Sesbania melanocaulis, sp. nov. (Leguminosae subfam. Papilionoideae) from SW. Ethiopia

Sesbania melanocaulis Bidgood & Friis sp. nov., is described from a mosaic of humid montane forest, forest margins, evergreen bushland and farmland in the Kefa and Welega Regions of SW. Ethiopia. The new species is a very distinctive small tree which is also widely used as a hedge plant throughout SW. Ethiopia. It belongs to subgen. Sesbania and resembles the widespread Sesbania sesban from which it differs most conspicuously in the dark purplish brown to almost black bark of the stems which are pilose to pubescent when young, the large pale tomentose stipules and the uniformly yellow flowers (dark dotted in S. sesban ). The importance of SW. Ethiopia as a local centre of endemism has been confirmed by several recent studies, including preparatory work for the Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The new species of Sesbania is only one of several leguminous trees which have been taken into domestication in Ethiopia.     

Additional observations on Dombeya kefaensis (Sterculiaceae) and the diversity of Dombeya in SW. Ethiopia

Dombeya kefaensis was first described in 1998 from flowering material collected in a mosaic of humid montane forest, evergreen bushland and deciduous woodland of the Kefa Region, SW. Ethiopia. Fruiting individuals, ripe fruits and seeds have now been observed on an additional gathering made near the type locality in late January. The new observations confirm that D. kefaensis is a distinct taxon closely related to D. buettneri K. Schum., recognised by characters of vegetative parts and inflorescence. This rare species has been observed between 1700 and 2200 m. a.s.l. for a distance of four kilometres in the transition zone between evergreen forest and deciduous woodland. The mountains and river valleys of S. and SW. Ethiopia with their mosaic of moist forests, highly fire-prone wooded grasslands, evergreen bushlands and montane grasslands seem to have the highest diversity of Dombeya -species on the African mainland, but the taxa are closely related.     

Euphorbia gokakensis sp. nov. (Euphorbiaceae) from sandstone formations in Karnataka,India

Euphorbia gokakensis, a new succulent species of Euphorbiaceae, is described from the Belgaum district of Karnataka, India. The new species belongs to Euphorbia subgen. Euphorbia, and closely resembles Euphorbia caducifolia Haines. However, it is distinguished by its characteristic dwarf habit forming a compact cushion that hardly exceeds 50 cm in height.     

A new species of Eriocaulon (Eriocaulaceae) from Ethiopia

Eriocaulon crassiusculum sp. nov. is described from the Kefa province in southwestern Ethiopia. Illustrations are provided for habit as well as details of flowers (including pollen) and seeds. The new species is most closely related to E. transvaalicum , a widespread species in southern and eastern Africa.     

A new species of Malaxis (Orchidaceae) from Guerrero, Mexico

Malaxis molotensis, a new orchid species from a wet cloud forest of the Sierra Madre del Sur, Guerrero, Mexico is described and illustrated. In habit and floral structure it resembles the widespread M. histionantha but differs in the elliptic labellum with incurved distal margin, and elongate, oblong-falciform pollinaria.     

Three new species of Acanthaceae from Ethiopia

Summary  Three new species of Acanthaceae, Lepidagathis pseudoaristata Ensermu, Acanthopale aethio-germanica Ensermu, and Rhinacanthus mucronatus Ensermu, are described from Ethiopia. The three species are illustrated and their distributions mapped. The three new species are also compared to their presumed closest relatives. L. pseudoaristata is restricted to the Bale and Sidamo Regions, A. aethio-germanica is more widely distributed in Ethiopia occurring in the Kefa, Arsi, Sidamo and Bale Regions, and R. mucronatus is a local endemic restricted to the Borana area in the Sidamo Region. The conservation status of each species is also assessed.     

Foliar indumentum in central‐European Rubus species (Rosaceae) and its contribution to the systematics of the group

The foliar indumentum of 94 taxa of Rubus has been surveyed by scanning electron microscopy. The analysed species belonged to five subgenera. Rubus subgen. Rubus with its three sections and 21 series was the most numerously represented. In all studied species, indumentum was present, but the species differed more or less from each other with respect to the density of the indumentum on the abaxial leaf surface. Three main hair types were present: simple eglandular (unbranched) trichomes, branched eglandular trichomes, and very short secretory uni‐seriate trichomes; subtypes were distinguished according to trichome size. Apart from investigating separate traits, we described character patterns for the best represented and homogeneous series: Discolores, Subthyrsoidei, Rhamnifolii and Rubus. Other large groups (Sylvatici, Glandulosi and Micantes) were more diverse.     

Onosma lhokaensis (Boraginaceae), a new species from Xizang,China

A new species of Boraginaceae, Onosma lhokaensis, is described and illustrated from Xizang, China. The new species closely resembles O. waddellii and O. waltonii in having azure corollas, coherent anthers and glabrous filaments, but differs in having particularly bristly indumentum, observably narrow corolla, longer calyxes and anthers, and remarkable nutlets with stipitate cicatrix. An updated key to the species of Onosma known from Xizang is also provided.     

庆元香科科,浙江唇形科一新种

该文描述了采自浙江南部庆元县的唇形科(Lamiaceae)香科科属(Teucrium L.)一新种:庆元香科科(T.qingyuanense),并附有线描图.庆元香科科与峨眉香科科(T.omeiense)和香科科(T.simplex)接近,与峨眉香科科的区别在于其茎、花序轴和花梗均密被倒向短柔毛,花萼外面被短柔毛和腺点...     

Petrocosmea chrysotricha sp. nov. (Petrocosmea,Gesneriaceae), a species previously mistaken for P. begoniifolia on marlstone cliffs in Yunnan,China

Petrocosmea chrysotricha M.Q.Han, H. Jiang & Yan Liu, a new species from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. Petrocosmea chrysotricha was found growing with P. melanophthalma on damp marlstone cliffs in evergreen broad‐leaved forest on Mopan Shan. The new species has been grown for decades by Gesneriad enthusiasts under the name P. begoniifolia for decades and it is indeed similar to P. begoniifolia in its oblique campanulate corolla tube, but differs by having filaments covered with golden lanate indumentum in the middle part and by having primrose yellow flowers at the beginning if anthesis, then turning white.     

Carex yunyiana sp. nov. (Cyperaceae) from Zhejiang, China

Carex yunyiana X. F. Jin & C. Z. Zheng, a new species of Carex L. (Cyperaceae) is described from Zhejiang, eastern China. The new species has solitary, terminal, androgynous spikes, pale green pistillate glumes, 3 stigmas, and belongs to Carex subgen. Carex sect. Rhizopodae . It is allied to C. densicaepitosa , which only grows in the Longsheng County of Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region. However, it differs in having perigynia compressed–trigonous, obovoid, and acutely constricted to a short beak, while the achenes are loosely enveloped, broadly obovoid, trigonous or quadrangular, excavated on lateral surfaces, and evidently stipitate at base. A key to the species of Carex sect. Rhizopodae and a map showing their distribution is also provided.     

广东常山,广东绣球花科一新种

首次发现并描述了中国广东省的绣球花科(Hydrangeaceae)常山属(Dichroa)一新种:广东常山(D.fistulosa)。该种具有空心的茎,这在常山属中是唯一的。该种与海南常山(D.mollissima)相似,但可以通过其叶上的毛被来区分。该种亦与菲律宾常山(D.philippinensis)相似,但其叶的形状及锯齿明显不同。     

CELLULAR SLIME MOLDS OF SWITZERLAND. I. DESCRIPTION OF NEW SPECIES

During the study of the distribution of cellular slime molds in Swiss forest soils, three new species were isolated and studied in culture, namely, Dictyostelium fasciculatum, Dictyostelium polycarpum and Polysphondylium filamentosum. The first is cosmopolitan, the latter two are known only from Switzerland. Dictyostelium polycarpum is a very delicate species and is the first species reported which is restricted to a high altitude environment. It is characterized by a coremiform habit, reminiscent of D. polycephalum, and relatively long reniform spores. Dictyostelium fasciculatum is a larger species which resembles D. mucoroides in gross morphology but is much closer to Polysphondylium in its life cycle pattern and behavior. Polysphondylium filamentosum is only the third well-defined species of the genus to be described. It produces filamentose principal and lateral axes. Optimum temperature for all three is around 20 C, somewhat below that of most other species in the family.     

Guarea michel-moddei (meliaceae), a new species from central French Guiana

Guarea michel-moddei, a new species from central French Guiana is described and illustrated. It differs from the morphologically similarG. cristata of western Amazonia by its unbranched habit; shorter, less dense indumentum of the young parts, leaves, and inflorescence; bullate leaves, shorter inflorescence, shorter pubescence on the corolla; and smaller corolla and staminal tube.     

Primulina lutescens sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from southern Guangxi,China

Primulina lutescens B. Pan & H. S. Ma, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region, China, is illustrated and described. The new species morphologically resembles Primulina carinata Y. G. Wei, F. Wen & H. Z. Lü, but it differs in leaf, floral characteristics and flowering time. The conservation status of P. lutescens is asessed as ‘Endangered’ (EN) according to the IUCN red list categories and criteria.     

Studies in African Cyperaceae 18. Two new subgenera of Cyperus

Two new subgenera are described and illustrated. Cyperus subgen. Protocyperus has an eucyperoid culm–anatomy and digitate clusters of spikelets. It contains about 100 species. Cyperus subgen. Fimbricyperus has a chlorocyperoid culm anatomy and many stalked spikes giving the habit of a slender Fimbristylis. It is based on a single species, viz. Cyperus subparadoxus Kükenthal.     

Tropaeolum sparrei sp. nov. (Tropaeolaceae) from western Ecuador

A new species, Tropaeolum sparrei Ståhl (Tropaeolaceae), is described from submontane cloud forest habitat in western Ecuador. It differs from T. papillosum Hughes (the species it resembles most) by having thinner, tomentose stems, smaller, glabrous or subglabrous leaves with the petiole inserted relatively closer to the lower leaf margin, and flowers with uniformly coloured and straight calyx spurs. In leaf shape it is also similar to T. repandum Heilborn, from which it differs in its larger flowers with entirely black petals and blue anthers.     

Free-living marine nematodes of shrimp culture ponds in Thailand. I. New species of the genera Diplolaimella and Thalassomonhystera (Monhysteridae) and Theristus (Xyalidae)

Three new species belonging to the genera Diplolaimella and Thalassomonhystera of the family Monhysteridae and Theristus of the family Xyalidae are described from shrimp culture ponds near mangrove zones of Khung Kraben Bay, Thailand. Diplolaimella thailandica sp. n. resembles D. dievengatensis but differs from it by features of the ratios b and V, and size of the spicules and tail of the male. Thalassomonhystera siamensis sp. n. resembles T. diplops but differs from it in features of the amphids, ocelli, cloaca and gubernaculum. Theristus (Penzancia) longisetifer sp. n. resembles T. flevensis, T. ambronensis, T. macroflevensis, and T. pratti but differs from them in features of the cervical setae, ventral supplement of the male and others. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.