Comparative wood anatomy of 15 Malagasy Diospyros species (Ebenaceae)

Diospyros L. (Ebenaceae) is an important source of ebony, a precious wood used for several economically important timber products. Species are overexploited in many regions, including Madagascar, for both the national and international trade, but little is known about their wood anatomy, despite its importance for forensic identification. Wood anatomy has a major role to play in ensuring the sustainable and equitable utilization of Diospyros species that are not threatened by extinction, and in law enforcement to protect threatened species from illegal logging. This study aims to identify, describe, and test the usefulness of anatomical features to support a taxonomic revision of the genus in Madagascar and to enrich databases for wood identification. Ninety-nine wood specimens were collected from the various bio-geographical regions of Madagascar, representing 15 endemic species (twelve previously described and three new) of large trees (reaching DBH ⩾ 20 cm and/or height ⩾ 20 m) were investigated. Standard methods for wood anatomical studies were used. Statistical analysis of the data using Factorial Analysis on Mixed Data was performed for 14 wood anatomical characters. Detailed descriptions and comparisons of the wood anatomy of the 15 species are provided, along with a wood identification key. Analyses showed that all the characters are highly significant () in the separation of the species studies.

Molecular phylogenetics of Malesian Diospyros (Ebenaceae) based trnL-F spacer sequences

Wanda IF, Djuita NR, Chikmawati T. 2021. Molecular phylogenetics of Malesian Diospyros (Ebenaceae) based trnL-F spacer sequences. Biodiversitas 22: 4106-4114. Diospyros is a genus composed of potential species as an economic commodity with high diversity. However, there is limited information on the phylogenetic relationship of this genus in the Malesian region. This study aimed to provide information on the species diversity through a DNA barcoding approach and revealing the phylogenetic information of Diospyros spp. in the Malesian region. This study used 20 Diospyros accessions from Bogor Botanical Garden collections, 40 Diospyros accessions, and four outgroup accessions obtained from the NCBI database. The DNA barcoding primer utilized comes from plastids, trnL-F intergenic spacer. The phylogenetic trees were constructed using the Maximum-Parsimony method. A total of 20 accessions of Diospyros were validated with sequence data on the genebank. The result showed that all accessions had relationships with 44 other Diospyros species globally. Here, we reported 10 new trnL-F intergenic spacer sequences of Malesian Diospyros species. A phylogenetic tree grouped 64 monophyletic Diospyros species into seven clades. The phylogenetic results supports the biogeographic hypothesis: the Malesian region, the Malesian-Caledonian Region, and Cosmopolite species in almost all bioregions.

Seasonal Changes in the Metabolic Profiles and Biological Activity in Leaves of Diospyros digyna and D. rekoi “Zapote” Trees

Leaves of semi-domesticated Diospyros digyna and wild D. rekoi trees, sampled seasonally in Mexico in 2014, were analyzed. Metabolic fingerprints revealed higher metabolite diversity in D. rekoi leaves. The TLC bands characteristic of glycosylated flavonoids, predominant in this species, matched the detection of quercetin and quercetin 3-O-glucuronides by liquid chromatography (UPLC-MS) of spring leaf extracts (LEs). Further gas chromatography (GC-MS) analysis revealed abundant fatty acids, organic acids, and secondary metabolites including trigonelline, p-coumaric, and ferulic and nicotinic acids. Phenolic-like compounds prevailed in D. digyna LEs, while unidentified triterpenoids and dihydroxylated coumarins were detected by UPLC-MS and GC-MS. A paucity of leaf metabolites in leaves of this species, compared to D. rekoi, was evident. Higher antioxidant capacity (AOC) was detected in D. digyna LEs. The AOC was season-independent in D. digyna but not in D. rekoi. The AOC in both species was concentrated in distinct TLC single bands, although seasonal variation in band intensity was observed among trees sampled. The AOC in D. digyna LEs could be ascribed to the coumarin esculetin. The LEs moderately inhibited phytopathogenic bacteria but not fungi. Leaf chemistry differences in these Mesoamerican Diospyros species substantiated previous variability reported in tree physiology and fruit physical chemistry, postulated to result from domestication and seasonality.

Redetermination of host plants reveals that the rust fungi Aecidium annonae, Aecidium chrysophaeum and Cerotelium xylopiae occur on Diospyros species (Ebenaceae) instead of Annonaceae

The correct determination of host plants is essential for identifying species of rust fungi (Pucciniales). During studies of rust fungi on Annonaceae, it has been shown that the host plants of Aecidium annonae, Aecidium annonaceicola, Aecidium chrysophaeum and Cerotelium xylopiae have been wrongly labeled as species of Annonaceae. The hosts of these species were newly determined to belong to the genus Diospyros (family Ebenaceae) using anatomy and micromorphology. Aecidium annonae and A. annonaceicola are conspecific, as also confirmed by their common host Diospyros hispida. The real host of A. chrysophaeum is Diospyros artanthifolia. The new species name Cerotelium diospyri, referring to its host plant Diospyros sericea, is proposed to replace the misleading name Cerotelium xylopiae, an invalidly published name.