The pyrrolizidine alkaloids previously identified in floral honey attributed to Echium vulgare (Boraginaceae) have been detected (8000-14 000 ppm) in pure pollen collected from the anthers of Echium vulgare. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids and/or their N-oxides were isolated from the aqueous acid extracts of pollen by use of strong cation-exchange, solid-phase extraction and identified by liquid chroma...

How climate-change induced environmental stress may alter the effects of inbreeding in patchy populations of rare species is poorly understood. We investigated the fitness of progeny from experimental self- and cross-pollinations in eight populations of different size of Echium wildpretii, a rare endemic plant of the arid subalpine zone of the Canarian island of Tenerife. As control treatments ...

Borage (Echium amoenum) is a large annual plant of the Boraginaceae family, which grows in most of Europe and in northern Iran. The borage flower is used as a medicinal herb in France and other countries. Iranian borage is used in traditional medicine for infectious diseases, flu and as an anti-febrile. We tested the aqueous extract of borage dried flowers in vitro for its antibacterial activit...

Iranian Echium species (Boraginaceae), popularly known as "Gol-e-Gavzaban" are native plants that some of them have been used widely as food and traditional medicine since long times. In this work organs from different populations of two Iranian Echium species were collected from their natural locations in order to analyze their phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Hydroalcoholic extracts...

Echium (Echium plantagineum L.) is an alternative oilseed crop in summer-wet temperate regions that provides floral resources to pollinators. Its seed oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as stearidonic acid, which is desired highly by the cosmetic industry. Seeds were sown in field plots over three years in western Minnesota in spring (early-sown) or early summer (late-sown), and flower ab...

Nuclear crystalloids have been found in sieve elements of several Boraginaceae. Nuclei of differentiating sieve elements of Echium and other genera except Amsinckia contain one or more crystalloids composed of thin rods densely packed in parallel arrangement. After the nuclei disintegrate in the maturing sieve element the crystalloids are released into the cell lumen where they persist intact. ...

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Oceanic islands offer unparalleled opportunities to investigate evolutionary processes such as adaptation and speciation. However, few genomic resources are available for oceanic island endemics. In this study, we publish transcriptome sequences from three Macaronesian endemic plant species (Argyranthemum broussonetii [Asteraceae], Descurainia bourgaeana [Brassicaceae], and...

Stigmast-4-ene-3,6-dione an unusual phytotoxic sterone from the roots of Echium vulgare L.