Glossary of Botanical Terms BACK
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K
Karyokinesis - the process of division of a cell nucleus, distinct from cytokinesis division of the whole cell.
Karyotype - the gross morphology of the chromosomes.
Kewensis - from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. UK.
Kingdom - the highest grouping of similar organisms within the system of classification. Terrestrial life is divided into five Kingdoms: Animalia (animals), Plantae (plants), Fungi, Protista (protozoans and eucaryotic algae), and Monera (blue-green algae).
Krimpsiekte - Cotyledonosis - "shrinking disease" - a disease of livestock in Southern Africa, caused by consumption of plants from the genera Tylecodon and Cotyledon that contain bufadienolide cardiac glycosides such as cotyledoside. These cumulative toxins cause symptoms of exercise intolerance, paresis, paralysis, torticollis, paralysis of the lower jaw and tongue, dysphagia, drooling of saliva, abdominal pain and convulsions followed by death within a few hours. Secondary poisoning occurs in humans and animals that eat contaminated meat from diseased animals. There are no significant lesions at autopsy.
Structure of bufadienolide Structure of cotyledoside
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