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Principal components analysis of Conoclinium coelestinum and C. dichotomum based on three variables: pappus length, corolla length, and outer/ inner phyllary length ratio.
Source publication
As part of ongoing efforts to understand, document, and conserve the flora of southeastern North America, we propose a number of taxo-nomic changes, nomenclatural changes, interpretations of nativity, and distributional accounts. Regarding the Asaroideae (Aristolochiaceae), we support continued recognition of Hexastylis (and other segregates of a v...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... of the morphology and ranges of Conoclinium dichotomum vs. C. coelestinum for inclusion in the flora of the southeastern United States. We examined a series of morphological characters (listed in Table 1), with each represented by the average of three measurements, and performed a principal component analysis (PCA) using JMP® Pro 13 (SAS 2016) (Fig. 1). We used a correlation matrix and distance-based biplot to normalize the data and focused on the three characters that provided the most separation between the two taxa in ordination space: pappus length, corolla length, and outer/inner phyllary length ratio. Components 1 and 2 of the final PCA accounted for 66.3% and 25.2% of the ...
Citations
... We recorded plants as flowering if at least one flower had a receptive stigma and/or anther shedding pollen. Plant taxonomy followed Weakley (2020). ...
Background
Fire maintains many grasslands and savannas worldwide, including pine savannas of the southeastern US. In these ecosystems, lightning initiates fire during the spring and summer, while humans have more often managed these systems with winter burning. Changes in season of fire potentially alter ecosystem function, including flowering phenology, i.e., the seasonal pattern of flowering, which could ultimately influence species composition. On the other hand, ability to burn in different seasons increases capacity to maintain frequent fire regimes. Little research has been conducted on the effects of fire season on flowering phenology in pine savannas, and the few studies available mostly focus on the differences among winter, spring, and summer fires. In order to more fully understand the effects of season of fire, including fall fires, on flowering phenology, we compared number of species flowering, co-flowering assemblages, and month of first flowering among plots burned in each of the four seasons over the course of a year.
Results
We found 175 species flowering during the study, with peak flowering in September and October. There were no differences in the average number of species flowering among season of fire treatments, but there were among months. Co-flowering assemblages did not differ among season of fire treatments, but spring, summer, and winter burns showed delayed flowering of certain species. We also identified species that flowered following fire regardless of season, did not flower when burned during a particular season, reflowered if burned while flowering, or, most commonly, showed delayed flowering following the most recent burn.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that flowering phenology of upland pine savanna species is generally resilient to differences in season of fire, with a few exceptions mentioned above. The mostly subtle shifts in flowering phenology in response to season of fire suggest that any resulting changes to plant community composition would occur over periods much longer than this study. These results suggest that spreading prescribed burns more widely over the course of the year to achieve management objectives would have minor impacts on flowering of the plant community.
... Based on these facts, the present study utilized the following medicinal plants: Jaborandi leaf, [18,19] Golden Trumphet, [20,21] Tall elephants' foot, [22,23] Gooseberry tree, [24,25] Sweet bitter leaf, [26,27] Bellayache bush, [28,29] Spurge laurel, [30,31] Bald cypress, [32,33] Thunder good vine, [34,35] Himalayan yew, [36,37] Bitter bark tree, [38,39] Paradise tree, [39,40] ChineseJuniperus, [41,42] Carrot tree, [43,44] Indian turnsole, [45,46] Ipecacuanha, [47,48] and Senegal pricky-ash [49,50] in the present study ( Figs. 1 and 2 and Table 1). These natural plants possess immune modulators and hence improve the body's immune system. ...
Background: It is noteworthy that a wide array of plants and nutraceuticals are effectively utilized in the treatment of various cancers, demonstrating potent effects on different cancer targets with fewer side effects. Notably, estrogen alpha has been identified as a crucial factor in breast cancer cell proliferation. Agents that can antagonize its action hold promise as potential drug leads for the treatment of breast cancer. Objective: This study aims to discover and identify the potential inhibitors against the most influential ERα receptor by the computational approach of 134 phytochemicals from 17 medicinal plants by using in silico docking studies. Methods: The molecular docking was performedby a genetic algorithm using the Auto Dock Vina program, and the validation of docking was also performed by using Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulation by the Desmond tool of Schrödinger molecular modeling. Drug-likeness properties and toxicity studies were conducted using SWISS PRO. Results: The top ten highest binding energy phytochemicals ginicidin (-10.8 kcal/mol), lemairone (-10.5 kcal/mol), ixoratannin (-10.0 kcal/mol), hydnocarpine (-9.8 kcal/mol), arabelline (-9.8 kcal/mol), acutilobine E (-9.8 kcal/mol), chaparinone (-8.9 kcal/mol), plumieride coumerate (-8.8 kcal/mol), acutilobine C (-8.7 kcal/mol), and mezerein (-8.7 kcal/mol) were taken for drug-likeness test and ADMET profile prediction with the help of web-based server SWISS ADME and protoxII. Docking's study dictated that ten phytochemical constituents showed greater binding interactions than standard tamoxifen (-6.6 kcal/mol) towards the target protein ERα. MSD study was achieved for the most active 4 phytoconstituents, and the stability of the ligand-protein complex was confirmed and showed that all the four compounds possess comparatively stable ligand-protein complexes with ERα target as compared to the tamoxifen-ERα complex. Conclusion: Among the top ten phytochemicals, ginicidin (glycoside) formed a more stable complex and had greater binding affinity than standard tamoxifen with better safety profiles. Hence, this compound can be further studied for lead optimization and drug development for the treatment of breast cancer.
... Based on these facts, the present study utilized the following medicinal plants: Jaborandi leaf, [18,19] Golden Trumphet, [20,21] Tall elephants' foot, [22,23] Gooseberry tree, [24,25] Sweet bitter leaf, [26,27] Bellayache bush, [28,29] Spurge laurel, [30,31] Bald cypress, [32,33] Thunder good vine, [34,35] Himalayan yew, [36,37] Bitter bark tree, [38,39] Paradise tree, [39,40] ChineseJuniperus, [41,42] Carrot tree, [43,44] Indian turnsole, [45,46] Ipecacuanha, [47,48] and Senegal pricky-ash [49,50] in the present study ( Figs. 1 and 2 and Table 1). These natural plants possess immune modulators and hence improve the body's immune system. ...
Background
It is noteworthy that a wide array of plants and nutraceuticals are effectively utilized in the treatment of various cancers, demonstrating potent effects on different cancer targets with fewer side effects. Notably, estrogen alpha has been identified as a crucial factor in breast cancer cell proliferation. Agents that can antagonize its action hold promise as potential drug leads for the treatment of breast cancer.
Objective
This study aims to discover and identify the potential inhibitors against the most influential ERα receptor by the computational approach of 134 phytochemicals from 17 medicinal plants by using in silico docking studies.
Methods
The molecular docking was performedby a genetic algorithm using the Auto Dock Vina program, and the validation of docking was also performed by using Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulation by the Desmond tool of Schrödinger molecular modeling. Drug-likeness properties and toxicity studies were conducted using SWISS PRO.
Results
The top ten highest binding energy phytochemicals ginicidin (-10.8 kcal/mol), lemairone (-10.5 kcal/mol), ixoratannin (-10.0 kcal/mol), hydnocarpine (-9.8 kcal/mol), arabelline (-9.8 kcal/mol), acutilobine E (-9.8 kcal/mol), chaparinone (-8.9 kcal/mol), plumieride coumerate (-8.8 kcal/mol), acutilobine C (-8.7 kcal/mol), and mezerein (-8.7 kcal/mol) were taken for drug-likeness test and ADMET profile prediction with the help of web-based server SWISS ADME and protoxII. Docking's study dictated that ten phytochemical constituents showed greater binding interactions than standard tamoxifen (-6.6 kcal/mol) towards the target protein ERα. MSD study was achieved for the most active 4 phytoconstituents, and the stability of the ligand-protein complex was confirmed and showed that all the four compounds possess comparatively stable ligand-protein complexes with ERα target as compared to the tamoxifen-ERα complex.
Conclusion
Among the top ten phytochemicals, ginicidin (glycoside) formed a more stable complex and had greater binding affinity than standard tamoxifen with better safety profiles. Hence, this compound can be further studied for lead optimization and drug development for the treatment of breast cancer.
... The leaves of this species can be up to 14 cm in length and 12 cm in width. In Georgia, Ipomoea brasiliensis begins flowering in May, completing seed-set by September (Weakley 2023). As the season progresses, I. brasiliensis can grow into a large mass of vegetation that often overtakes competing dune species (Weakley 2023). ...
... In Georgia, Ipomoea brasiliensis begins flowering in May, completing seed-set by September (Weakley 2023). As the season progresses, I. brasiliensis can grow into a large mass of vegetation that often overtakes competing dune species (Weakley 2023). The species produces latex as a defense against herbivores (Hosier 2018). ...
... The timing of the censuses corresponded to the greatest flowering by grasses, which aided in plant identification. Plant taxonomy follows Weakley (2020). ...
Soil disturbance threatens native perennial grasslands and savannas worldwide, including pine savannas of the North American Coastal Plain. Disk harrows are used in the region to plow linear features for firebreaks to contain prescribed fires, to manage game and other wildlife, and to reduce wildfire hazard to protect forest resources. However, the long‐term response of vegetation to these disturbances has not been well investigated. Our aim was to compare vegetation changes over time (0–9 years) following repeated disturbance by disking and a single disturbance by disking for firebreaks with undisturbed vegetation within a native pine savanna. We hypothesized that (1) a single disking event has multiyear effects on plant species composition and abundance because of the loss of perennial, dispersal‐limited species, but that partial survival of propagules allows the recovery to be more complete than following repeated disturbance, and (2) post‐disturbance changes are determined by species' life‐history characteristics resulting in a successional trajectory toward the undisturbed community. We established 10 plots within a repeated‐disturbance firebreak and a single‐disturbance firebreak, and in undisturbed vegetation ( n = 30). We identified plant species within the plots six times over nine years, categorized plant species by life span, seed bank persistence, and dispersal mechanism, and assessed changes in the plant community using ordination. Changes in species composition in both repeated and single disturbance treatments showed a pattern consistent with succession toward the undisturbed plant community, but vegetation in neither disturbance treatment matched undisturbed treatment conditions within the nine years of study. Repeated‐disturbance plots progressed from a high occurrence of annuals to species with persistent seed banks and wind‐dispersed species. Single‐disturbance plots were more strongly associated with perennials, species lacking a persistent seed bank, and species dispersed by vertebrate consumption, but not to the same degree as undisturbed plots, although differences decreased slightly over time. Our results relating to narrow mechanical soil disturbances in pine savanna vegetation are consistent with studies concluding that similar but larger scale disturbances have long‐term degradational effects on the plant community. Therefore, conservation management plans should consider the possible negative long‐term effects of soil disturbance on native perennial herbaceous plant communities.
... spicebush is a dioecious shrub that flowers in late February to March and produces single-seeded drupes that ripen in early August (Weakley 2020). Like other North American Lindera spp., the seeds are primarily avian-dispersed and presumed to be short-lived, precluding development of a seed bank (Hawkins et al. 2011;Cipollini et al. 2013). ...
Understanding the effects of seed predation, dispersal, and recruitment on the population dynamics of rare plant species is essential for generating effective management strategies. Unfortunately for most rare plants, the parameterization of these processes is limited and generally not included in demographic analyses. This exclusion can lead to biased estimates of vital rates and overall population growth rates, as well as limit inferences about inter-population processes like colonization and demographic rescue that can affect population viability. Based on previous empirical studies from Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) North Carolina (USA), we constructed a spatially explicit demographic model that accounts for pre-dispersal seed predation, dispersal, and habitat suitability for Lindera subcoriacea (bog spicebush), a rare shrub in the southeastern United States. We demographically modeled three scenarios: S1 did not include any of the three parameters; S2 accounted for seed predation and dispersal; and S3 included all three of the parameters. Results suggested that pre-dispersal seed predation, dispersal, and habitat suitability negatively impact the population growth rates of bog spicebush relative to the naïve demographic model. After 100 annual time steps, scenarios S1, S2, and S3 led to a 96%, 49%, and 1% increase in population size, respectively. In addition, over the course of 100 years, results of scenarios S2 and S3 demonstrated limited increases in site occupancy, with newly occupied areas located < 1 km from previously occupied habitat. Our results suggest additional parameterization of plant demographic models may be an informative endeavor and warranted, even in the absence of empirical data.
... NE 38.017, -77.004), including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and parts of eastern Texas and southern Virginia) to keep all occurrences focused within a single flora. In addition, our approach helped to minimize taxonomic discrepancies caused by differing taxonomic opinions, as Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern U.S. [45] is the most current reference, and is most comparable to the taxonomy that iNaturalist uses as the authority for vascular plants (Plants of the World Online) [17,46,47]. Previous assessments of bias and misidentification in participatory science data [48][49][50] have led us to hypothesize that the data quality of iNaturalist Research Grade observations will be substantially lower than for digitized herbarium specimens, with iNaturalist showing higher levels of taxonomic misidentification. ...
iNaturalist has the potential to be an extremely rich source of organismal occurrence data. Launched in 2008, it now contains over 150 million uploaded observations as of May 2023. Based on the findings of a limited number of past studies assessing the taxonomic accuracy of participatory science-driven sources of occurrence data such as iNaturalist, there has been concern that some portion of these records might be misidentified in certain taxonomic groups. In this case study, we compare Research Grade iNaturalist observations with digitized herbarium specimens, both of which are currently available for combined download from large data aggregators and are therefore the primary sources of occurrence data for large-scale biodiversity/biogeography studies. Our comparisons were confined regionally to the southeastern United States (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia). Occurrence records from ten plant families (Gentianaceae, Ericaceae, Melanthiaceae, Ulmaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Fagaceae, Cyperaceae, Juglandaceae, Apocynaceae) were downloaded and scored on taxonomic accuracy. We found a comparable and relatively low rate of misidentification among both digitized herbarium specimens and Research Grade iNaturalist observations within the study area. This finding illustrates the utility and high quality of iNaturalist data for future research in the region, but also points to key differences between data types, giving each a respective advantage, depending on applications of the data.
... This is extremely important as it can change the geographical range of a species and the scope of the area to be evaluated by an SSA. For example, in the case of Scutellaria ocmulgee (Ocmulgee skullcap), a species that has been confused with S. mellichampii (another rare southeastern United States skullcap), recent field and herbarium work has allowed for the reassessment of its taxonomy and distribution (Weakley et al., 2020). Due to such work, the SSA for Ocmulgee skullcap is now focused on a much narrower geographical range (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2016). ...
Funding for rare plant conservation is limited. In addition, many aspects of the biology and ecology of rare plants are unknown. Therefore, low-cost data generation approaches to fill these gaps should be pursued. Herbarium specimens can be used as a low-cost alternative to learn about the basic biology and ecology of rare plant species. The information provided on herbarium labels has dramatically increased in recent decades to include precise locality (i.e., latitude/longitude), exact dates, habitat, associated species, and substrate. In addition, herbarium specimens are being digitized and the resulting images and data are available via clearinghouses such as GBIF and SEINet. Already, herbarium specimens of rare plants have been used to develop habitat suitability models, predict range shifts, and assess changes in flower phenology due to climate change. Herbarium specimens can also provide a wealth of information about the reproductive biology and biotic interactions of rare plants. In this paper, we will demonstrate how this information can be accessed and present a practical application for using this information to populate an important federal listing document in the USA, Species Status Assessments (SSA). We will provide examples from the literature, as well as case studies from our own research, to demonstrate how this information can be collected from herbarium specimens and how and where to incorporate this information into SSAs. More generally, data gleaned from herbarium specimens can become part of a conservationist’s tool kit to further our knowledge of past, present, and future trends for rare plants. Additional knowledge of a species’ biology and ecology allows land managers and conservationists to make more informed decisions and allows for greater protection of listed species.
... Instead, we prefer smaller genera because they help emphasize evolutionary, morphological and geographic differences among lineages (Schuettpelz & al., 2018). This approach is also in line with sentiments presented by Perrie & al. (2015), Schwartsburd & al. (2020), Weakley (2020), and Wang & al. (2021) each of whom discussed a classification comprising several genera as an option in light of the polyphyly of Dennstaedtia. ...
We undertook a molecular phylogenetic revision of hayscented ferns (Dennstaedtiaceae: Dennstaedtioideae) using four plastid markers. Our sampling represents ca. 40% of the extant diversity and includes the type species for each of the relevant segregate genera. We coded 18 discrete morphological characters which we used to find diagnosable clades. We show that Dennstaedtia is polyphyletic, with the majority of species forming three morphologically distinct clades, but its type (D. flaccida) is nested within Microlepia. As such, we support the conservation of Dennstaedtia with a new type, D. dissecta. Following our results, we develop a classification of four genera: Dennstaedtia, Microlepia, Mucura (gen. nov.) and Sitobolium. Beyond the inclusion of D. flaccida, we propose to maintain Microlepia with its current circumscription. Except for a single adventive species in the Neotropics, Microlepia is a Paleotropical genus of about 60 species diagnosed by their distinctive peri-spore ornamentation of rodlets, and by petioles that lack epipetiolar buds. Mucura is a Neotropical genus of two species that differ from all other Dennstaedtiaceae by the combination of dichotomously branching rhizomes, petioles that lack epipetiolar buds, marginal sori with both abaxial and adaxial indusia, and trilete spores with a unique perispore ornamentation. As defined here, Dennstaedtia is a pantropical genus of about 55 species recognized by having unbranched rhizomes, petioles bearing epi-petiolar buds, and by often bearing proliferous buds upon the leaves. Sitobolium is a small clade of ca. five species distinguished by their relatively small leaves that have elongate catenate hairs. These hairs often bear a capitate non-glandular terminal cell. In support of our classification, we provide a key to the eleven genera of Dennstaedtiaceae, and for the four gen-era of Dennstaedtioideae we provide morphological and geographic synopses, a list of constituent species, and necessary new combinations.
... Specimen loans were requested for physical examination when a specimen location or characteristics were atypical for the known parameters of D. caerulescens. Specimen annotation nomenclature follows Weakley (2020). Additionally, County/Parish specimen location data from the SERNEC Data Portal (2021) and published literature were compiled to assess geographic distributions of D. caerulescens and D. roanokense. ...
Dichanthelium caerulescens is documented for the first time in Louisiana, as the result of floristic fieldwork performed in 2019 through 2021. Louisiana records extend the range of D. caerulescens westward by approximately 265 mi (426.5 km) into the Western Gulf Coastal Plain ecoregion. These findings also identify a new habitat, coastal prairie, utilized by D. caerulescens.
