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Premise of the study: Cactaceae is one of the most charismatic plant families because of the extreme succulence and outstanding diversity of growth forms of its members. Although cacti are conspicuous elements of arid ecosystems in the New World and are model systems for ecological and anatomical studies, the high morphological convergence and scarcity of phenotypic synapomorphies make the evolutionary relationships and trends among lineages difficult to understand. METHODS: We performed phylogenetic analyses implementing parsimony ratchet and likelihood methods, using a concatenated matrix with 6148 bp of plastid and nuclear markers (trnK/matK, matK, trnL-trnF, rpl16, and ppc). We included 224 species representing approximately 85% of the family's genera. Likelihood methods were used to perform an ancestral character reconstruction within Cactoideae, the richest subfamily in terms of morphological diversity and species number, to evaluate possible growth form evolutionary trends. Key results: Our phylogenetic results support previous studies showing the paraphyly of subfamily Pereskioideae and the monophyly of subfamilies Opuntioideae and Cactoideae. After the early divergence of Blossfeldia, Cactoideae splits into two clades: Cacteae, including North American globose and barrel-shaped members, and core Cactoideae, including the largest diversity of growth forms distributed throughout the American continent. Para- or polyphyly is persistent in different parts of the phylogeny. Main Cactoideae clades were found to have different ancestral growth forms, and convergence toward globose, arborescent, or columnar forms occurred in different lineages. CONCLUSIONS: Our study enabled us to provide a detailed hypothesis of relationships among cacti lineages and represents the most complete general phylogenetic framework available to understand evolutionary trends within Cactaceae.

Abstract Cereus jamacaru DC. occurs in the central-eastern region of Brazil and is among the best-known cacti in the country. Its phytochemical properties and fruits hold great significance to the local communities. We examined published ethnobotanical studies regarding C. jamacaru (mandacaru) undertaken between 2000 to 2024, to better understand its traditional uses and relationships with human communities in Brazil. The literature review was carried out by consulting the databases Google Scholar (166 articles), Scopus (1 article) and Web of Science (2 articles), and followed the PRISMA 2020 protocol. A total of 169 articles were identified, of which 45 were deemed relevant. The most frequent uses of C. jamacaru include medicinal (cited in 32 articles), human consumption as a non-conventional food (22), and forage (18). C. jamacaru is often cited to treat health conditions such as kidney problems, flu and inflammations, but it’s also used for construction and crafts. Our results highlight the diverse and vital uses of C. jamacaru for human communities. Furthermore, we demonstrate the pattern of knowledge production regarding the ethnobotany of this species and the challenges for its conservation and the preservation of associated traditional knowledge. Resumo Cereus jamacaru DC. ocorre na região centro-oriental do Brasil e está entre os cactos mais conhecidos do país. Suas propriedades fitoquímicas e seus frutos têm grande importância para as comunidades locais. Examinamos estudos etnobotânicos publicados sobre C. jamacaru (mandacaru) realizados entre 2000 e 2024, para melhor entender seus usos tradicionais e as relações com as comunidades humanas do Brasil. A revisão da literatura foi realizada consultando as bases de dados Google Scholar (166 artigos), Scopus (1 artigo) e Web of Science (2 artigos), seguindo o protocolo PRISMA 2020. Um total de 169 artigos foram identificados, dos quais 45 foram considerados relevantes. Os usos mais frequentes do C. jamacaru incluem medicinal (citado em 32 artigos), consumo humano como alimento não convencional (22) e forrageiro (18). C. jamacaru é frequentemente citado para tratar condições de saúde, como problemas renais, gripe e inflamações, mas também é utilizado para construção e artesanato. Nossos resultados destacam os diversos e vitais usos do C. jamacaru para as comunidades humanas. Além disso, demonstramos o padrão de produção de conhecimento sobre a etnobotânica dessa espécie e discutimos sobre os desafios para sua conservação e a preservação do conhecimento tradicional associado a ela.

Our understanding of the complexity of forces at play in the rise of major angiosperm lineages remains incomplete. The diversity and heterogeneous distribution of most angiosperm lineages is so extraordinary that it confounds our ability to identify simple drivers of diversification. Using machine learning in combination with phylogenetic modelling, we show that five separate abiotic and biotic variables significantly contribute to the diversification of Cactaceae. We reconstruct a comprehensive phylogeny, build a dataset of 39 abiotic and biotic variables, and predict the variables of central importance, while accounting for potential interactions between those variables. We use state-dependent diversification models to confirm that five abiotic and biotic variables shape diversification in the cactus family. Of highest importance are diurnal air temperature range, soil sand content and plant size, with lesser importance identified in isothermality and geographic range size. Interestingly, each of the estimated optimal conditions for abiotic variables were intermediate, indicating that cactus diversification is promoted by moderate, not extreme, climates. Our results reveal the potential primary drivers of cactus diversification, and the need to account for the complexity underlying the evolution of angiosperm lineages. Here, the authors combine machine learning with phylogenetic modeling to assess the impact of 39 abiotic and biotic drivers on Cactaceae evolution. They suggest that cactus diversification was promoted by moderate, rather than extreme climates, as well as soil characteristics and plant size.

Succulent plants are widely distributed, reaching their highest diversity in arid and semi-arid regions. Their origin and diversification is thought to be associated with a global expansion of aridity. We test this hypothesis by investigating the tempo and pattern of Cactaceae diversification. Our results contribute to the understanding of the evolution of New World Succulent Biomes. We use the most taxonomically complete dataset currently available for Cactaceae. We estimate divergence times and utilize Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods that account for nonrandom taxonomic sampling, possible extinction scenarios and phylogenetic uncertainty to analyze diversification rates, and evolution of growth form and pollination syndrome. Cactaceae originated shortly after the Eocene–Oligocene global drop in CO2, and radiation of its richest genera coincided with the expansion of aridity in North America during the late Miocene. A significant correlation between growth form and pollination syndrome was found, as well as a clear state dependence between diversification rate, and pollination and growth-form evolution. This study suggests a complex picture underlying the diversification of Cactaceae. It not only responded to the availability of new niches resulting from aridification, but also to the correlated evolution of novel growth forms and reproductive strategies.

Background Flowering is a complex, finely regulated process involving multiple phytohormones and transcription factors. However, flowering regulation in pitaya ( Hylocereus polyrhizus ) remains largely unexamined. This study addresses this gap by investigating gibberellin-3 (GA3) effects on flower bud (FB) development in pitaya. Our findings reveal that GA3 application induces significant bud dormancy and suppresses FB formation, highlighting GA3’s role in modulating flowering in this species. Results GA3 application during peak flowering period significantly altered hormone levels, reducing auxin (AUX), cytokinin (CTK) active forms dihydrozeatin riboside (dhZR), zeatin riboside (ZR), N6-isopentenyladenosine (iPA), and brassinosteroid (BR), while increasing jasmonic acid (JA), GA3, and gibberellin-4 (GA4) levels, with abscisic acid (ABA) levels remaining unchanged compared to control. Conversely, FB formation was associated with increased levels of AUX, dhZR, ZR, iPA, ABA, and JA, and decreased GA3 and GA4 levels. Transcriptomic analysis revealed batches of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with phytohormone signal transduction, aligning with observed hormone changes. Notably, except four CONSTANS-like ( CO) ( HU06G02633 , HU10G00019 , HU04G00234 , and HU02G01458 ), all other CO genes were preferentially active in GA3-treated buds. GA3 treatment inhibited genes linked to the ABC model ( AP1, AP2, MADS-box , AGL, SPL ) and floral identity genes ( LFY , FT ), favoring dormancy and clean sweep of FB formation. Conclusion These findings underscore the potential of GA3 as a powerful modulator of flowering and bud dormancy in pitaya. By elucidating the hormonal and genetic responses to GA3 treatment, this study contributes to our understanding of flowering regulation in pitaya and highlights the significant impact of GA3 on bud developmental pathways.

Cipocereus minensis (Cactaceae) is a columnar, shrubby cactus endemic to the Campo Rupestre (Brazilian altitude grassland), often found associated with termite nests (Blattaria: Isoptera). This study investigates, for the first time, the association between cacti and termites, exploring the potential influence of termite nests on cactus production and phenology. Specifically, we assessed whether cacti in termite nests exhibited (i) different phenological pattern; (ii) greater reproductive structures produced; (iii) higher buds to immature fruits conversion rate; (iv) different responses in productivity related to temperature and rainfall; and (v) the termite species inhabiting the nests. Weekly quantitative phenological monitoring was conducted on 62 cacti (31 growing on termite nests, and 31 on rocky substrate) over 94 weeks (2018–2020). Temperature and rainfall were measured, and termites identified. Circular statistics were used to assess phenology, while GLMMs tested the effects of temperature, rainfall and substrate on the production of reproductive structures. For both substrates, C. minensis flowered and fruited throughout the year, with two to three more pronounced peaks annually, mainly in the dry season. GLMMs indicated that substrate influenced how cacti responded to climate fluctuations, particularly temperature. Seven termite species were identified in 24 inhabited nests, with up to three species per nest, while seven nests were abandoned. Cacti associated with termite nests exhibited greater flower buds and fruit production, and were more affected by climate at the onset of the phenological cycle ( timing ). Termite nests may provide microclimatic regulation (temperature e moisture) and can promote nutrient cycling, acting as “fertility islands” in the nutrient-poor Campo Rupestre soil, suggesting that the cacti grown in this substrate have access to more resources, such as nutrients and moisture.

Multiple biological structures have demonstrated fog collection abilities, such as beetle backs with bumps and spider silks with periodic spindle-knots and joints. Many Cactaceae species live in arid environments and are extremely drought-tolerant. Here we report that one of the survival systems of the cactus Opuntia microdasys lies in its efficient fog collection system. This unique system is composed of well-distributed clusters of conical spines and trichomes on the cactus stem; each spine contains three integrated parts that have different roles in the fog collection process according to their surface structural features. The gradient of the Laplace pressure, the gradient of the surface-free energy and multi-function integration endow the cactus with an efficient fog collection system. Investigations of the structure–function relationship in this system may help us to design novel materials and devices to collect water from fog with high efficiencies. Biological structures such as the backs of beetles and spider silk have fog-collecting properties. Here, clusters of conical spines and trichomes on the stem of the cactus O. microdasys are found to be responsible for its fog-collecting abilities.

Premise of the study: In its current circumscription, Echinopsis with 100–150 species is one of the largest and morphologically most diverse genera of Cactaceae. This diversity and an absence of correlated characters have resulted in numerous attempts to subdivide Echinopsis into more homogeneous subgroups. To infer natural species groups in this alliance, we here provide a plastid phylogeny and use it to infer changes in growth form, pollination mode, and ploidy level. Methods: We sequenced 3800 nucleotides of chloroplast DNA from 162 plants representing 144 species and subspecies. The sample includes the type species of all genera close to, or included in, Echinopsis as well as a dense sample of other genera of the Trichocereeae and further outgroups. New and published chromosome counts were compiled and traced on the phylogeny, as were pollination modes and growth habits. Key results: A maximum likelihood phylogeny confirms that Echinopsis s.l. is not monophyletic nor are any of the previously recognized genera that have more than one species. Pollination mode and, to a lesser extent, growth habit are evolutionarily labile, and diploidy is the rule in Echinopsis s.l., with the few polyploids clustered in just a few clades. Conclusions: The use of evolutionary labile floral traits and growth habit has led to nonnatural classifications. Taxonomic realignments are required, but further study of less evolutionary labile traits suitable for circumscribing genera are needed. Surprisingly, polyploidy seems infrequent in the Echinopsis alliance and hybridization may thus be of minor relevance in the evolution of this clade.

A surface engineering approach is described that is inspired by the water-condensation capability of the bumps on desert beetles, the droplet transportation facilitated by cactus spines and the slippery coating of the pitcher plant, to produce a structure with many water-harvesting applications. Surfaces made to collect water This paper describes the engineering of surfaces that can grow and transport water droplets against both gravity and a thermal gradient. These surfaces combine three bioinspired structural components — the water condensation capabilities of bumps inspired by the Namib desert beetle, capillary-guided directional transport of harvested droplets based on the model of cactus spines, and coupling of the condensation and droplet motion through the introduction of a slippery surface coating inspired by pitcher plants. Fast droplet growth and transport leads to rapid onset and sustained continuous high steady-state droplet turnover. This results in steady-state shedding of water over periods of many hours. These structures hold promise for water collection in arid regions and also for heat transfer applications involving multiple phase changes. Controlling dropwise condensation is fundamental to water-harvesting systems 1 , 2 , 3 , desalination 4 , thermal power generation 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , air conditioning 9 , distillation towers 10 , and numerous other applications 4 , 5 , 11 . For any of these, it is essential to design surfaces that enable droplets to grow rapidly and to be shed as quickly as possible 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 . However, approaches 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 based on microscale, nanoscale or molecular-scale textures suffer from intrinsic trade-offs that make it difficult to optimize both growth and transport at once. Here we present a conceptually different design approach—based on principles derived from Namib desert beetles 3 , 22 , 23 , 24 , cacti 25 , and pitcher plants 17 , 26 —that synergistically combines these aspects of condensation and substantially outperforms other synthetic surfaces. Inspired by an unconventional interpretation of the role of the beetle’s bumpy surface geometry in promoting condensation, and using theoretical modelling, we show how to maximize vapour diffusion flux 20 , 27 , 28 at the apex of convex millimetric bumps by optimizing the radius of curvature and cross-sectional shape. Integrating this apex geometry with a widening slope, analogous to cactus spines, directly couples facilitated droplet growth with fast directional transport, by creating a free-energy profile that drives the droplet down the slope before its growth rate can decrease. This coupling is further enhanced by a slippery, pitcher-plant-inspired nanocoating that facilitates feedback between coalescence-driven growth and capillary-driven motion on the way down. Bumps that are rationally designed to integrate these mechanisms are able to grow and transport large droplets even against gravity and overcome the effect of an unfavourable temperature gradient. We further observe an unprecedented sixfold-higher exponent of growth rate, faster onset, higher steady-state turnover rate, and a greater volume of water collected compared to other surfaces. We envision that this fundamental understanding and rational design strategy can be applied to a wide range of water-harvesting and phase-change heat-transfer applications.

Plants are a rich source of amino acids and their individual abundance in plants is of great significance especially in terms of food. Therefore, it is of utmost necessity to create a database of the relative amino acid contents in plants as reported in literature. Since in most of the cases complete analysis of profiles of amino acids in plants was not reported, the units used and the methods applied and the plant parts used were different, amino acid contents were converted into relative units with respect to lysine for statistical analysis. The most abundant amino acids in plants are glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Pearson’s correlation analysis among different amino acids showed that there were no negative correlations between the amino acids. Cluster analysis (CA) applied to relative amino acid contents of different families. Alismataceae, Cyperaceae, Capparaceae and Cactaceae families had close proximity with each other on the basis of their relative amino acid contents. First three components of principal component analysis (PCA) explained 79.5% of the total variance. Factor analysis (FA) explained four main underlying factors for amino acid analysis. Factor-1 accounted for 29.4% of the total variance and had maximum loadings on glycine, isoleucine, leucine, threonine and valine. Factor-2 explained 25.8% of the total variance and had maximum loadings on alanine, aspartic acid, serine and tyrosine. 14.2% of the total variance was explained by factor-3 and had maximum loadings on arginine and histidine. Factor-4 accounted 8.3% of the total variance and had maximum loading on the proline amino acid. The relative content of different amino acids presented in this paper is alanine (1.4), arginine (1.8), asparagine (0.7), aspartic acid (2.4), cysteine (0.5), glutamic acid (2.8), glutamine (0.6), glycine (1.0), histidine (0.5), isoleucine (0.9), leucine (1.7), lysine (1.0), methionine (0.4), phenylalanine (0.9), proline (1.1), serine (1.0), threonine (1.0), tryptophan (0.3), tyrosine (0.7) and valine (1.2).