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Group:

Insect

Estimated genome size:

Greater than 18 mm

Size:

Greater than 18 mm

Distribution:

Anthia decemguttata inhabits sandy areas of the Karoo and fynbos regions in South Africa and Namibia. In South Africa, it occurs in the Northern Cape, Western Cape and Eastern Cape.

PromethION Sequencing Report:

Output:

71.66 Gigabases

Approximate N50:

3.56 kilobases

Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:

Genome Length:

0.51 Gigabases

BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):

100.0% [S: 98.8%, D: 1.2%]

Importance:

Anthia decemguttata belongs to the family Carabidae, a group of beetles that includes important predators. Carabids are abundant in agricultural fields worldwide and may help control agricultural pests naturally.

Sample Contributor contact details:

Charlene Janion-Scheepers
University of Cape Town

Group:

Eudicot

Genome size:

991 million DNA base pairs (0.99 Gigabases)

Size:

0.5 – 1 meter in height

Distribution:

Lessertia frutescens occurs naturally throughout the dry parts of southern Africa – in Western Cape and up the west coast as far north as Namibia and into Botswana, and in the western Karoo to Eastern Cape. It is also found in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. It shows remarkable variation within its distribution

PromethION Sequencing Report:

Output:

225.29 Gigabases

Approximate N50:

1.74 kilobases

Assembly N50:

TBA

Contig number:

TBA

Draft Genome Assembly Statistics:

Assembler used:

TBA

Genome Length:

0.45 Gigabases

BUSCO completeness score (single and duplicated genes):

94.3% [S: 90.8%, D: 3.5%]

BUSCO database:

TBA

Lessertia frutescens

Cancer bush

Species Card Details

Importance:

This plant is one of the most discussed in the ethnobotanical world because it has a strong reputation as a cure for cancer and increasingly as an immune booster in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. It has long been known, used and respected as a medicinal plant in southern Africa. There is preliminary clinical evidence that it has a direct anti-cancer effect in some cancers and that it acts as an immune stimulant. Research on its properties is ongoing.

Sample Contributor contact details:

Thabang Makola
South African National Biodiversity Institute

Date Published:

2025-03-12

Awaiting DOI

Photo credit:

© T. Makola

Flora

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