New knowledge in dragon tree research

Petr Maděra, Fabio Attorre and Kay Van Damme
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Petr Maděra: Department of Forest Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocoenology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
Fabio Attorre: Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza - University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Kay Van Damme: Department of Forest Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocoenology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic

Journal of Forest Science, 2025, vol. 71, issue 5, 205-217

Abstract: Dragon trees, arborescent members of the genus Dracaena (Asparagaceae), provide a wide range of ecosystem services and have been ethnobotanically important plants since ancient times. Currently, their relictual distribution is fragmented, populations are isolated and often under threat. We provide a brief overview of scientific studies and the state of knowledge on dragon trees published since 2020, when the last review was published. More than 120 papers dealing with dragon trees have appeared, indicating a significant interest in their research, cultural uses and conservation. The most intensively investigated species are Dracaena cochinchinensis, D. cinnabari, D. draco and D. cambodiana. Almost half of the papers deal with the chemical composition of resin and its bioactivity, in addition to studies on ecology, conservation and genetics. Only a few studies are devoted to taxonomy and ethnobotany.

Keywords: anatomy; bioactivity; conservation; dragon tree group; morphology; phylogeny; phylogeography; resin; tree age estimation; threat (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:71:y:2025:i:5:id:9-2025-jfs

DOI: 10.17221/9/2025-JFS

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