Diversity and Application of Herbaceous Flowers in Urban Road Greening in Hefei City

In urban road greening,the planting of ground cover flowers is essential,and herbaceous flowers are an important part.Through the investigation on the diversity of herbaceous flowers in urban road green spaces of Hefei City,the types,colors,application frequency and planting of herbaceous flowers in urban road green spaces were statistically analyzed,and the application forms of herbaceous flowers in the road greening of Hefei City were studied.The characteristics and problems of herbaceous flowers in the road greening of Hefei City were found,and some development suggestions were put forward.

Study on Skin Care Efficacy of the Active Ingredients in Camellia Japonica Flowers at High and Low Altitudes

The active ingredients of Camellia japonica flowers(CJF)at high and low altitudes,as well as their skin care efficacy were compared.The dried red CJF at high and low altitudes were ultrasonically extracted with 70%ethanol,and these extracts were concentrated and then diluted to a constant volume.The content of total flavonoids,total polyphenols and total proteins was tested and analyzed.In addition,DPPH free radical scavenging,inhibition of the formation of advanced glycation end products,and inhibitory activity against elastase was measured to compare their skin care efficacy in anti-oxidation,anti-glycation,anti-wrinkling and firming.The results showed that,based on the dry weight of CJF,the content of total flavonoids and total proteins of the CJF at high altitude was approximately 1.5 times of the CJF at low altitude,while the content of total polyphenols was approximately 2.4 times that of the CJF at low altitude.The skin care efficacy of CJF at high altitude was significantly better than that of the CJF at low altitude.This work could provide theoretical basis for the selection and application of Camellia japonica flowers in the field of cosmetics.

Comparative Analysis of Metaphors of “Flowers” in English and Chinese Poetry from the Perspective of Cognitive Metaphor Theory

Poetry,as a crucial form of literary expression,often employs metaphor as a common rhetorical device.According to the perspective of cognitive metaphor theory,metaphor transcends its traditional linguistic boundaries and is recognized as a profound cognitive mechanism,manifesting as a broader cognitive phenomenon.This article is based on metaphorical examples of“flowers”in Chinese and English poetry,carefully selecting representative cases for in-depth analysis.The aim is to compare the imagery of“flowers”in Chinese and English poetry,observe their similarities and differences,thereby fostering a better understanding of poetry in both languages.Through this study,we not only delve into the intricacies of metaphor within poetry but also shed light on the distinct interpretations of the symbol of“flowers”in different cultural contexts,expanding our appreciation for the cultural diversity inherent in poetry.

Flowers: precious food and medicine resources

Flower plants are popular all over the world and important sources of ornamental plants,bioactive molecules and nutrients.Flowers have a wide range of biological activities and beneficial pharmacological effects.Flowers and their active ingredients are becoming more and more popular in the preparation of food,drugs and industrial products.This paper summarizes the active ingredients,pharmacological activities and applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries of flower plants in recent years.In addition,the possible molecular mechanism of pharmacological effects of flower plants were also discussed.302 active constituents from 55 species of flower plants were summarized,including flavonoids(115),terpenoids(90),phenylpropanoids(20),alkaloids(13),organic acids(27)and others(37).The pharmacological effects of flower plants are very extensive,mainly including antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor,anti-virus,and hypoglycemic.The mechanisms of anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor and hypoglycemic activities present the characteristics of multi-way and multi-target.Because of its rich nutrients,bioactive ingredients and plant essential oils,and its wide sources,flower plants are widely used in food,beverage,cosmetics and drug research.Flower plants also play an important role in pharmaceutical industry,food industry and other fields.

Diverse O-methyltransferases catalyze the biosynthesis of floral benzenoids that repel aphids from the flowers of waterlily Nymphaea prolifera

Nymphaea is a key genus of the ANA grade(Amborellales,Nymphaeales,and Austrobaileyales)of basal flowering plants,which serve as a key model to study the early evolution of floral traits.In this study,we comprehensively investigated the emission,biosynthesis,and biological function of the floral scent in a night-blossoming waterlily Nymphaea prolifera.The headspace volatile collection combined with GC-MS analysis showed that the floral scent of N.prolifera is predominately comprised by methylated benzenoids including anisole,veratrole,guaiacol,and methoxyanisole.Moreover,the emission of these floral benzenoids in N.prolifera exhibited temporal and spatial pattern with circadian rhythm and tissue specificity.By creating and mining transcriptomes of N.prolifera flowers,12 oxygen methyltransferases(NpOMTs)were functionally identified.By in vitro enzymatic assay,NpOMT3,6,and 7 could produce anisole and NpOMT5,7,9,produce guaiacol,whereas NpOMT3,6,9,11 catalyzed the formation of veratrole.Methoxyanisole was identified as the universal product of all NpOMTs.Expression patterns of NpOMTs provided implication for their roles in the production of the respective benzenoids.Phylogenetic analysis of OMTs suggested a Nymphaea-specific expansion of the OMT family,indicating the evolution of lineage-specific functions.In bioassays,anisole,veratrole,and guaiacol in the floral benzenoids were revealed to play the critical role in repelling waterlily aphids.Overall,this study indicates that the basal flowering plant N.prolifera has evolved a diversity and complexity of OMT genes for the biosynthesis of methylated benzenoids that can repel insects from feeding the flowers.These findings provide new insights into the evolutional mechanism and ecological significance of the floral scent from early-diverged flowering plants.

Fish Swimming amid Falling Flowers中的中国绘画元素

中国传统文化传播深刻影响了欧美诗人的诗歌创作,如霍华德·奈莫洛夫受中国传统绘画《落花游鱼图》的影响创作了美国现代诗歌Fish Swimming amid Falling Flowers。霍华德·奈莫洛夫受中国传统绘画的影响主要体现在诗歌创作中对物象移用、意境营造、重返自然、诗意栖居、万物相融、和谐共存的哲思。

New taxa of Berberis (Berberidaceae) with greenish flowers from a biodiversity hotspot in Sichuan Province, China

A new species,Berberis viridiflora X.H.Li,and a new variety,Berberis sanguinea Franch.var.viridisepala X.H.Li,L.C.Zhang & W.H.Li are described and illustrated from Baoxing County,a biodiversity hotspot located on the eastern edge of Hengduan Mountains in Sichuan Province,Southwest China,Both new taxa resemble B.sanguinea Franch.var.sanguinea,but B.viridiflora differs by the greenish flowers,and the petals being truncate,obtuse,or undulate at apex;while B.sanguinea var.viridisepala differs by the greenish or yellowish green flowers.Morphological features of the pollen grains of B.sanguinea and the two new taxa are revealed by scanning election microscope.B.sanguinea var.sanguinea displays obvious similarities with a sympatric congener,Berberis multiovula T.S.Ying in the morphology of flowers,stems and leaves,especially its ovule number varies greatly from 2 to 9,thus,B.multiovula characterized by the5-ovuled ovary is reduced to a synonymy of B.sanguinea var.sanguinea.On the basis of field surveys and study of herbarium specimens,a total of 16 species and varieties of Berberis are recorded from Baoxing County,and a key is provided.Among the 16 taxa,most phenotypic variations in Chinese Berberis can be displayed,including the habit of plants,most morphological variations of stems,branches and leaves,all types of inflorescences,all color types of flowers,and nearly all types of the shape and color of fruits.Baoxing County and its adjacent Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries possibly constitute an active diversification center of Berberis in eastern Hengduan Mountains of China.

Integrative transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal the flavonoid biosynthesis of Pyrus hopeiensis flowers under cold stress

Low temperature is among the most restrictive factors to limit the yield and distribution of pear. Pyrus hopeiensis is a valuable wild resource.PCA showed that P. hopeiensis had strong cold resistance. In this study, the mRNA and metabolome sequencing of P. hopeiensis flower organs exposed to different low temperatures were performed to identify changes of genes and metabolites in response to low-temperature stress. A total of 4 851 differentially expressed genes(DEGs) were identified. Trend analysis showed that these DEGs were significantly enriched in profiles 19, 18, 7, 14, 1, 4 and 11. And the KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs in profile 18 were significantly enriched in flavone and flavonol biosynthesis. Besides, the expressed trends as well as GO and KEGG functional enrichment analyses of DEGs under cold and freezing stress showed significantly difference. Analyses of flavonoid-related pathways indicated that flavonoid structural genes had undergone significant changes. Correlation analysis showed that b HLH and MYB TFs may affect flavonoid biosynthesis by regulating structural gene expression. And PhMYB308 and PhMYB330 were likely candidate repressors of flavonoid biosynthesis by binding to a specific site in bHLH proteins. In total, 92 differentially accumulated metabolites(DAMs) were identified in P. hopeiensis flowers including 12 flavonoids. WGCNA results showed that coral 1, pink and brown 4 modules were closely associated with flavonoids and 11 MYBs and 15 bHLHs among the three modules may activate or inhibit the expression of 23 structural genes of flavonoid biosynthesis. Taken together, the results of this study provided a theoretical basis for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms of flavonoid biosynthesis and cold resistance of P. hopeiensis flower organs and our findings laid a foundation for further molecular breeding in cold-resistant pear varieties.

QTL analysis of early flowering of female flowers in zucchini(Cucurbita pepo L.)

Early flowering promotes early maturity, production, and the capacity to counteract biotic and abiotic stresses, making it an important agronomic trait in zucchini. The present study demonstrated that the zucchini inbred line ‘19’ consistently flowered early, taking significantly fewer days to bloom the first female flower(DFF) than the inbred line ‘113’. Genetic analysis revealed that DFF, an inheritable quantitative trait, is controlled by multiple genes. Based on the strategy of quantitative trait locus(QTL) sequencing(QTL-seq) combined with linkage analysis, three QTLs for DFF were identified on chromosomes 4, 11, and 20. This study used additional F2 populations grown under different environmental conditions for QTL mapping analysis of DFF with insertion/deletion(InDel) markers to validate these results. Using the composite interval mapping(CIM) method of R/qtl software, we only identified one major locus under all environmental conditions, located in a 117-kb candidate region on chromosome 20. Based on gene annotation, gene sequence alignment, and qRT-PCR analysis, we found that the Cp4.1LG20g08050 gene encoding a RING finger protein may be a candidate gene for the opposite regulation of early flowering in zucchini. In summary, these results lay a foundation for a better understanding of early flowering and improving early flowering-based breeding strategies in zucchini.

Advances in the Study of Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Aloe Vera Flowers

This review summarizes the main chemical composition of Aloe vera flowers and introduces their antioxidant,anti-aging,skin whitening,skin moisturizing,anti-skin irritation,and anti-skin allergy effects.Suggestions for the application of Aloe v.flowers in cosmetics are provided.

Optimal ultrasonic extraction condition and determination of polysaccharides in Tilia amurensis flowers

Seven extracting temperatures （25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, 85℃） and extracting time （30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 min） were designed for selecting the optimal extracting time and extracting temperature for ultrasonic extraction of T. amurensis flowers. Polysaccharides from T. amurensis flowers were isolated and determined by spectrophotometry. Results show that the optimal ultrasonic temperature was 75℃ and ex tracting time 52 min. The content of polysaccharides in T. amurensis flowers measured by anthrone--H2SO4 colorimetry under 580 nm, was 9.74% with 0.47% of relative standard deviation （RSD, n=3）. This study demonstrated that ultrasonic extraction method was simple, and the color of the treated samples was stable in 4 h. The average recovery value for the polysaccharides measured was 99.48%±1.01%, with 0.112% of RSD （n=3）.

Exploitation of Wild Flowers and the Sustainable Development of Flowers Industry in China

This article introduced the new methods on the research of the wild flowers and plants idioplasmic resources, elaborated the introduction and domestication and exploitation of wild flowers and plants idioplasmatic resources and the sustainable development of flowers and plants industry in China, and put forward some proposals on the existing question and the prospects for the development.

Analysis of Flavone Content in Honey of Pomegranate Flowers

[Objective] The aim was to analyze content of flavones in honey of pomegranate flowers. [Method] Contents of total flavones in 24 honey samples of pomegranate flowers from Mengzi City in 2011 and 2012 were measured as per- spectrophotometry method with acetone as an extractant and rutin as a control. [Result] The average content of flavones in honey of pomegranate flowers was at （2.36±1.36）mg/100 g in 2011 and significantly higher than that in 2012 at （1.71± 0.53）mg/100 g. Analysis was conducted on flavones content in different batches and the results indicated that content of flavones in honey in different batches changed from increasing to decreasing, namely, the content was maximal in peak flowering stage, followed by late flowering stage and initial flowering stage. [Conclusion] The research provides references for development, use and function exploration of the honey of pomegranate flowers.

The Sterilization Technology of Medicinal Flowers

This paper reviewed the latest progress on the sterilization technology of medicinal flowers, and briefly introduced its principle and application. Compared with the traditional chemical sterilization and autoclave sterilization techniques, irradiation sterilization, light radiation sterilization and gas sterilization own their unique advan- tages for different drugs sterilization requirements, which are worth further promotion.

Empirical Study on Management of Flowers Tourism

The paper had illustrated the construction of Yanling Famous Flowers and Trees Science Park and highlighted its important position as scalized,standardized and corporatization demonstration based on development of flower industry and basic condition of the park.Through interview and sample survey of flower enterprises,it concluded that the park had vigorous support from government,good service concept,strong consciousness for developing flowers tourism,and scaled development.And meantime,it pointed out three problems in park's management which were problems about enterprise's flower production characteristic,about the concept of farmers of land transference,and about enterprises.Finally,from the perspective of park's management,it put forward some suggestions on flowers tourism development.In terms of flowers tourism development,it should enhance characterization,scale and standardization of enterprises production,explore diversified methods for land transference,and strengthen peasant-workers' skill and thought training.In terms of supportive policy,it should intensify the park's identification,pay attention to protection of ecological environment,create tourist products of local feature,enhance publicity and highlight participation and experience projects.

Research on the Vase Preservative of Anthurium seherzerianum Cut Flowers

[Objective] The research aimed to study the vase preservative of Anthurium seherzerianum cut flowers and provide reference for the planting and preservative method selection of A.seherzerianum.[Method] Using Tropical＇s spathe,one kind of common cut blossoms of A.seherzerianum as experimental materials,three different formula of vase solutions were used.And it was compared with common preservative formula of A.seherzerianum to study the vase preserved liquid of A.seherzerianum.[Result] Formula 3 was the optimum vase preservative,which was composed of 4% sucrose,0.08% NaCl,0.01% Ca（H2PO4）2·H2O,0.01% Chinese medicine antiseptic （ethonal extract from coptis）,0.1 mol/L NaOH,0.1 mol/L citric acid and 10 mg/L 6-BA.The preserved period reached 23 days,13 days longer than CK.The appreciative period reached 31 days,18 days longer than CK,with significant effects.In formula 3,water loss in A.seherzerianum spathe was decreased obviously,which was favorable for maintaining water content in tissues.The cell membrane permeability was reduced and the peroxidation of membrane ester was inhibited.The accumulation of MDA was decreased and SOD activity was increased.The protective enzyme activity of cells was enhanced and the content of proline and soluble sugar were increased and the respiration rate was reduced.[Conclusion] The formula（4% sucrose ＋ 0.08% NaCl＋ 0.01% Ca（H2PO4）2＋0.01% Chinese medicine antiseptic（ethonal extract from coptis）＋ 0.1 mol/L NaOH＋0.1 mol/L citric acid and 10 mg/L 6-BA）achieved the purpose of prolonging the preservative period of A.seherzerianum spathe and prolonging the preservative period of A.seherzerianum effectively.

Integrating full-length transcriptomics and metabolomics reveals the regulatory mechanisms underlying yellow pigmentation in tree peony(Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.)flowers

Tree peony(Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.)is a popular ornamental plant in China due to its showy and colorful flowers.However,yellow-colored flowers are rare in both wild species and domesticated cultivars.The molecular mechanisms underlying yellow pigmentation remain poorly understood.Here,petal tissues of two tree peony cultivars,“High Noon”(yellow flowers)and“Roufurong”(purple–red flowers),were sampled at five developmental stages(S1–S5)from early flower buds to full blooms.Five petal color indices(brightness,redness,yellowness,chroma,and hue angle)and the contents of ten different flavonoids were determined.Compared to“Roufurong,”which accumulated abundant anthocyanins at S3–S5,the yellow-colored“High Noon”displayed relatively higher contents of tetrahydroxychalcone(THC),flavones,and flavonols but no anthocyanin production.The contents of THC,flavones,and flavonols in“High Noon”peaked at S3 and dropped gradually as the flower bloomed,consistent with the color index patterns.Furthermore,RNA-seq analyses at S3 showed that structural genes such as PsC4Hs,PsDFRs,and PsUFGTs in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway were downregulated in“High Noon,”whereas most PsFLSs,PsF3Hs,and PsF3’Hs were upregulated.Five transcription factor(TF)genes related to flavonoid biosynthesis were also upregulated in“High Noon.”One of these TFs,PsMYB111,was overexpressed in tobacco,which led to increased flavonols but decreased anthocyanins.Dual-luciferase assays further confirmed that PsMYB111 upregulated PsFLS.These results improve our understanding of yellow pigmentation in tree peony and provide a guide for future molecular-assisted breeding experiments in tree peony with novel flower colors.

Correlation of the temporal and spatial expression patterns of HQT with the biosynthesis and accumulation of chlorogenic acid in Lonicera japonica flowers

Hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA quinate transferase(HQT)is one of the key enzymes in the biosynthesis of chlorogenic acid(CGA)in the flowers of Lonicera japonica.However,the spatiotemporal expression patterns of HQT and its relationship to the dynamics of CGA biosynthesis,transport,and storage remain largely unknown.In this study,we collected L.japonica flower samples at different growth stages(S1–S6)and examined the spatiotemporal expression pattern of HQT and the dynamic accumulation patterns of CGA using a combination of molecular and cytological techniques.Our results suggest that the spatiotemporal expression pattern of HQT is directly correlated with dynamic changes in CGA accumulation and distribution in L.japonica flowers.We further show that CGA is synthesized primarily in the cytoplasm and chloroplasts.CGA synthesized in the cytoplasm first accumulates in specialized vesicles and is then transferred to large central vacuoles for storage by fusion of CGA-containing vesicles with vacuoles.Furthermore,CGA synthesized in the chloroplasts appears to be transferred into the vacuoles for storage by direct membrane fusion between the tonoplast and the disrupted chloroplast membranes.Collectively,our results suggest that CGA is synthesized in chloroplasts and cytoplasm and finally transferred to the vacuole for long-term storage.

A detached petal disc assay and virus-induced gene silencing facilitate the study of Botrytis cinerea resistance in rose flowers

Fresh-cut roses(Rosa hybrida)are one of the most important ornamental crops worldwide,with annual trade in the billions of dollars.Gray mold disease caused by the pathogen Botrytis cinerea is the most serious fungal threat to cut roses,causing extensive postharvest losses.In this study,we optimized a detached petal disc assay(DPDA)for artificial B.cinerea inoculation and quantification of disease symptoms in rose petals.Furthermore,as the identification of rose genes involved in B.cinerea resistance could provide useful genetic and genomic resources,we devised a virusinduced gene silencing(VIGS)procedure for the functional analysis of B.cinerea resistance genes in rose petals.We used RhPR10.1 as a reporter of silencing efficiency and found that the rose cultivar‘Samantha’showed the greatest decrease in RhPR10.1 expression among the cultivars tested.To determine whether jasmonic acid and ethylene are required for B.cinerea resistance in rose petals,we used VIGS to silence the expression of RhLOX5 and RhEIN3(encoding a jasmonic acid biosynthesis pathway protein and an ethylene regulatory protein,respectively)and found that petal susceptibility to B.cinerea was affected.Finally,a VIGS screen of B.cinerea-induced rose transcription factors demonstrated the potential benefits of this method for the high-throughput identification of gene function in B.cinerea resistance.Collectively,our data show that the combination of the DPDA and VIGS is a reliable and highthroughput method for studying B.cinerea resistance in rose.

QSRR Study on the Components of Styrax Japonicus Sieb Flowers Using Improved Molecular Electronegativity-distance Vector (I-MEDV)

Atoms in most organic molecules are often carbon,oxygen,nitrogen,sulfur,halogens,etc. Based on the three-dimensional structure of a molecule,a molecular structural characterization（MSC） method called improved molecular electronegativity-distance vector（I-MEDV） was developed. It was used to describe the structures of 37 compounds of styrax japonicus sieb flowers. Through multiple linear regression（MLR）,a QSRR model was built up. The correlation coefficient（R1） of the model was 0.980. Then,4 vectors were selected to build another model through the method of stepwise multiple regression（SMR） ,and the correlation coefficient（R2） of the model was 0.975. Moreover,all the two models were evaluated by performing the crossvalidation with the leave-one-out（LOO） procedure and the correlation coefficients（Rcv） were 0.948 and 0.968,respectively. The results show that the I-MEDV could successfully describe the structures of organic compounds. The stability and predictability of the models were good.