Essential oils are known to possess antimicrobial activity against a wide spectrum of bacteria and fungi. In the present work the composition and the antifungal activity of the oils of Juniperus communis subsp. alpina (Suter) Čelak were evaluated. Moreover, the skin cytotoxicity, at concentrations showing significant antifungal activity, was also evaluated. The oils were isolated by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal lethal concentration (MLC) were used to evaluate the antifungal activity of the oil against dermatophytes (Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum canis, M. gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. mentagrophytes var. interdigitale, T. rubrum, T. verrucosum), yeasts (Candida albicans, C. guillermondii, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, Cryptococcus neoformans) and Aspergillus species (Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger). Cytotoxicity was tested in HaCaT keratinocytes through the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Essential oil of J. communis subsp. alpina needles was predominantly composed of monoterpene hydrocarbons (78.4%), with the main compounds being sabinene (26.2%), α-pinene (12-9%) and limonene (10.4%). Results concerning the antifungal activity demonstrated the potential of needle oil against dermatophytes, particularly for Microsporum canis and Trichophyton rubrum with MIC and MLC of 0.32 μL/mL. Furthermore, evaluation of cell viability showed no significant cytotoxicity in HaCaT keratinocytes at concentrations between 0.32 and 0.64 μL/mL. These results show that it is possible to find appropriate doses of J. communis subsp. alpina oil with both antifungal activity and a very low detrimental effect on keratinocytes.

An artificial group of twelve brome-grasses with small-spikelets is reviewed. Descriptions, comments on their distinctive features, keys, diagnosis, citations and illustrations are provided. Form/function and evolutionary relationships are discussed and four affinity groups are recognized. The possible origin of B. lepidus and B. brachystachys is discussed.

The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from the aerial parts of two populations of Vitex rivularis (subgenus Vitex) collected during the flowering phase of the plants was investigated by gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were the main group in both samples, the main compound being germacrene D. This composition is markedly different from that of the other African species, with the exception of Vitex ferruginea subsp. amboniensis, which belongs to the same subgenus as V. rivularis. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimal lethal concentrations (MLC) were used to evaluate the anti-fungal activity against yeasts and dermatophyte strains. The oils exhibited significant anti-fungal activity against dermatophyte strains with MIC and MLC values ranging from 0.16 to 0.64 microL mL(-1) and 0.32 to 2.5 microL mL(-1), respectively. For some strains, MIC values were similar to MLC values, indicating the fungicidal activity of the oils. Nevertheless, these oils showed low activity against Candida spp. strains.

A modem re-assessment is given of the taxonomy and nomenclature of the 8(-9) annual taxa within the mainly Mediterranean/SW Asiatic Bromus L. sect. Genea Dum. (Poaceae): B. diandrus Roth var. diandrus,B. diandrus var. rigidus Roth, B.fascicutatus Presl, B. madritensis L., B. rubens L., B. sterilis L., B. tectorum L. subsp. tectorum and B. tectorum subsp. lucidus Sales; less emphasis is given toB. madritensis andB. rubens. None of these taxa has previously been investigated throughout their total areas and the taxonomic conclusions expressed here are a result of a multidisciplinary approach. For reasons of convenience the species are considered in three informal groups based on overall similarities: i,B. sterilis,B. diandrus and B. rigidus, so often recognized as independent species in recent Floras but here regarded as varieties of one species; ii, B. madritensis, B. rubens and B.fasciculatus, with particular attention given to B.fasciculatus; and iii, 6. tectorum subsp. tectorum and subsp. lucidus, previously regarded as independent species. TAXONOMIC HISTORY Bromus L. includes annual and perennial species, typically of the temperate areas of Eurasia and America. Its highest diversity occurs in Eurasia, especially in SW Asia where it is believed to have originated (Stebbins, 1981). Occasionally, it grows above the arctic circle; it is also in tropical areas at mountain-subalpine altitudes. It is wholly introduced and naturalized in other temperate areas, such as Australasia.Influenced by the wide range of morphological variation, many taxonomists divided Bromus into smaller groups which were given the rank of genus, subgenus or section. For a long time, the species that are investigated here were variously given generic, subgeneric and sectional status for which the correct names are respectively: Anisantha K. Koch, subgen. Stenobromus (Griseb.) Hackel, and sect. Genea Dum. With the exception of some 'Soviet' taxonomists the generic name Zerna Panzer has been correctly rejected or neglected because, apart from the sect. Genea elements in it {madritensis, sterilis and tectorum), it originally included many foreign taxa from sect. Pnigma Dum. and the genus Festuca L. Although B. sterilis was the type species proposed for Zerna (Hitchcock, U. S. Dept. Agric. Bull. 772: 24, 1920), the only illustration in the original publication is probably not a species which could be referred to sect. Genea. Contrasting with the earlier lack of agreement concerning the taxonomic rank given to sect. Genea (or indeed other groups within Bromus s.l.), for the last 10-20 years almost all taxonomists have restricted themselves to using sectional status, e.g.

The stem and leaf anatomy of the ten species of Jasione L. (Campanulaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula were investigated; their infra-specific taxa were also studied. The species differ from each other anatomically and can be identified by their anatomical characters. The anatomical evidence supports the taxonomic treatment that will be published in the forthcoming Flora iberica Volume 14. The possible relations between the anatomy and the ecology of these plants are discussed. Specialized small multicellular structures (trichoids) present on the leaf surface, whose interest has not previously been recognized, are described and their possible function discussed.