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Melastomateae are the most species-rich (185 spp./13 gen.) and morphologically diverse tribe within the African Melastomataceae. In this study we present the first in-depth phylogenetic analysis of African Melastomateae using sequences generated from one nuclear (nrITS) and two plastid spacers (accD-psaI, psbK-psbL) sampling 183 accessions representing 75 African, 10 Madagascan and 7 Asian species and a broad outgroup sampling. We infer phylogenetic relationships using maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and Bayesian approaches and propose a revised generic classification of African Melastomateae based on our molecular trees in combination with a careful reassessment of morphological variation. Our phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of Old World Melastomateae except Dinophora which clearly falls outside Melastomateae. Asian and Madagascan endemic genera of Melastomateae are nested among the African genera. Of the African genera only two monophyletic groups, Dichaetanthera and Tristemma, are recovered in addition to the monospecific Pseudosbeckia lineage, while Antherotoma, Dissotis and Heterotis as currently circumscribed are polyphyletic. However, the subgenera and sections of these genera are mostly recovered as morphologically distinct and molecularly well-supported clades. Isomorphism versus dimorphism of the stamens is found to be an unreliable character when delimiting genera in Melastomateae. We propose the reinstatement of Argyrella and Dupineta, a new status at generic rank for Dissotis subg. Dissotidendron, a broadened circumscription of Guyonia (to include the species previously placed in Heterotis sect. Cyclostemma), and description of a new, monospecific genus Anaheterotis for the Heterotis pobeguinii lineage. Heterotis is maintained at generic rank but with a narrower circumscription in comparison to earlier treatments. We accommodate the rare Osbeckia porteresii lineage from Mt. Nimba (Guinea) within an expanded Melastomastrum. To complete our generic realignment, a total of 42 new combinations are effected at the species level and below, and a key is provided for the 12 genera presently recognised in African Melastomateae. Denser taxonomic sampling and sequencing of more loci will be needed to resolve relationships within the large clade of Dissotis s.str. and allies (including Antherotoma as well as three West African species erroneously placed in the otherwise Asian Osbeckia).

The genus Osbeckia of Melastomataceae was named by Carl Linnaeus, for the Swedish explorer and naturalist Pehr Osbeck. Osbeckias are native to Eastern Asia and found in China, Japan, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and Australasia. Most species were documented as herbal remedies for curing many human diseases. In India the genus comprises about 22 species out of which 12 species are reported from Kerala. Most of the species are small shrubs and have gained medicinal status in folklore belief from India, China, and Indonesia. Ethnopharmacologically, the leaves, shoots, barks, seeds, and roots of Melastomataceae members have been used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhoids, cuts and wounds, toothache, and stomachache. The coloured floral extracts of various genera also revealed wide pharmacological actions such as anti-nociceptive, anti-in?ammatory, wound healing, antidiarrhoeal, cytotoxic, and antioxidant activities. Many phytochemical constituents including anthocyanins were isolated and identified from different parts of Melastoma and Memycylon species. Thus, the aim of this survey is to present comprehensive information on ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological activities of Osbeckia species from Kerala. Floral extracts of most of the Osbeckia species contain substantial levels of phenols and anthocyanin. This data validate the folklore use of various species to cure many human disorders. Future studies are planned to evaluate the biological potentialities in terms of anthocyanin profile using in vitro cultures of the species such as O. aspera and O. reticulata.

Osbeckia stellata (Melastomataceae) is a shrub distributed in the South. Although many species of Osbeckia have important medicinal value, the phylogenetic position of Osbeckia within the family Me...

Osbeckia parvifolia Arn. belongs to the family Melastomataceae and whole plant is used for the treatment of swellings in folk medicine. The present study was designed to elucidate the pharmacological properties of the whole plant methanolic extract against pain, inflammation and to determine their chemical composition. The anti-nociceptive activity was assessed by central and peripheral analgesia models in mice and anti-inflammatory effect was evaluated using acute and chronic inflammation models in rats. Phytochemical analyses were done by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS). The whole plant methanolic extract produced a significant ( p p Phytochemical screening of whole plant showed that carbohydrates, proteins, phenolics and flavonoids were found to be major amount. Phytochemical analyses through FTIR, GC/MS and HPLC showed that O. parvifolia is a rich source of bioactive compounds. The results suggest that O. parvifolia possesses anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities and this confirms the use of this plant in the traditional treatment of ailments associated with oxidative stress, pain and inflammation.

The urban landscape is characterized by altered climate, water relations and soil conditions. Governments spent millions of dollars in maintaining such landscapes. A landscape developed with sustainable practices can reduce this cost and improve the environment. In this context native plants can play a major role as they survive in local environments and easily adapted to local conditions with a minimum maintenance cost. Further, the landscape industry is continuously in need of novel and exciting material to maintain the viability. As a solution, floristic wealth of Sri Lankan flora can be successfully tapped to introduce native plants to urban landscapes. Based on field experience Osbeckia octandra was identified as a potential landscape plant. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the objective of identifying the landscape potential and a method to propagate O. octandra in order to popularize it as a landscape plant and to introduce into the landscape industry. Morphological characters and flowering phenology were observed and a propagation experiment was conducted using three types of cuttings (softwood, semi hardwood and hardwood) vs. two types of media (sand, sand 1: coir dust 1) arranged in a randomized complete block design. Osbeckia octandra is a fine textured small shrub with spreading habit and it tolerate pruning and it can be ideally used in a border. Flowers are attractive, purple in colour (purple group 77A, RHS color chart) and produce flowers at least four times a year which attract insects. A significantly high (P

Osbeckia saddlepeakensis, a new species of Melastomataceae from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India is described. The new species is easily distinguished by its small flowers, hypanthium with emergences only on basal portion, lanceolate and ciliate sepals, short stalked intersepalar emergences and oblong to narrowly ovoid anthers with a single apical pore.

Osbeckia octandra (Melastomataceae) is a rare endemic perennial plant with a highmedicinal value which can also be used as an ornamental species as it bear beautiful violetcolour flowers. Though the availability of these plants have restricted to certain areas of thecountry and has a limited distribution it should be propagated using successful masspropagation techniques. Osbeckia octandra found at the Pilikuththuwa forest reserve located in Gampaha district, SriLanka was use in this study. Stem cuttings of O. octandra with 4 to 5 nodes were tested usingdifferent potting mixtures (sand alone, compost: sand (1:1) and compost: coir dust (1:1) todetermine the best growth medium for vegetative propagation. Length of roots, number ofroots and the dry weights of roots were measured after four months of the growth. Based on one way ANOVA analysis it was observed that there was a significant difference(P

Pterolepis consists of herbs and small shrubs with pink, purple, or white (3-)4–5-merous flowers, stamens with basal-ventrally prolonged connectives, and cochleate seeds. The majority of the species occur in central Brazilian cerrado vegetation, but two weedy species have become widespread, one ranging from Bolivia to southern Mexico, the other from Paraguay to the West Indies. Pterolepis appears related to the paleotropical genera Osbeckia, Melastoma, and Dissotis and to the neotropical genus Tibouchina. The main diagnostic feature of the genus are branched emergences in the intercalycine sinuses but these are variable among the species and also occur in many paleotropical and two neotropical species, casting some doubt on their taxonomic value above the species level. Within Pterolepis, 14 of the 80 taxa proposed by previous authors are recognized and eight species are illustrated; one new species, P. picorondonica from Amazonian Brazil, and a new variety, P. parnassiifolia var. piatensis from Bahia, are described. Also provided are scanning electron micrographs of the seeds of most, and distribution maps of all species.

There are eight Exacum spp. (Family Gentianaceae) found in the wild in Sri Lanka namely, Exacum axillare, E. macranthum, E. pallidum, E. trinervium, E. walkerii, E. pedunculatum, E. petiolare and E. sessile, of which four are designated as threatened species. This study was conducted to determine the phylogenetic relationships of four of the endemic Sri Lankan Exacum spp which have shown a potential in the floriculture industry, namely E. trinervium, E. macranthum, E. walkerii and E. pedunculatum. with E. affine (a non-endemic, commercial species) and to compare their sequences of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region of 18S-26S rDNA for use as a possible DNA typing target. The study also compared the Exacum spp. of Sri Lanka with the morphologically similar species Osbeckia octandra. The DNA was isolated from tender leaves, the ITS region was amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and the nucleotide sequences of the PCR products were determined. The amplified products of the ITS region of different species were estimated to be 554-720 bp. Multiple sequence alignment of the ITS sequences were carried out using ClustalW program and phylogenetic relationship of the species was determined by using Mega 4.0.2 package. The two endemic species E. macranthum and E. trinervium, were the closest relatives and clustered together in the phylogenetic tree with E. walkerii. Exacum pedunculatum formed a separate cluster with the exotic species E. affine, diverging from the cluster and branching separately. Osbeckia octandra diverged from all Exacum spp.Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 25 (4): 502 – 511 (2014)

During the taxonomic revision of the genus Osbeckia Linnaeus (1753: 345) from the Western Ghats, India, we came across few interesting specimens from the Manjolai hills in Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. Critical studies with relevant literature revealed the identity of the collected specimens as Osbeckia tirunelvelica Manickam & Murugan (2001: 626). Unfortunately the name Osbeckia tirunelvelica was not validly published by Manickam & Murugan (2001), because, contrary to Art. 40 of ICN (McNeill et al. 2012), two collections were indicated as “type”. Therefore, the name Osbeckia tirunelvelica is validated here by indicating a single collection as the holotype.

A study was conducted to compare the protec­ tive effects of aqueous extracts of Osbeckia octandra and Osbeckia aspera against carbon tetrachloride (CC1 4)mediated liver damage in Sprague Dawley rats by assessing their ability to protect livers against the toxin-mediated alterations in the liver histopathology and the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotrans­ ferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase.

Four grassland types at Cherrapunji, in northeastern India, namely the Osbeckia, Arundinella, Ischaemum, and Eragrostiella, types, were studied for soil nutrient losses through their hydrology and related soil-fertility changes. Losses through water and the consequent soil-fertility depletion were shown to be related to the frequency of the burn to which these grasslands are subjected. The Ischaemum type, with regular burning at 2-years' intervals, was the most adversely affected, compared with the Osbeckia type, which had not been burnt for the past 6 years.In all the grassland types which were studied, the losses through water were high during the early part of the monsoon period, owing to the poor vegetation cover at that time. A desertified site with the Eragrostiella type of grassland had the lowest soil-fertility level, and had losses through removal in water that far exceeded the prevailing soil-nutrient level.Fire can help in stabilizing the seral grassland vegetation if the soil is sufficiently deep and the frequency of the burn is not too great. On the other hand, too frequent perturbations by fire are apt to result in a desertified landscape that is difficult to restore.

Osbeckia truncata D. Don ex Wight & Arn., (Melastomaceae) rediscovered after more than one hundred years from Fashiakhali wildlife sanctuary of Chakaria Upazila of Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh. Key words: Osbeckia truncata; Melastomaceae; Rediscovery; Bangladesh DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjb.v40i1.8005 Bangladesh J. Bot. 40(1): 101-103, 2011 (June)

Aqueous extracts of the aerial parts of Melothria maderasptana and the leaves of Osbeckia octandra have been compared with (+)-3-cyanidanol with regard to their abilities to alleviate carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver dysfunction in albino rats by comparing the abilities of these drugs to protect the liver against CCl4-mediated alterations in the liver histopathology and serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (GOT), alkaline amino-transferase (GPT), and alkaline phosphatase. In both pretreatment and post-treatment (administration of drugs before or after CCl4 treatment) experiments, the most marked rate of recovery of the liver was exhibited by the group of rats treated with Melothria maderaspatana extract. Although the protection offered by (+)-3-cyanidanol and Osbeckia octandra appears to be comparable in post-treatment, Osbeckia was significantly more effective in pre-treatment. From the overall results obtained it appears that the aqueous extracts of Melothria maderaspatana and Osbeckia octandra are both as potent or in some instances (in pretreatment experiments) more potent than (+)-3-cyanidanol. Of the two plants tested under the present experimental conditions used, Melothria maderaspatana appears to be marginally more effective than Osbeckia octandra in protecting the liver against CCl4-induced alterations.

In course of revisionary studies on the family Melastomataceae in India the authors came across specimens (Barber 3008, 2919; Ramaswami 38517; Hooper & Ramaswami 38520; Mohnan 115996, 61706) of the genus Osbeckia from South India which do not match with any of the Osbeckia species described so far. Hansen in Ginkgoana 4: 80 (1977) cited the specimens Barber 3008, Ramaswamy 38517 and made a comment as follows: 'Aberrant collections are Barber 2924 and 3008, Barnes 1570 and Ramaswamy 38517 differing markedly by the fairly dense vestiture of long and thin patent hairs on the leaves and branches, and by light green colour'. But Hansen did not give these specimens a separate status and simply kept them under 0. gracilis Bedd., which is characterized by the olive green colour of the leaves and branches and has short rigid hairs. Further critical study on these specimens, along with other old and very recent collections, reveal that these are quite different from 0. gracilis Bedd. and prove to be an interesting new species. The new species is described here with illustrations.