A new species of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Cortinarius</Emphasis> sect. <Emphasis Type=Italic>Orellani</Emphasis> from Japan

Cortinarius breviradicatus sp. nov., found in deciduous forests, is described and illustrated from Niigata, Japan. It is characterized by its medium-sized to large dark brown basidiocarp, acutely conical pileus, and rooting stipe, and by subglobose to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores. In addition, the extracting solution from its basidiocarps exhibits a strong fluorescence around 400–430 nm in ultraviolet radiation (250 nm), which was observed in a species of Cortinarius sect. Orellani. The new species belongs to the section Orellani. The differences between the new taxon and similar species are briefly discussed.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Hyptis maya</Emphasis>, a new species of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Lamiaceae</Emphasis> from Belize,Central America,and the closely related <Emphasis Type=Italic>H. lanceolata</Emphasis>

A new species of Lamiaceae from Belize: Hyptis maya is described and illustrated. It is closely related to the more widespread H. lanceolata Poir., with which it is compared.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Barleria compacta</Emphasis>: a new species in <Emphasis Type=Italic>Barleria</Emphasis> sect. <Emphasis Type=Italic>Prionitis</Emphasis> (Acanthaceae) from Somalia

Following a re-examination of the material treated under Barleria brevispina (Fiori) Hedrén in the recent Flora of Somalia account of the Acanthaceae, it is concluded that two distinct species are involved and Barleria compacta Malombe & I. Darbysh. is described here from north-eastern Somalia. Its affinities and conservation status are discussed.     

New species of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Dypsis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>Ravenea</Emphasis> (Arecaceae) from Madagascar

Fourteen new species of palms (Arecaceae) from Madagascar are described and named, based on material collected over the last 15 years. Twelve species belong to the genus Dypsis, namely D. andilamenensis Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf., D. anjae Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf., D. betsimisarakae Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf., D. culminis Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf., D. dracaenoides Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf., D. gautieri Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf., D. gronophyllum Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf., D. jeremiei Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf., D. metallica Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf., D. reflexa Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf., D. sancta Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf. and D. vonitrandambo Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf. and two species belong to the genus Ravenea: R. beentjei Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf. and R. hypoleuca Rakotoarin. & J. Dransf. Despite the fact that most of these species have been recorded from protected areas that are difficult to access in the eastern region of Madagasacar, they are all threatened. Based on IUCN categories and criteria, seven are Critically Endangered and seven are Vulnerable.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Mentzelia</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type=Italic>Bartonia</Emphasis> (Loasaceae) from the Grand Canyon,Arizona

Mentzelia hualapaiensis, a new species of Mentzelia sect. Bartonia, is described from the Grand Canyon region of Arizona. The new species is closely related to M. puberula, which is found west of M. hualapaiensis along the Colorado River, and to M. oreophila, M. polita, and M. tiehmii. It shares with these species a suffrutescent shoot system characterized by a subterranean, branching caudex, multiple annual branches, and similar leaves that have shallowly lobed or toothed to entire laminas. The flowers of M. hualapaiensis differ from those of its closest relatives in having cream-white, linear to narrowly spatulate petals and staminodes, characteristics that are convergent with those of the flowers of the Chihuahuan Desert species M. humilis.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Psychotria kupensis</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Rubiaceae</Emphasis>) a new dwarf,litter-gathering species from western Cameroon

Summary   Psychotria kupensis Cheek is described as a new species in Psychotria sect. Confertiflorae Hiern. Attention is drawn to its monopodial, dwarf, litter-gathering and adventitious root-forming habit and to its anomalous stipules. The species appears to be endemic to the submontane evergeen forest of Mt Kupe in Cameroon. Its conservation status is assessed.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Gagea robusta</Emphasis> (Liliaceae), a new species from <Emphasis Type=Italic>Flora Iranica</Emphasis> area

A new species, endemic to the Flora Iranica area, Gagea robusta (Liliaceae) is described and illustrated. It differs from G. reticulata (Pall.) Schult. & Schult. f. in having a puberulent indumentum on the basal leaf and from G. setifolia Baker ex Aitch. in having a long neck (up to 12 cm long). Its ecology, distribution and conservation status are discussed.     

A new name in <Emphasis Type=Italic>Pavetta</Emphasis> L. (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Rubiaceae</Emphasis>)

Summary  The name Pavetta modesta (Hiern) S. E. Dawson is a later homonym of P. modesta Bremek. Pavetta crystalensis is proposed as a new name.     

Two new species and a new combination in <Emphasis Type=Italic>Conchocarpus</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Rutaceae,Galipeeae</Emphasis>) from eastern Brazil

Two new species of Rutaceae, Conchocarpus hamadryadicus Pirani & Kallunki and C. minutiflorus Groppo & Pirani are described and illustrated. Both are known so far only from small remnants of forests, the former in the caatinga dominium in Bahia, the latter in moist forests near Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Their main diagnostic features are delineated, and their relationships to other species of Conchocarpus are discussed. Because Rauia racemosa Nees & Mart. can no longer be recognised as a synonym of Conchocarpus fontanesianus (A. St.-Hil.) Kallunki & Pirani, a new combination, C. racemosus (Nees & Mart.) Kallunki & Pirani, is provided, with comments.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Boletus kermesinus</Emphasis>, a new species of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Boletus</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type=Italic>Luridi</Emphasis> from central Honshu,Japan

Boletus kermesinus, a new species of Boletus section Luridi, is fully described and illustrated based on the materials collected in subalpine coniferous forests of central Honshu, Japan. It has distinctive features of dark-red basidiomata having distinct viscidity in the pileus surface, usually unchanging flesh, discolorous red pores, and an entirely reticulate stipe becoming coarsely lacerate-rimose with age.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Pradosia</Emphasis> (Sapotaceae) from Central Amazonia

Pradosia lahoziana is here described as new. It is known from four collections from wet lowland and non-flooded terra firme forests near Manaus in Central Amazonia. Illustrations are provided together with a comparison of the morphological differences with similar species.     

Efficient separation and purification of allophycocyanin from <Emphasis Type=Italic>Spirulina</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Arthrospira</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type=Italic>platensis</Emphasis>

Allophycocyanin (APC) is a minor component of phycobiliproteins in cyanobacteria and red algae. This paper describes a simple and inexpensive extracting method for isolating APC from Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis with high efficiency. The crude phycobiliprotein extract was pretreated by ammonium sulfate fractionation. Then, by adding hydroxylapatite into crude phycobiliprotein extract dissolved in 20 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), APC was selectively adsorbed by hydroxylapatite but C-phycocyanin (C-PC) was not. The hydroxylapatite was collected and APC was extracted from the crude phycobiliprotein extract. Then, the enriched APC was washed off from the hydroxylapatite using 100 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). In this simple extracting method it was easy to remove C-PC and isolate APC in large amounts. The absorbance ratio A ₆₅₀/A ₂₈₀ of extracted APC reached 2.0. The recovery yield was 70%, representing 4.61 mg · g⁻¹ wet weight. The extracted APC could be further purified by a simple anion-exchange chromatography with a pH gradient from 5.6 to 4.0. The absorbance ratio A ₆₅₀/A ₂₈₀ of the purified APC reached 5.0, and the overall recovery yield was 43%, representing 2.83 mg · g⁻¹ wet weight. Its purity was confirmed by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE.     

A new species of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Dalea</Emphasis> ser. <Emphasis Type=Italic>Versicolores</Emphasis> (Leguminosae: Amorpheae) from Durango,Mexico

Dalea conetensis, a new species from the central part of the State of Durango, Mexico, is described and illustrated. It is referred to Dalea subgenus Parosela sect. Parosela series Versicolores. It is morphologically similar to D. pinetorum var. pinetorum but can be distinguished by its shorter stipules, leaves, bracts, calyx teeth, petals, androecium, fewer and shorter leaflets, and the calyx pubescence.