Abstract
The Balkans endemic species Alkanna primuliflora Griseb., A. stribrnyi Velen., and A. graeca Boiss. & Spruner have limited distribution in the Balkan Peninsula and a large variation in the morphological characteristics. The populations of the three Alkanna species in the Bulgarian flora are small and fragmented. There are no previous reports on the chemical profile or on the embryology of these species. The hypothesis was that the limited distribution of A. primuliflora, A. stribrnyi, and A. graeca was due to their reproductive capacity and genetic diversity. Furthermore, we hypothesized that the three species will contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), as other species of the genus Alkanna (Boraginaceae), but they would have differential alkaloids composition. The population genetic structure and differentiation showed a clear distinction between species and revealed average levels of genetic diversity among the natural populations of the three Alkanna species. The embryological investigation observed stability of the processes in the male and female generative spheres and high viability of mature pollen and embryo of the three species. The normal formation of male and female gametophytes without deviations or degenerative processes, and observed levels of genetic diversity between Alkanna individuals are important in maintaining the size and resilience of the Alkanna populations. Eight alkaloids were identified by GC-MS in A. primuliflora and A. graeca and six alkaloids in A. stribrnyi. The main pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in all investigated species was triangularine. A. primuliflora and A. graeca showed similar chemical composition that comprised 9-angeloylretronecine, 7-tigloylretronecine, 9-tigloylretronecine, triangularicine, dihydroxytriangularine, dihydroxytriangularicine, whereas, in A. stribrnyi 9-tigloylretronecine, triangularicine and dihydroxytriangularicine were not found. This is the first report on the presence of PAs in A. primuliflora, A. stribrnyi and A. graeca. Besides, this is the first report on the embryology of these endemic species. The results contribute to the knowledge of the three endemic Alkanna species and will facilitate policy-making and defining new strategies for their conservation.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
The three endemic Alkanna species have average levels of genetic diversity among their natural populations.
AlkannaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The population genetic structure and differentiation showed a clear distinction between species and revealed average levels of genetic diversity among the natural populations of the three Alkanna species”
Claim · model-written summary
The population genetic structure of the three Alkanna species shows a clear distinction between species.
- Outcome
- population genetic structure and differentiatione1
- Qualifier
- clear distinction between speciese1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The population genetic structure and differentiation showed a clear distinction between species and revealed average levels of genetic diversity among the natural populations of the three Alkanna species”
Claim · model-written summary
The processes in the male and female generative spheres of the Alkanna species were stable.
- Organ / stage
- male and female generative spherese2
- Outcome
- stability of the processes in the male and female generative spherese2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The population genetic structure and differentiation showed a clear distinction between species and revealed average levels of genetic diversity among the natural populations of the three Alkanna species”
e2“The embryological investigation observed stability of the processes in the male and female generative spheres and high viability of mature pollen and embryo of the three species”
Claim · model-written summary
Mature pollen and embryo of the three Alkanna species showed high viability.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The population genetic structure and differentiation showed a clear distinction between species and revealed average levels of genetic diversity among the natural populations of the three Alkanna species”
e2“The embryological investigation observed stability of the processes in the male and female generative spheres and high viability of mature pollen and embryo of the three species”
Claim · model-written summary
Male and female gametophytes of the Alkanna species formed normally, without deviations or degenerative processes.
- Organ / stage
- male and female gametophytese3
- Outcome
- formation of male and female gametophytese3
- Qualifier
- without deviations or degenerative processese3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The population genetic structure and differentiation showed a clear distinction between species and revealed average levels of genetic diversity among the natural populations of the three Alkanna species”
e3“The normal formation of male and female gametophytes without deviations or degenerative processes”
Claim · model-written summary
Levels of genetic diversity between Alkanna individuals appear important for maintaining the size and resilience of the populations.
- Outcome
- size and resilience of the Alkanna populationse4
- Qualifier
- levels of genetic diversity between Alkanna individualse4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e4“observed levels of genetic diversity between Alkanna individuals are important in maintaining the size and resilience of the Alkanna populations”
Claim · model-written summary
Eight alkaloids were identified by GC-MS in A. primuliflora and A. graeca.
Verbatim
e5“Eight alkaloids were identified by GC-MS in A. primuliflora and A. graeca and six alkaloids in A. stribrnyi”
Claim · model-written summary
Six alkaloids were identified in A. stribrnyi.
- Taxon
- A. stribrnyiAlkanna stribrnyie5
- Outcome
- alkaloids were identifiede5
- Value
- six alkaloidse5
Verbatim
e5“Eight alkaloids were identified by GC-MS in A. primuliflora and A. graeca and six alkaloids in A. stribrnyi”
Claim · model-written summary
Triangularine was the main pyrrolizidine alkaloid in all three Alkanna species.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The population genetic structure and differentiation showed a clear distinction between species and revealed average levels of genetic diversity among the natural populations of the three Alkanna species”
e6“The main pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in all investigated species was triangularine”
Claim · model-written summary
A. primuliflora and A. graeca showed similar chemical composition of pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
Verbatim
e7“A. primuliflora and A. graeca showed similar chemical composition that comprised 9-angeloylretronecine, 7-tigloylretronecine, 9-tigloylretronecine, triangularicine, dihydroxytriangularine, dihydroxytriangularicine”
Claim · model-written summary
A. primuliflora and A. graeca contained 9-angeloylretronecine, 7-tigloylretronecine and 9-tigloylretronecine.
Verbatim
e7“A. primuliflora and A. graeca showed similar chemical composition that comprised 9-angeloylretronecine, 7-tigloylretronecine, 9-tigloylretronecine, triangularicine, dihydroxytriangularine, dihydroxytriangularicine”
Claim · model-written summary
A. primuliflora and A. graeca contained triangularicine, dihydroxytriangularine and dihydroxytriangularicine.
Verbatim
e7“A. primuliflora and A. graeca showed similar chemical composition that comprised 9-angeloylretronecine, 7-tigloylretronecine, 9-tigloylretronecine, triangularicine, dihydroxytriangularine, dihydroxytriangularicine”
Claim · model-written summary
In A. stribrnyi, 9-tigloylretronecine, triangularicine and dihydroxytriangularicine were not found.
- Taxon
- A. stribrnyiAlkanna stribrnyie0
- Outcome
- 9-tigloylretronecine, triangularicine and dihydroxytriangularicinee0
- Qualifier
- were not founde0
Verbatim
e0“in A. stribrnyi 9-tigloylretronecine, triangularicine and dihydroxytriangularicine were not found”