An N-acetylgalactosamine-specific lectin was isolated from Euphorbia heterophylla seeds by affinity chromatography on cross-linked arabinogalactan. It is a dimeric protein of two identical subunits of Mr 32 000, and differs structurally from all previously known Euphorbiaceae lectins. Its distribution over the seed is typical in that it is merely confined to the primary axes.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Myrmecochory is a conspicuous feature of several sclerophyll ecosystems around the world but it has received little attention in the semi-arid areas of South America. This study addresses the importance of seed dispersal by ants in a 2500-km(2) area of the Caatinga ecosystem (north-east Brazil) and investigates ant-derived benefits to the plant through myrmecochory. METHOD...

Medicinal plants are resources of new drugs. Phyllanthus niruri L.(Euphorbiaceae) is a widespread tropical herb. The phytochemical screening and quantification of primary metabolites in the plants collected from three geographical locations. Maximum extractive value (3.951%) was found in water extract among test solvents. All metabolites were qualitatively present in water and ethanolic extracts.

The genus Hymenocardia has been placed either in Euphorbiaceae subfamily Phyllanthoideae or in its own family and then associated with the Urticales, particularly the Ulmaceae. However, the pollen exine wall of Hymenocardia lacks the microchanneled tectum, granular interstitium, and thin foot-layer of the Urticales. Hymenocardia instead has many palynological features found in the Phyllanthoide...