Two new species of Linaria section Linaria (Scrophulariaceae‐Antirrhineae) from Iran

Linaria azerbaijanensis and Linaria shahroudensis are described as new species from the Azerbaijan and Semnan provinces of Iran, respectively, belong to section Linaria.The new species are compared to their closest relative Linaria lineolata. Linaria azerbaijanensis differs from L. lineolata in having shorter bracts, a shorter corolla, shorter spur and smaller capsules and a different microsculpturing pattern of the testa cells. Linaria shahroudensis differs from L. lineolata in having shorter stems, shorter calyx‐lobes, a longer spur, a smaller capsule and a different microsculpturing pattern of the testa cells. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 734–742.     

Dendrocalamus menglongensis sp. nov. (Poaceae–Bambusoideae) from Yunnan,China

A new species Dendrocalamus menglongensis Hsueh & K. L. Wang ex N. H. Xia, R. S. Lin &Y. B. Guo is described and illustrated from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China. It differs from D. giganteus by e.g. shorter internodes, 4–5 florets, a perfect terminal floret and persistent culm sheaths. A key to the new species and the other 7 species of Dendrocalamus known from Xishuangbanna is provided.     

Centotheca ganeshaiahiana sp. nov. (Poaceae) from Andaman and Nicobar Islands,India

Centotheca ganeshaiahiana M. V. Ramana, Alok Chorghe, Prasanna & Sanjappa, a new species from Saddle Peak National Park, north Andaman, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India is described and illustrated. It is closely allied to C. uniflora Swallen, a Vietnamese species, but differs mainly in shorter culms, leaf blades and inflorescences, longer pedicels, spikelets with 2 fertile florets and lemmas with bulbous based hairs.     

MORPHOLOGY,INHERITANCE, AND EVOLUTIONARY SIGNIFICANCE OF SEX REVERSAL IN TRIPSACUM DACTYLOIDES (POACEAE)

Inflorescences of Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L. (Andropogoneae) are characterized by single female spikelets at one to several basal nodes and paired male spikelets at several nodes above them on each raceme. Female spikelets are one-flowered and male spikelets are two-flowered. A sex form variant was found in a wild population in north central Kansas and classified as T. dactyloides (L.) L. forma prolificum Dayton et Dewald. The variant of this native distant relative of maize (Zea mays L. spp. mays) differs from the normal form by having both pistillate and perfect rather than staminate spikelets in the terminal (tassel) portion of the inflorescence and by having two functional pistillate florets in the basal spikelets instead of one. A recessive major gene at a single locus regulates the change of the inflorescence from monoecious to gynomonoecious.     

中国赖草属(禾本科)一新种——贫穗赖草

报道了中国西部赖草属一新种———贫穗赖草。该种相似于若羌赖草和广叉赖草,但它不同于前者在于穗状花序的中部或下部具孪生小穗,外稃披针形、无毛,具1.0~1.5 mm长的短尖头,内稃短于外稃1.0~1.5 mm,沿上部脊疏生小刺,叶鞘无毛,具非膜质边缘;不同于后者在于秆较高,叶片内卷,穗状花序稀疏、狭窄,小穗较短,颖较长,外稃披针形、较长,具5条不明显的脉。     

New Streptocarpus species (Gesneriaceae) from South Africa

Two new rosulate species of Streptocarpus are described from the eastern seaboard of South Africa. The first is endemic to Mpumalanga Province. This species has almost actinomorphic corollas with small cylindrical tubes and was previously included within Streptocarpus parviflorus. However, molecular and morphological data and habitat preference do not support this classification. The second species is from the Msikaba River Gorge in the Eastern Cape Province. It adds to the already impressive list of endemic plant species from this region and is allied to other rosulate species of the Eastern Cape. It approaches Streptocarpus rexii in flower size but differs in its much shorter corolla tubes, which lack purple nectar guides. In addition, the corolla floors are marked with yellow bars reminiscent of Streptocarpus cyaneus and also seen in sympatric populations of the small‐flowered Streptocarpus modestus. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 743–748.     

INTRASPECIFIC VARIATION IN POLLEN YIELD IN BROMEGRASS (POACEAE: BROMUS)

Variation in pollen production was measured within five hermaphrodite species of bromegrass (Bromus). Anther length is an excellent predictor of pollen production in this genus (R² = 0.97). Anther length varied considerably within each of the species, both among and within individual plants. Within plants, most of the variation occurred among florets within spikelets; florets in upper spikelet positions were smaller and produced less pollen. In B. inermis, pollen production was decreased by defoliation and increased in shoots that grew on thatching ant (Formica obscuripes) mounds. Whole-shoot pollen yield was determined by spikelet number, number of florets per spikelet, and pollen production per floret. All of these yield components must be considered in attempts to estimate pollen production accurately.     

Conyza sumatrensis (Retz.) E. H. Walker: A new record from Pakistan

Conyza sumatrensis (Retz.) E. H. Walker (Astereae: Asteraceae) has been recorded in Pakistan for the first time. The species is closely associated with C. bonariensis and C. canadensis. It differs from C. bonariensis in its smaller capitula with a small series of marginal and disc florets that lack a purplish-pink apex, but resembles it in disciform capitula. C. sumatrensis differs from C. canadensis in having five-lobed disc florets and lacking well-developed ray florets. The species is widely distributed in the Potohar region, particularly in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.     

First Potwarmus from the Miocene of Saudi Arabia and the early phylogeny of murines (Rodentia: Muroidea)

Potwarmus is recorded for the first time in Saudi Arabia. The material comes from the Middle Miocene of the Hofuf Formation at Al‐Jadidah. This species, Potwarmus flynni sp. nov. , is described and compared with all species currently placed in the genera Potwarmus, Dakkamys, Paradakkamys, Vallaris, and some species of ‘Myocricetodon’ (i.e. the so‐called ‘primitive dendromurids’) as well as with two of the most primitive definitive murines (namely Antemus chinjiensis and Progonomys debruijni). Potwarmus flynni sp. nov. differs from the above‐mentioned species in having the anterior part of the m1 strongly reduced. A cladistic analysis provides evidence that this new Arabian taxon is close to Potwarmus primitivus and Potwarmus sp. nov. from Jebel Zelten (Libya), and also that this genus is unlikely to be the sister taxon to Antemus. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 156 , 664–679.     

青海赖草属一新种

报道了青海赖草属植物一新种：圆稃赖草(Leymus oblongolenmatus L. Zhi et L.B. Cai)。该种的主要特征如下：多年生草本,杆直立、光滑、疏丛,高60～90 cm。叶鞘粗糙,边缘膜质,长于或短于节间,叶舌膜质;叶片边缘内卷。穗状花序直立、密集、黄绿色,长10～15 cm,宽5～15 mm,穗轴粗糙,小穗常3～4枚生于每节,含3～6小花;颖披针形,长4～7 mm,具3～5脉,边缘膜质;外稃长圆状披针形,不明显3脉,背部疏生短柔毛;花药黄色,长4～5 mm。该种与L. paboahus相似。     

Two new species of Lessingianthus (Vernonieae, Asteraceae) from the Brazilian highlands

Two additional species of Lessingianthus , L. bakerianus and L. lanuginosus , from the campo cerrado vegetation of central Brazil, are described and illustrated. The first species is characterized by the presence of capitula arranged in groups, nine to 12 florets per head, leaves sessile, oblong to ovate leaf blades with the lower surface densely lanate, sparsely villous on the main veins. It has certain resemblance to L. syncephalus (Sch. Bip. ex Baker) H. Rob. and L. brevipetiolatus (Sch. Bip. ex Baker) H. Rob., which present petiolate leaves and leaf blades lanceolate, cuneate or attenuate at the base. L. lanuginosus is superficially similar to L. buddleiifolius (Mart. ex DC.) H. Rob., but differs in having smooth stems, woolly indumentum, smaller heads and the largest leaves disposed at the middle of the stem.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 150 , 487–493.     

A new species of the Brazilian genus Chresta (Asteraceae, Vernonieae) from Bahia

A new species of the genus Chresta Vell. ex DC. (Vernonieae, Asteraceae) from the Brazilian state of Bahia is described and illustrated. The new species resembles Chresta pinnatifida (Philipson) H.Rob. but differs in having solitary glomerules, leaf bases clasping the stem and 35–40 capitula per glomerule. It can be distinguished from Chresta harleyii and Chresta martii , the other two species of the genus with pinnately lobed leaves, by the type of pubescence, leaf blade bases and florets number. In addition, a key to distinguish all the species of the genus is presented. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 157 , 587–590.     

STROTHERIA (COMPOSITAE-TAGETEAE) A NEW MONOTYPIC GENUS FROM NORTH-CENTRAL MEXICO

A new genus Strotheria, containing the single species S. gypsophila, has been described from a locality in north-central Mexico. It is relatively common on gypsum soils at this site, along with several other gypseous endemics. The genus is presumably related to Dyssodia but differs in having succulent, non-glandular foliage and only four florets per head. Its chromosome number was determined as n = 8.     

Ligularia dalaolingensis sp. nov. (Asteraceae–Senecioneae) from central China

Ligularia dalaolingensis, a new species from Hubei and Hunan, China, is described and illustrated. It belongs to L. sect. Ligularia ser. Speciosae on the basis of its palmate leaf venation, racemose synflorescence and pappus which is slightly shorter than the tube of the tubular corolla. In the series, its closest relatives are assumed to be L. fischeri and L. stenocephala. From L. fischeri, L. dalaolingensis is readily distinguished by smaller basal leaves, shorter synflorescence, narrower involucres and fewer phyllaries and florets; from L. stenocephala, L. dalaolingensis differs by smaller basal leaves, shorter synflorescence as well as broader bracts. A diagnostic key to Chinese species of L. ser. Speciosae with broadly ovate, ovate or ovate‐lanceolate bracts is provided.     

中国新记录穗芽水葱的分类学研究

该文报道了发现于浙江省景宁畲族自治县山地沼泽中的莎草科水葱属一中国新记录种———穗芽水葱(Schoenoplectus gemmifer C. Sato, T. Maeda ＆ Uchino)。该种外形与水毛花相似,但其秆质地较柔软,小穗较短,花柱2,具无性繁殖的穗芽。染色体数目为2n ＝78±2(水毛花的染色体数目为2n ＝44)。文献记载穗芽水葱特产于日本,并被列为日本稀有物种。该种在景宁的发现,对研究中国—日本植物区系具有重要学术价值。     

Manglietia sapaensis N. H. Xia & Q. N. Vu sp. nov. (Magnoliaceae) from Vietnam

A new species of the family Magnoliaceae, Manglietia sapaensis N. H. Xia & Q. N. Vu from Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The well marked species appears to be most closely related to M. garrettii Craib, but differs in being a smaller tree, with shorter petioles not pulvinate at base, leaf‐lamina oblong to oblong‐elliptic, white flowers, and pubescent gynoecium.     

Crinum reddyi sp. nov. (Amaryllidaceae) from Gujarat,India

We here describe a new species of Crinum (Amaryllidaceae) from marshy areas along the Gira river, southern Gujarat, India. It superficially resembles C. solapurense but differs in having spherical or round, cremish white, tunicate bulbs, 10–17 distichous to sub distichous, canaliculated leaves, shorter, yellowish green peduncles (35–60 cm long), fewer flowers (up to 16), 6–12 capsules per infructscence, 4–7, chlorophyllous, rugose seeds per capsule and mainly vegetative propagation.     

Pertya multiflora sp. nov. (Asteraceae,Pertyeae) from Zhejiang,China

Pertya multiflora Cai F. Zhang & T. G. Gao (Asteraceae, Pertyeae) sp. nov. from Zhejiang Province of China is described and illustrated. It is similar to P. pubescens and P. pungens which all have leaves with small spherical glassy tawny glands, but differ by narrowly ovate to nearly elliptic leaves, capitula solitary or in pairs on terminal branches, capitula with 20–30 florets and 9–12‐seriate involucres. Information on phenology, distribution and ecology of P. multiflora is presented, along with a conservation assessment as Critically Endangered (CR) using the IUCN red list criteria. A key to the known species of Pertya in southeast China is provided.     

Hymenachne panduranganii sp. nov. from Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve,India

Hymenachne panduranganii, a new species of Poaceae collected from a wetland area of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, which constitutes the core area of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), is described and illustrated. The new species differs from the related species H. assamica in having 1.0–1.5 m tall culms, 3.7–4.0 mm long spikelets, floret with a distinct lower palea and having only 2 stamens. To further enunciate the differences, an identification key to the Indian species of Hymenachne is provided.     

A new species of Chirita (Gesneriaceae) from Yunnan,China

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Chirita maguanensis Z.Y.Li, H.Jiang & H.Xu, is described from Southern Yunnan, China. It is similar to C. eburnea Hance in its large, fleshy, white and parallel‐veined bracts, but differs by having broad and oblique leaves with a repand–crenate or crenate margin, suborbicular bracts, membranous, white calyx, purple corolla‐tube, 2‐parted lower lip of stigma and lower disc. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 158 , 269–273.