Centaurea molesworthiae sp. nov. (Cardueae,Compositae) from southwest Spain

Centaurea molesworthiae E. López, Devesa & García Rojas (Cardueae, Compositae), a new species from southwest Spain is described and illustrated. The morphological variability of C. molesworthiae and the three closest species, C. prolongoi, C. crocata and C. occasus is analyzed and discussed. The chromosome number (2n = 40) of this new species is reported for the first time.     

Afrochoerodon nov. gen. kisumuensis (MacInnes) (Proboscidea,Mammalia) from Cheparawa,Middle Miocene,Kenya

A proboscidean skull from Cheparawa, (Muruyur Formation, Kenya), differs markedly from those of Eurasian Choerolophodon (C. pentelici, C. dhokpathanensis). It is morphologically and metrically close to the holotype of Choerolophodon kisumuensis (MacInnes) a partial skull from Maboko, much of which has been reconstructed in plaster of Paris. The more complete remains of this species now available indicate that it should be placed in a genus separate from Choerolophodon. The new genus Afrochoerodon is erected for it. Choerolophodon ngorora from Ngorora and Fort Ternan (Kenya), Choerolophodon zaltaniensis from Gebel Zelten (Libya) and Choerolophodon chioticus from Chios, Greece, should be transferred to the genus Afrochoerodon. Late Miocene specimens from Nakali, Kenya are probably referrable to the genus Choerolophodon. Fossils from Burji-Soyama (Ethiopia) hitherto assigned to Choerolophodon sp. are excluded from the subfamily Choerolophodontinae.     

Lagerstroemia menglaensis sp. nov. (Lythraceae) from Xishuangbanna,Yunnan Province,China

Lagerstroemia menglaensis C. H. Gu, M. C. Ji & D. D. Ma, a new species of Lythraceae from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China is described and illustrated. The morphological characteristics of the new species and two morphologically similar species (L. guilinensis and L. venusta) are compared, and a key to distinguish between them is provided.     

Carex dapanshanica sp. nov. (C. sect. Mitratae,Cyperaceae) from Zhejiang,China

Carex dapanshanica X. F. Jin, Y. J. Zhao & Z. L. Chen, a new species of Cyperaceae from Mount Dapan, Zhejiang Province, eastern China is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to C. chungii C. P. Wang, but differs in having 2 or 3spikes, pistillate scales with brown margins and short‐awned at apex, and glabrous perigynia. Micromorphological photographs of the achenes of C. dapanshanica and C. chungii under SEM (scanning electron microscope) are provided as well.     

Species of Calydiscoides Young, 1969 (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) from lethrinid fishes, with the redescription of all of the type-specimens and the description of C. euzeti n. sp. from Lethrinus rubrioperculatus and L. xanthochilus off New Caledonia

Type-specimens of all known species of Calydiscoides Young, 1969 from lethrinids, namely C. australis Young, 1969 (type-species), C. difficilis (Yamaguti, 1953) Young, 1969, C. duplicostatus (Yamaguti, 1953) Young, 1969, C. rohdei Oliver, 1984 and C. gussevi Oliver, 1984, were re-examined; the male copulatory organs (MCO) of the type-specimens are figured for comparison. Two groups are distinguished within Calydiscoides: the 'difficilis' group, with a massive MCO (C. difficilis and C. rohdei), and the 'australis' group, with a branched MCO (C. australis, C. duplicostatus and C. gussevi). Species of Calydiscoides were found in seven species of Lethrinus (Lethrinidae) off New Caledonia, South Pacific. C. australis and C. gussevi from L. miniatus, their type-host, and C. rohdei from L. atkinsoni, its type-host, are re-described from New Caledonian specimens; all were previously known only from off eastern Australia and are new geographical records for New Caledonia. C. euzeti n. sp. is described from specimens collected from L. rubrioperculatus (type-host) and L. xanthochilus off New Caledonia. Specimens from the two hosts have slightly different measurements of the haptoral hard-parts but a similar morphology of the MCO. The new species belongs to the 'australis' group and is characterised by its MCO, which is 70-83 mum in length, elongate in shape with a characteristic anterior curved whip.     

Aspidistra albiflora sp. nov. (Asparagaceae) from southwestern Guangxi,China

Aspidistra albiflora C. R. Lin, W. B. Xu & Yan Liu (Asparagaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from limestone areas in Guangxi, China. The new species is similar to A. cerina G. Z. Li & S. C. Tang, but differs in having the perianth white by the sides, white pistils, bracts longer than the perianth, anthers only 2 mm long, pistil obconical and stigma slightly enlarged, 4–5 mm in diameter. The new species is currently only known from the type locality in southwestern Guangxi, near the border to northern Vietnam.     

Caralluma bicolor sp. nov. (Apocynaceae,Asclepiadoideae) from India

Caralluma bicolor Ramach, S. Joseph, H. A. John & C. Sofiya sp. nov. (Apocynaceae) collected from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu in India is described and illustrated. Morphological differences between the new species and the allied species C. adscendens (Roxb.) Haw. and C. sarkariae Lavranos & Frandsen are discussed.     

Carex sinosupina sp. nov. (sect. Lamprochlaenae,Cyperaceae) from Gansu,north central China

Carex sinosupina, a new species from Gansu, China is described and illustrated. This species is similar to C. aridula and C. ivanoviae, but differs by having broader leaves, 2.0–3.5 mm wide, perigynia 3–5‐veined abaxially and achenes concave at the middle of one lateral surface. Based on a field survey and SEM (scanning electron microscope) observation of the micromorphology of perigynia and achenes, the morphology and micromorphology of the new species, C. aridula and C. ivanoviae is compared.     

Crocus ilvensis sp. nov. (sect. Crocus,Iridaceae), endemic to Elba Island (Tuscan Archipelago,Italy)

A new species of Crocus sect. Crocus is described as an endemic of Elba Island (Tuscan Archipelago, Italy): C. ilvensis Peruzzi & Carta sp. nov. (2n=8). The new species was wrongly referred to C. corsicus Vanucchi (2n=18), C. etruscus Parl. (2n=8) or C. vernus Hill. subsp. vernus (2n=8, 16) by previous authors. Its karyotype structure, asymmetry and chromosome dimensions show affinity with C. etruscus, and no clear relations with other related taxa. From a morphological point of view, C. ilvensis appears intermediate between C. etruscus and C. vernus subsp. vernus, showing however a peculiar combination of character‐states. The new species is completely allopatric with other Crocus sect. Crocus taxa and its possible role in the origin of tetraploid races of C. vernus is discussed.     

Sargassum boreale sp. nov. (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) from Hokkaido, Japan

A new species, Sargassum boreale Yoshida et Horiguchi is described. It belongs to the subgenus Bactrophycus section Teretia, with cylindrical receptacles and is distinct from Sargassum confusum C. Agardh, S. pallidum (Turner) C. Agardh and Sargassum microceratium (Turner) C. Agardh in having a rather elongated stem with smooth surface and distantly issuing main branches, with narrow leaves. The distinction between S. boreale and these species is also revealed by a difference in internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS‐2) sequences. In addition to the base substitutions, the existence of a large gap in S. boreale distinguishes this species from others. Sargassum boreale is distributed around Hokkaido and Saghalien to 50°N latitude. A key to the species of section Teretia is provided.     

Centaurea nerimaniae sp. nov. (Asteraceae) from south Anatolia,Turkey

Centaurea nerimaniae?. Kültür sp. nov. (Asteraceae) is described and illustrated from south Anatolia, Turkey. It is morphologically similar to C. antiochia Boiss. var. praealta (Boiss. & Bal.) Wagenitz. The geographical distribution of the new species and related species is mapped. The chromosome number of C. nerimaniae (counted in root tips) is 2n=20.     

Campylocentrum guarinae sp. nov. (Vandeae,Orchidaceae) from Colombia

A new species of Campylocentrum from the Colombian Andes, C. guarinae, is described, illustrated and placed within a key to Colombian species of the genus. The new species resembles C. lansbergii from which it differs in vegetative and floral characters. The main differences between these species are described and illustrated.     

C, N and P nutrition of Lemanea mamillosa Kütz. (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) in the Dighty Burn, Angus, U.K.

Abstract. Field measurements of the growth rate of the red freshwater macroalga Lemanca mamillosa Kutz, in the Dighty Burn, together with measurements of water velocity, [CO₂], [NO₃], [NH₃+ NH₄⁺] and [phosphate], have been made between February and July. This period covers the growth of the erect gametophyte and later of the carposporophyte inside the gametophyte. Hydrodynamic studies in the laboratory on benzoic acid models of the gametophyte suggest an average in situ unstirred layer some 12 μm thick. For growth of the gametophyte, this estimated boundary layer thickness, together with the measured inorganic C transport pathway within the plant, suggest that growth is not significantly restricted by CO₂ transport from the bulk phase to the plastids. δ¹³C measurements on source CO₂ and on plant organic C bear this out. Habitat choice (low temperatures: CO₂ enrichment from ground-water input: rapid water flow), plant morphology and anatomy (turbulence-generating ‘knobbles’ on the nodes; plastids close to the outside of the plant), and plant biochemistry (high CO₂ affinity of the RUBISCO carboxylase; quite high carbonic anhydrase activity) are responsible for this lack of limitation by inorganic C transport in the growing gametophyte which lacks HCO₃ transport and a CO₂ concentrating mechanism. Transport through the boundary layer does not significantly restrict acquisition by the plant of N (probably as NH₄⁺, despite the preponderance of NO₃ in the environment) or of P (as orthophosphate) in the field. The membrane transporters, which have high substrate affinities (K½'s about 2 mmol NH₄⁺ m^-3 and < 2 mmol inorganic phosphate m^?3), probably impose the major limitation. The development of the carposporophyte later in the season, and an increase in the thickness of the cortex of the gametophyte, result in an increased (less negative) δ¹³C, suggesting a significant diffusion limitation to CO₂ transport. This conclusion is reinforced by consideration of the opposing effect on Δδ¹³ C of the decreased demand for products of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity as the N/C ratio decreases late in the growing season.     

Palaearctic species of the genus Confluaria Ablasov (Cestoda,Hymenolepididae): redescriptions of C. multistriata (Rudolphi, 1810) and C. japonica (Yamaguti, 1935), and a description of Confluaria sp.

Confluaria multistriata (Rudolphi, 1810) is redescribed on the basis of specimens from Tachybaptus ruficollis from the material of Rudolphi and Dollfus and new specimens from the same host species from Bulgaria. The types of C. japonica (Yamaguti, 1935) from T. ruficollis are also redescribed and figured. A single specimen from the collection of Krabbe, described as Taenia multistriata, is re-examined and recognised as belonging to a different species of Confluaria, the status of which remains to be established. Criteria for distinguishing the three species are proposed. In view of the present results, some of the previous records of C. multistriata and C. japonica are re-evaluated. The synonymy of the genera Colymbilepis Spasskaya, 1966 and Confluaria Ablasov in Spasskaya, 1966 is confirmed.     

Chrysosphaerella (Pseudochrysosphaerella)solitaria,spec. nova (Chrysophyceae)

A new unicellular species of the genusChrysosphaerella (Chrysophyceae) was found in fresh-water ponds in Switzerland, Japan, and the U.S.A. It is described asC. solitaria. The genus is divided into two subgenera:Chrysosphaerella, comprising the colonial species, andPseudochrysosphaerella, the unicellular ones.     

Lindernia kinmenensis sp. nov. (Scrophulariaceae) from Kinmen (Taiwan)

Lindernia kinmenensis Y. S. Liang, C. H. Chen, & C. L. Tasi sp. nov. from Kinmen (Taiwan) is described. The new species belongs to section Torenioides and is most similar to L. crustacea. It differs from the latter by the following characters: calyx pubescent between the ridges (vs pubescent on ridges), with (2)3(4) bristles on the ridge near the apex of the calyx‐lobes (vs without such bristles), corolla shorter, 6–8 mm long (vs 7–11 mm long) and pale purple (vs purple or blue), posterior theca with obtuse (vs acute) apex. This species is usually found in sandy wetlands. A line drawing, colour photos and SEM micrographs of pollen and seed as aids for identification are provided.     

Aspidistra longgangensis sp. nov. (Asparagaceae) from limestone areas in Guangxi,China

Aspidistra longgangensis C. R. Lin, Y. S. Huang & Yan Liu, a new species of Asparagaceae from the limestone areas in Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to A. guangxiensis S. C. Tang & Yan Liu in the shape of the flower, but differs by leaf blade pachyphyllous and bigger; the perianth lobes with appendages at base, appendage oblong, 3–5 mm long, apex incurved; stigma upper surface white, with 4(3) radial, bifurcate lines in the center. The new species is currently known only from Longgang National Natural Reserve, situated in southwestern Guangxi, China, near the border with northern Vietnam.     

MARINICHLORELLA KAISTIAE GEN. ET SP. NOV. (TREBOUXIOPHYCEAE,CHLOROPHYTA) BASED ON POLYPHASIC TAXONOMY1

We describe three coccoid green algal strains belonging to a new genus and species, Marinichlorella kaistiae Z. Aslam, W. Shin, M. K. Kim, W.‐T. Im et S.‐T. Lee, in seawater samples from the South Sea of Korea. These strains were maintained at 25°C–30°C under a 12:12 light:dark (L:D) photoregime in an ASN‐III medium at a pH of 7.5. These strains were tolerant of high salinity (7.5% NaCl) (w/v) and temperature (40°C). Molecular phylogenetic analyses using 18S rRNA gene sequence data resolved these organisms to a clade separate from green coccoid algae with similar morphology. The DNA–DNA hybridization results demonstrated very low relatedness of these organisms to phylogenetically related species of the genera Chlorella and Parachlorella. The molar guanine + cytosine content (G + C mol%) of the genomic DNA of these organisms ranged from 64.7 to 69.1 mol%. Based on molecular phylogeny, DNA–DNA hybridization, and other morphological studies, we propose a new taxon, Marinichlorella kaistiae, to describe these strains and classify them in the family Chlorellaceae. The type strain is KAS007^T (= KCTC AG10303^T = IAM C‐620^T).