Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Alismatales
Family: Potamogetonaceae
Common name: Long-leaf pond weed
Distribution: Europe, Asia, Americas
Habitat: Ponds, lakes, ditches, streams
Description: This monocot, perennial herb has thin branching stems of 1 m
length. The loating and submerged leaves (15 × 4 cm) are linear to lance
shaped. The inlorescence is a spike of many small lowers, which arise
from the water on a peduncle.
Compounds and activities: From the ethanol extract of this species, bioactive
compounds such as 15,16-epoxy-12-oxo-8,13,14-labdatrien-20,19-olide and
2-hydroxyheptane-3,5-dione have been isolated. These compounds show
antibacterial (against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria),
cytotoxic, and antiviral activities. Other compounds isolated from this spe-
cies include potamogeton nodosus lectins (PNLs) 1-6, which possess cyto-
toxic, anticancer, and antitumor properties (Pervin et al., 2006).
VETIVERIA ZIZANIOIDES
(LINNAEUS) NASH
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Common name: Khas grass
Distribution: India, Bangladesh, Myanmar
Habitat: Swamps
Description: It is a perennial grass with thick ibrous adventitious roots that are
aromatic and highly valued. This densely tufted grass, which has a maxi-
mum height of 2 m, arises from an aromatic rhizome. Leaves are narrow,
erect, and keeled with scabrid margins. Inlorescence is a panicle up to
50 cm long of numerous slender racemes in whorls on a central axis.
Compounds and activities: The bioactive fractions of the essential oil
of this species, viz., V
z
-2, V
z
-7, V
z
-8, and V
z
9, on puriication yielded
six compounds, viz., 5,10-pentadecadiyn-1-ol, α- curcumene,
hydroxy
