The island of Kimolos, located in the western Kiklades in Greece, constitutes together with Milos, Polyaegos, Anafi and the Santorini island group the central part of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc. The flora of Kimolos consists of 443 taxa, 70 of which are under a statute of protection, 30 are Greek endemics and 225 are reported here for the first time. We show that Kimolos has the highest percentage of Greek endemics in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc. The known distribution of the endemics Sedum eriocarpum subsp. eriocarpum and Anthemis rigida subsp. liguliflora is expanded, being reported for the first time for the phytogeographical region of the Kiklades. The floristic cross-correlation between Kimolos and other parts of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc by means of Sørensen’s index revealed that its phytogeographical affinities are somewhat stronger to Anafi than to neighbouring Milos.

The taxonomy and nomenclature of the most common, closely related brambles of the Mediterranean area are treated. These include R. ulmifolius Schott (R. discolor, R. rustieanus, R. inermis) and Rubus sanctus Schreber (R. sanguineus, R. dalmatinus, R. anatolicus) (Rosaceae). The species are illustrated, the types are given, and variability, synonymy and distribution is indicated. Fifteen names are lectotypified.

A description of the defining characteristics of Gardenia (Rubiaceae) and a revision of the Philippine species distinguished mainly by calyx morphology are presented. A key to five species of Gardenia recognised for the Philippines, full descriptions and illustrations, and a list of names which should be excluded from Gardenia are given. Relevant Philippine names for which holotypes were not indicated or have been destroyed are lectotypified. Two new endemic species, Gardenia ornata K.M.Wong and G. vulcanica K.M.Wong, are described. Gardenia elata Ridl. and G. mutabilis Reinw. ex Blume are newly applied to Philippine species previously enumerated under other names. Gardenia pseudopsidium (Blanco) Fern.-Vill. is considered a doubtful name, to which some authors have referred the endemic G. barnesii Merr.

A review of the taxonomy and distribution of the European species of Damasonium Mill. has been carried out to provide background information for conservation. Damasonium alisma Mill., D. bourgaei Coss. and D. polyspermum Coss. are recognized as distinct species, and descriptions and a key are presented. Lectotypes are designated for D. bourgaei and D. polyspermum. Damasonium alisma is the most northerly taxon, predominantly occurring in France and England, but extending eastwards to Russia. Damasonium bourgaei is widespread around the Mediterranean eastwards at least to India. Damasonium polyspermum occurs mainly in the western Mediterranean.

New records in the Flora of Laos are presented, along with a short history of botanical collection in the country. The records are given in two lists, one relating to the Flore du Cambodge, du Laos et du Viêtnam and the other relating to the older Flore générale de l'Indochine.

Pinus halepensis and P. brutia hybridize extensively. The analysis of monoterpenoid and morphological variability of 122 pine trees at five sites showed that the within-site heterogeneity is high while the entire provenance diversity is comparable with that of a circum-Mediterranean scale. Four morphotypes and four chemotypes were recognized. The congruence between morphological and monoterpenoid classification of pines was high (coefficient of contingency 89%) while thirteen family groups of genetically closely related trees were found by means of a specifically designed sampling scheme of continuous classification – identification and re-sampling. Putative hybrids contributed substantially to the observed diversity and there is considerable heterogeneity between sites. Low-altitude sites, presumably susceptible to sea-level fluctuations, alluvial deposition and human influence, are in general more diverse at both levels of genetic complexity than inland sites. The hybrid phenotypes were not merely intermediate forms of parental taxa, and in a multivariate sense they are located on a parabola in the space of morphological properties. The arrangement of hybrids in the monoterpenoid space did not reveal any clear-cut pattern except that three major composite axes can summarize 98.9% of the entire monoterpenoid variation. The observed pattern of variation was interpreted as a result of waves of introgressive influence of eastern P. brutia population on P. halepensis, which was caused by marine transgressions in Pliocene and eustatic sea-level fluctuations in Pleistocene. The human influence on this introgression accelerated the process, and amplified the resulted pattern, although it blurred in many instances the biogeographic routes of germplasm mixing. Its bearing on the evolution of pines is discussed, and it was found that the ‘Eocene refugia hypothesis’ of C.I. Millar holds by analogy also in central Aegean pines.

The fruits of two anomalous African woody Apiaceae, Polemanniopsis marlothii and Steganotaenia araliacea, differ in structure when mature though the ovaries are very similar, both being heteromorphic in young flower stage. This unexpected heteromorphism in S. araliacea has important implications for future studies of basal genera and the interpretation of fruit characters in general. Both taxa also have unique ‘intrajugal cavities’ in the ovaries and fruits, which supports the idea that the two genera are closely related, sharing some characters with the Hydrocotyloideae and Saniculoideae. This provides morphological and anatomical evidence to support the previous hypotheses on their relationship with Saniculoideae. Their basal position is also supported by characters shared with other basal genera previously included in Hydrocotyloideae, such as the lateral wings and slightly lignified endocarp in Polemanniopsis and Steganotaenia.

Fifteen boletes (Basidiomycotina) distributed in the following genera: Afroboletus (1), Aureoboletus (1), Boletellus (1), Gyroporus (2), Phlebopus (1), Phylloporus (1), Pulveroboletus (5), Suillus (1) Tuboseta (1), and Veloporphyrellus (1) are recorded from Zambia. Four of these collections cannot be assigned to any formerly documented stirps. Two new combinations are proposed and full descriptions of the other collections are given. Afroboletus azureotinctus and Veloporphyrellus africanus are described as new; Tuboseta brunneosetosa var. retipes is recorded from Cameroon & Zimbabwe in addition to Zambia.

A new species of Barleria (Acanthaceae), Barleria samhanensis Knees, A.G.Mill. & A.Patzelt, is described from southern Oman and a provisional assessment of its conservation status is provided. Further support is given for the recognition of the summit of Jabal Samhan as a distinct floristic unit.

Two new species of Eriocaulon L. (Eriocaulaceae) from India, E. malabaricum Pradeep & Nampy and E. pykarense Nampy & Manudev, are described, illustrated and compared with E. sollyanum Royle and E. ansarii Pradeep & Sunil, respectively.

Twelve populations of six Lycium species were analysed for karyotypie characters and seed storage proteins using multivariate statistical methods. All reported chromosome numbers (mostly new) are 2n = 24 (x = 12). Karyotypes were symmetrical and placed in 1A and 2A classes of Stebbins karyotype classification. Cluster analysis of karyological and protein data revealed variations among the populations of L. depressum and L. ruthenicum, and supports close relationships of L. kopetdaghi and L. depressum with L. makranicum, and L. shawii with L. edgeworthii.

A revision of the seven species of Rhododendron sections Sciadorhodion, Viscidula and Rhodora (of subgenus Pentanthera; Ericaceae) is presented. A cladistic analysis of Rhododendron subgenus Pentanthera is provided, and results in the recognition of four sections: Sciadorhodion, Viscidula, Rhodora and Pentanthera. The species are delimited and compared, their distributions are mapped, and descriptions and practical keys are developed.

The focus of community ecology has shifted from the description of taxonomic composition towards an understanding of community assembly based on species’ ‘functional traits’. The functional trait approach is well developed for vascular plants, utilising variability of continuous phenotypic characters that affect ecological fitness, such as specific leaf area, tissue nitrogen concentration or seed mass, to explain community structure. In contrast, community assembly studies for poikilohydric cryptogamic plants and fungi, such as lichens, remain focused on broad categorical traits such as growth form difference: fruticose, foliose or crustose. This study examined intra- and interspecific variability for two highly promising continuous phenotypic measurements that affect lichen physiology and ecological fitness: water-holding capacity (WHC) and specific thallus mass (STM). Values for WHC and STM were compared within and among species, and within and among key macrolichen growth forms (fruticose and green-algal and cyanolichen foliose species), asking whether these widely used categories adequately differentiate the continuous variables (WHC and STM). We show large intra- and interspecific variability that does not map satisfactorily onto growth form categories, and on this basis provide recommendations and caveats in the future use of lichen functional traits.

Mitotic chromosome numbers and karyotypes of species in two sections of Lycium (Solanaceae) from the American continent were determined in 23 populations. Both species in the small South American section Schistocalyx were examined: Lycium ciliatum and three varieties of L. chilense had diploid (2n=24) as well as tetraploid (2n=48) populations. Lycium ameghinoi from the small American section Sclerocarpellum was diploid with 2n=24. The basic number x=12 for the genus was confirmed. The karyotypes of these taxa were highly symmetrical: the chromosomes were metacentric or submetacentric with the formula: 11 m + 1 sm. Microsatellites were present in chromosome pair no. 1 and were attached to the short arms. As in other Lycium taxa already investigated, karyotypic features suggest that morphological differentiation in the group has not been accompanied by karyotype divergence.

The taxonomic status of each of the genera within the ‘Gaultheria group of genera’ of the tribe Andromedeae (Ericaceae) has been investigated. These genera are Gaultheria L. (including Pernettya Gaud. and Chiogenes Salisb.), Leucothoë Don, Zenobia Don, Diplycosia Bl., Pernettyopsis King & Gamble and Tepuia Camp. The morphological characters have been discussed.

Chromosome counts are reported for the first time in Dicerandra Benth. (Labiatae), a genus endemic to the south-eastern United States. Representative taxa are tetraploid (n = 16) and hexaploid (n = 24). Diploids were not found. The systematic, phytogeographic and conservation implications of polyploidy in this genus are discussed. The monophyletic nature of the genus is upheld by the discovery that both sections have a presumed base number of x = 8. Hexaploidy has apparently evolved independently in all branches of sect. Dicerandra, but not in sect. Lecontea.

Anisocotyly, the prolonged meristematic growth of one of the two cotyledons, is a distinctive feature of Gesneriaceae subfam. Cyrtandroideae. The larger cotyledon, the macrocotyledon, often grows to resemble a normal foliage leaf, and in some taxa may be the only foliar organ of the plant. This raises a number of questions. Which cotyledon becomes the macrocotyledon? Is this pre-determined in the embryo or differentiated after germination? Which external factors such as gravity and light are involved? The observation that the macrocotyledons of unifoliate Gesneriaceae growing on steep rocks mostly point downwards suggests that gravity is involved, but it is not clear whether it plays an initial determinant role or merely later influences orientation. In order to identify possible controlling factors, several experiments were performed, mostly on material of Chirita lavandulacea and Streptocarpus rexii. All seedlings responded significantly to light, the cotyledon further from the light source becoming the macrocotyledon. Seedlings growing in inclined pots with the light source below the pots mostly developed an upper macrocotyledon. The explanation proposed is that this cotyledon receives more light when the two cotyledons unfold after germination. Later on, apparently due to gravity, Chirita seedlings showed re-orientation with the macrocotyledons ultimately pointing downwards, though in Streptocarpus no such downwards re-orientation was observed. This difference is probably correlated to a difference in hypocotyl structure. Our conclusion is that while light is the initial factor controlling macrocotyledon development, gravity may cause re-orientation in some species.

The taxonomic history of the genus Podocarpus (Podocarpaceae) is reviewed as the first part of a revision of the genus. The major taxonomic and other works relating to the genus published during nine time periods (before 1800, 1800–1850, 1851–1875, 1876–1900, 1901–1926, 1927–1947, 1948–1967, 1968–1987 and 1988–present) are briefly but critically discussed. Three landmark works are those by Pilger (1903), Buchholz and Gray (between 1948 and 1962) and de Laubenfels (1985). The paper ends with an outline plan of the revision of the genus to which the paper forms an introduction.

Ten new species of Umbelliferae are described from Bhutan, Nepal and Sikkim: Cnidium atropurpureum M.F. Watson, Cortiella lamondiana Fullarton & M.F. Watson, Heracleum bhutanicum M.F. Watson, H. woodii M.F. Watson, Keraymonia pinnatifolia M.F. Watson, Schulzia bhutanica M.F. Watson, Sinocarum longii M.F. Watson, S. minus M.F. Watson, S. pulchellum M.F. Watson and S. woodii M.F. Watson. Two new combinations are made: Cortiella cortioides (C. Norman) M.F. Watson and Meeboldia digitata (Kljuykov) M.F. Watson.

Two new species, Begonia bracteolata and Begonia keralensis, are described from the Western Ghats of India. They are placed in the newly created Begonia sect. Flocciferae, along with B. albo-coccinea Hook. and B. floccifera Bedd. Lectotypes are designated for three names within this section. Colour photoplates, illustrations and an identification key to Begonia sect. Flocciferae are also provided.