Publications by authors named "Maria Manuel Romeiras"

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Angola has an extraordinary plant diversity and a great ethnobotanical potential. However, there is a general lack of information about the first botanical explorations in the country and their contribution to the knowledge of the medicinal flora.

Aim Of The Study: The main aim of this study was to unveil the ethnobotanical legacy of José Maria Antunes and Eugène Dekindt, priests of the first Catholic mission in Huíla (Angola) and shed light on their contribution to the knowledge of medicinal wild plants of the country, including information on the uses, plant parts used, and preparation methods documented in the late 19th century.

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Humans have used a multitude of wild species of plants, fungi, and animals for food and medicinal purposes [...

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study explores the diversity of leguminous species (Fabaceae) in East Timor's cashew agroforestry systems, highlighting their importance for both agricultural sustainability and local nutrition.
  • - Fourteen cashew orchards were sampled, identifying around 50 legume species that serve multiple purposes, including food, fodder, and traditional medicine in the local culture.
  • - Certain bean species were highlighted for their nutritional value, as hunger and limited food variety are common in East Timor, emphasizing the role of legumes in improving community health and well-being.
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Cabo Verde's biodiversity is threatened by activities that meet human needs. To counteract this, an integration of scientific and indigenous knowledge is required, but no comprehensive list of the useful local plants is available. Thus, in this work, we assess (1) their diversity and phytogeography; (2) the role of geophysical, historical, and socio-economic factors on species distribution and uses; and (3) potentially relevant species for sustainable development.

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The Macaronesian islands constitute an enormous reservoir of genetic variation of wild carrots (subtribe Daucinae; Apiaceae), including 10 endemic species, but an accurate understanding of the diversification processes within these islands is still lacking. We conducted a review of the morphology, ecology, and conservation status of the Daucinae species and, on the basis of a comprehensive dataset, we estimated the genome size variation for 16 taxa (around 320 samples) occurring in different habitats across the Macaronesian islands in comparison to mainland specimens. Results showed that taxa with larger genomes (e.

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Botanical gardens have long contributed to plant science and have played a leading role in ex situ conservation, namely of threatened tree species. Focusing on the three botanical gardens of Lisbon (i.e.

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Brassica is one of the most economically important genus of the Brassicaceae family, encompassing several key crops like Brassica napus (cabbage) and broccoli (Brassica oleraceae var. italica). This family is well known for their high content of characteristic secondary metabolites such as glucosinolates (GLS) compounds, recognize for their beneficial health properties and role in plants defense.

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