South African Journal of Botany最新文献

{"title":"The genus Smilax L.: A comprehensive review of traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and toxicity","authors":"Geetika Sukhramani ,&nbsp;Ritesh Kumar Choudhary","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Among medicinal plants, the genus <em>Smilax</em> (family Smilacaceae) is widely distributed across all continents except Antarctica, with its rhizomes being the primary source of commercial and therapeutic value. <em>Smilax</em> has been traditionally used for centuries to treat a range of ailments, including diabetes, gout, rheumatism, skin disorders, and syphilis. This review provides an updated, comprehensive, and categorized overview of the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and toxicological profiles of <em>Smilax</em> species. To date, at least 1058 compounds have been identified from <em>Smilax</em> species, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, steroidal saponins, polysaccharides, and stilbenoids. These isolated constituents exhibit a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, including anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiviral, immunomodulatory, and hepatoprotective effects. Traditional knowledge, increasingly supported by pharmacological evidence, highlights the substantial therapeutic potential of <em>Smilax</em> species. However, most current findings are derived from preliminary <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> studies. Future research should focus on clinically relevant, mechanistic, and integrative approaches to fully elucidate therapeutic potential and facilitate the development of evidence-based applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 77-110"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024422","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":"Edaphic and climatic drivers of herbaceous plant diversity in geologically distinct mountain floras of Griqualand West, South Africa","authors":"Nanette van Staden ,&nbsp;Helga van der Merwe ,&nbsp;Stefan Siebert","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate and edaphic (soil) properties are widely recognised as key environmental drivers of the evolution, adaptive specialisation, and development of edaphically distinct floras on atypical geological substrates. In South Africa, the mountain ranges of Griqualand West (GW), a recognised centre of plant endemism within the Kalahari Bushveld Bioregion of the Savanna Biome, harbour floras associated with such substrates. However, these mountains remain understudied, with limited understanding of the interactions among vegetation, soil, and climate. The aim of this study was to determine the primary environmental drivers of plant diversity across landscapes underlain by dolomite, banded ironstone and quartzite. We assessed 19 bioclimatic variables and 14 edaphic properties. We calculated four plant diversity indices across four mountain landscapes (Ghaap Plateau, Kuruman Hills, Asbestos Hills, and Langberg). Based on the productivity-diversity hypothesis, using rainfall and soil fertility as proxies for productivity, we hypothesised that quartzite sites (characterised by low rainfall and nutrient-poor soil) would exhibit the lowest diversity and richness, while dolomitic sites (with higher rainfall and fertile soil) would exhibit the highest. Mountain plant communities differed significantly in their bioclimatic conditions, edaphic properties and levels of diversity. Generalised linear models (GLMs) identified isothermality, minimum temperature of the coldest month, mean annual precipitation, precipitation of the warmest quarter, Al, Ca, Ca:Mg ratio, cation exchange capacity (CEC), Mg, soil pH, S and Ti as significant predictors of species diversity. Communities on ironstone were the most diverse, whereas those on dolomite were the most species-rich, but less diverse. Herbaceous diversity and species richness were lowest on nutrient-poor quartzite soil. These findings partially support our initial hypothesis and highlight the importance of substrate-specific edaphic filtering effects linked to parent geology. Given the increasing threats posed by land use and climate change to edaphically unique floras globally, we advocate for the incorporation of both climatic and edaphic variables into species distribution models (SDMs). Such integration will enhance predictive accuracy regarding the distribution of edaphic endemics under scenarios of environmental change. Furthermore, detailed soil sampling and analysis remain critical to improving our understanding of the edaphic determinants of plant diversity in edaphically complex landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 111-123"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024423","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":"2026-01-20","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":"Moringa (Moringa oleifera L.) seed: Heating, oil, physico-chemical and bioactive properties, phenolic compounds and fatty acid profiles","authors":"Isam A. Mohamed Ahmed ,&nbsp;Mehmet Musa Özcan ,&nbsp;Nurhan Uslu ,&nbsp;Emad Karrar ,&nbsp;Fahad Al Juhaimi","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The peroxide numbers of moringa oil samples were examined between 2.50 (microwave) and 4.00 meqO₂/kg (Oven). The primary (K232) and secondary oxidation (K270) values of heat-treated moringa oils were different from the control. Total carotenoid contents of moringa oils were assigned between 0.11 (microwave) and 2.50 µg/g (control). Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of unheated (raw-control) and heated moringa oils were characterized to be between 1.25 (control) and 2.39 mgGAE/100 ml (oven) to 0.07 (oven) and 0.16 mg/100 ml (microwave), respectively. The gallic acid and protocatechuic acid contents of the moringa oils were determined between 4.89 (control) and 9.10 mg/100 ml (Microwave) and 4.35 (Microwave) and 6.10 mg/100 ml (control), respectively. The quercetin content of the oils varied between 13.40 (microwave) and 14.68 mg/100 ml (oven). Oleic acid amounts of the unheated and heated moringa oils were characterized to be between 73.11 (oven) and 82.10% (control).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 61-67"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024474","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":"Biological screening of medicinal plants used by SCD patients in the eastern part of Madagascar for their anti-sickling and analgesic activities","authors":"Zoarilala Rinah Razafindrakoto ,&nbsp;Nantenaina Tombozara ,&nbsp;Fenitriniaina Judith Elyna Mahitasoa ,&nbsp;Marcellin Solofoniaina ,&nbsp;Edith Tolonjanahary Tatafasa ,&nbsp;Charles Andrianjara ,&nbsp;David Ramanitrahasimbola","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.027","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.027","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Madagascar is one of the Southern African countries where the prevalence of sickle cell disease (SCD), particularly among children younger than five years, is worrying. Malagasy SCD patients use several plant-based remedies to treat SCD and its symptoms. This study, which is a logical continuation of our previous field investigation, aims to screen the ethanol and/or aqueous extracts of some potential plant species cited by these patients for their analgesic and anti-sickling activities in order to demonstrate their efficacy in preventing SCD crisis and its symptoms. The anti-polymerization activity of the extracts was evaluated <em>in vitro</em> using sodium metabisulfite deoxygenated sickle hemoglobin (HbS) from SCD patients. The analgesic activity of the extracts was evaluated <em>in vivo</em> using acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice. 73 ethanol extracts and 73 aqueous extracts from 72 plant species were prepared for the biological screening. Among them, 15.1% (22) of the extracts showed good anti-polymerization activity at 1000 µg/mL where the ethanol extracts of <em>Sigesbeckia orientalis</em> (91.19%) and <em>Mollugo nudicaulis</em> (90.08%) demonstrated the highest activity. In addition, 69.9% (102) of the extracts at the oral dose of 200 mg/kg body weight (<em>b.w.</em>) showed good analgesic activity by inhibiting the experimental pain model where 22.6% (33) showed similar analgesic effect to that of paracetamol (150 mg/kg <em>b.w.</em>). <em>Cassia alata</em> and <em>Gynochtodes retusa</em> ethanol extracts showed the highest analgesic activity (92.73% and 91.87%, respectively). <em>Mimosa pudica</em> and <em>Stenocline inuloides</em> are the most promising species, as they demonstrated potent anti-polymerization (78.08% and 88.84%, respectively) and analgesic (88.44% and 79.71%, respectively) activities. These results show that these plants are good sources of anti-sicking and analgesic compounds that confirm the therapeutic virtues claimed by Malagasy SCD patients and traditional practitioners in the treatment of SCD and its symptoms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 11-20"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980698","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":"Long-term stability of bioactive compounds in Moringa oleifera leaf of north India: A shelf-life evaluation","authors":"Sudhanshu Shahi,&nbsp;Tara Singh Farswan,&nbsp;Madan Mohan Pandey","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Moringa oleifera</em> Lam., of the family Moringaceae is a well-known genus commonly known as the drumstick tree. It is a drought-tolerant species valued for its extensive medicinal and nutritional properties. Its leaves are particularly rich in bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and flavonoids, which are responsible for their renowned antioxidant, anti-hyperglycaemic and neuroprotective effects. However, these phytochemicals that confer the health benefits are often prone to degradation after harvesting during storage. This poses a significant challenge for the commercial viability and therapeutic efficacy of <em>Moringa</em>-based products, emphasizing the critical need for effective shelf-life studies. The current study was therefore designed to conduct a comprehensive 36-month stability assessment of <em>Moringa oleifera</em> leaf powder stored under ambient conditions, analysing changes in its phytochemical composition and antioxidant activities. The findings revealed a significant decline in both total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) over the storage period. The most pronounced losses, ranging from 40% to 62.8%, were observed between 18 and 24 months. Methanolic extracts showed consistently higher antioxidant capacity as compared to aqueous extracts, which degraded rapidly, which may be due to accelerated hydrolysis and oxidation processes. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) analysis revealed further insight into compound-specific degradation patterns. For instance, quercetin showed greater stability with a 13.9% loss, compared to the more significant degradation of chlorogenic acid (35.2%), gallic acid (39.2%) and rutin (38.1%), emphasizing the influence of molecular structure on preservation. A strong positive correlation (<em>r</em> = 0.89 - 0.93) was established between the reduction in TPC/TFC and in antioxidant activity decline, suggesting the possible role of phenolic compounds in maintaining functional efficacy. These findings will provide and suggest practical strategies to enhance the shelf life of <em>M. oleifera</em> products, thereby ensuring their practicability and uses as herbal medicines and nutraceutical products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 42-50"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980690","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":"Ellagitannin-rich Epilobium hirsutum extract promotes wound closure through dual Nrf2/NF-κB modulation: An integrated In vitro and in silico study","authors":"Serhat Karaman ,&nbsp;Yakup Budak ,&nbsp;Elif Aktürk Bozdemir","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chronic wounds represent a significant clinical challenge, with impaired healing processes linked to oxidative stress and persistent inflammation. <em>Epilobium hirsutum</em> is a medicinal plant traditionally used for wound treatment and has shown promise due to its ellagitannin-rich composition. This study comprehensively investigated the phytochemical profile, biological activities, and molecular mechanisms underlying the wound-healing potential of <em>E. hirsutum</em> extracts prepared with solvents of varying polarities (water, methanol, ethanol, and n-hexane) from samples collected in the Tokat region, Turkey. LC-MS/MS analyses, validated according to ICH guidelines, confirmed the presence of ellagitannins (vescalagin, castalagin, oenothein B), phenolic acids (gallic acid, ellagic acid), and flavonoids. The ethanol extract exhibited the highest total phenolic content (305±3.2 mg GAE/g) and superior antioxidant activity (DPPH IC₅₀: 12.8 ± 0.7 µg/mL; ABTS IC₅₀: 14.5 ± 0.5 µg/mL; FRAP: 485 ± 25 µmol Fe(II)/g). In cell-based wound healing assays, the ethanol extract significantly promoted scratch closure in HaCaT keratinocytes (87.3 ± 3.2% <em>vs.</em> 52.1 ± 2.7% in controls at 24 h, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01). Mechanistic studies revealed that the extract enhanced cellular antioxidant defense by increasing Nrf2 nuclear translocation (3.2 ± 0.3-fold) and downstream target expression (HO-1: 2.8 ± 0.2-fold; NQO1: 2.5 ± 0.2-fold), while simultaneously suppressing NF-κB p65 phosphorylation by 68.5 ± 3.5% in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Molecular docking studies showed strong binding affinities of vescalagin to Nrf2-Keap1 (-10.8 kcal/mol) and oenothein B to NF-κB p65 (-9.5 kcal/mol), with molecular dynamics simulations confirming interaction stability. Additionally, the extract demonstrated antimicrobial activity against wound-associated pathogens (S. aureus MIC: 125 µg/mL) through membrane disruption, as evidenced by propidium iodide uptake (62.5 ± 3.2%), extracellular ATP release (a 3.8 ± 0.4-fold increase), and potassium ion leakage (a 2.9 ± 0.3-fold increase). These findings establish that <em>E. hirsutum</em> ethanol extract promotes <em>İn vitro</em> wound closure through the coordinated activation of Nrf2 and the inhibition of NF-κB, supporting its development as a natural therapeutic agent for chronic wound management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 21-41"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980699","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":"In vitro and computational investigation of the antidiabetogenic pharmacological bioactivities of Gigartina polycarpa (Kützing) Setchell & N.L. Gardner 1933 red seaweed","authors":"S’thandiwe Nozibusiso Magwaza ,&nbsp;Kolawole Ayodapo Olofinsan ,&nbsp;Md.Shahidul Islam","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2026.01.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rising rates of obesity and diabetes worldwide, coupled with the unavoidable side effects of existing clinically approved drugs for their management, have necessitated the search for cost-effective therapeutic alternatives. For the first time, this study investigated the potential of <em>Gigartina polycarpa</em> (Kützing) Setchell &amp; N.L. Gardner 1933 seaweed extracts in managing obesity and diabetes by assessing their inhibitory effects on key digestive enzymes, inflammation, glucose absorption, and oxidative stress in rat tissues. Aqueous and ethanol crude extracts of <em>G. polycarpa</em> were analyzed for enzyme inhibition, skeletal muscle glucose uptake, and antioxidant activity using <em>in vitro</em> assays. The extracts inhibited pancreatic lipase, cholesterol esterase, and α-glucosidase while increasing skeletal muscle glucose uptake in rats. The seaweed extracts suppressed lipoxygenase and trypsin activities in a dose-dependent manner and enhanced the level and activities of endogenous antioxidant proteins in rats’ adipose tissue exposed to Fe²⁺-induced oxidative stress. Amongst compounds including viniferol D, osthole, fucosterol, margaspidin and fusaric acid annotated in the seaweed extracts, while viniferol D had the strongest binding affinities with the tested inflammatory and digestive enzyme protein targets compared to others. Although these findings suggest that <em>G. polycarpa</em> may be a potential natural option for managing inflammation, oxidative stress, and the dysfunctional utilization of energy molecules in these disease conditions, further work is still required to isolate the actual pharmacological molecules responsible for these activities from this plant.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"190 ","pages":"Pages 51-60"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980691","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":"2026-01-10","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":"Taxonomic revision of acaulescent and pseudoacaulescent perennial Arctotis species (Asteraceae, Arctotideae, Arctotidinae)","authors":"Robert J. McKenzie","doi":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajb.2025.12.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A taxonomic revision of the southern African genus <em>Arctotis</em> (Asteraceae, Arctotideae) is ongoing. <em>Arctotis acaulis</em> is distributed predominantly in the Western Cape province of South Africa and is among the most common <em>Arctotis</em> species in fynbos and renosterveld. Here, I present a revised taxonomy for <em>Arctotis acaulis</em> and allied species (perennial, non-shrubby species that share a similar distinctive cypsela morphology with <em>A. acaulis</em>) and pseudoacaulescent perennial species that may be confusable with <em>A. acaulis</em>. Twelve species are treated, distinguishable by the root system, caulescence, leaf, involucral bract and cypsela morphology, and pubescence. Four species are newly described: <em>Arctotis convallis, Arctotis diversicolor, Arctotis olifanta</em> and <em>Arctotis sunae</em>. The <em>nomen novum Arctotis madida</em> is proposed for the species described under the nomenclaturally illegitimate name <em>Arctotis undulata</em> Jacq. <em>Arctotis tricolor</em> Jacq. is lectotypified and synonymised with <em>A. acaulis</em>. Full descriptive accounts and a key for identification of the treated species are presented.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21919,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Botany","volume":"189 ","pages":"Pages 620-653"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925030","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}