Abbas Gholipour

In addition to various medicinal properties, Acorus calamus (sweet flag) is used in health, food, and perfume industries. Since this species is a rare plant in Iran, its propagation and cultivation are of the great importance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different plant growth regulators on micropropaga-tion of this plant and to select the appropriate population. The root, the rhizome and the leaf explants of three populations (Arzefon, Pelesk, and Alandan) were cultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) for callus induction and plant regeneration. The results showed that only rhizome explant resulted in direct plant regeneration. Among different treatments, the 1 mg/l treatment of BAP and NAA - with the highest mean number of regenerated plants (3.75 ± 0.85), the highest percentage of grown explants (91.6%) and maximum average length of regenerated plants (12.06 ± 0.32 cm) - was the best treatment for regeneration of sweet flag. The highest mean number of root (6.6 ± 0.1) was observed in Alandan population in 1 mg/l treatment of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). According to the present study, Alandan population is suitable for cultivation purposes in Iran.

Background. Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis disease that can cause a variety range of manifestations in human specially fetus duration and immunodeficiency conditions. Due to toxicity and side effects of current treatment, we evaluated in vivo and in vitro effects of ethyl acetate extract of Acorus calamus rhizomes (rootstocks) on Toxoplasma gondii. Methods. The plant, Acorus calamus, was collected from Sari, North of Iran in spring season. Ethyl acetate extract was provided from plant rhizomes using Soxhlet apparatus. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extract were measured by the Folin–Ciocalteu method. The mortality effect of different concentrations (1-256 μg/ml) of the extract on Toxoplasma tachyzoites was assessed by flowcytometry and propidium iodide staining. For the therapeutic effect assessment, the tachyzoites were inoculated intraperitoneally to mice, and then these mice were orally and intraperitoneally administered different concentrations (32, 64, 128, and 256 mg/kg) of the extract. Also, an infected group received PBS including DMSO 1% as negative control, and an infected group administered sulfadiazine as positive control. For toxicity evaluation of this extract, a group only received dose 256 mg/kg. Results. The plant extract was rich of phenolic compounds ( ), whereas it contained fewer amounts of flavonoids ( ). Results of in vitro experiments showed that there is an inverse relationship between the concentrations and the mortality of the parasites ( ). The highest percentage (62%) of dead tachyzoites was seen at maximum concentration of the extract. A significant longevity (8.9 days) was belonged to mice orally administered extract dose (256 mg/kg/day).Conclusion. The ethyl acetate extract of A. calamus rhizomes had significant anti-Toxoplasma activities either in vitro or in vivo. It may be connected to high amount of phenolic compounds. We suggest that the effects of different fractions and the admin types of the extract will be evaluated on the parasite.

The systematization of species in plant taxonomy based on the phylogenetic relationships among them are of utmost importance and also very challenging in large genera. In those, phylogenetic results often may suggest substantially different relationships than previous classifications, and call for large‐scale taxonomic revisions. Delimitation of the genus Silene has been and is still somewhat controversial, and recent molecular phylogenetic studies have settled several monophyletic groups that differ substantially from previous taxonomies. The infrageneric taxonomy of Silene s.str. has not been updated as a whole taking the phylogenetic information into account. In this study, we review previous phylogenetic results based on multiple loci, and conducted comprehensive gene tree analyses based on the nrDNA ITS and cpDNA rps16 regions for 1586 and 944 samples representing 415 and 397 species, respectively, including Silene and its allies, as well as a species tree analysis including 262 samples representing 243 species. We sampled representatives from all 44 sections recognized in the most recent global revision of the genus. The results support the recognition of three subgenera, i.e., S. subg. Behenantha, S. subg. Lychnis and S. subg. Silene, which is partly in agreement with previous molecular phylogenetic findings and contradicts all previous traditional classifications. Silene sect. Atocion, with a few annual species showing a narrow distribution range in the eastern Mediterranean, is treated as incertae sedis because of its uncertain phylogenetic position, possibly due to exceptionally high substitution rates. Silene subg. Lychnis, weakly supported as sister to the other subgenera, splits into three main clades and includes four sections. Silene subg. Behenantha, which forms a possible sister group in relation to S. subg. Silene, is poorly resolved basally and includes a large number of mostly small clades recognized as 18 sections. In S. subg. Silene, 11 sections are recognized, among which four are broadly circumscribed: S. sect. Auriculatae, S. sect. Sclerocalycinae, S. sect. Silene and S. sect. Siphonomorpha. Silene sect. Acutifoliae and S. sect. Portenses are described here as new taxa, whereas new status or new combinations are proposed for S. sect. Anotites, S. sect. Muscipula, S. sect. Petrocoma, S. sect. Pulvinatae, S. sect. Sclerophyllae and S. sect. Uebelinia. Five new combinations and two new names are proposed for taxa in Silene formerly assigned to Lychnis and Uebelinia. The correct infrageneric nomenclature compatible with the new infrageneric system is provided along with synonymy and type citations. Shortcomings of this study, such as the lack of a morphological diagnostic key and sparse sampling of some large sections, are listed and discussed.

Two new species―Silene orientoalborzensis and S. circumcarmanica―are here described from Northeast and South Iran, respectively. They belong to Silene subg. Silene sect. Auriculatae which is the largest section of the genus in W-Asia. A specimen from center of Iran, which was identified erroneously as S. atocioides, is revised and identified as S. pendula which represents a new record for the Iranian flora. S. simsii is proposed as a nomen novum for Cucubalus multifidus.

Silene oxelmanii sp. nov. (sect. Auriculatae, Caryophyllaceae) is described as a new species from CW-Iran. The new species is a rhizomatous perennial herb morphologically similar to S. eriocalycina from which differs in having shorter leaves and alar pedicel, a longer and tomentose calyx and antophore and a capsule included in calyx. A distribution map, ecological remarks, original illustration and photos of the new species are presented.

Galantamine (GAL), a morphine-like alkaloid produced by some members of the Amaryllidaceae plant family, is a possible therapeutic agent in Alzheimer's disease because of its central cholinergic effects. GAL has been extracted from the plant sources or produced synthetically for pharmaceutical use. Limited supply of the natural source and high cost of synthetic production has led to a search for alternative sources of this valuable compound. In the present study, a total of six Galanthus nivalis populations (GNPs) and 11 Narcissus tazetta populations (NTPs) were collected across different regions of Iran and were then subjected to the high-performance liquid chromatography analysis for their GAL quantification. The GAL content ranged from 0.05 to 0.36 mg/g dry weight (DW) in the bulbs of GNPs, and from 0.03 to 0.33 mg/g DW in the bulbs of NTPs. Maximum content of GAL (0.36 and 0.33 mg/g DW) was measured in the Zirab population of G. nivalis and Ghaemshahr population of N. tazetta, respectively. Our results provided a suitable material for further agronomical and biotechnological strategies for enhanced production of valuable GAL compound on a large scale.

Pollen morphology of 11 Iranian Dracocephalum L. species was investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy to evaluate their taxonomic significance for the infrageneric classification of the genus. Pollen grains of all examined taxa were isopolar, hexacolpate, circular in polar view and spheroidal to prolate in equatorial view (P/E = 1.0?2.0). The smallest pollen grains were observed in D. aucheri (P = 29.7 ?m, E = 22.6 ?m), while the largest pollen was found in D. lindbergii (P = 45.1 ?m, E = 33.7 ?m). The highest and lowest apocolpium index (AI) were measured in D. aucheri (AI = 0.27) and D. surmandinum (AI = 0.08), respectively. Colpus membrane was egranulate in all examined species except for D. multicaule and D. ghahremanii. The main exine ornamentation type was characterized as bireticulate including five different subtypes. The results revealed that the exine ornamentation is a diagnostic character useful for the classification of Dracocephalum.Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 22(2): 99-110, 2015 (December)

Ajania semnanensis (Compositae: Anthemideae), a new species of Ajania from northeast of Iran, Semnan province, is described and illustrated. Ajania semnanensis is a suffruticose perennial growing on rocky and stony slopes of mountains at altitudes of 1500–2800 m a.s.l. Karyological and micromorphological data of the pollen and achenes, as well as a distribution map for the species are provided. The cytotype of the species was found to be diploid (2n = 2x = 18) based on x = 9. The karyotype formula is 2n = 2x = 4M + 6m + 6sm + 2st. Pollen grains of A. semnanensis are prolate‐spheroidal (P/E = 1.1), 3‐zonocolporate and echinate ( Anthemis type). The achenes of A. semnanensis are obovate, 1.0–1.5 × 0.5–0.6 mm, light brown, with 4–6 fine and inconspicuous ribs, glabrous, without pappus and with a subbasal carpopodium. The IUCN status of the new species is suggested to be ‘Least Concern’ (LC).