An overview of the biology of the desiccation-tolerant resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia.
| dc.contributor.author | Moore, John P | |
| dc.contributor.author | Lindsey, George G | |
| dc.contributor.author | Farrant, Jill M | |
| dc.contributor.author | Brandt, Wolf F | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2016-07-15T14:02:08Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2016-07-15T14:02:08Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2007 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2016-07-15T13:58:21Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Myrothamnus flabellifolia (Welw.) is a relatively large resurrection plant, a woody shrub between 0.5 m and 1.5 m tall (Sherwin et al., 1998) that grows on rock inselbergs (Porembski and Barthlott, 2000) throughout southern Africa (Weimarck, 1936; Van Wyk et al., 1997; Glen et al., 1999). The plant was first recorded in 1859 by Friedrich Welwitsch, who named the plant Myrothamnus (myron meaning aromatic and thamnos meaning bush) flabellifolia (meaning fan-like leaves) (Puff, 1978a; Glen et al., 1999), the leaves having a balsamic-like odour (Puff, 1978a; Glen et al., 1999). Weiss (1906) was the first to note the ‘miraculous manner’ with which the desiccated plant revived when supplied with water (Fig. 1A, B). Myrothamnus flabellifolia occupies an important position in traditional African folklore and medicine (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962; Hutchings, 1996; Van Wyk et al., 1997). The Zulu name for the plant is ‘uvukwaba- file’ (wakes from the dead). The reviving ability is believed to be passed on to the ill person during treatment (Hutchings, 1996; Van Wyk et al., 1997). The plant is a geophyte possessing an extensive root system which extends into the crevices of the rocky slopes upon which it grows (Child, 1960; Glen et al., 1999). Myrothamnus flabellifolia can dehydrate its vegetative tissue, in particular its leaves, to an air-dry state. In this state, the leaves and stem segments curl and change colour from green to dullbrown (Farrant et al., 1999; Glen et al., 1999). When water is provided to the roots the plant re-hydrates its desiccated tissue and returns to its original colour and shape (Glen et al., 1999; Farrant et al., 2003). Since the last review on M. flabellifolia was written many years ago (Puff, 1978a) and since considerable work has been published in the last decade, this review focuses on recent advances in the understanding of the physiology, biochemistry and chemistry of M. flabellifolia. | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcl269 | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | Moore, J. P., Lindsey, G. G., Farrant, J. M., & Brandt, W. F. (2007). An overview of the biology of the desiccation-tolerant resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia. <i>Annals of Botany</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20389 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | Moore, John P, George G Lindsey, Jill M Farrant, and Wolf F Brandt "An overview of the biology of the desiccation-tolerant resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia." <i>Annals of Botany</i> (2007) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20389 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Moore, J. P., Lindsey, G. G., Farrant, J. M., & Brandt, W. F. (2007). An overview of the biology of the desiccation-tolerant resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia. Annals of botany, 99(2), 211-217. | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.issn | 0305-7364 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Journal Article AU - Moore, John P AU - Lindsey, George G AU - Farrant, Jill M AU - Brandt, Wolf F AB - Myrothamnus flabellifolia (Welw.) is a relatively large resurrection plant, a woody shrub between 0.5 m and 1.5 m tall (Sherwin et al., 1998) that grows on rock inselbergs (Porembski and Barthlott, 2000) throughout southern Africa (Weimarck, 1936; Van Wyk et al., 1997; Glen et al., 1999). The plant was first recorded in 1859 by Friedrich Welwitsch, who named the plant Myrothamnus (myron meaning aromatic and thamnos meaning bush) flabellifolia (meaning fan-like leaves) (Puff, 1978a; Glen et al., 1999), the leaves having a balsamic-like odour (Puff, 1978a; Glen et al., 1999). Weiss (1906) was the first to note the ‘miraculous manner’ with which the desiccated plant revived when supplied with water (Fig. 1A, B). Myrothamnus flabellifolia occupies an important position in traditional African folklore and medicine (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962; Hutchings, 1996; Van Wyk et al., 1997). The Zulu name for the plant is ‘uvukwaba- file’ (wakes from the dead). The reviving ability is believed to be passed on to the ill person during treatment (Hutchings, 1996; Van Wyk et al., 1997). The plant is a geophyte possessing an extensive root system which extends into the crevices of the rocky slopes upon which it grows (Child, 1960; Glen et al., 1999). Myrothamnus flabellifolia can dehydrate its vegetative tissue, in particular its leaves, to an air-dry state. In this state, the leaves and stem segments curl and change colour from green to dullbrown (Farrant et al., 1999; Glen et al., 1999). When water is provided to the roots the plant re-hydrates its desiccated tissue and returns to its original colour and shape (Glen et al., 1999; Farrant et al., 2003). Since the last review on M. flabellifolia was written many years ago (Puff, 1978a) and since considerable work has been published in the last decade, this review focuses on recent advances in the understanding of the physiology, biochemistry and chemistry of M. flabellifolia. DA - 2007 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Annals of Botany LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2007 SM - 0305-7364 T1 - An overview of the biology of the desiccation-tolerant resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia TI - An overview of the biology of the desiccation-tolerant resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20389 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20389 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/content/99/2/211.short | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | Moore JP, Lindsey GG, Farrant JM, Brandt WF. An overview of the biology of the desiccation-tolerant resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia. Annals of Botany. 2007; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20389. | en_ZA |
| dc.language | eng | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Oxford University Press | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher.institution | University of Cape Town | |
| dc.source | Annals of Botany | en_ZA |
| dc.source.uri | http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/ | |
| dc.subject.other | Myrothamnus flabellifolia | |
| dc.subject.other | distribution | |
| dc.subject.other | ecology | |
| dc.subject.other | morphology | |
| dc.subject.other | reproductive biology | |
| dc.subject.other | wood anatomy | |
| dc.title | An overview of the biology of the desiccation-tolerant resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia. | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Journal Article | en_ZA |
| uct.type.filetype | Text | |
| uct.type.filetype | Image | |
| uct.type.publication | Research | en_ZA |
| uct.type.resource | Article | en_ZA |