Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
Fahimeh Niazpour Gonbadi; Ali Sattarian; Abolfazl Daneshvar; Elham Amini
Abstract
Background and objectives: As a member of the Lamiaceae family native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, Vitex agnus-castus is a popular medicinal plant. Despite much research, it is always essential to verify the safety of this valuable species, as it is among the world's best-selling plants. Several ...
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Background and objectives: As a member of the Lamiaceae family native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, Vitex agnus-castus is a popular medicinal plant. Despite much research, it is always essential to verify the safety of this valuable species, as it is among the world's best-selling plants. Several species in the genus Vitex do not exhibit recognizable morphologies, confusing their identification. The medicinal use of V. agnus-castus differs from that of other species. For effective pharmaceutical performance, the identification of this species is essential. This study used morphological, micromorphological, and molecular approaches to identify this medicinal plant.Methodology: A total of 17 populations of the target species were investigated in Maraveh Tappeh, a city in the Golestan province located in the eastern region. Pollen samples were collected directly from the natural habitat of the target area. After acetolysis, 30-40 pollen grains were photographed from the polar and equatorial views with a light microscope and 40 and 100 magnification and with the help of a Canon digital camera. In order to study the seed morphology, fully ripe fruits were collected from each studied population during the fruiting season. Twenty seeds from each population were kept for photography with light microscopy and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electron micrographs were prepared from suitable seeds and pollen at the Razi Metallurgical Research Center (RMRC) using an SEM electron microscope. Leaf cells from herbarium samples were extracted from DNA using a DNA extraction kit. Plastid trnL-trnF sequences and nrDNA ITS region sequences were used as barcodes. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed in 20 microliters with desired primers and a specific temperature program in a thermocycler. After performing the polymerase chain reaction, in order to ensure the amplification of fragments, the final product was electrophoresed. Strong single bands were sent to Codon Genetics Company in Tehran for sequencing.Results: Pollen grains of all species are small (12-28 micrometers). According to Ertman's classification, Ghazan ghayeh pollen grains are prolate spheroidal (elongated spherical), and Ghoshe Tappeh pollen grains are subprolate (semi-elongated). All pollen grains are tricolporate. Ghazan ghayeh ornamentation is micro-perforated, while Ghoshe Tappeh ornamentations are reticulated-micro-perforated. With an average length of 3.84 mm and width of 1.52 mm, Ghazan ghayeh seeds are the largest. They are all almond-shaped, but in the Ghazan Ghayeh population, the outer surface of the seed is hollow; in the Ghoshe Tappeh population, the surface is wrinkled and striated. The trnL-trnF gene locus was found to have a multiplication success rate of 85% in the examined plants. There were 516 nucleotides in the amplified fragment in this species. For final registration, the sequence was sent to the GenBank. A 675 nucleotide fragment amplified from this species' ITS marker was sequenced, and the chromatograms were compared with the NCBI database. The gene bank has been notified of the sequence determination. The results showed the highest similarity (98%) with the Vitex agnus-castus species reported from America.Conclusion: Local herbal medicines are gaining popularity in different countries and play a significant role in treating diseases today. In order to make medicinal plants more accessible, we need to pay more attention to trust, marketing, and consumption. Barcoding and molecular approaches serve this purpose effectively. To compare plant samples available on the market with natural medicinal plants using DNA barcoding of correctly identified medicinal species. Hence, the sequences used in this study are essential for barcoding Vitex agnus-castus. The medicinal species has been correctly identified and can be used as a standard for evaluating the plants available on the market.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
Y. Asri; M. Rabie
Abstract
Background and objectives: In different ecosystems, factors such as altitude, rainfall, temperature, lighting, humidity, and soil nutrients are essential variables that affect the metabolism and accumulation of secondary metabolites. Therefore, it is vital to know the factors affecting ...
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Background and objectives: In different ecosystems, factors such as altitude, rainfall, temperature, lighting, humidity, and soil nutrients are essential variables that affect the metabolism and accumulation of secondary metabolites. Therefore, it is vital to know the factors affecting the active substances of medicinal plants. Therefore, researchers try to increase the production of effective substances by different methods. We can mention the research conducted in the field of the effect of ecological factors on the essential oil compounds of different populations of Nepeta crispa, Salvia sharifii, Satureja rechingeri and Stachys pilifera. This study investigated the relationship between climatic, topographical, and edaphic parameters as necessary factors that influence the morphological traits and essential oil compounds of the medicinal endemic species Dracocephalum ghahremanii Jamzad.Methodology: Three habitats of D. ghahremanii were selected in Semnan province with different environmental conditions, and 15 plots of 4 m2 were established by systematic random method. In each plot, the plant height, canopy diameter, cover, biomass and leaf area of the studied species were measured. Flowering branches were collected from natural habitats with three replications, and essential oils were extracted using a hydrodistillation method using a Clevenger apparatus. GC-FID and GC/MS identified the essential oil compounds. Five soil samples were randomly taken from inside the plots in each habitat, and some soil physicochemical parameters, including pH, EC, OM, N, P, K, lime and soil texture, were measured. Analysis of variance and comparison of data mean was done using SPSS software. The most important environmental factors affecting morphological traits and essential oil compounds were determined using the correlation analysis method in SPSS software and the principal component analysis (PCA) method in Minitab software. The conservation status of this species was determined using the IUCN method and based on the criteria of EOO and AOO using GeoCAT software, as well as data related to population size and habitat quality.Results: Comparing the average morphological traits of D. ghahremanii showed that the highest and lowest values of morphological traits are related to the Tash region with an altitude of 3043 meters and Tang Kavard with an altitude of 2032 meters, respectively. Variance analysis of morphological traits also showed a significant difference between the plants of the three regions in terms of leaf area at the level of 1% and in terms of plant height, canopy diameter, canopy cover and biomass at the level of 5%. The analysis of D. ghahremanii essential oil showed that its chemical composition differs in three regions. In Tang Kavard region, (E)-β-Farnesene, trans-Cadina-1(6),4-diene and (E)-Caryophyllene, in Dibaj region,(E)-β-Farnesene, trans-Cadina-1(6),4-diene and Caryophyllene oxide, and Tash region, Caryophyllene oxide, α-Vetivone and Carvone hydrate were identified as dominant compounds. Analysis of the variance of common essential oil compounds of this species also showed a significant difference between the averages of these compounds at 0.1%. Physicochemical parameters of D. ghahremanii habitats had significant differences. Variance analysis of the values of these parameters showed that there is a significant difference between the three regions in terms of OM, N, P, K, lime, sand and silt at the level of 0.1%, pH at the level of 1% and EC and clay at the level of 5%. Correlation between the characteristics of this species with some environmental factors showed that altitude, annual precipitation, annual temperature, minimum temperature of the coldest month, maximum temperature of the hottest month, lime, OM, N, P, sand and silt have the most significant correlation with morphological characteristics and essential oil compounds. Considering that the area occupied by this species in the studied populations (AOO) is 0.750 km2 and its presence area in the province (EOO) is 691.046 km2, its conservation status in Iran was determined as Critically Endangered (CR).Conclusion: As a general conclusion, the increase in altitude has increased the functional characteristics (morphology and phytochemistry) of D. ghahremanii. Despite the relative similarity of the dominant compounds in the essential oil of this species, the composition of the essential oil (percentage of major and minor components) was different in the three investigated regions. Among the environmental parameters, altitude, annual precipitation, OM, N, P, K and silt were the most critical factors affecting the morphological traits and the percentage of oxygenated terpenes, which can indicate the importance of high altitude habitats in terms of essential oil content and compounds with higher antioxidant properties for this plant. Based on these findings, the maximum temperature of the hottest month, the minimum temperature of the coldest month, and the absolute minimum temperature of lime and sand were the most important parameters affecting the percentage of hydrocarbon terpenes. These results can be significant for extracting D. ghahremanii essential oil from natural habitats or commercially cultivating this plant to extract the secondary compounds in its essential oil.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
Khadije Talebi ghadikolai; Hossein Moradi; Razieh Azimi Etergale
Abstract
Background and purpose: The Peganum hamala L. medicinal plant belongs to the Nitrariaceae family and is a native species of the Peganum genus in Iran. P. hamala possesses a wide range of unique biological and medicinal properties due to its valuable secondary metabolites like flavonoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, ...
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Background and purpose: The Peganum hamala L. medicinal plant belongs to the Nitrariaceae family and is a native species of the Peganum genus in Iran. P. hamala possesses a wide range of unique biological and medicinal properties due to its valuable secondary metabolites like flavonoids, alkaloids, anthraquinones, and volatile oil compounds. Despite the widespread distribution of P. hamala in northern Iran, limited studies were conducted on this plant species adapted to arid and semi-arid ecological conditions. Therefore, in this regard, one of the goals of this research is to evaluate the ecological impact and the effect of fixed latitude and different geographical longitudes of the growing place along with the rhizosphere on some structural and yield traits of P. hamala under nine altitude gradients located in Mazandaran.Methodology: To investigate the effect of ecological factors on the structural traits (wet and dry weight of vegetative organs, fresh and dry weight of root, dry matter percentage of vegetative organs, dry matter percentage of root, arch, plant height, plant canopy area, diameter and length of root, and maximum length of stem and crown) and yield traits (fruit diameter, fruit yield, fruit weight, seed weight, average number of seeds, number of fruits, and percentage of seeds in the fruit) of P. hamala, samples of whole plants in the seeding stage were collected from nine different altitude gradients in regions of Khatirkoh (700 and 1000 m), Chahardangeh (1300, 1500, 1700, and 1900 m), and Gadook (2100, 2300, and 2500 m), with three replications along with the substrate soil in a completely random design.Results: Based on the results of the analysis, yield traits show a positive correlation with atmospheric Based on the analysis, yield traits are positively correlated with atmospheric factors. Furthermore, among the structural traits, stem vegetative traits are positively correlated with precipitation, evaporation, and radiation at the probability level of 5%. They also have a negative correlation with relative humidity at 1%. The increase in height above sea level causes an increase in humidity and a decrease in temperature in the Gadook and Khatirkoh areas. In contrast, it causes decreased humidity and temperature in the Chahardangeh area. Also, crop yield decreases with increasing altitude in all three regions. The maximum yield of the product is observed at 2100 m and 1500 m altitudes. The increase is due to increased silty materials, moisture, EC, and pH. The altitude slope shows a positive correlation with grain yield at 1%. In each region, as height above sea level increases, the root length and diameter increase and decrease, respectively. Stem and root vegetative traits show a negative correlation with seed traits. Also, canopy level with plant height and maximum plant stem arch were positively correlated with plant yield at the 1% probability level. In general, based on the results, by increasing the height gradient from sea level, decreasing the temperature, and increasing the humidity and nutrients of the soil, there is a decrease in vegetative growth and an increase in crop yield. According to the performance feature regression model, as elevation increased, the amount of sand and clay, organic matter, and evaporation increased. This led to an increase in yield with a 60% determination factor. According to the regression model used, the effect of soil factors is higher than weather and climate. Therefore, climate factors change for this plant at a fixed latitude.Conclusion: According to the results of examining the structural and yield traits of the collected P. hamala ecotypes, yield traits increase with the increase in altitude gradient, the amount of sand and clay, organic substances, evaporation, and decrease in temperature. On the other hand, vegetative traits decrease. Therefore, the Gadook region population is introduced as the superior ecotype with maximum yield traits among these studied regions in Mazandaran province.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
. .; Narjes Yusefi; Farnosh fatahi
Abstract
Background and objectives: Recording ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants preserves the scientific heritage of medicinal and aromatic plants. This unique and valuable knowledge has long been passed down from generation to generation but is eroded as societies modernize. ...
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Background and objectives: Recording ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants preserves the scientific heritage of medicinal and aromatic plants. This unique and valuable knowledge has long been passed down from generation to generation but is eroded as societies modernize. In this regard, the present study was conducted to identify medicinal plants used by residents. It also identified cultures, methods of use, and the therapeutic context of the mentioned plants in Pasargad County. In this region, herbal medicines are common, especially with the Basri nomadic tribe.Methodology: To understand the factors affecting the differentiation and segregation of the region, such as ecological, cultural, historical, and land use conditions, a field visit was first conducted in the Pasargad region. Ethnobotanical information was obtained using a semi-structured questionnaire and interviews with knowledgeable people. A total of 101 informants participated in the study. The target areas for sampling were determined after dividing the region into two central parts (Saadshahr) and Madras Sulaiman based on local guides' information. Demographic information about people, such as education, gender, age group, and registered status, was considered. This research seeks local knowledge and traditional applications for identifying medicinal samples. In this regard, information was collected from native people of the region, attars, and knowledgeable people about traditional medicine and medicinal plants. The necessary interviews were conducted. To quantitatively examine the ethnobotanical information, the indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants was classified using software (Excel 2021). Quantitative indices used in ethnobotanical studies allow the selection of the most influential species of medicinal plants for conducting medicinal research. In this regard, a quantitative analysis of the ethnobotanical information of local knowledge of medicinal plants based on indicators including the relative frequency of citations (RFC), usage value (UV), cultural importance (CI), and the consensus index of informants (ICF) is carried out.Results: The collected plants belonged to 18 families, the most abundant of which were Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Amaryllidaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, and Malvaceae families. The most common herbal medicine consumption method was boiled (30%), followed by infusion (30%) and cooking (15%). The most used medicinal parts of plants in this region were leaves and flowers, with 44% and 21%, respectively. According to this study, Shirazi thyme, Stachys inflate, and Prangos ferulacea had the highest relative frequency of citations (RFC). Plants with the highest index of cultural importance in the region included species that show their high importance in the culture of using medicinal plants. The region's local people used two species, Zataria multiflora and Matricaria chamomilla. Recorded diseases and traditional remedies from medicinal plants were classified according to the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2). The ICF index was calculated in 9 disease classes based on the usage report and the number of species applied to each disease class. Thus, nine categories of diseases, including digestive (GAS-D), respiratory (RES-R), nervous (NER-N), skin and hair (DER-S), general and unspecified (OTH-A), urology and kidney (URO-U), endocrine/metabolic and nutrition (MET-T, gynecological diseases (GYN-X), cardiovascular (CAR-K) were determined. The highest amount of ICF is related to three groups of gastrointestinal diseases. It was respiratory and nervous with an ICF value (of 0.92).Conclusion: High ICF of digestive diseases is due to the high UR of Zataria multiflora, Carum copticum, Pistacia atlantica, Mentha longifolia, and Glycyrrhiza glabra for digestive disorders. The second rank of ICF of respiratory diseases is related to the high UR of Zataria multiflora, Achillea eriophora, and Stachys lavandulifolia. Also, the high UR of Matricaria chamomilla, Salvia officinalis, Rosa damaescena, and Ballota oucheri accounts for the high ranking. These findings are due to the high UR of medicinal plants to treat the diseases of the three mentioned ailments categories. This can have ecological and sociological reasons.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
zahra aslani; Ahad Hedayati; Behrooz- Esmaielpour-
Abstract
Background and objectives: Hippophae rhamnoides L. (sea buckthorn) is a deciduous shrub or tree in the Elaeagnaceae family. Sea buckthorn is one of the native species of the Turani regions of Iran, with limited and scattered habitats in Gachsar, Haraz, Arasbaran, Khoy, and Alamut. ...
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Background and objectives: Hippophae rhamnoides L. (sea buckthorn) is a deciduous shrub or tree in the Elaeagnaceae family. Sea buckthorn is one of the native species of the Turani regions of Iran, with limited and scattered habitats in Gachsar, Haraz, Arasbaran, Khoy, and Alamut. An old miraculous plant, it is highly regarded for its richness in bioactive and nutritional substances. Hippophae rhamnoides is one of the valuable precursor species in terms of nitrogen fixation for the soil. It is a storage shrub resistant to cold, drought, and low-cover environments. Sea buckthorn contains nearly 200 nutritional and bioactive compounds. This plant's fruits are rich in lipids, carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and flavonoids. The purpose of the present study, considering the high medicinal and ecological importance of the Sea buckthorn plant and the few studies in Iran, especially in the field of phytochemical compounds of this valuable plant, is to introduce the Sea buckthorn plant, its phytochemical compounds, and some of their uses in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Materials and methods: This article contains scientific papers published between 2001 and 2022 from Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed.Results: All parts of sea buckthorn (fruits, leaves, stems, branches, roots, and thorns) have been traditionally used in medicine and food supplements. Sea buckthorn leaves, fruits, and oils are rich in macro and microelements, vitamins A, C, E, lipids, carotenoids, amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and phenols. In recent years, there have been several reports on the medicinal activities of sea buckthorn, including its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities and its ability to protect the heart and blood vessels. The oil obtained from the seeds and fruit includes bioactive compounds such as palmitoleic acid (omega 7), a part of skin lipids, and stimulates epidermis repair and healing wounds. Flavonol glycosides are one of the most abundant phenolic compounds in sea buckthorn. Flavonoids are antioxidants in sea buckthorn that prevent blood platelet accumulation and cancer cell spread. They improve blood circulation and reduce inflammation. As an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and other natural additive, sea buckthorn is used in various food products. In addition, it is used in diverse forms, such as oil, dried powder, fruit juice, pills, drinks, fruit, and tea. Conclusion: Besides its high nutritional value as a food, the genus Hippophae has several economic advantages as a raw material for cosmetics, food, pharmaceutical industries, and environmental protection. Due to its high tolerance to cold, drought, salinity, and alkalinity and the ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, it is an ideal product for protecting soil and water and windbreaks on marginal lands prone to soil erosion.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
R. Saadati; A. Sattarian; A. Daneshvar; E. Amini
Abstract
Ethnobotany uses the general knowledge of people about the use of plants for different purposes, including home treatment of diseases by plants in different cultures and ethnicities. Golestan is considered as one of the important provinces of Iran for extracting botanical knowledge of natives. The Turkmen ...
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Ethnobotany uses the general knowledge of people about the use of plants for different purposes, including home treatment of diseases by plants in different cultures and ethnicities. Golestan is considered as one of the important provinces of Iran for extracting botanical knowledge of natives. The Turkmen is one of the ethnicities of this province that has been able to make good use of nature capacity. The present study was conducted to collect and classify the medicinal plants used by the natives of the Turkmen villages in Eastern Golestan province in 2018. For this purpose, we visited 30 villages and interviewed 90 natives who used medicinal plants to treat people diseases. The results showed that about 54 plant species have a special place in the ethnobotanical knowledge of the region natives studied among which Silybum marianum L. with 78, Urtica dioical L. with 65, and Calendula persica C.A.Mey. with 62 had the highest use report (UR), respectively. S. marianum with 0.86, U. dioical with 0.72, and C. persica with 0.68 showed the highest relative frequency of citation (RFC). The highest number of species belonged to Asteraceae and Lamiaceae families, respectively. The most consumption of medicinal plants was attributed to the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases. The neurological, respiratory, and blood sugar diseases showed the highest amount of informant consensus index frequency (ICF).
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
M. Ghorbani; S. Khorasaninejad; Kh. Hemmati; Kh. Ghorbani
Abstract
This study was aimed at comparing Viola spp. populations collected from north and northwest of Iran to investigate the adaptability and feasibility of their domestication under climatic conditions of Gorgan. The whole plant samples together with their rhizomes were collected from nine habitats in Golestan, ...
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This study was aimed at comparing Viola spp. populations collected from north and northwest of Iran to investigate the adaptability and feasibility of their domestication under climatic conditions of Gorgan. The whole plant samples together with their rhizomes were collected from nine habitats in Golestan, Mazandaran, Gilan, East Azerbaijan, and Kermanshah provinces during the growing season. After botanical approval and receiving herbarium code, the rhizomes were cultivated under the same soil and climate with three replications. Their yield components and physiological, morphological, and phytochemical traits were measured after one crop year at flowering stage. The results showed that these populations were from V. alba Besser, V. odorata L., V. sieheana W.Becker, and V. ignobilis Rups. species. All populations produced flowers and seeds after one crop year. The populations differed significantly (P<0.01). V. ignobilis from Kermanshah had the highest amount of root and aerial parts fresh weight, aerial parts dry weight, and leaf area. The highest amount of root and aerial parts length belonged to V. sieheana from Alangdare. V. alba from Ziarat had the highest amount of total phenols (45.74 mg gallic acid per gram of dry extract) and total flavonoids (20.24 mg quercetin per gram of dry extract). The highest amount of chlorophylls a and b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanins was observed in V. odorata from Bandargaz. The highest antioxidant activity by DPPH and ABTS methods was found in V. alba from Afratakhte and the highest one by FRAP was observed in V. odorata from Qarnabad. The highest amount of total antioxidant was measured in V. alba and V. oderata populations from Ziarat region. Overall, the results proved the considerable traits diversity in Viola spp. populations. This diversity could be due to the high genetic potential among different populations, differences in environmental conditions, or the interaction of population and environment.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
A. Hajebi; Hamidreza Mirdavoodi; M.A. Soltanipoor
Abstract
The present study was aimed at investigating the ecological needs of endemic and medicinal species Pulicaria aucheri (Boiss.) Jaub. & Spach in Hormozgan province. Surveys were performed in three main habitats of the species including Bastak, Sirmand, and Geno. Analysis of habitat parameters in the ...
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The present study was aimed at investigating the ecological needs of endemic and medicinal species Pulicaria aucheri (Boiss.) Jaub. & Spach in Hormozgan province. Surveys were performed in three main habitats of the species including Bastak, Sirmand, and Geno. Analysis of habitat parameters in the mentioned areas showed that all measurement parameters except frequency were significantly different at 5% probability level. The mean canopy area, density, and frequency of this species were respectively 5.3%, 2611 plants per hectare, and 66%. The highest percentage of total canopy coverage, forage production per hectare, number of plants per hectare, litter percentage, percentage of canopy coverage, and plant height was observed in Sirmand region. The highest percentage of uncovered soil was measured in Bastak region and the highest percentage of stones and gravels was observed in Geno region. Analysis of regions soil parameters showed that all measurement parameters except soil acidity were significantly different at 5% probability level. The highest electrical conductivity, percentage of saturation, and soil silt was obtained in Bastak region. Sirmand region had the highest amount of lime and soil sand. Also, the highest percentage of organic carbon, nitrogen, and soil clay was observed in Geno region. The soil texture was loam and sandy-loam in Bastak region, sandy-loam in Sirmand region, and sandy-clay-loam in Geno region. The results of phenological studies showed that the peak flowering time (from early March to early April) is the best flowering shoots harvest time of this species for medicinal purposes. Due to the being endemic, having essential oil and antimicrobial effects, as well as severe grazing by livestock, it is necessary to pay more attention to this valuable species.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
P. Arvin; R. Firuzeh
Abstract
Ethnobotany is a branch of traditional knowledge that studies the role of plants of a certain district in the knowledge of its indigenous people and is the recovery of unwritten traditions that are in the danger of extinction. Therefore, a study conducted to identify the medicinal plants of Razo-Jargalan ...
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Ethnobotany is a branch of traditional knowledge that studies the role of plants of a certain district in the knowledge of its indigenous people and is the recovery of unwritten traditions that are in the danger of extinction. Therefore, a study conducted to identify the medicinal plants of Razo-Jargalan district and use of the knowledge and experience of the indigenous to introduce the properties and unknown dimensions of the desired medicinal plants. The information about various aspects of plants such as the traditional uses, how to use, and sampling time of plants were collected from the experienced natives. The results of the present study showed that out of 85 medicinal plant species, 14 ones belonged to the fam. Asteraceae, followed by the fam. Lamiaceae with 13 species and the fam. Apiaceae with 11 species. Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) with 201, thyme (Thymus transcaspicus Klokov) with 191, and artemisia (Artemisia siberi Besser.) with 178 showed the highest use of report (UR). A. siberi with 0.77, G. glabra with 0.73, and Th. transcaspicus with 0.69 had also the highest amount of relative frequency of citation index (RFC). Five life forms including hemicryptophytes (38 species), therophytes (16 species), phanerophytes (16 species), chameophytes (11 species), and geophytes (4 species) were observed among the species. The aerial parts was the most used part of medicinal plants in this region and the main uses of medicinal plants were in the treatment of digestive, general and unspecified, respiratory, and skin diseases, respectively. Regarding the informant consensus factor (ICF), the musculoskeletal diseases group obtained the highest value of this index (0.96) among the other groups.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
M. Ghadimi Joboni; M. Ghavam
Abstract
Ethnobotany is the recording of traditional unwritten information for the rational exploitation of resources and the effective protection of biodiversity and cultural information in any community. The present study aimed at recording the local's indigenous knowledge of Jubon village in Rudbar city of ...
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Ethnobotany is the recording of traditional unwritten information for the rational exploitation of resources and the effective protection of biodiversity and cultural information in any community. The present study aimed at recording the local's indigenous knowledge of Jubon village in Rudbar city of Guilan province about using medicinal and edible plants. The research data were obtained through the semi-structured interviews with 35 local experts. The descriptive statistics models such as the relative frequency of citation, use value, and cultural significance indices were used to analyze the data. The results showed that 34 plant species from 19 families were used for therapeutic and edible purposes in the study area. Plants of the families apiaceae, lamiaceae, and asteraceae with the frequencies of 19, 16, and 9%, respectively, were the most used in the region. The most important medicinal plants in the region were Malva sylvestris L., Echium amoenum Fisch. & C.A.Mey., Urtica dioica L., Eryngium planum L., and Foeniculum vulgare Mill., respectively, which had the highest cultural significance and relative frequency of citation indices among the medicinal plants of the region. The findings also indicated that the most common purpose of therapeutic use of the plants was about the gastrointestinal diseases, which were mainly used orally in cooking. In general, the people of Jubon village have a rich knowledge about the use of medicinal and edible plants, and this knowledge has existed in the region for generations.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
A. Pourmeidani; H. Tavakoli Neko; M. Ghamghami
Abstract
Since Iran has always faced fluctuations and decreases in the rainfall, and on the other hand, the uncontrolled harvest of water resources have led to a more severe decline in the groundwater resources, the medicinal plants cultivation can help overcome the water deficit crisis. This study aimed at determining ...
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Since Iran has always faced fluctuations and decreases in the rainfall, and on the other hand, the uncontrolled harvest of water resources have led to a more severe decline in the groundwater resources, the medicinal plants cultivation can help overcome the water deficit crisis. This study aimed at determining the ecological suitability of cultivation of four medicinal plants including damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.), saffron (Crocus sativus L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.) in 36 plains located in the Salt Lake (Namak Lake) catchment. The research methodology included the collection, reconstruction, and quality control of the information, climatic simulation, calculation of the agro-climatological indicators, and estimation of the agriculture share of water resources separately for each plain, estimation of the plant water needs, determination of the moisture balance, preparation of the suitability layers of cultivation, and finally overlaying the layers to produce the suitable/unsuitable agricultural lands for the cultivation of these plants. The climate simulation was performed by the strategic re-sampling technique to generate the different scenarios during the period 2011-2035. All the models under the different scenarios predicted a decrease in the rainfall and an increase in the maximum and minimum temperatures. The EC-EARTH model under the RCP2.6 scenario predicted the highest percentage of rainfall decrease (about 23%) and temperature increase. Due to the salinity and heat stress, the agricultural lands located at Sharifabad plain, northern parts of Qom-Kahak plain agricultural lands, eastern lands of Saveh plain, northern lands of Kashan plain, and southern lands of Varamin plain were unsuitable for the cultivation of all four medicinal species. The cultivation of saffron and damask rose in most of the plains of Salt Lake catchment was suitable or very suitable.
Identification, introduction, ecology and ethnobotany
M. Arbabi; P. Baradaran; S.B. Javadi; D. Shirdel
Abstract
Wild and cultivated medicinal plants are facing the spread of some plant mites’ activity under greenhouse conditions in Iran. The study of mite fauna of medicinal plants in different regions of the country showed that out of 135 plant species collected, 78 species from 35 families were hosts of ...
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Wild and cultivated medicinal plants are facing the spread of some plant mites’ activity under greenhouse conditions in Iran. The study of mite fauna of medicinal plants in different regions of the country showed that out of 135 plant species collected, 78 species from 35 families were hosts of harmful and predatory mites. More than 41 harmful and beneficial plant mite species from 12 families were identified. The plant family Asteraceae with nine plant species had the highest range of plant mite activity. The highest plant host diversity was recorded for Tetranychus urticae and Tydeidae mites with 53 and 16 plant species, respectively. Most of the nutritional symptoms and damages of mites from reduction to the cessation of plant growth caused by T. urticae on Malva sylvestris, Alcea sp. Glycyrrhiza glabra and Solanum transcaucasicum outdoors and on Portulaca oleracea, Mentha sp. and Fragaria sp. under greenhouse conditions. Symptoms of damages of Brevipalpus obovatus (in tea gardens), B. lewisi (on shell of guava fruits), Aculus semenovi (on Sophora alopecuroides), Trisetacus juniperinus (on Cupressus sempervirens), and Aceria sp. (on Lactuca serriola) were considered important. None of the collected predatory mites were effective in controlling T. urticae mites.
