On the Utility of Longwave-Infrared Spectral Imaging for Remote Botanical Identification

A multi-year airborne field investigation of remote botanical species identification was conducted involving multiple curated botanical collections. The purpose of the study was to better constrain the observational conditions that most favor remote identification by longwave-infrared spectral imaging and assess the degree to which confidence metrics developed for remote chemical composition determination could be adapted to botanical species classification. Identification success was examined as a function of spatial resolution and viewing obliquity. A key aim was to articulate a procedure for validating inferred species identifications and evaluating the retrieval methodology’s performance for alleviating confusion between species exhibiting spectral similarity at the foliar scale. It was found that several confounding factors degrade confidence in the species identifications to levels that render the approach impractical in the general case. A number of taxa, predominantly evergreen, were nevertheless identified that are amenable to the technique and for which utility may be viable.

Pharmacobotanical characterization of Monteverdia ilicifolia (Mart. ex Reiss.) Biral leaves and its adulterants sold as medicinal tea in Brazil: a contribution to quality control

Leaves of Monteverdia ilicifolia (“espinheira-santa”) are considered a medicinal tea by the Brazilian Sanitary Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), by their anti-dyspeptic, anti-acid and protective of the gastric mucosa properties. Their spiny margins are similar to those of other botanical species, which may lead to misidentifications. The aim of this work was to evaluate the authenticity of 32 samples of herbal drugs commercialized as “espinheira-santa” in the formal trade in Brazil, by macro and microscopic morphological studies of the leaves. The evaluation of the botanical authenticity was based on leaf venation patterns, shape and anatomy of the petiole and midrib region in cross section, vascular system arrangement and epidermal characters. Analysis of these characters compared to literature data suggests that 34% of the samples are M. ilicifolia and the remaining 66% are Sorocea bonplandii, a species with no clinical studies assuring its effective and safe use, representing thus a potential risk to public health.

INVASÃO BIOLÓGICA POR Crotalaria retusa L. (FABACEAE) EM DUNAS NO NORDESTE DO BRASIL

O presente estudo tem como objetivo definir se a diversidade local é um dos fatores que levam ao sucesso no estabelecimento de moitas da espécie exótica invasora Crotalaria retusa. O estudo foi realizado nas dunas costeiras da Ilha do Maranhão, no trecho entre as praias de São Marcos e Araçagy. Para tanto, foram selecionadas moitas amostradas pelo método de parcelas múltiplas de Mueller-dombois & Ellenberg, no qual foi amostrado com parcelas de 1mx1m, 40% da cobertura vegetal no interior e no entono das moitas de C. retusa, sendo posteriormente calculados os Índices de Valor de Importância de Cobertura (IVCi) para cada espécie botânica amostrada, diversidade de Shannon – Wienner (H’) e Equabilidade de Pielou (J). A riqueza total de espécies foi de 101 espécies (76 no interior e 81 no entorno). As espécies com maior IVCi no interior e no entorno foram, respectivamente, C. retusa (124,97) e espécimes da família Poaceae (104,83). A diversidade foi de H’ = 2,58 no interior e H’= 2,59 no entorno, enquanto que a equabilidade foi de J=0,59 (no interior e no entorno). Observou-se que a riqueza de espécies no interior da moita aumenta à medida que a cobertura de C. retusa diminui, demostrando que a espécie botânica invasora pode interferir na ocorrência das espécies nativas.BIOLOGICAL INVASION BY Crotalaria retusa L. (FABACEAE) IN DUNE AREAS IN SÃO LUÍS, MARANHÃO, NORTHEAST BRAZILABSTRACTThe present study aims to analyze the structural arrangement of the inside and around of the Crotalaria retusa clumps in dune areas of Ilha do Maranhão. The study was realized out in the coastal dunes of Ilha do Maranhão, in the stretch between the beaches of São Marcos and Araçagi. Therefore, clumps of vegetation sampled by the multiple plot method were selected, in which it wasa sample with plots of 1m2, 40% of the vegetation cover inside and around the C. retusa clumps, and the were calculated Importance Value (IV) for each a sampled botanical species, Shannon – Wienner diversity (H’) e Pielou Equability (J). The total species richness was 101 species (76 inland and 81 inthe around). The species C. retusa had the highest VI in the inside (124,97) and in the around it was the second with the highest VI (59,40). The diversity was H’ = 2,58 nats.m2 on the inside and H’=2,59 nats.m2 on the around, while the equability was J=0,59 (in the inside and the around). It was observed that the species richness inside the clump increases as the coverage of C. retusa decreases, showing the invasive botanical species could interfere with the occurrence of native species.Keywords: Biological contamination; Invasive species; Coastal dunes; Coverage index; Importance value.

Wood powders of different botanical origin as an alternative to barrel aging for red wine

Wood powders are produced in large quantity as by-product of barrel, staves and chips industry. Differently from larger particles (chips), the use of wood powders in winemaking is not admitted (Regulation (CE) n. 934/2019); however, it could represent a cheap and sustainable alternative for the accelerated aging of red wine. To evaluate their potential use in winemaking, a comparative study on the use of wood powders from oak, chestnut and acacia wood for the accelerated aging of red wine (cv. Aglianico) was conducted. This alternative aging was compared to the aging in wood barrels from the same botanical species. The wine aged in contact with powders underwent a quicker evolution of polyphenolic fraction. After 15 days of contact, the loss of total anthocyanins was higher than that observed after 6 months of aging in barrels (from 4 to 14% with respect to the corresponding kind of barrel). The amount of polymeric pigments tannins–anthocyanins–tannins in wines aged in contact with powders was higher respect to the wines aged in barrels (from 7 to 21% with respect to the corresponding kind of barrel), while the greatest loss of total tannins was detected in the oak barrels (28% less with respect to the control). There were several differences in wine phenolic acids due to wood botanical origin, with the clearest differences being between oak and the alternative wood species (chestnut and acacia). Also, there was a significant botanical effect on sensory profiles. Indeed, both among barrels and among powders, oak wood was the one that gave the strongest wood odor character. However, all the treatments with wood powders (oak, acacia and chestnut) preserved the fruity character of wine, conferring in the meanwhile non-dominant woody notes.

Trends in the Use of Botanicals in Anti-Aging Cosmetics

Botanical ingredients have been used for thousands of years in skincare for their convenience as well as the diversity and abundance in compounds with biological activity. Among these, polyphenols and especially flavonoids have gained increasing prominence due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, the most used botanical preparations in anti-aging products marketed in 2011 were determined. The analysis was repeated in 2018 for new and reformulated products. The scientific evidence for their application as active ingredients in anti-aging cosmetics and their flavonoid content was also compiled by searching in online scientific databases. Overall, in 2018, there was a noticeable increase in the use of botanical preparations in anti-aging cosmetics. However, the top three botanical species in both years were Vitis vinifera, Butyrospermum parkii, and Glycine soja, which is consistent with the greater amount of scientific evidence supporting their efficacy. Regarding the function of botanical preparations, there is a clear preference for DNA-protecting ingredients. The most prevalent flavonoids were flavan-3-ols, proanthocyanidins, and anthocyanins. This study provided an updated overview of the market trends regarding the use of botanicals in anti-aging products and documented the state of the art of scientific evidence for the most used plants.

Ethnobotanical assessment in protected area from Brazilian Atlantic Forest

In the present study, we conducted a survey on ethnobotanical information of chemical-pharmacological interest, which was acquired via on-site interviews using semi-structured questionnaires with informants in the community in Mucuri Basin in Minas Gerais, Brazil. 184 interviews were conducted with residents with 102 botanical species in approximately 87 genera and 41 families cited. In addition, respiratory system diseases were the most cited, accounting for 26.35% of the cases cited. Lippia alba (lemon balm) was the most cited species with a corrected popular use concordance of about 86.11%. The results suggested that vegetables are important therapeutic resources for the population. Such ethnobotanical studies are fundamental for the understanding and conservation of local culture with regard to the exploitation of medicinal plants. The findings of the present study contribute to the documentation of medicinal species in a Brazilian state characterized by mining, which implies the suppression of vegetation growth or the impairment of regeneration, which could lead to the disappearance of critical and invaluable plant species. The preservation of ethnobotanical knowledge is vital in areas with high human activity and areas undergoing deforestation.

Phytochemical profile and rosmarinic acid purification from two Peruvian Lepechinia Willd. species (Salviinae, Mentheae, Lamiaceae)

The phytochemical profile of Lepechinia meyenii (Walp.) Epling and Lepechina floribunda (Benth.) Epling obtained by liquid chromatography associated with high-resolution mass spectrometry is presented. Forty eight compounds were detected exhibiting a variety of salvianolic acids and abietane phenolic diterpenoids. A simple procedure by cold evaporative crystallization to purify rosmarinic acid from these botanical species was also shown.

The itinerary of Alfred Russel Wallace's Amazonian journey (1848–1852): A source for researchers and readers

This research report offers the most complete itinerary of Alfred Russel Wallace's scientific explorations of the Brazilian Amazon between 1848 and 1852. As a source for historians of science and natural scientists, it may become a reference to track the zoological and botanical species collected alongside the described landscapes and people in Wallace's complex road map of explorations. Evidencing many relations and interests intertwined with the construction of Wallace's itinerary, this report makes room for the elaboration of a more accurate picture of his expedition. Tracking the development of Wallace's insights along his journey, this itinerary also allows us to ascertain which species, regions, and phenomena fostered the conceptual roots of his later theory of evolution by natural selection.

Estimation of breeding material of interspecific hybrids Allium ascalonicum L. and Allium cepa L.

Relevance. Shallots are an independent botanical species. It easily crosses with onions, has a medium-sized bulb, keeps well, gives rich greens. Shallot and onion hybrids have a higher yield, less nesting, and a large bulb mass. Work on the creation of interspecific hybrids of shallots and onions has been under way since 2000.Methods. The aim of the research was to study the hybrids of Allium ascalonicum L. x Allium cepa L. and Allium cepa L. x Allium ascalonicum L. by a complex of characters in comparison with their maternal forms. Samples from the Urals were taken as initial forms for hybridization.Results. 268 promising hybrids were obtained, of which 33 were selected for further study. The results of the study showed the advantage of hybrid forms, where shallots were the parent form. A significant advantage of hybrids over parental forms was revealed in terms of yield, average and maximum bulb weight.