Polygala species are frequently used worldwide in the treatment of various diseases, such as inflammatory and autoimmune disorders as well as metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, due to the large number of secondary metabolites they contain. The present study was performed on Polygala inexpectata, which is a narrow endemic species for the flora of Turkey, and resulted in the isolation of nine known compounds, 6,3′-disinapoyl-sucrose (1), 6-O-sinapoyl,3′-O-trimethoxy-cinnamoyl-sucrose (tenuifoliside C) (2), 3′-O-(O-methyl-feruloyl)-sucrose (3), 3′-O-(sinapoyl)-sucrose (4), 3′-O-trimethoxy-cinnamoyl-sucrose (glomeratose) (5), 3′-O-feruloyl-sucrose (sibiricose A5) (6), sinapyl alcohol 4-O-glucoside (syringin or eleutheroside B) (7), liriodendrin (8), and 7,4′-di-O-methylquercetin-3-O-β-rutinoside (ombuin 3-O-rutinoside or ombuoside) (9). The structures of the compounds were determined by the spectroscopic methods including 1D-NMR (¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, DEPT-135), 2D-NMR (COSY, NOESY, HSQC, HMBC), and HRMS. The isolated compounds were shown in an in silico setting to be accommodated well within the inhibitor-binding pockets of myeloperoxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase and anchored mainly through hydrogen-bonding interactions and π-effects. It is therefore plausible to suggest that the previously established anti-inflammatory properties of some Polygala-derived phytochemicals may be due, in part, to the modulation of pro-inflammatory enzyme activities.

Astragalus ihsancalisii Dönmez & Uğurlu (Fabaceae) is described as a new species from Erzurum province in E Turkey. The new species belongs to A. sect. Incani DC. and is similar and possibly related to A. glaucophyllus Bunge and A. guzelsuensis F. Ghahrem. & al. from Turkey and A. siahcheshmehensis Maassoumi & Podlech from Iran. Astragalus ihsancalisii is clearly distinguished from those three species by flower number per raceme, bract size, pedicel length, standard length and legume beak length, among other characters. Diagnostic characters are given and their taxonomic importance is discussed. Photographs of A. ihsancalisii in the field are presented. In addition, SEM micrographs of leaf and legume surfaces of the new species and A. glaucophyllus and A. guzelsuensis are provided for comparison. The conservation status of A. ihsancalisii is also assessed according to field observations. Citation: Dönmez A. A. & Uğurlu Aydın Z. 2018: Astragalus ihsancalisii (Fabaceae), a new species from Erzurum province, E Turkey. – Willdenowia 48: 399 – 404. doi: https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.48.48309 Version of record first published online on 9 November 2018 ahead of inclusion in December 2018 issue.

The paper presents new records for 29 vascular plant species from 12 Eurasian countries. Seven taxa (Agave sisalana, Austrocylindropuntia subulata, Lagurus ovatus subsp. nanus, Opuntia stricta, Orobanche serbica, Oxalis articulata, Vitis × instabilis) are reported from Albania, one (Allium carinatum) from the Europaean part of Russia, six (Dipsacus fullonum, Gagea shmakoviana, Mentha × dalmatica, Thymus indigirkensis, Thymus sergievskajae, Viola × sukaczewii) from the Asian part of Russia, two (Agrostis sozanensis, Poa mustangensis) from China, two (Carex muskingumensis, Sedum rubens) from Poland, two (Crataegus macrocarpa, Dactylorhiza lapponica) from Romania, two (Oxygraphis delavayi, Ranunculus eryuanensis) from Nepal, two (Erigeron bonariensis, Ophioglossum vulgatum) from Tajikistan, one (Ranunculus olgae) from Kazakhstan, one (Najas guadelupensis) from Hungary, one (Orobanche bartlingii) from Armenia, one (Crataegus petrodavisii) from Azerbaijan and one (Amaranthus powellii) from Georgia. For each species, synonyms, general distribution, habitat preferences, taxonomy with remarks on recognition, and differentiation the species from the most similar taxa occurring in a given country, as well as a list of recorded localities (often far from the previously known areas) are presented.