Apterous and alate viviparous females of Protaphis kvavadzei sp. n. on Eryngium campestre (Apiaceae) and Aphis matricariae sp. n. on Matricaria sp. (Asteraceae) from Turkey are described. The new species are differentiated from other aphids colonising these host plants and from species with similar morphology.

Senecio changii (Asteraceae: Senecioneae), a new species from Muli, Sichuan, southwestern China, is described. It is distinguished in Chinese Senecio s.s. by having lyrate-pinnatisect to pinnatisect leaves and a single terminal large discoid capitulum which is somewhat nodding. Evidence from floral micromorphology, karyology and molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the nuclear ITS/ETS seque...

Eclipta alba Hassk ( Asteraceae ) having important role in the traditional Ayurvedic, Unani systems of holistic health and herbal medicine of the east. Its main active constituents are wedelolactone, demethylwedelolactone . The important pharmacological activities are Hepatoprotective, Antimicrobial, Antinociceptive, Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic, Immunomodulatory, Antiviral and C.N.S. activity....

Botanical insecticides are increasingly attracting research attention as they offer novel modes of action that may provide effective control of pests that have already developed resistance to conventional insecticides. They potentially offer cost-effective pest control to smallholder farmers in developing countries if highly active extracts can be prepared simply from readily available plants. ...

Seed oils of a number of Asteraceae and Euphorbiaceae species are enriched in 12-epoxyoctadeca-cis-9-enoic acid (vernolic acid), an unusual 18-carbon Delta(12)-epoxy fatty acid with potential industrial value. It has been previously demonstrated that the epoxy group of vernolic acid is synthesized by the activity of a Delta(12)-oleic acid desaturase-like enzyme in seeds of the Asteraceae Crepis...

The MeOH extract of aerial parts of Flourensia riparia Grisebach (Asteraceae) afforded a sesquiterpene lactone, 4beta-hydroxy-4,10alpha-dimethyl-7alphaH,8alphaH-eudesman-11-ene-8,12-olide, together with septuplinolide, its isomer at positions C-5 and C-10. In addition, known flavonoids, p-hydroxyacetophenone derivatives, carabrone and isoalantolactone were identified. Three known flavonoids and...

Two cercosporoid species are respectively described from Mexican whorled milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis), and spineless safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) from California. Passalora californica represents a new pathogen on Asclepias fascicularis, while Ramularia cynarae is confirmed on Carthamus tinctorius and Cynara cardunculus (Asteraceae), and an epitype designated. Pathogenicity is also est...

Primers for the amplification and sequencing of DNA fragments from chloroplast genes and non-coding regions are provided to facilitate molecular phylogenetic studies aimed at building a tree-of-life for the Asteraceae. The primers reported here have been extensively tested and some empirical guidelines are included to facilitate their use.

A transformed root culture of Cichorium intybus L. (Asteraceae) was found to produce sesquiterpene lactones of guaiane and germacrane type. Lactucopicrin, 8-desoxylactucin and three sesquiterpene lactone glycosides: crepidiaside B, sonchuside A and ixerisoside D were isolated from the roots. The yield of 8-desoxylactucin reached 0.03 g l(-1) at the early stationary phase of the culture.

Folate deficiency is a prevalent phenomenon worldwide especially in underprivileged countries. Polyglutamyl 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5MTHF) species are the naturally occurring principle folate in store-bought vegetables. Here we report a simple and complete extraction method for the determination of native polyglutamyl 5-methyltetrahydrofolate in vegetables using high performance liquid chroma...