Taxonomy represents the baseline for biological characterization and naming for endangered plant species. Phlomis aurea has never been a subject of comprehensive biosystematics assessment. Phlomis aurea is an endangered species suffering from global changes which lead to population decline. It is important to rediscover critical biological traits related to endemic species to help set up conservation plan(s). The current study represents a comprehensive morphological and anatomical characterization of the endangered Phlomis aurea endemic to Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. Phylogenetic placement and DNA barcoding were done using two molecular markers (rbcL and psb-A/trn-H).

Few reports explain the mechanism of PEG action on stomatal behavior and anatomical structure and analyze the photosynthetic pigments of in vitro date palm plantlets for better tolerance to ex vitro exposure. The main challenge for in vitro micropropagation of date palm techniques remains restricted to high survival rates and vigorous growth after ex vitro transplantation. In vitro hardening is induced by Polyethylene glycol PEG (0.0, 10, 20, 30 g L−1) for 4 weeks. Leaf anatomy, stomatal behavior, water loss %, photosynthetic pigments, and reducing sugars were examined in date palm plantlets (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cv. (Sewi) after 4 weeks from in vitro PEG treatment and after 4 weeks from ex vitro transplanting to the greenhouse. Leaf anatomy and the surface ultrastructure of in vitro untreated leaves showed a thin cuticle layer, wide opened malfunctioning stomata, and abnormal leaf anatomy. Furthermore, addition of PEG resulted in increasing cuticle thickness, epicuticular wax depositions, and plastids density, improving the stomatal ability to close and decreasing the stomatal aperture length while reducing the substomatal chambers and intercellular spaces in the mesophyll. As a result, a significant reduction in water loss % was observed in both in vitro and ex vitro PEG treated leaves as compared to untreated ones, which exhibited rapid wilting when exposed to low humidity for 4 h. PEG application significantly increased Chlorophylls a, b and carotenoids concentrations, especially 10, 20 g L−1 treatments, which were sequentially reflected in increasing the reducing sugar concentration. However, leaves of plantlets treated with PEG at 30 g L−1 became yellow and had necrosis ends with death. In vitro hardening by 20 g L−1 PEG increased the survival rate of plantlets to 90% after ex vitro transfer compared to 63% recorded for the untreated plantlets. Therefore, this application provides normal date palm plantlets developed faster and enhances survival after ex vitro transfer.

1) Background: The genus Euphorbia L. in Egypt is represented by 40 species, one subspecies, and three varieties which are distributed in almost all phytogeographical regions in Egypt. The genus is well known for its medicinal importance; however, various and sometimes anomalous morphological characters make the identifincation of the genus a dificult case. (2) Methods: In this study, six DNA markers: matK, rbcL, ETS, trnL intron, trnL spacer, and the entire ITS region (ITS1 + 5.8S + ITS2), as well as subunits ITS1 and ITS2 were evaluated singly and in combination to investigate their usage as potential DNA barcodes. The Maximum Likelihood (ML) and BLASTn analyses were conducted for 37 individuals representing 26 species of Egyptian Euphorbia. (3) Results: The BLASTn comparison of the newly generated DNA sequences of the Egyptian Euphorbia species showed that ITS, ITS1 and ITS2 subunits displayed high levels of species discrimination. On the other hand, the ML analysis of the DNA sequences of trnL intron yielded a better resolved phylogenetic tree, compared to the other regions. However, our phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequences of other markers: matK, rbcL, trnL, and the entire ITS region, with additional sequences from GenBank have shown that E. dracunculoides, E. hyssopifolia, E. lasiocarpa and E. granulata are probably not monophyletic. (4) Conclusion: This study along with the widest taxon coverage in Egypt, emphasizes the importance of using DNA markers for precise identification and phylogenetic placement of the genus Euphorbia in Egypt within the whole genus.

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The Egyptian narrowly endemic and critically endangered plant species Rosa arabica Crép. was studied employing a taxonomic and molecular approach. Morphological investigations, distance analysis, and phylogenetic reconstruction revealed that R. arabica is a distinct species with great affinity to R. canina and differentiated from R. rubiginosa. Molecular identification based on the sequences of multiple markers single or in combination ITS, matK, rbcL, and trnL-F succeeded in identifying R. arabica at genus and species levels. We evaluated the potential of each marker and a combination of the nuclear ITS -Internal Transcribed Spacer- with one of the plastid markers, matK, rbcL, or trnL-F, to accurately identify Rosa species. All of them were successful in identifying R. arabica. Classification based on DNA sequences shows that R. arabica is placed within section Caninae in a clade comprising R. canina and R. rubiginosa. Moreover, R. arabica is closely related to other European Rosa species. In conclusion, our results indicate that the four DNA markers can provide species resolution in the context of the genus Rosa and relatives, aiming to characterize morphology and genetic diversity in the ecological and economically important genus Rosa.

Jabal Al-Ward is one of the Hijazi mountains situated between Al-Ulā and Al-Wajh, southwest Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia’s northwesterly border region. It is considered the highest mountain in this area and is enriched in wildlife. For the first time, the present research aimed to investigate the floristic composition, phytogeographical distribution, and plant diversity in Jabal Al-Ward. One hundred ninety-eight species representing 47 plant families have been identified. The Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Fabaceae represented more than a third of the region’s floristic composition. The perennial species (53.5%) were dominant over the annuals (46.46%). This is a prominent feature in Jabal Al-Ward, where the perennial species may be more tolerant of climatic changeability than the annuals. Seven life form categories were found; therophytes (46.46%) showed to be the most common life form. In addition, there were four main phytogeographical groups: Mono-regional, Bi-regional, Pluri-regional, and Worldwide. The Mono-regional and Bi-regional categories had the highest participation, with 38.5% and 37.4%, respectively. Thirty-six species (18.2%) were found to be native to the Saharo-Arabian region. The Saharo-Arabian region was combined with eight more regions, including Saharo-Arabian/Sudano-Zambesian (12.6%), Irano-Turanian/Saharo-Arabian (9.1%), Mediterranean/Saharo-Arabian (5.6%), Irano-Turanian/Mediterranean/Saharo-Arabian (4.5%), Irano-Turanian/Saharo-Arabian/Sudano-Zambesian (2%), Euro-Siberian/Irano-Turanian/Mediterranean/Saharo-Arabian and Saharo-Arabian/Sudanian (1% each), Mediterranean/Saharo-Arabian/Sudano-Zambesian, and Irano-Turanian/Mediterranean/Saharo-Arabian/Saharo-Zambesian (0.5% each). The current study demonstrated the highest species richness compared to earlier research on various locations in Tabuk Province. In future work, the species and endemic richness along elevation gradients should be studied in Jabal Al-Ward. As well as the IUCN status of each taxon, the DNA barcoding of endangered species will be of great significance if applied in the surveyed area.

The genus Silene L. is one of the largest genera in Caryophyllaceae, and is distributed in the Northern Hemisphere and South America. The endemic species Silene leucophylla and the near-endemic S. schimperiana are native to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. They have reduced population size and are endangered on national and international scales. These two species have typically been disregarded in most studies of the genus Silene. This research integrates the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), species micromorphology, and the phylogenetic analysis of four DNA markers: ITS, matK, rbcL and psb-A/trn-H. Trichomes were observed on the stem of Silene leucophylla, while the S. schimperiana has a glabrous stem. Irregular epicuticle platelets with sinuate margin were found in S. schimperiana. Oblong, bone-shaped, and irregularly arranged epidermal cells were present on the leaf of S. leucophylla, while Silene schimperiana leaf has “tetra-, penta-, hexa-, and polygonal” epidermal cells. Silene leucophylla and S. schimperiana have amphistomatic stomata. The Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of each marker individually or in combination represented the first phylogenetic study to reveal the generic and sectional classification of S. leucophylla and S. schimperiana. Two Silene complexes are proposed based on morphological and phylogenetic data. The Leucophylla complex was allied to section Siphonomorpha and the Schimperiana complex was related to section Sclerocalycinae. However, these two complexes need further investigation and more exhaustive sampling to infer their complex phylogenetic relationships.