Iran supports a great share of exotic and/or endemic plant genera and species. The genus Fritillaria (Liliaceae) is a precious part of this botanical richness with 19 species, of which 10 are endemic to the country. However, signs are mounting that the country is truly at a crossroads when it comes to preservation of this national wealth. In this regard, an effective conservation strategy should thoroughly consider the classification of Fritillaria, as conservation practices are compromised by knowledge gaps in systematics and taxonomy. As published studies on Fritillaria in Iran have been sporadic and limited in scope, the aim of this review is to provide information necessary to help bridge these information gaps. Our objective is to facilitate increased understanding of the geographic, taxonomic, cytogenetic and phylogenetic status of Iranian Fritillaria, which is vital to meeting the goal of sustainable conservation of the genus in Iran and neighboring areas.

Polyphenol content and antioxidant activity of flowers and herbage of three species of the genus Alcea were determined. Flowers showed high total phenolic content and yielded values ranging from 26.83 (Alcea aucheri var. lobata) to 82.59 (A. aucheri var. aucheri) mg GAE/g DW. Total anthocyanin content was highest (934.98 mg/ml) in the flowers of A. auchrei var. aucheri (A12), whereas the content was minimal (1.34 mg/ml) in the herbage of Alcea koelzii (A2). The highest total flavonoid content was recorded in A. koelzii (16.15 mg Q/g DW), while the lowest value was achieved in A. aucheri var. lobata (8.06 mg Q/g DW). The highest concentration of mucilage was recorded in the flowers from Alcea arbelensis (32%), whereas those of A. aucheri var. lobata yielded the lowest value (1.05%). Principal component analysis scatter plot, derived from all data for flowers in 13 Alcea specimens revealed a different quantitative phytochemical profile. The strongest radical scavenging activity, measured by DPPH method, was recorded in A. aucheri var. aucheri with an IC 50 of 34.06 μg/ml.

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