Comparative Anatomy of the Fig Wall (Ficus, Moraceae)

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Comparative Anatomy of the Fig Wall (Ficus, Moraceae) Botany Comparative anatomy of the fig wall (Ficus, Moraceae) Journal: Botany Manuscript ID cjb-2018-0192.R2 Manuscript Type: Article Date Submitted by the 12-Mar-2019 Author: Complete List of Authors: Fan, Kang-Yu; National Taiwan University, Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Bain, Anthony; national Sun yat-sen university, Department of biological sciences; National Taiwan University, Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Tzeng, Hsy-Yu; National Chung Hsing University, Department of Forestry Chiang, Yun-Peng;Draft National Taiwan University, Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Chou, Lien-Siang; National Taiwan University, Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Kuo-Huang, Ling-Long; National Taiwan University, Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Keyword: Comparative Anatomy, Ficus, Histology, Inflorescence Is the invited manuscript for consideration in a Special Not applicable (regular submission) Issue? : https://mc06.manuscriptcentral.com/botany-pubs Page 1 of 29 Botany Comparative anatomy of the fig wall (Ficus, Moraceae) Kang-Yu Fana, Anthony Baina,b *, Hsy-Yu Tzengc, Yun-Peng Chianga, Lien-Siang Choua, Ling-Long Kuo-Huanga a Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, College of Life Sciences, National Taiwan University, 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan b current address: Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, 70 Lien-Hai road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.Draft c Department of Forestry, National Chung Hsing University, 145 Xingda Rd., South Dist., Taichung, 402, Taiwan. * Corresponding author: [email protected]; Tel: +886-75252000-3617; Fax: +886-75253609. 1 https://mc06.manuscriptcentral.com/botany-pubs Botany Page 2 of 29 Abstract The genus Ficus is unique by its closed inflorescence (fig) holding all flowers inside its cavity, which is isolated from the outside world by a fleshy barrier: the fig wall. The fig wall is the main structure of the fig giving its shape but the wall has also important ecological functions such as protection of fig seeds and fig wasp larvae. Nevertheless, the fig wall anatomy is poorly understood. This study aims to examine the fig wall anatomy of 22 Ficus taxa (21 species, one species having two varieties) in Taiwan in order to reveal the diversity in anatomy of the fig Draftwall. We found that these 21 fig species exhibited a great variety in fig wall anatomy, from the simplest parenchymatic wall to complex fig walls. Fig walls of 12 sampled taxa developed aerenchyma and sclerenchyma formations whereas seven taxa had fig walls containing tanniferous cells. Five anatomical types of fig walls have been identified according to the presence or absence of the different differentiated tissues. These types are distributed among the Ficus subgenera. Further studies on tissue differentiations of the fig wall should be investigated in other Ficus species as well as the ecological functions of the fig wall. Keywords: Comparative Anatomy; Ficus; Histology; Inflorescence 2 https://mc06.manuscriptcentral.com/botany-pubs Page 3 of 29 Botany 1. Introduction The Moraceae family comprises about 38 genera and 1180 species (Christenhusz and Byng 2016) displaying a great diversity of life history traits with few synapomorphic characters such as laticifers, anatropous ovules, and apical placentation (Sytsma et al. 2002). Among the six Moraceae tribes (Clement and Weiblen 2009), the Ficeae tribe is monogeneric with the single genus Ficus (Berg 2001) defined by a common feature: a closed inflorescence with a single tight orifice (ostiole) closed by bracts called fig (or syconium) (Berg and Corner 2005). Draft The Moraceae phylogeny shows that the Ficeae tribe is not basal and the inflorescence morphology within the Moraceae family has evolved in many directions (Clement and Weiblen 2009). This diversity is also present within the tribes. For instance, figs display many shapes from the ellipsoid figs of Ficus dammaropsis measuring about 10cm in diameter with conspicuous lateral bracts to the globose minute figs of F. caulocarpa measuring half a centimetre (Berg and Corner 2005) or to the Australian banana fig, F. pleurocarpa (Dixon 2003). In addition to the fig morphology, Ficus species are mostly famous for being pollinated by minute wasps from the Agaonidae family (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) and solely by the wasps of this family. Together, the fig tree and the pollinating wasp are mutualistic partners: the fig provides oviposition sites 3 https://mc06.manuscriptcentral.com/botany-pubs Botany Page 4 of 29 for the agaonid wasp which bring pollen inside the fig in order to pollinate the enclosed flowers (Kjellberg et al. 2005). This nursery pollination mutualism is targeted by many nonpollinating wasp (NPFW) species parasitizing either the fig ovules or fig wasp larvae (Bronstein 1991; Tzeng et al. 2008). These NPFWs can drastically reduce the number of seeds and pollinating wasps produced in a single fig (Cardona et al. 2013). The specificity of these NPFWs is their way to reach the fig ovules or the fig wasp larvae inside the figs. Indeed, they are laying eggs from outside the figs, using their long ovipositor (Ghara et al. 2011). They are not using the fig ostiole to penetrate the fig but pass through the fig Draft wall.The fig wall is the tissue between the ovules and the outside world (Fig. 1). The thickness of the fig wall increases during the fig development with the size of the fig (Galil et al. 1970). Moreover, some figs of Ficus erecta var. beecheyana, in Taiwan, have a fig wall thick enough to protect their flowers from nonpollinating fig wasp oviposition (Tzeng et al. 2014). Other than laticifers (Marinho et al. 2017), the anatomy of the fig wall is poorly understood. To our knowledge, the general description is “the fig wall generally parenchymatic and contains some 30-40 cell layers. Various sclerified cell layers may occur […] and contains many laticifers, tannin cells, and a vascularization” (Verkerke 1989). This general description based on information from different reviewed studies but the fig wall can contain more cell layers than in the Verkerke’s description reaching up to 48 cell layers in F. ingens in South Africa (Baijnath and Naicker 1989). 4 https://mc06.manuscriptcentral.com/botany-pubs Page 5 of 29 Botany One of the common feature seems to be that, when it occurs, sclerenchyma becomes a larger part of the fig wall during the fig development (Galil et al. 1970; Verkerke 1986; Baijnath and Naicker 1989) but not all the fig species have a hardened fig wall (Verkerke 1988). This statement leads to the question why some fig species have developed a hardened fig wall. Considering the cost of the NPFWs (Cardona et al. 2013) and the adaptation of these NPFWs to the oviposition through the fig wall (Ghara et al. 2011), the fig wall may be an important organ for the fig trees to manage the parasitism by NPFWs. For instance, some closely related fig species, such as F. caulocarpa and F. subpisocarpa, Draft have a very a different NPFW community (Bain et al. 2015): 20 species for F. subpisocarpa and only two species for F. caulocarpa. Then, is the fig wall of these two species very different? Another example is F. erecta var. beecheyana which can have a very thick fig wall excluding any NPFWs. What does the fig wall of F. erecta var. beecheyana consist of? And more generally, what are the fig walls made of? Other than the simple description from Verkeke’s work (1988), we have little information except that fig walls display some anatomical diversity. Moreover, what happens in dioecious fig species? In these species, the male trees bear figs with pollinating fig wasps and are the targets of many NPFWs whereas the female trees are producing only seeds and NPFWs are rarely breeding in female figs (Wu et al. 2013). If the fig wall is ecologically linked to the presence of the NPFWs, we can expect to see morphological differences 5 https://mc06.manuscriptcentral.com/botany-pubs Botany Page 6 of 29 between male and female trees. Thus, this study aims to investigate the fig wall anatomy of most of the Taiwan Ficus species (21 species, one of which has two varieties, from six subgenera) and tentatively link the anatomical structures to ecological functions such as the parasitism from NPFWs. We also discuss the effect of phylogeny on the distribution of the anatomical structures within the genus Ficus. 2. Methods Draft 2.1. Fig development and reproductive biology of pollinating fig wasps The pollinating fig wasps grow as larva inside the figs and mate shortly after the eclosion of their gall (pupal case) when they are still inside their natal fig (Kjellberg et al. 2005). Only the winged female pollinating fig wasps will leave the fig to find another fig of the same species because pollinating fig wasps pollinate only one fig tree species (few exceptions to this rule have been found (Compton et al. 2009)). Once the female pollinating wasp has found a receptive fig (see below for the descriptions of fig developmental phases), it enters inside the fig to pollinate it and lay eggs. In the figs, pollinating and nonpollinating fig wasps have a very similar life cycle but, instead of entering to figs to lay eggs, NPFWs lay eggs from outside of the fig and have to penetrate 6 https://mc06.manuscriptcentral.com/botany-pubs Page 7 of 29 Botany the fig wall with their ovipositors (Weiblen et al. 2002). Based on the definition by Galil and Eisikowitch (1968), fig development is divided into five phases. The A phase (prefemale phase) is the earliest stage, in which all the flowers are immature. In the B phase (female phase), the female flowers are receptive, and pollinating fig wasps can pollinate them, thus entering the figs through the ostiole. During the C phase (interfloral phase), both the fig wasp larvae and seeds develop.
Recommended publications
  • Vascular Plant Survey of Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve, Malawi
    YIKA-VWAZA TRUST RESEARCH STUDY REPORT N (2017/18) Vascular Plant Survey of Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve, Malawi By Sopani Sichinga ([email protected]) September , 2019 ABSTRACT In 2018 – 19, a survey on vascular plants was conducted in Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve. The reserve is located in the north-western Malawi, covering an area of about 986 km2. Based on this survey, a total of 461 species from 76 families were recorded (i.e. 454 Angiosperms and 7 Pteridophyta). Of the total species recorded, 19 are exotics (of which 4 are reported to be invasive) while 1 species is considered threatened. The most dominant families were Fabaceae (80 species representing 17. 4%), Poaceae (53 species representing 11.5%), Rubiaceae (27 species representing 5.9 %), and Euphorbiaceae (24 species representing 5.2%). The annotated checklist includes scientific names, habit, habitat types and IUCN Red List status and is presented in section 5. i ACKNOLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, let me thank the Nyika–Vwaza Trust (UK) for funding this work. Without their financial support, this work would have not been materialized. The Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) Malawi through its Regional Office (N) is also thanked for the logistical support and accommodation throughout the entire study. Special thanks are due to my supervisor - Mr. George Zwide Nxumayo for his invaluable guidance. Mr. Thom McShane should also be thanked in a special way for sharing me some information, and sending me some documents about Vwaza which have contributed a lot to the success of this work. I extend my sincere thanks to the Vwaza Research Unit team for their assistance, especially during the field work.
    [Show full text]
  • Oaks (Quercus Spp.): a Brief History
    Publication WSFNR-20-25A April 2020 Oaks (Quercus spp.): A Brief History Dr. Kim D. Coder, Professor of Tree Biology & Health Care / University Hill Fellow University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources Quercus (oak) is the largest tree genus in temperate and sub-tropical areas of the Northern Hemisphere with an extensive distribution. (Denk et.al. 2010) Oaks are the most dominant trees of North America both in species number and biomass. (Hipp et.al. 2018) The three North America oak groups (white, red / black, and golden-cup) represent roughly 60% (~255) of the ~435 species within the Quercus genus worldwide. (Hipp et.al. 2018; McVay et.al. 2017a) Oak group development over time helped determine current species, and can suggest relationships which foster hybridization. The red / black and white oaks developed during a warm phase in global climate at high latitudes in what today is the boreal forest zone. From this northern location, both oak groups spread together southward across the continent splitting into a large eastern United States pathway, and much smaller western and far western paths. Both species groups spread into the eastern United States, then southward, and continued into Mexico and Central America as far as Columbia. (Hipp et.al. 2018) Today, Mexico is considered the world center of oak diversity. (Hipp et.al. 2018) Figure 1 shows genus, sub-genus and sections of Quercus (oak). History of Oak Species Groups Oaks developed under much different climates and environments than today. By examining how oaks developed and diversified into small, closely related groups, the native set of Georgia oak species can be better appreciated and understood in how they are related, share gene sets, or hybridize.
    [Show full text]
  • Ficus Burkei
    International Scholarly Research Network ISRN Zoology Volume 2012, Article ID 908560, 6 pages doi:10.5402/2012/908560 Research Article Spatial Stratification of Internally and Externally Non-Pollinating Fig Wasps and Their Effects on Pollinator and Seed Abundance in Ficus burkei Sarah Al-Beidh,1 Derek W. Dunn,2 and James M. Cook2 1 Division of Biology, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK 2 School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AS, UK Correspondence should be addressed to James M. Cook, [email protected] Received 30 November 2011; Accepted 19 December 2011 Academic Editors: M. Kuntner and S. Van Nouhuys Copyright © 2012 Sarah Al-Beidh et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Fig trees (Ficus spp.) are pollinated by tiny wasps that enter their enclosed inflorescences (syconia). The wasp larvae also consume some fig ovules, which negatively affects seed production. Within syconia, pollinator larvae mature mostly in the inner ovules whereas seeds develop mostly in outer ovules—a stratification pattern that enables mutualism persistence. Pollinators may prefer inner ovules because they provide enemy-free space from externally ovipositing parasitic wasps. In some Australasian Ficus, this results in spatial segregation of pollinator and parasite offspring within syconia, with parasites occurring in shorter ovules than pollinators. Australian figs lack non-pollinating fig wasps (NPFW) that enter syconia to oviposit, but these occur in Africa and Asia, and may affect mutualist reproduction via parasitism or seed predation.
    [Show full text]
  • SG High Conservation Value Assessment
    Assessment of High Conservation Value on the SGSOC Concession for Oil Palm Development in South-Western Cameroon Prepared By Augustus Asamoah Ghana Wildlife Society Submitted to: SG-Sustainable Oil, Cameroon March, 2011 HCV Assessment of SGSOC Concession for Oil Palm Plantation Assessment of High Conservation Value on the SG Sustainable Oil, Cameroon Concession for Oil Palm Development in South-Western Cameroon Prepared By Augustus Asamoah (RSPO Approved Assessor) Ghana Wildlife Society P O Box 13252, Accra, Ghana Tel:++233-302665197 Cell:++233-244519719 Email: [email protected] Submitted to: SG-Sustainable Oil, Cameroon March, 2011 Cover Photo: the Fade village at the Western end of the Concession Page 1 HCV Assessment of SGSOC Concession for Oil Palm Plantation Acknowledgement Augustus Asamoah through the Ghana Wildlife Society is grateful to the management and staff of SG Sustainable Oil Cameroon, for the opportunity to carry out this work. We are particularly grateful for the recognition and support of Messrs Carmine Farnan. We would also like to acknowledge and thank Dr. Timti and his staff at SGSOC as well as Dr. Andrew Allo, Dr. Nicolas Songwe and Dennis Anye Ndeh all of H&B Consult, for their immeasurable support during the field visit to the Concession and for making available some relevant and important information for this work. Thank you all very much and we look forward to more mutually beneficial collaborations. Page 2 HCV Assessment of SGSOC Concession for Oil Palm Plantation Executive Summary Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is one of the rapidly increasing crops with large areas of forest in Southeast Asia and Sub Sahara Africa being converted into oil palm plantation.
    [Show full text]
  • Investigations Into Stability in the Fig/Fig-Wasp Mutualism
    Investigations into stability in the fig/fig-wasp mutualism Sarah Al-Beidh A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of Imperial College London. Declaration I hereby declare that this submission is my own work, or if not, it is clearly stated and fully acknowledged in the text. Sarah Al-Beidh 2 Abstract Fig trees (Ficus, Moraceae) and their pollinating wasps (Chalcidoidea, Agaonidae) are involved in an obligate mutualism where each partner relies on the other in order to reproduce: the pollinating fig wasps are a fig tree’s only pollen disperser whilst the fig trees provide the wasps with places in which to lay their eggs. Mutualistic interactions are, however, ultimately genetically selfish and as such, are often rife with conflict. Fig trees are either monoecious, where wasps and seeds develop together within fig fruit (syconia), or dioecious, where wasps and seeds develop separately. In interactions between monoecious fig trees and their pollinating wasps, there are conflicts of interest over the relative allocation of fig flowers to wasp and seed development. Although fig trees reap the rewards associated with wasp and seed production (through pollen and seed dispersal respectively), pollinators only benefit directly from flowers that nurture the development of wasp larvae, and increase their fitness by attempting to oviposit in as many ovules as possible. If successful, this oviposition strategy would eventually destroy the mutualism; however, the interaction has lasted for over 60 million years suggesting that mechanisms must be in place to limit wasp oviposition. This thesis addresses a number of factors to elucidate how stability may be achieved in monoecious fig systems.
    [Show full text]
  • Ficus Pumila
    Ficus pumila Ficus pumila (creeping fig or climbing fig) is a species of flowering plant in the mulberry family, native to East Asia (China, Japan, Vietnam) and naturalized in parts of the southeastern and south-central United States. It is also found in cultivation as a houseplant. The etymology of the species name corresponds to the Latin word pumilusmeaning dwarf, and refers to the very small leaves of the plant. Ficus pumila is a woody evergreen vine, growing to 2.5–4 m (8 ft 2 in–13 ft 1 in). The juvenile foliage is much smaller and thinner than mature leaves produced as the plant ages. This plant requires the fig wasp Blastophaga pumilae for pollination, and is fed upon by larvae of the butterfly Marpesia petreus. Cultivation As the common name, "creeping fig" indicates, the plant has a creeping/vining habit and is often used in gardens and landscapes where it covers the ground and climbs up trees and walls. It is hardy down to 1 °C (34 °F) and does not tolerate frost. Therefore in temperate regions is often seen as a houseplant. It can become invasive and cover structures and landscape features if not maintained and its growth contained. When climbing buildings or wooden structures, the woody tendril scan cling or root in, and damage structures and/or their surface finishes. Varieties and cultivars Ficus pumila var. awkeotsang — awkeotsang creeping fig Ficus pumila var. quercifolia — oak leaf creeping fig Ficus pumila 'Curly' — curly creeping fig; crinkled leaf form Ficus pumila 'Variegata' and Ficus pumila 'Snowflake' — variegated creeping fig; variegated foliage Cuisine The fruit of Ficus pumila var.
    [Show full text]
  • Developmental Anatomy of Ficus Ingens Syconia in Relation to Its Wasp Faunula
    S.Afr.J. Bot. , 1989, SS( 4): 409- 421 409 Developmental anatomy of Ficus ingens syconia in relation to its wasp faunula H. Baijnath* and S. Naicker Department of Botany, University of Durban-Westville, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000 Republic of South Africa Accepted 6 February 1989 Syconial development in Ficus ingens (Miq.) Miq., extends over a period of 70-80 days and displays the same basic pattern reported by earlier workers. Developmental anatomical observations of the different components of the syconium are presented. Following pollination, structural changes of gall and seed flowers differ and the implications of some of these are considered. Since hairs occur at different stages of develop­ ment, speculations are presented on their role. In most instances, the anatomical changes could be related to wasp development and behaviour, thus highlighting the close mutualistic relationship that exists between figs and wasps. Die ontwikkeling van die sikonium van Ficus ingens (Miq.) Miq. duur vir 'n peri ode van 70-80 dae en vertoon dieselfde basiese patroon soos reeds vroeer deur ander werkers aangetoon. Waarnemings betreffende die ontwikkelingsanatomie van die verskillende dele van die sikonium word aangebied. Die strukturele verander­ ings in die gal- en saadvormende blomme nadat bestuiwing plaasgevind het verskil en die implikasies van sommige hiervan word bespreek. Weens die feit dat hare op verskeie stadiums van ontwikkeling ontstaan, word daar oor hulle rol gespekuleer. Die anatomiese veranderings hou in die meeste gevalle verband met die ontwikkeling en gedrag van wespe waardeur die noue mutualistiese verwantskap tussen vye en wespe beklemtoon word. Keywords: Anatomy, Ficus ingens, syconium 'To whom correspondence should be addressed Introduction Ficus ingens (Mig .) Mig., is a medium-sized spreading dse tree which belongs to the subgenus Urostigma and is fairly widespread in Africa.
    [Show full text]
  • Title Kitongwe Name of Plants: a Preliminary Listing Author(S)
    Title Kitongwe Name of Plants: A Preliminary Listing Author(s) NISHIDA, Toshisada; UEHARA, Shigeo Citation African Study Monographs (1981), 1: 109-131 Issue Date 1981 URL http://dx.doi.org/10.14989/67977 Right Type Departmental Bulletin Paper Textversion publisher Kyoto University 109 KITONGWE NAME OF PLANTS: A PRELIMINARY LISTING Edited by Toshisada NISHIDA and Shigeo UEHARA Departnlent ofAnthropology, Faculty ofScience, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan INTRODUCTION Field workers of Kyoto University Africa Primatological Expedition collected plants in western Tanzania. Experts of Japan International Cooperation Agency working as Game (Wildlife) Research Officers at Kasoje Chimpanzee Research Station (Mahale Mountains Wildlife Research Centre) have concentrated their collecting activities Inainly to the Mahale Mountains. The collection of plants with notes of kitongwe name not only has facilitated the ecological studies on wild chimpanzees (and other wild animals), but also will be of use in analyzing the traditional system of classification of plants among Batongwe, as well as in re­ cording for ever a rapidly-vanishing culture. This is a revised version, though still only preliminary one, of the manuscript entitled "Sitongwe-Latin Dictionary of Plants" edited by T. Nishida on 4 April, 1975. COLLECTION The researchers who have contributed to this work in the collection of the plants are listed below, with the reference number in the East African Herbarium'(Kenya Herbarium), the number of total specimens collected, and the specimen number in each collection. All the plants with known kitongwe nalne collected within the Tongwe (and Bende) territory are listed in this edition. Local emphasis is put on the Mahale Mountains and especially on Kasoje area.
    [Show full text]
  • Studies on New Guinea Moths. 1. Introduction (Lepidoptera)
    PROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH. 105(4), 2003, pp. 1034-1042 STUDIES ON NEW GUINEA MOTHS. 1. INTRODUCTION (LEPIDOPTERA) SCOTT E. MILLER, VOJTECH NOVOTNY, AND YVES BASSET (SEM) Department of Systematic Biology, National Museum of Natural History, Smith- sonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560-0105, U.S.A. (e-mail: [email protected]. edu); (VN) Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences and Biological Faculty, University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; (YB) Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 2072, Balboa, Ancon, Panama Abstract.•This is the first in a series of papers providing taxonomic data in support of ecological and biogeographic studies of moths in New Guinea. The primary study is an extensive inventory of the caterpillar fauna of a lowland rainforest site near Madang, Papua New Guinea, from 1994•2001. The inventory focused on the Lepidoptera com- munity on 71 woody plant species representing 45 genera and 23 families. During the study, 46,457 caterpillars representing 585 species were sampled, with 19,660 caterpillars representing 441 species reared to adults. This introductory contribution is intended to provide background on the project, including descriptions of the study site, sampling methods, and taxonomic methods. Key Words: Malesia, Papua New Guinea, Lepidoptera, biodiversity, rearing, community ecology A very large portion of tropical biodi- 1992 and 1993 (Basset 1996, Basset et al. versity consists of herbivorous insects, and 1996). This paper represents the first in a among them, Lepidoptera are among the series of papers providing taxonomic doc- most amenable to study. To better under- umentation in support of the broader stud- stand the structure and maintenance of trop- ies, and is intended to provide general back- ical biodiversity, we undertook a series of ground, including descriptions of the study related inventories of Lepidoptera in New site, sampling methods, and taxonomic Guinea.
    [Show full text]
  • Pharmacognostical and Preliminary Phytochemical Studies on the Leaf Extract of Ficus Pumila Linn
    ISSN 2278- 4136 ZDB-Number: 2668735-5 IC Journal No: 8192 Volume 1 Issue 4 Online Available at www.phytojournal.com Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry Pharmacognostical and Preliminary Phytochemical Studies on the Leaf Extract of Ficus pumila Linn. Jasreet Kaur1* 1. College of Pharmacy, Shoolini University, Solan, HP. India. [E-mail: [email protected]] Ficus pumila Linn. (Family: Moraceae), commonly known as climbing fig. It is widely used as an ethno medicine in china and India. It is prescribed for a wide variety of ailments like diarrhea, hemorrhoids, treating gastrointestinal, piles, uterine problems and other infections. However, detailed scientific information is not available to identify the plant material and to ascertain its quality and purity. In present communication, morphology anatomical and physico-chemical characters along with phytochemical screening and fluorescence analysis of powdered crude drug were carried out for systemic identification and authentication of leaves. This study provides referential information for identification and characterization of Ficus pumila leaf and its extracts. Keyword: Ficus pumila linn, Phytochemical, Morphological, Methanolic extract. 1. Introduction 1.1 Ficus pumila Linn. The genus Ficus represents an important group of Ficus pumila Linn. is a member of the Moraceae trees, not only for their immense value but also family. It is a root climbing evergreen vine for their growth habits. The genus Ficus is an attaching to rocks, walls, tree trunks by means of exceptionally large pan tropical genus with over exudations from the aerial roots. This species is 800 species and belongs to the family moraceae. native to East Asia- south China, Vietnam, The Ficus species are used as food and for Taiwan, New Zealand Nepal, India, Western medicinal properties in Ayurveda and Traditional Australia and Japan[3].
    [Show full text]
  • Molecular and Morphological Support for a Florida Origin of the Cuban
    Journal of Biogeography (J. Biogeogr.) (2011) SPECIAL Molecular and morphological support ISSUE for a Florida origin of the Cuban oak Paul F. Gugger* and Jeannine Cavender-Bares Department of Ecology, Evolution and ABSTRACT Behavior, University of Minnesota, 100 Ecology Aim The origins of the Cuban biota are of long-standing interest in Building, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, Saint Paul, MN, USA biogeography, and the source of a small live oak (Quercus series Virentes) population on Cuba remains unresolved. Based on morphological evidence, previous authors have hypothesized a Florida origin from either Q. geminata or Q. virginiana or both; a Mexican origin from Q. oleoides; or a hybrid origin from both sources. We use molecular data and taxonomically informative leaf morphology to identify the source species and timing of colonization. Location Cuba, Central America, Mexico and the south-eastern United States. Methods We collected representative samples of Cuban oaks and each putative source species and genotyped each sample at 12 nuclear microsatellites and two chloroplast DNA sequences. We estimated population structure using a Bayesian clustering analysis and F-statistics, pairwise migration rates among taxa, and divergence time using an isolation-with-migration model. We measured seven leaf traits and conducted an analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) to determine which putative source species was most similar to Cuban oaks. Results Cuban oak contains one chloroplast DNA haplotype, which is common in southern Florida. Bayesian clustering analysis of microsatellites revealed that the Cuban oak forms a distinct and pure population cluster, and F-statistics showed that Cuban oaks are differentiated least from Q. virginiana and most from Q.
    [Show full text]
  • DNA Barcoding Confirms Polyphagy in a Generalist Moth, Homona Mermerodes (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
    Molecular Ecology Notes (2007) 7, 549–557 doi: 10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.01786.x BARCODINGBlackwell Publishing Ltd DNA barcoding confirms polyphagy in a generalist moth, Homona mermerodes (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) JIRI HULCR,* SCOTT E. MILLER,† GREGORY P. SETLIFF,‡ KAROLYN DARROW,† NATHANIEL D. MUELLER,§ PAUL D. N. HEBERT¶ and GEORGE D. WEIBLEN** *Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 243 Natural Sciences Building, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA, †National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA, ‡Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108–1095 USA, §Saint Olaf College, 1500 Saint Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057, USA,¶Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G2W1, **Bell Museum of Natural History and Department of Plant Biology, University of Minnesota, 220 Biological Sciences Center, 1445 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108–1095, USA Abstract Recent DNA barcoding of generalist insect herbivores has revealed complexes of cryptic species within named species. We evaluated the species concept for a common generalist moth occurring in New Guinea and Australia, Homona mermerodes, in light of host plant records and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I haplotype diversity. Genetic divergence among H. mermerodes moths feeding on different host tree species was much lower than among several Homona species. Genetic divergence between haplotypes from New Guinea and Australia was also less than interspecific divergence. Whereas molecular species identification methods may reveal cryptic species in some generalist herbivores, these same methods may confirm polyphagy when identical haplotypes are reared from multiple host plant families. A lectotype for the species is designated, and a summarized bibliography and illustrations including male genitalia are provided for the first time.
    [Show full text]