A DNA barcode reference library for CITES listed Malagasy species.

On Madagascar, the illegal and unsustainable exploitation and illegal international trade of (rosewood) precious woods remain a serious conservation problem. Members of this genus are at high risk of extinction as a consequence of logging, mining, and slash and burn agriculture. Morphological identification of these Malagasy species is difficult in the absence of flowers and fruits, especially in the case of cut trees, sawn wood, and finished product.

Not all species will migrate poleward as the climate warms: The case of the seven baobab species in Madagascar.

It is commonly accepted that species should move toward higher elevations and latitudes to track shifting isotherms as climate warms. However, temperature might not be the only limiting factor determining species distribution. Species might move to opposite directions to track changes in other climatic variables.

Authenticating wild Piper species (peppers) originating from islands in the Indian Ocean on the basis of morphological, genetic and chemical characteristics.

As demand for pepper is rising to unprecedented levels, gaps in our knowledge are underlined by our inability to reliably distinguish the different species, in particular in the south-western Indian Ocean; this hampers the possibility of developing their economic potential and protect them efficiently. The aim of this study was to characterise two species of Piper (piperaceae) from Madagascar and one from Réunion Island via a multidisciplinary approach combining botany, genetics and chemistry and to propose authentication keys. Morphometric analyses were carried out on 22 quantitative and qualitative descriptors of the leaf and infructescence.

Fatty Acid Composition of Baobab Seed and Its Relationship with the Genus Adansonia Taxonomy.

Baobab seed oil contains specific fatty acids. Most of the studies on baobab fatty acids have been carried out singly and in isolation from each other, making it difficult to compare results through different species. The objective of the present study is to establish the seed fatty acid composition of each Adansonia species in order to evaluate and understand the relationships between the oil chemical compositions, the baobabs' taxonomy and, the ecological and geographical origin of each seed lot.

AMS Radiocarbon Dating of Large Za Baobabs (Adansonia za) of Madagascar.

The article reports the radiocarbon investigation of Anzapalivoro, the largest za baobab (Adansonia za) specimen of Madagascar and of another za, namely the Big cistern baobab. Several wood samples collected from the large inner cavity and from the outer part/exterior of the tree were investigated by AMS (accelerator mass spectrometry) radiocarbon dating. For samples collected from the cavity walls, the age values increase with the distance into the wood up to a point of maximum age, after which the values decrease toward the outer part.

Searching for the oldest baobab of Madagascar: radiocarbon investigation of large Adansonia rubrostipa trees.

We extended our research on the architecture, growth and age of trees belonging to the genus Adansonia, by starting to investigate large individuals of the most widespread Malagasy species. Our research also intends to identify the oldest baobabs of Madagascar. Here we present results of the radiocarbon investigation of the two most representative Adansonia rubrostipa (fony baobab) specimens, which are located in south-western Madagascar, in the Tsimanampetsotse National Park.

Bark essential oil of Cedrelopsis grevei from Madagascar: investigation of steam-distillation conditions.

The effect of the distillation time on the yield and chemical composition of the bark essential oil of Cedrelopsis grevei Baill. was investigated. Distillation kinetics were determined for three batches of bark sampled from two sites, i.

Nuclear microsatellite variation in Malagasy baobabs (Adansonia, Bombacoideae, Malvaceae) reveals past hybridization and introgression.

Background And Aims: Adansonia comprises nine species, six of which are endemic to Madagascar. Genetic relationships between the Malagasy species remain unresolved due to conflicting results between nuclear and plastid DNA variation. Morphologically intermediate individuals between distinct species have been identified, indicative of interspecific hybridization.

Chloroplast DNA phylogeography suggests a West African centre of origin for the baobab, Adansonia digitata L. (Bombacoideae, Malvaceae).

The African baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) is an emblematic, culturally important, and physically huge tropical tree species whose natural geographical distribution comprises most of tropical Africa, but also small patches of southern Arabia, and several Atlantic and Indian Ocean islands surrounding the African continent, notably including Madagascar. We analysed the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism of five chloroplast DNA fragments obtained from 344 individuals of A.

Distribution of the species of the Anopheles gambiae complex and first evidence of Anopheles merus as a malaria vector in Madagascar.

BACKGROUND: Members of the Anopheles gambiae complex are amongst the best malaria vectors in the world, but their vectorial capacities vary between species and populations. A large-scale sampling of An. gambiae sensu lato was carried out in various bioclimatic domains of Madagascar.