ALBERT

Description: Campylopus galapagensis J.-P. Frahm & Sipman spec. nov. is described. It is closely related to C. pilifer Brid., from which it differs mainly by the presence of substereids in the ventral layer of the costa. It is endemic on the Galapagos Islands, where it occurs frequently from sea level to the highest summits at 1500 m.

Description: Tortula grandiretis Broth., differing from T. muralis Hedw. mainly in the larger, quite smooth lamina cells, is reported from three localities in the SW-Netherlands, where it occurred on open, sandy or clayey, brackish soil on recently enclosed mud flats or salt-marshes. It is also reported from one locality in Turkey. It was formerly known only from Turkestan (U.S.S.R.).

Description: This year Prof. Dr. F.P. Jonker, Frits as he is known among his friends, will retire from the formal academic life at the State University of Utrecht: a long and busy life of 49 years, devoted to teaching, administration, and scientific research. Looking back on all these years, one realises the important contributions that Jonker has made to botanical science in general and to palaeobotany in particular, both in The Netherlands and abroad, as well as the impact he has exerted on his surroundings, culminating in the vigorous activities of the Laboratory of Palaeobotany and Palynology at Utrecht. To describe Jonker’s life history is indeed to describe the history of his laboratory. To understand the significance of Jonker and the character of the “lab”, we have to trace his life from its very beginnings at the town of Almelo in the eastern Netherlands, where he was born in 1912. His father and mother were teachers and both liked (wild) flowers. Thus both an intellectual and botanical background were already part of his life at a very young age. Soon Jonker joined a group of boy-scouts, where he combined his love for the outdoors with his interest in nature. In high school the biology teacher was Dr. J. Van Beusekom, an Utrecht botanist, who was at the same time scout-master of the scout group. In these formative years, “de Beus” was a decisive factor in influencing Jonker’s career. It was largely because of Van Beusekom that Jonker went to Utrecht University as a student.

Description: El 25 de mayo de 1976 falleció inesperadamente, a la edad de 53 años, Peter Arnold Florschütz, eminente briólogo y profesor de Botánica Sistemática en Utrecht (Holanda). Era bien conocido por sus estudios de los musgos de Surinam. Fue coauter del "Index Muscorum”, miembro de la comisión de la Flora Neotrópica y tesorero del IAPT. Durante sus últimos 10 años estudiaba, junto con la señora Florschütz, los musgos de los Andes colombianos. En 1972 visitó muchas zonas de páramos y selvas andinas, especialmente en los alrededores de Bogotá (Cundinamarca), la Sierra Nevada del Cocuy (Boyacá, Arauca) y el Nevado del Ruiz (Caldas). En 1975 tuvo la oportunidad de visitar nuevamente algunos páramos cercanos a la capital colombiana. Sus colecciones de 1972 y 1975 (con cerca de 1.000 números) se conservan en Bogotá (COL) con duplicados en Utrecht (U).

Description: A cladistic study was carried out on known species of the characteristically Antarctic genus Oswaldella, adopting as outgroups some other genera included in the family Kirchenpaueriidae. The analysis resulted in a cladogram with low CI in which no relationship between genera can be depicted. However, the hypothesis of monophyly of the genus Oswaldella is corroborated, being supported in our cladogram by five synapomorphies (although all are homoplastic with other taxa or reversed within the species of the genus). The basal relationships of the genus are uncertain, but three species groups are distinguishable within Oswaldella: 1) the O. incognita group, 2) the O. antarctica group, and 3) a clade formed by (O. garciacarrascosai, O. elongata ( O. blanconae (O. gracilis O. herwigi, Oswaldella sp. two)))).

Description: Within the newt genus Triturus, the large-bodied species in the T. cristatus (crested newt) superspecies show an unusual degree of variation in relative trunk length as a result of among-taxon variation in interlimb vertebral count. Here we examine the systematic value of this feature as assessed by both exterior measurement (Wolterstorff Index) and direct radiographic count of rib-bearing vertebrae, with particular reference to a number of confounding factors (sex differences, hybridisation, geographic variation, allometry, preservation effects). Using our mtDNA haplotype data, which are largely concordant with geographic distribution of species, we find that direct count of the rib-bearing vertebrae performs more reliably (14% misclassification) than external measurement (31% misclassification) as a species identifier. We therefore recommend this feature as a taxonomic tool, although (like external measurement) it breaks down near hybrid zones. To account for the observed biogeographical pattern and phenotype – genotype discrepancies, a scenario is presented that combines the movement of the contact zone between taxa with asymmetric hybridisation. This scenario applies to species interactions in eastern Yugoslavia and western France.

Description: A Bird’s Head (= Vogelkop = Kepala Burung) database is under construction in L, in cooperation with K. It is part of a flora project in the NE Bird’s Head, a joint project of BO, K, MAN, and was established by Dr. R.E. Johns and his colleagues (K). Information stored in the database includes collector(s), collection number, identification, locality, and altitude (for part of the collections). The data were brought together in two checklists (Coode et al., 1997; Johns et al., 1997), which were distributed to the relevant herbaria.

Description: Sarawak — The Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) Ordinance, 1997 and the Sarawak Biodiversity (Access, Collection and Research) Regulations, 1998, are two laws that have been enacted by the State to achieve the twin aims of protecting Sarawak’s biodiversity and recognising its importance. Under the Regulations, anyone who wants to access, collect, do research on or use the biological resources of the State is required to apply to the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre Council for a permit. Penalties for accessing, collecting, or doing research on the biological resources of the State without a permit are a fine of up to RM 20,000 and/or a jail sentence of up to three years. The Permit system is to ensure the proper regulation of access to and utilisation of the State’s biodiversity. Furthermore, it will ensure that research on and utilisation of Sarawak’s rich biodiversity will be conducted with mutual benefits to all concerned parties.

Description: The Task Force ‘PROSEA beyond 2000’ [members: Dr. A.R.M. Ali (FRIM), Dr. B.P. del Rosario (PCARRD), Dr. J. Kartasubrata (PROSEA-BO) and Dr. J.S. Siemonsma (PROSEA-WAG)], met several times and prepared a report with items for discussion at the Third International PROSEA Workshop on 15-17 November 1999 in Bogor. Some proposed major discussion items are: – Should PROSEA continue as a foundation? As an autonomous ASEAN centre? Integrate with or link to other centres? – Is a second edition of the handbook necessary in the next decade? – If no second edition of the handbook is foreseen in the next decade, updating of the databank will be necessary and possibilities of the Internet should be exploited in full. – Should each country office try to cover half of the annual budget with the contribution of the host institute to decrease dependence on external funding? – Should PROSEA concentrate on client-oriented information services in the next decade? The 10th PROSEA Country Officers’ Meeting was held on 7-10 September 1998 in Wageningen. Special attention was asked for quality control of record abstracts in the databank and for careful proof-reading of handbook derived materials before publication.

Description: Dr. T. Carrick Chambers (NSW) has finished a treatment of Blechnum. Dr. P.H. Hovenkamp (L) has started revising Nephrolepis, a genus of widespread occurrence in Malesia, frequently found on roadsides, forest clearings, earth banks etc. Many of these occurrences may actually be garden escapes, and any help in obtaining live specimens from obviously (or probably) native occurrences is greatly appreciated. They will be cultivated in the Leiden Botanical Garden, and contributions will, of course, be duly acknowledged. Contact P. Hovenkamp (hovenkamp@rhbcml.leidenuniv.nl) for more information.

Description: Backer’s “Verklarend woordenboek” — The publishing company Contact, Amsterdam, is planning to publish a facsimile edition of this work long out of print and only with great difficulty found in antiquarian’s shops. With its wealth of data, bio- and bibliographical notes, and occasional wry humour it is a goldmine of information. With c. 22,500 lemmas there is no other work comparable in size and quality. Because most entrees deal with names of plants found in the Netherlands and former Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) it is in Dutch, and because of the date of publication in an old spelling. The late Dr. H.C.D. de Wit (WAG) intended to produce an emended, English version, for which Backer’s files are now in WAG. Note the web address to access the geological reconstruction series of SE Asia (for the past 50 My). It is downloadable as a powerpoint file, from: http://glsun2.gl.rhbnc.ac.uk/seasia/html/plate_tect.htm

Description: The Orchidaceae outnumber by far any other plant family in Malesia. At present, however, an accurate estimate of the number of Malesian orchid species is difficult to make. Subtracting the number of established synonyms from the number of names attributed to Malesian orchid species results in the staggering figure of 6414 species, with a retention ratio (ratio of ‘accepted’ species to heterotypic names) of 0.74. This is undoubtedly a gross overestimate, as most of the 209 Malesian orchid genera have never been revised over their entire range. Extrapolating from available revisions to estimate a more realistic retention ratio is problematic due to the small number of modern revisions and the different nature of the groups treated. If we look for comparison at Malesian species of some recently revised groups, we encounter a wide range of retention ratios: Bulbophylluw sect. Uncifera (Vermeulen, 1993): 0.24 Dendrobium sect. Oxyglossum (Reeve & Woods, 1989): 0.24 Mediocalcar (Schuiteman, 1997): 0.29 Pholidota (De Vogel, 1988): 0.29 Bulbophyllum sect. Pelma (Vermeulen, 1993): 0.50 Paphiopedilum (Cribb, 1987, modified): 0.57 Dendrobium sect. Spatulata (Cribb, 1986, modified): 0.60. Correspondingly, we find a wide range of estimates for the ‘real’ number of known Malesian orchid species: from 2050 to 5125.

Description: Some of the species and names of hydnoid fungi treated in Furukawa’s work are discussed. Hydnum albidum is recorded in Europe for the first time. Further finds of some interesting species are reported. Auriscalpium barbatum (Western Australia) and Steccherinum peruvianum (Peru) are described as new species. A key to the species of Auriscalpium is given.

Description: Subramanian’s concept of true and false chains of phialoconidia is rejected and replaced by a distinction between connected and disconnected chains. In connected conidial chains the primary conidial wall is strongly thickened at both ends and a connective is formed. This criterion allows the distinction between trichocomaceous or eurotiaceous (connected) and sphaeriaceous (disconnected) catenulate phialoconidia. The ultrastructure of conidiogenesis is described. On the basis of this criterion, the species of the Acremonium diversisporum series as well as the anamorph of Sagenoma viride Stolk & Orr with connected chains are transferred from Acremonium to the new genus Sagenomella to which four new species are added.

Description: In the course of a study of coprophilous fungi collected in the Zoological Garden in Delhi, an ascomycete belonging to the genus Achaetomium was isolated. It differs from previously described species by larger ascospores and almost colourless ascomata with a wide apical opening.

Description: Identities are given for all 35 combinations published in Anplectrum A. Gray ( Melastomataceae) with additional notes on some of the taxa involved. Two new combinations are proposed in Creochiton Bl. and one in Dissochaeta Bl.

Description: A new monotypic genus Tamaricaria Qaiser & Ali of Tamaricaceae is described with a new combination i.e. Tamaricaria elegans (Royle) Qaiser & Ali.

Description: 1. The interrelations between the genera together constituting the Dimocarpus group in the tribe Nephelieae are represented in a scheme. In this scheme are added the main characters that are thought to be of phylogenetic importance. 2. A neotype.is proposed for Cubilia cubili (Blanco) Adelb., the single species of its genus. To its distribution can be added the eastern half of Borneo, incl. also the Island of P. Laut. Mention is made of a geographic clinal variation in a few macromorphological characters. 3. Lilchi is considered to comprise only one species, L. chinensis Sonn., which is subdivided into three subspecies: subsp. chinensis, the commonly grown form, cultivated for thousands of years already, apparently adapted (by nature or partly by selection by man?) to a monsoon climate, if actually wild probably originating from northern Indo China; subsp. philippinensis (Radlk.) Leenh., a wild form closely related to subsp. chinensis, known from the Philippines and New Guinea; and subsp. javensis Leenh., strikingly different from both other forms, known only as a cultivated fruit tree from southern Indo China and Java, apparently adapted to an everwet tropical climate. For subsp. philippinensis a lectotype is proposed. 4. Pometia, though macromorphologically distinctly derived and, moreover, palynologically apparently very exclusive in the alliance under discussion, seems clearly connected with Dimocarpus, the central genus in the group.

Description: Description of a new species, Diploglottis bracteata Leenh., from Queensland, Australia. Reduction of Euphorianthus (E. Malesia) to Diploglottis (NE. Australia). Discussion of the occurrence of actinomorphic and zygomorphic flowers in the Sapindaceae in nearly all tribes and even within ten genera. Discussion of the systematic position of Diploglottis bracteata: this species seems distinctly allied to and more derived than the New Caledonian genus Storthocalyx, and thus may belong to an old element of the Queensland flora allied with that of New Caledonia. On the other hand, D. bracteata is within Diploglottis closest to the East Malesian species, whereas the further Australian species are distinctly more derived. They may belong to a younger element in the Queensland flora of Malesian derivation.

Description: Herbae erectae caespitosae 1.5—2.0 m altae; rhizoma suberectum 1—2 cm diametro. Folia multa apice rhizomatis spiratim aggregata; petioli usque ad 1 m longi basi vaginantes, sparsim pubescentes; laminae ellipticae oblongo-lanceolatae glabrae 18—35 cm longae, 8—15 cm latae, basi acutae vel cuneatae, apice breviter acuminatae, infra subvirides, nervis lateralibus multis parallelis, nervulis multis scalariformibus inter nervos subtiliter transverse reticulatis; costa basi incrassata gradatim angustata et a nervis lateralibus haud distincta. Pedunculus principalis terminalis usque ad 1.5 m altus ad apicem folio uno inflorescentia unaque, raro folium deest; folium pedunculare foliis primariis simile petiolo ad medium usque vaginante parce piloso, apicem versus pubescente. Inflorescentia laxe paniculata e spicis spiculisque constans, in axillam vaginae folii pedunculati, pedunculo ad 15 cm longo, bractea basi vaginante lineari-lanceolata puberula ad 10 cm longa; panicula puberula, 2—10-ramosa usque ad 15 cm longa et 10 cm lata; spicae 2—10, longitudine variantes, 3—8 cm longae usque ad 4 cm distantes e axillis bractearum principaliarum spiratim dispositae in rachibus principalibus; bracteae principaliae ovati-lanceolatae ± 2 cm longae, ± 1 cm latae, extus puberulae margine hirtae, cito ad medium usque, tandem basem versus in fibras multas secedentes; spiculae multae e axillis bractearum primariarum subspiraliter in spicis dispositae, usque ad 2 cm longae; bracteae primariac ovatae obtusae mucronatae ± 1.5 cm longae, ± 1 cm latae, extus puberulae margine hirtae bracteis principalibus similes. Flores albi in cymis parorum 1—3 vel plurorum; omnis par e axilla prophylli, flos unus paris omnis primo aperiens, ceterus invicem; prophyllum externum magnum dorsaliter 2-carinatum ovato-lanceolatum margine incurvum ± 14 mm longum et ± 5 mm latum, alis carinarum fimbriatis; prophylla interiora dorsaliter 3-carinata parva; pedicelli omnis paris basi connati ± 1 mm longi. Calycis lobi usque ad basim discreti, lineari-lanceolati extra hirti,± 1.2 cm longi, ± 2 mm lati. Corolla basi tubularis, tubo ± 7 mm longo lobis oblongis ovatis erectis obtusis ± 8 mm longis. Staminodia 4 in tubum connata tubum corollae adnata; lobi staminodiorum extemorum subaequales; lobus magnus obovatus obtusus marginibus recurvatis, ± 1 cm longus, ± 8 mm latus; lobus parvus subspathulatus recurvatus, ± 7 mm longus, ± 3 mm latus; staminodium interioris carnosum cucullatum, lobo laterali apicem styli includenti, ± 6 mm longum et ± 3 mm latum; staminodium interiorissimum cucullatum, staminodium extimum magnum omnino adnatum apicem stigmatis includens, infra stigma callo carnoso puberulo instructum, lobo ad laterem stigmatis auriculato. Stamen fertile 1-cellulare appendice subulata ± 1 mm longa uno latere instructum; filamenti segmentum librum ± 3 mm longum; anthera oblonga apiculata lutea ± 2 mm longa. Ovarium ±2 mm longum dense aureo villosum; stylus tubum staminalem adnatus ± 1 cm longus segmento libro cucullato ± 4 mm longo; stigma truncata irregulariter lobata. Fructus 3-lobatus sparsim breviter hirtus rubiginosus ± 9 mm longus, ± 7 mm latus; semina 3 oblonga subtrigona lurida ± 7 mm longa et ± 4 mm diametro arillis 2 lobatis albis lobis lineari-acuminatis ± 3 mm longis. Erect caespitose herbs, 1.5—2.0 m tall; rhizomes suberect, 1—2 cm thick. Leaves many, spirally crowded at apex of rhizome; petiole sheathing at base, up to 1 m long, sparsely pubescent; leaf-blade elliptic to oblong-lanceolate, acute to cuneate at base, shortly acuminate at apex, 18—35 cm long, 8—15 cm wide, glabrous, whitish green beneath; lateral nerves many, parallel, with many fine scalariform transversely reticulate nervules in between; midrib thickened towards base, gradually narrowed and indistinct from lateral nerves towards apex. Main peduncle terminal, up to 1.5 m tall, bearing one leaf and inflorescence at apex, rarely without leaf; peduncular leaf similar to primary leaves; petiole up to 15 cm long, sheathing at basal half, scattered hairy, pubescent towards apex. Inflorescence Inflorescence a lax panicle of spikes and spikelets, arising from axil of peduncular leafsheath with up to 15 cm long stalk, subtended by up to 10 cm long, linear-lanceolate, sheathing, puberulous bract at base; panicle up to 15 cm long, up to 10 cm wide, 2—10- branched, puberulous; spikes 2—10, of various length, 3—8 cm long, arranged at distances of up to 4 cm apart in axils of spirally arranged bracts on main rachis; bracts ovate-lanceolate, ± 2 cm long, ± 1 cm wide, puberulous outside, hairy at margins, soon splitting up in upper half into many fibres, later up to base; spikelets many, subspirally arranged on spikes in axils of primary bracts, up to 2 cm long; primary bracts ovate, obtuse, mucronate, ± 1.5 cm long, ± 1 cm wide, puberulous outside and along margins, similar to main bracts. Flowers white, in cymes of 1—3 or more pairs; each cymule (pair of flowers) in axil of a prophyll, one flower in each pair opening first, the other next; outer prophyll large, 2-keeled at back, ovate-lanceolate, ±14 mm long, ± 5 mm wide, incurved at margins, minutely fringed on wings of keels; inner prophylls 3-keeled at back, smaller; pedicels of each pair of flowers united at base, ± 1 mm long. Calyx-lobes free up to base, linear-lanceolate, ± 1.2 cm long, ± 2 mm wide, hairy outside. Corolla-tube ± 7 mm long; lobes oblong, ovate, obtuse, ± 8 mm long, erect. Staminodes 4. united into a tube and adnate to the corolla-tube; lobes of outer staminodes subequal; larger lobe obovate, obtuse, with recurved margins, ± 1 cm long, ± 8 mm wide; smaller lobe subspathulate, recurved, ± 7 mm long, ± 3 mm wide; fleshy inner staminode hood-shaped with a lateral lobe enclosing style apex, ± 6 mm long, ± 3 mm wide; innermost staminode hooded, entirely adnate to outer large staminode, enclosing lip of stigma, with a fleshy puberulous callus below stigma and an auricular lobe at side of stigma. Fertile stamen 1-celled, with a thin, subulate, ± 1 mm long appendage on one side; free portion of filament ± 3 mm long; anther ± 2 mm long, oblong, apiculate, yellow. Ovary ± 2 mm long, densely golden hairy outside; style adnate to staminodial tube, ± 1 cm long; free portion curved, hooded, ± 4 mm long; stigma irregularly lobed, truncate. Fruit 3-lobed, ± 9 mm long, ± 7 mm wide, sparsely short hairy, reddish-brown; seeds 3, oblong, subtrigonous, ± 7 mm long, ± 4 mm thick, dull brown; arils 2, lobed, white; lobes linear-acuminate, ± 3 mm long.

Description: The Star Mountains of New Guinea are situated at the geographic center of the Island of New Guinea extending on both sides of the Indonesian-Papua New Guinea border. Access to these mountains from either side of the border which divides the island is relatively difficult and as a result few collections have come from the area. A Dutch expedition traveled to the western Star Mountains in 1959, but ran into various difficulties and as a result did little collecting above 1500 m. In 1975 an expedition sponsored jointly by the Division of Botany, Lae, and the Rijksherbarium, Leiden, returned to the Star Mountains collecting extensively throughout the eastern half of the range. The results of this expedition include the first extensive collections of material from the higher altitudes within the Star Mountains. Material collected for the Division of Botany, Lae, by J. R. Croft and G. S. Hope while on the 1975 expedition is surprisingly rich in species of Rhododendron. I was asked by Mr. Croft to examine the Lae material prior to its distribution. The collections contain representatives of several poorly known species of the genus, at least one new plant record for Papua New Guinea, Rhododendron rubrobracteatum Sleumer, and the new taxon described below.

Description: In this fourth report on the taxonomy of Ulothrix Kützing a new classification of the marine and brackish-water species in western Europe is proposed. Comparative studies on field collections, uni-algal cultures, herbarium collections and sections prepared for electron microscopy lead to the recognition of three marine species, viz. Ulothrix speciosa (Carmichael ex Harvey in Hooker) Kützing, U. flacca (Dillwyn) Thuret in Le Jolis, and U. palusalsa Lokhorst (nov. nom.), and two brackish-water species, viz. U. implexa (Kützing) Kützing and U. subflaccida Wille. The vegetative anatomy, the life history, the fine structure of the vegetative thallus and the distributional pattern in nature are amply discussed. Salient, reliable characters proved to be, e.g., the nature and construction of the cell wall, the texture of the cell wall’s surface, the fine structure of the pyrenoid, the developmental stages of germinating zoospores, the coalescense of filaments, the shape of the gametangial filament, and the limited variation of the number of zoospores and gametes. A brief discussion is given of the ecological status of the individual species. In addition there is a brief comment on the taxonomic affinity of Ulothrix with the morphologically related genus Urospora Fries and on the phyletic relationship of Ulothrix with the progenitors of the higher land plants. The reproductive behaviour of the species under different photo periods in culture appeared to be correlated with the seasonal periodicity expressed by the algae in nature.

Description: There has been a notable divergence of opinion in the recent literature concerning the number of species of dammar (Agathis) that might occur in the general area of the Moluccas. Even early literature presents a tangled nomenclatural trail. Perhaps the difficulty in obtaining good representative collections from these huge rainforest emergents may explain the general lack of careful diagnostic descriptions that bedevils most contributions. Among the hundreds of specimens I have been able to study, however, I have found enough data to support a clear conclusion. The important dammar tree was among those described in the early work by Rumphius (1741) that dealt with Ambon. Meijer Drees (1940) reports that natives in the Moluccas recognize two types of dammar, the ‘white dammar’ damar putih) with abundant resin production and the ‘brown dammar’ damar merah) with poor resin production (the ‘white’ or clear resin does turn brown upon aging about a year). Presumably, Rumphius, who spoke of abundant resin, had in mind the ‘white dammar’ when he referred to this tree as Dammara alba.

Description: Section Speciosae Pfitzer & Kraenzl. of the genus Coelogyne Lindl. is revised. Sixteen species are recognized, including one new ( C. tommii) and one dubious species ( (C. dichroantha). Three former varieties are raised to subspecies level ( C. speciosa subsp. speciosa, subsp. incarnata and subsp. fimbriata). Two species formerly included in sect. Speciosae by several authors are excluded (C. eberhardtii and C. lawrenceana).

Description: A world-wide revision of the tribe Naucleeae with a general discussion of the systematic position and affinities of the tribe and the genera. The generic concepts have been modified and 21 genera are recognized (Ochreinauclea, Ludekia, Diyaminauclea, Khasiaclunea, Adinauclea, Sinoadina, Pertusadina, and Haldina being new), which are placed in three subtribes, Anthocephalinae, Naucleinae, and Adininae, sublrib. now There are keys to the subtribes, genera, and species, followed by descriptions of the Asiatic and Malesian genera. The Asiatic species are described and accompanied by complete synonymy, but the Malesian species are treated in an abbreviated form. Three new species are described: Myrmeconauclea stipulacea, Ludekia borneensis, and Pertusadina malaccensis.

Description: A brief summary of the present taxonomic position in Agalmyla Blume (Gesneriaceae) is given. Six new species are described, A. bicolor, A. exannulata and A. remotidentata from Sulawesi, A. macrocalyx from Borneo (Sarawak), A. samarica from the Philippines (Samar) and A. manuselae from the Moluccas (Seram). The plant long known as Dichrotrichum ternateum de Vriese is transferred to Agalmyla, under its oldest epithet, as A. elongata (Blume) B.L. Burtt, and two other early names of species from New Guinea are also transferred as A. chalmersii (F. Muell.) B.L. Burtt and A. triflora (Valeton) B.L. Burtt.

Description: The species related to Medinilla myrtiformis (Naud.) Triana are described and a key is given. A variety of M. monantha Merr. is recognized as a distinct species, while the typical form is considered a synonym of M. myrtiformis. M. neglecta Nayar is reduced to M. rubrifructus Ohwi.

Description: A joint project of the National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, and the Department of Systematic Botany, Uppsala University, the Ethiopian Flora Project that was launched in 1980, continues to produce results since the first volume (in fact Vol. 3) was published. Many efforts have gone into fund raising, and SIDA, the Swedish International Development Cooperation (earlier SAREC), and the Ethiopian Government have contributed considerable sums of money to achieve the publication of the Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The editorial team in Uppsala, Addis Ababa and Eritrea has to be congratulated that within two years after the appearance of both volumes of 1995 another issue has left the press. In this extremely rich flora region, with altitudes ranging from below sea level to 4413 m above with a multitude of climatological areas and niches a complete Flora that works has been sorely missed. Endemism is considerable. After a rather slow start, not in the last place caused by political and financial reasons, the authors have apparently contributed their shares at a much more rapid pace. The history of the organization of the writing of the Flora of Ethiopia has been elaborated in the first volume which appeared, no. 3 (Flora of Ethiopia), and the other volumes (Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea) report on the progress made. In the title the independence of Eritrea since 1993 is reflected. Taxon 41 (1992) 403 provided scant information for Vol. 3.

Description: The genera Cynanchum and Vincetoxicum are revised for the Flora Malesiana area. For Cynanchum, nine species are recognized and one new subspecies is described. For Vincetoxicum, only one species, the widespread V. carnosum, occurs in the area. Five published species of Cynanchum have to remain obscure, because the types most likely got destroyed in Berlin.

Description: The type species of tie genus Polyscias (P. pinnata J. R. & G. Forst.) is closely related to a small number of Pacific and Indo-Malayan species, several of which have long been in cultivation. This group of species have a distinctive facies but can be defined most readily by the elongated sheathing leaf-base. The genus has usually been extended beyond this group to include other pinnate-leaved members of sub-family Schefflereae in which the pedicel is articulated below the flower. There has been uncertainty whether to restrict the genus to species in which the style arms are free or also to include species with connate styles. In his treatment of the New Guinea species, Harms (Bot. Jahrb. 56,1920: 374—414) does include some species with connate styles within Polyscias though also retaining the genus Kissodendron, a genus distinguished from Polyscias mainly by the united style arms. Bernardi (Candollea 26, 1971: 13—89) resolved this difficulty by uniting Kissodendron, and also Palmervandenbroekia, with Polyscias and this treatment is followed here. As thus defined, the genus comprises rather diverse elements, and these have been given sectional status.

Description: Being engaged during several years with a revision of the grasses preserved in the Rijks-Herbarium at the University of Leyden, my attention was called to the group of the Stipeae, and especially to the very difficult genus of Aristida. After an exhaustive study of the literature, I thought it desirable to have a monograph of this genus, containing extensive keys for the determination of all the species hitherto known, and I resolved to prepare such a work. It has been my good fortune that I had at my disposal not only the valuable collections of the Rijks-Herbarium, but that by the courtesy of the directors of the great herbaria in Europe and in America, I could study many thousands of specimens, among them authentic specimens and types. So several years elapsed before the revision was finished. Before I am going to publish my work, it seemed desirable to prepare a preliminary paper on the subject, dealing with the literature studied and the results of the critical examination of the types, moreover the new species found in herbaria are included in this paper. To find easily the original description and the type specimen, I give in alphabetical order all the species and varieties hitherto described, no matter if they are accepted in my monograph as valid or not.

Description: 1. Samples of benthic invertebrate fauna were collected in – a ditch, situated in a protected area in the peaty area near the Maarsseveense plassen (prov. Utrecht), – four ditches in the neighbourhood of Castricum (N-Holland), not far from the dune district, – two ditches with water of a high chloride-content on Texel (N- Holland). 2. The faunistic results, with the additional information of some physical and chemical data on the different sampling points, made it possible to draw some conclusions concerning – the importance of the factor salinity for a faunistically oriented typology of ditches, – the importance of the group Hydracarina for a classification of ditch-biocenoses, – the influence of artificial current, caused by the inlet of water, on the invertebrate fauna of ditches and on the faunistical evaluation of the pollution-level in ditches.

Description: In der obersenonen Mastrichter Tuffkreide finden sich kleine Zähne, die durch ihre glatten Kauflächen und die Furchen an den Seiten des oberen Teiles an Kauplatten von Myliobatis erinneren, einen Rochentypus, der ein an durophage Lebensweise angepasstes Gebiss hat. Niemals findet man aber die für diese Familie so typische langgestreckte Form der Zahnplatten; die Zahnoberfläche hat immer rhombische Form. Dames hat eine ausführliche Beschreibung von diesen Zähnen gegeben, die er für Reste eines Cestracion-artigen Namen Rhombodus Binkhorsti Haies hielt, dem er den gab. Ich möchte hier nur noch einige kurze Bemerkungen hinzufügen. Die Abbildungen (fig. 1) zeigen den typischen rhombenförmigen Umriss der Kaufläche (d). Die durch eine in der Richtung der kurzen Diagonale verlaufende, tiefe Rinne in zwei Hälften geteilte Wurzel hat ebenfalls die Gestalt eines Rhombus (fig. 1, b, e). An der Grenze von Krone und Wurzel findet sich an der einen Seite eine Rinne, an der anderen Seite eine vorspringende Leiste (fig. 1 c). Zusammen mit den verticalen Furchen, mit denen die Seiten versehen sind, hat diese Leiste zur Verbindung der Zähne untereinander zu einem Mahlpflaster gedient. Neben dieser regelmässigen Form, die besonders den grösseren Zähnen eigen ist, fanden sich aber Exemplare, die eine Abweichung zeigen, indem nämlich entweder zwei Seiten eines spitzen Winkels des Rhomboïds länger sind wie die beiden anderen, oder das Rhomboïd unsymmetrisch zusammengepresst ist. Es scheint mir, dass dies nicht eine zufällige Variation ist, sondern dass wir gerade durch diese Eigentümlichkeit etwas mehr über die ganze Zusammenstellung des Gebisses erfahren können. Wie ich unten noch näher auseinandersetzen werden, muss man nämlich Rhombodus zu den durophagen Stachelrochen stellen. Bei diesen findet man sehr oft gerade die grössten Zähne in der Mitte des Kiefers. Wenn man nun die Zahl der Zahnreihen, wie es gewöhnlich bei den grosszähnigen Rochen der Fall ist Rhombodus-Unterkiefers zu 7 bis 9 annimmt, so könnte man das Gebiss eines auf eine Weise rekonstruieren, wie es fig. 3 A zeigt, (wobei die verschiedenen obengenannten Formen vorkommen). Es wäre wohl ein grosser Zufall wenn man noch einige Zähne im ursprünglichen Verband finden würde. Wenn einmal die knorpeligen Kiefer aufgelöst sind, bieten die Seitenfurchen nicht genug Festigkeit und fallen die einzelnen Zähne auseinander.

Description: Da die Originale der von Göppert aus dem Tertiär von Java beschriebenen Arten Piperites Hasskarlianus und Junghuhnites javanicus nicht mehr vorhanden sind, die vorliegenden Beschreibungen für eine Bestimmung aber nicht ausreichen, so sind sie aus der fossilen Flora Javas zu streichen. Das gilt auch von Miquelites elegans, dessen schlechte Erhaltung eine sichere Bestimmung unmöglich macht. Bredaea moroides dagegen ist ebenso wie Naucleoxylon spectabile Crié sowie ein bisher unbeschriebenes Kieselholz von Java eine Dipterocarpacee. Die Stücke werden beschrieben als Dipterocarpoxylon moroides, D. spectabile und D. Göpperti n. sp. Die Frage, ob es möglich ist, diese wie andere fossile Dipterocarpoxyla bestimmten rezenten Dipterocarpaceengattungen zuzuweisen, soll später erörtert werden. Frankfurt a/M. Geologisch-Paläontologisches Institut der Universität.

Description: Rosacea flaccida, a new prayine siphonophore, is described from specimens collected by SCUBA divers in the upper 30m of the subtropical and temperate North Atlantic Ocean. The new species has stoutly cylindrical, flaccid nectophores and delicate flattened bracts. The nectophores are morphologically similar to those of R. plicata sensu Bigelow, 1911 and R. cymbiformis (delle Chiaje, 1822) having a deep hydroecial groove and meandering lateral radial canals in the nectosac. In one of the nectophores there is a slight dorsal prolongation of the somatocyst at its apical end into the mesoglea. The eudoxid bracts are distinctive, being flattened dorsoventrally and divided, on the proximal side of the stem, into two lobes which are twisted at an angle of approximately 90° to the lobe on the distal side. Right and left longitudinal bracteal canals are well developed. The origin of the dorsal bracteal canal from the right longitudinal canal differs from that in the other Rosacea species but resembles the configuration found in the bracts of species of the genus Praya.

Description: Menippus philippinensis Jacoby, 1894, is reported from Java, and Issikia clarki (Jacoby, 1884) comb. nov., from Sumatra.

Description: A new species of Lobophytum from Indonesia is described and depicted: Lobophytum jasparsi.

Description: Eoferreola rhombica, a pompilid new to the Dutch fauna, and its remarkable host, Eresus sandaliatus (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae; Araneae: Eresidae) In 1998 a female specimen of Eoferreola rhombica (Christ, 1791) was collected in a road-verge on the Veluwe. The nearest populations of this species are found in northern France and eastern Germany. It is possible that this insect was transported by traffic from one of these populations. However at the collection site a large population of the rare host spider Eresus sandaliatus (Martini & Goeze, 1778) is known to be present for many years. Therefore the presence of a population of E. rhombica cannot be excluded. Future observations have to reveal the status of this spider wasp in the Netherlands.

Description: New and old records of the robberfly Machimus cowini in the Netherlands (Diptera: Asilidae) Until recently, Machimus cowini (Hobby, 1943) was known from just one record in the Netherlands. An examination of Dutch specimens of the similar M. cingulatus revealed specimens of M. cowini from five new localities. The records are concentrated on the island Ameland and along the rivers Waal and Maas. On Ameland, M. cowini probably occurs in coastal dunes. Near Nijmegen the species was found in grassy vegetation on floodplains and on riverdunes near the river.

Description: Faunistic review of the Dutch woodlouse-flies (Diptera: Rhinophoridae) The faunistics of the seven Dutch species of Rhinophoridae are discussed. Of each species a short diagnosis , its distribution in the Netherlands, habitat and phenology are given. The larvae of all Rhinophoridae are endoparasites on woodlice (Isopoda: Oniscidae). In a separate paper information on associations with hosts and other ecological information will be discussed.

Description: When the megalopa stage of estuarine crab species becomes competent for settlement and metamorphosis, it responds to specific chemical and physical cues from the adult environment. Delayed metamorphosis in the absence of such cues is beneficial insofar as it increases the probability of finding a suitable habitat, and it may also enhance the genetic exchange between separate populations. However, this developmental and behavioural response may incur energetic costs reducing the fitness of later life-history stages. In a laboratory investigation, we studied postmetamorphic consequences of delayed metamorphosis for growth and survival in early juvenile instars (I through V) of an estuarine grapsid crab, Chasmagnathus granulata (Dana, 1851). In competent megalopa larvae of this species, metamorphosis is induced by chemical cues from muddy substrates and conspecific adults (control treatment), After delayed metamorphosis in the absence of these cues (experimental treatment), survival and body size were significantly reduced in the first crab stage, and the duration of development to the second juvenile instar was significantly longer. Survival, moult-cycle duration, and percentage growth increments were not significantly affected in later juvenile instars. However, as a consequence of the initial reduction in development and growth, the crabs from the experimental treatment remained consistently smaller and moulted later to successive instars than in the control group. Our results indicate that delayed metamorphosis is associated with a reduced postmetamorphic fitness in an estuarine crab species.

Description: The atmospheric concentration of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) was measured over the South Atlantic Ocean in the range between 37° and 70° S inMarch 1999 in order to investigate its latitudinal distribution and its role in the NOy chemistry of the remote marine boundary layer (MBL) in the high latitudes of thesouthern hemisphere. The measurements were performed using an automatic gas chromatographic system aboard RV Polarstern. Mean mixing ratios of 62 (+/- 21)pptv were obtained between 37° and 49° S. South of 55° S, PAN concentrations were very low with values of the order of 10-30 pptv.Pronounced diurnal cycles could not be observed. The concentrations over the South Atlantic were considerably lower compared with the North Atlantic where theMBL is influenced by continental air masses.

Description: Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (POAM) III,a follow-on to the successful POAM II, is a spaceborne experiment designedto measure the vertical profiles of ozone, water vapor, nitrogen dioxide,and aerosol extinction in the polar stratosphere and upper troposphere witha vertical resolution of 1-2 km. Measurements are made by the solaroccultation technique. POAM III, now in polar orbit aboard the SPOT 4 satellite,is providing data on north- and south-polar ozone phenomena, including the south-polar ozone hole, and on the spatial and temporal variability of stratosphericaerosols, polar stratospheric clouds, and polar mesospheric clouds.Differences between POAM III and POAM II instruments are described.First validation of POAM III products by comparison with HalogenOccultation Experiment and ozonesonde data are presented.

Description: During the expedition "Arctic Ocean 96" cruise with the Swedish icebreaker ODEN (18.07.-21.09.96), sediments were collected from 20 basin and ridge stations in the abyssal regions of the central Arctic Ocean north of 85°N at water-depth between 864m an 4187m to investigate the question how the extreme scarceness of food in the perennial ice covered deep mediterranean effects the meiobenthic community. Meiofauna densities (including foraminiferans) ranged between 68-247 ind.·10cm-2 and were very low compared to values from temperate, central oceanic regions. Nevertheless, a decrease in abundance with increasing water depth as well as regional differences in abundance and community structure were detectable. Foraminiferans were by far the predominant taxon (58-86%), followed by nematodes (10-27%). Except for harpacticoids all other meiofauna taxa occurred just in low densities and very patchy. Very low meiofaunal abundances and a visible trend towards miniaturisation of organisms may be an outcome of the extremely limited food supply to the benthos under perennial ice-coverage of the central Arctic Ocean.