ALBERT

Description: In Sweden Erlandsson (1942) showed that the species Parnassia palustris L. has two chromosome numbers, 2n = 18 and 2n = 36. Rozanova (1940) found the same numbers in plants collected in the U.S.S.R. Some morphological differences could be demonstrated in the Swedish material (Erlandsson, 1942). This was confirmed by Löve and Löve (1944) and, therefore, these authors (1950) distinguish 2 species: the diploid Parnassia palustris L. em. Löve and the tetraploid Parnassia obtusiflora Rupr. em. Löve, also separated by sterility barriers and by their geographical distribution. In the Netherlands a tetraploid population was found by Gadella and Kliphuis (1963). As the tetraploid population occurs in an area situated far south of the circumpolar distribution area of the tetraploid plants, it seemed worthwhile to determine the chromosome numbers of other plants of Parnassia palustris L. growing in the Netherlands.

Description: Les systèmes radiculaires des espèces des prés salés du Juncion maritimi ont été étudiés. Nous avons distingué six types morphologiques principaux d’enracinement. Les particularités des différents types et espèces ont été décrites et dessinées. La répartition des différents types d’enracinement dans le Junco-Triglochinetum et le Caricetum divisae a été interprétée écologiquement. Les racines de nombreuses espèces du Juncion maritimi sont pourvues de lacunes aérifères. C’est une adaptation au niveau élevé de la nappe phréatique. La résistance mécanique du sol a également une influence sur le système radiculaire. La concurrence des systèmes radiculaires a été discutée. On a essayé de différencier les groupements végétaux par leurs types d’enracinement. Je tiens à remercier M. J. Braun-Blanquet, directeur de la Station Internationale de Géobotanique Méditerranéenne et Alpine à Montpellier, de son aide et de l’intérêt stimulant qu’il a porté à mon travail, et M. J.-M. Betsch de son conseil. Les subventions de la Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (Montpellier fonds) et du Utrechts Universiteitsfonds m’ont facilité le séjour à la Station et rendu possible ces recherches.

Description: These small structures in nerve axils at the underside of leaves have given food to various theories and have been nonetheless in phytographic and taxonomic neglect almost from the beginning. That was in 1887, when the Swede A.N. Lundstroem published an extensive paper, in which he explained domatia as structures intended to accommodate mites – hence the word acarodomatia – which latter would in turn benefit the plant by cleansing the leaves from fungus spores. Lundstroem arrived at this hypothesis on the strength of ideas current in that time, about the existence of symbiotic relations between ants and plants; it was in the heydays of teleology. A closer investigation left little of the illusions about mutual benefit between ants and plants, but such critical interest was never focused on the supposed relation between mites and plants. Recently I could grow a few domatia-bearing species under acari-free conditions; the plants with their domatia did as well as in the open. Yet it is hard to prove that Lundstroem was wrong, but a combination of the experiment, the wellknown fact that domatia are inhabited by acari as often as not, and the origin of the hypothesis make if very unlikely that mites will creep into domatia for other reasons than a natural preference for shelter in small holes. All other (physiological) explanations are unconvincing, too, and so for the time being an explanation is lacking – provided that such an explanation would be necessary.

Description: Dr. P. S. Ashton of Kuching went on leave at the end of September 1965, to return mid-1966. In Europe he hopes to consult some Herbaria for type materials of Dipterocarpaceae. Mr. M. M. J. van Balgooy of the Rijksherbarium travelled in New Guinea, Australia, Lord Howe Island, and Java, from 30 March to 14 August 1965.

Description: Diagrams drawn after electron-micrographs of the spore formation in Phoma spp. are shown. The manner in which the spores are formed, called here the ‘monopolar repetitive budding process’, is discussed.

Description: Attention is drawn to the fact that the development of ascostromatic fungi is so diverse that it is possible to recognize a number of differently organized groups. Some of these groups correspond to the developmental types recognized by Luttrell but it is also shown that his Pleospora-type is not homogeneous, comprising as it does a number of categories, each of which has its own type of development of the ascocarp. To designate structures not indicated before, the new terms tichus, cataphysis, and tinophysis are introduced.

Description: This note is the result of a preliminary investigation made in the summer of 1964. During that season the author visited the coal-mine ”Villoria” of ”Cementos Fradera S.A.” (Asturias, Spain) in order to collect specimens of Carboniferous ostracodes. Two new species of Hollinella were found and are being described in this article. Besides it turned out that, at least in this coal-mine, the marine bed from which the fossils were collected directly overlies one of the two productive zones in the mine. Wherever the marine bed is present it could serve as an aid in determining one’s position in the local stratigraphic sequence.

Description: In a C 14 dated pollen diagram from ”Cienaga del Visitador” (ca 6°8’N; 72°47’ W) in the Colombian Eastern Cordillera the zones Ib + Ic + II (including the Allerød and Bølling interstadials) form one fluctuation in the diagram, as the short cold zone Ic is not reflected. An earlier Late-glacial interstadial is recognized and is called Susacá-interstadial. It probably lasted from about 13900 to 13100 B.P., was colder than the Bølling-interstadial, and is probably reflected in pollen diagrams from other parts of the world. The Holocene part of the diagram shows very high Gramineae-percentages, apparently due to a considerable lowering of the ”tree-line”. This must have been caused by the fact that the Holocene local climate has been much drier than the Late-glacial, even dominating the effect of the increase of temperature on the tree-line. The pollen zonation is nevertheless rather clear, and directly comparable with that from the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy and other areas. The contemporaneity of the Colombian and European pollen zones, strongly suggested or proved by earlier partly-dated diagrams, seems to be fully confirmed by the present one.

Description: In the southern slopes of the Cantabrian mountains (prov. León NW Spain) a miogeosynclinal and non-metamorphic series, 2—3 km thick, of Precambrian to Carboniferous age has been studied. Four main stratigraphic and tectonic units have been recognized: 1. Northern fracture zone of Las Salas, 2. Autochthone of Valdoré, 3. Esla nappe, 4. Western-Bernesga thrust structures. Expression of the Caledonian orogeny is very vague. The rocks have been subjected to tectonic forces during the Hercynian and Alpine orogenies. Epeirogenic movements during the Devonian (Bretonic phase of Stille) preceded large scale folding and thrusting during the early Westphalian (Sudetic phase). During this time the rocks of the Esla nappe have travelled a distance of 15—20 km to the north and northeast. It is suggested, that folding and thrusting happened simultaneously in different parts of the area. Further it is shown that basement configuration as expressed in facies boundaries played an important role putting limits to the rather thin thrust sheet during its movement. Fundamental weakness zones border the thrusted area. The Asturian phase of Stille may be held responsible for a great amount of refolding of the previously- formed thrust structures. To the north of the thrusting boundary i.e. fracture zone of Las Salas otherwise León line of de Sitter (1962 b), Westphalian deposits are found resting unconformably on rocks, that are represented in the nappe. So in the north and in front of the thrusts deposition went on during „middle” and upper Carboniferous times. Stephanian coal bearing rocks in the northern fracture zone are unconformably resting on both the Westphalian and the Older Palaeozoic thrusted series. Likewise Stephanian rocks of the Sabero basin in the south fill a depression in the nappe. This depression also occurs on a fundamental zone of weakness, the Sabero-Gordon line. From several locations it is inferred, that the tectonic forces, which folded the Stephanian rocks severely, left the older Palaeozoic, Sudetic and Asturian folded,rocks practically unaltered. The southern border zone is seen as an Alpine flexure zone; in places the Cretaceous steeply covers the previously mentioned series. Morphogenetic uplift of the chain most probably is accounted for by the Pyrenean phase. The Tertiary conglomerates of the Duero basin are to be derived from this uplift. It is held, that none of the mentioned unconformable rocks have covered the older Palaeozoic thrust series as full and uninterrupted blankets. The basin configuration of the Cambrian as described by Lotze 1961 is supported by stratigraphic and tectonic observations in the area. Thus Lotze’s Cambro-Ordovician geosyncline may have been tectonised as late as the Devonian—Lower Carboniferous. De Sitter’s view, that the thrustsheets contained in the Leonides moved from south (center of preceding basin) to north is confirmed by stratigraphic and tectonic evidence. In the east-west striking part of the Asturian—Cantabrian chain only the miogeosynclinal part of the greater subsidence is disclosed to our inquiry, the orthogeosynclinal development was not uplifted.

Description: La structure microscopique du test de quelques Spirifères dévoniens espagnols a été étudiée. Il se trouve qu’on peut distinguer différentes couches: la couche de King extérieure, granuleuse, comparable au ”primary layer” de Williams; la couche prismatique aux prismes obliques (= fibrotest s.s. de Vandercammen); le myotest aux points d’attache des muscles, et la couche mediane, le médiotest, dans les lamelles dentaires. Le myotest et le médiotest forment donc le prismotest de Vandercammen. Les lamelles de croissance ont été classées en trois types dont les lamelles libres sont les plus remarquables. Celles-ci sont dues à un arrêt de croissance et à une rétraction palléale, de sorte que le manteau s’est détaché de la couche granuleuse et aussi de la couche prismatique (= fibrotest s.s.). Des épines marginales massives ont été trouvées dans Hysterolites spec; il pourrait y avoir un rapport entre les épines et les soies sensorielles. De la position du deltidium on peut conclure que la jonction entre l’épithélium coquillier et l’épithélium pédonculaire se trouve à l’extérieur des deux rainures deltidiales. Probablement la plaque delthyriale n’est pas vraiment l’homologue du col pédonculaire des Brachipodes récents. Les cavités glénoïdes se forment entre les crura et les deux bords de l’aréa dorsale. Elles s’étendent dans un sens parallèle au plan médian. Des extensions secondaires à partir des bases crurales et du fond de la valve dorsale, peuvent produire des plaques apicales dorsales, à savoir les plaques crurales. Le brachidium s’agrandit par sécrétion calcaire d’une part et par résorption d’autre part.

Description: During an extensive investigation on Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous pollen and spores we were able to make a detailed study of Classopollis (Pflug 1953) Pocock & Jansonius 1961. The basic material for our study consisted of a boring section in the East of Holland, that was very kindly placed to the disposal of Dr. Th. van der Hammen, head of the Palynological Laboratory, by the N.V. Nederlandsche Aardolie Maatschappij (N.A.M.) in Oldenzaal. The grains of Classopollis form an interesting object of inquiry because of the complexity of features to be observed on these grains. All that has been published about Classopollis before has been insufficient for any comparison with new material, both concerning the descriptions and the illustrations. It was the outstanding publication of Pocock and Jansonius (1961), that contained detailed and complete descriptions of some Classopollis species which permitted us to make a comparison with the Dutch Classopollis grains.

Description: This study of the calcareous algae in the limestone deposits of the two formations (San Emiliano and Lois-Ciguera) in NW Spain is based on field observations and microscopical study. It was possible in the field to divide almost all the limestone members into smaller units on the basis of physical, chemical and biological composition of the rocks. After studying the organic content of the rocks, it appeared that there was a close connection between their lithological and biological composition. With these aspects known, it became a fact that units with a given composition alternated in a regular sequence. This offered the possibility of recognising a cyclical sedimentation within a single limestone member. Considering the special properties of the cyclical sedimentation, such as the fact that it is only found in CaCO3 containing layers and the small size of the cycles, the name minor cycle has been suggested for such deposits. Two facies types can be distinguished: (1) originating in a quiet milieu, and (2) facies originating in a disturbed milieu (these were called limestone facies type A and limestone facies type B, respectively). It is typical of the limestones which were deposited in facies type A, that, amongst other properties, they have very little terrigenous material in their matrix, while those of facies type B contain large quantities in their matrix. A mixture between the two facies types was also observed and called facies type AB. The microscopical study was aimed to investigate: 1. the characteristics of the limestone construction, 2. the quantitative composition of the fauna and flora over the whole area; in a member in a minor cycle, and in a bed, 3. certain environmental changes, which affected the composition of the organic material. A detailed study has shown that two types of limestone are present, with respect to origin, manner of accumulation, and texture. These are skeletal and fragmental limestones. The skeletal limestones can occur as reefs and as banks. Proportionately, there are as many banks as fragmental limestones, and fewer reef limestones. It became clear, from the quantitative analysis, that the algae were by far the most important rock builders. Brachiopods, Foraminifera, corals, and gastropods also form a considerable fraction. There are fewer bryozoans, trilobites and ostracods present in detectable numbers. In the qualitative analysis, various associations of organisms were found, which must be considered as constant associations. It has thus been established that associations of, gastropods with red algae (mainly specimens of the genus Archaeolithophyllum), brachiopods with bryozoans and echinoderms, corals with blue green algae, Foraminifera with algae and echinoderms, are often found. On the other hand, gastropods are found with brachiopods and bryozoans, Foraminifera with brachiopods and bryozoans, and calcareous algae with brachiopods and bryozoans, can be considered as less frequent associations. An exception is the association of brachiopods with gastropods and red algae, in oolitic beds. These elements, however, lived in a special environment and this resulted in an exceptional composition of dwarf elements. Sometimes, clear changes could be seen in the composition of the flora and fauna within a bed. These changes can be qualitative and quantitative. It is noticeable, in most echinoderm beds, that the percentage of brachiopod fragments increases from the bottom to the top. The composition of other beds also shows such changes with other types of organic remains. The algal beds can generally be divided into three parts, on the basis of their biofraction composition. This can be explained by changes in one or more of the environmental components. Until now, no attention has been paid to a study of the rich algal flora in the Carboniferous deposits of NW Spain. 21 genera (4 new) and 26 species (15 new ones) have now been described. There are 8 species (7 genera) of red algae, 15 species (11 genera) of green algae, and 3 species of blue-green algae. The systematic position of the red algae, which are found in the area, has not yet been fully determined, thus two newly described genera Amorfia and Pseudokomia have been placed in the first group — according to Johnson's usage the ”Red algae of uncertain affinities”, together with the genera Cuneiphycus, Komia, Archaeolithophyllum, Petschoria, and Ungdarella. Three new species of red algae are described: Archaeolithophyllum johnsoni, Amorfia jalinki, and Pseudokomia cansecoensis. The largest proportion of the green algae belong to the family Dasycladaceae, 11 species (8 genera) are described in the present work, nine of these being new. These are Beresella hermineae, Epimastopora bodoniensis, Epimastopora rolloensis, Epimastopora sp., Macroporella ginkeli, Mellporella beundermani, Mellporella anthracoporella – formis, Uraloporella sieswerdai, and Zaporella cantabriensis. The new genera are Mellporella and Zaporella. 4 new species of the family Codiacea are described (3 genera), 3 of these species are new: Donezella lunaensis, Eugonophyllum mulderi, and Ortonella myrae. Strong arguments, on the basis of algal body construction, were found for placing the new species, Donezella lunaensis, in the family Codiaceae. The blue-green algae could not be specifically determined because of their generally poorly preserved structures. Of these, Girvanella sp., Osagia sp., and Pycnostroma sp., were described.

Description: Geology and soils in general Surinam is situated at the northern edge of the very old and stable Guiana shield. Six-sevenths of the country’s surface are occupied by formations belonging to the shield and designated together as the basal complex. However, the Roraima formation does not belong to the complex. It was deposited during the Mesozoic (probably the Cretaceous) as a thick layer mainly consisting of sandstone that covered the greater part of the shield. Later on the original sandstone plateau was dissected, a process accelerated by the uplifting of the shield, and finally it disappeared almost completely by erosion. The former surface is now only represented by the flat tops of some table-mountains one of which is found in the interior of Surinam: Tafelberg. See Schols & Cohen (1953). The surface of the northern seventh part of the country is occupied by deposits of Quaternary age. In general may be distinguished (from the south to the north): 1) The Zanderij formation, consisting mainly of sands of continental origin; 2) the Coropina formation, comprising the “old coastal plain”; the main parts are (a) the so-called “schols”, i.e. the remnants of an old sea-clay plain, separated by filled-up tidal gullies, and (b) the remnants of the offshore bars that formerly separated the plain from the sea; 3) the Demerara formation, comprising the “young coastal plain”. See Van der Eyk (1954, 1957). Geological-pedological classification of the savannas Savannas are found on the basal complex, the Roraima, the Zanderij and the Coropina formation. Cohen & Van der Eyk (1953) classify them as follows: I Savannas of the Coropina formation 1. Watamalejo-type – on the offshore bars 2. Welgelegen-type – on the “schols” II Savannas of the Zanderij formation a. Kasipora-type – on dry bleached sand soils b. Zanderij-type – on wet bleached sand soils c. Coesewijne-type – on non-bleached soils III Savannas of the Roraima formation: Tafelberg-type IV Savannas of the basal complex 1. Paroe-type – on granitic soils 2. Bosland-type – on schist hills 3. Saban-pasi-type – on subgraywacke hills Savanna soils The climate is characterized by the sequence of a long rainy season (April-July), a long dry season (August-November), a short rainy season (December-January) and a short dry season (February-March). In connection with this periodicity the water-table in many places fluctuates strongly in the course of the year. During the dry seasons the upper layers of the savanna soils are always completely dry, except just after a shower. A soil is called very dry if even during the rainy seasons the upper layers are not influenced by the ground water. A very wet soil, however, at this period is covered by some cm of water; in addition it is characterized by many small hummocks, in Surinam called “kawfoetoes”, which are built up by worms and in which these animals are able to keep their heads above the water. Certain soils occur that in spite of deep watertables are wet, because an impermeable layer in the subsoil impedes drainage of the topsoil. Of course there is a scala between the extremes “very dry” and “very wet”. The texture of the upper layers ranges from bleached and slightly red sand to sandy and silty clay. Object of the investigation The flora and the vegetation of the northern Surinam savannas are the object of this investigation. These savannas do not only represent the types of the Zanderijand the Coropina-formation, but also the Bosland- and the Saban-pasi-type, for these two types are present on the basal complex only near its northern border. The following savannas have been studied. Welgelegen-type: the savannas of Bersaba and Vierkinderen, the Bigi-olo savanna near Hanover and the Fransina savanna near Welgelegen; Kasipora- and Zanderij-type: the white-sandy part of the Lobin savanna near Zanderij; Coesewijne-type: the loamy part of the Lobin savanna, the savanna Mimili Okili near Powaka, the Doti savanna near Wisawini and the Coesewijne savanna near Bigipoika; Saban-pasi-type: the Gros savanna and the De Jong Noord savanna. Data of some other authors pertaining to these and the other types have also been taken into account, some published (Lanjouw, 1936; Maguire c.s., 1948; Heyligers, 1963), some unpublished. The savannas present a marked diversity, among other things with regard to the structure of their vegetation. However, nearly all satisfy this definition: “A savanna (or a campo) is an area with a xeromorphic vegetation comprising an ecologically dominant ground layer consisting mainly of grasses, sometimes together with sedges, and with or without trees and/or shrubs either forming a more or less continuous layer, or in groups, or isolated.” The species have been studied with respect to the relation with the habitat, the means of dispersal and the area of distribution, all in mutual correlation. Vegetationunits have been distinguished and classified; ecological and chorologic aspects have been taken into account. A combination of all data, obtained during this as well as former investigations by others, permits the drawing of a provisional and general picture of the flora and the vegetation of the northern Surinam savannas as far as the present aspects are concerned. The following statements all apply to N. Surinam only, unless mentioned otherwise. Flora Habitat in general. Nearly all plants occurring on the savannas are heliophilous and are able to survive repeated burning. The flora of the open vegetation types consists of about 270 species the majority of which (72 %) is restricted to the open savannas. However, there are species occurring either in other open situations too, partly as weeds (8 %), or on wet savannas and other wet places (3 %), or in savanna rivulets and in swamps (7 %), or in savanna bushes (8 %). Out of ca. 100 species of the savanna bushes only 15 % are restricted to this vegetation type. The other species occur either also in the open savanna (20 %), or along forest borders (8 %), or in savanna wood and forest (23 %) and/or even in rain forest (31 %). A group of 12 % belonging to the last category does not flower or even not grow high in the bushes. Quite apart from this division other groups may be distinguished among the species of the bushes in the following way: occurring also in secondary forest (31 %) in marsh forest (9 %), in swamps (3 %). The trees and shrubs of the savannas support only few epiphytes and (half-) parasites; these belong to 19 different species. In the field nearly all species show some (factual) range with regard to the degree of moistness and the texture of the soil. The texture itself is not necessarily the decisive factor as there is a relation between the texture and some other properties of the soil, e.g. the consistency and the mineral content. This has not been further investigated. The same holds for the species preferring slightly shaded localities. These spots have a microclimate that differs more from that of its surroundings than in light intensity only. The majority of the open-savanna species have diaspores that are not obviously adapted to any agent of dispersal (71 %). The remaining 29 % are distributed over 6 different categories. The diaspores of the species of the bushes belong partly to the non-adapted forms too (35 %), but 50 % of them are fleshy. Generally speaking, the savanna species have a wider geographic distribution than the spieces of the flora of Surinam as a whole. This is particularly true for the opensavanna species. On the basis of similar areas of distribution the species are classed under 6 geographic elements, viz. the Guianan (G), the northern South-American (N), the northern + eastern South-American (NE), the Middle- and northern + eastern South-American (MNE), the South-American (S) and the American element (A). The distribution of the species of the open-savanna vegetations and of the bushes, respectively, among the geographic elements is as follows (percentages): G 12 : 26; N 11: 18; NE 16 : 13; MNE 10 ; 3; S 9 : 18; A 42 : 22. It appears from a comparison of these figures too, that the species of the first group in general have a wider distribution. Apart from the geographic elements the Roraima element has been distinguished. It comprises all species collected on one or several of the table-mountains in the Guianan interior. The distribution of these species among the geographic elements does not differ considerably from the one of the savanna flora as a whole. It may have appeared already from the foregoing that the species of the bushes, though presenting a higher percentage of adapted diaspores, nevertheless do not have areas of distribution wider than those of the open-savanna species. The expected correlation is, however, apparent if the two groups are considered separately: the mean area of distribution of the species with adapted diaspores is wider than the one of those with non-adapted diaspores. A comparison of the ecological and the chorologic aspects brings to the fore two focal points within the savanna flora: The elements with a small distribution (G and N) are most numerously represented on wet to very wet sandy (in particular white-sandy) soils, whereas the elements with a wide distribution (MNE, S and A) are concentrated on dry and moist non-bleached sands and loams and on very wet soils and present a preference-top on dry and moist loamy sand. The Roraima species are by far the most numerous on the wet white sand, in general they are more numerous on wet than on dry soils. Vegetation Vegetation-units have been distinguished and classified according to the BraunBlanquel school. It has been attempted to make the groups of so-called characteristic and differential species correspond with ecological groups in the sense of Duvigneaud (1946, 1949). The latter consist of species with clear, sociological affinities between them because of similar habitat requirements. The open-savanna (and orchard-savanna) vegetation-types have been united into a single class which is defined and divided as follows: Class Leptocoryphio-Trachypogonetea. Principal species; Trachypogon plumosus, Leptocoryphium lanatum, Axonopus pulcher and Rhynchospora barbata. It seems likely that this class and its subdivision up to and including the alliances may be applied to the whole of Guiana. 1. Order Trachypogonetalia plumosi. Principal species: Trachypogon plumosus, Axonopus pulcher and Bulbostylis junciformis. On very dry to moist soils. 1.1. Alliance Cassio (ramosae)-Trachypogonion. Principal species: Axonopus pulcher Trachypogon plumosus, and Bulbostylis conifera. On white sands. There are 3 or 4 associations two of which occur on open patches between so-called muri-bushes (see B1). Distribution: Kasipora-type; Guiana and adjoining parts of Brazil. 1.2. Alliance Curatello-Trachypogonion. Among the many tens of species the most common ones are Trachypogon plumosus, Axonopus pulcher, Schizachyrium riedelii and Heliconia psitlacorum. Usually there is a thin layer of trees mainly consisting of Curalella americana, giving the vegetation the aspect of a type of so-called orchard savanna. A rather large part of the species occurs outside the savannas on other open spots too. The alliance occurs on pure reddish and on loamy sands. On the savannas of the Coesewijne- and the Welgelegen-type 5 associations are present. Similar vegetation types are found throughout Guiana, on the central Venezuelan llanos and far into E. Brazil. 1.3. Alliance Rhynchosporo (barbatae) – Trachvpogonion. Principal species: Axonopus pulcher, Leptocoryphium lanatum, Mesosetum cayennense, Bulbostylis conifera and Rhynchospora barbata var. barbata. On sandy (clay) loam. Two associations on savannas of the Coesewijne-type; they are related to vegetation types in French Guiana and in regions farther to the west, up to the Venezuelan llanos and some of the West Indian Islands. 2. Order Paspaletalia pulchelli. Leptocoryphium lanatum is the only species which is common in all communities of this order. In general the vegetations are not closed. On wet (or even very wet) soils. 2.1. Alliance Syngonantho-Xyridion. Principal species: Paspalum pulchellum, Panicum micranthum, Rhynchospora barbata var. glabra, R. graminea, Xyris guianensis and Abolboda americana. On white sands, wet and very wet. Three associations are found on the savannas of the Zanderij- and the Watamalejo-type. Distribution: Guiana and adjoining parts of Brazil, also on the table-mountains of the Guianan highlands. 2.2. Alliance Bulbostylidion lanatae. Principal species: Trachvpogon plumosus, Paspalum pulchellum, Panicum micranthum, Mesosetum tenuifolium, Rhynchospora barbata var. barbata and R. rhizomatosa. On loamy sand and sandy loam; wet. In northern Surinam 5 associations occur on savannas of the Saban-pasi- and the Watamalejo-type. Distribution: Guiana, probably also on the table-mountains. 2.3. Alliance Imperato (brasiliensis)-Mesosetion (cayennensis). Principal species: Leptocoryphium lanatum, Mesosetum cayennense, Imperata brasiliensis, Rhynchospora barbata var. barbata and R. globosa. On wet sandy loam and heavier soil types. Four associations on savannas of the Coesewijne-, Welgelegen- and Saban-pasi-type. Related vegetation types occur, as far as known, only in regions more to the west, up to the llanos and Guatemala. 3. Order Panicelalia stenodis. Principal species: Leptocoryphium lanatum, Panicum nervosum, Hvpogynium virgatum, Heliconia psittacorum and Tibouchina aspera. On very wet soils, in savanna rivulets and small depressions. There are 2 alliances, both showing relationship with vegetation types occurring in regions more to the west, up to the llanos and some West Indian Islands. 3.1. Alliance Axonopodion chrysitis. Principal species: Leptocorvphium lanatum, Panicum nervosum, Rhynchospora globosa and Tibouchina aspera. On very wet soils of sandy loam and heavier. In N. Surinam 3 associations are found on savannas of the same types as alliance 2.3. 3.2. Alliance Mauritio-Hypogynion (virgati). Principal species: Hypogynium virgatum, Leptocoryphium lanatum, Panicum nervosum, Rhynchospora glauca, Heliconia psittacorum and Tibouchina aspera. Typical are the tall palms of Mauritia flexuosa. The alliance has rather many species in common with the communities of swamps, e.g. Blechnum indicum and Rhynchospora cyperoides. There are 3 associations, found in rivulets and depressions on savannas of all types. The different types of savanna-bushes are merely described. A classification on floristic grounds would be justified only if the savanna woods and forests were included in it too. B1. Ternstroemia-Matayba bushes. See Heyligers (1963). Principal species: Ternstroemia punctata, Clusia fockeana, Licania incana, Humiria balsamifera var. guianensis (“muri”), Pagamea capitata, Matayba opaca and Conomorpha magnoliifolia. On dry white sand. B2. Rapanea bushes. Principal species: Rapanea guianensis, Davilla aspera, Tapirira guianensis, Symplocos guianensis, Miconia rubiginosa, Byrsonima crassifolia, B. coccolobifolia and Curatella americana. On dry loamy sand and dry sandy loam. B3. Cupania bushes. Principal species: Cupania scrobiculata var. frondosa. Byrsonima crassifolia, Davilla aspera, Miconia ciliata, Maprounea guianensis, Symplocos guianensis Protium heptaphyllum, and Curatella americana. On moist loamy sand and moist sandy loam. B4. Clusia-Scleria bushes. See Heyligers (1963). Principal species: Licania incana, Clusia fockeana, Bactris campestris and Scleria pyramidalis. On wet white sand. B5. Marlierea bushes. Principal species: Marlierea montana, Bactris campestris and Licania incana. On wet loamy sand. B6. Roupala-Antonia bushes. Principal species: Roupala montana, Antonia ovata, Davilla aspera, Miconia ciliata, Bactris campestris, Licania incana, Humiria balsamifera div. var., Pagamea guianensis and Marlierea montana. On knolls of pebbles embedded in sandy loam; wet. Existence, origin and maintenance of the savannas There is no type of climate that accounts for a savanna vegetation irrespective of other conditions. However, a climate that permits the existence of savanna vegetations may be called a “savanna climate”. The latter is characterized by a certain difference between the precipitation in dry and wet seasons, independent of absolute values. The climate of northern Surinam is a savanna climate in this sense. A savanna vegetation is natural, i.e. determined edaphically, if the upper layer of the soil is alternately desiccated and saturated with water, thus in general in wet and very wet localities and in rivulets. As far as known the following savanna types and vegetation types are involved in this situation (the rivulets left out of consideration): Watamalejo (2.1) Welgelegen, partly (2.2), Zanderij (2.1 and B4), Saban-pasi (2.1 and B5, 2.2. and B6) and Bosland (?). A savanna vegetation occurs in dry localities only if fires prevent the formation of a closed layer of trees or shrubs. This is found among the following types: Welgelegen, partly (1.2 and 1.3), Coesewijne (1.2 and B2, 1.3 and B3) and Kasipora (1.1 and B1). Parts of the savannas of the Welgelegen-, Coesewijne- and Saban-pasi-type occupied now by vegetations of the Imperato-Mesosetion (2.3) and the Axonopodion chrysitis (3.1) would probably be overgrown very slowly by the surrounding forest and only starting from its edges if the fires were stopped. It might be easily assumed that savannas owing their maintenance at present only to deliberate burning, originated from forests as a result of human interference as well. However, the possibility may not be excluded that they came into existence very long ago, either caused by natural fires or in consequence of a water economy of the soil differing from the present one. Final conclusions All available data concerning the flora and the vegetation of the northern Surinam savannas justify the following theories: The wet white-sand savannas of the Zanderij-type have vegetation types (2.1) consisting of species that mainly stem from formerly or still existing savannas on the basal complex and on the Roraima formation, probably chiefly on the latter. These species may have reached the Zanderij formation either directly by means of series of savannas in the interior that still may have been present during the break-down of the Roraima plateau, or indirectly by the way of other sandy regions bordering the edges of the Guiana shield. The vegetations of the savannas belonging to the Saban-pasi-type on wet loamy sand and sandy loam (2.2) consist of species which already for a long time were common to the basal complex and the Roraima plateau or/and which originated from the plateau, and besides of species that developed on the basal complex or migrated from elsewhere to the subgraywacke-area. The savannas of the Watamalejo-type and of the Welgelegen-type N. of the Wane-creek have a flora that may be regarded as a selection from that of the two preceding types. The vegetation types on dry and moist, red, pure and loamy sands belonging to the Coesewijne- and the Welgelegen-type (1.2) have a high percentage of their species in common with the campos of central and eastern Brazil. It seems possible that these species came to N. Surinam from the campos. The species combination of the savanna vegetations from other habitats does not permit a conclusion with regard to their possible origin.

Description: A revision of the Euphorbiaceous genus Meineckia has resulted in the recognition of 19 species, with 7 subspecies and 2 varieties (for a total of 25 distinct taxa). Proposed as new are 5 species and 1 subspecies, while new combinations are necessary for 14 species and 6 subspecific taxa. The extraordinary confusion in the taxonomic history of the genus is illustrated by the fact that the 14 previously recognized species have been classified under 6 different generic names: Cluytiandra, Flueggea, Neopeltandra, Peltandra, Phyllanthus, and Securinega. As revised, the number of species represented in the different regions is as follows: America, 3; Africa and Arabia, 4; Madagascar, 8; India and Ceylon, 4. The genus appears to be of African origin and is probably most closely related to Zimmermannia.

Description: It is certainly nothing new to state that palm taxonomy is still in a rather poor condition, despite the work of so many specialists. Linnaeus (1753) in his Species Plantarum did not describe any American palm. Soon afterwards a few species were described, e.g. by Jacquin (1763), Gaertner (1788), and Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth (1816), to mention only a few authors of species occurring in Suriname.

Description: De Marseille à la frontière espagnole s’étend le long de la Méditerranée une large plaine côtière. En arrière de la côte s’allonge une chaîne d’étangs saumâtres peu profonds, qui avaient autrefois une étendue beaucoup plus grande. Le comblement de ces étangs se poursuit (voir Braun-Blanquet et al., 1958). Autour des étangs, la végétation halophile, qui prend une grande extension, s’ordonne selon la salinité du sol. La succession de la végétation, à partir des étangs jusqu’au Populetum albae, passe par les associations suivantes: Suaedo-Salsoletum, Salicornietum fruticosae, Junco-Triglochinetum, Agropyro-Inuletum, Caricetum divisae, Agropyro-Trifolietum maritimi et Molinietum mediterraneum.

Description: Noona Dan Expedition. In April 1961 the Danish schooner Noona Dan with a staff of 19, three of them botanists, left Copenhagen to explore in the Philippines during August and September on Palawan, then for two weeks on Balabac, then for a month on Tawitawi; the last two weeks of the year were spent near Zamboanga in Mindanao. The first half of 1962 was spent in the Bismarck Archipelago. In the middle of August, the Solomon Islands were visited; in September-October the expedition members returned to the University of Copenhagen. About 5000 herbarium specimens were collected; especially during the last part of the expedition attention was paid to fungi (T. Wolff in Nature 198, 1963, 1044-1045).

Description: Ferns. At Kew, Dr. R. E. Holttum is continuing his work on the Thelypteris Group. Dr. K. U. Kramer of Utrecht concluded his revision of the Lindsaea Group for the Flora Malesiana, part of his world monograph. Isomeris is included in Lindsaea as a section.

Description: A revision of the genera Geoglossum, Microglossum, and Trichoglossum as represented by collections made in West Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sikkim, and Tibet is given. Several species from this area are recorded for the first time. Geoglossum glabrum, albeit not indigenous, is discussed and shown to be a nomen dubium; the name as used in the sense of Nannfeldt is replaced by G. sphagnophilum. The name Geoglossum nigritum is a misapplication, so that for it G. umbratile is re-introduced. Geoglossum umbratile var. heterosporum is a new combination.

Description: After a distinguished career as a collaborator of Prof. Hugo de Vries, the famous geneticist, Karel Bernard Boedijn (born June 29, 1893, at Amsterdam) became a mycologist, and it is in this latter capacity that he will be primarily remembered. He had already started to pay attention to the fungi during his Amsterdam period when C. van Overeem, Miss D. M. G. de Haas (who later married van Overeem), and Boedijn banded together and called themselves the “Mycologisch Museum te Weesp”. They started building up a collection which, however, never became very big. After some years van Overeem accepted a position in the Herbarium of the Botanic Gardens at Buitenzorg (now Bogor) in Java, where he died after a short but active period (1921-1927). The collections on liquid of the “Mycologisch Museum” are now at the ”Hugo de Vries-Laboratorium”, Amsterdam, while the dried material, taken to Java by van Overeem, will be found in the collections of Herbarium Bogoriense.

Description: The genus Hygrophorus is perhaps one of the most attractive among the genera of the Agaricales. It is surprising, therefore, that no full treatment of this genus in Europe has ever been published. Doubtless, European mycologists will be strongly stimulated by this American monograph in which 244 taxa are described and 116 illustrated by excellent black and white photographs. Of these 244 taxa, 41 are new to science: about 65 occur also in Europe. The European mycologist will be astonished by the strikingly high number of taxa in this monograph. The “Flore analytique” of Kühner & Romagnesi covers 80 species and varieties of Hygrophorus and there are 86 in the second edition of Moser’s “Die Röhrlinge, Blätter- und Bauchpilze”. Though the actual number of taxa of Hygrophorus in Europe may be much higher (Orton’s treatment of Hygrocybe in the “New check list of British Agarics and Boleti” is already an indication), it is not to be expected that Europe will have more than half as many species as North America.

Description: The petrography and the structural geology of some parts of the ”Hercynian” orogene of western Galicia is discussed. The oldest rocks are metasediments and orthogneisses which have some relic-structures of an older orogeny. The ”Hercynian” migmatization gave rise to a large series of anatectic granite formations. Three ”Hercynian” phases of deformation, all with a WSW-ENE-directed stress-field, have been distinguished. Younger wrench-faults are originated by the same stress-field. Some fabric analyses show that the first two phases have a sub-vertical, NNW-SSE-striking schistosity, each with a horizontal B-axis, and that the third phase has a vertical N-S-striking cleavage with a vertical B’-axis. The migmatization took place after the first phase.