Palaeoecological evidence for the middle and late Holocene vegetation, climate and land use in the upper Don River basin (Russia)

New pollen and plant macrofossil data, backed by radiocarbon dates, from the Kulikovo battlefield area in the forest-steppe region of the Upper Don River basin (central part of European Russia) indicate that the area was covered by mosaic vegetation in the second half of the Holocene. Steppe communities dominated during the mid—late Atlantic (7.2–5.7?cal.?kyr b.p.) and early Subatlantic (2.7–2.4?cal.?kyr b.p.), while forest-steppe dominated during the Subboreal (2.7–5.7?cal.?kyr b.p.), middle and late Subatlantic (2.4?cal.?kyr b.p. – present). Climatic reconstructions based on these data show that landscape dynamics in the region were most probably driven by changes in effective moisture: an excess of precipitation over evaporation. Even small reductions in annual precipitation, accompanied by a rise in summer temperatures by 1–3°C above present values, were sufficient to increase the proportion of steppe communities within this landscape complex, and also probably resulted in higher frequencies of wildfires. Signals of anthropogenic disturbance of vegetation are clearly pronounced in the pollen and plant macrofossil records since the middle Atlantic. However, human-induced changes in the vegetation remain subtle until the medieval period.     

A marine/terrestrial integration for mid-late Holocene vegetation history and the development of the cultural landscape in the Po valley as a result of human impact and climate change

Integration of pollen data from both marine and terrestrial cores contributes to the understanding of the timing of the climatic and human forces that shaped the cultural landscapes in the Italian peninsula. This paper focuses on the relation between natural and human landscapes, and the development of the cultural landscape from the Bronze Age to the medieval period and modern times. Two records were studied within independent projects, first the marine core RF93-30, from the central Adriatic, with a sediment source area including the Po valley and which spans the last 7,000?years, and secondly, material from the site of Terramara di Montale, a Bronze Age settlement on the Po plain, which was occupied from approximately 3550–3200?cal. b.p. The original chronology of the marine core was developed by using the magnetic inclination of the secular variation record and two ¹⁴C dates carried out on benthic and planktic foraminifera at depths of 527 and 599?cm. Its pollen record shows a gradual irreversible trend towards increasing aridity since 5700?cal. b.p. and, just after around 5100?cal. b.p., a Picea decline and a Quercus ilex type increase indicate less cool conditions. Human impact introduces rapid changes, such as the decrease of Abies alba, thinned by the reduction of precipitation and further cleared before or during the Early Bronze Age, followed by the fall of oaks. The latter started after around 3900?cal. b.p., and became evident at around 3600?cal. b.p. The gradual increase in signs of open landscape and woodland clearance correspond to the onset of Middle Bronze Age settlements in the Po valley, and to the development of the cultural landscape in the region. The impact of the terramare people includes woodland management by coppicing, and division of the territory into a patchwork of pastures and fields. Dry environments are indicated mainly by Cichorioideae, resulting from the continued human pressure, and these spread since the Recent Bronze Age. Of the possible causes for the decline of the terramare, we suggest that climate would have been less important in the decline than in the onset phases. The later cultural landscapes are mainly indicated by the trends of the Olea, Juglans and Castanea (OJC) records, besides those of cereals. At around 700?cal. b.p., the “chestnut landscape” spread while modern times are shown by the finds of Zea mays.     

New insights into vegetation, climate and fire history of southern Brazil revealed by a 40,000 year environmental record from the State Park Serra do Tabuleiro

The present study reveals palaeoenvironmental changes in the coastal southern Brazilian highlands during the last 39720 b.p., by the means of pollen, charcoal and multivariate data analyses. The isolated mountain range of Serra do Tabuleiro corresponds to the southern distribution limit of many tropical plant species and is therefore sensitive to climate change. Palaeoenvironmental reconstructions from the Ciama 2 core at 860 m a.s.l. indicate that Campos (subtropical grassland) covered extensive areas on the highlands throughout the recorded glacial period, thus suggesting cold and dry climatic conditions. The initial development of the Atlantic rainforest occurred after the glacial period, whereas plant diversity began to increase at the beginning of the Holocene due to climate change towards warmer and wetter conditions. At about 10400 cal. b.p., the Atlantic rainforest started to move over the slopes and Campos retracted. Multivariate data analysis showed a change of vegetation dynamics after 11200 cal. b.p. with the initial development of the Atlantic rainforest continuing until the mid-Holocene. Major vegetation changes, including the further expansion of the Atlantic rainforest and the initial development of the Araucaria forest in the higher regions of the Serra do Tabuleiro, occurred during the late Holocene after about 3600 cal. b.p. These changes reflect higher precipitation levels without an annual dry season. Multivariate data analysis reveals a clearly directional change of vegetation dynamics corresponding to the progressive expansion of the Atlantic rainforest from 3850 to 1600 cal. b.p. A second directional change of vegetation dynamics occurred from 320 to 160 cal. b.p. (a.d. 1630 to 1790) with a further development of the Atlantic rainforest and the partial replacement of Campos by Araucaria forest and Atlantic rainforest. Thereafter, an ecosystem disturbance, which resulted in forest opening, took place. Palaeofires probably did not occur during glacial times, whereas fire events, which were probably caused by Amerindians, were common in the Serra do Tabuleiro region from ca. 10400 until 3600 cal. b.p.     

Vegetation and fire history with their implication for climatic change and fire events since the last deglacial in the Aso Valley, central Kyushu, southwestern Japan: new pollen and charcoal data

To better understand the response of forest vegetation to climate and fire regimes with reference to human activities over the last deglacial period in the Aso Caldera, central Kyushu, southwestern Japan, a 33.9 m long sediment core was examined in order to reconstruct the vegetational and fire history using pollen and charcoal analyses. The results show that a cool temperate broad-leaved deciduous forest, dominated by Quercus (deciduous oaks) with Carpinus and Fagus, prevailed in the Aso Valley from ca. 14.6 ka cal. b.p., indicating warming since the last glacial period. The landscape was presumably covered by a mosaic of deciduous Quercus forests and terrestrial Artemisia communities. Around 12.8–11.7 ka cal. b.p., Quercus dominated the forest and fires occurred frequently. Co-expansion of distinctive Ulmus–Zelkova and Celtis–Aphananthe forests coupled with a progressive retreat of Quercus in the early Holocene could reflect a strengthening of the East Asian summer monsoon under mild and humid climate conditions. Around 8 ka cal. b.p., significant increases in Cyclobalanopsis (evergreen oaks), Castanopsis/Castanea and Podocarpus indicate a further warming, in particular an increased winter temperature. Warm temperate lucidophyllous forests, dominated by Cyclobalanopsis, flourished after 7.3 ka cal. b.p., probably corresponding to the “Holocene Climatic Optimum” interval. Progressive expansion of Quercus at the expense of Cyclobalanopsis began around 6.4 ka cal. b.p. and paralleled an increase in charcoal until ca. 4.8 ka cal. b.p.; this could be evidence of fire disturbance induced by the early-middle Jomon people. The disturbed evergreen forest experienced a temporary recovery but then opened again from 3.6 ka cal. b.p. due to extensive fire deforestation, as suggested by the high charcoal levels during this time. Human exploitation and buckwheat (Fagopyrum) agriculture may have contributed to the opening of the forest, which allowed secondary forests (primarily Pinus and Quercus) and herbaceous communities (mainly Poaceae) to spread. These results are discussed in comparison with other high-resolution pollen data from western Japan to better elucidate the vegetation and fire history over the last deglacial in the Aso Caldera.     

New insights into vegetation dynamics and settlement history in Hümmling,north-western Germany,with particular reference to the Neolithic

Palynological investigations on two well-dated peat profiles provide insights into Neolithic vegetation and settlement history from Hümmling in north-western Germany. The site selections allow comparisons between local and regional vegetation changes and are used to estimate the extent of Neolithic influence on the vegetation. The interpretation of the fossil spectra relied on radiocarbon dating, evaluation of pollen indicator taxa, non-pollen palynomorphs and multivariate techniques. During the late Mesolithic the vegetation was dominated by mixed oak forests while openings in forest cover were detected, with a decline in elm reflected in the regional pollen record around 4250 cal. b.c. The presence of humans is shown by settlement indicators that are first recorded at ca. 3800 cal. b.c. Vegetation changes were small between 4300 and 3600 cal. b.c. This suggests that regional vegetation was relatively resilient to small-scale disturbances. Possible indications of grazing were recorded in the spectra of the local pollen profile but there is no clear-cut evidence for Neolithic activity. Between 3520 and 2260 cal. b.c. decreases in forest cover were inferred from both profiles and increases in settlement indicators reflect farming activity. These changes coincide with the emergence in the area of the Funnel Beaker Culture and the subsequent Single Grave Culture. Both profiles suggest that settlement probably ceased between ca. 3230 and 3050 cal. b.c. This lull or cessation in activity was probably regional in character. After 2260 cal. b.c. human impact on the vegetation decreases and woodlands regenerate. The longevity of the regeneration phase—ca. 690 years—was probably connected with the low resilient capability of the vegetation on the poor soils.     

Holocene mangrove dynamics and environmental change in the Rufiji Delta, Tanzania

Holocene mangrove dynamics are reconstructed from pollen, sediment and radiocarbon analyses of three cores (ANR, BNR, CNR) located across a 20 km transect in the Rufiji Delta, Tanzania. At the base of the sediment sequence, dated to about 5600 cal. year b.p., the mangroves which are present suggest a low intertidal ecosystem in response to wet conditions and a higher sea level than at the present day. After around 5600 cal. year b.p. in core BNR, mangroves retreated seaward probably due to a lower sea level and drier environmental conditions. At around 4640 cal. year b.p., mangroves shifted landward suggesting a phase of sea level rise. In the late Holocene, mangroves became established at higher elevations of the Rufiji Delta, which is now a paddy field. Mangrove taxa decreased after 1170 cal. year b.p., suggesting drier conditions and less inundation frequency, possibly due to a lower sea level. Marked vegetation changes from mangroves to terrestrial vegetation occurred after around 750 cal. year b.p., possibly related to sea level regression and/or a desiccation phase recorded during the late Holocene. Paddy fields replaced mangroves in the landward part of the transect, reflecting an increase in human settlement in this area, a trend that continues to the present day. The recent decrease of mangrove species, particularly Rhizophora mucronata, could suggest less inundation by saline water and a lower sea level, although these changes may also be due to human activities during the last millennia as indicated by charcoal analysis.     

Vegetation characteristics in the western Loess plateau between 5200 and 4300?cal. b.p. based on fossil charcoal records

Understanding terrestrial vegetation dynamics is a crucial tool in global change research. The Loess Plateau, an important area for the study of Asian monsoons and early agriculture, poses a controversial question on the potential vegetation and its pattern. Fossil charcoal as direct evidence of wood provides precision in species identification and hence vegetation reconstruction. Charcoals from the Dadiwan and Xishanping sites suggest a great variety of plants between 5200 and 4300?cal. b.p. in the valley area of the western Loess Plateau. The deciduous broad-leaf wood from Quercus, Ulmus, Betula, Corylus and Acer is very frequent and makes up almost half the total abundance ratio of the represented taxa. Meanwhile, some typical subtropical taxa such as Liquidambar formosana, Eucommia ulmoides, Toxicodendron and Bambusoideae, are present at the two study sites. The high abundance of Picea appearing between 5200 and 4300?cal. b.p. suggests the development of Picea forests in the valley of the western Loess Plateau. The assemblages of charcoal indicate that the mixed forest of evergreen deciduous and conifer-deciduous broadleaved trees developed in the valley of the Loess Plateau during the Holocene optimum. Precipitation is the main controlling factor for forest development. The increasing precipitation is the probable reason for the appearance of north-subtropical forests between 5200 and 4300?cal. b.p.     

Origin and seasonality of subfossil caprine dung from the discovery site of the Iceman (Eastern Alps)

The discovery of a Neolithic glacier mummy (dated to 3300–3100 cal b.c.) on a remote site of an Alpine pass at 3,200 m in the Ötztal Mountains is still puzzling. In the initial phase of the Iceman research, four hypotheses were suggested to explain the find in its entirety. The speculations vary from a hunter or warrior to a shaman, a miner or a shepherd. None of these proposals is accepted or corroborated by archaeological findings, but on the basis of palynological investigations conducted in the vicinity of the discovery site the assumption that the Iceman was involved in an early form of transhumance has now gained general acceptance. Concerning this assumption we present in this paper a recent study conducted on about a hundred caprine (sheep/goat or ibex/chamois) dung pellets recovered from the find spot of the Iceman and which were dated from 5400 to 2000 cal b.c. The approach was to determine through plant remains from these faeces whether they were droppings derived from animals grazing in anthropogenic habitats at low altitudes or in alpine grasslands. The former case would suggest they were livestock, the latter game. The results showed that all droppings derive from animals grazing at high altitudes.     

The forest people: landscape and firewood use in the Araruama region,southeastern Brazil,during the late Holocene

The site of Morro Grande, situated in the Araruama region, southeastern Brazil (22º47′07″S, 42º21′49″W), is in the Atlantic rainforest phytogeographical domain. It is attributed to proto-Tupinambá agriculturalist and ceramicist populations, recognized by their typical polychrome ceramics. Four periods of occupation were identified at this site: (1) 3,220–2,840 cal b.p.; (2) 3,000–2,150 cal b.p.; (3) 1,820–1,390 cal b.p.; and (4) c. 750 cal. b.p. Analysis of 3,908 charcoal fragments from the three earlier periods has allowed the identification of 78 taxa and 29 plant families. This work demonstrates the permanence of the Atlantic rainforest in the region between 3,220 and 1,390 cal b.p., confirming previous palaeoenvironmental studies in southeastern and southern Brazil. The existence of mature forests is demonstrated; however, firewood was collected mainly from secondary vegetation, probably in the area surrounding the settlement or from cultivated land. These results provide further evidence of human influence on Neotropical rainforests. Creation of secondary environments, however, did not result in irreversible damage to local biodiversity, since the forest tended to regenerate after the clearings were abandoned. Analysis of charcoal concentrated in features allowed the identification of ritual funerary hearths, as well as of a probable specialized feature for firing ceramics. This evidence affords new perspectives for the archaeological interpretation of the funerary ritual and way of life of proto-Tupinambá people.     

Long-term development of a cultural landscape: the origins and dynamics of lowland heathland in southern England

The lowland heathlands of southern England comprise ca. 14?% of the total area of this habitat in Europe yet their history is poorly understood. This paper presents the first detailed palaeoecological evidence (combining palynological, microscopic charcoal and radiocarbon data) relating to the origin and long-term dynamics of heathland vegetation in southern England. Valley peat sites, situated on the Lower Greensand Group (coarse-grained sandstones) at Conford (Hampshire) and Hurston Warren (West Sussex) have been investigated. The sequence from Conford indicates the unusually late survival of Pinus sylvestris (to as late as ca. 6050?cal. b.p.) in southern England. This is attributed to edaphic factors and, after ca. 7050?cal. b.p., to frequent fires. After intervening phases of dominance by deciduous woodland, heathland vegetation became established in the proximity of both sites in the Late Bronze Age (ca. 3000?cal. b.p.) with increases in indicators of grazing and burning demonstrating an association between the development of heathland and human activity. Thereafter, the pollen and charcoal records show that the vegetation remained in a dynamic state as the scale and nature of human activity varied through time. Major expansions in the extent of heathland occurred relatively recently; after ca. 1450?cal. b.p. at Hurston Warren and after ca. 850?cal. b.p. at Conford. A review of the palaeoecological evidence suggests that the most intense use and greatest coverage of heathland in southern England probably occurred during the medieval to post-medieval periods.     

Holocene climate,fire and vegetation dynamics at the treeline in the Northwestern Swiss Alps

Treelines are expected to rise to higher elevations with climate warming; the rate and extent however are still largely unknown. Here we present the first multi-proxy palaeoecological study from the treeline in the Northwestern Swiss Alps that covers the entire Holocene. We reconstructed climate, fire and vegetation dynamics at Iffigsee, an alpine lake at 2,065 m a.s.l., by using seismic sedimentary surveys, loss on ignition, visible spectrum reflectance spectroscopy, pollen, spore, macrofossil and charcoal analyses. Afforestation with Larix decidua and tree Betula (probably B. pendula) started at ~9,800 cal. b.p., more than 1,000 years later than at similar elevations in the Central and Southern Alps, indicating cooler temperatures and/or a high seasonality. Highest biomass production and forest position of ~2,100–2,300 m a.s.l. are inferred during the Holocene Thermal Maximum from 7,000 to 5,000 cal. b.p. With the onset of pastoralism and transhumance at 6,800–6,500 cal. b.p., human impact became an important factor in the vegetation dynamics at Iffigsee. This early evidence of pastoralism is documented by the presence of grazing indicators (pollen, spores), as well as a wealth of archaeological finds at the nearby mountain pass of Schnidejoch. Human and fire impact during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages led to the establishment of pastures and facilitated the expansion of Picea abies and Alnus viridis. We expect that in mountain areas with land abandonment, the treeline will react quickly to future climate warming by shifting to higher elevations, causing drastic changes in species distribution and composition as well as severe biodiversity losses.     

Vegetation dynamics and anthropogenically forced changes in the Estanilles peat bog (southern Pyrenees) during the last seven millennia

Estanilles peat bog, located in the northeastern Iberian peninsula, was studied to determine the anthropogenic changes in the landscape over the past seven millennia. The pollen diagram and sedimentary charcoal analyses from this site permit us to reconstruct the landscape changes in an area of both Mediterranean and Atlantic influence. In addition, Montarenyo ombrotrophic peat bog was studied to strengthen the analysis of data from more recent centuries. This paper attempts a reconstruction of historical cultural landscapes using two complementary palaeobotanical proxies (pollen and charcoal) in high mountain environments. The macroscopic charcoal record shows a fire signal since 7500?cal. b.p. However, the relationship between fire frequency and human impact is not always linear. This divergence is linked to fuel availability and fire activity. Fire has been used repeatedly to clear ground and to maintain open areas, and has been a key tool for the management of these high mountain areas. The intensity of use of the landscape implies the expansion of agricultural areas into higher altitudes, including cereal cultivation above 2,200?m a.s.l., during the Middle Ages. The first clear human influence detected in the pollen percentage data is recorded between 6000 and 7000?cal. b.p. and, until present times, the greatest changes in vegetation and landscape history occurred during periods of particular specialization in socioeconomic activities during the Middle Ages.     

Studien über dieJungermannioideae (Hepaticae) 6.Jungermannia Subg.Solenostoma: Europäische und nordamerikanische Arten

Dersechste Beitrag aus der Serie der vorbereiteten Studien über die SubfamilieJungermannioideae (Jungermanniaceae, Hepaticae) enthält die taxonomische Bearbeitung des Subg.Solenostoma (Mitt.)Amak. (GattungJungermannia L. emend.Dum.) in Europa (inkl. Kaukasus und Kleinasien) und Nordamerika. Im genannten Gebiet kommen 10 Arten vor, u. zw.J. caespiticia Lindenb.,J. caucasica Váňa,J. confertissima Nees,J. gracillima Sm.,J. handelii (Schiffn.)Amak.,J. jenseniana Grolle,J. lignicola (Schiffn.)Grolle,J. pyriflora Steph.,J. rubra Gott. exUnd. undJ. sphaerocarpa Hook. Die ArtJ. confertissima Nees (bisher alsSolenostoma levieri (Steph.)Steph. bezeichnet) gehört zu der SektionDesmorhiza Amak., alle anderen Arten gehören zu der SektionSolenostoma.     

Chromosome counts of some Cuban Angiosperms

Chromosome numbers are reported for 14 species collected in Cuba. The first chromosome records are reported forAlbizzia cubana Britton etWilson (2n=26),Atkinsia cubensis (Britton etWilson)Howard (2n=26),Caesalpinia violacea (Mill.)Standl. (2n=24),Colubrina ferruginosa Brongn. (2n=24). Chromosome numbers of the following species were confirmed:Albizzia lebbeck (L.)Benth. (2n=26),Canavalia maritima (Aubl.)Thouars (2n=22),Casuarina equisetifolia Forst. (2n=18),Cedrela mexicana M.J. Roem. (2n=56),Delonix regia (Bojer)Raf. (2n=28),Guazuma tomentosa H.B.K. (2n=16),Lysiloma bahamense Benth. (2n=26),L. latisiliqua (L.)Benth. (2n=26),Samanea saman (Jacq.)Merrill (2n=26),Thespesia populnea (L.)Soland (2n=26).     

A revision ofTaraxacum sect.Piesis (Compositae)

On the basis of allozyme and cultivation data, and of additional herbarium material, a taxonomic and nomenclatural revision ofTaraxacum sect.Piesis A.J. Richards exKirschner et?těpánek is provided. The section is made up of halophilous, sexually reproducing taxa. InT. stenocephalum Boiss. etKotschy,T. pindicum Kirschner et?těpánek, sp. nov., andT. perenne Kirschner et?těpánek, sp. nov., a tetraploid chromosome number has been recorded, representing the only known case of sexuality at the tetraploid level in the genus. The complex ofT. stenocephalum, includes some geographically and morphologically extreme populations treated as subspecies: subsp.gumusanicum (Soest)Kirschner et?těpánek, comb. nov., subsp.magnum Kirschner et?těpánek, subsp. nov., and subsp.daralagesicum (Schischk.)Kirschner et?těpánek, comb. nov. In addition toT. bessarabicum (Hornem.)Hand.-Mazz., a widely distributed Eurasian species,T. stenocephalum, a complex centred in Transcaucasia and Anatolia, andT. pachypodum H. Lindb., a North African endemic, four new species are described:T. salsum Kirschner et?těpánek, sp. nov., a diploid endemic confined to E Crimea,T. perenne Kirschner et?těpánek, sp. nov., a tetraploid sexual species known only from SW Crimea,T. pindicum Kirschner et?těpánek, sp. nov., a remarkable tetraploid endemic to the Pindos Mts., Greece, andT. salsitatis Kirschner, ?těpänek etYirdirimli, sp. nov., an Anatolian diploid species. Furthermore, a hybrid betweenT. salsum andT. bessarabicum from Crimea (documented on the basis of allozyme data elsewhere) is given a binomial,T. xmesohalobium Kirschner et?těpánek, nothosp. nov.     

Vegetation history and landscape management from 6500 to 1500 cal. b.p. at Lac d’Antre, Gallo-Roman sanctuary of Villards d’Héria, Jura, France

The lake sediment record was used to reconstruct past vegetation dynamics and human impacts from the middle Neolithic (6500 cal. b.p.) to the Middle Ages (1500 cal. b.p.) around Lac d’Antre in the southern Jura mountains of France. This lake was surrounded by the Gallo-Roman sanctuary of Villards d’Héria, which has been widely investigated by archaeologists and enables a comparison between palaeoenvironmental proxies and archaeological data. Pollen and microscopic charcoal analyses were conducted on a 500 cm sediment core with eleven radiocarbon dates providing the chronological control. In a mixed oak woodland context, the successive development of Taxus, Fagus and Abies were mainly caused by climatic variations during the Neolithic, in which there was weak human impact. The first significant signs of human activity were detected during the Bronze Age from 3900 cal. b.p., followed by an increase of human pressure and woodland clearances during the Iron Age, from 2700 cal. b.p. The occupation of the Gallo-Roman sanctuary was continuous with the Iron Age occupation. All the analysed palaeoenvironmental data indicate that the strongest human impact occurred during the Gallo-Roman period, which matches the occupation of Villards d’Héria previously dated by archaeologists from 2000 to 1700 cal. b.p., 1st to 3rd century a.d. Moreover, there appears to have been a new period of human settlement close to the lake at the beginning of the Middle Ages. The low charcoal accumulation rate (CHAR) recorded during the Bronze and Iron Ages suggests that fire was not the main agent used to clear the dense woods to create new cultivated fields and pastures. High CHAR values recorded during the Roman period may represent fire use for domestic and agro-pastoral activities.     

Notes on some African hepatic genera 1–5

The present study deals with five genera of hepatics in Africa, Isotachis Mitt., Anastrophyllum (Spruce) Steph., Tritomaria Schiffn. ex Loeske, Gymnocoleopsis (Schust.) Schust. and Lophozia (Dum.) Dum. All African populations of the genus Isotachis Mitt. are considered to be one species, I. aubertii (Schwaegr.) Mitt. Four species of Anastrophyllum (Spruce) Steph. (s.l.), A. auritum (Lehm.) Steph., A. piligerum (Nees) Spruce, A. subcomplicatum (Lehm. et Lindenb.) Steph. and A. minutum (Schreb.) Schust., and two species of Tritomaria Schiffn. et Loeske, T. camerunensis S. Arnell and T. exsecta (Schrad.) Schiffn. ex Loeske occur in Africa. Gymmocoleopsis multiflora (Steph.) Schust. represents a genus and species hitherto unreported for the African flora. Finally, five Lophozia (Dum.) Dum. species, L. argentina (Steph.) Schust., L. capensis S. Arnell, L. decolorans (Limpr.) Steph., L. hedbergii S. Arnell and L. tristaniana (S. Arnell) Váňa, are reported from central and southern Africa; two of these (L. argentina (Steph.) Schust. and L. decolorans (Limpr.) Steph.) represent the first reports from Africa.     

LignicolousHyphomycetes from Czechoslovakia 5.Septonema,Hormiactella andLylea

Three genera of lignicolousHyphomycetes Septonema Corda,Hormiactella Saac. andLylea Morgan-Jones are discussed. Illustrations and determination keys are provided. Five species ofSeptonema—S. fasciculare (Corda) Hughes,S. leptaleum (Ellis & Harkn.) Hughes,S. pinicola Hol.-Jech.,S. secedens Corda andS. laricium Hol.-Jech.—and two species ofHormiactella—H. fusca (Preuss) Sacc. andH. asetosa Hol.-Jech.—have been found in Czechoslovakia. A new speciesS. pseudobinum Hol.-Jech. is described from Romania.Septonema tetracoilum (Corda Hughes is accommodated in the genusLylea Morgan-Jones.