Prosopis farcta (Banks & Sol.) J. F. Macbr. has been reported for the first time from Libya. This species is native in Asia. Flowering specimens of Prosopis farcta collected from Sokna Region about 650 Km south-east Tripoli. It is presented with updated nomenclature, taxonomic description, geographical distribution, place of occurrence in Libya, and field colored photographs are also provided. The voucher specimens were deposited in the Herbarium of Botany Department (ULT), University of , Tripoli, Libya

A floristic survey of Sedrores Al-Qawasim mountains in Gharyan district - Libya was conducted in two consecutive growing seasons from 01/04/2018 to 01/6/2019. In this study area, a total number of 320 plant species belonging to 214 genera were collected representing 44 families, of which 39 families and 276 species belonging to dicotyledons, and 5 families and 44 species are belonging to monocotyledons. The results showed the dominance of the family Asteraceae with 60 species, followed by the family Fabaceae with 32 species, then the family Poaceae with 29 species. The results showed the dominance of the (Euphorbia genus) with 7 species, followed by Helianthenum, Plantago and Erodium with 6 species each. Moreover, life-form spectrum analysis showed the predominance of therophytes with 210, followed by Hemicryptophytes with 59 species, while chorotype spectrum analysis showed the dominance of Mediterranian species with 151 species, followed by Mediterrean/Iranu-Turanean with 72 species.

A new record for Abutilon theophrasti is recorded for the first time in the flora of Libya. This widespread agricultural weed was collected from El-Hamra region (El-Qabel) in the Nafusa Mountain south of Tripoli. To facilitate further identification and future detection, a full description, habitat information, distribution map and distribution data are provided. A brief discussion about the most important threats posed by this species is presented.

Currently the origin and trajectories of novel traits are emphasised in evolutionary studies, the role of stabilization is neglected, and interpretations are often post hoc rather than as hypothesised responses to stated agents of selection. Here we evaluated the impact of changing environmental conditions on trait evolution and stabilization and their relative contribution to diversification in a prominent Australian genus, Hakea (Proteaceae). We assembled a time-based phylogeny for Hakea, reconstructed its ancestral traits for six attributes and determined their evolutionary trajectories in response to the advent or increasing presence of fire, seasonality, aridity, nectar-feeding birds and (in)vertebrate herbivores/granivores. The ancestral Hakea arose 18 million years ago (Ma) and was broad leaved, non-spinescent, insect-pollinated, had medium-sized, serotinous fruits and resprouted after fire. Of the 190 diversification events that yielded the 82 extant species analysed, 8−50% involved evolution, stabilization or re-evolution (reversal) of individual novel traits. Needle leaves appeared 14 Ma and increased through the Neogene/Quaternary coinciding with

vertebrate herbivores. Bird-pollination appeared 14 Ma in response to advent of the Meliphagidae in the early Miocene. Small and large woody fruits evolved from 12 Ma as alternative defenses against granivory. Fire-caused death evolved 14 Ma, accounting for 50% of subsequent events, as fire became less stochastic. Loss of serotiny began in the late Miocene as non-fireprone habitats became available but only contributed 8% of events. Innovation and subsequent stabilization of functional traits promoted the overall species diversification rate in Hakea by 15 times such that only three species now retain the ancestral phenotype. Our approach holds great promise for understanding the processes responsible for speciation of organisms when the ancestral condition can be identified and the likely selective agents are understood.intensifying seasonality and aridity. Spinescence arose 12 Ma consistent with the advent of

A series of polyelectrolyte hydrogels ranging from 92-98wt% were synthesized by copolymerization of acrylamide,

AAM with 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulphonic acid, AMPS using 0.001g APS as initiator in the presence of 30wt% H2O

and 1.0wt% ethylene glycol dimethacrylate,EDMA as cross-linking agent. The final copolymers was obtained in the form of

glassy and transparent roads at room temperature, these roads were soaked in water for two days to remove unreacted

monomers. The swelling behavior of the hydrogels was studied in distilled water and salt solutions of 1.5 mol/l each of NaCl

and KCl. The Swelling in water shows decreasing values of q, LE, Ø1, EWC% and increasing polymer volume fraction, Ø2 by

increasing acrylamide, due to increasing hydrophobicity and decreasing the hydrophilicity. The swelling in salt solutions

shows a decreasing in the values of ESSNa%, WCNa%, SCNa%, ESSK%, WCK% and SCK% by increasing acrylamid

monomer in the feed due to increasing the hydrophobicity and decreasing the ionized ionic groups (SO3H). The increasing

values of ESSNa%, WCNa% and SCNa% compared with the values of ESSK%, WCK% and SCK% respectively, is due to

the higher charge density of sodium ion than that of potassium ion.

Six Hakea species varying greatly in seed size were selected for cotyledon damage experiments. The

growth of seedlings with cotyledons partially or completely removed was monitored over 90 days. All

seedlings perished by the fifth week when both cotyledons were removed irrespective of seed size.

Partial removal of cotyledons caused a significant delay in the emergence of the first leaf, and reduction

in root and shoot growth of the large-seeded species. The growth of seedlings of small-seeded species

was less impacted by cotyledon damage. The rate of survival, root and shoot lengths and dry biomass

of the seedlings were determined after 90 days. When seedlings were treated with balanced nutrient

solutions following removal of the cotyledons, survival was 95–98%, but 0% when supplied with

nutrient solutions lacking N or P or with water only. The addition of a balanced nutrient solution failed

to restore complete growth of any species, but the rate of root elongation for the small-seeded species

was maintained. Cotyledons provide nutrients to support early growth of Hakea seedlings, but other

physiological roles for the cotyledons are also implicated. In conclusion, small-seeded Hakea species can

tolerate cotyledons loss better than large-seeded species..

Seed size is a key functional trait that affects plant fitness at the seedling stage and may vary greatly with species fruit size, growth form and fecundity. Using structural equation modelling (SEM) and correlated trait evolution analysis, we investigated the interaction network between seed size and fecundity, postfire regeneration strategy, fruit size, plant height and serotiny (on-plant seed storage) among 82 species of the woody shrub genus, Hakea, with a wide spectrum of seed sizes (2–500 mg). Seed size is negatively correlated with fecundity, while fire-killed species (nonsprouters) produce more seeds than resprouters though they are of similar size. Seed size is unrelated to plant height and level of serotiny while it scales allometrically with fruit size. A strong phylogenetic signal in seed size revealed phylogenetic constraints on seed size variation in Hakea. Our analyses suggest a causal relationship between seed size, fecundity and postfire regeneration strategy in Hakea. These results demonstrate that fruit size, fecundity and evolutionary history have had most control over seed size variation among Hakea species