ALBERT

Description: Palaeoenvironmental records from permafrost sequences complemented by infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and 230Th/U dates from Bol'shoy Lyakhovsky Island (73°20′N, 141°30′E) document the environmental history in the region for at least the past 200 ka. Pollen spectra and insect fauna indicate that relatively wet grasssedge tundra habitats dominated during an interstadial c. 200-170 ka BP. Summers were rather warm and wet, while stable isotopes reflect severe winter conditions. The pollen spectra reflect sparser grass-sedge vegetation during a Taz (Late Saalian) stage, c. 170-130 ka BP, with environmental conditions much more severe compared with the previous interstadial. Open Poaceae and Artemisia plant associations dominated vegetation at the beginning of the Kazantsevo (Eemian) c. 130 ka BP. Some shrubs (Alnus fruticosa, Salix, Betula nana) grew in more protected and wetter places as well. The climate was relatively warm during this time, resulting in the melting of Saalian ice wedges. Later, during the interglacial optimum, shrub tundra with Alnus fruticosa and Betula nana s.l. dominated vegetation. Climate was relatively wet and warm. Quantitative pollen-based climate reconstruction suggests that mean July temperatures were 4-5°C higher than the present during the optimum of the Eemian, while late Eemian records indicate significant climate deterioration. © 2004 Taylor & Francis.

Description: With two exceptions, no general patterns of patchiness of the megabenthos were found on the Antarctic shelf and off northeast Greenland. Underwater videos were used as a sampling method and Morisita's Index of Dispersion for statistical analysis. A gradient from randomness to patchiness occurred for most taxa, whereas the pattern of asteroids could not be distinguished from randomness. In the Antarctic, the totals of other mobile animals were less aggregated than for sessile taxa. The findings are interpreted as a result of ecological complexity within species assemblages.

Description: The accurate interpretation of ice cores as climate archives requires detailed knowledge about the glaciological environment.We investigate the potential of ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys to obtain information about the internal structure of a cold alpine ice body to improve theinterpretation of two ice cores containing long-term climate information from Colle Gnifetti, Swiss-Italian Alps, retrieved as part of the ALPCLIM project.The GPR profiles connect several drill sites, parallel and perpendicular to the flow line, yielding a 3D picture of the subsurface.Observed internal reflection horizons are of isochronic origin, faciliating the transfer of age-depth relations between the ice cores.A third ice core record is used as independent means to estimate the accuracy of the GPR results in respect to flow modeling, based on glaciological surface data,which was used before for climate analysis of the ice cores.Our results demonstrate that GPR data is a mandatory tool for alpine ice core studies, as they allow to map major transitions in physical-chemical properties,transfer age-depth relations between sites, complement ambiguous peaks in core records for interpretation, and establish a detailed picture of the flow regimesurrounding the climate archive.

Description: About 30 years ago Orobanche reticulata was recorded on two sites in the dunes. The records were not accepted because the plants did not show the typical dark based glandular hairs. The rediscovery, after 28 years, of this rare species on one of those earlier dune localities led to the notion that this character is not absolutely reliable. From field observations it appears that O. reticulata usually grows in groups of several (usually tall) specimens which flower successively during a period of three months. All other records of O. reticulata in the Netherlands are situated in the riverine district, so it is suggested that the inlet of Rhine water for infiltration works was a factor that caused its establishment in this dunal area.

Description: One of the most exciting episodes of paleoanthropology was the find of the first transitional form, the Pithecanthropus erectus, by the Dutchman Eugène Dubois in Java during 1891-1892. The history of Dubois and his finds of the molar, skullcap and femur, forming his transitional form, are described. Besides the human remains, Dubois made a large collection of vertebrate fossils, mostly of mammals, now united in the so-called Dubois Collection. This collection played an important role in unravelling the biostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy of Java. Questions, such as from where were those mammals coming, when did Homo erectus arrive in Java, and when did it become extinct, and when did Homo sapiens reach Java, are discussed.

Description: Coprinus canistri spec. nov. is proposed. It belongs to the subsection Setulosi because of the presence of pileo- and caulocystidia. A comparison is given with C. subimpatiens and C. congregatus, on account of similar microscopical characters.

Description: Clear habitat separation between the sister species Colias alfacariensis and C. hyale is shown when occurring sympatrically. Colias hyale is found more often in moist cultivated pastures while Colias alfacariensis is more abundant in dry uncultivated habitat. Out of a total of 16 loci, no diagnostic loci were found between C. alfacariensis and C. hyale, and both species shared most major polymorphisms. Exceptions were the marked differences in allele frequencies at the HK locus and only C, hyale, but not C. alfacariensis was further invariable at the GOT2 locus, which is usually highly polymorphic in the Pieridae. Colias hyale has a significantly lower level of heterozygosity than its sister species C. alfacariensis. In Colias alfacariensis heterozygosity is highest in the Alps and lowest in the low-lying region of Northern France, Both species show high levels of gene flow over a large geographic area. Within C. alfacariensis, but not in C. hyale, the FST value of the PGI locus is significantly different from zero effectively separating the species into populations with high levels of the \xe2\x80\x99 b\xe2\x80\x99 allele to the west and North, and low levels of the allele in the Alps and Italy. This could point to selection within the PGI locus in line with the well established pattern of selection at the PGI locus in other species of Colias. Glaciations have been an important force in shaping the evolutionary history of European biota, leading to extinction, but also allowing new species to evolve into the newly available land as the ice sheets retreated. The genetic and distributional pattern found between both Colias species suggests that habitat shifts and subsequent adaptation during glaciations could have played an important role in their speciation.

Description: The Dutch databases FLORIVON en FlorBase are nation-wide databases which contain about 10 million records of occurrence of vascular plant species, collected in the 20th century on a scale of approximately 1 square km. In this study, these data are statistically analysed to find and identify relations between changes in botanical biodiversity and changes in climate and other environmental factors. Prior to the analysis, the data have been corrected for several major forms of survey bias. The records are grouped into three intervals covering the 20th century: 1902\xe2\x80\x931949, 1975\xe2\x80\x931984, and 1985\xe2\x80\x931999. For the intervals 1902\xe2\x80\x931949 and 1975\xe2\x80\x931984, we find small but significant increases in the presence of both \xe2\x80\x98warm\xe2\x80\x99 and \xe2\x80\x98cold\xe2\x80\x99 species. However, in the final decades of the 20th century we find a marked increase in \xe2\x80\x98warm\xe2\x80\x99 species only, coinciding with the marked increase in ambient temperature observed during this period. This is evidence for a rapid response of the Dutch flora to climatic change. Urbanisation is also examined as an alternative explanation for the increase in \xe2\x80\x98warm\xe2\x80\x99 plant species. It is found to explain only 50% of the increased presence of such species in the final decades of the 20th century. Besides temperature-related effects, the most important change during the 20th century was a strong decline in plant species of nutrient poor sites and a marked increase of plant species of nutrient rich sites.

Description: The present Standard List is the updated sixth edition in the series \xe2\x80\x98Standard List of the Flora of the Netherlands\xe2\x80\x99. Standard Lists have regularly been published since 1971 with intervals of 4 to 8 years and give an up-to-date survey of the vascular plant species occurring in the Netherlands. The present Standard List gives for each species: (1) the taxon code number, (2) the scientific name, (3) the vernacular name in Dutch, (4) the rarity for three periods in the 20th century according to the KFK-scale, (5) the Red List category to which it belongs, (6, 7) the origin and \xe2\x80\x93 relevant for non-indigenous species \xe2\x80\x93 the period of naturalization, (8, 9) the dispersal and seed bank categories to which it belongs, and (10, 11) the ecological species groups to which it belongs according to two classification systems. The species are arranged in alphabetical order of scientific names. The incorporation of vernacular names, origins and periods of naturalization, and dispersal and seed bank categories is new in this edition of the Standard List. The present Standard List includes 1536 taxa \xe2\x80\x93 mainly species and only few subspecies and cultivars \xe2\x80\x93, which is 59 taxa more than the previous Standard List of 1996.

Description: *M. Brongers, A.F. de Goede & R. Griffioen, Vegetatie, flora en fauna van een aantal heideterreinen op de Veluwe in 1998. Kartering 1998 en vegetatie-ontwikkelingen in de periode 1990\xe2\x80\x941998, Veenwouden. 2000, 42 pag. + bijlagen en kaartbijlagen, A&W-rapport 207. *M. Brongers & E. ter Stege, De vegetatie van de natuurreservaten Bemmelse Waard, Gendtse Waard, Klompenwaard en Huissense Waard in 1997, Veenwouden, 2000, 28 pag. + bijlagen, A&W-rapport 173.

Description: C.A. Backer, Verklarend woordenboek van wetenschappelijke plantennamen. De namen van de in Nederland en Nederlands-Indi\xc3\xab in het wild groeiende en in tuinen en parken gekweekte varens en hogere planten, Uitgeverij L.J. Veen, Amsterdam, 2000,664 pag, \xc6\x92 89,90, ISBN 9020458469. \xe2\x80\x94 Een verrassend goedkope facsimileuitgave van een uniek woordenboek dat op de achterflap treffend als volgt wordt beschreven: \xe2\x80\x9cPlanten en dieren hebben internationaal erkende wetenschappelijke namen die veelal uit het Latijn of Grieks zijn afgeleid. Voor velen zijn zulke namen onbegrijpelijk, onuitspreekbaar, en daarom onbruikbaar. Voor dr. C.A. Backer, voormalig onderwijzer en nestor van de Indonesische botanie, was dat aanleiding om een kaartenbak aan te leggen van wetenschappelijke geslachts- en soortnamen die vanwege de continue groei de \xe2\x80\x98Lintwurm\xe2\x80\x99 genoemd werd. Onder de druk van zijn collega\xe2\x80\x99s werd in 1936 het unieke naslagwerk gepubliceerd waarin voor ongeveer 22.500 namen van Nederlandse en Indonesische bloemplanten en varens de betekenis, afleiding en uitspraak gegeven wordt. De weinige exemplaren die in de crisisjaren werden verkocht, verdwenen meestal in wetenschappelijke bibliotheken. Het restant van de oplaag werd vanwege papierschaarste in de Tweede Wereldoorlog verpulpt. Nationaal en internationaal is er grote vraag naar dit naslagwerk, want in geen enkele taal is een zo uitgebreid en grondig algemeen overzicht verschenen. Antiquarisch is het zelden \xe2\x80\x93 en dan tegen buitensporig hoge prijzen \xe2\x80\x93 te krijgen. Voor iedereen die met planten te maken heeft, hetzij voor hobby, hetzij voor beroep, is \xe2\x80\x98Backer\xe2\x80\x99 een onmisbaar naslagwerk. Niet alleen wordt hier de gezochte informatie gegeven, het boek is bovendien doorweven met de veelzijdige kennis en droge humor van de auteur. Veel planten zijn naar ontdekkers, kwekers, politici en mythologische figuren vernoemd: Backer geeft van ca. 2700 van hen beknopte biografie\xc3\xabn, wat een extra aspect aan deze encyclopedie geeft\xe2\x80\x9d.

Description: K. Ammann, Y. Jacot, G. Kjellsson & V. Simonson (eds.), Methods for Risk Assessment of Transgenic Plants. III. Ecological Risks and prospects of transgenic plants, where do we go from here? A dialogue between biotech industry and science, Bazel, 1999, 260 pag., sFr. 128,- / DM 148,-, ISBN 3-7643-5917-X, Birkh\xc3\xa4user Verlag. *Chr. Buter, De mosflora van de Regte Heide en haar randgebieden. Nieuwkerk, Halve Maan, Ooijevaarsnest, Papenmoeren, Riels Hoefke en Riels Laag, Tilburg, 1999, 54 pag. Info: Mossenwerkgroep KNNV Tilburg, p/a Veldhovenring 27, 5041 BA Tilburg.

Description: Cosmarium pokornyanum is principally known from arctic and alpine regions in Europe and North America. In June, 2001, it was found for the first time in the Netherlands. Its occurrence in this temperate lowland region may be associated with its ecology, i.e., a sub-atmophytic way of life on pH-neutral to alkaline substrates.

Description: Rafflesia hasseltii Suringar was discovered in the vicinity of Sungai Pelenting in Taman Negara, Pahang, with a population of about 20 buds and a few flowers in full bloom. This is the first confirmed report of the species for the National Park, Malaysia.

Description: After studying the type specimens we conclude that the species Eudendrium vestitum Allman, 1888, is a junior synonym of the cosmopolitan bougainvilliid Bimeria vestita Wright, 1859. A redescription accompanied by optical micro- and SEM photographs of the species is presented.

Description: The morphology of 25 species of the family Eudendriidae was studied, with special regard to their reproductive organs, using techniques of SEM and optical microscopy. Whenever possible a re-analysis of the diagnostic characters of these species was carried out. Furthermore, several synonymies were confirmed or discussed and remarks on taxonomical details are presented. A developmental (ontogenetical) series is proposed for the reproductive differentiation, and its usefulness for phylogenetic analysis is considered.

Description: Pseudobaeospora lavendulamellata is described as new. It has been collected several times in Kerala, India. The species is characterised by a combination of relatively stout basidiocarps with violaceous colours, spore-size and the structure of the pileipellis, being a trichodermium turning pale bluish green in KOH.

Description: Three new species of Entoloma s.l. from Kerala State, India are described, illustrated and discussed. Entoloma haematinum, a very small, bright red, omphalinoid species, reminiscent of Hygrocybe cantharellus, is unique because of its quadrate-cuboid spores; it fits well in subgenus Omphaliopsis. Entoloma nubilum and E. carneum are both characterised by their small, pleurotoid basidiocarps. The first is related to the species of subgenus Leptonia; the second fits better in subgenus Claudopus. Comments are given on the taxonomic position of the new species.

Description: A new horsefly for the Netherlands: Hybomitra arpadi (Diptera: Tabanidae) \nThe horsefly Hybomitra arpadi (Diptera: Tabanidae) is recorded for the first time from the Netherlands. New features for the recognition of the males and some notes on the biology are given.

Description: Global warming and the change of butterfly distributions: a new opportunity for species diversity or a severe threat (Lepidoptera)? \nIn order to assess the influence of climatic changes on the distribution of insects, the ranges of nonmigratory European butterfly species have been studied. This study revealed that the northern limits of 32 (64%) of 52 species have expanded northwards during the 20th century. The southern limits of ten (25%) of 40 species have retracted northwards. The example of the Peacock butterfly (Inachis io) is given to illustrate the response to climatic changes of a species of which the range is not restricted by habitat choice. The northern limit of its range shows a considerable shift to the north during warm periods, and a southward retraction during cooler periods. Several other species showed the same pattern. These results are followed by a discussion of the impact of climate change on species diversity.

Description: The aims of this study are: \n1) to reconstruct a skeleton phylogeny of the orchid genus Coelogyne and allied genera \nbased on molecular and morphological characters; \n2) to incorporate this phylogeny into a phylogenetic classification of the Coelogyninae; \n3) to provide taxonomic revisions of a selection of species groups of Coelogyne. \nCoelogyne comprises over 200 species distributed throughout southeast Asia with \nmain centers of diversity in Borneo, Sumatra and the Himalayas. Most species are \nepiphytes and occur in primary forests. They have a fairly large number of mediumsized to large flowers with delicate colours and a sweet scent, which are pollinated by \nbees, beetles or wasps. The genus is placed in subtribe Coelogyninae (subfamily Epidendroideae) together with 15 other genera with a total of approximately 550 species. \nThe subtribe is characterised by sympodial growth, pseudobulbs of one internode, \nterminal inflorescences, a winged column and massive caudicles. Separate maximum \nparsimony analyses of RFLPs, matK and nuclear rDNA ITS sequences, macromorphological and anatomical data collected for 27 Coelogyne species and 13 representatives \nof related genera produce largely congruent results. A total evidence analysis indicates \nthat Coelogyninae are monophyletic and diverged early into three major clades. \nClade I comprises species of Coelogyne sect. Coelogyne, subgenus Cyathogyne, \nsect. Rigidiformes, Tomentosae, Veitchiae and Verrucosae, from which Bracisepalum, \nChelonistele, Dendrochilum, Entomophobia, Geesinkorchis and Nabaluia split off. \nSynapomorphies for this group of species are the more than 15 flowers per inflorescence, presence of sterile bracts on the rachis and presence of hairs on the ovary. \nElongate trichomes with acute top on the leaf surface, synanthous inflorescences, \npresence of sterile bracts at the base of the rachis, simultaneously opening flowers, \npersistent floral bracts, ovate-oblong petals, and hairy sepals are present in the majority \nof taxa in this clade. Clade II subsequently diverged into species of Neogyna and \nPholidota nested within species of Coelogyne sect. Bicellae, Brachypterae, Elatae, \nFlaccidae, Fuliginosae, Hologyne, Lentiginosae, Longifoliae, Moniliformes, Ptychogyne and Speciosae. Synapomorphies for this group are the caducous floral bracts, \nglabrous ovaries, linear petals and a relatively low number of morphologically diverse \nkeels on the hypochile. Hysteranthous inflorescences, less than 15 flowers per inflorescence, intermediate-sized flowers and a relatively low number of keels on the epichile \nare present in the majority of taxa in this clade. Clade III consists of species of Pleione \nand is characterised by short-living pseudobulbs, a lack of stegmata in all sclerenchymatous tissues, a hypochile without lateral lobes and an epichile apex with fimbriate \nmargin. \nThe traditional circumscription of Coelogyne is not supported by the total evidence \nphylogeny presented here and should be abandoned. A redefinition of the genus is \nsuggested by including Neogyna and Pholidota and removing the species of Coelogyne \nsect. Coelogyne (in part), Cyathogyne, Tomentosae, Rigidiformes, Veitchiae and Verrucosae. A formal proposal for the creation of a new genus for these species is not made \nyet, as most internal nodes of the total evidence tree are only poorly supported and \nneed a larger taxon sampling and data from more variable genes. \n4 \nThe number of subgeneric groups recognised by various authors in Coelogyne \nvaries between 5 and 23, which is mainly due to the relative lack of morphological \ncharacters available to define groups of species. Of the 17 sections sampled in \nCoelogyne, just three (with only two sampled species each) form strongly supported \nmonophyletic groups in the total evidence analysis: sect. Longifoliae, Moniliformes \nand Verrucosae. This is consistent with the clear morphological synapomorphies that \ncharacterise those sections. Monophyly of Coelogyne sect. Flaccidae and Tomentosae \nis weakly supported, which is in accordance with the few and not unique synapomorphies that define these sections. Coelogyne sect. Coelogyne and sect. Elatae are \nclearly paraphyletic. This was already expected as the morphological diversity in both \nsections is high. A well-supported subset of species is formed by C. fimbriata (sect. \nFuliginosae) and C. stricta (sect. Elatae), which share the presence of sterile bracts \non the base of the scape. To investigate whether this clade warrants the status of a new \nsection, a much larger sampling within Coelogyne is needed. The species sampled of \nsubgenus Bicellae, Cyathogyne, Hologyne and Ptychogyne seem well nested within \nseveral sections of Coelogyne and do not warrant the status of subgenus. \nSeveral of the traditionally used floral traits for (sub)generic and sectional delimitation within Coelogyninae and Coelogyne (the \xe2\x80\x98key\xe2\x80\x99characters) were plotted on the \ntotal evidence tree. Inflorescence type, number of flowers per inflorescence, persistence \nof floral bracts, presence of sterile bracts on the rachis, ovary indumentum, petal \nshape, presence and shape of lateral lobes of hypochile, number of keels on the epichile \nand presence of a fimbriate margin on the epichile appear to be good synapomorphies \nfor major clades in Coelogyninae and Coelogyne. The number of leaves per pseudobulb, \nsize of the flowers, shape of the lip base and petals and presence of stelidia and calli \non the lip show many reversals and appear not to be phylogenetically informative. \nWith the phylogenetic boundaries of the total evidence analysis as a reference, a \nstart with a taxonomic treatment of the whole genus is made by revisions of three different groups of species in Coelogyne. An integrated phylogenetic analysis of morphological and molecular characters is performed for the 16 species of sect. Speciosae and \n8 species of sect. Verrucosae to check monophyly and study interspecific relationships, \nwhereas a complex of the closely related species of sect. Fuliginosae is resolved with \na phenetic analysis using morphological characters. The last three chapters of this \nthesis contain descriptions of all species (including three new ones), synonyms, \nphotographs, drawings, distribution maps and identification keys.

Description: Systematic sampling has proved that members of the genus Echinogammarus are known from limited areas of Morocco. In this paper, we describe a new species of Echinogammarus (Crustacea, Amphipoda): Echinogammarus oujdae n. sp. from freshwater of the northeastern region with remarks on its affinities and ecology.

Description: A new species of Streblosoma is described and the diagnosis of S. oligobranchiatum is emended, based on material collected on intertidal rocky shores along the State of S\xc3\xa3o Paulo, Brazil, associated with algae, sponges, ascidians and other sedentary polychaetes. Streblosoma porchatensis n. sp. is characterised by the C-shaped arrangement of uncini from posterior thorax, numerous branchial filaments, some inserted laterally from the level of notopodia on segment 2, and by the morphology of uncini. The diagnosis of S. oligobranchiatum is emended to allow for variation in the number of branchial filaments and dental formula of uncini. Both species are compared with the closest congeners and some comments are made on the relationships within the group.

Description: CAIRNS, S. D., 2000. A revision of the shallow-water azooxanthellate Scleractinia of the western Atlantic. Studies Nat. Hist. Caribbean Region 75, Amsterdam, 2000: 1-231. This paper constitutes the second of a two part revision of the western Atlantic azooxanthellate Scleractinia \xe2\x80\x94 this part addressing the taxonomy and distribution of the 73 species known to occur at depths shallower than 183 m within the tropical and warm temperate realm. Of this number, 27 species occur exclusively shallower than 183 m; these are fully described, figured, and mapped. The remaining 46 species are also known to occur at depths greater than 183 m, most of those species treated more fully in part 1 (CAIRNS 1979). Lists are also provided of the azooxanthellate species that occur exclusively deeper than 183 m (56 species) as well as the western Atlantic zooxanthellate fauna (65 species), resulting in the first comprehensive list of all 192 western Adantic scleractinian species. In the western Atlantic there are approximately twice as many azooxanthellate as zooxanthellate species. One species, Tubastraea coccinea is considered to be introduced; its distribution and chronology of its possible dispersal are mapped and discussed. Approximately 6900 specimens (1100 lots) were examined, collected from over 550 stations. Additional records of all but three of the 73 species are reported herein. Ten species and one subspecies are described as new; ten new combinations are suggested. Among the 73 shallow-water species several patterns of distribution were discerned: widespread insular and continental, primarily insular, primarily continental, endemic to Brazil, and endemic to the Carolinian Province. The most common pattern, shared by 18 species, was a distribution that includes the entire tropical western Atlantic as well as the northern warm temperate region in the northern Gulf of Mexico and/or southeast coast of the US, these \xe2\x80\x98eurythermic tropical\xe2\x80\x99 species usually extending no farther than 34\xc2\xb030\' to 35\xc2\xb000\'N. Among the 27 exclusively shallow-water azooxanthellates, the percentage of species endemic to the western Atlantic (85%) and the amphi-Atlantic component (11%) were considerably higher and lower, respectively, than those components for the deeper water azooxanthellates, but virtually identical to that of the western Atlantic zooxanthellate corals.

Description: The wood anatomical structure of 11 out of 13 genera from four tribes of the Vaccinioideae, namely Andromedeae s.s., Gaultherieae, Lyonieae and Oxydendreae (Ericaceae s.l.), is described using light and scanning electron microscopy. Several features of the secondary xylem support the tribal classification based on molecular data: arrangement of vessel-ray pitting, height of multiseriate rays and the shape of the body ray cells. Oxydendreae are clearly defined from the other representatives by various wood anatomical features. Gaultherieae can be distinguished from Lyonieae by differences in vessel perforation plates, vessel-ray pitting, height and structure of multiseriate rays, and occurrence of prismatic crystals, but the wood of Andromedeae s.s. is similar to Gaultherieae. Moreover, Andromedeae s.s., Oxydendreae and Vaccinieae are characterized by their pith structure, whereas considerable variation in the pith cells is found in Lyonieae and Gaultherieae.

Description: Wood samples of 111 Vaccinieae specimens (Vaccinioideae, Ericaceae s.l.) representing 98 species and 26 genera are investigated with light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The wood structure of Vaccinieae delivers taxonomically important characters that can be used to define some subclades within the tribe. The wood of the large polyphyletic genus Vaccinium strongly resembles non-vaccinioid members of the family, which are characterized by bordered vessel-ray pits and relatively narrow (2- to 4-seriate) and low multiseriate rays (often less than 1000 mm) with exclusively or mainly procumbent body ray cells. The East Malesian clade, Meso-American/Caribbean clade, and the Andean clade show a combination of wood anatomical features that is lacking in other representatives of the family. These features include scalariform vessel-ray pits with strongly reduced borders, a high portion of upright body ray cells, wide (4- to 14-seriate) and high multiseriate rays (often more than 3000 mm), and prismatic crystals in chambered ray cells (although absent in Symphysia racemosa). The presence of secretory ducts in the primary xylem and in the pith tissue may represent a synapomorphy for the Andean clade. Furthermore, the presence of undivided axial parenchyma cells, usually ranging from 500 to 900 mm, seems to be unique in the subfamily.

Description: The secondary xylem of Craterispermeae, Coussareeae, Morindeae s.str., Prismatomerideae, Pauridiantheae, Urophylleae, and Triainolepideae (Rubiaceae, Rubioideae) is described and illustrated in detail. Genera that were previously placed in the Morindeae or Psychotrieae such as Damnacanthus, Lasianthus, Saldinia, and Trichosfachys are also included. Wood anatomical characters are compared with recent phylogenetic insights into the study group on the basis of molecular data. The observations demonstrate that the delimitation and separation of several taxa from the former Coussareeae/Morindeae/Prismatomerideae/Psychotrieae aggregate is supported by wood anatomical data. The Coussareeae can be distinguished from the other Rubioideae by their scanty parenchyma, septate libriform fibres, and the combination of uniseriate and very high multiseriate rays with sheath cells. Axial parenchyma bands and fibre-tracheids characterise Gynochtodes and some species of Morinda (Morindeae sstr.), but the latter genus is \nvariable with respect to several features (e.g. vessel groupings and axial parenchyma distribution). Wood data support separation of Rennelia and Prismatomeris from Morindeae s.str.; vessels in both genera are exclusively solitary and axial parenchyma is always diffuse to diffuse-in-aggregates. Damnacanthus differs from the Morindeae alliance by the occurrence of septate fibres, absence of axial parenchyma, and the occasional presence of fibre wall thickenings. There are interesting similarities between members of the Lasianfhus clade and the Pauridiantheae/Urophyleae group such as the sporadic occurrence of spiral thickenings in axial parenchyma cells.

Description: Nepticulidae , a family of very small Microlepidoptera with mostly leafmining larvae, was hitherto almost unknown from the territories of the People\' s Republic of China. In this paper we\'ll treat 10 species of the genus Stigmella reared from hosts belonging to Fagaceae (oaks).

Description: Public museums collections had a hard start in Carinthia: only in 1848 did the first Museum of Natural Sciences open, maintained by the \'Naturhistorischer Verein f\xc3\xbcr K\xc3\xa4rnten\'. For a long time the collections were based on private donations. In 1884, the \'Naturhistorischer Verein\' and the \'Geschichtsverein f\xc3\xbcr K\xc3\xa4rnten\' moved into a new museum building, since 1898 there have been full-time curators. The museum\'s scientific publication was and still is the periodical Carinthia. In 1942, the collections became property of the Government, but since 1998 they have been privatized.

Description: This paper deals with a famous private natural history collection of the court, transformed to a public collection of the state. Associated is a very important question: how cultural and political structures became a dimension of a collection.\nIn order to establish a Court Natural History Cabinet of its own, separate from other collections ("Physical Cabinet," The Coin and Antique Collection), Emperor Franz Stephan von Lothringen (17081765) decides in the middle of the 18th century to buy the famous \'museo\' of Jean de Baillou, who had worked as a director of gardens and mines in Tuscany. The Collection of de Baillou consisted mainly of minerals, which were collected in Italy (some came from famous places all over the world), and fossils, particularly mussels, snails and crustaceans. It was one of the most famous and richest European collections of its type. It represented the Emperor\'s passion for science, modern \'know-how\' and his self-confidence at being a personal centre, not for politics, but for special taste. The Emperor spent a lot of money on the collection. Furthermore, he sent naturalists to collect specimens and thus increase the collection. The Collection was the emperors private treasure and was placed near the Library of the Viennese court. De Baillou became managing director for life and after his death was succeeded by his son. In the first decades no catalogue was made.\nAfter twenty years, following the death of Franz Stephan von Lothringen, Maria Theresia wanted to have a survey about the collections of the court. Ignaz von Born, who had already made a name for himself at the Prague mint was appointed to write a first catalogue of the collection. He pointed out the low standard of the natural history collection and the scientific necessity of a rich mineral collection. It was also a time in which the government started to work against particularism in administration. The government also tried to get more evidence of minerals of all countries governed by the Habsburg Monarchy. The mining administration at Vienna ordered the mine inspectors in the periphery to send up documentation of minerals and rocks, which were found there. Thus, the transfer represents a new concept of scientific interest in a political dimension. Treasure no longer had priority.

Description: Study of written sources in archives sometimes allows to restore the history of collections. A good example is the Alexander the First collection. In 1819, de la Harpe had sent an Etruscan vase to Alexander I as a gift, and had received a collection of Russian minerals in return. Alexander\'s collection, totaling 1031 samplesaccording to the catalogue of 1874, consists of five sections: salts, stones, metals, combustible minerals, and rocks. The collection of Russian minerals presented by Alexander the First in 1820 to La Harpe is completely preserved to the present day and is exhibited at the Lausanne Natural History Museum.

Description: The discovery of native silver deposits at Kongsberg, Norway, in 1623 created interest for silver specimens and mineral collecting, also among mining officers. Large collections were donated by J. Hiort, M.T. Br\xc3\xbcnnich and J. Esmark to the Mining Academy at Kongsberg. The Academy\'s collections were in 1814 transferred to the University of Oslo. From 1841 The Kongsberg Silver Mines built up their own collections.

Description: The Austrian Geological Survey and Czech geological organizations have in their archives source materials that can be used for the landscape restoration. At many places in the Czech Republic, considerable changes of the environment took place due to building and other industrial activities, especially the mining of mineral raw materials. Changes of relief, river networks and hydrogeological conditions are conspicuous. The largest changes and damages are due to open-cast mining in the North Bohemian and Sokolov brown-coal basins. Other damage was caused by underground black coal-mining, exploitation of uranium and building materials.\nDuring huge floods in northern and central Moravia in July 1997, the morphology of the landscape underwent conspicuous changes. Maps and other historical materials are priceless for specialists to solve problems of landscape reclamation and rehabilitation. They document the original morphology, geography and geology of the areas. Not only topographical, but also geological, maps are important enabling estimation of the original situation.\nIn 1989 the Austrian and Czech Geological Surveys proposed a project to use the historical map resources of the Austrian Institute in Vienna and other organisations for rehabilitation and reclamation of the landscape, as part of the long-standing Czech-Austrian co-operation \xe2\x80\x9eThe history of geology common work on the condition of geological mapping of the Czech countries up till the years 1918".\nHistorical sources will be further analysed for reconstruction mapping in the area of the Becva and Morava rivers in central Moravia. On basis of the agreement for cooperation with Austrian Geological Survey, the Czech Geological survey has obtained colour copies of historical topographic map material from the so-called Joseph (1763-1768) and Francis (1810-1866) mapping periods from the area of the river beds of Morava and Becva, between Litovle and Uherske Hradiste, that have been most intensively damaged by huge floods. These will enable comparison of changes in the landscape after more than 200 years.

Description: Collecting seems to be a topic, which has become more and more interesting during the last years. It is not only the passion that seizes people of all parts of our society, it is more than some sort of eccentricity, it goes back to our roots, when we were hunters and gatherers to gain our living. Nowadays hunters and gatherers can be found in antique shops, but they are also to be found in museums and libraries.\nCollecting in museums has started with \'Cabinets of curiosities\' (\'Kunst- und Wunderkammern\'), which housed "wonders" ranging from rare shells and coins to narwhal horns, coral carvings and perhaps mummified mermaids.\nLibraries always collected not only the scientific books of their times, they always strove for the bigger, wider, the universal library. The first one to meet this high standard was the antique library of Alexandria, where all the knowledge of the time was collected in about 400,000 papyrus scrolls, nowadays we have the universal library in the internet.\nFar from being universal, the small library of Leoben has a rather nice collection of travel books, which have been sources for our geologists and mining engineers during all the years of our existence. The books have been collected since the beginning of our University in 1840, and nowadays we still complete the collection with reprints from historic travel books. The collection has books like Br\xc3\xbcckmann\'s Magnalia Dei from 1727, where the author describes all 1600 mines in the world, which were known at that time, or Emanuel Swedenborg\'s Regnum subterraneum from 1734, where he describes the copper mines in Europe. Most of the literature in our collection comes from the 19th century, one of the most interesting books is Joseph Russegger\'s Travels through Europe, Asia and Africa in the years 1835-1841.\nRussegger was the first to draw a geological map of Egypt and the Sudan, he was the first European, to see the springs of the Nile. Another author to be mentioned is Belsazar Hacquet de la Motte, a physician, who travelled all over Europe. He is best known by his work Travels through Slovenia, in which he describes amongst others the Idrija mercury mine in 1779. In our collection there are also travel books, which are not related tomining or geology, we have for instance Sven Hedin\'s Transhimalaya and Hans Meyer\'s report on his travel to the Kilimanjaro in the year 1890. All the books on travelling bring to us the adventure of being away, they "bring the world back into our hearts", as the geologist Russegger notes at the end of his books.

Description: The State Central Mining Archives in Bansk\xc3\xa1 \xc5\xa0tiavnica (SCMA) supervise about 6 km of archival documents relating to different fields of human activity as well as individual people, phenomena and subjects. Some of these documents may serve for identification or more exact description of different museum objects both in Slovakia and in the world.

Description: A revision of Pachycentria Blume, which includes the monotypic Pogonanthera Blume, is presented. Pachycentria comprises eight species and one subspecies. Two species, P. vogelkopensis and P. hanseniana, are newly described. The genus is distinguished from other genera in the Medinillinae by a small ovary in an urceolate hypanthium. and by seeds with comb-shaped testa cells. Andromonoecy is recorded for three species of the genus. Pollination by bees and dispersal by birds and ants has been observed in the field. Pachycentria is distributed in Burma, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Philippines, Sulawesi, and New Guinea.

Description: The new orchid genus Devogelia from the Moluccas and New Guinea is described and illustrated. Its possible affinities are discussed and it is tentatively concluded that Devogelia belongs either to the tribe Cymbidieae or to the Malaxideae. So far a single species, here described as D. intonsa Schuit., is known, which occurs as a locally abundant terrestrial in lower montane forest.

Description: A new Rhysotoechia, R. etmanii, was recently discovered during botanical surveys of the Crater Mt. Wildlife Management Area in Papua New Guinea.

Description: The genus Elatostema J.R. Forst. & G. Forst. (Urticaceae) is a large Palaeotropical group with perhaps 300 or more species. Eight new species are described here, six of which are endemic to Mt Kinabalu, and a new name is established.

Description: Lauraceae are an important component of wet tropical forests and are well represented in the Flora Malesiana region. Their identification has been hampered by two factors: several of the genera are poorly defined and existing keys require both flowers and fruits, which are, however, rarely present together on a specimen. Here a key based almost entirely on flowering specimens is presented, problems in generic delimitation are discussed and vegetative characters helpful in generic identification are listed.

Description: Section Verrucosae Pfitzer & Kraenzl. of the genus Coelogyne Lindl. is revised using morphological and molecular data. Eight species are recognized, including two new ones ( C. marthae and C. verrucosa). One name is reduced to synonymy. Four species formerly included by several authors in sect. Verrucosae (C. brachyptera, C. papillosa, C. parishii and C. virescens) are excluded. A total evidence analysis of morphological characters and ITS and matK sequence data supports the monophyly of the section as here recognized. Coelogyne virescens (sect. Brachypterae) is identified as nearest neighbour to the species of sect. Verrucosae. The number of sterile bracts on the rhachis and the shape of the ornamentation on the epichile appear to be phylogenetically informative characters, in contrast with the inflorescence type, ovary indumentum and number of keels on the hypochile.

Description: The taxonomy and ecology of the genus Hoya R.Br, are unclear, especially in the core area of its distribution: Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya. This paper summarises the available information on the ecology of Hoya species, and describes eight species from central Sulawesi. An important ecological trait of many Hoya species is their association with ants. Four types of mutualistic relationships with ants occur in the genus: 1) species with specialised leaves to house ants; 2) a single species that provides housing for ants under imbricate leaves; 3) species growing on the carton of ant nests; and 4) species that root in ant inhabited cavities in tree trunks and branches. Four of the eight described species grew in association with ants (types 2-4). Taxonomically, Hoya sussuela (Roxb.) Merr. is placed in synonymy with H. coronaria Blume, and H. maxima (H. Karst.) Warb. and H. pseudomaxima Koord. are reduced to H. imbricata Decne. Three new species are described.

Description: This is a CD-ROM intended to identify 1733 species of trees and shrubs of northern Australian rain forests, accompanied by a user guide in book form. In the guide, in the chapter \xe2\x80\x98Using the program\xe2\x80\x99, a picture of the opening screen is given. At the bot-tom is the status bar, which, however, only appears on the screen if the windows (NT) status bar is hidden! In the user guide it is explained how to hide the windows status bar. In the status bar the remaining number of species is indicated, which is of importance because it is of no use to see the species list if there are more than 15 species left.\nThe following character sets are available: habit, bark (not in shrubs), leaf, flower, fruit, seedling, family, geographic area. For each character or character state an explanation is provided, often illustrated, in the help function. Often it is obligatory to use this help for a good interpretation of a character, for instance lateral veins run from the midrib to the intramarginal vein. To be qualified as an intramarginal vein rather than looping lateral veins there should be no major bends (illustrated). Here I went wrong in identifying Symplocos, where a looped intramarginal vein usually is present! Also, don\'t call a contracted spike a fascicle (clearly illustrated), for you will never arrive at the right name. The features selected for any character set will remain until a new identification is started, even if the window is closed.

Description: A full review of books announced in this section may be published in Blumea at a later date.

Description: A new species of Ficus subg. Urostigma sect. Malvanthera, F. baola C.C. Berg, is described.