In defence of the entity of Macaronesia as a biogeographical region.

Since its coinage ca. 1850 AD by Philip Barker Webb, the biogeographical region of Macaronesia, consisting of the North Atlantic volcanic archipelagos of the Azores, Madeira with the tiny Selvagens, the Canaries and Cabo Verde, and for some authors different continental coastal strips, has been under dispute. Herein, after a brief introduction on the terminology and purpose of regionalism, we recover the origins of the Macaronesia name, concept and geographical adscription, as well as its biogeographical implications and how different authors have positioned themselves, using distinct terrestrial or marine floristic and/or faunistic taxa distributions and relationships for accepting or rejecting the existence of this biogeographical region. Four main issues related to Macaronesia are thoroughly discussed: (i) its independence from the Mediterranean phytogeographical region; (ii) discrepancies according to different taxa analysed; (iii) its geographical limits and the role of the continental enclave(s), and, (iv) the validity of the phytogeographical region level. We conclude that Macaronesia has its own identity and a sound phytogeographical foundation, and that this is mainly based on three different floristic components that are shared by the Macaronesian core (Madeira and the Canaries) and the outermost archipelagos (Azores and Cabo Verde). These floristic components are: (i) the Palaeotropical-Tethyan Geoflora, formerly much more widely distributed in Europe and North Africa and currently restricted to the three northern archipelagos (the Azores, Madeira and the Canaries); (ii) the African Rand Flora, still extant in the coastal margins of Africa and Arabia, and present in the southern archipelagos (Madeira, the Canaries and Cabo Verde), and (iii) the Macaronesian neoendemic floristic component, represented in all the archipelagos, a result of allopatric diversification promoted by isolation of Mediterranean ancestors that manage to colonize Central Macaronesia and, from there, the outer archipelagos. Finally, a differentiating floristic component recently colonized the different archipelagos from the nearest continental coast, providing them with different biogeographic flavours.

The complete plastome of Glandora prostrata subsp. lusitanica (Samp.) D.C.Thomas (Boraginaceae), the first chloroplast genome belonging to the Glandora genus.

Glandora prostrata (Loisel.) D.C.Thomas (Thomas et al., 2008), besides being a common plant of western and south-western Europe and north-western Africa, is a species with a wealth of reported uses in traditional and folk medicine. The chloroplast genome of Glandora prostrata subsp. lusitanica (Samp.) D.C.Thomas (Thomas et al., 2008) isolate BPTPS049 described in this study is the first publicly available complete plastome belonging to the Glandora genus. The chloroplast genome (GenBank accession number: ON641304) is 150,041 bp in length with 37.5% GC content, displaying a quadripartite structure that contains a pair of inverted repeat regions (25,833 bp each), separated by a large (81,222 bp) and small (17,153 bp) single-copy regions. It has 131 annotated genes including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis performed confirms that G. prostrata subsp. lusitanica is placed under the Boraginaceae family, which belongs to the Boraginales order. This study will contribute to conservation, phylogenetic, and evolutionary studies that comprise this traditional species relevant to the landscape of aromatic, medicinal, and condiment plants from Portugal.

The complete plastome of Centaurium erythraea subsp. majus (Hoffmanns. & Link) M.Laínz (Gentianaceae), the first chloroplast genome belonging to the Centaurium genus.

Despite having many historically reported ethnomedicinal uses, Centaurium erythraea Rafn (Rafn and Buchs, 1800; common centaury) also produces cytotoxic secondary metabolites, and its presence should be carefully monitored. In this study, the complete chloroplast of Centaurium erythraea subsp. majus (Hoffmanns. & Link) M.Laínz (Laínz, 1971) isolate BPTPS121 is described, being the first available plastome belonging to the Centaurium genus. The chloroplast genome (GenBank accession number: ON641347) is 153,107 bp in length with 37.9% GC content, displaying a quadripartite structure that contains a pair of inverted repeat regions (25,166 bp each), separated by a large single-copy (84,388 bp) and small single-copy (18,387 bp) regions. A total of 129 genes were predicted, including 37 tRNA genes, eight rRNA genes, and 84 protein-coding genes. The phylogenetic analysis showed that isolate BPTPS121 is placed under the Gentianaceae family, belonging to the Gentianales order. The maximum-likelihood tree supports the already described lineage divergence in the Gentianaceae family, with C. erythraea subsp. majus belonging to the Chironieae tribe positioned below the Exaceae tribe and above the Potalieae and the entire Gentianeae tribes. This study will contribute to conservation, phylogenetic, and evolutionary studies, as well as DNA barcoding applications for food, feed, and supplements safety purposes.

Subalpine woody vegetation in the Eastern Carpathians after release from agropastoral pressure.

The subalpine vegetation in the Eastern Carpathians has been under agropastoral influence as a high-mountain open pasture for about five centuries. Today, the subalpine zone released by human intervention is growing as thickets. In this study, we use a numerical model of tree crowns (CHM, Canopy Height Model) based on laser scanning (LiDAR) and a high-resolution digital terrain model (DTM) to delineate the subalpine thicket distribution. Anselin 'Local Moran's I' statistic was used to find hot and cold spots in vegetation cover. We used a logistic generalized linear model (GLM) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to set for the historical, climatic and terrain conditions candidates as the predictors of the present-day distribution of vegetation hot spots. We use variance partitioning to assess the interaction of climate and terrain variables. The resulting model suggests key environmental controls that underlie the vegetation pattern. Namely, snow in terrain depressions protects woody vegetation against abrasion and winter drought and increased insolation reduces the site humidity in the summer on S-E exposure hampering re-vegetation. In addition, the increasing distance from the treeline declines the rate of secondary succession. In all, the spatial model predicts the 35% coverage by thickets as a theoretical maximum of available climatic-terrain niches. The results suggest that the growth of the subalpine thicket, in the face of growing global temperature, may be restricted due to the limited number of niches available.

The complete plastome of Echium plantagineum L. (Boraginaceae), the first chloroplast genome belonging to the Echium genus.

Besides being a common weed, the presence of Echium plantagineum L. in food and feed commodities can represent a safety hazard due to their content in pyrrolizidine alkaloids. In this study, the complete chloroplast of E. plantagineum isolate BPTPS251 is described, being the first available plastome from an isolate belonging to the Echium genus. The chloroplast genome is 149,776 bp in length with 37.5% GC content, displaying a quadripartite structure that contains a pair of inverted repeats regions (25,754 bp each), separated by a large single-copy (80,978 bp) and a small single-copy (17,290 bp) regions. A total of 131 genes were predicted, including 37 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 86 protein-coding genes. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the placement of E. plantagineum under the Boraginaceae family, belonging to the Boraginales order. This study will contribute to conservation, phylogenetic, and evolutionary studies, as well as DNA barcoding applications for food and feed safety purposes.

The complete plastome of Nonea vesicaria (L.) Rchb. (Boraginaceae), the first chloroplast genome belonging to the Nonea genus.

The predominantly Western Mediterranean weed Nonea vesicaria (L.) Rchb. can be found in agricultural or other man-made environments. Despite containing some beneficial compounds, extracts from this plant have also been described as detrimental and should be carefully monitored. In this study, the complete chloroplast of N. vesicaria isolate BPTPS250 is described, being the first available plastome from an isolate belonging to the Nonea genus. The chloroplast genome is 151,099 bp in length with a 37.3% GC content. It displays a quadripartite structure that contains a pair of inverted repeat regions (27,012 bp) that separate a large single-copy region (80,041 bp) and a small single-copy region (17,034 bp). A total of 134 genes were predicted, including 89 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the placement of N. vesicaria under the Boraginaceae family, belonging to the Boraginales order, with a close relationship with Borago officinalis L. This study will contribute to conservation, phylogenetic, and evolutionary studies, as well as DNA barcoding applications for food and feed safety and quality.

Impact of Drying Processes on the Nutritional Composition, Volatile Profile, Phytochemical Content and Bioactivity of Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods.

Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods is a halophyte plant recognized as a promising natural ingredient and will eventually be recognized a salt substitute (NaCl). However, its shelf-life and applicability in several food matrices requires the use of drying processes, which may have an impact on its nutritional and functional value. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of oven and freeze-drying processes on the nutritional composition, volatile profile, phytochemical content, and bioactivity of S. ramosissima using several analytical tools (LC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and SPME-GC-MS) and bioactivity assays (ORAC, HOSC, and ACE inhibition and antiproliferative effect on HT29 cells). Overall, results show that the drying process changes the chemical composition of the plant. When compared to freeze-drying, the oven-drying process had a lower impact on the nutritional composition but the phytochemical content and antioxidant capacity were significantly reduced. Despite this, oven-dried and freeze-dried samples demonstrated similar antiproliferative (17.56 mg/mL and 17.24 mg/mL, respectively) and antihypertensive (24.56 mg/mL and 18.96 mg/mL, respectively) activities. The volatile composition was also affected when comparing fresh and dried plants and between both drying processes: while for the freeze-dried sample, terpenes corresponded to 57% of the total peak area, a decrease to 17% was observed for the oven-dried sample. The oven-dried S. ramosissima was selected to formulate a ketchup and the product formulated with 2.2% (w/w) of the oven-dried plant showed a good consumer acceptance score. These findings support the use of dried S. ramosissima as a promising functional ingredient that can eventually replace the use of salt.

Cryphonectria naterciae: a new species in the Cryphonectria-Endothia complex and diagnostic molecular markers based on microsatellite-primed PCR.

In a recent study intended to assess the distribution of Cryphonectria parasitica in Portugal, 22 morphologically atypical orange isolates were collected in the Midwestern regions. Eleven isolates were recovered from Castanea sativa, in areas severely affected by chestnut blight and eleven isolates from Quercus suber in areas with cork oak decline. These isolates were compared with known C. parasitica and Cryphonectria radicalis isolates using an integrated approach comprising morphological and molecular methods. Morphologically the atypical isolates were more similar to C. radicalis than to C. parasitica. Phylogenetic analyses based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and ß-tubulin sequence data grouped the isolates in a well-supported clade separate from C. radicalis. Combining morphological, cultural, and molecular data Cryphonectria naterciae is newly described in the Cryphonectria-Endothia complex. Microsatellite-primed PCR fingerprinting with (GACA)(4) primer discriminated between C. naterciae, C. radicalis, and C. parasitica.