A new species of Rubiaceae, Hedyotis shenzhenensis T.Chen, from Shenzhen, South China, is described and illustrated.

The anatomical characters of the scape of Echinodorus glandulosus, E. lanceolatus, E. palaefolius, E. paniculatus, E. pubescens and E. subalatus subsp. subalatus (Alismataceae) were examined. These six sympatric species occur in northeastern Brazil and demonstrate great morphological similarity. The aim of the present study was to identify anatomical characters of taxonomic importance. Scapes possess a uniseriate epidermis composed of thin-walled tabular cells. The scapes of most species have differentiated epidermis, cortex, and vascular cylinders. There are several layers of regular chlorenchyma cells immediately below the epidermis, intercalated with collateral vascular bundles, in all species. There are also laticiferous ducts throughout the scape, and aerenchyma in both the cortex and pith. The shape and outline of scapes, the presence and position of winged extensions, the absence of differentiated vascular cylinders or cortex, and the number of vascular bundles are important characters for differentiating species in Echinodorus. An identification key employing the features analysed is provided.

A new species of Roscoea from Bhutan and southern Tibet, R. bhutanica Ngamriab., formerly included in R. tibetica Batalin, is described and a new key to all species of Roscoea is provided. While studying the phylogeny of Roscoea, we discovered that there is a correspondence between phylogeny and biogeography (Ngamriabsakul et al., 2000). There are two distinct areas of distribution in Roscoea, namely the Himalaya and China. Only R. tibetica has been recorded in both areas. Cowley (1982) indicated that this species was very variable and suggested that it might be divided. We now propose to name a new species, R. bhutanica, based on observation of living and herbarium material at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and a molecular systematic study. A morphological table comparing R. tibetica with R. bhutanica is given, along with the ITS sequences of R. tibetica, R. bhutanica and R. auriculata. The identification key to Roscoea species largely follows our phylogenetic tree (Ngamriabsakul et al., 2000).

A vascular plant species list and description is provided for the San Pastor Savanna, an isolated area of savanna within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Belize. Of the 126 species recorded, 28 are new records for the Chiquibul Forest Reserve with one previously unrecorded for the country. The maintenance of the current vegetation classification under the Belize Ecosystems Map for the San Pastor Savanna is supported. The coarse-textured soils are typical for extremely seasonal climates with some evidence of prolonged inundation during wet periods and dry seasons affected by burning. Although clear floristic affinities exist with other local and regional savanna areas, the San Pastor Savanna has some unique features and its flora includes national endemics. Although it is currently protected as part of the Chiquibul Forest Reserve and this status should be maintained, its inaccessible location makes frequent monitoring by the Forest Department problematic. Through providing a source of water and a source of forage for horses, the San Pastor Savanna plays a pivotal role in supporting the illegal Chamaedorea (xaté) palm leaf harvesting industry. This activity has also adversely impacted local wildlife. Like the nearby Mountain Pine Ridge, the San Pastor Savanna has suffered intense pine beetle (Dendroctonus spp.) attack.

The genus Gentianella in Nepal is revised and five species are recognized: G. angustiflora Harry Sm., G. azurea (Bunge) Holub, G. glanduligera Airy Shaw, G. lowndesii Harry Sm. and G. moorcroftiana (Wall. ex G.Don) Airy Shaw. Gentianella maddenii (C.B.Clarke) Airy Shaw, usually treated as a distinct species, is placed in synonymy of G. moorcroftiana. The genus Comastoma in Nepal is revised, four species are recognized and one new combination is made: C. falcatum (Turcz. ex Kar. & Kir.) Toyok., C. pedunculatum (D.Don) Holub, C. stellariifolium (Franch.) Holub and C. urnigerum (E.Aitken & D.G.Long) E.Aitken comb. nov. The genus Gentianopsis in Nepal is revised and three species are recognized: G. contorta (Royle) Ma, G. paludosa (Hook.) Ma and G. vvedenskyi (Grossh.) Pissjauk.

Mannia controversa (Meyl.) Schill comb. nov. (Marchantiidae, Aytoniaceae), a long-forgotten European taxon, is fully redescribed and a lectotype selected. It is reported from its original localities in the Swiss Alps and new sites in the Austrian and French Alps. A series of specimens from eastern Asia are closely related and are described as Mannia controversa subsp. asiatica Schill & D.G.Long. For the species, differences with other Mannia species are summarised and for its two subspecies, descriptions, illustrations (including SEM images) and a key are provided along with notes on ecology and distribution maps.

An overview is given of Girgensohnia (Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae). Five species are recognized including one new species, Girgensohnia bungeana Sukhor. A key for identifying species is provided together with details of their distribution. Lectotypes for the following names are chosen: Girgensohnia diptera Bunge, Girgensohnia oppositiflora (Pall.) Fenzl, Anabasis heteroptera Jaub. & Spach (= Girgensohnia heteroptera (Jaub. & Spach) Bunge), Girgensohnia imbricata Bunge and Girgensohnia pallasii Bunge (= Girgensohnia oppositiflora (Pall.) Fenzl).

A new species of Eriocaulon, E. vamanae, is described from the southern Western Ghats of Kerala, India. It resembles Eriocaulon nepalense var. luzulifolium (Mart.) Praj. & J.Parn. but differs in the shape of its involucral bracts and receptacle, the fusion of the sepals in male flowers, the shape and indumentum of the sepals in female flowers, the size and indumentum of the petals in female flowers, and the seed coat appendages. Eriocaulon vamanae is so far known only from the type locality, Meesapulimala in Idukki District, Kerala, and is assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ according to the IUCN’s Red List Categories and Criteria.

The sub-Saharan and mainly western southern African genus Babiana (Iridaceae–Crocoideae) is morphologically diverse, containing some 80 species. The Socotran B. socotrana, which differs from all other members of the genus inter alia in its trisulcate pollen grains, basic chromosome number, x=10, corms of axillary origin, and globose, colliculate–tuberculate seeds, is here excluded from Babiana and referred to the new genus Cyanixia. Other Babiana species have monosulcate pollen grains with a two-banded operculum, a basic chromosome number of x=7, terminal corm ontogeny, and derived pear-shaped seeds with a smooth glossy surface. Cyanixia socotrana was previously assigned to Babiana because of superficial similarities in morphology, including plicate leaves and blue flowers, thought at the time to be bilabiate, although now known to be actinomorphic and rotate. DNA sequence analysis using the chloroplast gene matK confirms that Babiana is a monophyletic assemblage, whereas B. socotrana is sister to the Lapeirousia/Savannosiphon clade of sub-Saharan Africa. The latter shares axillary corm ontogeny with the southern African Micranthus, Thereianthus, and Watsonia, in contrast to the more common situation in Crocoideae (including Babiana) in which the corm develops from the base of the flowering stem. The tropical African Zygotritonia, which also has axillary corm development, shares with Cyanixia a trisulcate pollen grain, but it differs markedly from that genus in its small, zygomorphic flower, undivided style, and basic chromosome number x=8. Cyanixia is here described as a new monotypic genus of Crocoideae, probably most closely allied to Savannosiphon, also a monospecific genus.

Two new species are described in the genus Streptocarpus (Gesneriaceae) from eastern tropical Africa. The first, Streptocarpus mazumbaiensis I.Darbysh. from the Usambara Mts of Tanzania, was treated as Streptocarpus sp. A in the Flora of Tropical East Africa account of the Gesneriaceae. The second, Streptocarpus acicularis I.Darbysh. & Massingue, is known from a single collection from the lower Chimanimani massif in Mozambique, previously misidentified as S. eylesii S.Moore. Both species are illustrated, their likely affinities are discussed and their conservation status is assessed.

The new species Sinojackia oblongicarpa C.T. Chen & T.R. Cao (Styracaceae) is described and illustrated.

Flueggea anatolica Gemici (Euphorbiaceae) is illustrated and described from S Anatolia. It is a deciduous unarmed shrub, related to F. virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Voigt, but has an undivided pistillode, up to 13 staminate flowers per glomerule, and pistillate flowers in groups of (1−)2–3. This is the first record of the genus Flueggea from Anatolia. F. anatolica has an isolated position within the genus and is considered to be a Tertiary relict.

Hagenia abyssinica J.F. Gmel. (Rosaceae) is an Afromontane endemic, whose range extends from Ethiopia in the north to Zimbabwe and Mozambique in the south. This thick-stemmed but low-growing tree is restricted to East African high mountains, and is one of the dominants of upper montane forests, often making up the timberline. In this paper 17 aphyllophoroid basidiomycetes are reported on Hagenia from Tanzania. Trees which have been partly debarked by elephants are often troubled by Hymenochaete ochromarginata Talbot. A new species, Hyphodontia submucronata Hjortstam & Renvall is described. Dendrothele griseocana (Bres.) Bourdot & Galzin is reported for the first time from Africa.

This paper summarizes conservation work carried out on Filago pyramidata L. (Asteraceae), broad-leaved cudweed, between 1993 and 1996 in Britain. It was formerly native in 125 10km squares in about 240 localities. In 1993–1996 it was recorded in eight 10km squares (94% decline) in eight localities (97% decline). Historically its main habitats were arable fields, road and track sides, and heaths, commons and quarries. It has declined in arable field habitats owing to changes in agricultural practices, and from tracks and roadsides because of reduced disturbance. The decline occurred gradually before the 1970s. Populations show marked variations from year to year and marked differences between sites, owing to climate and management. The best conservation management based on practical experience is annual digging or rotavation in early autumn. The plant is under severe threat in Britain; four sites are designated as SSSIs, but two of the four largest populations are unprotected.

Five new combinations are made in the Boletales: Chroogomphus rutilus var. corallinus, Boletus declivitatum, B. immutatus, B. ripariellus and Buchwaldoboletus sphaerocephalus. Comments are made on other British poroid boletes.

Systematic data collection for direct statistical analysis of biodiversity trends tends to be focused on charismatic fauna and flora such as birds or vascular plants. When subsequently applied by conservation agencies in summary metrics tracking habitat and species protection, these patterns in biodiversity loss or gain can fail to capture outcomes for groups that have a prominent importance in habitat composition, diversity and ecological function, such as algae, bryophytes, lichens and other fungi. Such species are primarily recorded on an ad hoc basis by taxonomic specialists, yielding noisy data that present problems in robustly identifying trends. This study explored the use of ad hoc field-recorded data as a potential source of biodiversity information, by comparing the pattern of recording for carefully selected indicator species with those for benchmark or control species as a proxy for recording effort. Focusing on Scotland’s internationally important epiphytic lichens, and especially ‘old-growth’ indicator species, British Lichen Society data revealed a decline in the extent of these species in Scotland, relative to recording effort, over a period of five decades. A recent slowing in the rate of decline is observed but remains to be confirmed. The long-term decline is consistent with the effect of land use intensification, resulting in small and isolated populations that are vulnerable to extinction debt. We caution that remedial protection and monitoring for such populations remains vital as a complement to Scotland’s larger scale ambition for increased woodland extent and connectivity.

A study of the fruit structure of Annesorhiza filicaulis Eckl. & Zeyh. has shown that only the four commissural ribs are expanded, resulting in a fruit wing configuration characteristic of the genus Peucedanum. Hysteranthous or seasonal leaves, as present in A. filicaulis, are not unique to Annesorhiza but are also encountered in Chamarea Eckl. & Zeyh. and in Peucedanum sulcatum Sond. and related species. The correct generic delimitation of Peucedanum (one or several genera) is one of the last challenges in the alpha taxonomy of southern African Apiaceae, and A. filicaulis complicates the matter even further. Nevertheless, A. filicaulis is clearly a misfit in Annesorhiza and should be included in future studies of Peucedanum sensu lato, even though the latter may prove not to be monophyletic. Annesorhiza filicaulis is formally transferred to Peucedanum, and the correct nomenclature, typification and known geographical distribution of this poorly known species is presented.

Dissochaeta atrobrunnea (Melastomataceae–Dissochaeteae) from Kalimantan (Borneo, Indonesia) is described and illustrated. The species can be assigned to Dissochaeta sect. Dissochaeta and is easily recognized by its dense cover of light brown, sessile, stellate hairs and dark brown, 4–6 mm long bristles on branches, leaf undersurfaces, petioles, inflorescences, bracts and hypanthia. Like all other species of Dissochaeta sect. Dissochaeta, D. atrobrunnea shows heterantherous flowers.