Background and objectives: The Verbascum genus is the largest genus of Scrophulariaceae family which has extensive natural habitat in southwest of Iran. Phenolic acids are one of the most important chemical compounds that have different biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-tumor and antioxidant. Therefore, this study was con...

The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of Cynomorium songaricum Rupr. from different producing areas, which is an edible, holoparasitic, and desert plant that has been used in traditional medicine for improving immunity and kidney function and treating constipation. We optimized the extract conditions by response surface methodology (RSM) and determined the content of gallic acid, prot...

Endophytic fungi are an integral part and even seen as host organs of plant, influencing physiology, ecology, and development of host plants. However, little is known about micro-ecosystems and functional interactions of endophytic fungi in root-parasitic interactions of Cynomorium songaricum and its host Nitraria tangutorum. Here, distribution and dynamics of endophytic fungi were objectively ...

We first measured the δ(13)C and δ(15)N values of root holoparasite Cynomorium songaricum and its hosts from 19 sites across four provinces in northwest China, in an attempt to investigate their nutritional relationship at the Tibetan plateau and the surrounding Gobi desert. Our study showed that the δ(13)C of C. songaricum closely mirrored the values of its hosts, Nitraria tangutorum and N. si...

After 120 yr of burial in moist, well-aerated sand, 23 seeds of Verbascum blattaria and two seeds of a Verbascum sp. germinated and produced normal plants (50% germination for Verbascum). After a 6-wk cold treatment, a single seed of Malva rotundifolia germinated also, producing a normal plant (2% germination). Plants were grown to maturity in a greenhouse, and flowering was induced by exposure...

Behavioral and electroantennogram responses of plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), adults were tested for several methanolic plant extracts and organically approved insecticides. Plant extracts were evaluated for their potential as antifeedants or oviposition deterrents. These extract responses were also compared to those elicited by the non-neurotoxic, o...

Background and objectives: The Mullein genus is the largest genus of Scrophulariaceae family which has extensive natural habitat in southwest of Iran. Mullein contains compounds such as phenolic compounds, mucilage, saponins and anthocyanin. The aim of this study was to evaluate the total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity of mullein ecotypes in Iran. Methods: <...

Background and objectives: The genus Verbascum, with nearly 360 species, is one of the largest members of Schrophulariacea family. In the Flora of Iran, the genus Verbascum is represented by 43 species among them seventeen plants are endemic. Verbascum species are well known in folk medicine and are widely used for therapeutic purposes. Verbascum sublobatum Murb. grows wildly in north of Iran. ...

Potential distributions of endemic relic shrubs in western Ordos were poorly mapped, which hindered our implementation of proper conservation. Here we investigated the applicability of ecological niche modeling for endangered relic shrubs to detect areas of priority for biodiversity conservation and analyze differences in ecological niche spaces used by relic shrubs. We applied ordination and n...