Plants

Dendrobium: Distribution, Characteristics, Plant Morphology, Growth, and Flowering

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It is found throughout many tropical and subtropical areas, including Southeast Asia, where there are hundreds of species, and Vietnam, where there are over 100 species, all of which are extensively dispersed. With more than 16,000 species, Dendrobium is the second-largest orchid genus (Puchooa, 2004). Major producers of Dendrobium orchids include Thailand, Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Germany, the United States, Japan, and India. The majority of Dendrobium species are epiphytic, sympodial orchids that are native to subtropical and tropical areas. This genus is well-known for its ability to produce cut flowers. Commercial Dendrobium cultivation is widespread in the states of Karnataka, Kerela, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.

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Ixora coccinea: Classification, Origin, Characteristics, Phytochemistry and Traditional Uses

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Ixora coccinea Linn. (Rubiaceae), sometimes called red ixora, scarlet ixora, jungle of geranium, jungle flame, flaming love, and flame of the woods. The species name “coccinea” means crimson, while the genus name “Ixora” is thought to come from the Sanskrit word “ikvana,” which is named after a Malaysian deity. It may also be derived from the term “Iswara,” which is another name for Lord Shiva, to whom the flowers are dedicated during worship. All plant parts have been shown to have medicinal value in Ayurveda, the conventional Indian medical system, as well as in several indigenous medical systems in Sri Lanka and India. The plant produces chickpea-sized red to scarlet coloured fruits that are also eaten as food, particularly by Indian villages and tribal communities’ young inhabitants. There are over 500 species of tropical evergreen trees and bushes there. Ixora is a plant that is frequently found in subtropical regions of the United States, including Florida. Only a small number of the about 500 species in the genus Ixora are regularly grown in gardens.

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Royal Poinciana: Gastroprotective Activity, Wound Healing Activity, Antidiarrhoeal Activity, Nutritional and Haemagglutination Properties

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Delonix regia Rafin flower ethanolic extract was obtained and tested for gastroprotective efficacy in an experimental model of caused ulcers. In the pylorus ligation-produced gastric ulceration model, the different parameters including ulcer index, pH of gastric juice, percentage protection in all models, and stomach volume, free acidity, and total acidity were tracked. The ethanolic floral extract of Delonix regia Rafin had dose-dependent gastroprotective properties (Singh and Kumar, 2014).

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Royal Poinciana: Classification, History, Occurrence, Characteristics, Phytoconstituents, and Economic Importance

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The Generic name “Delonix” comes from the Greek words “delos” (visible) and “onyx” (claw) about the flower’s prominently clawed petals. The Latin word “regis” (meaning “royal, regal, and magnificent”) is the source of the particular name “regia” (Singh et al., 2014). Nature has long been a vast source of therapeutic compounds dating back to the Stone Age. For both traditional and modern medicine, plants have historically been the most abundant source of raw ingredients. Phytochemicals are largely responsible for plants’ therapeutic efficacy. The flame of the forest or flame tree is a species of almost evergreen tree with broad, open, umbrella-shaped crowns. They are essentially planting metabolites that are produced independently in every area of a plant’s body and that have definite physiological effects on mammals (Hait et al., 2018). It is known by a variety of names in every region and nation, including Chura (Bengali), Radha (Bengali), Royal, Flamboyant, Poinciana (French), Gulmohar, Shima, sunkesula (Hindi), mayirkonrai, Punjabi (Tamil), Flamboyant flame tree, Gold mohur, flame tree, Peacock flower, Gul mohr, and Royal poinciana (English). This tree needs light to flourish, but in the dark, it develops slowly and unevenly. It thrives in areas with both abundant and infrequent rainfall. Only in regions with a long and noticeable dry season are trees deciduous (Sharma and Arora, 2015).

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Japanese Maple Plant: Classification, Distribution, Characteristics, and Diseases

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Japanese Maples are known to be susceptible to Verticillium, Fusarium, Botrytis, Pythium, Pseudomonas, and Anthracnose fungal diseases. All deteriorated plant tissue, particularly vascular tissue, impairs normal plant function and frequently causes whole or partial plant death. The bulk growing of seedlings or asexual cuttings is the main cause of fungal illness (Vertrees, 2001).
Numerous types of woody plants are known to be afflicted by the soil-borne disease verticillium. Young twigs will typically wilt and die back, which are ambiguous signs that resemble leaf blight, leaf scorch, and general root disturbance. Because propagation instruments frequently spread verticillium, careful sterilising is crucial. Two fungi known as botrytis and fusarium are known to infect large groups of seedlings and cause “damping off.” Both diseases also target more mature plants.
At or below ground level, Pythium and Pseudomonas damage budding seedlings, entering fresh tissue. The most frequent causes of Pythium and Pseudomonas losses are warm, humid springs and summers, with seedlings developing in alkaline to neutral pH conditions, particularly if the soil is thick or abnormally rich in nitrogen. Anthracnose is a disease that overwinters on dead branches and twigs and infects freshly growing leaves in the spring.

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Laceleaf Plant: Classification, Characteristics, Micropropagation, and Economic importance

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Characteristics of Laceleaf Plant
1. Anthurium belongs to the Araceae family, which has 108 genera and about 3750 monocotyledonous species.
2. Araceae is a family of flowering plants that includes the species Anthurium andraeanum.
3. It is a perennial herbaceous plant that is grown for its showy, heart-shaped inflorescence, which lasts for a very long time.
4. The species is indigenous to Ecuador and Colombia. Several uses for Anthurium andraeanum species are landscaping plants, flowering potted plants, and cut flowers.
5. Slow-growing perennial Anthurium andraeanum needs damp, shaded environments like those found in tropical rainforests.
6. The vase life of an anthurium is between 14 and 28 days. It is a modified leaf (spathe) with several little botanical flowers on a pencil-like protrusion (spadix).
7. The cultivars of Anthurium andraeanum have long held a prestigious place in the world’s floriculture trade.
8. Both sexual and asexual methods can be used to spread Anthurium andraeanum. However, vegetative propagation strategies tried on these plants have not yielded positive results, and tissue culture techniques now appear to be an alternative to boost the output of anthurium, which is typically propagated by seeds.
9. Because of cross-pollination and heterozygous progeny, seed propagation is not preferred. Additionally, it is hindered by the seeds’ poor viability and low germination rate.
10. Anthurium has been successfully micropropagated using a variety of explants. Pierik et al. published the first report on the tissue culture of Anthurium (1974). Both direct shoot regeneration from lamina explants and adventitious shoot production from callus were successful in regenerating Anthurium andraeanum. Nowadays, there are many people doing floriculture all over the world.
11. Both potted plants and cut flowers made from anthurium are offered, but the cut flower market is substantially larger. Among tropical flowers, the trade value of anthurium is second only to that of spray tropical orchids, and the size of the global anthurium import market is believed to be greater than US$ 20 million yearly.
12. Micropropagation is a factor in the trade-in anthuriums’ consistent growth. Due to the relatively costly cost of micropropagation, anthurium flowers are out of the reach of the average person.

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Neem: Neem oil, Larvicidal Activity, Skin Disorders, Antiulcer and Antimalarial activity

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Benefits of different Neem components
Neem oil: Beneficial for medications, cosmetics, and pest control.
Neem seed cake: Natural fertilizer and insecticide
Neem leaves: Neem leaves have several health benefits, including the ability to treat various foot fungus, prevent termites, boost immunity, reduce malarial fever, and relieve neuromuscular problems.
Neem bark and roots are used to cure a variety of illnesses, including diabetes, AIDS, cancer, heart disease, herpes, allergies, ulcers, hepatitis, and fleas and ticks on pets. They also battle against skin infections like acne, psoriasis, eczema, and scabies.

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Neem: Classification, Origin, Distribution, Characteristics,  and Application

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Azadirachta has been classified into two species: Azadirachta excelsa Kack, which is only found in the Philippines and Indonesia, and Azadirachta indica A. Juss, which is indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. In India, Bangladesh, Burma, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, the former grows as a wild tree. Neem trees are currently observed flourishing in about 72 nations across Asia, Africa, Australia, North, Central, and South America.
An estimated 25 million trees are flourishing throughout the country, with Karnataka accounting for 5.5 percent of them. Tamilnadu (17.8 percent) and Uttar Pradesh (55.7 percent) take the first and second spots, respectively. Along with Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union territory, the other Indian states where neem trees may be seen growing are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, etc. India leads the world in the production of neem seeds, with an annual production of 4,42,300 tonnes of seeds that result in 88,400 tonnes of neem oil and 3,53,800 tonnes of neem cake.

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Suicide Tree: Classification, Characteristics, Extracts, and Toxicity

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Plants are known to have anti-insect properties, including larvicidal properties, due to their chemical compounds. It was used as a homicide/suicide agent in India, with occasional accidental poisoning, notably among youngsters who mistook the fruit for food. According to Indian data, Cerbera odollam poisoning accounted for 50% of all plant-based poisoning incidents in Kerala, India between 1989 and 1999. C. odollam is a member of the Apocynaceae family, which includes yellow oleander (Thevetia sp.) and common oleander (Narium sp.). Both of them are toxic.
In the early nineteenth century, the first accurate descriptions of the toxin were written down (Gaillard et al., 2004). It is used by the Burmese for illumination, as a cosmetic, and as a pesticide or insect repellant when blended with other oils (Chopra et al., 1956). Guruswami et al. (1970) investigated the pharmacological effects of a crude ethanolic extract of C. odollam seed on 50 frogs’ hearts, finding that the predominant effect was to decrease the heart’s impulse-producing and conducing tissues. The leaves and bark are eaten in various areas for their cathartic qualities (Chopra et al., 1958).

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Rosemary Plant: Taxonomical position, Geographical distribution, Characteristics, Chemical Composition, and Uses

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Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Family Lamiaceae) is an evergreen perennial shrub. It’s a Mediterranean plant that’s been developed as a common houseplant all around the world (Dong et al., 2012). Italy, Dalmatia, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, France, Portugal, and North Africa are the major producers (Svoboda and Deans, 1992). Rosemary essential oil is used as a spice for foods such as meat, salami, and sauces (Lo-Presti et al., 2005), but it is also utilized as an antioxidant (for food preservation), antibacterial, and antifungal agent against some spoilage organisms due to its chemical active components qualities (Rezzoug et al., 2005).

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