Two new species and a new hybrid species of Selaginella (Lycophyta: Selaginellaceae), from Pinar del Río and Artemisa Provinces in W Cuba, are described and illustrated. The new species are S. cavernaria, an erect plant growing on calcareous rocks and cliffs in mogote vegetation, and S. striata, a prostrate plant occurring in the same ecosystems and sometimes growing together with S. cavernaria. The new hybrid species is S. ×dualis (S. serpens × S. striata), with intermediate morphology, growing together and sometimes mixed with the postulated parent species. All three new taxa are representatives of S. subg. Stachygynandrum.

A report on the genus Tamarix (Tamaricaceae) in Crete is provided. The previously recorded taxa are compared with new collections made on the island and with vouchers found at different herbaria. Three species were fully confirmed: T. nilotica and T. parviflora, collected in the field, and T. smyrnensis, found only in herbarium vouchers. The other previously reported taxa, T. dalmatica, T. hampeana, T. pallasii and T. tetrandra were not found; T. dalmatica was erroneously reported, the record of T. hampeana represents a fourth species but its identity requires further study, records of T. pallasii are probably misidentifications of T. nilotica and/or T. smyrnensis, and the record of T. tetrandra probably refers to T. parviflora. The presence of T. nilotica is documented, confirming that it has been historically overlooked and mistaken for T. smyrnensis. A morphological comparison between T. nilotica and T. smyrnensis is provided in order to avoid further confusion and misidentifications. A dichotomous key for the Tamarix species reported in Crete is provided.

Carex cespitosa L. (Cyperaceae) has been traditionally regarded as widespread in Europe, being reported from most countries. However, its distribution is currently overestimated due to the ambiguous use of the name C. cespitosa, together with frequent taxonomic confusion, mainly with the closely related C. elata All. and C. nigra (L.) Reichard. We present a critical revision of the distribution of C. cespitosa in Europe W of the former USSR, based on herbarium material and literature. We confirm the presence of the species in 19 European countries, while its occurrence is considered as doubtful in another five countries. Data pertinent to the ecology and conservation status of the species in the different countries are also provided. It is considered threatened or nearly so in at least eight countries. Hybrids with C. acuta L., C. elata and C. nigra are morphologically characterized and discussed. Although chorological revisions of the European flora are commonly considered of relatively minor scientific relevance, the situation detected by our survey of C. cespitosa reveals the importance of, and need for, these basic works for the accurate knowledge of many species, especially for subsequent works on conservation biology and biogeography.

The rust Herbarium in Berlin (B) is one of the world's richest collections of rust fungi. The author's inventory of Uredinales types at B has shown that the number of types not previously separated from the main herbarium is significant. Of the c. 100 000 images scanned, over 1900 rust type specimens, representing 1380 species, were recognized. With further scrutiny more type specimens and species are expected to surface.

Original material of 17 names applying to 14 accepted species and one accepted subspecies of predominantly N Eurasian Cruciferae is enumerated and briefly discussed. In most cases, previous typifications contrary to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants or erroneously believed to be effective are revised and replaced with effective typifications. Fourteen lectotypes including one narrowing of a previous choice (second-step lectotype) are designated. In addition, two neglected type designations are confirmed and recognized. Notes are provided on the nomenclature of the treated taxa.

The tree and shrub flora of the Kaczawa Mountains (Sudetes, Poland) consists of 240 taxa, of which over 70 % are native. The biodiversity and chorological differentiation are reflected in a number of biogeographical phenomena, such as differences in floristic richness of native and alien species, concentration of borderline species, and co-occurrence of various taxa. Concentration maps of particular groups of taxa in the investigated area together with the statistical analysis point to distinct relationships between the distribution of these groups and earlier recognized phytogeographical units of the rank of three subdistricts (Kaczawa Mountains, Western Kaczawa Plateau, Eastern Kaczawa Plateau), which include eight geobotanical sections. The distinguished phytochorions cover territories of various areas demarcated by natural borders and characterized by specific components of woody flora, concentration of taxa exhibiting particular types of local geographical range, as well as by altitude, relief, geological structure, and local climatic and hydrological parameters.

Primulina argentea Xin Hong, F. Wen & S. B. Zhou, sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) is described and illustrated from N Guangdong Province, S China. It is morphologically close to P. fengshanensis F. Wen & Yue Wang and P. orthandra (W. T. Wang) Mich. Möller & A. Weber, but is differentiated from its congeners by several characters of the shape, texture and indumentum of the leaf blade and bracts, length of pedicels, size of calyx lobes, colour of corolla, indumentum of staminodes, etc. A description of P. argentea together with illustrations, distribution map, habitat description and a diagnostic comparative table with P. fengshanensis and P. orthandra are presented.

A new variety, Cryptocoryne versteegii var. jayaensis N. Jacobsen, Bastm., P. J. Edwards, R. J. Johns, N. Takah. & Wongso, from the base of Mount Jaya, Irian Jaya, Indonesia, is described and illustrated. Cryptocoryne versteegii Engl. var. versteegii is a plant from the inner mangrove with short, almost triangular, stiff, rather upright leaves, whereas var. jayaensis from fresh water has rather flaccid leaves, which are 2–4 times as long as those of var. versteegii.

Isoetes naipiana (Isoetaceae), a new species from southern Brazil, is described, illustrated and compared to similar species. So far it is known only from the original locality in the open grasslands of the upper highlands in the NE region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). It is characterized by megaspores with an irregular reticulum on the surface, presenting deposition of thin parallel silica strands; laevigate microspores; and arcuate microphylls with shortly alate bases, forming a compact rosette around the erect bilobate corm.

estigated. Of the 46 taxa reported, seven species are new to Greece, viz.: Brodoa oroarctica, Candelariella coralliza, Cetraria ericetorum, Lecanora swartzii, Parmelia serrana, Pseudephebe pubescens and Ramalina strepsilis. One species is new to the Greek mainland (Umbilicaria polyphylla) and four species are new to the region of Makedonia (Bryoria chalybeiformis, Melanelia disjuncta, Polychidium muscicola and Xanthoparmelia loxodes). Altitudinal range and abundance are briefly discussed for a number of species.

A new species, Miliusa pumila Chaowasku, is described and illustrated. It has been cultivated in Bangkok, Thailand, but was originally from S Thailand. Miliusa pumila can be principally distinguished from its most morphologically similar species, M. filipes Ridl., by the differences in leaf blade length, pedicel length, and number of stamens per flower. The new species can be mainly distinguished from M. thailandica Chaowasku & Kessler, its sister species previously elucidated by means of molecular phylogenetics, by the differences in leaf base, outer petal length, and inner petal size.

Two new species of Bucephalandra Schott are described and illustrated from Kalimantan Barat, Indonesian Borneo: B. micrantha S. Y. Wong & P. C. Boyce and B. spathulifolia Engl. ex S. Y. Wong & P. C. Boyce, the epithet of the second name adopted from an unpublished Engler name: “Microcasia spathulifolia”. Together these take Bucephalandra to 29 species. Both novelties are illustrated from living plants, and inserted into the most recent identification key to Bucephalandra species.

Commelina virginica. a North American xenophyte recorded in the Euro-Mediterranean area since the late 19^th century, is excluded from the flora of this region. As a result of extensive literature and herbarium research, all the records of this species proved to be erroneous and referable mostly to C. communis. The first historical and misleading record of C. virginica is discussed in detail and the diagnostic morphological features actually accepted to distinguish the two species are reported.

To better understand the taxonomy and phylogeny of the Anisopappinae and Athroismeae, the exine ultrastructure of two species of the two genera of that subtribe — Anisopappus chinensis Hook. & Arn. and Cardosoa athanasioides (Paiva & S. Ortiz) S. Ortiz & Paiva (both representing the types of the generic names) — were studied with transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. As for other Asteroideae and Asteraceae, the existence of a mesoaperture intersecting the foot layer and the upper part of the endexine was established. The exines of both taxa have a Helianthoid pattern of structure, which supports the approaching of the Athroismeae to the Heliantheae s.l. but not to the Inuleae. There were no significant differences between the qualitative and quantitative characters of the two taxa, which support the inclusion of Cardosoa S. Ortiz & Paiva in the Anisopappinae and the consistency of the subtribe.

The vascular plant species diversity of the islet groups in the Amvrakikos Gulf and Mesolongi Lagoon, hitherto unexplored, is documented by an inventory of vascular plants, filling gaps in the floristic information available for the two National Parks to which these islet groups belong, as well as for the Ionian land-bridge island system for which detailed studies concerning floristic and phytogeographical relationships were available before. The total vascular flora of the two islet groups comprises 226 plant taxa. Spectra of life-form and chorological elements are presented and discussed. Floristic cross-correlations (beta-diversity) show that the individual islet floras differ from each other from 39 % to 91 %. Concerning the role of eco-geographical variables as influencing plant species diversity in the area, regression analyses indicate island area as the major predictor variable of species richness.