| Abstract: |
Astraga/us sieberi DC is a perenniaL spiny, wild shrublet belonging to Farn. Leguminosae The genus 1si;iiga/iis has shown cytotoxiC activities in animals, some species have been used for treatment of patients wth leukemia, and uterine cancer. Many species of Asiragalits have been reported in the Chinese ‘and Indim folk medicine as antihypertensive and as antidiabetic.Literature survey showed that the plant under investigation has not been previously studied, and this stimulates the present work which includes:1— Macro— and micromorphological studies of the dil’ferent organs of the plant in the entire and powdered lorms2— Isolation and identification of the conslatuents of the plant.PART IBOTANICAL STUDY OFASTR IG4LUS SIEBERIDc.Chapter Iil Jacroinorpli oIog’ of ‘A .s’tr(Igallls steb cr1 DC:Habitat:/lsIrugahiIs siebci’i I )C. is a perenniaL d\\ arL P”Y shrubleL gro\\ ing wildly in the Egyptian deserts, llo\\ cong from March to April and fruiling during Summer. It attains a height of aht ut 2( )—4 () cm.A) The !eaf is compound paripinnale. green in colour with short Spifl\ petiole and carries about 20—26 pairs of’ leaflets arranged on an elongated rachis. ‘Ilie young rachis is flexible and thin hereas the old one is wood and tapering into a terminal sharp spine. ‘l’lw leaflet is small reaching about<m. in length, ovate, hael-shaped to orhicular and possess asymmetric base, a ciliate entire margin and emarginate to rounded apex. It is glabrous above, hairy beneath. Venation is pinnate1’ reticulate. odourless and with slight bitter taste.B) The stein: woody, nearly cylindrical in outline, yellowish green in colour, hairy, finely ridged and measuring about 8—4() cm in length, odourless and with slight hitter taste.C) The root system: of a long cylindrical, fusiform tap root, hearing few lateral roots and numerous rootlets being yelloish—hrovn in colour with rough, longitudinally \\Tinkled surface: up to 1 7 cm. in length.D) The flower: pedicellate and occurs solitary, axiallary being yellowish—white in colour, odourless, \ith slight hitter taste. It is zygomorphic, hermaphrodite. perigvnouS and has the ft)l lowing floral formula:% - - K5 - C1 2 (2) - A(Q). - - marginal placeniation, hilocular(false septum).1 — Ih jJy: of 5 pale green. pulescent sepals, united at the base to flann a tube with free apical teeth: venalion is pinnately ret iciil ate: ellO\vi sh white in colour.2— The .c.orolla: of 5 regularly imhricaied dissimilar petals: adaxial petal (standard): the two lateral petals (wings) and the lower abaxial internal two petals (Keels).3— Ihe androecium: of I () diadeiphous stamens: 0 stamens are united b their filaments into a tube leaving the tenth posterior one Iree: yello\\ ovoid bibbed anther and slight K flattened filament.
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