South African Journal of Botany最新文献

{"title":"Species composition shifts across quartz island boundaries in the summer rainfall Nama-Karoo","authors":"Katharina Meyer ,&nbsp;Alexander M. Bürger ,&nbsp;Pia M. Eibes ,&nbsp;Jens Oldeland ,&nbsp;Severin D.H. Irl ,&nbsp;Ute Schmiedel","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.043","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Quartz islands of southern Africa represent an ecologically unique habitat. In the winter-rainfall Succulent Karoo biome, quartz islands exhibit sharp boundaries with the surrounding zonal habitats, which contribute to an abrupt species turnover. However, whether quartz islands in the summer-rainfall Nama-Karoo biome show different patterns has not yet been investigated. Therefore, we ask how species composition and environmental gradients change across the boundary from the surrounding habitat to the quartz islands of the Nama-Karoo.</div><div>We sampled 10 transects placed perpendicularly across the habitat boundaries between quartz islands and zonal habitats. The transects were subdivided into 15 plots of 5 m x 1 m in size. We analysed species richness and community weighted means of plant traits by using generalized additive modelling and beta diversity by using beta regression. Environmental drivers were identified using generalized additive modelling and canonical correspondence analysis.</div><div>Species richness slightly increased over the boundary between the two habitats. Vegetation cover decreased, but cover of succulents, quartz specialists, and nano-chamaephytes increased constantly from zonal habitats to quartz islands, revealing a gradual transition and no abrupt change across the boundary. Species turnover increased with increasing plot distance along the transect. Species change over the transect was mainly driven by gradients in soil texture, quartz cover and soil organic carbon.</div><div>Our study showed for the first time that in the Nama-Karoo the habitat boundaries around quartz islands are not as abrupt as in the Succulent Karoo. However, we were able to observe significant changes in environmental gradients and plant traits within 15 m transects, reflecting the ecological distinctiveness of the quartz islands. The potential role of rainfall seasonality on soil patterns are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 414-423"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Habitat-specific DNA methylation dynamics during development of Calamagrostis angustifolia in contrasting wetlands","authors":"Yu Zhang ,&nbsp;Haixiu Zhong ,&nbsp;Hongjie Cao ,&nbsp;Jiawen Liang ,&nbsp;Mingyi Xu ,&nbsp;Jifeng Wang ,&nbsp;Yihua Yang ,&nbsp;Hainan Leng","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>DNA methylation plays a crucial role in plant adaptation to environmental conditions. This study investigated the dynamic changes in DNA methylation patterns of <em>Calamagrostis angustifolia</em> populations from meadow and marsh wetlands in the Sanjiang Plain during key developmental stages. Using fluorescence methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (F-MSAP) analysis coupled with capillary electrophoresis, we examined genome-wide methylation profiles in leaves at jointing, heading, and maturity stages. Eight selective primer combinations detected 8355 MSAP loci, comprising 4225 and 4130 loci in meadow and marsh populations, respectively. Meadow populations exhibited higher total methylation levels (76.69%-82.41%) compared to marsh populations (79.10%-80.44%) across all developmental stages. Analysis of methylation pattern dynamics revealed habitat-specific responses: meadow populations showed a transition from predominant methylation events (50.86%) during jointing-to-heading to prevalent demethylation events (49.28%) during heading-to-maturity. In contrast, marsh populations maintained consistent demethylation patterns (46.15%-47.25%) throughout development. These distinct epigenetic signatures between wetland populations suggest that DNA methylation may serve as an important mechanism for <em>C. angustifolia</em> adaptation to different wetland environments. Our findings provide novel insights into the epigenetic basis of wetland plant adaptation and development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 68-76"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Woody plant naturalisations from South African arboreta","authors":"M.D. Cheek ,&nbsp;J.R.U. Wilson ,&nbsp;D.M. Richardson ,&nbsp;Ş. Procheş","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Arboreta and botanical gardens are useful testing grounds and monitoring sites for plant invasions. A recent survey of trees planted in arboreta across South Africa found 1332 alien tree species, including over a quarter of all the plant taxa listed under South Africa’s invasive species regulations. Here we report that 24 of these tree species were found outside of cultivation within or near the arboreta. This includes the first record of naturalisation in South Africa for nine species, two of which we believe are the first global records of naturalisation [<em>Elaeocarpus grandis</em> (Elaeocarpaceae) and <em>Ocotea porosa</em> (Lauraceae)]. Importantly, only six of the 24 species are currently regulated as invasive species in South Africa. We investigated three of these species [<em>Bischofia javanica</em> (Phyllanthaceae)<em>, Flindersia brayelyana</em> (Rutaceae)<em>,</em> and <em>Fraxinus ornus</em> (Oleaceae)] in depth by combining the results of field observations, impact assessments, and species distribution models in a risk analysis framework. <em>Bischofia javanica</em> (at the colonising stage with a population of 1523 plants over an area of 2.5 ha) is the only taxon for which regulation appears warranted at present (the recommendation is to attempt nation-wide eradication). <em>Flindersia brayleyana</em> was classed at the casual stage with a population of 221 plants over 1 ha, while <em>F. ornus</em> is considered at the reproducing stage with a population of 553 plants over 0.7 ha. We conclude with a basic protocol for assessing naturalisations at arboreta.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 253-261"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physiological and biochemical adjustments in soybean induced by biostimulants application under water deficit stress","authors":"Andres Felipe Gaona Acevedo ,&nbsp;Juliana Nascimento Rodrigues","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water deficit stress (WDS) is a major abiotic factor limiting soybean yield by affecting key physiological and biochemical processes. The application of plant biostimulants has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate the deleterious effects of water deficit. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological and biochemical responses of soybean plants subjected to water deficit and treated with different biostimulants applied to seeds. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions using a randomized block design with subdivided plots. Two water regimes were imposed: field capacity (−10 kPa) and drought stress (−25 kPa), and eight seed-applied biostimulant treatments were evaluated. Water deficit negatively affected photosynthetic activity, relative water content, leaf water potential, and chlorophyll concentration, while increasing electrolyte leakage and proline accumulation. In contrast, the application of specific biostimulants, particularly those based on <em>Rhizophagus irregularis, Lactobacillus</em> spp., and seaweed extracts, significantly mitigated stress effects, enhancing membrane stability, osmotic adjustment, and enzymatic antioxidant activity (SOD and CAT). Moreover, improvements in nitrogen metabolism were observed, including higher nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase activity under water deficit. These results highlight the potential of seed-applied biostimulants as a sustainable strategy to enhance soybean yield and resilience under water deficit stress. Future applications of this approach may contribute to the development of more drought-tolerant cultivars and to improving the stability of soybean yield systems under changing climatic conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 144-155"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation of in vitro anticancer and antioxidant activities of various extracts of Bayramiç Beyazı nectarine, and molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and protein-protein interaction network","authors":"Özlem Maraba ,&nbsp;Mehmet Ay ,&nbsp;Ferah Comert Onder","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nectarine (<em>Prunus persica</em> var. nucipersica), due to its high phenolic content and antioxidant properties, holds significance for human health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the <em>in vitro</em> anticancer and antioxidant effects of the extracts obtained from the fruit and kernel of \"Bayramiç Beyazı\" nectarine, a geographically indicated fruit grown in Bayramiç district of Çanakkale. The anticancer effects of the methanol and aqueous ethanol extracts were evaluated on breast and colon cancer cell lines. Apoptotic fragmentation and mitochondrial membrane potential of fruit and kernel extracts were examined under fluorescence microscopy. Antioxidant activity and phenolic content were determined using DPPH, ABTS, and Folin-Ciocalteu (F-C) methods, respectively. Kernel extract has the highest antioxidant activity (DPPH IC₅₀= 0.15 ± 0.001 mg/mL). The fruit methanol, aqueous ethanol, and kernel aqueous ethanol extracts significantly reduced the fluorescent intensity of the cells. A combination study was conducted between the extracts and doxorubicin. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies of some of the identified components were performed using the Glide/SP and Desmond against a drug target PRK1. The highest binding affinity with quercetin for targeting PRK1 was calculated as -8.789 kcal/mol. The average RMSD values were calculated between 3.43 ± 0.31 and 2.22 ± 0.30 Å throughout 500 ns MD simulations. A protein-protein interaction network analysis was performed for PRK1 using a systems biology approach to identify the highest scoring predicted proteins such as RHOA, MAP2K3, and MEFV. The investigation of the <em>in vitro</em> anticancer effects of “Bayramiç Beyazı” extracts and combined <em>in silico</em> analyses were carried out for the first time, and the outcomes of this study have promising potential for future studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 190-206"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Flavonoids and iridoids in the aerial parts of Vaccinium secundiflorum Hook. (Ericaceae): Insights into their antioxidant and antidiabetic activities","authors":"Nantenaina Tombozara ,&nbsp;Minjie Zhao ,&nbsp;Rinah Zoarilala Razafindrakoto ,&nbsp;Eric Marchioni ,&nbsp;David Ramanitrahasimbola ,&nbsp;Charles Andrianjara ,&nbsp;Reine Dorothée Ramilison-Razafimahefa ,&nbsp;Dina Andriamahavola Rakotondramanana ,&nbsp;Diane Julien-David","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aerial parts of <em>Vaccinium secundiflorum</em> Hook. (Ericaceae) are traditionally used by communities living near the Tapia forests of Madagascar to treat diabetes, diarrhoea, and stomach aches. Our previous research demonstrated that the methanolic extract this plant possesses both antioxidant and hypoglycaemic activities. To further investigate these preliminary findings, the present study aimed to isolate and identify the major bioactive compounds responsible for these pharmacological effects. Six compounds were isolated, including four flavonoids – quercetin (<strong>A</strong>), isoquercetin (<strong>B</strong>), hyperoside (<strong>C</strong>) and rutin (<strong>D</strong>) – and two iridoids – vaccinoside (<strong>E</strong>) and 10-<em>O-trans-p</em>-coumaroyl-6<em>α</em>-hydroxydihydromonotropein (<strong>F</strong>). Their chemical structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques (UV, HRMS and NMR). Flavonoids <strong>A</strong>-<strong>D</strong> exhibited notable antioxidant activity against DPPH free radical, with IC₅₀ values of 34.37 ± 0.79, 50.47 ± 0.32, 49.48 ± 0.54, and 56.43 ± 0.52 µM, respectively. In contrast, iridoids <strong>E</strong> and <strong>F</strong> showed significant inhibitory activity against dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4), a key enzyme involved in incretin degradation and established therapeutic target in diabetes, with IC₅₀ values of 52.24 ± 4.03 and 43.17 ± 1.19 µM, respectively. Additionally, phytochemical profiling of the methanolic extract using UHPLC-UV-HRMS-MS/MS tentatively identified twenty-nine compounds, including <strong>A</strong>-<strong>F</strong>, belonging to various chemical classes such as flavonoids, iridoids, tannins, lignans, organic acids, and other phenolic compounds. This study reports for the first time the DPP-4 inhibitory activity of vaccinoside (<strong>E)</strong> and 10-<em>O-trans-p</em>-coumaroyl-6<em>α</em>-hydroxydihydromonotropein (<strong>F</strong>), highlighting the therapeutic potential of <em>V. secundiflorum</em> as a natural source of antidiabetic agents.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 469-480"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic diversity and population structure analysis of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) using agronomic and SSR markers for breeding high-yielding, early-maturing, and stress-resilient genotypes","authors":"Versha Rohilla ,&nbsp;Hirdayesh Anuragi ,&nbsp;Rajesh Yadav ,&nbsp;Ravika Sheoran ,&nbsp;Atman Poonia ,&nbsp;Amit Sharma","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mungbean (<em>Vigna radiata</em> L. Wilczek) is a short-duration, nutritionally rich legume with high-quality proteins and micronutrients, making it an important dietary component for combating malnutrition and diversifying cereal-dominated cropping systems. However, its genetic improvement is constrained by a narrow genetic base and vulnerability to biotic and abiotic stresses. This study assessed the genetic diversity of 80 mungbean genotypes, comprising advanced breeding lines and released cultivars, across four environments (<em>kharif,</em> 2018; <em>summer,</em> 2019; <em>kharif,</em> 2019; <em>summer,</em> 2020) using 30 morphological and yield traits coupled with 164 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Principal factor analysis identified eight components explaining &gt;73 % of phenotypic variation, with yield-related traits loading strongly on PF3 in <em>summer</em> and PF2 in <em>kharif</em> and pooled analyses. Yellow mosaic disease (YMD) exhibited a consistent negative association with yield. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) grouped genotypes into ten morphological clusters, whereas SSR-based unweighted neighbor-joining analysis revealed three major molecular clusters, with limited correspondence between phenotypic and molecular groupings. Average estimates of heritability and Fst were &gt;60 % and 0.071. Population structure analyses showed similar groupings, indicating a shared ancestry among advanced genotypes, with SP1–SP3 pure and SP4 admixture. Genotypes MH 421, MH 318, MH 1314, IPM 409–4, and IPM 205–7 emerged as high-yielding and early-maturing across environments with stress-resilience. Also, this study novelly pinpoint divergent parents for heterosis and resilient cultivar breeding. Integration of multi-environment phenotyping and molecular profiling provided a robust framework for selecting genetically divergent parents to maximize heterosis and accelerate mungbean improvement. Future genomic-assisted and multi-omics approaches can exploit the identified diversity to develop high-yielding, climate-resilient, and nutritionally enhanced cultivars in legumes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 529-544"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Allelopathic and antioxidant potentials associated with major secondary metabolites of Canna x generalis L.H. Bailey & E.Z. Bailey and Equisetum giganteum L","authors":"Leticia. Z.S. Caputo ,&nbsp;Jéssica. S.N. Lima ,&nbsp;Nathália S. Rocha ,&nbsp;Bruno A. Caputo ,&nbsp;Karen. M. Takahashi ,&nbsp;Valéria S. Gonçalves ,&nbsp;Ana Carina S.C. Seron ,&nbsp;Nídia C. Yoshida ,&nbsp;Marize Terezinha L.P. Peres ,&nbsp;Paula L. Paulo","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plants play fundamental roles in nature that inspire various biotechnological applications, especially those related to allelopathic and antioxidant activities mediated by secondary metabolites. This study evaluated the allelopathic and antioxidant potentials of extracts from <em>Canna</em> x <em>generalis</em> (canna lily) and <em>Equisetum giganteum</em> (giant horsetail), as well as to identify their major secondary metabolites. Allelopathic activities were assessed through germination and growth bioassays using <em>Lactuca sativa</em> and <em>Allium cepa</em> as target species. Antioxidant potential was determined by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging potential. Secondary metabolites were identified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and validated by HPLC-DAD-MS/MS. The extract from the underground parts of <em>C. x generalis</em> exhibited significant efficacy in inhibiting the germination and growth of L. <em>sativa</em>. In contrast, the foliar extract from both species inhibited the germination of <em>A. cepa</em>. The underground extract of <em>C. x generalis</em> exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity (99.21 % DPPH inhibition). Flavonoids were identified as the main contributors to the allelopathic activity, while quercetin and salvianolic acid B were the principal antioxidant agents. The results indicate that these species have potential for biotechnological applications, especially in biological control and environmental remediation, and can potentially facilitate the development of effective measures to control the growth of unwanted plant species in agricultural fields.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145929304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the bioactive phytoconstituents of Cocculus hirsutus (L.) W.Theob.: UHPLC-PDA-based quantification, UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS-based qualitative analysis and network pharmacology-based target prediction","authors":"Shivani ,&nbsp;Anmol ,&nbsp;Shiv Kumar ,&nbsp;Prateek Singh Bora ,&nbsp;Upendra Sharma","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cocculus hirsutus</em> (L.) W.Theob. is a perennial shrub used as ethnomedicine for treating fever, constipation, gonorrhea, snakebite, joint pain, and skin diseases. Despite its ethnomedicinal importance, qualitative and quantitative studies of its phytoconstituents, particularly erythrina, protoberberine, and oxyprotoberberine-type alkaloids, remain limited. Therefore, a new Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography with a Photo-Diode Array detector (UHPLC-PDA) based method was developed to quantify eight specialized metabolites. The developed UHPLC-PDA method demonstrated excellent linearity (r² ≥0.990), precision (intra-day RSDs ≤ 2.95 and inter-day RSDs ≤ 3.58), accuracy (83.41–116.33 %), and sensitivity (limits of detection (LOD) 0.97–1.95 μg/mL; and limits of quantification (LOQ) 3.20–6.43 μg/mL). The developed method was applied for the quantitative analysis of extracts/fractions of root, stem, and leaves, revealing higher chemical diversity in roots, showing the presence of five alkaloids [15-carboxydihydroerysotrine, magnoflorine, tetrahydropalmatine, 8-oxytetrahydropalmatine, and (14<em>R</em>)-4‑methoxy-13,14-dihydrooxypalmatine] along with two ecdysteroids [turkesterone and 20-hydroxyecdysone]. In contrast, leaves and stems were enriched with magnoflorine and 20-hydroxyecdysone, respectively. Moreover, the ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) based chemical profiling of roots revealed the presence of twenty-five compounds based on their MS spectra and MS/MS fragmentation. Additionally, the eco-friendliness of the developed method was determined using Analytical GREEnness (AGREE) and complementary green analytical procedure index (Complex GAPI) software. Furthermore, the network pharmacology analysis revealed the potential pharmacodynamic effect of <em>C. hirsutus</em> phytoconstituents<em>.</em> Overall, this study analyzes the phytoconstituents of <em>C. hirsutus</em> qualitatively and quantitatively, revealing diverse metabolite compositions and identifying potential pharmacological targets, supporting its medicinal potential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 424-434"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytochemical and biological traits of Crinum x powellii hort ex. Baker (Family Amaryllidaceae): A review","authors":"Esraa Ahmed Abas ,&nbsp;Amany Hamouda Mahmoud ,&nbsp;John Refaat Fahim ,&nbsp;Ahmed Abdel-Lateff","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.029","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.029","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Crinum x powellii</em> hort ex<em>.</em> Baker, commonly known as 'swamp lily' or 'Cape lily', is a bulbous species within the plant family Amaryllidaceae. It has common geographical distribution throughout the subtropical and tropical regions, especially South Africa. Besides its well-known ornamental and economic significance, <em>C. powellii</em> is a medicinal plant species thanks to the abundance of several bioactive constituents. So far, a variety of structurally diverse Amaryllidaceae alkaloids have been identified from <em>C. powellii</em>, typically dominated by crinine- and lycorine-type alkaloids, along with some representatives of the tazettine-, galanthamine-, lycorenine-, cherylline-, cripowelline-, belladine-, ismine-types. This plant species has been also shown to produce non-alkaloidal metabolites, mostly represented by flavonoids, phenolic acids, fatty acid derivatives, and alcohols that have attracted lesser attention than alkaloids. Moreover, various extracts of different organs of <em>C. powellii</em> have been reported to show a range of biological and pharmacological properties, including anticholinesterase, cytotoxic, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and insecticidal activities. Therefore, this work was undertaken to provide a comprehensive overview of the current phytochemical and biological features of <em>C. powellii</em>, outlining the current gaps and future research perspectives to help expand its applications in the medicinal and pharmaceutical domains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 630-640"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}