The threatened Chilean conifer Podocarpus salignus D. Don is currently the focus of ex situ conservation eorts being undertaken by the Conifer Conservation Programme of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. To assess variation within in and ex situ populations of the species, leaf material collected from four wild populations was analysed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Amova of RAPD profiles indicated that 93% of the variation occurred within, rather than between, populations. Intraspecific genetic diversity, estimated using percentage polymorphic loci, Shannon's diversity index, and Nei's gene diversity, was relatively high (47%, 0.692 and 0.314, respectively). To assess genetic diversity in ex situ populations within the UK, RAPD analysis of parents and progeny at two Cornish arboreta was undertaken. The results provided evidence of novel hybridization with suspected paternal trees (P. hallii Kirk and P. totara G. Benn. ex D. Don) endemic to New Zealand. RAPD was found to be an effective tool for assessing the genetic structure of P. salignus, for providing a guide to future germplasm-sampling strategies, and for hybrid identification. Implications for genetic conservation of the species and the role of ex situ approaches are discussed.

Cerrado vegetation is the main formation covering c.60% of the land surface of Maranhão, Brazil, with cerradão being the dominant physiognomy. To characterise the cerrado flora in Maranhão, 12 localities were selected across its distribution in the northeastern, central, southern and southeastern regions of the state. A total of 150 angiosperm species were identified, distributed across 105 genera and 43 families. Twelve are new occurrences in Maranhão, and of these, four are also new records for Northeast Brazil. Two distinct floristic regions were recognised: the cerrados of the northeastern and central regions, and the cerrados of the southern region. Three subgroups were recognised in the southern region: cerrados of the highest altitudes, medium-altitude cerrados and cerrados of variable altitudes. Floristic comparisons with the Brazilian cerrados suggest that the medium-altitude southern cerrados of Maranhão are similar to those of the central region of Brazil, whereas the northeastern, central and southern highest-altitude regions form a distinct floristic group.

The phylogenetic relationship of species within the Hypopterygium ‘rotulatum’ (Hedw.) Brid. s.l. complex is analysed by sequencing the trnL intron of cp DNA. Furthermore, the divergence in variable New Zealand H. ‘rotulatum’ samples is investigated along a latitudinal gradient. The presented data strongly support the delimitation of at least two distinct species within Hypopterygium ‘rotulatum’ s.l. in New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania, which correspond with the morphological species H. muelleri Hampe (possibly conspecific with H. debile Reichardt) and H. didictyon Müll. Hal., a species known from Chile. The distribution patterns of these species are discussed on a regional (New Zealand) and global scale; indicating an australasian distribution pattern of H. muelleri and a palaeoaustral pattern of H. didictyon.

The genus Stubendorffia (Brassicaceae) is distinguished from Lepidium solely by the dehiscent vs. indehiscent angustiseptate fruits. By contrast, Winklera is separated from Lepidium by a combination of perennial habit, pinnatisect leaves, yellow flowers, and wingless fruits, characters all of which occur individually and in various combinations within Lepidium. Extensive molecular studies strongly show that Winklera and polyphyletic Stubendorffia are nested within the earlier-published Lepidium and, therefore, the three genera are herein formally united. The new name Lepidium pavlovii and 10 new combinations, L. afghanicum, L. apterum, L. botschantzevii, L. curvinervium, L. lipskyi, L. olgae, L. orientalis, L. patrinoides, L. pterocarpum, and L. silaifolium, are proposed. Lepidium apterum is lectotypified. A complete generic synonymy of Lepidium and an expanded generic description are presented.

The circumscription of Gymnocarpos (Caryophyllaceae) is extended to include the genus Lochia. Eight species are recognized: G. decandrus in the Canary Islands, northern Africa and southwestern Asia, G. parvibractus in Somalia, G. argenteus and G. mahranus in the mainland of Yemen, G. dhofarensis in Yemen and Oman, G. rotundifolius in Oman, G. kuriensis on Abd al-Kuri and Socotra, and G. bracteatus on Socotra. A phylogenetic analysis of Gymnocarpos is presented and the biogeography of the genus is discussed. The analysis suggests that G. mahranus and G. parvibractus, and G. kuriensis and G. rotundifolius, are pairs of vicarious sister species. G. argenteus, G. dhofarensis, G. mahranus and G. rotundifolius are species new to science. New combinations are G. bracteatus, G. kuriensis and G. parvibractus. G. decandrus is lectotypified. G. przewalskii, a species from China and Mongolia, is excluded from Gymnocarpos and would probably best be treated as a genus of its own.

The identifications of taxa of larger fungi (basidiomycetes) covering collections from the Korup National Park, Cameroon is given with relevant details on the distribution elsewhere in the world if known. A few other records from the south western province are also given. Several rare and previously unrecorded fungi for the area are documented.

A review of the infraspecific taxa of Paeonia suffruticosa Andr. is presented. Three subspecies are recognized, subsp. suffruticosa, subsp. spontanea (Rehder) Haw & Lauener stat. nov., and subsp. rockii Haw & Lauener, subsp. nov., with one further doubtful subspecies. The distinguishing features of all the subspecies are described.

Chirita sect. Liebigia (Gesneriaceae), endemic to Sumatra, Java and Bali, is revised, paying particular attention to inflorescence and anther characters, the latter being illustrated. Whereas a previous worker considered the section to consist of the single species C. asperifolia, the present revision recognizes 12 species. Six are newly described (C. adenonema, C. dissimilis, C. leuserensis, C. praeterita, C. tenuipes and C. tobaënsis), and C. blumei var. cordifolia is given specific rank as C. neoforbesii. Notes on the history and nomenclature of sect. Liebigia are given in an appendix by B.L. Burtt.

The state of systematics, a vital biological discipline investigating fundamental questions about the earth's biological diversity, is currently the subject of concern amongst the UK scientific and political communities. The scope of this complex field is redefined in terms of a number of linked agendas. Currently, key areas of research can be divided into the reconstruction of phylogeny and taxonomy, here defined as the description, delimitation and inventory of species. Molecular data have great potential to elucidate the relationships between taxa and, together with recent methodological advances, have instigated a resurgence of interest in phylogeny reconstruction. A literature survey indicates a decline in interest and investment in taxonomy, as defined above, an activity for which morphological data supply most information. We highlight the need to restore the balance in activity and profile between phylogeny reconstruction and morphology-based taxonomy, to redress the plight of systematics and dependent biological research.

Jabal Qaraqir in Saudi Arabia is the first site to be assessed for the Important Plant Area (IPA) programme in the Arabian Peninsula. This paper describes the geology, fauna and flora of the Qaraqir site and provides the first botanical checklist of the area. It designates the locality as an IPA due to the quality of the wadi vegetation and the presence of endemic and biogeographically relictual species. As well as assessments, this study also touches on the planning stage of conservation activity. Socio-economic issues and threats to the conservation of Qaraqir are discussed and suggestions for conservation action are provided.

Ninety-seven taxa of coprophilous fungi are recorded from the Southern Atlantic archipelago of the Falkland Islands. Several other fungi are discussed in the light of the distribution of these coprophils. Fungi are recorded for the first time from some of the smaller islands adjacent to East and West Falkland. Two new combinations, Coprinopsis cordispora (T.Gibbs) Watling & M.J.Richardson and Coprinopsis ephemeroides (DC.) Watling & M.J.Richardson, are made.

Thirty-three conifer species are currently recorded from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. All species are recorded from Vietnam but only six have been recorded from Cambodia and nine from Laos. Recent botanical surveys have recorded one additional species from Cambodia and seven from Laos. New distributions within those countries have also been recorded. This paper discusses those records.

The living species of the genus Retrophyllum C.N. Page (Podocarpaceae) are revised. A key to the six species recognised is given. Retrophyllum filicifolium (N.E.Gray) R.R.Mill comb. nov. from New Guinea and the Moluccas is recognised as a species distinct from R. vitiense (Seemann) C.N. Page, which is restricted to material from Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Additional characters are given by which to separate Retrophyllum piresii (Silba) C.N. Page (Brazil) from R. rospigliosii (Pilg.) C.N. Page (Andes). The six species fall into three species-pairs that differ in reproductive characters: one pair in Papuasia and Melanesia, a second on New Caledonia and a third in South America. In the New Caledonian species-pair, the adult leaves are flattened in four ranks with only minimal heterofacial twisting, whereas in the species-pair inhabiting Fiji, New Guinea and neighbouring areas, as well as the pair inhabiting South America, the adult leaves are arranged in two ranks with significant heterofacial twisting. The names Podocarpus filicifolius N.E.Gray and Nageia minor Carrière, respectively the basionyms of Retrophyllum filicifolium and R. minus, are lectotypified, and the typification of Nageia minor comprehensively discussed in an appendix. Adult female epitypes are additionally designated for Podocarpus filicifolius, which was originally based on juvenile foliage of Retrophyllum mixed with a detached seed of Nageia wallichiana, and for Nageia minor, which Carrière described on the basis of sterile material. Two other appendices provide a list of accepted names and synonyms, and a list of exsiccatae. Illustrations and distribution maps are provided for each species.

Recent molecular studies indicate that the araliaceous tribes Myodocarpeae R. Vig. (Delarbrea Vieill., Pseudosciadium Baill. and Myodocarpus Brongn. & Gris.) and Mackinlayeae R. Vig. (Apiopetalum Baill., Mackinlaya F. Muell. and several genera of Hydrocotyloideae Link (Apiaceae)) comprise basally branching lineages within Apiales, an interpretation consistent with data from morphology and wood anatomy. Comparison of selected features in these genera, and in close relatives of Apiales, suggests that ancestral character states for the order may include: simple leaves, inflorescences in panicles of umbellules, flowers with articulated pedicels and a bicarpellate gynoecium, an andromonoecious, duodichogamous sexual system, septate fibres, the absence of radial canals, and the presence of paratracheal axial parenchyma in the wood.

Agalmyla Blume (including Dichrotrichum de Vriese and Tetradema Schltr.) (Gesneriaceae-Cyrtandroideae) is revised. Ninety-seven species are recognized, 62 of them newly described, and these are divided into three sections with distinct geographical ranges. Sect. Agalmyla (24 species) is restricted to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Palawan; sect. Exannularia (19 species) is the only section on Sulawesi and has a few species nearby; sect. Dichrotrichum (54 species) is represented in the Philippine Islands (excluding Palawan) by 13 species, in the Moluccas by two species, and in New Guinea by 39 species. No species is found in more than one of these areas and the key to sect. Dichrotrichum is therefore split between the Philippine species and those on the Moluccas and New Guinea. There are thus four keys altogether. The affinity and geographical distribution, both of the whole genus and of the sections, are discussed, and special attention is given to distribution of species in relation to the geological terranes of New Guinea. Points of interest and taxonomic importance in the morphological features are noted in a separate section.

Forty-two species of Geranium from Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu, W Hubei and adjacent territories are keyed and described. Four new species are published: G. canopurpureum Yeo, G. duclouxii Yeo, G. fargesii Yeo and G. retectun Yeo. One previously described species is reduced to varietal rank (as G. hupehanum var. wilsonii (Knuth) Yeo) and many others are reduced to synonymy. The name G. platyanthum Duthie is taken up for G. eriostemon Fischer ex DC, which is a later homonym of G. eriostemum Poiret. A catalogue of collectors' numbers is supplied.

A new species of Ferula (Umbelliferae), Ferula hezarlalehzarica Y.Ajani, from the Hezar and Lalehzar mountains (Kerman province) in the south of Iran, is described and illustrated. From field and herbarium studies it appears that the species is found only in Kerman province. Details of its morphology and mericarp anatomy are discussed and compared with its closest relatives, Ferula hindukushensis Kitam. and F. koso-poljanskyi Korovin. The new species differs from these mainly in leaf, umbel and mericarp characters. An alteration to the Ferula key in Flora Iranica is given.

Salvia daiguii Y.K.Wei & Y.B.Huang, a new species from China, is described. Salvia daiguii belongs to Salvia subg. Glutinaria (Raf.) G.X.Hu, C.L.Xiang & B.T.Drew, sect. Sobiso (Raf.) G.X.Hu, A.Takano & B.T.Drew, and is distinguished from morphologically similar species by differences in its habit, leaves, inflorescences and flowers. It has a narrow distribution in a karst region of Yongding District, Hunan Province, central China. A key to the Chinese species of section Sobiso is also presented.

We present a new species of Meliaceae, Cedrela ngobe Köcke, T.D.Penn. & Muellner, from Panama and Costa Rica. A detailed description with illustrations and a distribution map are provided. Based on distribution data and climatic niche modelling, the species is classified as Vulnerable according to IUCN Red List categories.

Araucaria goroensis R.R.Mill & Ruhsam sp. nov., a new monkey puzzle species from New Caledonia, is described and illustrated with photographs from the field and from herbarium specimens. Previously confused with Araucaria muelleri, it is more similar to A. rulei. It is distinguished from the latter species by its larger leaves, microsporophylls without a shouldered base, and shorter female cone bracts. It occurs in a very limited area of south-east New Caledonia, where its existence is threatened by nickel mining. Using the guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, we propose an assessment of Endangered for the new species and reassess Araucaria muelleri also as Endangered. A key to the seven species in the ‘large-leaved clade’ of New Caledonian species of Araucaria is given. The name Eutassa latifolia de Laub. is synonymised with Araucaria muelleri, and the recent typification of the latter name by Vieillard 1276 is rejected. Detailed reasoning is given for these nomenclatural acts.