Ridha EL Mokni | University Of Carthage (original) (raw)

Papers by Ridha EL Mokni

Bothalia, Oct 20, 2022

record of Amaranthus crassipes subsp. warnockii (I.M.Johnst.) N.Bayón (Amaranthaceae) outside of ... more record of Amaranthus crassipes subsp. warnockii (I.M.Johnst.) N.Bayón (Amaranthaceae) outside of the Americas, with nomenclatural notes', Bothalia 53(1), a2.

Diversity

Increasing aridity usually results in decreasing bat abundance and species richness, and the Saha... more Increasing aridity usually results in decreasing bat abundance and species richness, and the Saharan desert is an example of such impoverishment. Moreover, the harsh climatic and field conditions in this area restrict the feasibility of surveys. Therefore, the bat fauna of the Tunisian Sahara was unstudied until an expedition was conducted in May 2021. A total of seven species were recorded using passive bat detectors set mainly at water bodies, which concentrate bat activity. Echolocation calls of these species did not depart from published records for the Mediterranean area. Our data failed to identify the two ecomorphotypes of Pipistrellus kuhlii but confirmed the adaptability of this species to local conditions. For the first time in Tunisia, we recorded echolocation calls of Taphozous nudiventris, a species that has been rarely reported in North Africa. The highest species richness was identified at the largest wetlands of Oued Daghsen (Oued Dkouk Nature Reserve) and at Bordj e...

Phytotaxa, Feb 21, 2023

Stellaria ruderalis and S. cupaniana (Caryophyllaceae, Alsinoideae, Alsineae) are recorded from T... more Stellaria ruderalis and S. cupaniana (Caryophyllaceae, Alsinoideae, Alsineae) are recorded from Tunisia for the first time, S. ruderalis being also new to continental Africa. Descriptions, notes on habitat, ecology, and distribution in Tunisia are given. Original photographs together with a key to the Stellaria taxa of Tunisia are also provided. The typification of the name Alsine cupaniana is discussed and a specimen preserved at LY is designated as the lectotype.

Industrial Crops and Products, 2014

The chemical composition of the essential oils from leaves and stems of Psidium guajava, grown in... more The chemical composition of the essential oils from leaves and stems of Psidium guajava, grown in Tunisia were determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry GC–MS. Twenty-one compounds were determined. The major compounds identified in the oil of the stems were α-humulene (10.93%), Germacrene D (16.79%) and Valerenol (10.62%), whereas leaf oil was dominated by Veridiflorol (36.4%) and Trans-caryophyllene (5.9%). The yield of the oil was 0.66% (v/w).

Journal of Chromatographic Science, Dec 20, 2019

In the present study, volatile oils from Onopordum arenarium fresh flowers and stems were obtaine... more In the present study, volatile oils from Onopordum arenarium fresh flowers and stems were obtained by hydrodistillation and the non-polar aerial part hexane extract was prepared using a Soxhlet apparatus. The constituents of different organs were identified for the first time by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. A total of 29 and 25 compounds were identified constituting over 91.6 and 89.2% of the whole constituents from flower and stem volatile oils, respectively. Both organs were constituted mainly of long-chain hydrocarbons (23.3-36.4%) followed by oxygenated long-chain hydrocarbons (31.5-33.8%) and oxygenated monoterpenes (14.4-6.6%). The major identified compound was palmitic acid [25.5% in O. arenarium flower essential oil (EO) and 28.7% in the stem EO]. Eighteen compounds representing 80.7% of the whole constituents were identified in the n-hexane extract, which was characterized by high amounts of triterpenoids (39.6%) and dominated by lupeol acetate (19.2%) and β-amyrin acetate (10.1%). Moreover, all extracts were evaluated for antioxidant potential using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical assay. The obtained results demonstrated that the EOs and the hexane extract could be a new source of natural potentially bioactive molecules.

Applied sciences, Jul 22, 2022

Teucrium luteum (Mill.) Degen subsp.

South African Journal of Botany, 2018

A new species of Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae), A. tunetanus sp. nov. from Monastir Governorate (cen... more A new species of Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae), A. tunetanus sp. nov. from Monastir Governorate (central Tunisia) is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to A. crassipes, A. crispus, A. graecizans subsp. aschersonianus, and A. scleropoides from which it differs mainly by characters of synflorescences and flowers. Distribution in Tunisia, notes of its preferred habitat, phenology, and the IUCN status of conservation are also provided. A diagnostic key to the 14 taxa of subgen. Albersia occurring in North Africa is also presented.

Plant Biosystems, Jun 6, 2017

In the south-central Mediterranean four tetraploid species of Bellevalia occur: B. dolichophylla,... more In the south-central Mediterranean four tetraploid species of Bellevalia occur: B. dolichophylla, B. galitensis, B. mauritanica, and B. pelagica. Another group of plants, morphologically similar to B. dolichophylla, has been recently recovered in Zembra Island (Tunisia). A phylogenetic reconstruction involving all these tetraploid taxa was performed using both plastidial and nuclear markers (trnL-trnF and ITS, respectively). For all these taxa, an allopolyploid origin involving B. romana and B. dubia is supported. Regarding plants from Zembra, they may fall within the variability of B. dolichophylla.

South African Journal of Botany, Aug 1, 2019

Mushrooms have been used both for food and medicine purposes for centuries. This paper provides a... more Mushrooms have been used both for food and medicine purposes for centuries. This paper provides a chemical study of Agaricus silvaticus Schaeff., Hydnum rufescens Pers. and Meripilus giganteus (Pers.) Karst. extracts and an evaluation of their antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities. Chemical investigations allowed as to note that the highest flavonoids and polyphenols contents are represented respectively in the ethyl acetate extract of A. silvaticus (47.06 ± 2.4 mg catechin g −1) and the methanolic extract of H. rufescens (32.54 ± 1.9 mg catechin g −1). While the highest amount of tannins (98.2 ± 4.8 mg catechin g −1) is present in M. giganteus ethyl acetate extract. The antioxidant activity was evaluated using 1,1-Diphenyl-2-Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis-(3ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate (ABTS), Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) and Catalase Activity Assay (CAT). The ethyl acetate extract of H. rufescens showed the highest antioxidant activity (IC 50 = 0.852 ± 0.003 mg mL −1) by the DPPH method as well as a significant catalase activity (448.430 ± 0.002 μmol H 2 O 2 degraded/min/protein). The anticholinesterasic activity showed 63.10% inhibition against butyrylcholinesterase by the methanolic extract of H. rufescens at the concentration of at 10 mg mL −1. The cholinesterase inhibition decreases with the concentrations decrease until its total disappearance at a concentration of 0.312 mg mL −1 .

Feddes Repertorium, Aug 6, 2023

Thymus numidicus Poir. (Lamiaceae) is a species endemic to an extended area of the northern Afric... more Thymus numidicus Poir. (Lamiaceae) is a species endemic to an extended area of the northern African coast, in Algeria and Tunisia, named “Kabylia‐Numidia‐Kroumiria.” This taxon was formerly regarded as restricted to siliceous substrata until the finding of a population on marly limestone from the “Mejarda Valley's region” in north‐western Tunisia. Due to the differentiation of several morphological characters including mainly leaf color, shape and size, calyx, and corolla color and size, the collected material is illustrated and a subspecies new to science is here presented, Thymus numidicus subsp. vagaensis El Mokni & Domina. Discrimination of the new subspecies with T. numidicus subsp. numidicus is discussed; the ranges of variation in size and color of leaves, calyx, and corolla of the two subspecies are illustrated. Habitat, ecology, chromatographic profiles, and conservation issues are also considered. The lectotypes of the names Thymus numidicus Poir. and T. lanceolatus subsp. kabylicus Batt. are here designated and T. lanceolatus subsp. kabylicus is included among the synonyms of T. numidicus.

Salinity is one of the most widespread soil degradation processes. In fact in saline soils uneven... more Salinity is one of the most widespread soil degradation processes. In fact in saline soils uneven temporal and spatial water distribution and localized high concentration of salts occur, characterizing restricted habitats where most of the present organisms are halophilic or salt tolerant. Soils could be classified hypersaline when salt concentration exceeds certain thresholds (1, 2). For this study were analysed 10 hypersaline soil localities from Sicily

... eds.) Evaluation of Cork Production in Kroumirie Cork Oak Forest, Tunisia Houcine Sebei1, Ali... more ... eds.) Evaluation of Cork Production in Kroumirie Cork Oak Forest, Tunisia Houcine Sebei1, Ali Khouaja2, Riadh Mahmoudi3, Ridha Mokni3 and Mohamed Hédi El ... of the oak forests and therefore to a decline of cork production in cork oak areas (Saoudi 1983; El Hamrouni 1992 ...

Collectanea Botanica, Jul 1, 2020

New alieNs iN Malvaceae for the North africaN flora, with NoMeNclatural Notes.-As part of ongoing... more New alieNs iN Malvaceae for the North africaN flora, with NoMeNclatural Notes.-As part of ongoing studies on Tunisian Malvaceae, populations of two Hibiscus species (H. rosa-sinensis and H. syriacus) and Lagunaria patersonia were discovered in northern Tunisia, representing first records for the national and North African flora. Morphological characters, as well as ecological and chorological data are given. Nomenclatural notes about the names H. acerifolius (= H. syriacus), H. chinensis (= H. syriacus), H. patersonius (basionym of L. patersonia), and H. rhombifolius (= H. syriacus) are provided, i.e. indication of the holotype for Hibiscus chinensis (van Braam Houckgeest's illustration), and designation of lectotypes for H. acerifolius (a Salisbury's illustration), H. rhombifolius (Cavanilles's illustration), and H. patersonius (Andrew's illustration). Further illegitimate and invalid names (Althaea frutex, H. floridus, Ketmia syrorum, K. arborea, and K. arborescens) are also treated.

Natural Product Research, Feb 17, 2015

Mediterranean Botany

Orobanche dominae El Mokni (section Orobanche L.) is described and illustrated as a new species t... more Orobanche dominae El Mokni (section Orobanche L.) is described and illustrated as a new species to science, endemic to central-eastern Tunisia, North Africa. The new species is known only from a single population within olive groves of Mahdia area, where it grows on sandy loam soil and parasiting on the Tuniso-Libyan endemic Onopordum espinae Bonnet. It is a medium almost brownish-purple plant characterized by a precocious and very short blooming period. It has a cylindrical, long inflorescence with erecto-patent and long sized flowers. The corolla exhibits varying colors along with short and long glandular hairs in addition to an almost glabrous style on the lower part. The macromorphological features suggest a closer relationship of this new species to the members of the subsections Minores Teryokhin and Speciosae Novopokr., in particular with Or. crenata Forssk., Or. minor Sm., and Or. artemisiae-campestris Gaudin s.l. (so far the only known Orobanche that was mentioned parasitiz...

Collectanea Botanica, 2020

Waste and Biomass Valorization, 2022