China 
Africa 
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Dicotyledons II
Published in Donald H. Les, Aquatic Dicotyledons of North America, 2017
Biochemically, Nelumbonales are characterized by the presence of benzyl-isoquinoline and aporphine alkaloids and proanthocyanins but lack ellagic acid (Cronquist, 1981). The vascular bundles contain articulated lacticifers and sieve tubes with S-type plastids; vessels are confined to the rhizomes and roots (Cronquist, 1981; Schneider & Carlquist, 1996a). The leaves are large, peltate, and either floating or emergent. They are infamous for their extreme hydrophobicity and ability to shed water (the so-called “lotus effect”). The flowers are large, showy, perfect and are held above the water on large peduncles. The perianth consists of numerous tepals, the outermost being green and sepaloid and the innermost petaloid and either creamy yellow or pink to reddish in color (Cronquist, 1981). The fruits are aggregates of achenes imbedded within a large, turbinate, fleshy receptacle. The seeds are renowned for their remarkable longevity and can retain viability for more than 1000 years (Shen-Miller et al., 1995). The thermogenic flowers are pollinated by insects (Insecta), primarily flies (Diptera), beetles (Coleoptera), and bees (Hymenoptera), which they attract by the ability to elevate their temperature as high as 35°C (Schneider et al., 1990; Dieringer et al., 2014). The order contains a single family:
Experimental investigation of plant family extracts as gas hydrate inhibitors in an offshore simulated environment
Published in Petroleum Science and Technology, 2022
Toju Odatuwa, Uche Osokogwu, Okon Efiong Okon
Meliaceae Family and Anonnaceae Family Extracts were obtained from Azadirachta indica and Annona muricata respectively. Azadirachta indica is a medicinal plant commonly found in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. All its parts i.e., the leaves, flowers, seeds, fruits, roots and bark are useful. Earlier researchers have confirmed the usefulness of all its parts and the roles of polyphenolic flavonoids (β-sitosterol and quercetin) including other constituents as anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, antipyretic, hypoglycemic, antigastric ulcer, antifungal, antibacterial and antitumor (Bandyopadhyay et al. 2004). Annona muricata is a broad-leaf, flowering evergreen tree. It is native to the Caribbean and Central America but is currently widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates throughout the world including Nigeria (Morton 1987). The compound, annonacin is present in the fruit, seeds and leaves of the plant (Potts et al. 2012). The leaves of Annona muricata contain annonamine, which is an aporphine-class of alkaloid containing a quaternary ammonium group (Matsushige et al. 2012). The quaternary ammonium compounds (also known as quaternary amines) are salts of quaternary ammonium cations i.e., they are positively charged polyatomic ions of the structure NR4+, R being an alkyl or aryl group (McNaught and Wilkinson 1997). Other polyphenolic compounds are also present in the leaves of the plant. Figure 1 presents few molecular structures of the compounds present in both Extracts. The constituents of plant extracts are shown in Tables 3 and 4. Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds found in plants that function as effective anti-oxidants by inhibiting the action of reactive oxygen. Tannins are polyphenolics with high molecular weight that are prevalent in nature as condensed tannins in plant tissues, epidermis, bark layers, flowers and fruits (Stephen and Peter 2000). Phenols are a type of natural chemical generated by living cells (Quideau 2011). Plants and animals both produce alkaloids, which impede coagulation. Saponins are surface active foamy agents that help it stay stable by preventing agglomeration with foams and bubbles. These active components present in the plant extracts make them very effective in gas hydrate inhibition (Quideau 2011).