A Study of Airborne Pollen Grains in Amman, Jordan

Abstract

Aerobiology in Jordan has been investigated for the first time during the past few years. Using a Burkard Volumetric pollen trap, daily slides were prepared and studied. Daily and monthly counts for two consecutive years were carried out (July 1982-June 1984. Dispersal rates in four periods a day were calculated as well as the number of pollen grains per cubic metre. The maximum daily pollen count was 73 319 and the minimum daily pollen count was zero, whilst the maximum monthly pollen count was 370 181 in hlarch 1984 and the minimum monthly pollen count w a s 565 in December 1983. Pollen dispersal during the 24 hour day was highest between 9.00 a.m.-3.00 p.m. It was observed that the results obtained mostly correlate with the rainy and dry days.

Composition of the Essential Oil fromArtemisia herba-albaGrown in Jordan

“…Among the 40 components identified (corresponding to 95.2% of total oil), regular monotepenes were found to be predominant, representing 42.5% of total oil composition. The principal components were the α-and β-thujones (16.2% and 8.5%, respectively), as according to Feuerstein et al (1), which may class the plant growing in the Amman loality as being a thujane-chemotype. The other major components were santolina alcohol (13.0%), artemisia ketone (12.4%), transpinocarveol (3.9%), artemisyl acetate (3.7%), trans-sabinyl acetate (5.4%), germacrene D (4.6%), α-eudesmol (4.2%) and caryophyllene acetate (5.7%).…”

“…The flower heads are about 0.5 cm in diameter, not showy, and made only of tubular florets. In Jordan, the plant is common in dry mountains and desert regions such as Karak, Tafila, Shaubak, Ras an-Naqab, Mafraq, Zarka and the Eastern Desert (1). The plant is mainly used as an anthelmintic and antispasmodic and for other common uses in folk medicine such as relief of coughing, intestinal disturbances, colds and as muscle relaxant by the local population (2,3).…”

Genome size microscale divergence of Cyclamen persicum in Evolution Canyon, Israel

“…(the Persian violet or cyclamen, plant family: Primulaceae) is a perennial herb with large tubers (up to 15 cm in diameter); its flowers appear between December and early May and is distributed in the east Mediterranean from east Greece through west and south Asia Minor up to Israel, Lebanon, west Syria, and Jordan; it is present also on Crete, Cyprus, Karpathos, Rhodes, and Tunisia [13][14][15][16][17][18]. So far, the reported number of chromosomes in the wild forms of C. persicum has been consistently 2n = 48 [19].…”

The Effect of Orchis anatolica Leaves on Reproductive System—An in Vivo Study

“…The leaves of Orchis anatolica, known locally as orchid Al-Anadol [24], [25], were collected during the spring (March-April) of 2012 from Jerash mountains, Jordan. Fresh O. anatolica leaves were washed under running tap water, air dried (away from light), and then were grounded and extracted in ethanol.…”