Contribution to the floristic and ethnobotanic study of the most utilized medicinal plants in the Sétifian Tell (south of the Tamentout forest) east Algeria

This study aims to know the natural heritage of the Tamentout forest through a floristic inventory made in several cantons and to evaluate the uses of traditional medicine in the Sétifian Tell, by conducting an ethnobotanical study at the level of several localities in the region. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the listed flora identified 101 plant species, which are divided into 38 families and 97 genera. An important representation of the Asteraceae (19%), Fabaceae and Lamiaceae families (11%) are noted. The floristic study emphasizes the presence of several biological types, with a codominance of hemicryptophytes (with 42%) and therophytes (31%). The Mediterranean floristic element constitutes the most important chorological ensemble (52%). The ethnobotanical survey was conducted among 82 informants, with a total of 290 questionnaire cards. All the results were processed by statistical processing software: Excel 2007 and IBM SPSS Statistics version 23. These results showed that the leaves are the most used part (43%) and that the methods of use are prepared in the form of infusion (25%), poultices (18%), and decoction (11%). The most common forms of use are herbal tea (46%), powder (25%), and essential oil (19%). The oral route is the most widely used route of administration (51%). The most common pathologies are those of the digestive system (20%) and the respiratory system (18%). This study made it possible to identify the diversity of the flora of the Tamentout South Slope forest and list its traditional care and consequently to contribute to the conservation of the Mediterranean pharmacopeia that is being lost.

Sertulum Ternstroemiacearum II: Ternstroemia tepuiensis J.R.Grande, sp. nov. (Ternstroemiaceae),especie nueva del Escudo Guayanés

As a part of an ongoing review for the genus Ternstroemia in the Guayana Shield, in northern South America, T. tepuiensis J.R.Grande, sp. nov. is described as new to science. This species, characterized by its relatively large leaves, flowers and fruits, as well as by its circumscissile dehiscent fruits, is only known from the sandstone tabletop mountains commonly named as «tepuis», where it seems to be a rather common floristic element. Ecological and biogeographical notes are included, while the conservation status of the new species is assessed as LC —Least Concern, following the IUCN Red List Categories—. A key to separate this species from remaining members of the genus that bear fruits with circumscissile dehiscence is offered at the end of the paper.

Anatomical and micro-morphological analysis of the fruit and vegetative organs of Inula oculus-christi L. in the Pannonian part of Serbia

Inula oculus-christi L. is a perennial plant, 20-60 cm high, growing in south-east Europe, central and southern Russia and some parts of Asia. It belongs to Pontic-Pannonian floristic element. In Pannonian part of Serbia this species is extremely rare, with very few recently confirmed literature and herbarium data. According to the field data for the period from 2013 to 2015, only one population of this species was recorded in Pannonian part of Serbia, on the site of Rimski Sanac, which is threatened by anthropogenic activities. Furthermore, anatomical and micro-morphological features of I. oculus-christi have not been documented so far. Therefore, in order to get better knowledge of the biology this species, as well as on the basis of the abovementioned, its anatomical and micro-morphological characteristics were investigated. Cross sections of the leaf, stem, rhizome and fruit were obtained using cryotechnique procedure by Leica CM 1850 cryostat. Using a light microscopy, detailed descriptions of anatomical characteristics of the analysed organs were given. The scanning electron microscopy revealed specific qualitative features of leaf and fruit that characterize the species. Obtained data may be useful in determination of this species and represent the valuable contribution to its micro-morphological and anatomical differentiation from other congeneric and related species.

The Hydrophilous Flora and Vegetation of the Timiş Drainage Basin (Banat, Romania)

ABSTRACT The paper lists 285 plant species, and 63 aquatic and paludal phytocoenoses, noted across the Timiş drainage basin during the past two centuries (the sign “!” indicates that the author saw such plants or phytocoenoses in the mentioned place). For each individual species, I noted the scientific denomination, the author, the corresponding family, the bioform, the floristic element, ecological indices for humidity (H), temperature (T), and soil reaction (R), coenotic preference and chorology in the Timiş drainage basin.

Floristic analysis of a high-speed railway embankment in a Mediterranean landscape

- We analyzed the floristic composition of a 4.5 km-long segment of a high- -speed railway in Lazio, central Italy, which travels on an artificial embankment through an intensively-farmed landscape. In total, 287 vascular plant species were recorded. The life-form distribution was found to be similar to that of the regional species pool, with high percentages of therophytes (38%) and phanerophytes (13%). In the chorological spectrum the Mediterranean floristic element prevailed (44%), while alien species were 8% of the flora. The phytosociological spectrum showed a high diversity of characteristic species from the class Stellarietea mediae or its subordinate syntaxa (26%), and in particular from the order Thero-Brometalia (Mediterranean, sub-nitrophilous annual communities). Species from forest syntaxa had a relatively high diversity (9%). These results suggest that the ecological filtering provided by the Mediterranean regional climate controlled species assemblage even in a completely artificial habitat, preventing floristic homogenization: the flora of the studied railway section is only partially »ruderalized«, while it keeps strong links with the regional (semi-) natural plant communities. However, in contrast to what is observed in central and north Europe, the railway sides studied in the present paper do not seem to represent a refugial habitat for rare species from grassland communities, mainly because in Italy semi-natural dry grasslands are still widely represented.

Floristic diversity of beech, fir and spruce forest (Piceo-Fago-Abietetum Colic 1965) in the „Tara“ national park

This paper deals with the forest plant community of beech, fir and spruce (Piceo-Fago-Abietetum Colic 1965), which is the most widely distributed plant community on the territory of national park ?Tara?. Spectrum of life forms and floristic elements are specified for this community. Spectrum of life forms shows that hemicryptophytes are the most frequent, with high occurrence of geophytes, which is characteristic of this mesophilous plant community. Spectrum of floristic elements show that centraleuropean floristic element is dominant and that this plant community is under strong influence of subcentraleuropean region. Five subassociations are set apart on the basis of floristic composition and site conditions: typicum, drymetosum, aceretosum, pinetosum silvestrae and vaccinietosum. Spectrum of life forms is made for every subassociation separately in aim to compare their floristic compositions. Subassociations aceretosum and vaccinietosum are characterized by the highest occurence of phanerophytes, and the lowest occurence of this life form is represented in subassociation drymetosum. The highest occurence of geophytes is in subassociation aceretosum, and the lowest in pinetosum silvestrae and vaccinietosum. Occurence of hemicryptophytes is the highest in subassociations drymetosum and pinetosum silvestrae, and the lowest in aceretosum. Subassociation typicum is stable plant community, subassociations drymetosum and vaccinietosum grow on poorer sites, while subassociations aceretosum and pinetosum silvestrae represent degradation of beech, fir and spruce forest (Piceo-Fago-Abietetum Colic 1965).

Morphological, anatomical and palynological studies on Asyneuma michauxioides (Campanulaceae)

The morphological, anatomical and palynological features of Asyneuma michauxioides (Boiss.) Damboldt (Campanulaceae) were investigated. This species is an East Mediterranean Floristic Element and an endemic in Turkey. In anatomical studies, cross-sections of the root and stem were examined and demonstrated by photographs. It has conspicuous endodermis in which the Casparian bands are indistinct in the stem. According to the result of this study, it was found that pollen grain of this taxon was 3-porate sometimes 4-porate and oblate-spheroidal. Its structure was tectate and sculpture was small granules and pits with densely spaced spinules. The seeds of the taxon were eliptic to ovate in shape, laterally compressed, brown to light brown in colour, glabrous and shiny.

The Botrychiopsis genus and its biostratigraphic implications in Southern Paraná Basin

Botrychiopsis has been considered an important floristic element of Westphalian/Artinskian associations of the Paraná Basin. The occurrence of Botrychiopsis in roof-shales of the Rio Bonito Formation in Southern Paraná Basin (Quitéria area), supported by the identification of Botrychiopsis valida, enlarges the genus biochron. Consequently, the stratigraphic hierarchy for Botrychiopsis plantiana and Botrychiopsis valida was defined for the Paraná Basin. Although it is climatically controlled and related to a deglaciation icehouse stage, stratigraphic distribution of the genus presents a substantial climate tolerance, from cold/cool to warm/temperate conditions. A new phytostratigraphic zonation is proposed for the southern portion of the basin that includes the Botrychiopsis Zone (Asselian/Kungurian), which is subdivided into the Botrychiopsis plantiana (Asselian/Artinskian) and Botrychiopsis valida (Late Artinskian/Kungurian) subzones.