Large and diverse genera, such as Silene need more reliable morphological traits for the credible identification and delimitation of the species. Despite the fact that the type of indumentum among the species of Silene had been addressed in most available revisions, monographs and floristic studies, the trichome-based features and their adaptational importance have not been investigated explici...

The p-menthane monoterpenes of the Mentha species are biosynthesized from geranyl pyrophosphate via the monocyclic olefin 4S-limonene. A monoterpene cyclase was isolated from both Mentha x piperita (peppermint) and Mentha spicata (spearmint) that catalyzes the cyclization of geranyl pyrophosphate to 4S-limonene. This enzyme, 4S-limonene synthase, was purified to apparent homogeneity by dye liga...

Pinoresinol, a lignan of wide distribution in plants, is found to occur as a minor component in the defensive secretion produced by glandular hairs of caterpillars of the cabbage butterfly, Pieris rapae. The compound or a derivative is appropriated by the larva from its normal food plant (the cabbage, Brassica oleracea). Pinoresinol was shown to be absent from the secretion if the larva was giv...

A new species of echinoderid kinorhynch, Echinoderes sensibilis, is described and illustrated using light and electron microscopy. The specimens were collected from masses of the red algae Corallina pilulifera growing in intertidal pools in Tanabe Bay, Honshu Island, Japan. Diagnostic characters of E. sensibilis include the presence of middorsal spines on segments 6-10; lateral spines/tubules o...

A new ELF (enzyme labelled fluorescence) assay was applied to detect phosphatase activity in glandular structures of 47 carnivorous plant species, especially Lentibulariaceae, in order to understand their digestive activities. We address the following questions: (1) Are phosphatases produced by the plants and/or by inhabitants of the traps? (2) Which type of hairs/glands is involved in the prod...

The present paper describes two distinct morphological features of ovine interdigital sinus, which were examined by means of scanning electron microscopy. In the sweat glandular component, acini with epithelial cells exhibiting a paved appearance and apocrine secretion were observed. In the same gland, other acini with cells exhibiting different luminal surfaces and simultaneous apocrine and me...

Penstemon luculentus R.L.Johnson & M.R.Stevens, nom. nov. replaces Penstemon fremontii var. glabrescens Dorn & Lichvar. The varietal name glabrescens was not elevated because it was already occupied by Penstemon glabrescens Pennell, a different species. This new arrangement is supported by molecular and morphological evidence. An analysis of genetic diversity in populations of both varieties of...

This research focuses on the analysis of the chemical component of essential oil of lemon balm. The essential oil of leaves was obtained by extraction. The chemical components of the essential oil of lemon balm were analyzed by capillary GC and GC/MS and 8 substances were identified. The quality of the final product depends heavily on the operation of freeze drying (FD). It was found that essen...

Plant hairs (trichomes) including cotton fiber develop from single epidermal cells on the aerial surfaces of plants. Two main types of trichomes, glandular and nonglandular, can be found playing various functions including protection from insect damage. The development of plant trichomes provides an excellent system for studies of cell developmental biology. Because they are easily observable, ...