A morphological, karyological and chemical study of the Apteranthes (Caralluma) europaea complex

Abstract

The Apteranthes europaea complex (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae-Ceropegieae-Stapeliinae) distributed from Morocco/southern Spain along the North African coast of the Mediterranean Sea up to Sinai, Negev and southern Jordan is studied with emphasis on stem and flower morphology by SEM, chromosome sizes and flavonoid compounds. Apteranthes europaea was found to be rich in rather uncommon flavone glycosides. Of these, luteolin 4 ′ -neohesperidoside represents the major flavonoid of all samples; luteolin-are reported here for the first time. Flavonol glycosides also occur, but in much smaller quantities. The different flower morphs, variation in stem and corolla epidermal structures, slight variations in the length of the 2 n = 22 chromosomes and in quantitative flavonoid composition are taxonomically best reflected by subdividing the complex into a western var. europaea (Europe and Africa) and an eastern var. judaica (Sinai, Arabia).

Can a stench be beautiful? – Osmophores in stem-succulent stapeliads (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae-Ceropegieae-Stapeliinae)

“…judaica (Meve and Heneidak, 2005). Some adaxial epidermal cells on the corolla of O. variegata also resemble corolla epidermal cells of A. europaea var.…”

“…Some adaxial epidermal cells on the corolla of O. variegata also resemble corolla epidermal cells of A. europaea var. europaea (Meve and Heneidak, 2005), but Orbea has in addition a second type of adaxial epidermal cells at the corolla: papillose cells with prominent cuticular striations over the whole cell surface. Such cuticular striations may produce stronger dispersion of sunlight (Juniper and Jeffree, 1983), which may function as a more visual cue for insects.…”

“…Despite recent advances in research on the chemical scent of stapeliad flowers (Jürgens et al, 2006), oddly enough the anatomy of Ceropegieae osmophores has been studied in detail only by light microscopy, and only in trap Ceropegia flowers (Vogel, 1962). Recently some SEM images of osmophores in Ceropegia (Masinde, 2004) and Apteranthes (Meve and Heneidak, 2005) were published, but without details of their structural description. This is the first report on osmophore ultrastructure not only for the stem-succulent stapeliads (Asclepiadoideae-Ceropegieae-Stapeliinae) but to our knowledge for the Asclepiadoideae at all.…”

Phylogenetic relationships of Caralluma R. Br. (Apocynaceae)

“…In many of their localities, they are the only representatives of the succulent Apocynaceae and they reach the furthest from the equator of any stapeliads (Bruyns, 1987a). The two most widely distributed are C. europaea, found around the perimeter of the Mediterranean from Morocco to Jordan (Bruyns, 1987a,b;Meve & Heneidak, 2005) and C. tuberculata, whose distribution is almost continuous from Jordan to North-West India (Bruyns, 1986a;Řičánek & Hanáček, 2001).…”

Micropropagation of Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata-An Indigenous Medicinal Plant of India

“…It is commonly grows on sloppy areas and found amidst boulders (rock crevices) and some grows midst of thorny bushes [4]. The thorny shrubs support the growth, development and protection of Caralluma (Sl).…”