1,721,095 research outputs found
Una storia che viene da lontano
La fitoterapia, cioè la cura delle malattie per mezzo dei vegetali, ha rappresentato il metodo utilizzato fin dall'antichità per alleviare le sofferenze e a volte curare o risolvere reali patologie mediante l’impiego di parti di piante fresche o essiccate o dei loro estratti naturali.
Come si evince da questo breve excursus storico, in tutti i continenti, tutte le civiltà si sono dedicate, oltre che alla coltura di piante a scopo alimentare, alla ricerca di piante con proprietà terapeutiche. E’ straordinariamente interessante come, attraverso i millenni, l’insieme di queste nozioni si sia arricchito, e anche diversificato, senza essere mai interamente dimenticato
First finding in Sicily of Bidens subalternans (Asteraceae)
It is reported the presence in Sicily of a new alien species destined to a progressive further spread in the Island. It is Bidens subalternans DC., an annual asteracea of American origin, already known in other Italian regions (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardia, Marche, Lazio and Campania) and in other European countries (Belgium, Corse, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Great Britain, Montenegro, Republic of Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland). The new locality, in Sicily, occurs along the roadside Monreale – Pioppo, south of the city of Palermo. In this station, B. subalternans is found together with B. pilosa subsp. minor and other indigenous and exotic nitrophilous taxa. The population observed near Monreale (Palermo), is quite large and, according to the methods of dispersion, shows in Sicily an invasive tendency in favourable environment. The affinities of B. subalternans with B. bipinnata L. – with which the species was sometimes confused – is also discussed
Stazioni nuove di Euphorbia hypericifolia (Euphorbiaceae) e di Phyllanthus tenellus (Phyllanthaceae) in Sicilia
New localities for Euphorbia hypericifolia (Euphorbiaceae) and Phyllanthus tenellus (Phyllanthaceae) in Sicily – Two new adventive plants, Euphorbia hypericifolia (Euphorbiaceae) and Phyllanthus tenellus (Phyllanthaceae), are reported in the Palermo’s urban area. These two taxa belonging to closely related families were both already known from the province of Messina (E. Sicily), the first one near the Messina town, the second near Taormina. The new localities expand toward west the Sicilian distribution of the two taxa, so that these appear to likely occur in other urban contexts of the island. Finally, as far as the accession road to the island is concerned, the- se two aliens – that have not yet been recorded in the rest of the Italian territory could have been introduced as plantlets or seeds included in pots of ornamental plants imported from foreign countries
Chorological notes on the Sicilian endemic Euphorbia papillaris (Euphorbiaceae)
Thanks to the discovery of a new important site in the Trapani Mountains, the distribution of Euphorbia papillaris, a rare plant endemic to N-W Sicily, is revised. On the basis of the unpublished record, one of the two hypotheses on the discovery of the species in Sicily, previously advanced, is here confirmed. Floristic and ecological information on the new locality are also provided
Xanthium strumarium - a potential cheap resource of plant substances for medicinal use
Xanthium strumarium L. (Asteraceae) is an annual herb which reproduces solely by seed. So far its centre of origin was considered Central or South America. Recent archeological research revealed that the burs of X. strumarium were used in Yuergou site (400-200 cal BC) in the Turpan Basin of northwestern China. This plant adventive to Europe reduces germination of various crops and behaves like and aggressive invasive species. X. strumarium is the most frequently recorded plant in the field borders between the crop land and adjacent territories the agricultural areas in Bulgaria. We aim of this study is to reveal the potential of X. strumarium as a cheap source of compounds with valuable pharmacological activities. Here we analyse: 1) the traditional ethnobotanical data from its native habitats; 2) the modern investigations of pharmacological activity and essential secondary compounds. Traditionally the plant is used as febrifuge drug and an immunostimulant, as a diaphoretic agent and against malaria, as well as dysentry cure, astringent, sedative, analgesic, diuretic, against leucorrhoea and urinary diseases, eczema and skin disease, bleeding, insect bite, to treat boils and pimples, against smallpox and stomach diseases, earache and strumous disease, leprosy, headache, fever, etc. X. strumarium contains sesquiterpene lactones, thiazinediones, phenolic acids etc. and posses anticancer, antitussive, antifungal, antiinflammatory, antinociceptive, hypoglycaemic, antioxidant, antitrypanosomal, and antidepressant-like activity, diuretic effects, insecticidal and herbicidal activities as well as antitrypanosomal effect. A pharmaceutical application of this plant in the future would reduce its populations and thus would contribute to the biodiversity conservation
New floristic data of alien vascular plants from Sicily
New records of Commelina communis, Euphorbia hypericifolia, Melia azedarach, Nicotiana tabacum, and Xanthoceras sorbifolium are reported for the Sicilian flora
New Aloes casual aliens in Sicily
Aloë arborescens, A. brachystachys and A. maculata (Asphodelaceae) are reported for the first time as casual aliens in Sicily. A. brachystachys is new also for the alien flora of Italy
Problematicità tassonomiche e corologiche nel genere Fraxinus (Oleaceae) in Italia.
Il contributo analizza le criticità tassonomiche e la distribuzione sul territorio italiano delle specie del genere Fraxinus, evidenziando la necessità di una revisione tassonomica e nomenclaturale dei taxa esistent
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