The Rubiaceae of Angola

A treatment of the Rubiaceae of Angola is presented based on herbarium collections kept at BM, BR, COI, K, LISC, LISU, LUA, LUAI, P, and PRE. The basionyms, relevant synonyms, and types from Angola are cited. For each taxon, one collection is cited for each province. An exsiccata list with over 3300 collections examined and identified during this work is provided. There are 108 genera, 422 species, and 40 infraspecific taxa of Rubiaceae in Angola. Fourteen genera and 126 species and infraspecific taxa are restricted to Cabinda. The rate of endemism of the family is c. 19%, with 86 taxa endemic to Angola (16 of which are restricted to Cabinda). Two genera are endemic. A new subspecies and a new variety are described. There are 21 unnamed entities requiring further research. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 156 , 537–638.     

The Rubiaceae of São Tomé e Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea): taxonomy and conservation

A synoptic treatment of the Rubiaceae of São Tomé e Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea) is presented based on herbarium collections kept at BM, COI, K and LISC. There are 36 genera and 64 species of Rubiaceae represented in the flora of São Tomé e Príncipe. Identification keys are provided for genera, species and infraspecific taxa. A new combination is made in Chassalia . Twenty-nine taxa are endemic to these islands, two of which are also endemic to Annobon. The conservation status of the endemic taxa is assessed and IUCN categories of threat are proposed for ten taxa. Nineteen taxa of Rubiaceae are considered under threat in São Tomé e Príncipe and ten are considered nearly threatened.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 149 , 85–114.     

An extraordinary new rheophyte in the genus Leptactina (Rubiaceae, Pavetteae) from Rio Muni (Equatorial Guinea)

A distinctive new species of Rubiaceae from Rio Muni, Equatorial Guinea, is described and illustrated. Leptactina rheophytica is the only rheophyte known in the genus. Its diagnostic characters are elucidated, its taxonomic affinities are discussed, and notes on its conservation status are provided.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 109–113.     

Revision of the Malagasy species of the genus Tricalysia (Rubiaceae)

The Malagasy representatives of the large African genus Tricalysia (tribe Coffeeae s.l.) are revised. Three Malagasy species were hitherto recognized in the genus, namely T. cryptocalyx , T. madagascariensis , and T. ovalifolia . In this study, two species, T. boiviniana and T. leucocarpa , are transferred from the genus Hypobathrum and seven new species and two new subspecies are described, raising the species number for Tricalysia to a total of 12. This marked increase in species number is a recurring pattern for many Malagasy genera in systematically poorly known families such as Rubiaceae. All the species are described in detail and illustrated, and a list of exsiccatae and a distribution map are provided. Furthermore, the characters of the Malagasy taxa are compared with those of the continental African species, and their infrageneric status is discussed. With the exception of T. ovalifolia , a member of subgenus Empogona , all Malagasy species belong to subgenus Tricalysia . Because of their unisexual flowers, these species cannot be accommodated within one of the four existing sections in subgenus Tricalysia . A new section, Androgyne , is therefore recognized.  © 2007 National Botanic Garden of Belgium. Journal compilation © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 83–126.     

Nomenclatural changes in preparation for a World Rubiaceae Checklist

During the preparation of a World Rubiaceae Checklist , numerous unplaced taxa were encountered, including illegitimate and invalid names, and species for which generic placement is uncertain. In this contribution, 35 new combinations and 20 new names are proposed, and the names of three taxa are validated.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 157 , 115–124.     

Revision of Ixora (Rubiaceae) in the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia)

During the preparation of the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands and Flore de la Polynésie française , four new species of Ixora L. (Rubiaceae) have come to light and are described and illustrated herein: Ixora jourdanii Mouly & J.Florence, Ixora tahuataensis Mouly & J.Florence, Ixora uahukaensis Lorence & W.L.Wagner, and Ixora uapouensis Lorence & W.L.Wagner. In addition to these new taxa, the following three species of Ixora previously described from the Marquesas are recognized: Ixora marquesensis F.Br., Ixora ooumuensis J.Florence, and Ixora spathoidea F.Br. As the Marquesan environment is under serious threat from human impact, feral animals and weeds, the conservation status was estimated for each Ixora species. It is concluded that all Marquesan taxa are in need of inclusion in the IUCN Red List, their status ranging from endangered to critically endangered.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 581–597.     

A taxonomic revision of the genus Flagenium Baill. (Rubiaceae–Octotropideae)

A taxonomic revision of the genus Flagenium Baill. is presented. Flagenium is endemic to Madagascar and comprises six species; three new species are described here ( F. farafanganensis , F. petrikensis , and F. pedunculatum ) and one species ( F. arboreum ) is transferred into synonymy. Each species is fully described, and summaries of distribution, habitat and ecology, and phenology are given; conservation assessments are provided for each species. Flagenium is characterized by having ovaries with at least two erect and two pendulous ovules per locule, which, depending on the species, can display an additional two to four horizontal ovules per locule arranged between the uppermost and lowermost ovules. In addition, Flagenium has a longitudinally ten-ribbed fruit. These features are potentially unique within the Octotropideae.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 557–570.     

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.     

Three new species of Echinops (Compositae, Cynareae) from Iran

As a result of extensive collections and subsequent determinations made in recent years through most regions of Iran (now preserved in herbarium TARI), three new species of Echinops ( E. longipenicillatus, E. procerus and E. shahrudensis ) are described and illustrated. All belong to E . sect. Oligolepis Bunge, which is endemic to Iran.  © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 140 , 181–186.     

A new species of Heliosperma (Caryophyllaceae) from Serbia and Montenegro

Heliosperma oliverae Niketić & Stevanović is described from Mt. Prokletije in south-west Serbia and north-east Montenegro, together with an estimation of its ecological preferences and International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) threat status. A map and illustration are provided. It is compared with seven closely related Balkan endemic taxa: H. macranthum Panić, H. retzdorffianum K. Malý, H. tommasinii Vis., H. insulare Trinajstić, H. chromodontum (Boiss. & Reuter) Juratzka, H. intonsum (Greuter & Melzh.) Niketić & Stevanović, and H. nikolicii (Seliger & T. Wraber) Niketić & Stevanović. An amended key to species and a table showing differences from the related Balkan taxa are also provided.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 154 , 55–63.     

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 species of Aethionema (Brassicaceae) from the Bulgarian flora

Aethionema rhodopaeum D. Pavlova is described as a new species from the eastern Rhodope Mountains. The plant was found growing only on serpentines, in two localities, at an altitude of approximately 400 m. The localities are typical open habitats with sparsely colonized debris. The plant communities, composed mainly of xerophytes with a mosaic distribution, contain a large number of rare and endemic species for the Bulgarian flora. The new species belongs to the Aethionema saxatile group and is quite close to the species A. saxatile (L.) R. Br., in particular to ssp. creticum and ssp. graecum . The following diagnostic features are given for the new species: inner filament length always greater than half the petal length, lack of teeth of the filaments, longer [2–3(3.5) mm] style than that of A. saxatile subspecies, and dark purple petals. All leaves are broadly elliptical to suborbicular, obtuse, and fleshy. The chromosome number of the new species is 2 n  = 24. The differences between the new species and related taxa are also discussed.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 533–540.     

Diversity, biogeography, and photosynthetic pathways of Argusia and Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) in South-West Asia with an analysis of phytogeographical units

South-West and Central Asia are major centres of diversity in the genus Heliotropium . On the basis of detailed taxonomic studies and information gathered from the literature, a synopsis of 61 known species of Heliotropium and two species of Arguzia in the area is given. Iran, with 32 species and 14 (sub)endemic species, has the highest diversity. The photosynthetic pathways of 42 taxa were determined using the isotope composition method. Except for H. marifolium Retz s.l. and H. rariflorum Stocks, all remaining species analysed showed δ¹³C values characteristic for C₃ photosynthesis. Evidently, by contrast with the families Chenopodiaceae and Polygonaceae, the Irano-Turanian area is not an authochthonous region of developing C₄ species in Heliotropium . The distribution maps of 57 taxa are provided and their biogeographical importance is discussed in order to elucidate the distribution patterns in South-West Asia. In the Irano-Turanian region, the Irano-Anatolian province of Zohary, which extends from central Anatolia to the western Himalaya, is a very large and vaguely defined phytochorion that should be split into smaller units. The consideration of southern Iran and adjacent Pakistan as part of the Sudanian or Saharo-Sindian regions ( sensu either Zohary or Léonard) cannot be accepted, because most endemic species in this area are either typical Irano-Turanian or isolated relicts. Furthermore, it is concluded that the Saharo-Sindian flora is not an autochthonous flora; most species are of transgressive origin from the surrounding phytochoria. Finally, a new species, Heliotropium ziegleri Akhani, is described from Iran.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 155 , 401–425.     

Chromosome numbers in the tribe Anthemideae (Asteraceae) from north-east Anatolia

Twenty-two chromosome counts of 19 taxa in the tribe Anthemideae of the family Asteraceae are reported from north-east Anatolia, Turkey. The taxa belong to the subtribes Achilleinae (four Achillea taxa), Anthemidinae (five Anthemis taxa), Artemisiinae (two Artemisia species), Leucantheminae (one Lecanthemum species), Matricariinae (two Tripleurospermum species) and Tanacetinae (five Tanacetum taxa). Six counts are new reports, seven are not consistent with previous counts, and the remainder are confirmations of very limited previous data. Most of the populations of Anthemideae studied have the basic number x  = 9, with ploidy levels ranging from 2 x to 7 to 8 x , but dysploidy is also present, with one diploid species, Artemisia austriaca , having x  = 8.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 203–211.     

Systematic revision of Myristicaceae (Magnoliales) in Madagascar, with four new species of Mauloutchia

The systematics of Malagasy Myristicaceae is revised to take into account new collections made since the work by Capuron in the 1970s, as well as improved knowledge from fieldwork and two scanning electron microscopy studies by the author. Four new species are described: Mauloutchia annickiae Sauquet, M. capuronii Sauquet, M. echinocarpa Capuron ex Sauquet, and M. sambiranensis (Capuron) Sauquet. In addition, basic information is given for each remaining Malagasy species of the family (synonymy, type specimen, updated distribution and main distinctive features). According to this treatment, Malagasy Myristicaceae now consist of four endemic genera and 15 species: Brochoneura Warb. (three species), Doyleanthus Sauquet (one species), Haematodendron Capuron (one species) and Mauloutchia (Baill.) Warb. (ten species). Two identification keys to these species are provided: one based primarily on fruit characters and one based primarily on male flower and inflorescence characters. Putative phylogenetic relationships among these species are also indicated, based on a previous combined morphological and molecular study by the author.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 146 , 351–368.     

Minuartia graminifolia (Caryophyllaceae), a south-east European species

A re-evaluation of Minuartia graminifolia has been undertaken based on comparative morphological studies. M. graminifolia subsp. rosani (an endemic of the south-central Apennines and Sicily) and subsp. hungarica (an endemic of the Banat region of Romania) are accepted infraspecific taxa. M. graminifolia subsp. hungarica is lectotypified. M. graminifolia subsp. clandestina is confirmed for Italy; the taxon is neotypified. The type subspecies is considered an endemic to the east-central Alps. Keys to the species of Minuartia ser. Graminifoliae and to the subspecies of M. graminifolia are provided.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 143 , 419–432.     

Muscari turcicum (Liliaceae/Hyacinthaceae), a new species from south Anatolia, Turkey

Muscari turcicum Uysal, Ertugrul & Dural (Liliaceae/Hyacinthaceae) is described and illustrated from south Anatolia, Turkey. This species grows on alpine steppe in the Middle Taurus (C4 Konya Province). Muscari turcicum , an endemic confined to the Middle Taurus, is closely related to M. discolor Boiss. & Hausskn. and M. anatolicum Cowley & Özhatay. Diagnostic morphological characters are discussed and compared with those of closely related taxa.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 154 , 233–236.     

A new species of Oxalis section Corniculatae (Oxalidaceae) from the Balearic islands

A new species, Oxalis ferae Llorens, Gil & Cardona (Oxalidaceae) from the Balearic islands (Spain) is described and illustrated. It is considered to be endemic to Mallorca. The morphological differences between the more closely related taxa of Oxalis section Corniculatae are discussed. IUCN threatened category and observations on the ecology of the populations are noted.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 148 , 489–493.