Lythraceae
The aerenchymatous phellem of Lythrum salicaria (L.): a pathway for gas transport and its role in flood tolerance. (1/11)
While the importance of cortical aerenchyma in flood tolerance is well established, this pathway for gaseous exchange is often destroyed during secondary growth. For woody species, therefore, an additional pathway must develop for oxygen to reach submerged tissues. In this paper we examine the potential for the aerenchymatous phellem (cork) of Lythrum salicaria L. to provide a pathway for gas transport from shoots to roots and assess its importance in flood tolerance. Plants in which the continuity of the aerenchymatous phellem between shoots and roots was broken showed a significant reduction in oxygen levels in roots, but no difference in carbon dioxide levels compared with controls that retained an intact phellem. These plants also had a greater total shoot height and shoot dry weight, and an increase in shoot/root dry mass ratios compared with controls. Total dry weight was not significantly affected by this treatment. This study is the first to show that the aerenchymatous phellem can provide a pathway for gaseous exchange between roots and shoots and can influence plant morphology and patterns of resource allocation. This suggests that this tissue may play a significant role in the flood tolerance of a woody plant. (+info)Evolutionary vestigialization of sex in a clonal plant: selection versus neutral mutation in geographically peripheral populations. (2/11)
The loss of traits that no longer contribute to fitness is widespread; however, the causative evolutionary mechanisms are poorly understood. Vestigialization could proceed through the fixation of selectively neutral degenerative mutations via genetic drift. Alternatively, selection may facilitate vestigialization if trait loss results in enhanced fitness. We tested these hypotheses using Decodon verticillatus, a clonal plant in which sexual sterility has arisen repeatedly in populations across the northern geographical range limit. We compared growth and survival of replicated genotypes from 7 sexually fertile and 18 sterile populations, over 3 years in a common environment. Survival of sterile genotypes was 53% greater than for fertile genotypes, but there was no difference in biomass accumulation. Almost all mortality, and hence increased performance of sterile genotypes, occurred during simulated overwinter dormancy. These observations suggest that selection has facilitated the vestigialization of sex, and thus do not support the neutral mutation hypothesis. The selective mechanism probably involves the relaxation of a genetic trade-off between sexual reproduction and survival: alleles that increase vegetative performance at the expense of sexual fertility are selected in geographically peripheral populations where sexual reproduction is suppressed by adverse environmental conditions. (+info)A new genus of the family Micromonosporaceae, Polymorphospora gen. nov., with description of Polymorphospora rubra sp. nov. (3/11)
Two actinomycete strains were isolated from soil surrounding mangrove roots. The isolates formed short spore chains with spores showing diverse shapes. The isolates contained glutamic acid, glycine, alanine and meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall, 3-O-methylmannose, mannose, galactose and glucose as the whole-cell sugars and MK-10(H(6)), MK-10(H(4)), MK-9(H(6)) and MK-9(H(4)) as the predominant isoprenoid quinones. The isolates formed a distinct taxon in the phylogenetic tree of the Micromonosporaceae based on analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and showed chemical and phenotypic properties that were different from members of all of the other genera of this family. Based on these observations, it is proposed that the novel isolates belong to a new genus, Polymorphospora gen. nov. The type species of the genus is proposed as Polymorphospora rubra sp. nov., with strain TT 97-42(T) (=NBRC 101157(T)=DSM 44947(T)) as the type strain. (+info)Coastal ecosystem-based management with nonlinear ecological functions and values. (4/11)
(+info)Testing a hypothesis of unidirectional hybridization in plants: observations on Sonneratia, Bruguiera and Ligularia. (5/11)
(+info)Population genetics in nonmodel organisms: II. natural selection in marginal habitats revealed by deep sequencing on dual platforms. (6/11)
(+info)Effects of light quality on leaf morphogenesis of a heterophyllous amphibious plant, Rotala hippuris. (7/11)
(+info)Lythrum and Peplis from the Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic of North America and Eurasia: new evidence suggesting early diversification within the Lythraceae. (8/11)
(+info)Lythraceae, also known as the loosestrife family, is a group of flowering plants characterized by opposite leaves, bilaterally symmetrical flowers with distinct sepals and petals, and a superior ovary, which includes notable genera such as Lythrum (loosestrifes), Punica (pomegranates), and Peplis (water-peoples).
I apologize for any confusion, but "Lythraceae" is not a medical term. It is a taxonomic category in botany, referring to the family of flowering plants known as the Loosestrife family. This family includes several genera and species of plants, many of which have been used in traditional medicine. However, it would be more appropriate to ask for a medical definition of a specific compound or plant species within Lythraceae, if you are interested in its medicinal properties.
Lagerstroemia, also known as Crepe Myrtle, is not a medical term and does not have a direct medical definition, but it is a genus of ornamental flowering trees and shrubs (family Lythraceae) that have been used in traditional medicine in some cultures for conditions such as skin diseases and inflammation.
'Lagerstroemia' is not a medical term. It is the botanical name for a genus of plants commonly known as crepe myrtles. These are ornamental shrubs or small trees that are often grown for their attractive and long-flowering characteristics. They have no direct relevance to human health or medicine.
