractions and pure compounds, cells or their supernatants were studied, respectively, on IL-10 receptor expression by flow cytometry and IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β secretion by the ELISA test. Results were presented with respect to Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) control and positive control with dexamethasone. Results: The infusion, 20% and 50% methanolic fractions and their subfractions, as well as their dominating compounds, e.g., ligstroside, formoside and oleoacteoside isolated from the leaves, show the ability to increase the IL-10 receptor expression on the surface of monocyte/macrophage cells, stimulated by LPS, and to decrease the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, e.g., TNF-α, IL-6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation is a complex response of the human organism and relates to the onset of various disorders including diabetes. The current research work aimed at investigating the anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects of ferruginan, a compound isolated from Olea ferruginea. Its in vitro anti-inflammatory activity was determined by using the heat-induced hemolysis assay, while the anti-diabetic effect of the compound was studied by the yeast cell glucose uptake assay. Ferruginan exhibited a maximum of 71.82% inhibition of inflammation and also increased the uptake of glucose by yeast cells by up to 74.96% at the highest tested concentration (100 µM). Moreover, ferruginan inhibited α-amylase dose-dependently, by up to 75.45% at the same concentration. These results indicated that ferruginan possesses promising anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties in vitro, even if at high concentrations. To provide preliminary hypotheses on the potentially multi-target mechanisms underlying such effects, docking analyses were performed on α-amylase and on various molecular targets involved in inflammation such as 5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK, PDB ID 3AQV), cyclooxygenase (COX-1, PDB ID 1EQG, and COX-2, 1CX2), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α, PDB ID 2AZ5). The docking studies suggested that the compound may act on α-amylase, COX-2, and AMPK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to characterize the anatomy and histochemistry of the stem and leaves of Jasminum azoricum L. Thus, semi-permanent slides were prepared containing transverse sections of the stem and leaf, in addition to paradermal sections of the leaf blade, analyzed by optical microscopy. Histochemical tests were also carried out in order to verify the site of accumulation of chemical constituents in cross-sections of the leaf blade. The anatomical characterizations allowed the identification of important characteristics to distinguish the species and the histochemistry revealed the sites of synthesis and/or storage of the metabolites. The results found help to identify the species studied and point out possible metabolites that have considerable medicinal properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olea europaea L. is a plant belonging to the Oleaceae family, widely grown around the Mediterranean Basin and its leaves are a source of phenolic compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity. Among these, oleuropein and luteolin-7-O-glucoside represent two major polyphenolic compounds in olive-leaf extract. Herein, a polystyrene resin was used to recover the polyphenolic fraction from the acetone-water leaf extract from Nocellara del Belice cultivar, which showed the higher level of analysed bioactive compounds, compared to Carolea cultivar. The antioxidant activity of the extract concentrated in phenolic compounds (OLECp) was evaluated through a classical assay and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) for DPPH and hydroxyl radicals scavenging. Thus, the anti-inflammatory activity and the potential beneficial effects in reducing lipid accumulation in an in vitro model of NAFLD using McA-RH7777 cells exposed to oleic acid (OA) were evaluated. Nile Red and Oil Red O have been used to stain the lipid accumulation, while the inflammatory status was assessed by Cytokines Bioplex Assay. OLECp (TPC: 92.93 ± 9.35 mg GAE/g, TFC: 728.12 ± 16.04 mg RE/g; 1 g of extract contains 315.250 mg of oleuropein and 17.44 mg of luteolin-7-O-glucoside) exerted a good radical scavenging capability (IC50: 2.30 ± 0.18 mg/mL) with a neutralizing power against DPPH and hydroxyl radicals, as confirmed by the decreased signal area of the EPR spectra. Moreover, OLECp at concentration of 25, 50 and 100 μg/mL counteracted the intracellular inflammatory status, as result of decreased intracellular lipid content. Our results highlighted the multiple properties and applications of an O. europaea extract concentrated in polyphenols, and the possibility to formulate novel nutraceuticals with antioxidant properties, destined to ameliorate human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Deep-branching phylogenetic relationships are often difficult to resolve because phylogenetic signals are obscured by the long history and complexity of evolutionary processes, such as ancient introgression/hybridization, polyploidization, and incomplete lineage sorting (ILS). Phylogenomics has been effective in providing information for resolving both deep- and shallow-scale relationships across all branches of the tree of life. The olive family (Oleaceae) is composed of 25 genera classified into five tribes with tribe Oleeae consisting of four subtribes. Previous phylogenetic analyses showed that ILS and/or hybridization led to phylogenetic incongruence in the family. It was essential to distinguish phylogenetic signal conflicts, and explore mechanisms for the uncertainties concerning relationships of the olive family, especially at the deep-branching nodes. Results We used the whole plastid genome and nuclear single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to infer the phylogenetic relationships and to assess the variation and rates among the main clades of the olive family. We also used 2608 and 1865 orthologous nuclear genes to infer the deep-branching relationships among tribes of Oleaceae and subtribes of tribe Oleeae, respectively. Concatenated and coalescence trees based on the plastid genome, nuclear SNPs and multiple nuclear genes suggest events of ILS and/or ancient introgression during the diversification of Oleaceae. Additionally, there was extreme heterogeneity in the substitution rates across the tribes. Furthermore, our results supported that introgression/hybridization, rather than ILS, is the main factor for phylogenetic discordance among the five tribes of Oleaceae. The tribe Oleeae is supported to have originated via ancient hybridization and polyploidy, and its most likely parentages are the ancestral lineage of Jasmineae or its sister group, which is a “ghost lineage,” and Forsythieae. However, ILS and ancient introgression are mainly responsible for the phylogenetic discordance among the four subtribes of tribe Oleeae. Conclusions This study showcases that using multiple sequence datasets (plastid genomes, nuclear SNPs and thousands of nuclear genes) and diverse phylogenomic methods such as data partition, heterogeneous models, quantifying introgression via branch lengths (QuIBL) analysis, and species network analysis can facilitate untangling long and complex evolutionary processes of ancient introgression, paleopolyploidization, and ILS.

The genus Argopistes (Chrysomelidae: Alticini) is the only group of flea beetles specialized in plant hosts in the family Oleaceae. In southern Africa, Argopistes are often found feeding on African Wild Olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata) and European cultivated olive (O. e. subsp. europaea), and heavy infestations can be devastating to mature trees and compromise the development of young trees. Despite their negative agricultural impact, African Argopistes are an understudied group for which no genetic data were available. We assessed the species diversity of olive flea beetles in the Western Cape province of South Africa, the largest olive-producing region in sub-Saharan Africa, by collecting adult specimens on wild and cultivated olive trees between 2015 and 2017. Argopistes sexvittatus Bryant, 1922 (n = 289) dominated at all sampling sites, and Argopistes capensis Bryant, 1944 (n = 2) was found only once. Argopistes oleae Bryant, 1922, a third species previously reported in the region, was not found. The complete mitogenomes of one A. capensis and two A. sexvittatus (striped and black morphotypes) individuals were sequenced for phylogenetic reconstruction in the context of other 64 species. The two olive flea beetle species form a monophyletic clade with other Argopistes, supporting the hypothesis that the exclusive feeding habit on Oleaceae is an evolutionary adaptation in this genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Traditionally, Oleaceae plants are used to treat many diseases, such as rheumatism, hypercholesterolaemia, or ulcers. Objectives: To investigate the cytotoxic potential of Jasminum humile L., Jasminum grandiflorum L., and Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae) extracts against selected human cancer cells lines, followed by a phytochemical investigation of the most potent one. Materials and methods: The 95% ethanol extracts of aerial parts of three oleaceous plants were examined for their cytotoxicity against HepG-2, MCF-7, and THP-1 cell lines using MTT assay and doxorubicin (positive control). J. humile was bio-selected and submitted to bio-guided fractionation. Chromatographic workup of ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions afforded two new compounds; 1-methoxyjasmigenin (1) and 1-methyl-9-aldojasmigenin (2), along with five known ones (3-7). Structures were unambiguously elucidated using 1D/2D NMR and ESI-HRMS. Isolated compounds were assessed for their anti-proliferative potential, and both selectivity index and statistical significance were determined. Molecular docking was conducted against the Mcl-1 receptor using (AZD5991) as a standard. Results: Jasmoside (5) was the most potent anticancer compound showing IC50 values of 66.47, 41.32, and 27.59 mg/mL against HepG-2, MCF-7, and THP-1 cell lines, respectively. Moreover, isojasminin (4) exhibited IC50 values of 33.49, 43.12, and 51.07 mg/mL against the same cell lines, respectively. Interestingly, 5 exhibited the highest selectivity index towards MCF-7 and THP-1, even greater than doxorubicin. Molecular docking results were in full agreement with the MTT assay and the proposed SAR. Conclusion: In this study, two new compounds were purified. The biological activity highlighted jasmoside (5) as a lead anticancer drug for further future investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four previously described species of Argopistes are recognized and redescribed from Japan and Taiwan: A.biplagiatus Motschulsky, 1860, A.rufus Chen, 1934, A.tsekooni Chen, 1934, and A.unicolor Jacoby, 1885. Three new species from Taiwan, A.jungchani sp. nov. , A.tsoui sp. nov. , and A.yuae sp. nov. , are described. Descriptions of species include illustrations of aedeagi, antennae, gonocoxae, abdominal ventrite VIII, and spermathecae. Argopistesrufus Chen, 1934, stat. nov. is raised to species status from a variety of A.biplagiatus Motschulsky, 1860. Argopistescoccinelliformis Csiki, 1940, syn. nov. and A.ryukyuensis Shigetoh & Suenaga, 2022, syn. nov. are proposed as junior synonyms of A.rufus Chen, 1934 Lectotypes are designated for A.undecimmaculata Jacoby, 1885, A.unicolor Jacoby, 1885, and A.biplagiatusvar.rufus Chen, 1934., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Chi-Feng Lee, Ming-Yao Chiang, Haruki Suenaga.)

Airborne pollen triggers allergic reactions in up to 40% of the global population. The incidence of pollen allergies is increasing in Thessaloniki, Greece and it is predicted that more than 50% of the European Union’s inhabitants will suffer from allergic rhinitis by 2025. Thus, it is essential to investigate and predict high pollen concentrations to address this growing concern. This study utilized the Gradient Boosting Regression (GBR) technique, a machine learning approach, to estimate pollen concentrations of Oleaceae and Quercus taxa, using daily meteorological and land surface data obtained from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The method accurately predicted pollen concentrations for both species, with an Index of Agreement (IoA) of 0.86 for Oleaceae and 0.78 for Quercus, despite the limited size of the dataset.

Information on the occurrence and damage by Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae) plants is scarce. Saissetia oleae is a sucking insect and its feeding on the phloem affects the photosynthetic apparatus of cells. The objective of this research was to evaluate the occurrence and to determine the effect of S. oleae on the physiological characteristics of O. europaea cultivars. The experiment was carried out in the field in Diamantina, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in a randomized block design in a 2 × 4 factorial scheme (plants of the cultivars 'Arbequina,' 'Ascolano,' 'Grappolo,' and 'Koroneiki' attacked or not). The total number and population density of S. oleae on the abaxial and adaxial sides of the O. europaea leaves were evaluated by direct counting in summer, autumn, and winter. The emission of chlorophyll was evaluated by measuring the fluorescence parameters on leaves per treatment and season. The total number of S. oleae was higher on the cultivar Grappolo than on the Ascolano and Arbequina. Grappolo, Koroneiki, and Ascolano showed a population decline of this insect in winter. The initial chlorophyll "a" fluorescence was higher in O. europaea damaged by S. oleae. The maximum photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II/maximum fluorescence ratio of chlorophyll "a" was equal to or greater than 0.75 for all O. europaea cultivars not attacked by S. oleae in the summer, autumn, and winter. The electron transport rate was lower in plants attacked, except for those of the Grappolo in the winter. The increase of initial fluorescence, reduction of maximum photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II/maximum fluorescence, and electron transport rate in some cultivars of O. europaea attacked by S. oleae indicate damages to the photosynthetic apparatus, resulting in a possible decrease in growth and yield of the plants. Informações sobre a ocorrência e danos de Saissetia oleae (Olivier) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) em plantas de Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae) são escassas. Saissetia oleae é um inseto sugador e, ao se alimentar do conteúdo do floema, afeta o aparelho fotossintético das células. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a ocorrência e determinar o efeito de S. oleae nas características fisiológicas de cultivares de O. europaea. O experimento foi conduzido em campo em Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brasil, em delineamento de blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 2 × 4 (plantas atacadas ou não das cultivares 'Arbequina,' 'Ascolano,' 'Grappolo,' e 'Koroneiki'). O número total e a densidade populacional de S. oleae em O. europaea nas faces abaxial e adaxial das folhas foram avaliados no verão, outono e inverno. A emissão de clorofila foi obtida baseada nos parâmetros de fluorescência nas folhas por tratamento e estação. O número total de indivíduos de S. oleae foi maior na cultivar Grappolo que nas Ascolano e Arbequina e a população desse inseto diminuiu nas Grappolo, Koroneiki, e Ascolano no inverno. A fluorescência inicial da clorofila "a" foi maior em plantas de O. europaea atacadas por S. oleae. A relação do rendimento quântico fotoquímico máximo do fotossistema II/fluorescência máxima da clorofila "a" foi igual ou superior a 0,75 em todas as cultivares de O. europaea não atacadas por S. oleae no verão, outono e inverno. A taxa de transporte de elétrons foi menor em plantas atacadas, exceto para as de Grappolo no inverno. O aumento da fluorescência inicial e a redução do rendimento quântico fotoquímico máximo do fotossistema II/fluorescência máxima e transporte de elétrons em algumas cultivares de O. europaea atacadas por S. oleae indicam danos no aparato fotossintético e possível redução no crescimento e produção de plantas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five ascomycetous strains were isolated from dead branches and leaves of Salix (Salicaceae) and Osmanthus fragrans (Oleaceae), respectively. BLAST searches with ITS sequences in GenBank suggested a high degree of similarity to Botryosphaeria dothidea. To accurately identify these strains, we further analysed their morphological characteristics of asci, ascospores, all conidiophore cells and conidia. Phylogenetic relationships, based on ITS, rpb2, tef1 and tub2 gene sequences, confirmed our strains represented two novel species, which are introduced here as B. salicicola and B. osmanthuse spp. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Lilacs (Syringa L.), a group of well‐known ornamental and aromatic woody plants, have long been used for gardening, essential oils and medicine purposes in East Asia and Europe. The lack of knowledge about the complete genome of Syringa not only hampers effort to better understand its evolutionary history, but also prevents genome‐based functional gene mining that can help in the variety improvement and medicine development. Here, a chromosome‐level genome of Syringa oblata is presented, which has a size of 1.12 Gb including 53 944 protein coding genes. Synteny analysis revealed that a recent duplication event and parallel evolution of two subgenomes formed the current karyotype. Evolutionary analysis, transcriptomics and metabolic profiling showed that segment and tandem duplications contributed to scent formation in the woody aromatic species. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis indicated that S. oblata shared a common ancestor with Osmanthus fragrans and Olea europaea approximately 27.61 million years ago (Mya). Biogeographic reconstruction based on a resequenced data set of 26 species suggested that Syringa originated in the northern part of East Asia during the Miocene (approximately 14.73 Mya) and that the five Syringa groups initially formed before the Late Miocene (approximately 9.97 Mya). Furthermore, multidirectional dispersals accompanied by gene introgression among Syringa species from Northern China during the Miocene were detected by biogeographic reconstruction. Taken together, the results showed that complex gene introgression, which occurred during speciation history, greatly contributed to Syringa diversity. Significance Statement: The construction of a high‐quality chromosome‐level genome of Syringa oblata combined with the analysis on chromosomes evolution, phylogenetic profiling and transcriptomics uncovers mechanisms of biogeographic dispersal routes and floral scent formation of lilacs Results presented here not only fill knowledge gaps on the evolution history of this temperate‐originated aromatic plant species from a biological and geographical perspective, but also provide bioinformatic tools that could improve its ornamental characteristics and explore medicinal functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deep-branching phylogenetic relationships are often difficult to resolve because phylogenetic signals are obscured by the long history and complexity of evolutionary processes, such as ancient introgression/hybridization, polyploidization, and incomplete lineage sorting (ILS). Phylogenomics has been effective in providing information for resolving both deep- and shallow-scale relationships across all branches of the tree of life. The olive family (Oleaceae) is composed of 25 genera classified into five tribes with tribe Oleeae consisting of four subtribes. Previous phylogenetic analyses showed that ILS and/or hybridization led to phylogenetic incongruence in the family. It was essential to distinguish phylogenetic signal conflicts, and explore mechanisms for the uncertainties concerning relationships of the olive family, especially at the deep-branching nodes. Results: We used the whole plastid genome and nuclear single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to infer the phylogenetic relationships and to assess the variation and rates among the main clades of the olive family. We also used 2608 and 1865 orthologous nuclear genes to infer the deep-branching relationships among tribes of Oleaceae and subtribes of tribe Oleeae, respectively. Concatenated and coalescence trees based on the plastid genome, nuclear SNPs and multiple nuclear genes suggest events of ILS and/or ancient introgression during the diversification of Oleaceae. Additionally, there was extreme heterogeneity in the substitution rates across the tribes. Furthermore, our results supported that introgression/hybridization, rather than ILS, is the main factor for phylogenetic discordance among the five tribes of Oleaceae. The tribe Oleeae is supported to have originated via ancient hybridization and polyploidy, and its most likely parentages are the ancestral lineage of Jasmineae or its sister group, which is a "ghost lineage," and Forsythieae. However, ILS and ancient introgression are mainly responsible for the phylogenetic discordance among the four subtribes of tribe Oleeae. Conclusions: This study showcases that using multiple sequence datasets (plastid genomes, nuclear SNPs and thousands of nuclear genes) and diverse phylogenomic methods such as data partition, heterogeneous models, quantifying introgression via branch lengths (QuIBL) analysis, and species network analysis can facilitate untangling long and complex evolutionary processes of ancient introgression, paleopolyploidization, and ILS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of Osmanthus are economically important ornamental trees, yet information regarding their plastid genomes (plastomes) have rarely been reported, thus hindering taxonomic and evolutionary studies of this small but enigmatic genus. Here, we performed comparative genomics and evolutionary analyses on plastomes of 16 of the 28 currently accepted species, with 11 plastomes newly sequenced. Phylogenetic studies identified four main lineages within the genus that are here designated the: "Caucasian Osmanthus" (corresponding to O. decorus), "Siphosmanthus" (corresponding to O. sect. Siphosmanthus), "O. serrulatus + O. yunnanensis," and "Core Osmanthus: (corresponding to O. sect. Osmanthus + O. sect. Linocieroides). Molecular clock analysis suggested that Osmanthus split from its sister clade c. 15.83 Ma. The estimated crown ages of the lineages were the following: genus Osmanthus at 12.66 Ma; "Siphosmanthus" clade at 5.85 Ma; "O. serrulatus + O. yunnanensis" at 4.89 Ma; and "Core Osmanthus: clade at 6.2 Ma. Ancestral state reconstructions and trait mapping showed that ancestors of Osmanthus were spring flowering and originated at lower elevations. Phylogenetic principal component analysis clearly distinguished spring‐flowering species from autumn‐flowering species, suggesting that flowering time differentiation is related to the difference in ecological niches. Nucleotide substitution rates of 80 common genes showed slow evolutionary pace and low nucleotide variations, all genes being subjected to purifying selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syringa reticulata subsp. amurensis (Rupr.) P. S. Green & M. C. Chang (Oleaceae) is a shrub or tree with high medicinal value as well as great ecological significance as an urban garden plant. To better understand the molecular genetics and evolutionary of S. reticulata subsp. amurensis, its complete chloroplast genome was sequenced and annotated. The assembled chloroplast genome is a circular 156,141 bp sequence, consisting of 87,108 bp large single copy (LSC) region and 17,239 bp small single copy (SSC) region, which were flanked by a pair of 25,897 bp inverted repeats (IRs). The GC content of the chloroplast genome is 36.14%. Moreover, a total of 132 functional genes were annotated, including 88 protein-coding, 36 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that S. reticulata subsp. amurensis was most closely related to S. reticulata subsp. Pekinensis and the genus Syringa is paraphyletic group. This study provides important information for further phylogenetic studies on S. reticulata subsp. amurensis and its allies.

Androdioecy is a rare reproductive system. Fraxinus platypoda, a woody canopy species in Japan's mountainous riparian zones, is described as a morphologically androdioecious species. In this study, we tried to detect whether F. platypoda is also functionally androdioecious. We analyzed its sexual expression, seed development, pollen morphology and germination ability, pollination systems, and mast flowering behavior. We found that the hermaphrodite trees are andromonoecious, with inflorescences bearing male and hermaphroditic flowers, whereas male individuals had only male flowers. Pollen morphology was identical in male flowers, in hermaphrodite flowers of an andromonoecious individual, and in male flowers of male individuals. Pollen from both types of individuals was capable of germination both ex vivo (on nutrient medium) and in vivo in pollination experiments. However, compared with pollen from andromonoecious trees, pollen from male trees showed a higher germination rate. The self-pollination rate of bagged hermaphroditic flowers was almost zero. The fruit set rate following cross-pollination with male pollen from a male tree was higher than that following natural pollination, whereas the rate with hermaphroditic pollen was the same. The flowering and fruiting of F. platypoda have fluctuated over 17 years; the flowering of the two types of sexual individuals exhibited clear synchronization during this period. The frequency of male individuals within the populations is 50%. The maintenance of such a proportion of males in populations of the self-incompatible F. platypoda is either indicative of a true androdioecious species with a diallelic self-incompatibility system or a cryptic-dioecious species. This alternative is discussed here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The olive crop has a large diversity in cultivars around the world, whose identification have been based on leaf, stem or fruit traits. However, these traits may be influenced by the environment, which has led to the misidentification of cultivars. The variability of the pistil and pollen structure under electron scanning and light microscopy were studied using the cultivars 'Arbequina', 'Arbosana', 'Frantoio', 'Koroneiki', 'Manzanilla de Sevilla' and 'Picual', cultivated in Southern Brazil. The aim was to find unique patterns for their identification. This type of study has not been carried out in the conditions of Southern Brazil, where the identification of commercial cultivars sometimes is complex and confusing. There were significant differences in the variables, showing uniformity within each cultivar in different locations. The principal component analysis indicated a separation of cultivars according to similarities or micromorphological differences in the pollen wall, area of the lumen and the structural elements of the tectum. For the analysis of the pistil, the separation was even clearer, each cultivar individually forming a cluster, using as characters the length of the style in contrast to the length, width and area of the stigma. This evidenced little variation among individuals within the same cultivar. The information provided can contribute to the individual identification of very close olive tree cultivars in the conditions of Southern Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A taxonomic revision of Korean Ligustrum species is presented based on critical observations of wild populations and herbarium specimens. Species delimitations were re-evaluated on the basis of morphological characters, such as plant height, texture and shape of leaf, shape of inflorescence, shape of drupe and seed, and texture of endocarp. From the results, L. leucanthum (= L. acutissimum), being recorded in Korea, is excluded from the Korean flora because it comes from misidentifications of the herbarium specimen, whose identity is L. obtusifolium. We also treated L.obtusifolium subsp. suave and L. obtusifolium subsp. microphyllum as synonyms of L.obtusifolium. Ligustrum quihoui var. latifolium is placed into synonym of L. quihoui. In addition, the record of L. ovalifolium from Korea has proved to be a misidentification of herbarium specimens, the correct identity of which is L. salicinum. Consequently, we recognized the following six Ligustrum species in Korea: L. japonicum, L. lucidum, L. quihoui, L. salicinum, L. foliosum, and L. obtusifolium. Photographs and a key to six species of Ligustrum were provided in addition to complete descriptions including information on nomenclatural types, synonyms, and taxonomic notes.