Methanol extracts of different plants namely, Trichodesma africanum (Boraginaceae), Cleome rupicola (Capparceae) and Ochradenus baccatus (Resedaceae), were tested for larvicidal activity against 4 instar larvae of Aedes caspius and Culex pipiens mosquitoes. All plant extracts tested against Ae. caspius showed 100% mortality at 10μg/ml except the stem of O. baccatus which showed 90% mortality. H...

Fleshy-fruited plants are usually dispersed by an array of frugivores, differing in the effectiveness of the dispersal service they provide to the plant. Body size differences among frugivores are hypothesized to affect seed dispersal distances and consequently their effectiveness as dispersers. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the effectiveness of two passerine birds, grackles (Onychogna...

Ochradenus baccatus Delile is a wild medicinal plant that produces several natural compounds with benefits. In this study, microshoots of were exposed to osmotic stress conditions consisting Murashige and Skoog solid media (MS) containing different agents (sugar types) at range concentrations (including 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 or 0.4 M). The purpose was test their effects on microshoots’ growth antimicro...

Plant secondary metabolites (SMs) acting as defensive chemicals in reproductive organs such as fruit tissues play roles in both mutualistic and antagonistic interactions between plants and seed dispersers/predators. The directed-deterrence hypothesis states that SMs in ripe fruits deter seed predators but have little or no effect on seed dispersers. Indeed, studies have demonstrated that birds ...

Wild plants are considered promising natural eco-friendly resources for fibers. Leptadenia pyrotechnica is a xerophytic shrub that flourishes in sandy desert habitat with high biomass production; therefore, it could be potential resource The present study aimed to investigate the vegetation composition of L. communities and their correlation soil variables. Additionally, this evaluate anatomica...

The Resedaceae, containing 6 genera and ca. 85 species, are widely distributed in the Old World, with a major center of species diversity in the Mediterranean basin. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS and plastid trnL-trnF sequences of 66 species from all genera of the Resedaceae reveal (1) monophyly of the family, in congruence with preliminary phylogenetic studies; (2) molecular support for the tra...

Food and water resources are limiting factors for animals in desert ecosystems. Fleshy fruits are a rare water source in deserts and when available they tend to attract a wide variety of organisms. Here we show that two congeneric rodent species, Acomys cahirinus and A. russatus, employ different fruit eating strategies that result in either dispersal or predation of the small seeds of the dese...