Olov Hedberg

Inventory of plants used in traditional medicine in Tanzania. I. Plants of the families acanthaceae-cucurbitaceae

Sixty-two plants are listed, which are used by traditional healers in the northeastern part of Tanzania. For each species are given: the botanical name with synonyms, vernacular name, collection number, locality, habitus, approximate distribution, and medical use. Results of a literature survey are also reported, including medical use, isolated constituents and pharmacological effects.

Tropical-alpine life-forms of vascular plants

The alpine flora of the high East African mountains is renowned for its Giant Senecios, Giant Lobelias, and other weird growth forms. Detailed studies of this afroalpine flora have led to a description of five life-forms of vascular plants, the morphological peculiarities of which are interpreted as ecological adaptations to the tropical-alpine climate with recurrent night frosts throughout the year. The same life-forms occur under similar climatic conditions in other tropical high mountains, notably in the South American Andes. A comparison was made between tropical-alpine life-forms and temperature conditions of Africa and South America. The results support the hypothesis that those life-forms result from parallel adaptive evolution responding to extreme environmental conditions. The crucial factor seems to be the low night temperatures, and most morphological specializations can be interpreted as adaptations favouring temperature insulation and the maintenance of the water balance.

Inventory of plants used in traditional medicine in Tanzania. II. Plants of the families Dilleniaceae--Opiliaceae.

Forty five plants are listed, which are used by traditional healers in the northeastern part of Tanzania. For each species are given: the botanical name with synonyms, vernacular name, collection number, locality, habitus, approximate distribution and medical use. Results of a literature survey are also reported, including medical use, isolated constituents and pharmacological effects.

Inventory of plants used in traditional medicine in Tanzania. part iii. plants of the families papilionaceaevitaceae

Forty-six plants are listed, which are used by traditional healers in the northeastern part of Tanzania. For each species are given: the botanical name with synonyms; vernacular name; collection number; locality; habitus; approximate distribution and medical use. Results of a literature survey are also reported, including medical use, isolated constituents and pharmacological effects.

Inventory of plants used in traditional medicine in Somalia. II: Plants of the families combretaceae to labiatae

Fifty-nine plants are listed, which are used by traditional healers in the central and southern parts of Somalia. For each species are listed: the botanical name with synonyms, collection number, vernacular name, medicinal use, preparation of remedy and dosage. Results of a literature survey are also reported including medicinal use, substances isolated and pharmacological effects.

Inventory of plants used in traditional medicine in Somalia. I, Plants of the families acanthaceae-chenopodiaceae

Thirty-eight plants are listed, which are used by traditional healers in the central and southern parts of Somalia. For each species are listed: the botanical name with synonyms, collection number, vernacular name, medicinal use, preparation of remedy and dosage. Results of a literature survey are also reported including medicinal use, substances isolated and pharmacological effects.

Inventory of plants used in traditional medicine in Somalia. III. Plants of the families Lauraceae-Papilionaceae.

Thirty-five plants are listed, which are used by traditional healers in the central and southern parts of Somalia. For each species are listed: the botanical name with synonyms, collection number, vernacular name, medicinal use, preparation of remedy and dosage. Results of a literature survey are also reported including medicinal use, substances isolated and pharmacological effects.

The genus Koenigia L. emend. Hedberg (Polygonaceae)

Pollen morphological studies revealed the occurrence of the characteristic spinulose pollen type ofKoenigianot only in the three species earlier recognized in the genus (K. islandica,K. nepalensisandK. pilosa) but also in three additional species earlier treated underPolygonum, viz.K. delicatula(Meisn.) Hara,K. forrestii(Diels) Mesicek & Sojak, andK. nummularifolia(Meisn.) Mesicek & Sojak. Further studies of flower morphology, fruit and petiole anatomy, basic chromosome number, etc., revealed additional similarities between those species, which led to a taxonomic revision of the genusKoenigia. This genus seems to be most closely related toPersicariaMill. sectionsCephalophilon(Meisn.) Gross andEchinocaulon(Meisn.) Gross, withKoenigia delicatulaas a connecting link. There are also interesting similarities with the genusAconogonon(Meisn.) Rchb.Koenigiaexemplifies the derivation from montane ancestors of a high mountain-dwelling genus displaying adaptive radiation to fit diverse alpine niches. Five species out of six are confined to high mountain areas in southeastern Asia, primarily in the Himalayas, whereas the sixth has spread to Arctic and alpine areas in the northern hemisphere and even penetrated to southern South America. The latter species shows progressive reduction in size in combination with adaptation to a very short summer under severe climatic conditions.

Inventory of plants used in traditional medicine in Somalia. IV. Plants of the families Passifloraceae-Zygophyllaceae

Thirty-seven plants are listed, which are used by traditional healers in the central and southern parts of Somalia. For each species are listed: the botanical name with synonyms, collection number, vernacular name, medicinal use, preparation of remedy and dosage. Results of a literature survey are also reported including medicinal use, substances isolated and pharmacological effects. Three plants which should have been included in Part I of the series have been added and some corrections to that paper have been made. With these additions the series comprises 180 different plant species, distributed in 59 plant families.

Parallel evolution of aperture numbers and arrangement in the genera koenigia, persicaria and aconogonon (polygonaceae)

Abstract Pollen of 30 species representing the genera Koenigia, Persicaria and Aconogonon was examined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Pollen descriptions are given for each genus. Earlier palynological investigations of each genus are listed. Each of the genera is characterized by a particular surface structure (spinulose in Koenigia, semitectate reticulate in Persicaria, and with microspinules in Aconogonon), but the number and arrangement of the apertures varies considerably, showing interesting parallels in the three genera. All three genera follow the pollen evolutionary model called ‘successiformy’. A few evolutionary and phytogeographically interesting intermediates between these three genera are discussed.