The genera Cyclonexis and Chrysostephanosphaera (Chrysophyceae)

Two species of Chrysophyceae, Cyclonexis annularis and Chrysostephanosphaera globulifera are discussed. Observations are presented which suggest a relationship between these two organisms, though it is added that lacking definite proof of a relationship, one should continue to consider the two as distinct taxa.     

The lichenicolous Opegrapha species (Roccellaceae, Ascomycota) with 3-septate ascospores on Pertusaria and Ochrolechia

The Opegrapha species with 3-septate ascospores growing on Pertusaria and Ochrolechia are revised. Two species are recognized: Opegrapha anomea (of which O. pertusariae , O. quaternella , O. wetmorei and possibly Leciographa weissii are considered to be synonyms), and O. blakii Ertz & Diederich sp. nov. described from a sterile lichen with an Ochrolechia -like thallus, known from Ecuador and Venezuela. Opegrapha anomea and several related lichenicolous species with roundish or irregular, often multilocular ascomata are morphologically intermediate between Opegrapha and Plectocarpon , and might represent a distinct genus.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 144, 235−241.     

The South American genera Brayopsis and Englerocharis (Brassicaceae)

Three species and two subspecies of Erayopsis and two species of Englerocharis are recognized. The generic limits and relationships of the two Andean genera are assessed. Englerocharis pauciflora and B. alpaminae ssp. smithii are described as new.     

The genera of Aphelinidae (Hymenoptera) of The world

Abstract A key is given to the world genera of the chalcidoid family Aphelinidae. Forty-four genera are accepted as valid, including three described as new, Encarsiella (type-species E.noyesi sp.n.), Hirtaphelinus (type-species H.smetanai sp.n.) and Samariola (type-species S.camerounensis sp.n.). The key is followed by a synopsis of the world genera, which includes: (1) citations of valid genera and their synonyms in chronological order; (2) total or approximate number of described species; (3) distribution in the six zoogeographical regions; (4) references mainly to major works and revisions; and (5) comments, especially on the new synonymies introduced in the present paper. The following new synonymies are proposed (the senior synonyms (valid names) are noted in parentheses): Aleurodiphilus DeBach & Rose ( Encarsia Foerster); Aneristus Howard, Ataneostigma Girault, Heptacritus De Santis ( Coccophagus Westwood); Artas Howard (Pteroptrix Westwood); Plastocharella Girault, Turmidiscapus Girault ( Centrodora Foerster); Encyrtophyscus Blanchard, Physculus Jasnosh, Physcus Howard ( Coccobius Ratzeburg); Mesidia Foerster ( Aphelinus Dalman); Paranthemus Girault ( Cales Howard); Primaprospaltella DeBach & LaSalle ( Coccophagoides Girault). The following genera are regarded as of doubtful position: Mesopirene Girault, Neocales Risbec, Paulianaphelinus Risbec and Verekia Risbec.     

The genera of Diopsidae (Insecta:Diptera)

Taxonomic characters which have been used in defining the genera of Diopsidae are discussed with special reference to the structure of the head and eyestalks. In consequence, the subdivisions of this family put forward by Hennig in 1965 are revised and extended, a new scheme of three subfamilies being proposed and a possible phylogenetic sequence of genera suggested.
A key for the identification of these subfamilies and current generic taxa is given.     

The genera Amblostoma,Lanium, and Stenoglossum (Orchidaceae)

The generaAmblostoma, Lanium, andStenoglossum are discussed, and it is concluded that all three should be included inEpidendrum.Lanium is treated as a section, and new names are proposed for two species whose epithets are preoccupied inEpidendrum: E. macrum (forAmblostoma gracile) andE. stiliferum (forLanium subulatum).     

Parallel evolution of lichen growth forms in the family Roccellaceae (Arthoniales, Ascomycota)

The phylogenetic relationships within the family Roccellaceae (lichen fungi) were investigated. Seventy‐two nucleotide sequences of the nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (LSU) and the second largest RNA polymerase subunit (RPB2) were newly obtained from 48 taxa. The family Roccellaceae was highly supported as monophyletic. The fruticose growth habit has evolved or been lost multiple times in the family and several times even within genera. In Roccellina with 31 species it has evolved three times and in Pentagenella with three species it has been lost once. The genera Roccella and Roccellina were found paraphyletic as two Roccella species nested with Roccellina. The non‐fruticose genus Roccellina was emended to include these two fruticose species as well as the monotypic, fruticose genus Roccellaria. As a result of the phylogenetic analyses six new nomenclatural combinations were made: Pentagenella corallina (Follm. and Peine) Tehler, Pentagenella ligulata (Peine and Follm.) Tehler, Roccellina cumingiana (Gay) Tehler, Roccellina hypomecha (Ach.) Tehler, Roccellina mollis (Hampe) Tehler, Roccellina portentosa (Mont. ex Gay) Tehler. Roccella is mainly distributed on the northern hemisphere while Roccellina is mainly distributed on the southern hemisphere. The Roccella species present on the Galapagos Islands are related to those in California and the northern hemisphere not, as was generally believed, to those in Chile and the southern hemisphere. The present data set may indicate that Bayesian analysis can give misleading topologies and overestimated posterior support values when insufficiently sampled taxa are included in an otherwise well sampled data set. © The Willi Hennig Society 2007.     

The larvae of the British genera of Cantharidae (Coleoptera)

The larvae of the six British genera (Cantharis, Malthinus, Malthodes, Podabrus, Rhagonycha and Silis) of Cantharidae are described. The characters available for classification are discussed and a key to the genera is provided.     

Problems of species and genera inEucalyptus (Myrtaceae)

Eucalyptus is recognised as containing somewhat more than 450 species, but this number could reasonably be either decreased or increased considerably by slight variations of species concept. Recognition of taxa, at least in the wild, is less difficult than supposed but their ranking depends on degree and nature of discontinuities or steepened gradients of correlated variation, in this group of diploid sexual outbreeding trees of the dominant stratum. Some 8–10 rather distinct lines marked by different character constellations are discernible inEucalyptus s. lat. (incl.Angophora), and it is clear that the floral operculum is of diverse nature and multiple origin. The advisability of recognising several distinct genera depends on the wideness of polyphylesis in relation to other Myrtaceous genera, and (unfortunately) on practical convenience.Presented at the symposium Speciation and the Species Concept during the XIIth International Botanical Congress, Leningrad, July 8, 1975.     

The genera of Chrysomelinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Costa Rica

Keys in Spanish and English are given for the genera of Chrysomelinae known from Costa Rica. For each genus, a list of species compiled from collections in the University of Costa Rica, the National Biodiversity Institute, and the entomological literature is presented. The genus Planagetes Chevrolat 1843 is recorded for the first time from Central America, and the genus Leptinotarsa St?l 1858 is synonymized with Stilodes Chevrolat 1843.     

The genera Staurstrum Meyen and Staurodesmus Teil. (Desmidiacea) in Karnataka and Goa States (India)

We report 63 species of Staurastrum Meyen and one of Staurodesmus Teil. from 52 water bodies of Karnataka State and Goa region (1976–77). They include 9 new taxa. The majority are new to S. India.     

Foliar crystals in Saxifraga and segregate genera (Saxifragaceae)

In the genera Saxifraga, Saxifragodes, Saxifragella, Saxifragopsis and Zahlbrucknera foliar crystals were found to be present only in Saxifragodes and Saxifraga sections Micranthes and Irregulares . The crystals occur as stellate druses, except in Saxifraga nipponica and S. cortusifolia (section Irregulares ) where they occur as single needles. This finding indicates a close relationship between these two sections of Saxifraga . The monotypic Saxifragodes , from southern South America, does not appear to be related to Andean species of Saxifraga , which lack crystals, but rather to species of Saxifraga section Micranthes in North America. The taxonomic affinities of five species in section Micranthes that lack crystals are discussed.     

Plastome phylogenomics of Cephalotaxus (Cephalotaxaceae) and allied genera

Background and Aims Cephalotaxus is a paleo-endemic genus in East Asia that consists of about 7–9 conifer species. Despite its great economic and ecological importance, the relationships between Cephalotaxus and related genera, as well as the interspecific relationships within Cephalotaxus, have long been controversial, resulting in contrasting taxonomic proposals in delimitation of Cephalotaxaceae and Taxaceae. Based on plastome data, this study aims to reconstruct a robust phylogeny to infer the systematic placement and the evolutionary history of Cephalotaxus.MethodsA total of 11 plastomes, representing all species currently recognized in Cephalotaxus and two Torreya species, were sequenced and assembled. Combining these with previously published plastomes, we reconstructed a phylogeny of Cephalotaxaceae and Taxaceae with nearly full taxonomic sampling. Under a phylogenetic framework and molecular dating, the diversification history of Cephalotaxus and allied genera was explored.Key ResultsPhylogenetic analyses of 81 plastid protein-coding genes recovered robust relationships between Cephalotaxus and related genera, as well as providing a well-supported resolution of interspecific relationships within Cephalotaxus, Taxus, Torreya and Amentotaxus. Divergence time estimation indicated that most extant species of these genera are relatively young, although fossil and other molecular evidence consistently show that these genera are ancient plant lineages.ConclusionsOur results justify the taxonomic proposal that recognizes Cephalotaxaceae as a monotypic family, and contribute to a clear-cut delineation between Cephalotaxaceae and Taxaceae. Given that extant species of Cephalotaxus are derived from recent divergence events associated with the establishment of monsoonal climates in East Asia and Pleistocene climatic fluctuations, they are not evolutionary relics.     

Phylogenetic taxonomy of Hymenochaete and related genera (Hymenochaetales)

Species delimitation in Hymenochaete sensu lato was evaluated based on partial nucLSU rDNA sequences, isoenzyme analyses and morphological data. Analyses of LSU data revealed Hymenochaete sensu stricto and Pseudochaete as distinct monophyletic genera. Transfer of Hydnochaete olivacea into genus Pseudochaete and Dichochaete setosa into genus Hymenochaete (as H. resupinata) was supported by the results of molecular analyses. A new species Hymenochaete koeljalgii from Tanzania was described. The species of genus Hymenochaete sensu stricto were divided into four well-supported clades possessing no distinctive morphological characters.     

Molecular phylogenetics of Vanda and related genera (Orchidaceae)

The genus Vanda and its affiliated taxa are a diverse group of horticulturally important species of orchids occurring mainly in South‐East Asia, for which generic limits are poorly defined. Here, we present a molecular study using sequence data from three plastid DNA regions. It is shown that Vanda s.l. forms a clade containing approximately 73 species, including the previously accepted genera Ascocentrum, Euanthe, Christensonia, Neofinetia and Trudelia, and the species Aerides flabellata. Resolution of the phylogenetic relationships of species in Vanda s.l. is relatively poor, but existing morphological classifications for Vanda are incongruent with the results produced. Some novel species relationships are revealed, and a new morphological sectional classification is proposed based on support for these groupings and corresponding morphological characters shared by taxa and their geographical distributions. The putative occurrence of multiple pollination syndromes in this group of taxa, combined with complex biogeographical history of the South‐East Asian region, is discussed in the context of these results. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 173 , 549–572.     

The family and subfamily classification and New Zealand genera of Pythidae and Scraptiidae (Coleoptera)

ABSTRACT. The family Pythidae is defined on adult and larval characters to include the subfamilies Pythinae and PllipalPlnae. Trachelostenidae stat.n. is excluded. Relationships of Pythidae, Boridae, Trictenotomidae and SalPlngidae (s.l.) are analysed. Strong resemblances between some PllipalPlnae and Pyrochroidae appear to have arisen through convergent evolution. Adults and larvae of the New Zealand genera Techmessa, Techmessodes and Exocalopus are described. In Scraptiidae, adults of the New Zealand genera Nothotelus and Phytilea , and the larva of Nothotelus , are described. Type data are given for all described New Zealand species of these families. The following new synonymies are established: PllipalPlnae (Abdullah, 1964)=Techmessinae Paulus, 1971. Exocalopus pectinatus Broun, 1893= nitidiceps Broun, 1910. Techmessa concolor Bates, 1874= attenuata Broun, 1893= rugicollis Broun, 1910= unicolor Paulus, 1971. Techmessa telephoroides Bates, 1874= varians Broun, 1893. Techmessodes Plcticornis (Broun, 1880)= distans (Sharp, 1882). Techmessodes versicolor Broun, 1893= cephalotes Broun, 1910. The following genera are reassigned to the families indicated: Ischyomius to Trictenotomidae (from Pythidae or Melandryidae). Phytilea to Scraptiidae (from Oedemeridae or Anthicidae). Pseudananca to Aderidae (from Oedemeridae). Scraptogetus (= Metasclera ) to Aderidae (from Scraptiidae, Oedemeridae or Anthicidae).