Reconstruction of the parental origins of cultivated plants from wild relatives, especially after long periods of domestication, is not a trivial task. However, recent advances in molecular phylogenetics, among other approaches, have proved to be very informative in analyses of the origin and evolution of polyploid genomes. An established minor garden crop, triploid onion Allium x cornutum (Clementi ex Visiani, 1842) (2n = 3x = 24), is widespread in southeastern Asia and Europe. Our previous cytogenetic analyses confirmed its highly heterozygous karyotype and indicated its possible complex triparental genome origin. Allium cepa L. and Allium roylei Stearn were suggested as two putative parental species of A. x cornutum, whereas the third parental species remained hitherto unknown.

New and detailed data are presented on the phytochemical composition of the volatile and non-volatile organic compounds of the Mediterranean endemic species Portenschlagiella ramosissima (Port.) Tutin. Both the essential oil and hydrosol were obtained from the air-dried plant by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The volatile compounds from the fresh and air-dried plants and from the hydrosol were isolated for the first time by headspace solid-phase microextraction using two fibres of different polarity. The benzene derivative group was the predominant group in all samples, with myristicin being the most abundant component of all. The non-volatile compounds of the methanol extract were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry with electrospray ionisation, and three flavonoid glycosides, one anthocyanidin glycoside, and lipid derivatives were detected. Both the chemical composition and biological activities of this plant have been described in a very limited number of publications, making it an interesting source for further study. The antiphytoviral activity of the essential oil and hydrosol showed that both extracts significantly reduced the number of lesions on the leaves of local host plants infected with tobacco mosaic virus. Moderate antiproliferative activity of the methanol extract was detected in three cancer cell lines, cervical cancer cell line, human colon cancer cell line and human osteosarcoma cell line, using the MTS-based cell proliferation assay. Based on the results, we highlight this plant as a new source of bioactive compounds and natural phytotherapeutic agent that deserves further investigation.

Seseli tomentosum Vis. is an endemic species distributed along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. In this study, the leaf structure as observed by light and electron microscopy, the phytochemical composition of the volatile organic compounds, and the cytotoxic activity of S. tomentosum are presented. The secretory ducts located above and within the phloem and below the xylem part of the vascular bundle represent the first description of the leaf secretory structures of S. tomentosum . The essential oil and hydrosol were extracted from air‐dried leaves by Clevenger distillation and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, combined with headspace solid‐phase microextraction of volatiles from the hydrosol and fresh plant material. α‐Amorphene, β‐caryophyllene, germacrene D, β‐cadinene, and α‐copaene were the most abundant sesquiterpenes in the essential oil and fresh plant material. Among the monoterpenes, α‐pinene was most abundant in the essential oil, limonene in fresh plant material, and α‐terpineol in the hydrosol. Moderate cytotoxic activity of the methanolic extract of S. tomentosum , with higher inhibition of cell division observed in the human cervical cancer and osteosarcoma cell lines, and weaker activity in the healthy retinal pigmented epithelial and colon cancer cell lines, was detected using the MTS‐based assay. With these results, we aim to highlight the potential of endemic plants, emphasizing the importance of studying species such as S. tomentosum and their contributions to biodiversity and human health as sources of bioactive compounds.

Cynipid gall wasps are known for their ability to manipulate host plant development, redirecting undifferentiated tissues into complex, highly specialised structures. In this study, we investigated how Andricus quercustozae larvae manipulate axillary bud tissues of Quercus virgiliana across four key stages of gall development: initiation, differentiation and growth, maturation, and lignification. Using detailed histological analyses, we characterised progressive tissue differentiation within galls, focusing on the organisation of nutritive, protective, and vascular tissues. Gall development was marked by sustained hyperplasia and hypertrophy, extensive vascular proliferation, and progressive cell wall lignification, resulting in a complex organ optimised for larval nutrition and protection. To complement these anatomical observations, we conducted a preliminary transcriptomic comparison between gall tissue and unmodified leaf tissue. Gene expression analyses revealed suppression of photosynthesis-related functions and coordinated modulation of developmental, regulatory, and metabolic pathways, consistent with a transition from assimilatory leaf tissue to a specialised nutrient sink. Integration of anatomical and transcriptomic evidence supports a model in which cynipid gall wasps intervene at key regulatory nodes of bud development, progressively reprogramming host tissues to form a functionally autonomous gall. These findings provide new insight into the extended phenotype and highlight the plasticity of plant developmental programmes under insect control.

The transition from simple herbivory to specialised gall induction in Cynipidae marks an evolutionary peak in insect–plant interactions. This structural and ultrastructural study suggests that the gall wasp larva has evolved from a passive consumer into a biological architect, utilising a highly specialised body plan. The structure of the large midgut, the midgut epithelium reinforced by septate junctions, and the cuboidal cells of the hindgut allow for the possibility that the larva of Andricus quercustozae may control itself independently from its host, working as an active producer rather than just recycling materials. The foregut constitutes approximately 10% of the alimentary canal length, while the large blind midgut occupies 80%. The remaining 10% consists of a specialised hindgut tube, which is anteriorly closed and contains a reinforced, cuticularised external anal pore. This posterior structure, together with a dense aggregation of urocytes and oenocytes in the anal region, presumed systemic homeostasis and the symmetrical distribution of hormonal signals. These anatomical hallmarks provide a structural baseline to hypothesize that biosynthesis may represent a key mechanism for phytohormone acquisition, while suggesting that this closed-circuit anatomy could potentially be a contributing factor influencing the spherical morphogenesis of the gall.