Synopsis of the genus Drosera (Droseraceae) in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

While some African Floras were continuously revised and several are now almost completed, the Flora of Angola’s ‘Conspectus Florae Angolensis’ still remains incomplete. This applies also for Droseraceae and the genus Drosera. Our study aims to provide an identification key for Drosera of Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including all morphological characters of the different Angolan and Congolese taxa. Loans from different herbaria were studied. A list of important morphological characters was combined with data obtained by observations and measurements. Beside the identification key, nine species descriptions with drawings of the main characteristics, distribution maps and SEM-pictures of pollen and seed morphology are provided. The possibility of hybridisation is discussed. Despite difficulties such as varying morphology or hybridisation in some species, the identification key enables researchers to identify specimens by morphological characters.

Taxonomic evaluation of Nymphoides (Menyanthaceae) in eastern Asia

According to recent taxonomic treatments, up to 13 Nymphoides species exist in eastern Asia, with some species purported to be narrowly endemic. However, these treatments have largely covered rather limited geographic areas, whereas the genus can be found worldwide. In order to evaluate the global distinctness of currently accepted Nymphoides species in eastern Asia, we quantitatively examined their distinguishing morphological characters using information from published treatments and data from herbarium specimens. Out of 13 evaluated species, nine were found to be morphologically distinct (N. aurantiaca, N. cambodiana, N. coreana, N. hastata, N. hydrophylla, N. indica, N. lungtanensis, N. parviflora, N. peltata), and the remaining species (N. coronata, N. cristata, N. siamensis, N. tonkinensis) lacked characters that clearly could distinguish them. We thus propose that the morphologically indistinct species should be considered synonymous with other Nymphoides species. Herein we establish N. parviflora comb. nov., to accommodate the species that was heretofore known by the invalid name N. parvifolia. Lectotypes are designated for Limnanthemum calycinum, L. coreanum, L. coronatum, L. hastatum, L. kleinianum, and L. tonkinense, and neotypes are designated for Menyanthes hydrophylla and M. nymphoides.

A new species of Chingia (Thelypteridaceae) from Vanikoro, Solomon Islands

A new species of Chingia, known only from Vanikoro in the Solomon Islands, is described and illustrated. It is distinctive in having flat, thickened, tortuous stipe scales. It is most closely related to an accession of Chingia clavipilosa from Mount Kinabalu, from which it is distinguished by its lack of hyaline acicular hairs on the abaxial laminar axes. Other Chingia species in the Solomon Islands are distinguished by having abundant stiff, terete stipe scales.

Expansion of the fern genus Lecanopteris to encompass some species previously included in Microsorum and Colysis (Polypodiaceae)

The fern genus Microsorum is not monophyletic, with previous phylogenetic analyses finding three lineages to group not with the type species, but to form a grade related to the 13 species of Lecanopteris. These three lineages have recently been recognised as separate genera: Bosmania, Dendroconche, and Zealandia. Here, we explore the morphological characterisation of Lecanopteris and these other three lecanopteroid genera. While the traditional circumscription of Lecanopteris has seemed sacrosanct, its defining morphological character states of rhizome cavities and ant brooding associations occur in other lecanopteroid ferns and elsewhere in the Polypodiaceae. Instead, we suggest that the morphological characterisation of an expanded Lecanopteris including the Dendroconche and Zealandia lineages is just as good, if not better, with the pertinent character states being the absence of sclerenchyma strands in the rhizome and at least some fronds having Nooteboom’s type 5 venation pattern. This wider circumscription is also better able to accommodate phylogenetic uncertainty, and it means that groups of species traditionally placed together in a single genus are not distributed across different genera. General users familiar with the narrower circumscription of Lecanopteris will not be significantly disrupted, because there is little geographic overlap with the lineages added to the genus. Consequently, we make new combinations in Lecanopteris for 11 species and one subspecies.

An urban fern refugium: Municipal Ecological Reserve of Avellaneda (Eco Área) (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

The riparian forest is one of the most diverse environments of the La Plata River plains. It is represented by patches of humid forests, which are a valuable source of ecosystem services and have recreational and educational potential. However, the riparian forest has undergone constant modification, worsened by private real-estate developments and a lack of government regulation. Among the reserves that protect the riparian forest, the Municipal Ecological Reserve of Avellaneda is the closest to the southern limit of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Although there are around 300 species of wild fauna and flora informally registered in the area, there are only a few studies published about its biodiversity. In this work, the diversity of thirteen native and exotic ferns in the core area (Eco Área) of the reserve is characterized, the origin of the species is also evaluated and comparisons are made with other nearby protected areas. The Eco Área of the Reserve plays an important role as part of the urban reserve corridor of the La Plata River plains and constitutes a refuge for both native and exotic ruderal species. The present work represents the basis for future studies about the population dynamics and the colonization strategies of the ferns.

Revision of the African species of Monanthotaxis (Annonaceae)

This taxonomic revision of the continental African species of Monanthotaxis (Annonaceae) includes 79 species and one variety. Thirteen new species (M. aestuaria, M. bidaultii, M. confusa, M. glabra, M. hexamera, M. mcphersonii, M. quasilanceolata, M. sterilis, M. submontana, M. suffruticosa, M. ursus, M. vulcanica and M. wieringae) are described and 5 new combinations (M. biglandulosa, M. kenyensis, M. ochroleuca, M. pynaertii and M. seretii) are made. The genus Monanthotaxis consists of lianas or lianescent shrubs. It occurs throughout forests in tropical Africa and the highest species diversity is found in the Western Central African rain forests. A key for flowering material is provided, just like a synoptic key including 45 characters. Topics included in the revision are the history of the taxonomy of Monanthotaxis, morphology, leaf anatomy, floral biology, distribution and habitat, phylogeny and finally ethnobotany and phytochemistry. Each species is fully described including synonymy, notes on distribution, habitat & ecology, vernacular names, uses and a preliminary IUCN conservation status. Distribution maps are provided for all species, illustrations for 48 species and photographs of 22 species. An index of exsiccatae and an index of the scientific names are included at the end.

Hoya buntokensis (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae), a new myrmecophytic species and Hoya wallichii subsp. tenebrosa, a new subspecies from Borneo (Kalimantan, Indonesia)

We describe a new Hoya species from Central Kalimantan, H. buntokensis, and a new subspecies of H. wallichii from West Kalimantan, Hoya wallichii subsp. tenebrosa. Hoya buntokensis is part of a group of four species that form specialised leaf structures harbouring ants (here defined as megadomatia), and it is most similar to H. undulata. Hoya buntokensis differs from H. undulata in lamina margin (flat vs undulate); shape of corona lobes outer processes (fan shaped vs elliptic), and in the pollinarium morphology (corpusculum larger than pollinia vs corpusculum smaller than pollinia). Both H. wallichii subsp. wallichii and H. wallichii subsp. tenebrosa are slender plants with ovate to oblong, thinly coriaceous glabrous leaves, slender peduncles with 1 or 2 flowers open at a time, and broadly campanulate corollas. Hoya wallichii subsp. tenebrosa differs from H. wallichii subsp. wallichii in corolla colour (dark purple with a paler edge vs white-cream), corona lobe shape and surface (broadly elliptic, spreading and with a minute inner process, almost black with a velvety surface vs kidney-shaped, erect and with a well-developed acuminate inner process, purple with a shiny surface).

New combinations and names for some Philippine vascular plants

New names and new combinations are presented for 29 Philippine species in the families Acanthaceae, Aspleniaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Gesneriaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Oleaceae, Thelypteridaceae, Urticaceae, and Vitaceae. Seventeen names are lectotypified.