We investigated the nucleotide variation of a conifer, Cryptomeria japonica, and the divergence between this species and its closest relative, Taxodium distichum, at seven nuclear loci (Acl5, Chi1, Ferr, GapC, HemA, Lcyb, and Pat). Samples of C. japonica were collected from three areas, Kantou-Toukai, Hokuriku, and Iwate. No apparent geographic differentiation was found among these samples. How...

A crude ethanolic extract of Cupressus lusitanica Mill. leaves demonstrate cytotoxicity in a panel of cancer cell lines. Cell death was due to apoptosis, as assessed by morphologic features (chromatin condensation and apoptotic bodies formation) and specific DNA fragmentation detected by in situ end-labeling of DNA breaks (TUNEL). The apoptotic cell death was induced timely in a dose-dependent ...

Analyses of individuals classically treated as Juniperus oxycedrus L. var. oxycedrus from Morocco, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey, using DNA sequencing of nrDNA (ITS 1, 5.8S, ITS 2) plus RAPDs, leaf terpenoids and morphology revealed that two cryptic, genetically distinct but morphologically almost identical species are present. These species, J. oxycedrus L. var. oxycedrus a...

Juniperus horizontalis Moench (Family Cupressaceae), commonly called creeping juniper, is a widely distributed species in the United States and much of Canada. It is potentially a source for two important chemical products, the anticancer drug synthetic precursor, podophyllotoxin and essential oils. The objectives of this study were to ascertain the likelihood of utilizing J. horizontalis needl...