Ethnobotany in Angola: The contribution of late 19th century christian missionaries to the knowledge of medicinal wild plants.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Angola has an extraordinary plant diversity and a great ethnobotanical potential. However, there is a general lack of information about the first botanical explorations in the country and their contribution to the knowledge of the medicinal flora. AIM OF THE STUDY: The main aim of this study was to unveil the ethnobotanical legacy of José Maria Antunes and Eugène Dekindt, priests of the first Catholic mission in Huíla (Angola) and shed light on their contribution to the knowledge of medicinal wild plants of the country, including information on the uses, plant parts used, and preparation methods documented in the late 19th century. The findings are discussed considering recent ethnobotanical studies to offer a more comprehensive understanding of the historical and traditional uses of plants in Angola over the last two centuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on the information available in manuscripts and on the study of botanical collections preserved in herbaria of Portugal and Angola, we extracted relevant information about the species used in traditional medicine by the rural population of Huíla, the health conditions treated, and the mode of preparation and application. RESULTS: Our results revealed that Antunes and Dekindt conducted the first ethnobotanical study in Huíla, and documented a large number of medicinal wild plants. From these, we report 191 medicinal species, including 25 endemic and four introduced species, belonging to 56 plant families and 146 genera. Fabaceae family presents the highest richness of medicinal plants (39 taxa), followed by Rubiaceae (13), Asteraceae (10), and Apocynaceae (9). The illnesses reported were classified into 15 different categories, with the highest number of species (49) corresponding to unspecific conditions, such as general pains, chills, and fever. Thirty-seven species were reported for respiratory diseases, 31 for musculoskeletal problems, and 30 for digestive issues. Leaves were the most used plant part for medicinal purposes (84 species). Infusion was the most frequently described preparation method (40 species), followed by maceration (24 species), and powdering (36 species). CONCLUSIONS: The legacy of Antunes and Dekindt's work improves our understanding of Angola's botanical richness and traditional uses of plant resources. Our findings highlight the presence of unique medicinal resources in Angola, especially among endemic species, which hold the potential to improve the quality of life of rural communities. Moreover, our research underscores the lack of knowledge of medicinal species, emphasizing the risk of losing valuable historical information.

Food from the Wild-Roles and Values of Wild Edible Plants and Fungi.

Humans have used a multitude of wild species of plants, fungi, and animals for food and medicinal purposes [...].

Diversity of Legumes in the Cashew Agroforestry System in East Timor (Southeast Asia).

Cashew is an important export-oriented crop in several tropical countries, often under monocropping systems. Intercropping with legume species is promoted as a sustainable practice, enhancing agricultural productivity and providing nutritional food sources to rural communities. This study aimed to characterize the diversity of Leguminosae (or Fabaceae) in the cashew agroforestry systems of East Timor (Southeast Asia). Fourteen cashew orchards were sampled across the country, and information about leguminous species uses was collected from local populations. About 50 species are commonly part of the country's cashew agroforestry system, many of them simultaneously used as food, fodder, and in traditional medicine. Six bean species-Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth, Phaseolus lunatus L., Phaseolus vulgaris L., Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi and H.Ohashi, Vigna radiata (L.) R.Wilczek and Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.-are largely used as food. The mineral contents of these beans revealed relevant differences between species and, in some cases, between types (seed colour) within species. Periods of hunger and low food variety are frequent in East Timor, reflecting a very poor nutritional state of the population. Knowing and using legumes for local nutrition, as well as for healthcare and well-being, adds great value to these species as components of East Timor cashew agroforestry systems.

Diversity of Useful Plants in Cabo Verde Islands: A Biogeographic and Conservation Perspective.

Cabo Verde's biodiversity is threatened by activities that meet human needs. To counteract this, an integration of scientific and indigenous knowledge is required, but no comprehensive list of the useful local plants is available. Thus, in this work, we assess (1) their diversity and phytogeography; (2) the role of geophysical, historical, and socio-economic factors on species distribution and uses; and (3) potentially relevant species for sustainable development. Data were obtained from flora, scientific publications, historical documents, herbarium specimens and field work. Many species were introduced since the 15th century to support settlement and commercial interests. We identified 518 useful taxa, of which 145 are native, 38 endemic and 44 endangered. The number of useful taxa is correlated with altitude and agricultural area, as well as with rural population indicators, but not with total population or socio-economic indicators such as gross domestic product. Native taxa are mostly used for fuelwood, forage and utilitarian purposes. Agrobiodiversity and traditional practices seem crucial to cope with recurrent droughts and ensure food security. Most of the introduced species do not present conservation problems, contrasting with the overuse of some native taxa. The safeguarding of native populations will ensure the sustainable exploitation of these resources and benefit the local economy.

Diversity and Cytogenomic Characterization of Wild Carrots in the Macaronesian Islands.

The Macaronesian islands constitute an enormous reservoir of genetic variation of wild carrots (subtribe Daucinae; Apiaceae), including 10 endemic species, but an accurate understanding of the diversification processes within these islands is still lacking. We conducted a review of the morphology, ecology, and conservation status of the Daucinae species and, on the basis of a comprehensive dataset, we estimated the genome size variation for 16 taxa (around 320 samples) occurring in different habitats across the Macaronesian islands in comparison to mainland specimens. Results showed that taxa with larger genomes (e.g., Daucus crinitus: 2.544 pg) were generally found in mainland regions, while the insular endemic taxa from Azores and Cabo Verde have smaller genomes. Melanoselinum decipiens and Monizia edulis, both endemic to Madeira Island, showed intermediate values. Positive correlations were found between mean genome size and some morphological traits (e.g., spiny or winged fruits) and also with habit (herbaceous or woody). Despite the great morphological variation found within the Cabo Verde endemic species, the 2C-values obtained were quite homogeneous between these taxa and the subspecies of Daucus carota, supporting the close relationship among these taxa. Overall, this study improved the global knowledge of DNA content for Macaronesian endemics and shed light into the mechanisms underpinning diversity patterns of wild carrots in the western Mediterranean region.

Natural and Historical Heritage of the Lisbon Botanical Gardens: An Integrative Approach with Tree Collections.

Botanical gardens have long contributed to plant science and have played a leading role in ex situ conservation, namely of threatened tree species. Focusing on the three botanical gardens of Lisbon (i.e., Botanical Garden of Ajuda-JBA, Lisbon Botanical Garden-JBL, and Tropical Botanical Garden-JBT), this study aims to reveal their natural heritage and to understand the historical motivations for their creation. Our results showed that these gardens contain a total of 2551 tree specimens, corresponding to 462 taxa, within 80 plant families. Of these, 85 taxa are found in the three gardens, and more than half of the taxa are hosted in JBL (334 taxa), whereas 230 and 201 taxa were recorded in JBT and JBA, respectively. The motivations for the creation of each garden are reflected in the different geographic origins of the trees they host in their living collections. The Palearctic species are dominant in JBA and JBL, and Tropical trees prevail in JBT. With more than 250 years of history, these gardens hold an invaluable natural and historical heritage, with their living collections providing valuable sources of information for the conservation of threatened plant species, at local and global scales.

Exploring glucosinolates diversity in Brassicaceae: a genomic and chemical assessment for deciphering abiotic stress tolerance.

Brassica is one of the most economically important genus of the Brassicaceae family, encompassing several key crops like Brassica napus (cabbage) and broccoli (Brassica oleraceae var. italica). This family is well known for their high content of characteristic secondary metabolites such as glucosinolates (GLS) compounds, recognize for their beneficial health properties and role in plants defense. In this work, we have looked through gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of GLS, by combining genomic analysis with biochemical pathways and chemical diversity assessment. A total of 101 Brassicaceae genes involved in GLS biosynthesis were identified, using a multi-database approach. Through a UPGMA and PCA analysis on the 101 GLS genes recorded, revealed a separation between the genes mainly involved in GLS core structure synthesis and genes belonging to the CYP450s and MYBs gene families. After, a detailed phylogenetic analysis was conducted to better understand the disjunction of the aliphatic and indolic genes, by focusing on CYP79F1-F2 and CYP81F1-F4, respectively. Our results point to a recent diversification of the aliphatic CYP79F1 and F2 genes in Brassica crops, while for indolic genes an earliest diversification is observed for CYP81F1-F4 genes. Chemical diversity revealed that Brassica crops have distinct GLS chemo-profiles from other Brassicaceae genera; being highlighted the high contents of GLS found among the Diplotaxis species. Also, we have explored GLS-rich species as a new source of taxa with great agronomic potential, particularly in abiotic stress tolerance, namely Diplotaxis, the closest wild relatives of Brassica crops.