No abstract

Eremopoa is a small genus of annual grasses distributed from Egypt to western China. Phylogenetic analyses of plastid and nuclear ribosomal DNA show that Eremopoa species, together with the monotypic genus Lindbergella and a single species of Poa (P.speluncarum), are nested within the genus Poa, in a clade that we accept as Poasubg.Pseudopoa. Here we accept seven species, four subspecies and four varieties in Poasubg.Pseudopoa. Five new combinations are made: Poaattalica, P.diaphora var. alpina, P.diaphora var. songarica, P.nephelochloides and P.persicasubsp.multiradiata; P.millii is proposed as a replacement name for E.capillaris; and Poa sections Lindbergella and Speluncarae are proposed. We provide a diagnosis for Poasubg.Pseudopoa, synonymy for and a key to the taxa. Eight lectotypes are designated: Eragrostisbarbeyi Post, Eremopoanephelochloides Roshev., Glyceriataurica Steud., Nephelochloatripolitana Boiss. & Blanche, Poacilicensis Hance, Poaparadoxa Kar. & Kir., Poapersicavar.alpina Boiss and Poapersicasubsp.cypria Sam. Eremopoamedica is re-identified as a species of Puccinellia.

The aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate antibacterial activities of methanol (MetOH) and aqueous (dw) leaf (L), root (R) and seed (S) extracts of Urtica dioica L. (Ud; stinging nettle) and Urtica pilulifera L. (Up; Roman nettle) on both food- and plant-borne pathogens, with total phenolic contents and DPPH radical scavenging activities (DRSA). MetOH extracts of leaves and roots of U. dioica had the highest DRSA. Extracts with high antibacterial activity were in the order Up-LMetOH (13/16) > Ud-SMetOH (11/16) > Up-SMetOH (9/16). Results obtained with Up-SMetOH against food spoiling Bacillus pumilus, Shigella spp. and Enterococcus gallinarum with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in 128-1024 μg/ml range seem to be promising. Up-SMetOH also exerted strong inhibition against Clavibacter michiganensis with a considerably low MIC (32 μg/ml). Ud-SMetOH and Up-LMetOH were also effective against C. michiganensis (MIC = 256 and 1024 μg/ml, respectively). Ud-SMetOH and Ud-RMetOH had also antimicrobial activity against Xanthomonas vesicatoria (MIC = 512 and 1024 μg/ml, respectively). Results presented here demonstrate high-antibacterial activity of U. pilulifera extracts and U. dioica seed extract against phytopathogens for the first time, and provide the most comprehensive data on the antibacterial activity screening of U. pilulifera against food-borne pathogens. Considering limitations in plant disease control, antibacterial activities of these extracts would be of agricultural importance.

We conducted a biogeographic analysis of the PPAM clade of Poeae Plastid DNA Group 2, which includes 12 subtribes of C3 grasses. One hundred and eighty‐four species sampled represent 42 of 43 accepted genera and taxonomic diversity in large genera. We analyzed plastid sequences of matK, trnC‐rpoB, and trnT‐trnL‐trnF using BEAST to produce a dated tree and MrBayes to produce a Bayesian tree, on which we ran Bayesian‐Binary‐Markov‐Chain analyses on a worldwide biogeographic data set of 12 areas. PPAM split in southwestern Asia into subtribe Coleanthinae and PAM clades in the Early Miocene. PAM diversified rapidly in the Middle Miocene in southwestern Asia into four monogeneric lineages, Avenulinae, Phleinae, Miliinae, Poinae, and the Alopecurinae superclade (seven subtribes with 27 genera). In the Late Miocene, Pliocene, and mostly Pleistocene, the latter four lineages diversified and dispersed across Eurasia and established in North America. Dispersals to the southern hemisphere occurred in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Annuals occur in 15 Mediterranean and southwestern Asia genera, but in few genera in other regions. Beyond phylogenetically isolated annual species dating to the Miocene, all other annuals evolved in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Cold tolerance is high among perennial species, many occurring in the alpine, nine genera ranging into the Arctic. We suggest that alpine and subalpine habitats were ancestral. High tolerance of saline and alkaline conditions arose between the Pliocene and Pleistocene in Coleanthinae, Alopecurinae, Poinae, Hookerochloinae, Beckmanniinae, and Arctopoa. Combinations are proposed for Cornucopiae alopecuroides in Alopecurus and for Paracolpodium colchicum in Hyalopodium. A nothogenus × Catanellia is proposed for Catabrosa × Puccinellia.

No abstract