A synopsis of Cyathocalyx species (Annonaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo, with descriptions of two new species

A revised classification of the species of Cyathocalyx (Annonaceae) occurring in western Malesia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo) is presented, with distribution maps. Fifteen species are recognized, including two that are newly described from Borneo ( C. angustipetalus and C. magnifructus ), which are illustrated. Several important nomenclatural changes are validated, including the elevation of Drepananthus carinatus var. deltoideus to specific rank as C. deltoideus , and the transfer of the name Parartabotrys hexagynus to Cyathocalyx as C. hexagynus . Other notable nomenclatural changes include the reduction of the name C. scortechinii to synonymy with C. pubescens .  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 152 , 513–532.     

Chromosome numbers in wild and semidomesticated Brazilian Capsicum L. (Solanaceae) species: do x = 12 and x = 13 represent two evolutionary lines?

Chromosome numbers were determined in 29 accessions of wild and semidomesticated Capsicum species from the EMBRAPA Hortaliças (Brazil) germplasm collection. 2 n  = 24 was found in C. baccatum var. praetermissum , C. chinense , C. flexuosum and C. parvifolium , while C. buforum , C. campylopodium , C. cornutum , C. schottianum , C. villosum var. villosum and five other native south-eastern Brazilian species not yet taxonomically named all had 2 n  = 26 chromosomes. These are the first chromosome number determinations for C. cornutum , C. schottianum , C. villosum var. villosum and the five other Brazilian taxa. Our data confirm published data for C. baccatum var. praetermissum , C. campylopodium , C. chinense , C. flexuosum and C. parvifolium , but not for C. buforum . The prevalence of 2 n  = 26 chromosomes among Brazilian species, along with the morphological and ecological characteristics presented by the wild and semidomesticated species occurring in Brazil, form a pattern different from that found in Andean wild and semidomesticated species. This supports the hypothesis that there are two different evolutionary lines in the genus and that the native south-eastern Brazilian species belong to the ancestral Capsicum gene pool. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 151 , 259–269.     

Revision of the Clinopodium abyssinicum group (Labiatae)

A tropical African group of species commonly included in the genus Satureja is revised and moved to the genus Clinopodium . Satureja abyssinica (Benth.) Briq. ssp. abyssinica and ssp. condensata (Hedberg) Seybold, S. paradoxa (Vatke) Engl. ex Seybold, S. robusta (Hook.f) Brenan and S. vernayana Brenan should be known under the following names: Clinopodium abyssinicum (Hochst. ex Benth.) Kuntze var. abyssinicum and C. abyssinicum var. condensatum (Hedberg) Ryding, C. paradoxum (Vatke) Ryding, C. robustum (Hook.f) Ryding and C. vernayanum (Brenan) Ryding, respectively. Satureja cacondensis (G. Taylor) Brenan, S. masukuensis (Baker) Eyles and S. myriantha (Baker) Brenan, including its varieties, are amalgamated and should be known by the name Clinopodium myrianthum (Baker) Ryding.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 150 , 391–408.     

A new species of Silene (Caryophyllaceae) from east Anatolia, Turkey

Silene bitlisensis O.Tugay & Ertugrul from the Green Line Afforestation Zone (B9: Bitlis Province) is a new species described and illustrated here. It is closely related to S. caramanica Boiss. & Heldr. var. ilarslanii Aytaç & Dural, from which it mainly differs in its habit, leaf, and floral features.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 156 , 463–466.     

Little genetic differentiation across Europe between early-flowering and late-flowering populations of the rapidly declining orchid Neotinea ustulata

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was used to characterize genetic diversity of the endangered Burnt Orchid, Neotinea (formerly Orchis ) ustulata . Fingerprinting of Estonian and British populations revealed surprisingly little genetic differentiation between populations but larger amounts of diversity within populations, especially in Britain. The resulting mean F _st value of 0.51 is unusually high for an orchid species. Much of the variation follows a west–east cline across Europe, whereas the much-discussed early- and late-flowering taxa of N. ustulata are considered insufficiently distinct to be viewed as separate subspecies. The later flowering N. ustulata var. aestivalis probably evolved independently on two or three occasions, each time diverging from the earlier flowering nominate race. The identity of the genes underpinning phenology in the species, and the potential selective advantages of phenological divergence, merit further study. Overall genetic diversity within populations is sufficiently high to render impoverishment an unlikely cause of their recent, precipitous decline.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 87 , 13–25.     

Taxonomic notes on the genus Crataegus (Rosaceae) in Turkey

The Turkish Crataegus taxa were investigated using morphological, palynological, and anatomical characters. A new series ( Crataegus Section Crataegus Series Peshmenia ), two new species ( Crataegus peshmenii and Crataegus christensenii ), and one variety ( Crataegus rhipidophylla var. kutahyaensis ) are described. Furthermore, Crataegus  ×  browicziana has been assigned to Crataegus rhipidophylla with a new status. Illustrations of the described taxa and their distribution map are also given. The lectotype for Crataegus yaltirikii is designated here.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 231–240.     

A new dwarf Coffea (Rubiaceae) from southern Cameroon

A distinctive new species of dwarf monocaulous Coffea (Rubiaceae) from Cameroon is described and illustrated. Coffea mapiana is the second dwarf monocaulous known from Cameroon. Its diagnostic characters are elucidated and its taxonomic affinities are discussed; a conservation assessment is provided.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 151 , 425–430.     

A new Mantalania species (Rubiaceae) from Madagascar

Mantalania longipedunculata De Block & A.P. Davis, a new species of Rubiaceae (Gardenieae) from Île Sainte Marie, Madagascar, is described, illustrated, and compared with the three other species in the genus. An extinction risk assessment is given, using the categories and criteria of the World Conservation Union (IUCN).  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 151 , 421–424.     

Notes on some new records and new species of cetrarioid lichens from India

Additional occurrences of cetrarioid lichens in India are documented. Tuckneraria sikkimensis Divakar & Upreti sp. nov. is described as a new species. Tuckneraria ahtii Randlane & Saag, T. togashii (Asahina) Randlane & A. Thell and Cetrelia sinensis W.L. Culb. & C.F. Culb. are reported as new records.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 150 , 249–251.     

New or rarely reported chromosome numbers in taxa of subtribe Artemisiinae (Anthemideae, Asteraceae) from Mongolia

This study encompasses 25 chromosome counts of 18 species in the subtribe Artemisiinae (tribe Anthemideae) of the family Asteraceae, from Mongolia. Most (15 species) belong to Artemisia , the largest genus of the subtribe, whereas the others come from two genera very closely related to it: Ajania (two species) and Neopallasia (one species). Eleven counts are new reports, three are not consistent with previous reports and the remainder confirm scanty earlier information. The majority of the species have x  = 9 as their basic chromosome number, but there are some taxa with x  = 8. Ploidy levels range from 2 x to 6 x . The presence of B-chromosomes was detected in Ajania fruticulosa .  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 150 , 203–210.     

A new diploid species of Hieracium sect. Pannosa (Asteraceae) from Bulgaria

Hieracium petrovae Vladimirov & Szeląg sp. nov. , a new diploid (2 n  = 18) species in H. sect. Pannosa Zahn, is described and illustrated from the Rhodope Mountains, South Bulgaria, and compared with related taxa. It grows in relict habitats in crevices of limestone rock together with many Balkan endemics. H. petrovae is morphologically similar to taxa from the H. pannosum , H. pilosissimum and H. heldreichii groups (collective species sensu Zahn) to some of which it is a presumed ancestral species.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 150 , 261–265.     

Polyploidy in Aconitum subgenus Lycoctonum (Ranunculaceae)

Chromosome numbers and morphology in 22 populations belonging to 11 taxa of Aconitum subgenus Lycoctonum (Ranunculaceae) from China were studied. Some taxa were diploid, with 2 n  = 16, but four species and two varieties were found to be tetraploid, with 2 n  = 32. They are concentrated in the Hengduan Mountains region in south-west China, indicating that polyploidy could have played an important role in the speciation of the subgenus in this region, one of the areas of the world with a high concentration of endemic species. The relationships of some of the species are discussed.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 150 , 343–353.     

Euphrasia amurensis, E. hirtella var. ramosa and var. karoiana (Orobanchaceae)

The lectotype for Euphrasia hirtella var. ramosa is selected. This taxon and E. hirtella var. karoiana are compared with E. amurensis and confirmed as synonyms, corroborating Juzepcuk (1955 ).  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 154 , 215–223.     

Revision of the Micromeria (Labiatae) in tropical to southern Africa and on the Arabian Peninsula

The material of Micromeria s.s. ( M. sect. Micromeria ) from tropical to southern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula is revised. The endemic Ethiopian M. unguentaria Schweinf. is retained as a species, while the other African and Arabian material of Micromeria is included in M. imbricata (Forssk.) C. Chr. M. imbricata is divided into the following three varieties: var. imbricata , which is very polymorphic, widespread in the African highlands, and also occurs in Arabia; var. rhodesiaca (Elly Walther & K.H. Walther) Ryding, which occurs in the highlands of Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe; and var. villosa (Elly Walther & K.H. Walther) Ryding, which occurs in montane to alpine areas of Ethiopia and East Africa. Discontinuities in the variation within var. imbricata , observed at some localities, are suggested to be a result of partial autogamy. Problems with delimitation between M. imbricata , the East Asiatic M. biflora (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) Benth. and some Mediterranean species are discussed.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 427–446.     

Variation in species composition, abundance and microhabitat preferences among western Amazonian terra firme palm communities

Western Amazonia harbours one of the richest palm floras of the Neotropics. About 121 palm species and 33 genera occur in this region. Approximately 40% of these species and three monotypic genera ( Aphandra , Itaya and Wendlandiella ) are restricted to western Amazonia. Bactris (23 spp.), Geonoma (20 spp.), Attalea (17 spp.), Astrocaryum (11 spp.) and Oenocarpus (7 spp.) are the most well-represented genera in the region. Palms, however, are not homogeneously distributed across western Amazonia. A major change in palm composition occurs between Yasuní (eastern Ecuador) and Iquitos (eastern Peru). Species that are very abundant on the unflooded forest of Yasuní, such as Iriartea deltoidea or Prestoea shultzeana , are replaced by Socratea exorrhiza , Lepidocaryum tenue var. tenue or Iriartella stenocarpa in the Iquitos–Pebas region. Moreover, the distribution ranges of the majority of eastern Ecuadorean palms reach the Iquitos region, but the converse is not observed. Censuses of palm communities along transects, studies of microhabitat preferences of Oenocarpus bataua and documentation of the distribution limit of Astrocaryum species in the intermediate zone provide new insights on the floristic change that is occurring. Modern ecological constraints and geological history during the Cenozoic may explain the observed variations.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 151 , 127–140.