Two fundamental questions on how invasive species are able to rapidly colonize novel habitat have emerged. One asks whether a negative correlation exists between the genetic diversity of invasive populations and their geographic distance from the origin of introduction. The other is whether selection on the chloroplast genome is important driver of adaptation to novel soil environments. Here, w...

A considerable number of host-specific biological control agents fail to control invasive plants in the field, and exploring the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is important and helpful for the management of invasive plants. Herbivory and competition are two of the most common biotic stressors encountered by invasive plants in their recipient communities. We predicted that the antagonistic...

The effects of aqueous leaf extracts of Tectona grandis L. and Mikania micrantha L. on germination and growth of Zea mays L. (maize) and Oryza sativa L. (paddy) were investigated during 2009-2010. The extracts suppressed the germination of paddy to an extent of 10-30% under high extract concentration and 40-50% suppression in maize under similar concentration. The growth of root and shoot of bo...

In South China, the photosynthetic characteristics of an invasive exotic weed Mikania micrantha H.B. Kunth and its indigenous close congener Mikania cordata (Burm. f.) B.L. Robinson were studied. Mikania micrantha exhibited a greater biochemical capacity for photosynthesis than M. cordata, as the former had higher V cmax and J max , which lead to its higher maximum assimilation rate (A max ) va...

The Papeda Citrus subgenus includes several species belonging to two genetically distinct groups, containing mostly little-exploited wild forms of citrus. However, little is known about the potentially large and novel aromatic diversity contained in these citruses. In this study, we characterized compared essential oils obtained from peels leaves representatives both three related hybrids. Usin...

The potential of botanical extracts such as Celosia argenea L. (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae), Ricinus communis L. (Malpighiales: Euphorbiaceae), Mikania micrantha Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth (Astrales: Asteraceae), and Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don (Gentianales: Apocynaceae) for the control of Brontispa longissima Gestro was evaluated in a bioassay and semi-field trial. Dose-response bioassa...

BACKGROUND Mareya micrantha (Benth.) Müll. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae) is a shrub that is commonly used in Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa) for the treatment of constipation and as an ocytocic drug. The present study was carried out to investigate the laxative activity of Mareya micrantha in albino's Wistar rats. METHODS Rats were divided in 5 groups of 5 animals each, first group as control, second grou...

Hepatotoxic plants are important cause of economical losses in farm animals in Brazil. This report concerns an outbreak of acute hepatic toxicosis, in which seven goats died after consumption of green leaves from a felled Trema micrantha tree. Two of these animals were necropsied and several tissues were processed for histological examination. Main histological finding was observed in the liver...

The aim of this study was to investigate the antiprotozoal and antiviral activities of four Argentinean Mikania species. The organic and aqueous extracts of Mikania micrantha, M. parodii, M. periplocifolia, and M. cordifolia were tested on Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes, Leishmania braziliensis promastigotes, and dengue virus type 2. The organic extract of M. micrantha was the most active agai...