Glacial refuge areas are expected to harbor a large fraction of the intraspecific biodiversity of the temperate biota. To test this hypothesis, we studied chloroplast DNA variation in 22 widespread European trees and shrubs sampled in the same forests. Most species had genetically divergent populations in Mediterranean regions, especially those with low seed dispersal abilities. However, the genetically most diverse populations were not located in the south but at intermediate latitudes, a likely consequence of the admixture of divergent lineages colonizing the continent from separate refugia.

A broad germplasm bank collection containing most of the autochthonous Spanish grapevine cultivars was analyzed using six sequence-tagged microsatellite site (STMS) loci: VVS2, VVMD5, VVMD7, ssrVrZAG47, ssrVrZAG62, and ssrVrZAG79. The number of alleles obtained ranged from 9 in ssrVrZAG47 to 13 in VVS2, and the observed genotypes per locus varied between 24 (ssrVrZAG47) and 41 (VVSS2). A total of 57 unique genotypes were obtained considering all 6 loci, and 40 varieties presented at least 1 of these specific genotypes. The genotypic combinations for the 6 loci have generated 163 different profiles in the 176 cultivars. Ten pairs of accessions and one group of four Garnacha's cultivars can not be differentiated. The observed heterozygosity varied between 75.6 (VVMD7) and 90.9% (VVMD5), without significant differences from the expected values for any loci. The VVMD5 locus was the most informative, and also showed the highest discrimination power. The cumulative discrimination power for all six loci was practically 1; however, in fact, these STMS loci have differentiated only about 93% of the accessions, probably owing to high relatedness of the plant material. Usefulness of this STMS set for characterization of a Spanish grapevine collection is emphasized, as well as the elaboration of databases with these molecular markers.Key words: Vitis vinifera L., STMS markers, genotype identification, grapevine synonymies, germplasm bank.

The genusPhyllanthusconsists of more than 1000 species, of which many are used as traditional medicines. The plant extracts have been used since ancient times, for treating hypertension, diabetes, hepatic, urinary, and sexual disorders, and other common ailments. Modern day scientific investigations have now confirmed pharmacognostic properties ofPhyllanthusherbs. The phytochemicals attributing these medicinal properties have been identified in many of thePhyllanthusherbs. The morphologically similar herbs ofPhyllanthusgrow together and admixture of species during collection for manufacture of herbal medicines is quite common. Hence, along with pharmacognostic and phytochemical studies, appropriate protocols for correct identification of species are also important. As the use of these herbs as green medicines is becoming more popular, it is imperative to assess its genetic diversity and phylogenetic relatedness for future conservation strategies. This review is an attempt to present an overview of the existing studies on pharmacognostics, phytochemistry, species identification, and genetic diversity ofPhyllanthusherbs and consequently (i) highlight areas where further research is needed and (ii) draw attention towards extending similar studies in underutilized but potentially important herbs such asP. maderaspatensis,P. kozhikodianus,P.rheedii,P. scabrifolius,andP. rotundifolius.