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.

Two new species of Amomum, A. agastyamalayanum V.P.Thomas & M.Sabu and A. newmanii M.Sabu & V.P.Thomas (Zingiberaceae), from the Western Ghats of Kerala are described and illustrated. Their distribution, ecology, IUCN status, etymology and similarities to related taxa are also discussed.

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.

‘Uruq Bani Ma‘arid in Saudi Arabia is an Important Plant Area (IPA) in the Arabian Peninsula. This paper describes the flora of ‘Uruq Bani Ma‘arid, provides an up-to-date botanical checklist of the area, and gives background information on the geology and fauna. It designates the locality as an IPA due to the highest known levels of plant species diversity in the Empty Quarter and the presence of endemic Arabian taxa. In addition to conservation assessments, this study discusses socio-economic issues, threats to biodiversity conservation on ‘Uruq Bani Ma‘arid, and the future research required to build upon these preliminary studies. A new combination is made for Fagonia schweinfurthii.

Six new species of Colchicum (Colchicaceae) are described (C. munzurense, C. minutum, C. sanguicolle, C. micaceum, C. heldreichii, C. inundatum). The first two flower in early spring with synanthous leaves, the rest are autumn-flowering. All are endemic to Turkey, and confined to small geographical areas. Chromosome numbers and notes on phenology, vegetative reproduction, phytogeography and ecology are provided for all the species.

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.

Turkish autumn-flowering species of Colchicum (Colchicaceae) with large, broad hysteranthous leaves are taxonomically and morphologically revised, with comments on conditions in other areas covered by the distributions. Three new species are described (C. paschei, C. dolichantherum, C. imperatoris-friderici), all endemic to Turkey. Synonym lists, typifications, chromosome numbers, and notes on phenology, vegetative reproduction, phytogeography and ecology are provided for the whole group, and relationships to other species are discussed.

Didymocarpus middletonii Souvann., Soulad. & Tagane, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Nam Kading National Protected Area, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to Didymocarpus brevicalyx, D. formosus and D. puhoatensis but distinguished from the three by its fewer-flowered inflorescence, longer pedicel, and urceolate and multicellular eglandular hairy calyx. Based on the latest IUCN criteria, Didymocarpus middletonii is proposed to be Critically Endangered (CR). Our record of Didymocarpus represents a new genus record for the flora of Laos.

In the Australian bolete mycota Gasterotylopilus brunneus gen. et sp. nov., five Tylopilus spp. nov., two Boletus spp. nov., two Rubinoboletus spp. nov. and one Phlebopus sp. nov. are proposed, together with new combinations for Meiorganum and Rubinoboletus.

The biennial Papaver L. sect. Meconidium Spach (Papaveraceae) is considered to contain four species: P. libanoticum Boiss. with subspp libanoticum and polychaetum (Schott & Kotschy ex Boiss.) Kadereit comb. et stat. nov., P. armeniacum (L.)DC. with subspp armeniacum, microstigmum (Boiss.) Kadereit comb. et stat. nov. and pilgerianum (Fedde) Kadereit comb. et stat. nov., P. curviscapum Nab., and P. persicum Lindl. with subspp persicum, tauricolum (Boiss.) Kadereit comb. et stat. nov. and microcarpum (Boiss.) Kadereit comb. et stat. nov. A key to species and subspecies is given, capsules and leaves of all taxa are illustrated, and distribution maps are provided.

Over the last three decades, vegetation surveys in southwest Arabia have documented the existence of a small number of valley forest patches. A well-known area is in Wadi Rijaf, Jabal Bura, a protected area which has recently been surveyed by the current authors. The other valley forest sites in southwest Arabia have not been surveyed for over 15 years. This paper presents a descriptive study of five of these important valley forest localities. To provide an assessment of conservation value, field studies recorded the extent, quality and composition of the vegetation and the presence of regionally rare species. The significance of these remaining patches of Arabian forest, and the immediate threats to their survival, are also discussed.

A new species from Sardinia occurring on the Gennargentu massif, Ruta lamarmorae (Rutaceae), is described and illustrated. Its relationships with R. corsica, a species widespread in the Corsican mountains, are examined.

The lamellate boletes found in the Cooloola Sand-mass, Queensland are described and discussed in the light of earlier Australian records of paxilloid fungi. Nine species of Paxillus are discussed, two in Tapinella, which is maintained as a separate entity, and 11 are assigned to Phylloporus. Of the last, eight are new records to Australia and two are new species. Three appendices cover various aspects of studies on Australian boletes which have come to light since the publication of this series, including notes on the host-range of the parasitic hyphomycete Sepedonium.

Begonia sect. Diploclinium (Begoniaceae) is revised for the Philippine island of Palawan. Five new species, Begonia acclivis C.Coyle, B. cleopatrae C.Coyle, B. gutierrezii C.Coyle, B. rubiteae M.Hughes and B. wilkiei C.Coyle, are described, giving a total of 10 species, nine of which are endemic. Of the 10 species, two are considered to belong to the IUCN category Endangered, five are Vulnerable, two are Least Concern and one is Data Deficient.

Two hundred years after their gathering, the pioneering lichen collections made by Archibald Menzies between 1784 and 1802 during his career as a naval surgeon are recorded and discussed. The bulk of Menzies's lichens come from three major collection periods: the Halifax Station (Nova Scotia) of 1784–1786; his time as surgeon to James Colnett on the circumnavigation of the Prince of Wales (1786–1789); and his extensive tour as naturalist to Vancouver's Discovery expedition (1791–1795). Menzies's extra-European lichen collections were the most extensive ever made during the 18th century and contain many first discoveries and type collections: (1) Nova Scotia, 16 taxa in 11 genera, 1 type; (2) Staten Island, 32 taxa in 19 genera, 5 types; (3) west coast of North America, 83 taxa in 45 genera, 11 types; (4) Sumatra, 10 taxa in 7 genera; (5) Cape of Good Hope, 30 taxa in 23 genera; (6) New Zealand, 14 taxa in 6 genera; (7) Tahiti, 5 taxa in 4 genera; (8) Hawaii, 25 taxa in 13 genera; (9) St Helena, 10 taxa in 8 genera. Major repositories of Menzies lichens are the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, the Linnean Society of London (James Edward Smith herbarium) and the Natural History Museum, London.

New species of Ericaceae recently collected in Papua New Guinea necessitate a re-evaluation of the status of Agapetes subgenus Paphia section Paphia. The combination of molecular and morphological data confirms that Agapetes, currently a genus of about 100 species from Fiji, New Caledonia and Queensland to mainland SE Asia, and most diverse in the latter area, cannot be maintained in its current circumscription. Various taxonomic solutions that do justice to our current knowledge of the morphology and relationships of the two main parts of the genus are discussed. The reinstatement of Paphia does least violence nomenclaturally. All 23 taxa recognized in Paphia are listed, 14 new combinations of Agapetes from the New Guinea–SW Pacific area are made in Paphia, three new species are described (P. megaphylla, P. vulcanicola and P. woodsii), and an incompletely known taxon is characterized. A key to all taxa is presented. In Dimorphanthera, five new species are described (D. angiliensis, D. anomala, D. antennifera, D. cratericola and D. inopinata), three reduced to synonymy, one reduced to a variety and one variety recognized as a species (D. continua). A key to the 87 taxa currently recognized in the genus is presented.

Twenty-two species of Achillea sect. Santolinoidea (DC.) O. Hoffm., as currently understood, were analysed morphologically. Emphasis was put on clear definitions of characters and their states as were deduced from detailed graphical analysis. Major character sets include details of leaf structure and differentiation of leaflet lobes as well as of floral characters (form of flower heads, ligules, phyllaries, bracts). Character descriptions were compared with floristic literature and original diagnoses, but little consistency was observed in the applied terminology. There is little indication of unifying character states for sect. Santolinoidea, as a result of low frequencies of occurrence, although the section appears to be uniform on the basis of the general leaf structure. However, species-specificity of some character states (leaves, bracts, phyllaries) was observed that might prove useful for species delimitation.

This study analysed phytogeographic patterns of several Atlantic Forest areas in southeastern Brazil, including forest areas in the Espinhaço Range, to identify species with congruent distribution patterns and possible environmental factors that might influence these. A total of 54 floristic surveys, predominantly from semideciduous woodland sites but also including some rainforest areas, were compared using UPGMA and DCA methods as well as Jaccard analyses. The former identified four main groupings: group 1 included forests located throughout the Espinhaço Range; group 2 was formed by forest areas in the Rio Jequitinhonha basin; group 3 was formed by three distinct subgroups, one (3.1) predominantly of forest areas pertaining to the Alto Rio Grande basin, another (3.2) of upland forests of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero, and a third subgroup (3.3) of upland forests of the Serra da Mantiqueira; and group 4 encompassed forest areas in the Rio Doce, Rio Paraíba do Sul, Rio Itanhém and Rio Itapemirim basins. The prevailing relief in these basins has influenced rainfall and seasonality in these areas which, in turn, have exerted a major influence on the composition of the semideciduous forests. Geographic proximity and altitude, although important factors, play a minor role in the phytogeographic patterns analysed. Despite the floristic heterogeneity of the Espinhaço Range forests, there are physiognomic and floristic affinities among the forests within the campos rupestre vegetation. These are due to the high altitude and features of the soil.

Variation among 19 phenological features taken from 48 species of Vaccinium (Ericaceae), both in vivo and in vitro as well as from existing literature, were subjected to several clustering strategies. Our results suggest three distinct phenological clusters that reflect the ability of these taxa to tolerate frost, namely a ‘Tropical’ group of 16 taxa which tolerate no or very little frost; a ‘Temperate’ group whose 17 members tolerate some frost; and finally a ‘Boreal-Arctic’ group whose 15 taxa are winter hardy.

This study describes the tree vegetation and soils occurring in a seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) and mesotrophic cerradão transition in southwestern Brazil. All trees ≥ 5 cm diameter were measured in 20 plots of 20 × 25 m, 10 in SDTF, and 10 in mesotrophic cerradão. Ten soil samples of 0−20 cm depth were made per plot and mixed in plot groups to produce two composite samples. A total of 71 species was recorded. Anadenanthera colubrina had the highest importance values in both formations. Differences in soil fertility were found between SDTFs (eutrophic soils) and mesotrophic cerradão (mesotrophic soils). A non-metric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis confirmed the soil fertility segregation, and also showed an agreement between soil fertility and variance in species composition gradients. The mesotrophic cerradão showed higher species richness since it also includes many species typical of more dystrophic and open forms of Cerrado.