Tripleurospermum ziganaense (Asteraceae,Anthemideae), a new species from north‐east Anatolia,Turkey

A new species of Tripleurospermum Sch.Bip., Tripleurospermum ziganaense Inceer & Hay?rl?oglu‐Ayaz (Asteraceae, Anthemideae), is described and illustrated. The species grows in open places, on rocky slopes and on roadsides in north‐east Anatolia, Turkey. The diagnostic morphological characters that distinguish it from closely related taxa are discussed, and its conservation status is indicated. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 696–700.     

A new species of Astragalus L. (section Onobrychoidei DC.: Fabaceae) from Turkey

A new species of Astragalus L., A. trabzonicus (section Onobrychoidei DC.), is described and illustrated from north‐east Anatolia in Turkey. The diagnostic, pollen morphological, and chromosomal characteristics are discussed. A distribution map and conservation status are given. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 157 , 741–747.     

Comparative morphology,biology and phylogeny of terminal‐instar larvae of the European species of Toryminae (Hym., Chalcidoidea,Torymidae) parasitoids of gall wasps (Hym. Cynipidae)

We present a phylogenetic and taxonomic study of the morphology and biology of the terminal‐instar larval stage of 19 species representing all the genera of Torymidae parasitoids of gall wasps in Europe, with the single exception of Megastigmus. The genera studied include Adontomerus Nikol'skaya, Idiomacromerus Crawford, Chalcimerus Steffan & Andriescu, Glyphomerus Förster, Pseudotorymus Masi and Torymus Dalman. We primarily used chaetotaxy and some head structures. The terminal‐instar larvae of all studied species are thoroughly described for the first time and illustrated with SEM images. We provide diagnostic characters for the family and the genera studied, and keys to genera and species for the identification of torymid larvae associated with cynipid galls. The majority of the torymid larvae studied are solitary monophagous parasitoids. Finally, to assess the potential use of larval characters in systematic studies of the family, a phylogenetic analysis of the studied taxa based on 42 larval morphological characters is proposed and compared with the current taxonomy of Torymidae. Our results suggest that body chaetotaxy, and characters of the head and mouthparts could be used for genera and species discrimination. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 154 , 676–721.     

A new species of Cycas (Cycadaceae) from Karnataka,India

Cycas swamyi Singh & Radha, sp. nov. (Cycadaceae) is described and illustrated from Karnataka, India. This new species has been confused with Cycas circinalis L., which is found in the Western Ghats. However, on the basis of its habit, characteristic isotomous‐type dichotomous branching, pinnae anatomy, mega‐ and microsporophyll morphology and seed anatomy, it has been segregated from C. circinalis and is described here as a new species. The distribution and conservation status are also discussed. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 430–435     

Typification of three taxa of the genus Festuca L. (Poaceae)

Lectotypifications of Festuca infesta Hack. ex Trab., Festuca maroccana Trab. and Festuca rubra L. subsp. scabrescens Hack. ex Trab. are designated here. The principal diagnostic characters and chorology are also presented for each taxon. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 342–343.     

A new species of Allium (Alliaceae) from Dalmatia,Croatia

Allium croaticum , a new species from the island of Vis in Central Dalmatia (Croatia) is described and illustrated. Its relationships with allied species belonging to the A. stamineum group (Allium section Codonoprasum) are discussed. It is a diploid species (2n = 16), colonizing calcareous screes and flowering in early summer. Its morphology, leaf anatomy, karyology, palynology, ecology and taxonomic position are examined. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 106–114.     

Systematic revision of the arboreal snail Satsuma albida species complex (Mollusca: Camaenidae) with descriptions of 14 new species from Taiwan

The taxonomy of the endemic arboreal snail Satsuma albida species complex from Taiwan was unclear due to the animals' highly similar morphology, and their nocturnal and strict arboreal behaviour, leading to difficulties in collecting living specimens. This article is the first comprehensive comparative study on the systematics and taxonomy of this species complex using external morphology, anatomy of the reproductive system and molecular phylogeny. Consequently, two subspecies of S. albida are raised to species status, namely S. insignis and S. mollicula. Fourteen new species are also described. Fourteen of the 17 species showed polymorphism in banding pattern amongst populations and other species retained the whitish unity as seen in S. albida. Distributions of almost all taxa are geographically limited, with the exception of S. polymorpha sp. nov . The phylogeny of these species was reconstructed using 20 morphological characters and molecular data from the partial sequences of mtDNA CO1 and 16S rRNA genes, and the complete ITS2 sequence. The molecular phylogeny revealed three subclades (west, east and polymorpha clade) and revealed that these snails are monophyletic, originating from a ground‐dwelling ancestor. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 154 , 437–493.     

A new species of Maytenus section Gymnosporia (Celastraceae) from Hainan Island,China

Maytenus dongfangensis , a new species of Maytenus section Gymnosporia from Hainan Island, China, is described and illustrated. It is most similar to M. longlinensis, from which it differs in its glabrous rachis, deltoid sepals, 2 stigmas, and obconical capsules. A key to the species of Maytenus section Gymnosporia in China is provided. No claim to original Chinese Government works. Journal compilation © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 534–538.     

Five new species of Hoplitomeryx from the Neogene of Abruzzo and Apulia (central and southern Italy) with revision of the genus and of Hoplitomeryx matthei Leinders, 1983

Six species of Hoplitomeryx from Abruzzo and Apulia are defined, of which five are described as new to science, Hoplitomeryx apruthiensis, Hoplitomeryx apulicus, Hoplitomeryx falcidens, Hoplitomeryx magnus, and Hoplitomeryx minutus, and one is re‐described, Hoplitomeryx matthei Leinders, 1983. A new diagnosis of the genus is also provided. The new species are established only on teeth, maxillary fragments, and jaws. The standing classification of these ungulates is questioned. As Hoplitomeryx shares a mixture of characters with many other ruminants, it is here believed to have derived from a primitive ruminant stock prior to the emergence of advanced ruminant lineages. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 163 , 1304–1333.     

Lichens of St Helena and Ascension Island

Lichens are the dominant organisms on most of the South Atlantic island of St Helena. In total, 220 different species were found during a recent survey, most of which have never been reported from the island. Previously, less than 50 lichen species were reported from the island, one half of which are most probably incorrect records. The total number of lichens known from the island now stands at 225. Most species could be identified, but the following, most probably endemic, species are described as new to science: Dolichocarpus seawardii , which is only the second species in this genus, the type being from Chile; Dermatiscum pusillum , which is only the third species in this African genus; Dimelaena triseptata ; Xanthoparmelia beccae ; and four Ramalina species, Ramalina geniculatella , R. ketner‐oostrae , R. rigidella , and R. sanctae‐helenae . The lichen flora has many species in common with that of the geologically much younger Ascension Island, where just under 100 species were recently found by the author, most of which are equally new to that island. Lecanora sanctae‐helenae, previously known as the only endemic lichen of St Helena, was also found to be abundant on Ascension Island. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 147–171.     

A new species of Centaurea (Asteraceae) from Sicily

A new species of Centaurea, Centaurea sicana , endemic to Sicily, is described. This new taxon is close to Centaurea parlatoris and Centaurea giardinae (Sect. Dissectae), the former occurring at Palermo and in the Madonie Mountains, while the latter occurs on the Etna volcano. The new species has so far been found only on the Sicani Mountains, a limestone mountain range in western Sicily, while the related species occur in the surrounding mountains. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 157 , 785–788.     

A new species of Paraboea (Gesneriaceae) from a karst cave in Guangxi,China, and observations on variations in flower and inflorescence architecture

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Paraboea trisepala W.H.Chen & Y.M.Shui, from a karst cave in Guangxi, China is described and illustrated. The new species differs from other species of Paraboea by its three‐lobed calyx. Variation in flower and inflorescence architecture was observed under cultivation. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 681–688.     

A spectacular new species of Nepenthes L. (Nepenthaceae) pitcher plant from central Palawan,Philippines

A new species of Nepenthes L., N. attenboroughii (Nepenthaceae), from Palawan Island in the Philippines, is described and illustrated. It is restricted to rocky, ultramafic soils that comprise the summit region of Mount Victoria, Municipality of Narra, where it occurs in isolation from other members of the genus. On the basis of the morphological features, this new taxon appears to be related to both N. mira Jebb & Cheek of Palawan and N. rajah Hook.f. of Borneo. Its substantial size places it among the largest of known pitcher plants. The diagnostic morphological characters are discussed and an updated key is provided for a revised complex of Nepenthes species from the Palawan and North Borneo phytogeographical region. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 159 , 195–202.     

Resurrection in Carapa (Meliaceae): a reassessment of morphological variation and species boundaries using multivariate methods in a phylogenetic context

The taxonomy of the amphi‐Atlantic tree genus Carapa (Meliaceae) has long been controversial. Of the three species currently recognized in the genus, two are known to present substantial morphological variation that has been used in the past to distinguish several taxa, most of which are currently placed in synonymy. Here, a combination of field observations, univariate analyses of leaf, floral and seed characters and principal coordinate analyses of floral characters in the context of a molecular phylogenetic analysis was used to investigate the patterns of variation and delimit morphological species anew in the genus. These results support the recognition of 27 species in Carapa, of which 16 are previously described and 11 are new. In general, phylogenetically related species occurred in the same geographical area, but were morphologically distinct. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 165 , 186–221.