Pilocarpus microphyllus Stapf ex Wardlew (Rutaceae), popularly known as jaborandi, is a plant native to the northern and northeastern macroregions of Brazil. Several alkaloids from this species have been isolated. There are few reports of antibacterial and anthelmintic activities for these compounds. In this work, we report the antibacterial and anthelmintic activity of five alkaloids found in P. microphyllus leaves, namely, pilosine, epiisopilosine, isopilosine, epiisopiloturine and macaubine. Of these, only anthelmintic activity of one of the compounds has been previously reported. Nuclear magnetic resonance, HPLC and mass spectrometry were combined and used to identify and confirm the structure of the five compounds. As regards the anthelmintic activity, the alkaloids were studied using in vitro assays to evaluate survival time and damaged teguments for Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. We found epiisopilosine to have anthelmintic activity at very low concentrations (3.125 μg mL ); at this concentration, it prevented mating, oviposition, reducing motor activity and altered the tegument of these worms. In contrast, none of the alkaloids showed antibacterial activity. Additionally, alkaloids displayed no cytotoxic effect on vero cells. The potent anthelmintic activity of epiisopilosine indicates the potential of this natural compound as an antiparasitic agent. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Aims This study sought genetic evidence of long-term isolation in populations of Monstera adansonii var. klotzschiana (Araceae), a herbaceous, probably outbreeding, humid forest hemi-epiphyte, in the brejo forests of Ceará (north-east Brazil), and clarification of their relationships with populations in Amazonia and the Atlantic forest of Brazil. † Methods Within-population genetic diversity and between-population dissimilarity were estimated using AFLP molecular markers in 75 individuals from eight populations located in Ceará, the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Amazonia. † Key Results The populations showed a clinal pattern of weak genetic differentiation over a large geographical region (F ST ¼ 0 . 1896). A strong correlation between genetic and geographical distance (Mantel test: r ¼ 0 . 6903, P ¼ 0 . 002) suggests a historical pattern of isolation by distance. Genetic structure analysis revealed at least two distinct gene pools in the data. The two isolated Ceará populations are significantly different from each other ( pairwise F PT ¼ 0 . 137, P ¼ 0 . 003) and as diverse (Nei's gene diversity, average H e ¼ 0 . 1832, 0 . 1706) as those in the Atlantic and Amazon forest regions. The population in southern Brazil is less diverse (Nei's gene diversity, average H e ¼ 0 . 127) than the rest. The Ceará populations are related to those of the Atlantic forest rather than those from Amazonia (AMOVA, among-groups variation ¼ 11 . 95 %, P ¼ 0 . 037). † Conclusions The gene pools detected within an overall pattern of clinal variation suggest distinct episodes of gene flow, possibly correlated with past humid forest expansions. The Ceará populations show no evidence of erosion of genetic diversity, although this was expected because of their isolation. Their genetic differentiation and relatively high diversity reinforce the importance of conserving the endangered brejo forests.

Leaf characters of populations of the aquatic macrophyte Montrichardia linifera were studied using geometric morphometrics to compare variation with traditional circumscriptions of the two recognized species. Two hundred and ten individuals were sampled from seven populations in the delta region of the Rio Parnaíba, north‐east Brazil. Six landmarks of the leaf blade were digitized from images and analysed with MorphoJ software. Procrustes‐aligned configurations were studied using principal component analysis and canonical variates analysis in the pooled data and individual populations. Sinus shape variation was studied using landmark configurations of the posterior lobe basiscopic lamina. Covariation of leaf blade shape, basiscopic lamina shape, secondary vein number and petiole ligule length was investigated with partial least squares analysis. Allometry of these variables with leaf blade centroid size was investigated using multivariate regression, linear modelling and analysis of covariance. Measured variables varied continuously over the ranges previously reported for the two species. The characters of the two species morphotypes covaried and were only partly influenced by allometric effects. Symmetric shape variables predominated, but a distinctive left‐ and right‐handed asymmetry occurred in all populations. Genetic and ecological studies are needed to investigate the significant inter‐population differences further. The study offers a methodology for a broader combined morphometric/molecular investigation. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 170, 554–572.

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A comparative study of the leaf outline morphometrics of Monstera adansonii var. klotzschiana, M. adansonii var. laniata and M. praetermissa was carried out. The study focused on populations in isolated montane humid (brejo) forests of Ceará state in Northeast Brazil and compared them with populations from Amazonia and the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Digitised outlines were prepared from a total of 1,695 field-collected leaf images from 20 populations, and elliptic Fourier analysis was used to generate matrices of coefficients, from which six shape variables (principal components) were extracted using Principal Components Analysis. Intra-population variability and inter-population differences were analysed with multivariate distance methods. Separate analyses were carried out for each of three leaf size classes (juvenile, submature, mature) because of the strong heteroblasty typical of this genus. Juvenile leaves were the least variable size class within populations of M. adansonii var. klotzschiana. The shape variables expressed very similar types of variation in all three size classes. The Ceará brejo populations of M. adansonii var. klotzschiana showed significant differences between mature leaf outlines in all pairwise comparisons; the Pacatuba population was the most distinct. The Ceará populations did not cluster together exclusively. In all three size classes, populations clustered together into their taxonomic groups, most clearly so in mature leaves. No correlation between morphological and geographic distance matrices was found, nor between morphological and molecular distance. The study showed that leaf outline shape is a practicable and useful quantitative trait for studying morphological variability at species, varietal and population levels.

Genetic variation was investigated using AFLP markers in 12 populations of Anthurium sinuatum and A. pentaphyllum var. pentaphyllum (Araceae) in north-east Brazil, Amazonia and the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Two unique genetic patterns characterized the populations of A. sinuatum as a group, but no correlation between genetic and geographical interpopulation distance was found; the Amazonian population was not separated from that in Ceará. The isolated Ceará brejo populations of A. sinuatum were genetically distinct, but genetic diversity levels were similar to populations elsewhere, with no evidence of genetic erosion. Anthurium pentaphyllum populations were significantly different from each other; Bayesian genetic structural analysis found no common genetic pattern, but revealed genetic clusters unique to subgroups and individual populations in the Atlantic forest and French Guiana. Anthurium pentaphyllum and A. sinuatum can be distinguished genetically, but individuals of both species formed intermediate genetic clusters that blurred their distinction. We suggest that genetic mixing of A. sinuatum and A. pentaphyllum has occurred in north-east Brazil, possibly connected with cycles of humid forest expansion. The weak genetic structure in A. sinuatum is consistent with the natural fragmentation of continuous forest areas, possibly during the Holocene. This study highlights the scientific importance of the highly threatened brejo forests for tropical American biogeography.

RESUMONa aplicação dos conteúdos da disciplina Ciências Naturais à teoria não deveria ser desvinculada da prática, pois esta metodologia é imprescindível para construção do conhecimento científico dos alunos. Assim, objetivouse investigar a viabilidade de aulas práticas para alunos do 7º ano do Ensino Fundamental, em duas escolas estaduais no município de Parnaíba, Piauí, como estratégias para facilitar o ensino-aprendizagem em conteúdo de Botânica. Foram aplicados questionários antes e após cada aula prática para verificar a construção de conhecimento. Os resultados demonstraram aumento no número de respostas corretas após as aulas práticas nas duas escolas alvo da pesquisa. Concluiu-se que o ensino de ciências, pode ser melhorado a partir de iniciativas simples, como realização de aula prática dentro da sala ou usando os espaços verdes da escola. PALAVRAS-CHAVE:Construção do conhecimento científico, Ensino de botânica, Metodologia de ensino. PRACTICAL AS A STRATEGY FOR KNOWLEDGE IN BOTANY IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ABSTRACTWhen teaching the subject area of Natural Science, theoretical and practical aspects should not be separated, since both viewpoints are essential for ensuring that the students acquire a well-formed foundation of scientific knowledge. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the viability of practical classes for students in the seventh year of Basic Education, in two state schools of the municipality of Parnaíba, Piauí, as a strategy for facilitating teaching and learning in the subject area of Botany. Questionnaires were used before and after each practical class to study the acquisition of the students' knowledge. The results demonstrated an increase in the number of correct answers after the practical classes, in the two schools studied. Our conclusion is that scientific teaching can be improved by simple initiatives such as carrying out practical sessions within the classroom or by using the green spaces within the school..

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