Widows thrill plant: Classification, Distribution, Botanical Description, Propagation, Chemical Phytoconstituents, and Uses
The ornamental plant Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, 2n=34), sometimes known as the Panda plant, is a member of the Crassulaceae family and is grown in pots all over the world (Ofokansi et al., 2005; Nahar et al., 2008). In 1763, Michel Adanson published the first description of the approximately 130 species of annual and perennial shrubs, climbers, and small trees that make up the genus Kalanchoe.
The species is distinguished by a significant concentration of cardiac glycosides. As a result, it is becoming more significant in medicine and pharmacy. Recent research suggests that Kalanchoe, which has a high concentration of metabolites with antimitotic action, may be useful in the treatment of cancer (Garces et al., 2009). Additionally, it is employed in the treatment of burns, allergies, and skin conditions (Hsieh et al., 2013). Since kalanchoe grows slowly, it is crucial to create a tissue culture method for its quick production for both commercial and therapeutic uses. The development of biotechnological techniques to enhance the production of this plant in-vitro is of great interest due to its therapeutic relevance and potential to produce value-added secondary metabolites in tissue culture (Khan et al., 2006). Although leaf and stem cuttings are an easy way to multiply kalanchoe, this method is slow and inefficient, frequently producing low-quality plants. For the first time, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana regeneration was reported by Bhuiyan et al. (2005), resulting in quick replication of high-quality plants. In-vitro propagation is vital for the quick generation of plants of the highest grade (Ioannou et al., 1992; Frello et al., 2002; Khan et al., 2006; Sanikhani et al., 2006)