Recent phylogenetic hypotheses reveal that Thesium (Santalaceae) is paraphyletic with respect to Austroamericium, Chrysothesium, Kunkeliella and Thesidium, suggesting the need for generic realignment. In addition, existing subgeneric and sectional classifications of this large genus lack a phylogenetic basis, thus compromising their predictive value. Using an expanded taxon sampling and a combination of nuclear (ITS) and chloroplast (matK, rpl32-trnL, trnL-F) DNA sequence data, we therefore re-assessed the phylogenetic relationships of Thesium and used these as the basis of a new subgeneric classification of the genus. Our phylogeny confirms the need to sink the four segregate genera to render Thesium monophyletic. In addition, it resolves five well-supported major clades within Thesium that we recognize as subgenera. Within Thesium, the South African endemic subgenus Hagnothesium is sister to the Eurasian subgenus Thesium (including Kunkeliella and Mauritanica). The subgenus Psilothesium, occurring in tropical South America (formerly genus Austroamericium) and tropical Africa, is sister to the rest of the subgenera, which are all confined to South Africa. Within the latter, the subgenus Discothesium consists of subtropical and temperate species, whereas subgenus Frisea, comprising the previously recognized sections Annulata, Barbata, Frisea, Imberbia and Penicillata, is entirely of the Greater Cape Floristic Region. To facilitate identification of subgenera, we identify morphological ancestral characters and present an identification key, brief diagnoses, species assigned, distribution and ecological data.

Variations in the fruit morphological features ofCapsicum annuumvarieties were studied. Varieties studied include var.abbreviatum, var.annuum, var.accuminatum, var.grossum, and var.glabriusculum. The fruit morphology revealed attenuated fruit shape with rounded surfaces in var.glabriusculum, and cordate fruit shape with flexuous surface in var.annuum,abbreviatumandaccuminatum. The fruit is a berry and may be green, yellow, or red when ripe. The fruit epidermal cell-wall patterns are polygonal in shape with straight and curved anticlinal walls in all the five varieties. The fruit of var.abbreviatumand var.grossumis trilocular, while that of var.accuminatumandannuumis bilocular, and that of var.glabriusculumis tetralocular.Capsicum annuumvar.glabriusculumhad the highest mean number of seeds (108.4) and var.annuumhad the lowest number of seeds (41.3) per fruit. The fruit is conspicuously hollowed in var.glabriusculum,accuminatum, andannuumbut inconspicuously hollowed in var.abbreviatumand var.grossum. These features are shown to be good taxonomic characters for delimiting the five varieties ofCapsicum annuum.

Fresh flowers of five species of Amaranthus were studied and documented in detail using light microscope to examine their morphology and pollen characteristics in relation to taxonomy. These species include Amaranthus spinosus, A. viridis, A. hybridus, A. australis and A. tricolor. The species showed close relationship in their pollen surface characteristics with some slight variations in psilate, micropitted or microrugulate ornamentations. The microscopic study of the pollens revealed the presence of 5 types of pollen apertures which include dicolpate, monolete, Inaperaturate, periporate and triporate. The analysis of mean polar and equatorial measurement i.e. the pollen sizes showed that the largest pollen was recorded in A. hybridus (61.95±2.40µm) and the smallest pollen was recorded in A. spinosus (23.70±0.65µm). The mean density of pollens was found to be highest in A. australis (12.55±1.13mm 2) and the lowest mean density was recorded in A. hybridus (1.29±0.05mm 2). Two diagnostic shapes were noticed in the samples studied, these are-spherical grains in A. spinosus and A. viridis and oval grains in A. hybridus, A. australis and A. tricolor. The study revealed that floral and palynological characters are of taxonomic significance in the genus.

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-(Morpho-anatomical effects of sodium azide and nitrous acid on Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai (Cucurbitaceae) and Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) ). Chemical mutagens (e.g. sodium azide and nitrous acid) are important tools in crop improvements because they produce resistance against pathogens in crops to improve their yield and quality traits. This study investigates the morphological and anatomical effects of sodium azide and nitrous acid on Citrullus lanatus and Moringa olefeira at various concentrations (1 mM, 2 mM, 3 mM and 4 mM) for 4 hours, and planted in plastic pots for 12 weeks observations. Results showed that sodium azide and nitrous acid have differential infl uenced on morphological features (stem height, leaf number and root length) in C. lanatus and M. olefeira respectively. Anatomical features (stomatal density, index and size) are more infl uenced by the sodium azide-treated plants in both plants than in the nitrous acid-treated plants. Both mutagens are more effective in the two plants than the control. Keywords: chemical mutagens, leaf, leaf anatomy, morphology, root, stem RESUMO -(Efeitos morfo-anatômicos da azida sódica e ácido nitroso em Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai (Cucurbitaceae) e Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae)). Os agentes mutagénicos químicos (por exemplo, azida de sódio e ácido nitroso) são ferramentas importantes na melhoria das culturas porque produzem resistência contra patogénios nas culturas para melhorar as suas características de rendimento e qualidade. Este estudo investiga os efeitos morfológicos e anatômicos da azida sódica e do ácido nitroso em Citrullus lanatus e Moringa olefeira em várias concentrações (1 mM, 2 mM, 3 mM e 4 mM) por 4 horas, e plantados em vasos plásticos para observações de 12 semanas. Os resultados mostraram que a azida sódica e o ácido nitroso têm infl uência diferencial nas características morfológicas (altura do caule, número de folhas e comprimento da raiz) em C. lanatus e M. olefeira, respectivamente. Características anatômicas (densidade, índice e tamanho dos estômatos) são mais infl uenciadas pelas plantas tratadas com azida de sódio em ambas as plantas do que nas plantas tratadas com ácido nitroso. Ambos os mutagênicos são mais efi cazes nas duas plantas que o controle.

Sesamum (Sesamum indicum L.), is a very beneficial plant with manifold implementation in human life hence the identification of different species on the basis of morphological basis is indeed a need especially in less developed parts of the world. Morphometric studies of 12 accessions were carried out in order to find out characters which may be used for the delimitation of the accessions. Both quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the leaves, stems, flowers, stipule, node, fruit pods and growth type were studied and coded. Numerical analysis of these character data using cluster analysis average linkage, single linkage, complete linkage and centroid method delimit the 12 accessions into five cluster groups which conform to the results of the morphological analysis. The results of these morphological variability analyses may set the foundation to detect promising accessions for mapping out future breeding schemes and also will be helpful for other researchers working on other aspects such as medicinal or nutritive consumption of different accessions of this multipurpose crop.

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Thesium muasyae, a new species of the family Santalaceae, is described and illustrated. This species has unique morphological and ecological characters, differentiating it from other closely related species of the genus, such as T. karooicum. These characters include plants forming compact shrubs to about 30 cm tall with glabrous surfaces; leaves recurved, to about 4 cm long, terete to triangular, apiculate; flowers placed in lax spikes or borne solitary; and style up to about 2.5 mm long. Ecologically, T. muasyae is endemic to the limestone fynbos in the Overberg, Bredasdorp District, South Africa. Molecular phylogenetic evidence places this species in Subgenus Frisea Section Barbata, as closest sister to T. hispidulum + T. karooicum. A preliminary conservation Red List assessment suggests that T. muasyae is Critically Endangered, based on its population size, area of occupancy and extent of occurrence.