(E)-β-caryophyllene (BCP) is a natural sesquiterpene hydrocarbon present in hundreds of plant species. BCP possesses several important pharmacological activities, ranging from pain treatment to neurological and metabolic disorders. These are mainly due to its ability to interact with the cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) and the complete lack of interaction with the brain CB1. A systematic analysis of plant species with essential oils containing a BCP percentage > 10% provided almost 300 entries with species belonging to 51 families. The essential oils were found to be extracted from 13 plant parts and samples originated from 56 countries worldwide. Statistical analyses included the evaluation of variability in BCP% and yield% as well as the statistical linkage between families, plant parts and countries of origin by cluster analysis. Identified species were also grouped according to their presence in the Belfrit list. The survey evidences the importance of essential oil yield evaluation in support of the chemical analysis. The results provide a comprehensive picture of the species with the highest BCP and yield percentages.

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Ziziphora tenuior L. (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic herb used for its medicinal values against fungi, bacteria. Micropropagation can be used for large-scale multiplication of essential oil producing plants thus avoiding an overexploitation of natural resources. This work aims to develop a reliable protocol for the in vitro propagation of Z. tenuior, and to compare the antioxidant activity between in vitro propagated and wild plants. The explants were sterilized and cultured on MS medium containing different concentrations of growth regulators naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) or indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) with 0.5 mg/L of kinetin (Kin) callus formation was 70.2% after 45 days of incubation in dark on medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/L of NAA. After one month of callus culture on medium supplemented with 2 mg/L BA the shoot number was 5.12 and for the multiplication stage. The shoot number was 4.21 and length was 6.17 cm on medium supplemented with 1 mg/L Kin + 0.1 mg/L NAA. DPPH• reagent was used to test the antioxidant activity. The aqueous and methanol extracts of in vitro plants which were treated with 1.5 and 1 mg/L of kin plus 0.1 mg/L of NAA showed a strong DPPH• scavenging activity where IC50 was 0.307 and 0.369 mg/ml, respectively, while the IC50 of aqueous and methanol extracts of wild plants was 0.516 and 9.229 mg/ml, respectively. Our results suggested that plant growth regulators and in vitro culture conditions increased the antioxidant activity.

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Background and aims The amount of DNA in an unreplicated gametic chromosome complement is known as the C-value and is a key biodiversity character of fundamental significance with many practical and predictive uses. Since 1976, Bennett and colleagues have assembled eight compilations of angiosperm C-values for reference purposes and subsequently these have been pooled into the Angiosperm DNA C-values Database (http://data.kew.org/cvalues/). Since the last compilation was published in 2005, a large amount of data on angiosperm genome size has been published. It is therefore timely to bring these data together into a ninth compilation of DNA amounts. Scope The present work lists DNA C-values for 2221 species from 151 original sources (including first values for 1860 species not listed in previous compilations). Combining these data with those published previously shows that C-values are now available for 6287 angiosperm species. Key findings Analysis of the dataset, which is by far the largest of the nine compilations published since 1976, shows that angiosperm C-values are now being generated at the highest rate since the first genome sizes were estimated in the 1950s. The compilation includes new record holders for the smallest (1C = 0·0648 pg in Genlisea margaretae) and largest (1C = 152·23 pg in Paris japonica) genome sizes so far reported, extending the range encountered in angiosperms to nearly 2400-fold. A review of progress in meeting targets set at the Plant Genome Size meetings shows that although representation for genera, geographical regions and some plant life forms (e.g. island floras and parasitic plants) has improved, progress to increase familial representation is still slow. In terms of technique it is now clear that flow cytometry is soon likely to become the only method available for plant genome size estimations. Fortunately, this has been accompanied by numerous careful studies to improve the quality of data generated using this technique (e.g. design of new buffers, increased awareness and understanding of problems caused by cytosolic inhibitors). It is also clear that although the speed of DNA sequencing continues to rise dramatically with the advent of next-generation and third-generation sequencing technologies, 'complete genome sequencing' projects are still unable to generate accurate plant genome size estimates.

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Twenty species of Salvia, naturally grown or cultivated in Poland, are investigated by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The main components of the volatile fraction of Salvia species are identified as alpha-pinene, camphene, beta-pinene, thujol, camphor, beta-chamigrene, and cadina-3,9-diene. There are also the compounds that can be considered as chemotaxonomic markers, namely beta-myrcene for Salvia lavadulifolia, beta-phelandrene for Salvia verticillata, tau-terpinene for Salvia stepposa, and isocaryophyllene and caryophyllene for Salvia officinalis. Certain compounds (such as o-cymene present in Salvia canariensis and Salvia stepposa; beta-trans-ocymene present in Salvia lavadulifolia, Salvia sclarea, and Salvia amplexicaulis; thujenone present in Salvia staminea, Salvia atropatana, Salvia jurisicii, and Salvia officinalis; and thujone present in Salvia azurea, Salvia lavandulifolia, Salvia hians, and Salvia triloba) can constitute chemotaxonomic advice for the aforementioned species. Also, the lack of certain compounds otherwise common in the individual sage species can be considered as chemotaxonomic advice (e.g., Salvia sclarea has no alpha-pinene and beta-pinene; Salvia lavadulifolia lacks camphene; Salvia triloba lacks beta-pinene and camphene; and Salvia officinalis lacks beta-chamigrene, thujol, and cadina-3,9-diene).

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Background and aims The genus Salvia has traditionally included any member of the tribe Mentheae (Lamiaceae) with only two stamens and with each stamen expressing an elongate connective. The recent demonstration of the non-monophyly of the genus presents interesting implications for staminal evolution in the tribe Mentheae. In the context of a molecular phylogeny, the staminal morphology of the various lineages of Salvia and related genera is characterized and an evolutionary interpretation of staminal variation within the tribe Mentheae is presented. Methods Two molecular analyses are presented in order to investigate phylogenetic relationships in the tribe Mentheae and the genus Salvia. The first presents a tribal survey of the Mentheae and the second concentrates on Salvia and related genera. Schematic sketches are presented for the staminal morphology of each major lineage of Salvia and related genera. Key results These analyses suggest an independent origin of the staminal elongate connective on at least three different occasions within the tribe Mentheae, each time with a distinct morphology. Each independent origin of the lever mechanism shows a similar progression of staminal change from slight elongation of the connective tissue separating two fertile thecae to abortion of the posterior thecae and fusion of adjacent posterior thecae. A monophyletic lineage within the Mentheae is characterized consisting of the genera Lepechinia, Melissa, Salvia, Dorystaechas, Meriandra, Zhumeria, Perovskia and Rosmarinus. Conclusions Based on these results the following are characterized: (1) the independent origin of the staminal lever mechanism on at least three different occasions in Salvia, (2) that Salvia is clearly polyphyletic, with five other genera intercalated within it, and (3) staminal evolution has proceeded in different ways in each of the three lineages of Salvia but has resulted in remarkably similar staminal morphologies.

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