Newsletter Nº 38 (1-2)

May 2009

OPTIMA Newsletter

OPTIMA Newsletter is a news journal OPTIMA Secretariat for the presentation and discussion of Via Lincoln 2/A issues pertinent to Mediterranean I-90123 Palermo, Italy. Tel.: + 39 091 6238232 botany, published by the Secretariat of Fax: + 39 091 6238203 the Organization for the Phyto- E-mail: [email protected] Taxonomic Investigation of the http://www.optima-bot.org Mediterranean Area.

ISSN 0376-5016 38: 1-31, (1)-(78), (2009), OPTIMA Newslett.

The OPTIMA Secretariat gratefully acknowledges the support of:

Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche Herbarium Mediterraneum Università degli Studi di Palermo Panormitanum Informateur OPTIMA / OPTIMA Newsletter

Editors: W. Greuter and G. Domina Layout: M. J. Albert

Organization for the Phyto-Taxonomic Investigation of the Mediterranean Area

Executive Council 2007-2013 International Board 2007-2013

President: Francesco M. Raimondo, Italy Members: Vice-President: Georgia Kamari, Greece Loutfy Boulos, Egypt Secretary: Werner Greuter, Switzerland Theophanis Constantinidis, Greece Treasurer: Gianniantonio Domina, Italy Avinoam Danin, Israel Members: Tuna Ekim, Turkey Mohammed Fennane, Morocco Eleonora Gabrielian, Armenia Vernon H. Heywood, U. K. José M. Iriondo, Spain Daniel Jeanmonod, Switzerland Nejc Jogan, Slovenia Uzi Plitmann, Israel Stephen Jury, U. K. Benito Valdés, Spain Karol Marhold, Slovak Republic Olja Vasić, Yugoslavia Joël Mathez, France Fréderic Médail, France Christoph Oberprieler, Germany Silvano Onofri, Italy Dražena Papeš, Croatia Auditors Fátima Sales, Portugal Sonja Šiljak-Yakovlev, France Pietro Mazzola, Italy Arne Strid, Sweden Giuseppe Venturella, Italy Pertti Uotila, Finland

Ernst Vitek, Austria

Vladimir Vladimirov, Bulgaria

and the components of the Executive Council

Printed in May 2009 by Tipolitografia Luxograph, Palermo (150 copies). OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

EDITORIAL

When a newsletter mainly includes “olds” rather now freely available (admittedly, they may still produce than news – as is bound to happen when it is produced funny results occasionally – have fun!) A non-edited every few years rather than several times per year – sample of this paragraph, using Voilà traduction there is a problem. When we accepted to take charge (http://tr.voila.fr/traduction_voila.php), follows. of the OPTIMA Secretariat at its new Palermo location En parlant de la langue, vous pouvez noter we were well aware of that problem and were deter- que tous les textes dans la présente édition sont mined to solve it. Once again, finding and implement- écrits dans l'anglais. Ce n'est pas, pouvons nous ing a solution has taken some time, but now we are insister, un départ de la nature fondamentalement there – or so we hope. bilingue d'OPTIMUMS. Les textes soumis à nous The new style OPTIMA Newsletter is a com- dans le français sont acceptables comme aupara- plement to the OPTIMA Web pages, or if you wish, it is vant. Pourtant, la convenance et les considérations a consolidated version of recent, relevant contents of pratiques nous empêchent de produire des versions that Web site. It is produced once every year, to be bilingues d'articles de forum, comme a été fait aupa- sent by electronic mail to all Members; it also exists as ravant. Dans notre expérience, tous sauf chaque a printed version, mainly for the purpose of its perma- Membre d'OPTIMUMS ont une connaissance de nent deposit at the libraries of OPTIMA’s Institutional lecture de la langue anglaise et pour peu qui n'ont members, for archival documentation. pas, les programmes de traduction automatisée sont maintenant librement disponibles (de l'aveu général, You are receiving today your electronic copy of ils peuvent toujours produire des résultats bizarres de the first electronic OPTIMA Newsletter, and will con- temps à autre – amusez-vous!) Un échantillon non- tinue to receive that Newsletter in the future. If you révisé de ce paragraphe, en utilisant Voilà traduction prefer hard copy, we recommend that you just print it (http://tr.voila.fr/traduction_voila.php), suit. out. Alternatively, you may obtain your printed copy by writing to the Secretariat, adding 5 € in cash for post- We have some wishes and requests of our own age and printing cost (you may also order it electroni- that we want to submit to you. cally, using the PayPal system for payment; or you Input and feedback: We would be most grate- may subscribe to future hard-copy Newsletters by ful for receiving your critical opinion and possible sug- adding 5 € to your membership fee). gestions on the present Newsletter – and future ones. In addition, you will receive OPTIMA’s news Also, think of sending us items (announcements, re- items in advance, if and when they become available, quests, information) suited for circulation among the also in the form of an e-mail attachment. Note that Optima Membership. these advance news items will not be formatted nor Address changes: should your e-mail ad- edited linguistically, as they will be when subsequently dress change, please notify the OPTIMA Secre- incorporated into the annual consolidated version. tariat immediately. Speaking of language, you may note that all texts Tailoring our services to your needs: The de- in the present issue are written in English. This is not, fault option is for OPTIMA Members to receive the may we stress, a departure from OPTIMA’s basically news items and consolidated Newsletter in full, as e- bilingual nature. Texts submitted to us in French are mail attachments. At your discretion, you may cancel acceptable as before. However, expediency and practi- that service; or, to save mailbox space, you may re- cal considerations prevent us from producing bilingual place it by e-mail notification of the corresponding link versions of news items, as was done before. In our to the OPTIMA Web pages. Please instruct. experience, all but every OPTIMA Member has a read- ing knowledge of the English language, and for the few Palermo, April 2009 who have not, automatic translation programmes are Werner Greuter and Gianniantonio Domina

May 2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 1 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

PUBLICATIONS OFFER

THE MED-CHECKLIST COMPOSITAE VOLUME AVAILABLE AT LAST!

Werner Greuter, Med-Checklist. A critical published in the volume (Appendix VI); and (9), an inventory of vascular plants of the circum- index of scientific names. Mediterranean countries, 2. Dicotyledones (Com- The first impression of the book is the awe- positae), edited by Werner Greuter and Eckhard some bulk, requiring physical strength and suffi- von Raab-Straube (Pilosella by Siegfried Bräuti- cient space to consult it! Surprisingly, it is not that gam & Werner Greuter; Taraxacum by Jan Kir- heavy (printed on thin paper) with its 1085 pages schner, Jan Štěpánek & Werner Greuter). OP- reflecting the huge amount of work carried out TIMA Secretariat, Palermo, Med-Checklist Trust mainly by Werner Greuter, one of the founders of of OPTIMA, Genève, and Euro+Med Plantbase the series! The introductory part tells the reader Secretariat, Berlin (ISBN: 978-2-8279-0011-4). how the book was prepared. Many collaborators cclxxxvii + 798 pages; cloth. from the Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem have taken part. An international network of experts have provided data and advice The Med-Checklist series started in 1978, on particular countries and regions, and thus con- under the scientific authority of the Organisation tributed to the accuracy, completeness and reli- for the Phyto-Taxonomic Investigation of the ability of the volume. Siegfried Bräutigam co- Mediterranean Area (OPTIMA). It was planned to authored the account of Pilosella; Jan Kirschner comprise 6 volumes, of which volumes 1, 3 & 4 and Jan Štěpánek that of Taraxacum. Editorial have been published so far. Some 20 years after work was shared with Eckhard von Raab Straube. the appearance of the latest Med-checklist vol- ume, vol. 4 (1989), a new one recently (end of The Checklist is a comprehensive syn- December 2008) saw the light! The book is de- onymic catalogue of all species and subspecies of voted to Compositae, the largest family in the the Compositae in the Mediterranean area, pro- Mediterranean area. It comprises: (1), an introduc- viding a correct nomenclature under current taxo- tory chapter explaining the historical background nomic standards. Furthermore, it gives territory- and nature of Med-checklist, its relation with the by-territory distribution for all listed taxa up to the Euro+Med Plantbase project, taxonomic and geo- aggregate level. A total of 278 genera, 4 337 spe- graphic coverage and arrangements, preparation cies and additional 2 384 subspecies (6 721 spe- of the book, sources and references, acknowl- cies and subspecies) are accepted, and more edgements, etc.; (2), a Checklist (synonymic cata- than 19 000 names are recorded in the volume! logue, on 798 pp.) of the Compositae species and The geographic coverage includes all countries subspecies growing in the wild in the countries of surrounding the Mediterranean sea plus Portugal, the Mediterranean area; the taxa are arranged in Bulgaria, Crimea (Ukraine), and Jordan. When- alphabetical order by genera, then by species ever the latest comprehensive and competent within a genus (or section, in Taraxacum), and by studies on particular groups for the Med-checklist subspecies within a species; (3), a list of basic area were available, they were taken into account Floras (Appendix I); (4), additional references and featured in the checklist, including for delimi- (Appendix II); (5), a list of genera arranged by tation of genera, species and subspecies. There- tribes (Appendix III); (6), an alphabetical list of the fore, numerous differences from the well known genera with tribes (Appendix IV); (7), a list of ex- taxonomic scheme in Flora Europaea, vol. 4 cluded hybrids (Appendix V. Hybridae exclusae); (1976), are to be found. (8), an index of new names and combinations

2 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 May 2009 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

A few innovations were introduced in this The Med-checklist, vol. 2, provides very ex- book as compared to the previous Med-checklist haustive, nomenclaturally correct information volumes. For instance, one can find sections about the Compositae and sets up a “common listed under Taraxacum which was never allowed language” for all botanists and other interested in the earlier volumes. And most importantly, one experts from all Mediterranean countries. I am can find new names and combinations validly very glad to have this volume at my personal dis- published here (listed in Appendix VI). posal and strongly recommend anyone interested in the Compositae taxonomy and distribution, The reader may disagree or feel uncom- authors of Floras and Field Guides, botanical fortable with the taxonomic schemes adopted in libraries, etc. to obtain a copy. It is an excellent some of the groups. As a person working on reference book, available for only Euro 120 (plus Hieracium s.l., I myself strongly favour the separa- shipping charges) from: OPTIMA Secretariat, c/o tion of Pilosella and Hieracium s.str. as two dis- Orto Botanico, Via Lincoln 2/A, 90123 Palermo tinct genera, as accepted in Med-Checklist. I also ([email protected]) (25 % discount for regular favour the taxonomic treatment of the former ge- OPTIMA members!). nus, but I dislike the taxonomic concept adopted in the latter one (very broad species, most of them Vladimir Vladimirov, Sofija with numerous subspecies of unknown relations). ([email protected]) However, I do have to admit that this is probably the best (if not the only possible!) treatment of this taxonomically very complex group for such a large area, considering the scarce information and lack of any contemporary work for most of the Mediter- ranean countries.

May 2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 3 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

ORDINARY AND INSTITUTIONAL OPTIMA MEMBERS ARE ENTITLED TO REDUCTIONS ON THE PRICES OF SEVERAL PUBLICATIONS

The following publications are available for sale at Vol. 9: The systematics of Anthemis L. (Compositae, the OPTIMA Secretariat Anthemideae) in W and C North Africa. Med-Checklist. Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4. Mem- Vol. 10: An annotated checklist of the flora of the bership discount: 25 %. Abruzzo Flora Mediterranea, volumes 1 to 18 (all pub- Vol. 11: Results of the Fourth “Iter Mediterraneum” in lished). An international scientific journal on plant geog- Cyprus, April 1991 raphy, floristics and systematic botany in its widest Vol. 12: Catalogue of the benthic marine macroalgae of sense, relating to Mediterranean plants of all groups, the Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea whether living or fossil; published annually by the Her- barium Mediterraneum Panormitanum under the aus- Vol. 13: Proceedings of the IX OPTIMA Meeting. Paris, pices of OPTIMA. Membership discount: 70 % (Mem- 11-17 May 1998 bers receive current issues for free, but may wish to Vol. 14: Checklist of the Lichens and lichenicolous Fungi purchase back issue to complete their run). Volume 11 of the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands. is no longer available. Vol. 15: The officinal Flora of Sannio (Benevento, SE - Bocconea, volumes 1-5 and 7-22 (70% and Italy). 20% discount). A series of monographs, with the same subject coverge as Flora Mediterranea, published at Vol. 16: Proceedings of the X OPTIMA Meeting. irregular intervals by the Herbarium Mediterraneum Palermo, 13-19 September 2001, (I & II). Panormitanum under the auspices of OPTIMA. Mem- Vol. 17: Results of the Third "Iter Mediterraneum" in bership discount: 20 %: Sicily, May-June 1990. Vol. 1: Results of the First “Iter Mediterraneum” in south- Vol. 18: Identification key and description of Mediterra- eastern Spain, June-July 1988. nean maquis litter microfungi. Vol. 2: A check-list of Sicilian fungi. Vol. 19: Prooceedings of the VI Conference on Plant Vol. 3: Results of the Second “Iter Mediter-raneum” in Taxonomy in Alghero, 31 May - 2 June 2003. Israel, March-April 1989. Vol. 20: A catalogue of plants growing in Sicily. Vol. 4: Current research on the biology of threatened Vol. 21: Prooceedings of the XI OPTIMA meeting in plant species of the Mediter-ranean Basin and Beograd, 5-11 September 2004. Macaronesia: a database. Vol. 22: Check-list of the Hornworts, Liverworts and Vol. 5: Proceedings of the VII OPTIMA Meeting in Mosses of Italy . Borovetz, 18-30 July 1992, (I and II). Proceedings of OPTIMA Meetings, published as Vol. 6: Contributions towards a checklist of Mediterra- independent volumes or in various journals. Still avail- nean Lichens (out of stock). able for Meetings II, V-VII and IX-XI. Membership dis- Vol. 7: Proceedings of the Workshops on “Con-servation count: 20 %. An overview of all Procedings follows: of the Wild Relatives of European Cultivated Plants”. [I, Iraklio 1975: no proceedings published.] Vol. 8: Catalogue des plantes vasculaires rares, mena- II, Firenze 1977: Proceedings in Webbia 34(1). 1979. cées ou éndemiques du Maroc. [III, Madrid 1980: Proceedings in Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 37(2). 1981.]

4 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 May 2009 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

[IV, Palermo 1983: Proceedings in Webbia 38. [4]: Orchidee spontanee dell’Argentario. 1985.] 1981. V Istanbul 1986: Proceedings published independ- [5]: Die Orchideenflora Albaniens. 1984. ently. 1993. [6]: Die Orchideenflora des Gargano (Italien). 1987. VI Delphi 1989: Proceedings in Botanika Hronika 10. [7]: Die nomenklatorischen Typen der von Linnaeus 1991. veröffentlichten Namen europäischer Orchideen. / Die VII Borovec 1993: Proceedings in Bocconea 5(1-2). Gattung Serapias L. – eine taxonomische Übersicht. 1996/1997. 1989. [VIII Sevilla 1995: Proceedings in Lagascalia 19. [8]: Die Orchideen in em Bilderwerk des Carolus 1997.] Clusius (Libri picturati 16-31). 1990. IX Paris 1998: Proceedings in Bocconea 13. [9]: Die Orchideen in dem Bilderwerk des Carolus 2001. Clusius (Libri picturati A. 16-31). Beiträge zur Geschichte der europäischen Orchideen im 16. Jahrhundert, by S. X Palermo 2001: Proceedings in Bocconea 16(1-2). Künkele & R. Lorenz [Mitteilungsbl. Arbeitskr. Heim. 2003/2004. Orchideen Baden-Württemberg, 22(3): 541-691]. 1990. XI Beograd 2004: Proceedings in Bocconea 21. – Analytical description of a collection of orchid paintings 2007. assembled and used by Carolus Clusius, presently kept XII Pisa 2007: Proceedings in Bocconea (forthco- in the Cracow University library. ming). Publication on Lichens, distributed by OPTIMA OPTIMA Newsletter, published by OPTIMA. on behalf of its Commission on Lichens. P. L. Nimis & J. Still available (mostly in a very limited number of cop- Poelt, The lichens and lichenicolous fungi of Sar- ies): Nos. 5-37(2). Membership discount: 50 %. dinia (Italy). (Studia Geobotanica 7, Suppl. 1). 1987. Membership discount: 50 %. OPTIMA Leaflets, distributed by OPTIMA. Still available (some in a limited number of copies): Nos. Various Publications, published or distributed 24-29, 81-95, 113-215. Details of authors and titles by OPTIMA. All these items are sent for free to those can be seen on the Web (www.optima- interested against refund of the shipping cost! bot.org/publications/leaflets/). Membership discount: [1]: H. W. Lack, Current projects on the Mediterra- 50 %. nean Flora. 1979. Publications on Orchids, distributed by OPTIMA on [2]: [Same] Second edition. 1984 behalf of its Commission for Mapping the Orchids of [3]: W. Greuter, H. M. Burdet & G. Long, Med-Checklist the Mediterranean Area. Eight items (see details on I. Pteridophyta [Preliminary Edition]. 1981. the Web at http://www.optima- bot.org/publications/orchid) were issued, all still avail- [4]: P. V. Arrigoni, E. Nardi & M. Raffaelli, La vegeta- able Membership discount: 50 %. zione del parco naturale della Maremma (Toscana). 1985. 1: Index der Verbreitungskarten für die Orchideen Europas und der Mittelmeerländer. 1979. [5]: M. G. Dia, G. Miceli & F. M. Raimondo, Check-list dei Muschi noti di Sicilia. (Webbia 41: 61-123). 1987. 2: Orchideenforschung und Naturschutz im Mittel- meergebiet. 1981. 3: Die Orchideenflora von Euböa (Griechenland). 1981

May 2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 5 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

PRICE LIST (* Of asterisked items few copies are left: enquire on availability before making a payment!) Med-Checklist Volume Normal Price Member Price Shipping cost 1 € 68 € 51 € 32 2 € 120 € 90 € 11 3 € 80 € 60 € 32 4 € 96 € 73 € 44

Flora Mediterranea Vol. 1-10, Normal Price Member Price Shipping cost 12-18 per volume € 50 € 15 € 10

Bocconea Volume Normal Price Member Price Shipping cost 1 € 45 € 36 € 10 2 € 45 € 36 € 10 3 € 45 € 36 € 10 4 € 45 € 36 € 10 5 (1 & 2) € 180 € 144 € 11 7 € 65 € 52 € 10 8 € 40 € 32 € 10 9 € 45 € 36 € 10 10 € 45 € 36 € 10 11 € 45 € 36 € 10 12 € 45 € 36 € 10 13 € 65 € 52 € 10 14 € 45 € 36 € 10 15 € 40 € 32 € 10 16 (1 & 2) € 130 € 104 € 11 17 € 45 € 36 € 10 18 € 40 € 32 € 10 19 € 45 € 36 € 10 20 € 85 € 68 € 10 21 € 45 € 36 € 10 22 € 40 € 32 € 10

6 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 May 2009 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

Proceedings of OPTIMA Meetings Number Normal Price Member Price Shipping cost II € 60 € 48 € 10 V * € 125 € 100 € 10 VI € 60 € 48 € 10 VII, IX, X, XI see Bocconea vol. 5, 13, 16, 21

OPTIMA Newsletter, issues: 5*, 6*, 7*, 8-9*, 10-11*, 12-13*, 17-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30*, 31*, 32*, 33*, 34*, 35*, 36, 37(1), 37(2) Normal Price Member Price Shipping cost per issue € 5 € 10 € 6

OPTIMA Leaflets, issues: 24-29, 81-95, 113, 114, 115-124*, 125-129, 130-134, 135-140, 141-147, 148-156, 157-164, 165-171, 172-177, 178-189, 190-198, 199-200, 201-215 Normal Price Member Price Shipping cost per issue € 16 € 8 € 6

Publications on Orchids, issues 1, 2, 3, [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]

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Various Publications, items [1], [2], [3], [4], [5] per item unavailable free € 6

Orders: Send all orders to the OPTIMA Secretariat, via Lincoln 2/A, I-90123 Palermo, preferably by fax (+39 091 6238203) or e-mail ([email protected]). Advance payment is required. Please contact the Secretariat for multiple dispatches.

Payment: Payment may accompany the order, preferably so when a single item is ordered. When ordering several items simultaneously, inform yourself beforehand of likely savings on the shipping cost. Information on the actual cost may be obtained from the OPTIMA Secretariat which, on demand, will issue a pro-forma invoice. The following options for payment are available: ¾ Bank transfer to OPTIMA, account No. 240-39619900D (IBAN: CH51 0024 0240 3961 9900 D; BIC: UBSWCHZH80A), Union Bank of Switzerland , CH-8400 Winterthur, Switzerland.

May 2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 7 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

¾ Payment by PayPal, charging your Credit-card (or your PayPal account, if it exists). Please contact the Secretariat by e-mail ([email protected]) ¾ International bank cheque drawn on a Swiss bank, extended to OPTIMA, mailed to the Secretariat. Add € 10 to the total amount to compensate our banking fees.

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Ordinary members receive the electronic Newsletter and News Announcements, a free subscription to Flora Mediterranea, reduced rates on publications and at OPTIMA Meetings, and all the benefits of being a full member. Institutional members, in addition to the above, receive a free subscription to Bocconea and a printed copy of the Newsletter. Associate members receive the electronic Newsletter and News Announcements, but are not enti- tled to any other benefits. Associate membership will become effective immediately upon receipt of the application form. Ordi- nary or institutional membership will become effective upon receipt of the application form and payment of the membership fee for the current year.

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Payments can be made in one of the following ways: ¾ Bank transfer to OPTIMA, account No. 240-39619900D (IBAN: CH51 0024 0240 3961 9900 D; BIC: UBSWCHZH80A), Union Bank of Switzerland, CH-8400 Winterthur, Switzerland. ¾ Payment by PayPal, charging your Credit-card (or your PayPal account, if it exists). Please contact the Secretariat by e-mail ([email protected]) ¾ International bank cheque drawn on a Swiss bank, extended to OPTIMA, mailed to the Secretariat. Add € 10 to the total amount to compensate our banking fees. Make sure that your full name is quoted with your payment. Advance payment for two or more years, at cur- rent membership rates, are accepted. A pro-forma invoice (also for life membership) and receipt of payment will be sent by e-mail upon request (make sure to mention your correct e-mail address).

Please send your application to: OPTIMA Secretariat - Dr. G. Domina, via Lincoln, 2/A, I-90123 Palermo, Italy. An apposite application form is provided on the OPTIMA Website (http://www.optima- bot.org/organization/membership1.htm), that you can either download and print or, preferably, fill in directly on the screen and mail electronically.

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Barter SPECIMENS for OPTIMA membership and Bocconea

Through an agreement between OPTIMA reserves the right to return specimens judged and the Herbarium Mediterraneum Foundation, to be of insufficient quality. you may pay OPTIMA membership fees, or pur- 3. Each herbarium specimen will be worth 1 €. chase volumes of Bocconea, by sending herbar- Each delivery will consist of a minimum of 30 ium specimens to the Herbarium Mediterraneum herbarium sheets. in Palermo. The following conditions apply: 4. Each mailing will include the sender’s name, 1. Only specimens from the following areas are the number of herbarium specimens sent, the acceptable: peri-Mediterranean countries (ex- credit earned and and the purpose it is to be cept Italy and France), plus Portugal and Bul- used for. garia, the Atlantic Islands (Macaronesia), and the domain of Boissier’s “Flora Orientalis” 5. The specimens and form will be mailed to: (Middle East, Transcaucasia, Crimea). Mate- Herbarium Mediterraneum Panormitanum, Via rial from the country of residence (if part of Lincoln 2/A, I-90123 Palermo, Italy. this area) should be given preference. 6. Please also send a communication by e-mail, 2. The herbarium specimens must be un- to the OPTIMA Secretariat in Palermo mounted, in good condition, identified, and ([email protected]). contain complete information on readable, du- rable labels. The Herbarium Mediterraneum

May 2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 9 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

OPTIMA NEWS

by Gianniantonio Domina

OPTIMA Newsletter nº 38 maintains the cover and format launched with NEWSLETTER 37. It includes a huge Notices of Publications section, as might be expected in view of the long break since the previous issue. As you will know, OPTIMA Meeting XII is to be held in Antalya (Turkey) on 22-26 March 2010. The First Circular is included here. Please make sure you pre-register as soon as possible and then register and submit your abstracts in due time. With the hard work and great motivation of our colleagues in Turkey, we are sure the XII OPTIMA Meeting will have great success.

INTERNATIONAL BOARD substantial change. Francesco Maria Raimondo, former Vice-President (in which function he was 2004-2007. The former Board members ap- replaced by Georgia Kamari) is the new Presi- proved the Annual Reports for the years 2003-2006. dent. The former President, Werner Greuter, was In 2004 the International Board approved the unavailable for re-election but accepted to serve a recommendation of the Prize Commission to attrib- Secretary, on the condition that his task be allevi- ute the Gold Medal to Nikola Diklić. It appointed ated by the appointment of a supplementary offi- Santiago Pajarón and Adrián Escudero as auditors cer with the function of Treasurer. This required for the year 2004, renewing that decision in the two the first ever change in OPTIMA’s constitution of following years. During the XI OPTIMA Meeting in 1974, a change that was approved by the Board Belgrade it confirmed the recommendations sub- and became effective upon tacit agreement by the mitted to it by the Councel, detailed below. OPTIMA Membership. The new Treasurer (and in In 2007, it followed the recommendation of effect Deputy Secretary) is Gianniantonio Domina, the Prize Commission and attributed the OPTIMA of Palermo. There were further profound changes Gold Medal to Vernon Heywood. in the OPTIMA Council, as no less than four of its members of long standing decided to leave their International Board elections were due for place to new, and often younger, blood. José the 2007-2013 term. Most of the members of the Iriondo, who had been managing OPTIMA as its International Board expresed their willingness to Secretary for 12 full years, had long announced serve for another term, if elected. The few who that he would step down; his example was fol- declined proposed another candidate from their lowed by Nikola Diklić, Eleonora Gabrielian and country. The OPTIMA Secretariat did not receive Joël Mathez. The Board, having duly honoured any additional proposals from members of the their long years of devoted support, appointed in International Board or Ordinary members of the their stead Mohammed Fennane, Daniel Jean- organization (Art. 16.4 of the OPTIMA Constitu- monod, Benito Valdés, and Olja Vasić. It also tion). Thus, the total number of candidates (includ- appointed Pietro Mazzola and Giuseppe Ven- ing ex-officio members) was equal to thirty, and as turella as auditors for 2007, a mandate subse- no more than two candidates of any one country quently renewed for the years 2008 and 2009. of residence were proposed, the election was tacit (Art. 16.8 of the OPTIMA Constitution). Other important decisions were taken at the Board Meeting in Pisa. One was to accept the The new Board met in Pisa at the XII OP- invitation by Turkish botanists, presented by Tuna TIMA Meeting, to appoint the Executive Council Ekim, to hold the next OPTIMA Meeting in Turkey, Members and Officers for the term 2007-2013. namely in Antalya in the spring of 2010. Themes The governance of our Organisation underwent a and titles suitable for the symposia of that Meeting

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were discussed, and pertinent recommendations XI OPTIMA Meeting be disbanded, with thanks for were made to the new Council. The mandates of services rendered, and that a new Scientific Pro- all OPTIMA Commissions were renewed for a six- gramme Committee for the XII OPTIMA Meeting years term, with only two changes. As proposed be established. by the Commission for the Conservation and Sus- Acting upon a proposal from the Commis- tainable Use of Plant Resources its name was sion for Fungi, the Council approved the nomina- changed to Commission for Threatened Plants. tion of Boris Ivančević and Cvetomir Denčev as And the Programme Committee for the XII OP- new members of the Fungi Commission. TIMA Meeting, that had fulfilled its mandate, was supplanted by the new And the Programme The Council decided that the OPTIMA Committee for the XIII OPTIMA Meeting. membership fees for 2005 be kept unchanged. In 2008, the Board approved the annual re- In 2005 the Council approved the themes port and the financial report for 2007, submitted for the twelve symposia of the XII OPTIMA Meet- by the Secretary on behalf of the President and ing to be held in Pisa, Italy in 2007. the Executive Council. In 2006 the Council decided to maintain the OPTIMA membership fees for the year 2006 at their current rate. The Council also EXECUTIVE COUNCIL appointed the organisers of the twelve sym- posia of the XII OPTIMA Meeting to be held in In 2004 the Executive Council approved the Pisa, Italy, in September 2007. Prize Commission’s nominations for the award of the OPTIMA Silver Medals. In 2007, a new Executive Council was ap- pointed by the new International Board. It ap- At its meeting held at the XI OPTIMA proved the members proposed for the OPTIMA Meeting in Belgrade, the Council decided to Commissions and Committees for the period submit the following recommendations to the 2007-2013 and confirmed the themes for Sympo- International Board: sia to be held at the XIII OPTIMA Meeting, select- Location of the XII OPTIMA Meeting. The ing suitable organisers for each or, when none Council studied the invitation received from Pisa was at hand, defining the responsibility for their and recommended that the Board accept it. selection. It also decided to raise the OPTIMA Establishment of a new Commission on fees, which starting from the year 2008 are ex- Mediterranean Herbaria. Fennane proposed the pressed in Euros rather than Swiss Francs, the creation of a network of herbaria for the Mediter- amount being unchanged. ranean region and the creation of a herbarium information system linked to the Herbarium Mediterraneum. The objectives of the new Com- SECRETARIAT mission would be to establish links and coordinate The Secretariat was transferred from Ma- activities between herbaria, such as information drid to Palemo in fall 2007. Here and there, it was concerning availability of holdings, the presenta- active managing OPTIMA’s accounts and the tion of herbarium specimens on the internet or accounts of the Publications Commission and lobbying for the network. These activities should Prize Commission. It also managed the member- follow GBIF standards. The Council, subject to the ship files and the distribution and sale of OP- Board’s assent, designated Gianniantonio Domina TIMA’s publications. The OPTIMA Secretariat and Mohammed Fennane as Secretary and worked as a liaising center for the Council and President, respectively. Board members and the working groups and Programme Committee. The Council rec- commissions of our Organization. ommended that the Programme Committee of the

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After a first preparatory year, during which UPDATES ON COMMISSIONS the new team familiarised itself with its tasks and set up the necessary procedures and routines, the PUBLICATIONS COMMISSION Secretariat now feels fully operational, able and Chair: F. M. Raimondo, Palermo willing to cope with its many and far from trivial Secretary/Treasurer: G. Domina, Palermo duties. It is hoped that in the months to come the contacts with the general membership, and also Members: J. Iriondo, Madrid with the Commissions and other organisms of our S. L. Jury, Reading Organisation, can be rebuilt and intensified. Con- siderable attention is devoted, in particular, to the W. Greuter, Berlin design and updating of the OPTIMA Web page, U. Plitman, Jerusalem an instrument of which, we hope, the members will mak good and frequent use. Visit us soon at 2004. The Herbarium Mediterraneum pub- www.optima-bot.org! lished the 14th volume of Flora Mediterranea, which was distributed to the regular members of

OPTIMA free of charge. Volume 17 of Bocconea DEATHS on the III Iter Mediterraneum to Sicily in 1990 was Sadly, we have to report the demise of sev- also published. eral OPTIMA members, well known within and far 2005. The Herbarium Mediterraneum pub- beyond our Organisation. We apologise for possi- lished the 15th volume of Flora Mediterranea, ble omissions in this list. which was distributed to the regular members of Rodolfo Pichi Sermolli, Italy, died 22 April 2005. OPTIMA free of charge. Volume 18 of Bocconea, entitled, “Identification key and description of Suzette Puech, France, died 3 February 2006. mediterranean maquis litter micro-fungi”, by M. Dimitrios Babalonas, Greece, died 14 March 2006. Pasqualetti, was also published. Max Dübendorfer-Derrer, Switzeralnd, died 5 April 2006. 2006. The Herbarium Mediterraneum pub- lished the 16th volume of Flora Mediterranea, which Pierre Broussalis, Turkey, died in August 2006. was distributed to the regular members of OPTIMA Günther Kunkel, Spain, died 4 September 2007. free of charge. Volume 19 of Bocconea, entitled “Proceedings of the VI Conference on Plant Taxon- Carmela Cortini Pedrotti, Italy, died 29 April 2007. omy Alghero, 31 May – 2 June 2003”, was also Nicola Diklić, Republic of Serbia, died 16 No- published.The Commission met in Pisa (2007). vember 2008. In 2007 and 2008 the Herbarium Mediterra- Hellmut Baummann, Switzeralnd, died January 2009. neum published the 17th and 18th volume of Flora Ernest Mayer, Slovenia, died 17 March 2009. Mediterranea, which were distributed to the regu- lar members of OPTIMA free of charge. Volume Obituaries of Carmela Cortini Pedrotti (vol. 20 of Bocconea, entitled “A catalogue of plants 17), Pierre Broussalis and Nicola Diklić (vol. 18) growing in Sicily”, and volume 21, entitled “Pro- have been published in Flora Mediterranea. ceedings of the XI OPTIMA Meeting Beograd, 5- 11 September 2004”, were also published. Publication of the Newsletter is being re- sumed in 2009, in electronic format for distribution to the membership and in a low number of hard copies (150), for archival purposes and distribu- tion to Institutional Members. Personal members may purchase the Newsletter for an extra 5 €.

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COMMISSION FOR THREATENED and dealt with producing methodologies for the PLANTS (FORMERLY: COMMISSION management and monitoring of European crop wild relative taxa. The second, which took place in FOR THE CONSERVATION AND SUS- the Azores in September 2004, focused on ge- TAINABLE USE OF PLANT RE- netic erosion and pollution assessment. SOURCES) 2005. PGR Forum Network, the EU thematic Chair: D. Zohary, Jerusalem network on the in situ conservation of crop wild Secretary: J. M. Iriondo, Madrid relatives, held two workshops. The first took place in Denmark in April 2005 and dealt with threat and Members: T. Constantinidis, Patras conservation assessment of European crop wild D. Draper, Lisboa relative taxa. The final dissemination conference, which took place in Italy in September 2005, com- T. Ekim, Ankara prised the First International Conference on Crop E. Gabrielian, Erevan Wild Relative Conservation and Use. V. H. Heywood, Reading The Commission met in Pisa (2007). it de- cided that in the coming six years, it will focus its A. Santos, Puerto de la Cruz efforts on the study of the reproductive biology 2004. At the Commission meeting held at and genetic systems of selected genera of higher the XI OPTIMA Meeting in Belgrade in September plants, their distribution and adaptation to different 2004, three priority areas of action were outlined. ecological environments, in order to optimise the The first area involved the creation of new seed existing strategies for in-situ and ex-situ conserva- banks in the Mediterranean region and the estab- tion. As possible first target genera, Tulipa and lishment of a network of Mediterranean seed Origanum were suggested. banks. In this respect, Commission members were to compile a complete inventory of seed banks in the Mediterranean area, and funds would COMMISSION FOR FLORISTIC be sought for the organization of a workshop to INVESTIGATION co-ordinate actions among these seed banks. In Chair: B. Valdés , Sevilla this line, two EU-funded projects entitled EN- SCONET (European Native Seed Conservation Secretary: E.Vitek, Wien Network) and GENMEDOC (Genetic Resources Members: S. Bančeva, Sofia of the western Mediterranean) were approved in 2004. The second priority area was the conserva- R. Baldini, Firenze tion of medicinal and aromatic plants in the Medi- T. Constantinidis, Patras terranean. IPGRI was to be contacted and asked G. Domina, Palermo to revitalize these activities in the Mediterranean, and a meeting was to be organised with special- T. Ekim, Ankara ists and institutions working in this field. The third M. Fennane, Rabat priority was the creation of a databank on selected genera of wild relatives of crops. Contacts would O. Fragman, Jerusalem be made with the aim of continuing current efforts D. Jeanmonod, Genève (PGR Forum Network) with emphasis on the Mediterranean region. J. Mathez, Montpellier PGR Forum Network, the EU thematic net- J. Molina, Montpellier work on the in-situ conservation of crop wild rela- F. M. Raimondo, Palermo tives, held two workshops. The first, organised by José Iriondo, took place in Minorca in April 2004 S. Redžić, Sarajevo

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2004-2006. At the Commission meeting handling such issues. Digital pictures from the held at the XI OPTIMA Meeting in Belgrade, this expeditions can also be made available through Commission discussed the XII Iter Mediterra- the OPTIMA Website. neum. This expedition was originally to take place in Libya in 2003. Plans had been going well, when PRIZE COMMISSION contact with the host country was suddenly lost and the expedition had to be adjourned. Turkey Secretary: W. Greuter, Berlin was suggested instead as a possible destination Members: V. Heywood, Reading for the XII Iter Mediterraneum, and Prof. Neriman Özhatay from Istanbul University was tentatively D. Phitos, Patras proposed as organiser. Another possibility was to F. M. Raimondo, Palermo organise an expedition to the former Yugoslavia B. Valdés, Sevilla or Albania with the aid of Dr. Vladimir Stevanović from Belgrade. A third option mentioned was an The Commission received and considered expedition to Sardinia. nominations for the 2007 OPTIMA Gold and Silver Medals, to be awarded at the XII OPTIMA Meet- The publication of the accounts of former ing in Pisa in September 2007. It recommended Itinera Mediterranea was also discussed. The first that they be bestowed upon Vernon Heywood four accounts had been published, but not the (Gold), Ilana Herrnstadt, Toni Nikolić & Jasenka other seven. Ways to speed up the process were Topić, and Pier Virgilio Arrigoni (Silver). examined.

The Commission met in Pisa. It took note of the promise that the material from Greece, still in COMMISSION FOR THE MAPPING OF Patras, would be distributed before the end of ORCHIDS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 2007, and requested that Palermo produce labels AREA as soon as possible for all expeditions for which Contact: H. Baumann, Böblingen the labelling was still pending. It noted that publi- cation of the results of past Itinera was increas- This Commission was dissolved during the ingly lagging behind, as for seven of them (to Pisa meeting for lack of specific activity. Prof. Del Calabria, Morocco, Bulgaria, Armenia, S. France, Prete remains in charge of having the text of the Greece, and W. Spain and Portugal) nothing had “Atlas of Mediterranean Orchids” reviewed from a happened so far. Therefore, the idea of devoting a scientific point of view. Hopefully, the chorological separate volume of Bocconea to the results of Atlas will soon be published and made available each expedition was abandoned. Such results as to OPTIMA members at a reduced price. were obtained could be published in Flora

Mediterranea. As to future Itinera, small, under- explored areas were seen as a priority, N. Africa PROGRAMME COMMITTEE FOR THE being the most interesting general target. Possible XIII OPTIMA MEETING destinations and organisers are being considered. Don't miss the In the future material is to be labelled with provi- sional (field) identifications, and distributed imme- XIII OPTIMA Meeting in Antalya, 2010! diately. There will be a single central database for Chair: T. Ekim, Istanbul all Itinera, including those of the past, to be man- Members: A. Güner, İstanbul aged by the Commission Secretary. The Commis- sion envisaged resuming former activities such as V. Heywood, Reading a registry of expeditions and the publication of a J.M. Iriondo, Madrid Desiderata column in the OPTIMA Newsletter. The Internet was seen as a good instrument for K. H. Kan Başer, Eskisehir

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G. Kamari, Patras far, 1,414 chromosomal records had been pub- lished, covering most of the Mediterranean coun- F. Medail, Aix en Provence tries or territories included in the Med-Checklist N. Özhatay, Istanbul area and Caucasia. It was noted that compared to U. Plitman, Jerusalem the number of contributions in Flora Mediterranea 9-11, there had been a 60% decrease, in line with Y. Roskof, Reading the trend of research toward molecular studies. T.Stuessy, Wien The Commission recognised the importance of encouraging karyosystematic work among young F. Valladares, Madrid scientists. O. Vasić, Belgrade The karyological database "PhytoKaryon" E. Vitek, Wien continued to be operational thanks to a small grant from Patras University. "PhytoKaryon" con- This Committee is busy preparing the Sci- tained over 45,000 records pertaining to more entific Program for the XIII OPTIMA Meeting than 11,000 plant taxa and drawn from more than scheduled to take place in Antalya in 2010. For 1,200 bibliographical units. Provisions had been more information, see the First Circular in the made for the addition of biosystematic data and a Meetings section of this Newsletter. sample data set had been tested. Part of the data included in the database was available for online COMMISSION FOR KARYOSYS- consultation. TEMATICS AND MOLECULAR SYS- “PhytoKaryon” also provided links to four TEMATICS other notable karyological databases: Chair: G. Kamari, Patras ¾ BSBI Database – Cytology at http://rbg- wweb2.rbge.org.uk/BSBI/ from the Royal Bo- Secretary: C. Blanché, Barcelona tanical Garden Edinburgh, covering taxa of Members: M. Ančev, Sofia the British and Irish flora. M. B. Crespo, Alicante ¾ Chromosome numbers for the Italian flora at http://www.dsb.unipi.it/chrobase from the De- M. Erben, München partment of Botanical Sciences of Pisa Uni- E. Nazarova, Erevan versity (F. Garbari). C. Oberprieler, Berlin ¾ Cromocat (part of the general Catalan biodi- N. Özhatay, Istanbul versity database BIOCAT at http://biodiver.bio.ub.es/biocat/homepage.html D. Papeš, Zagreb University of Barcelona (C. Blanché). L. Peruzzi, Pisa ¾ Index to Plant Chromosome Numbers (Mis- S. Šiljak-Yakovlev, Orsay souri Botanical Garden – w3TROPICOS) at http://mobot.mobot.org/W3T/Search/ipcn.html. R. Verlaque, Marseille The Commission suggested that it would be Mediterranean Chromosome Number of interest to link a bibliographic database to the Reports & Molecular Systematic Data Euro-Med and Med-Checklist databases. At the Commission Meeting held on 4 Sep- With regard to molecular systematics, the tember 2004 in Belgrade, the Commission Secre- Commission decided to include this category of tary reported that the column “Mediterranean data in the existing column in Flora Mediterranea Chromosome Number Reports” in Flora Mediter- and invited S. Šiljak-Yakovlev to join the editorial ranea had been published for fourteen years. So

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team, and to take charge to add such data both to HERBARIUM MEDITERRANEUM the Column and to “PhytoKaryon”. COMMISSION 2005. The Commission prepared its Chair: W. Greuter, Berlin “Mediterranean chromosome number reports” Secretary: F. M. Raimondo, Palermo edited by G. Kamari, C. Blanché and F. Garbari as a standing column in Flora Mediterranea. Members: G. Kamari, Patras This year the column contained contributions on J. M. Iriondo, Madrid 42 taxa. S. Jury, Reading 2006. The Commission prepared its “Mediterranean chromosome number reports” B. Valdés, Sevilla edited by G. Kamari, C. Blanché and F. Garbari G. Venturella, Palermo as a standing column in Flora Mediterranea. This year the column contained contributions on The Foundation "pro Herbario Mediterra- 160 taxa. neo" has an Administrative Council as its govern- ing body, in which OPTIMA is represented by its 2007. The Commission met in Pisa. For the Secretary, a member resident in Palermo, and the seventeenth successive year, the Commission Chairman of the Scientific Committee. The scien- had prepared its “Mediterranean chromosome tific activities to which funds from the Foundation number reports”, edited by G. Kamari, C. Blanché are affected are controlled by a Scientific Commit- and F. Garbari, as a standing column in Flora tee of five, four of them designated by OPTIMA Mediterranea. This year the column contained and one by the Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche contributions with 233 records, bringing the total of Palermo University. number to 1,644. Since 2004 the Herbarium Mediterraneum As, the tendency, increasingly, is to pro- Foundation has upheld its offer to accept herbar- duce molecular systematic rather than chromo- ium specimens in exchange for OPTIMA fees some data, it remains desirable (as already sug- and/or the purchase of Bocconea volumes. Each gested in Beogradthree years before) to include herbarium specimen was accepted as equivalent to reference to such data under the Committee’s 1.67 Swiss Francs; currently, the equivalent is 1 €. responsibility. The best way was a new standing Between 2004 and 2007, the Herbarium in this way column in “Flora Mediterranea”, with critically received a total of 1508 herbarium specimens. evaluated “Molecular Systematic Data”, under separate editorship: C. Oberprieler, S. Yakovlev In 2005, OPTIMA member S. W. Breckle and M. Crespo were to be asked.. donated his private herbarium of over 4,000 specimens to the Herbarium Mediterraneum, be- The database “PhytoKaryon” remains op- cause his home base, the Herbarium in Bielefeld erational. Thanks to funds from Patras University, (BIEL) ceased to exist upon his retirement. In the data inputting continues. The database now 2007 the Herbarium Mediterraneum received in holds more than 47,000 records. New spinoffs are bequest the Herbarium of Girolamo Giardina, being designed. The database is temporarily off- consisting of about 10,000 specimens mainly col- line but will be accessible again soon. lected in Sicily. The gift, early in 2009 of the Her- For more information on this Commission’s barium and Botanical Library of Werner Greuter is activities, contact: G. Kamari, E-mail: mentioned elsewhere in these pages. Further mailto:[email protected] donations and bequests are welcome! Research visits of OPTIMA members to the Herbarium Mediterraneum are welcome. As the budget of the Foundation has been halved due to the drop in interest rates (6% to

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3%), external sources have to be tapped to se- XI OPTIMA Meeting in Belgrade, the Commission cure the publication of Bocconea volumes. Among discussed a protocol for maintaining OPTIMA’s those recently published are the Proceedings of Web page up to date. It was envisaged that the the XI OPTIMA Meeting in Belgrade, Bocconea maintenance of the OPTIMA Web page be trans- 22, funded by subscription. ferred to Palermo, where Natale Surano and Giuseppe Bazan could take care of it. Information Two research grants were funded by the was to be provided and updated by Commission Herbarium Mediterraneum. The recipients of Secretaries and the OPTIMA Secretariat. these grants, Svetlana Bančeva from Bulgaria and Mariam Aghababyan from France, presented the The Commission met again in Pisa in 2007. results of their studies in the form of posters at Transfer of the Web pages of OPTIMA to Palermo OPTIMA Meetings. was finally decided there and has since been im- plemented. The contents were transferred from After several meetings with architects the server in Berlin-Dahlem to a commercial and with the assistance of the present Commis- server in Italy. sion, the Foundation “Pro Herbario Mediterra- neo” submitted an outline project to the Govern- The OPTIMA Web pages now contain a ment of the Regione Siciliana for restoring the News column where relevant information can be building that is to house the Herbarium Mediter- added if and when available, to be consolidated raneum. At the request of the President of the from time to time (perhaps annually) into a formal Regione Siciliana, this project, estimated at 12.5 OPTIMA Newsletter. Not only that Newsletter but M€, has been placed on a list of realisations that also individual news items of import will be distrib- is to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the uted electronically, to all interested OPTIMA Unification of Italy. The Presidency of the Council members at the time when they are placed on the of Ministers of the Italian Government partici- OPTIMA Web page. Free distribution of hard copy pates in the funding of these works, which are will henceforth be limited to Institutional Members. expected to be completed by the end of 2011. Other members who so wish can request it Unfortunately there are still some problems with against payment of 5 €. one of the former owners of the building, al- Commission Secretaries have been in- though a solution is in sight. structed to constantly update their respective Web pages, irrespective of whether they are physically WEB COMMISSION held on a Web server at their home base or, rather, at Palermo. Chair: G. Venturella, Palermo

Secretary: G. Domina, Palermo COMMISSION FOR THE DIFFUSION OF Members: C. Blanché, Barcelona KNOWLEDGE ON MEDITERRANEAN P. Bareka, Patras PLANTS J. M. Iriondo, Madrid Secretary: U. Plitmann, Jerusalem S. Onofri, Viterbo Members: V. H. Heywood, Reading R. M. Ros, Murcia J. M. Iriondo, Madrid N. Surano, Palermo J. Mathez, Montpellier E. Vitek, Wien O. Vasić, Beograd 2004-2006. This Commission was estab- The Commission for the Diffusion of Knowl- lished to promote and expedite the co-ordinated edge on Mediterranean Plants convened at the XI presence of OPTIMA on the Internet by using OPTIMA Meeting in Belgrade, in 2004, and again WWW access facilities. At a Meeting held at the at the subsequent Meeting in Pisa (2007). on both

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occasions, it was confirmed that the book “Plant I. Herrnstadt, Jerusalem Landscapes of the Mediterranean” was to be pub- H. Kürschner, Berlin lished commercially. Prof. Heywood, who under- took contact publishers such as Oxford University V. Mazimpaka, Madrid Press, received a detailed list of contents and M. Sabovljević, Beograd synopsis of the book from the Commission Secre- tary, as well as a description of the rationale be- C. Sérgio, Lisboa hind the book, a list of contributors, expected tar- 2004. This Commission held a virtual meet- get groups and estimated numbers of buyers. ing in July 2004 via e-mail, as the majority of its At the 2004 Meeting in Belgrade, highlights members were unable to attend the Meeting in or extracts of some chapters were presented in Belgrade. the frame of the symposium “Landscape Ecology 2006-2007. During that period, the main ac- of the Mediterranean”. By then most of the chap- tivity of the Bryophyte Commission has been the ters had been revised, but those on “cultivated preparation of a manuscript entitled “Hepatics and landscapes”, Sicily, the Balkan Peninsula and Anthocerotes of the Mediterranean. An annotated Lebanon-Syria were still in preparation. A transla- checklist”, edited by Rosa María Ros (the Com- tor was needed to translate into English three mission’s Secretary) and Vicente Mazimpaka. A chapters submitted in French (on North Africa, total of 26 authors from 18 research centers con- France, and Corsica). Later on, authors would be tributed, representing 14 Mediterranean and non- approached with a request to provide photographs Mediterranean countries. The names of all hepat- and maps. ics and anthocerotes published up to the end of By the 2007 meeting in Pisa, little progress, May 2007 and occurring in the Mediterranean if any, could be noted. Heywood’s contacts with countries plus Bulgaria, were compiled in an an- prospective publishers had been unsuccessful so notated, synonymic checklist of 403 accepted far. Publication by OPTIMA, perhaps through the species and 12 infraspecific taxa, with critical Herbarium Mediterraneum and with help from the notes on ambiguous and disputed names. By the Publications Commission, is the best available time when the Commission met in Pisa, that option. The Committee’s preference is for a book checklist had been published in the journal “Cryp- in DIN-B5 overall size, with a print layout of 11.8 x togamie, Bryologie”. 19 cm and a Times New Roman 11.5 points font The main difficulties encountered were the for the general text and 10 points for indices, foot- establishment of the current taxonomic identity of notes and literature cited. many old names in Mediterranean literature, the accurate assessment of the authors of many such Plans for future books (Red Book of Mediter- old names, and the lack of literature on hepatic ranean plants, Orchids of the Mediterranean) will names and of regional lists. have to wait till after the present one is completed. Also, upon request of the editor of the Bry- ological Times, a report on the Bryophyte Com- COMMISSION ON BRYOPHYTES mission was prepared by the Secretary (published Secretary: R. M. Ros, Murcia in Bryological Times 122: 6. 2007), so as to inform bryologists worldwide on the Commission’s aims, Members: M. Aleffi, Camerino composition, and activities. T. Blockeel, Sheffield The goals of the Commission for the six– year period 2007-2013 will be: (a) to prepare a W. El-Sayed El-Saadawi, Cairo check-list of Mediterranean mosses; (b) to meet in Adnan Erdag, Aydin three years’ time, either at a Symposium within A. Ganeva, Sofia the XIII OPTIMA Meeting or at a workshop organ- ised by the Commission, to include both field work

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and presentation of papers; (c) to begin with the At a forum of Mediterranean mycology held preparatioin of the Red Data Book of Mediterra- in Palermo, the need for a working group of Medi- nean bryophytes. terranean mycologists was recognised. Thus, one Bryological excursions are being organised, of the objectives of the Fungi Commission was to taking into account the former offers of Marko consolidate the different groups of Mediterranean Sabovljevic for field work in ex-Yugoslavia and of mycologists working in parallel. Promoting a meet- Tom Blockeel for Greece. Funds are being sought to ing or round table discussion on Mediterranean organise bryological courses on problematic genera. mycology was envisaged. The Commission Secretary, assisted by members, A new international journal on mycology en- is compiling a list of recent bryophyte literature. titled "Mycologia Balkanica" has been created, The Commission stands ready to partici- with the participation of OPTIMA member Cve- pate, for bryology, in the organisation of an OP- tomir Denčev from Bulgaria. Volume 2(1) of that TIMA meeting devoted exclusively to Cryptogams, journal corresponds to the “Catalogue of the as proposed by the OPTIMA Commission for lichenized and lichenicolous fungi of Bulgaria”; it Fungi, to which the Lichens Commission is also was published in February 2005. invited. It suggests the following topics as being of 2007. The Commission met in Pisa, where common interest to specialists of the various several new members were appointed. It sup- groups: Biodiversity and Conservation; Taxon- ported the idea of organising an OPTIMA meeting omy; Databases; Inventorying and mapping; phy- on fungi and, subject to participation of the other logeny and phylogeography. For additional infor- avascular plants’ Committees, lichens and bryo- mation, contact R. M. Ros ([email protected]). phytes. Such a meeting might take place in Mont- pellier in autumn 2009. It could have a common COMMISSION ON FUNGI theme of relevance to all major groups, such as Conservation and Biodiversity, and could be or- Chair: S. Onofri, Viterbo ganised jointly with other (e.g. national) mycologi- Secretary: G. Venturella, Palermo cal or phytopathological associations. Members: C. Denčev, Sofia The Commission will work toward a Medi- terranean Checklist of Fungi (for which the Italian D. L. Hawksworth, Madrid Checklist constitutes the starting point) and in- B. Ivančević tends to create a database of Mediterranean my- cological literature, to be made available on-line. D. Minter, U.K.

J. Mouchacca, Paris COMMISSION ON MEDITERRANEAN 2004. A checklist of Italian Basidiomycetes HERBARIA (“Check-list dei funghi italiani - Parte I - Basidio- Chair: M. Fennane, Rabat mycetes”) was prepared, with the financial support of the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Secretary: G. Domina, Palermo Instruction, University and Research. It includes Members: D. Jeanmonod, Geneva accepted names, nomenclatural references, syn- onymy, critical notes, indication of endemic or J. Mathez, Montpellier exotic status, rarity, legal protection, distribution J. Molina, Montpellier by regions, and pertinent bibliography. It was pub- J. M. Montserrat, Barcelona lished in 2005 by the publisher Carlo Delfino, with funding by the Italian Botanical Society and the P. A. Schäfer, Montpellier University of Tuscia. The 384-pages volume con- E. Vitek, Wien tains a list of 4198 fungal taxa. R. Vogt, Berlin

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This Commission was set up at the XI OP- COMMISSION FOR LICHENS TIMA Meeting in Belgrade, in 2004, with the aim Secretary: M. Seaward, Bradford to establish links between herbaria and coordinate their activities. Based on GBIF standards, infor- Members: nominations pending mation on the availability of holdings was to be compiled, the presentation of herbarium speci- mens on the internet was to be promoted, and 2004-2006. Checklists for most of the coun- lobbying for a the network of Mediterranean her- tries or territories of the Mediterranean had been baria was to ensue. published or were well advanced. The Commis- sion planned to link these lists on the Internet and 2007. The Commission became operational to wanted to promote the application of the extant at the Pisa Meeting, when a first attempt was data to generate new outputs such as predictive made to prepare a questionnaire for distribution to maps by means of a GIS. the European and Mediterranean Means to im- prove the links between herbaria by traditional Regrettably, P. L. Nimis’ resignation as and modern technologies were discussed. Secretary of the Commission resulted in misun- derstandings and resulted in a lack of communica- A top priority is to improve the accessibility of tion. It was only after the Pisa Meeting (2007) that collections, in particular by encouraging and coordinat- the Lichen Commission was revived, under a new ing databasing of label information and preparation of leadership. The Commission supports the idea to high-resolution specimen images. Other Commission hold its own meetings every few years, at a con- tasks are those initially defined in Belgrade. venient locality, not necessarily to coincide with Contacts are being sought with the Index the venue of the main OPTIMA Meeting. The idea Herbariorum, in order to ascertain the conditions a of a joint Meeting with Mediterranean specialists herbarium must meet to be registered and to sug- for other groups of avascular cryptogams is fa- gest that exceptions be made for historical or vourably envisaged. geographical reasons. Additional Commission members are to be sought in countries such as Israel, Turkey and the Balkan states.

OBITUARY NOTICES

NIKOLA DIKLIĆ Dr Nikola Diklić (1925–2008), one of the half a century he published numerous papers, greatest Serbian botanists, passed away on 16 collected plants for the General Herbarium of the November 2008. The scientific value of his re- Balkan Peninsula, which he scientifically proc- sults, his contribution to the knowledge of the flora essed. Nikola Diklić became a member of OP- of the Balkans, his influence on maintaining high TIMA in 1977, he has been member of its Interna- standards of floristic and taxonomic studies in tional Board, Executive Council and Commission Serbia, and his contribution to the education of for Collections and Herbaria, served as Vice- young researchers place him among the out- President for the term 1989-1995, and was presi- standing scientific personalities of his country. dent of the XI OPTIMA Meeting Programme None of the databases on the flora of Europe can Committee, Belgrade 2004. At that Meeting, in do without the data included in the Flora of SR 2004, he was awarded the well earned OPTIMA Serbia / Flora of Serbia edited by him. During over Gold Medal. Olja Vasić

20 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 May 2009 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

INSTITUTIONS

HERBARIUM MEDITERRANEUM: THE GREUTER HERBARIUM AND LIBRARY TRANSFERRED TO PALERMO by Francesco M. Raimondo

The Herbarium Mediterraneum Panormita- The collections are kept in the original, his- num (PAL) is proud to announce the receipt of the torical location of the Palermo Herbarium, the SW personal herbarium and botanical library of wing of the neoclassical building known as the Werner Greuter, former director of the Botanic Gymnasium, built around 1790, following plans by Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem. the French architect Léon Dufourny. They will be The herbarium comprises well over 100,000 curated by the donor himself, who has elected specimens, including Greuter’s own gatherings Palermo as his part-time residence, and are ex- (particularly important for Greece), material sent pected to continue growing indefinitely in the fu- to him in exchange or as gift, and two historical ture, maintaining their primarily Mediterranean herbaria he had acquired. It will remain a separate profile (Mediterranean in the wide sense, extend- unit within PAL, to be referred to as PAL-Gr. ing to the Macaronesian Islands, Central Europe, These collections, donated to the Università degli Caucasia, and other regions with a Mediterranean Studi in Palermo with the explicit aim to climate, such as Australia and southern Africa). strengthen the scientific potential of the Palermo PAL-Gr welcomes gifts of publications related to Herbarium, are available for consultation by visi- any pure and applied aspects of Mediterranean tors, and digital images of specimens will be pre- botany anf of plant specimens from this area. pared on request. Exchange is also possible (please enquire).

WEB NEWS∗

by Gianniantonio Domina

THE NEW OPTIMA WEBSITE The Website, for the time being, maintains WWW.OPTIMA-BOT.ORG its familiar layout so as not to confuse the users. Howwever, the contents are now continuously Following the transfer of the Optima Secre- updated, and new sections have been added. tariat from Madrid to Palermo, the correlated ac- tivities and services have been moved to the new A section with book notices and reviews of office location. Among them is the care for the recently published works (http://www.optima- Optima Website, in which is now hosted by a bot.org/Rec_publ/default.htm) is a choice means server in Palermo and is updated directly from the for bringing your own publications to the attention Secretariat.

∗ Please send all items suitable for publication under this heading to the editor of this column: Gianniantonio Domina. OPTIMA secre- tariat, via Lincoln, 2 I- 90123 Palermo, Italy. [email protected]

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of a large interested audience. To ensure a quick of research, consulted by students of the classifi- spread of the information, all newly received items cation and distribution of botanical organisms, or are initially added as bibliographic references. A verifying the link between scientific names and the proper review is being added as soon as time plants they designate. allows. Once every year, the reviewed items in Globalization of communication now pro- this column are integrated into the consolidated vides the means to make the collection available OPTIMA Newsletter. directly to anyone interested. Work on digitizing Since 2008 there is the possibility to pay the ancient books started in 2003. Its product you membership fees and ordered books by Credit can now see and use through the Internet. The Card through the Pay-pal system, or for those operation was successfully completed thanks to having their own account, directly by Pay-pal the considerable efforts of the person in charge, transfer. All information can be found on the rele- Félix Muñoz Garmendia, and for Web design and vant Web pages (e.g., http://www.optima- development, the assistance of the company Via- bot.org/organization/membership2.htm intermedia Interactive. The work was finished in 2005, just in time for the year the Royal Botanic

Garden’s 250th anniversary celebratation.

Currently, more than 1600 titles and 4000 THE DIGITAL LIBRARY OF THE volumes are available at: ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN IN MADRID http://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/ ing/index.php (CSIC) (Gonzalo Nieto Feliner, Director, Real Jardín Botánico). Madrid’s Royal Botanic Garden, on account of its rich and long history, has a magnificent col- lection of old botanical books. Apart from the in- trinsic value as part of Spain’s historic and scien- tific patrimony, the collection is a much used tool

22 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 May 2009 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

PROJECTS

‘RIBES’ – A NATIONAL ITALIAN NETWORK TO IMPROVE SEED CONSERVATION OF WILD NATIVE SPECIES by C. Bonomi, G. Rossi & G. Bedini

In order to improve the coordination of ex 5. Create a national registry of the species that situ conservation activities in Italy, an ‘Italian Seed are currently conserved ex situ. Bank Network for the ex situ conservation of the 6. Contribute to other programmes and initiatives Italian native flora’ was created, named RIBES for the conservation of biological diversity. (Rete Italiana Banche del germoplasma per la 7. Develop research activities to gain a better conservazione ex situ della flora spontanea ita- understanding of ex situ conservation and liana). RIBES was formally constituted on 3 De- plant propagation techniques that might be cember 2005 in Trento when the Constitutive Act used in reintroduction projects. was officially signed, before a public officer, by the 8. Set up and put in operation specific informa- legal representatives of the 18 founding members. tion systems to document native germplasm It was decided that RIBES would focus on native collections, in order to certify origin. plant conservation and would promote all neces- 9. Develop at local and national level specific sary collaborative actions needed for the ex situ education programmes, aimed at schools and conservation of two different but interrelated cate- at the wider pubic, to raise awareness on the gories of plants: importance of the ex situ conservation of bio- 1. Native species threatened with extinction on logical diversity. an international, national or local level, accord- 10. Promote training activities on ex situ conser- ing to international, national or local legislation vation of native species. or scientific documents; 11. Cooperate with other institutions having simi- 2. Native species particularly important from a lar aims. biogeographical and ecological point of view, These objectives are implemented through that might be utilised for the purpose of land an action plan and apposite working groups that stabilization and habitat restoration projects. address specific issues such as seed collecting, From a formal point of view, RIBES is a seed curation and germination, data manage- scientific not-for-profit association, based on a ment, and dissemination. The working groups are participative and democratic approach. Its activi- run with a participative approach and adopt a ties are regulated by a charter and various by- national perspective in setting priorities for con- laws. servation at the national level. They discuss best The specific objectives of RIBES, as in- practice and operating protocols and set minimum cluded in its statute, are the following: and recommended standards for ex situ conserva- 1. Promote the dissemination, at local and na- tion of wild species. Although the network is not tional level, of the knowledge on critical issues focused primarily on crop wild relatives, those that and state-of-the-art facilities and operating are members of the Italian native flora will be con- procedures for the ex situ native plant conser- sidered. Furthermore, RIBES aims to establish vation by means of newsletters, congresses, active links with the crop wild relative conservation workshops, etc.; community in order to integrate possible areas of 2. Set and update minimum standards to be overlapping interest, for mutual benefit. adopted for the proper management of ex situ Members of the network are mainly univer- conservation programmes. sity botanic gardens but also include local gov- 3. Make sure, as far as possible, that ex situ ernmental agencies, national parks, not-for-profit collections are managed and conserved ac- organizations, and private companies. They rep- cording to internationally approved standards. resent most Italian regions and include key play- 4. Disseminate, as far as possible, information ers that are already involved in other EU networks on EU and National programmes centred on such as ENSCONET and GENMEDOC, thus pro- ex situ plant conservation. viding a link with the European context:

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1. Germplasm Bank of the south-western Alps, 14. Germplasm Bank of CODRA Mediterranea Cuneo natural parks management agency (B. s.r.l. (E. Lanzillotti) Gallino) 15. Germplasm Bank of Sardinia, University of 2. Lombardy Seed Bank, Lombardy centre for Cagliari (G. Bacchetta) the Native Flora (G. Rossi) 16. Germplasm Bank of Palermo Botanic Garden, 3. Trentino Seed Bank, Trento Natural History University of Palermo (A. Scialabba) Museum (C. Bonomi) 17. Germplasm Bank of Catania Botanic Garden, 4. Germplasm Bank of Padua Botanic Garden, University of Catania (P. Pavone) University of Padua (G. Cassina) 18. Germplasm Bank of the Mediterranean 5. Laboratory for the conservation of Liguria ONLUS (I. Li Vigni) plant diversity, Hanbury Botanic Gardens, RIBES will liaise with relevant stakeholders University of Genoa (S. Giammarino) that hold key information on the conservation 6. Germplasm Bank of Pisa Botanic Garden, status of threatened species, such as the Italian University of Pisa (G. Bedini) Botanical Society and the botanic gardens com- 7. Livorno Germplasm Bank, Livorno District munity. RIBES also bridges the gap between Council (M. Lupi) scholars of plant and seed science and plant con- 8. Germplasm Bank for the conservation of anfi- servation managers based in natural parks and Adriatic species, Polytechnic University of the protected areas, providing the latter with means, Marche (E. Biondi) techniques and opportunities to experiment plant 9. Germplasm Bank of Viterbo Botanic Garden, reintroduction and populations reinforcement. Tuscia University (A. Scoppola) RIBES will seek to operate in close connection 10. Germplasm Bank of Rome Botanic Garden, with the CBD Focal Point, the Ministry of the Envi- University of Rome La Sapienza (A. ronment, offering it a powerful means to imple- Scoppola) ment the CBD and the GSPC. 11. Germplasm Bank of the Central Appennine, RIBES therefore plans to contribute effec- National Park Gran Sasso and Laga (I. Lon- tively to the national implementation of several drillo) GSPC targets. It is hoped that it will also activate 12. Germplasm Bank of Majella National Park (M. transnational cooperation with other nations and Di Cecco) wider biogeographical areas, e.g. the Alpine and 13. Germplasm Bank of Molise, University of Mediterranean regions. Molise (A. Stanisci) Contact: Gianni Bedini, Dipartimento di Biologia dell’Università, Via Luca Ghini, 5 I-56126 Pisa, Italy; E-mail: [email protected]

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MEETINGS

REPORT ON THE XII OPTIMA MEETING PISA, ITALY - 10-15 SEPTEMBER 2007

by Fabio Garbari and Gianni Bedini

The XII OPTIMA Meeting started on Mon- and aromatic plants, as well as wild relatives of day, 10 September, noon, at the “Polo Didattico cultivated plant species. With his presence and Universitario Porta Nuova”. active contributions he has enlivened almost all OPTIMA Meetings to date and will hopfully con- After the welcome address by Fabio Gar- tinue to do so in the future. bari, President of the Organising Committee, the Deputy Rector for International Relations of the To conclude the Opening Ceremony, Lucia University of Pisa, Enrico Giaccherini, conveyed Tongiorgi Tomasi, Deputy Rector and expert of the greetings of the Rector, Marco Pasquali. Then the history of arts, delivered a lecture on “Botani- the Vice-Minister for the Universities and Scientific cal Sciences and Visual Arts: the flowering of a Research, Luciano Modica, outlined the difficulties partnership in early modern Tuscany”. faced by Italy’s education and research systems Previously, on Sunday 9 September, OP- and underlined the Government’s commitment to TIMA’s Scientific Commissions had held their support this sector of public administration. meetings at the Pisa Botanic Garden. So did the Werner Greuter, President of OPTIMA, thanked International Board and the Executive Council on all participants, in particular the organisers and Monday morning, while participants registered the speakers. Gianni Bedini, Meeting Secretary, and set up their posters. has surveyed the general programme and noted relevant logistic points. On Monday afternoon the first plenary Symposium, organised by Sandro Pignatti, The OPTIMA Gold Medal, awarded every was devoted to “Phytotaxonomic studies in six years to a botanist who, by his or her activity, Italy”. Tuesday morning, Symposium 2 on is considered to have made an outstanding con- “Vegetation and plant landscapes in Italy”, tribution to the phytotaxonomy of the Mediterra- organised by Carlo Blasi, and Symposium 3 nean area. In Pisa, this prestigious medal was on “Plants and Man. Symbiosis and antago- presented to Vernon H. Heywood. The recipient is nism through the times”, organised by Avi- a scientist with a very prominent academic career noam Danin, were held in parallel. and international radiance. One of OPTIMA’s founding members, and indeed a driving force in The plenary session of Tuesday after- the group of four who conceived OPTIMA and noon was devoted to Symposium 4 on “Karyol- ensured that it became real, he started as a young ogy and palynology of Mediterranean plants: man to work in the Mediterranean area, notably case studies”, jointly organised by Sonia Šiljak- southern Spain. His later work on a variety of Yakovlev and Georgia Kamari. Wednesday principally Mediterranean groups (to name but morning again saw two concurrent events, Petrorhagia in Caryophyllaceae and Daucus in Symposium 5 on “Herbaria: maintenance, Umbelliferae) was mostly part of his commitment management and digitisation of holdings”, or- with the Flora Europaea Project, to which he ganised by Ernst Vitek, and Symposium 6 on served as Secretary from the onset. Among his “Invasion and extinction in man-made and numerous scientific activities, his efforts toward natural habitats”, organised by Montserrat Vilà. the study and conservation of Plant Biodiversity Wednesday afternoon was devoted to the take a prominent place, focusing especially on the presentation and discussion of posters, a session conservation and sustainable use of medicinal

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organised by Giuseppe Venturella. In the evening, Turkish colleagues, receiving a warm applause. the volume “Linnaeus in Italy” was presented by Also, reports from the various Commissions who Andres Bjurner, Ambassador of Sweden in Italy, had met prior to the Congress were summarised; and Claudio Pogliano, science historian. The eve- and the OPTIMA Silver Medals, awarded to the ning was enlivened by a cocktail, offered by the authors of the best work on Mediterranean plant Swedish Embassy in Italy and “Diritto allo studio taxonomy published in each of the three foregoing universitario”, and a concert performed by the years, were presented as follows: Chamber Ensemble of the Pisa University Youth For 2004, to Ilana Herrnstadt for the book, Orchestra, with a financial contribution by Volvo jointly authored by Clara C. Heyn and herself, Trucks Italy. “The bryophyte flora of Israel and adjacent re- Thursday 13 September had been set aside gions” (Israel Academy of Sciences and Humani- for the three mid-Congress excursions: one to the ties, Section of Sciences, Jerusalem). – This vol- Apuan Alps, guided by Fabio Garbari; one to the ume summaries over 20 years of research in Is- Monterufoli-Caselli Nature Reserve, guided by rael, a small area with an unexpectedly high bryo- Federico Selvi; and the third to the Leghorn hills, phyte diversity, as pointed out by Uzi Plitmann guided by Pier Virgilio Arrigoni. who presented the Medal. Symposium 7 on “Tempo and mode of For 2005, to Toni Nikolić and Jasenka speciation in Mediterranean plants”, organized by Topić for their book “Crvena knjiga vaskularne Tod Stuessy, was held on Friday morning. In the flore Hrvatske” (Ministarstvo Kulture, Državni afternoon, concurrently, Symposium 8 on “The Zavod za Zaštitu Prirode, Republika Hrvatska, study and inventory of Mediterranean Composi- Zagreb). – This sizeable and heavy new Red Data tae”, organised by Norbert Kilian, and Symposium Book presents, in monographic detail, the treat- 9 on “Bryofloristics and bryotaxonomy”, organised ment of 760 plant species and subspecies that are by Rosa María Ros, took place. at risk, nearly threatened or potentially under threat in Croatia. In the absence of the awardees Two more concurrent sessions ran on Sat- the Medal, presented by Vernon H. Heywood, was urday morning, Symposium 10 on “Plant-plant and handed over to Dražena Papeš. plant-animal interactions”, organised by José María Iriondo, and Symposium 11 on “Seaweeds For 2006, to Pier Virgilio Arrigoni for the and freshwater algae in and around the Mediter- first volume of his “Flora dell’isola di Sardegna” ranean”, organised by Giovanni Furnari. (Società Botanica Italiana & Carlo Delfino, Sas- sari, 2006). This is the first of a series of vol- The plenary Symposium 12 on “Maintaining umes summarising the results the author’s flo- economically important wild plants and relic crops ristic research of more than 30 years in Sar- in the Mediterranean”, organised by Vernon H. dinia. The Medal was presented by Francesco Heywood, took place on Saturday afternoon, fol- Maria Raimondo. lowed by the Closing Ceremony, the last official act of Werner Greuter in his function of President. During the following three days, from 16 to The assembly warmly thanked him for his out- 18 September, about 20 participants took part in standing services during the past terms, and at the post-congress excursion to the Elba and Pi- the same time heartily welcomed Francesco Maria anosa islands in the Tuscan Archipelago, guided Raimondo as newly elected President, who was to by Fabio Garbari and Bruno Foggi. benefit of the ongoing support of Greuter in his The Meeting in Pisa was attended by 236 new capacity of Secretary. delegates from 25 countries (Algeria, Armenia, At the Closing Ceremony, it was officially Austria, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Repub- announced that the XIII OPTIMA Meeting will take lic, France, Germany, Greece, Herzegovina, Is- place in spring 2010 in Turkey. Tuna Ekim pre- rael, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, Montenegro, Po- sented the invitation on behalf of himself and his land, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, United

26 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 May 2009 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

Kingdom, United States, Switzerland, and Tur- duca d’Aosta, President of the Pro Herbario key). Invited speakers gave 62 symposium lec- Mediterraneo Foundation; and Werner Greuter, tures, other participants presented 77 posters: 37 President of OPTIMA. on the systematics, phytogeography, biodiversity, The Scientific Programme Committee con- ecology, biology, and conservation of phan- sisted of Fabio Garbari, President; Gianni Bedini, erogams, 8 on cryptogams (bryophytes, fungi and Secretary; and Carlo Blasi, Avinoam Danin, Gio- lichens), 22 on floras, check-lists, herbaria, data- vanni Furnari, Vernon H. Heywood, José María bases and botanic gardens; and 10 in the applied Iriondo, Georgia Kamari, Norbert Kilian, Sandro botany, ethnobotany and phytochemistry section. Pignatti, Rosa María Ros, Sonia Šiljak-Yakovlev, For about 30 % of these contributions, the Tod Stuessy, Montserrat Vilà, and Ernst Vitek, authors submitted their texts to the editors of the Members. Proceedings, Fabio Garbari and Gianni Bedini. The following formed the Organising Com- The Proceedings, a Bocconea volume scheduled mittee: Fabio Garbari, President, Guido Moggi, for release by the end of 2009, will include at least Vice President; Gianni Bedini, Secretary; Ales- 42 papers, corresponding to 12 lectures and 30 sandro Chiarucci and Federico Selvi, Members. poster presentations. The Organisers are grateful to the following The Congress took place under the aus- Sponsors: Pisa University, Pisa Chamber of pices of an Honorary Committee with Anders Commerce, Volvo Trucks Italy, Natural Park of Bjurner, Ambassador of Sweden in Italy; Luciano Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli, Pro Her- Modica, Vice Minister for the Universities and bario Mediterraneo Foundation, Municipality of Research; Marco Pasquali, Chancellor of Pisa Pisa, and Club Alpino Italiano of Carrara. The University; Andrea Pieroni, President of Pisa University of Pisa kindly cared for logistics and Province; Paolo Fontanelli, Major of Pisa; Amedeo administration.

May 2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 27 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

XIII OPTIMA MEETING ANTALYA 22-26 MARCH 2010 First Circular

Dear Colleagues, gress will consist of lectures and a 1-day excur- sion to the nearby Taurus mountains to observe I feel honoured to invite you on behalf of our Ex- the rich and diverse spring flora, especially the ecutive Board of the Flora Research Society to geophytes and Abies cilicica above the high pla- the 13th OPTIMA Congress, to be organized in teaus. Besides, participants will have the opportu- Antalya between March 22 and 26, 2010. This nity to visit other historical and floristic sites in Congress is organized by the Flora Research Antalya, including regional plant associations Association under my presidency. Also, we shall such as natural forests of Cedrus libani, Cupres- try to get the support of Akdeniz University which sus sempervirens, etc. This Congress will give an is a valuable scientific institution of the region. important and unique opportunity to the botanical As is known OPTIMA, Organisation for the Phyto- scientists interested in the plant life of Turkey and Taxonomic Investigation of the Mediterranean the Mediterranean region to get acquainted with a Area, organises congresses for the plant taxono- typical plant geographical context with high diver- mists of the Mediterranean and other countries to sity and attractive natural beauties. blended with meet and exchange views on the flora and the cultural and historical riches. vegetation of this region, every three years in a On behalf of the Flora Research Society different country of the Mediterranean region. The previous OPTIMA congress in Turkey was organ- Tuna Ekim, President ised in 1986 in Istanbul. Approximately 300-400 botanists participate in this Congress, and the participating scientists listen to the lectures given by learned plant tax- onomists and other scientists in 10-12 Symposia, For further details please contact us at each on a different topic and organised by a [email protected] prominent scientist.

Turkey has made remarkable progress in the Flo- ristic Plant Science within the last 30 years, and Fill in the preliminary registration form the universities in Turkey abound with experi- now enced and young botanists. However, the lack of communication and interaction between the Turk- at: http://www.flora2010.org/kayit_eng.php ish and foreign scientists is seen as a big handi- to make sure that you receive the Second cap. This Congress will provide scientists an op- Congress Circular portunity to meet each other and interact. The Congress will be held at a holiday resort in the Belek region of Antalya in South Turkey. The con-

Location and dates Official languages The XIII OPTIMA Meeting will take place in English and French Antalya on March 22-26, 2010; the detailed pro- gramme is to follow.

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SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME Plant differentiation on heavy-metal soils. Con- The Executive Council defined the following vener will be announced later. themes for Symposia to be held at the XIII OP- Mediterranean Leguminosae. Conveners: Yuri TIMA Meeting, and selected suitable persons to Roskof and Olja Vasić. organise each Symposium as its Convener, sub- ject to their willingness to serve. The role of irano-turanian elements in the evolu- tion of Mediterranean Flora. Convener: Botany in Turkey I. Convener: Adil Güner. Frédéric Medail. Botany in Turkey II. Convener: Hüsnü Can Başer. Socio-economic and ecological effects of plant Effects of global change on Mediterranean plant introductions in the Mediterranean. Con- life. Convener: Fernando Valladares. vener: Vernon Heywood. History of Mediterranean Botanical Explorations. Integrating molecular and “traditional” taxonomy. Convener: Ernst Vitek. Convener: Tod Stuessy. Rare and threatened plants and habitats. Con- Geophytes. Conveners: Georgia Kamari and Ne- vener: Jose Maria Iriondo. riman Özhatay. Archaeological and xenophytic fossil flora. Con- vener: Uzi Plitman.

REGISTRATION FEE

Payment in Euros No. Category Until 1th November After 1th No- On-Meeting 2009 vember 2009 1 Regular OPTIMA Members 300 350 400

2 Associated members 350 400 450

3 Non-members 350 400 450

5 Students 250 300 350

6 Accompanying 150 200 250

Registration fee covers: excursion. The farewell dinner will be available at extra cost. Full (1-3): book of abstracts, program, all printed meeting documents; welcome reception, Regular registration rates apply to payments farewell dinner, reception, break refreshments; made prior to 1th November 2009. After that date, one-day excursion, Transportation (Airport – Hotel late registration rates will apply. Details of pay- – Airport). ment will be announced in the second circular. Students: book of abstracts, program, wel- come reception, break refreshments, one-day

May 2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 29 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Specific enquiries can be made to: e-mail: [email protected]. 22-29 June 2009

5-10 July 2009 Biodiversity Hotspots in the Mediter- ranean Area th 45° International Congress of Società 7 International Congress of System- Italiana di Scienza della Vegetazione & atic and Evolutionary Biology, ICSEB 7 International Federation of Phytosoci- Veracruz, Mexico ology "Extending the Darwinian Panorama" Cagliari, Italy Celebrating the 200th anniversary of Dar-

win’s birth, 150 years since publication of Darwin’s The congress will cover the following sub- Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, jects in three different sessions: Flora and evolu- plus observing 150 years since the passing of tion in the Mediterranean area, Phytosociology as Alexander von Humboldt, the Father of ecological plant synecology, Towards an ecological charac- biogeography. terisation of mediterranean landscapes. The International Congress of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology (ICSEB) is convened The first day will also be devoted to 2 paral- approximately every six years, the last one having lel side-events: Plants species and communities in being held in Patras, Greece, in 2002. The scope the Mediterranean mining areas: biodiversity, of these congresses is to bring plant, animal, and landscape evolution and their use in phytoreme- microbial systematists and evolutionary biologists diation; Important plant areas in Italy and in the together to discuss and debate topics of general Mediterranean context. The second day will be interest. The focus of this congress, in context of dedicated to the following side-events: Origins of significant historical backdrop, is on modern and endemic plants to the Corso-Sardinian microplate: forward-looking ideas, concepts, and methods in an integrative phylogenetic approach; Conserva- systematic and evolutionary biology. Due to its tion studies on threatened plants in the Mediterra- location, a strong emphasis will also be placed on nean area. The Congress will include social understanding biodiversity in Latin America. events and the visit of the Botanical Gardens and Museum of the University of Cagliari. Two post- For further information, see: congress excursions (IGIS: Iter Geobotanicum http://www.botanik.univie.ac.at/ICSEB7/index.htm. Insulae Sardiniae) to the Sulcis-Iglesiente bio- Specific enquiries can be made to: e-mail: geographic sector and to the Gennargentu and icseb.evol @univie.ac.at. Supramonte areas, with a limited number of par- ticipants, will be organised on 25th to 29th June. For further information. see: http://www.biodiversityhotspots.it/indexen.htm.

30 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 May 2009 OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER OPTIMA NEWSLETTER

7-11 September 2009

The 80th ANNIVERSARY OF THE PUB- LICATION OF TURRILL’S “PLANT LIFE OF THE BALKAN PENINSULA”

Belgrade, Serbia

Eighty years have passed since the publi- cation of Turill’s study “Plant life of the Balkan Peninsula”. In the following period, numerous new informations and results have been brought to light showing an ever-accelerating rate of pro- gress in flora and vegetation research of this part of Europe. The future holds even more promise. The aim of the meeting is to bring together all botanists involved in research of the plant life of the Balkan Peninsula with the emphasis on the conservation of the biodiversity of this extremely rich flora and vegetation. The purpose of the con- gress is also to provide an excellent opportunity to hear the latest results, to share research experi- ence and expertise and to develop new and closer contacts with colleagues from different countries. The programme will include four lecture days (oral and poster presentations), social events, a mid-congress excursion and four days of post congress field trip. The official language will be English. For further information see: http://5bbc.bio.bg.ac.rs/. Specific enquiries can be made at: [email protected].

May 2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 31

* NOTICES OF PUBLICATIONSF

by WERNER GREUTER

General Topics so, coincidentally, provide the critical reader with sound criteria for assessing the merits of relevant publications.

1. Franco0B PEDROTTI – Cartografia geo- W.G. botanica. – Pitagora, Bologna, 2004. (ISBN 88-371-1487-7). VIII + 236 pages,

illustrations (photographs, drawings, 2. Charlie1B JARVIS – Order out of chaos. graphs, maps) in black-and-white and Linnaean plant names and their types. colour; laminated cover. – Linnean Society of London & Natural History Museum, London, 2007. (ISBN With the present volume Franco Pe- 978-0-9506207-7-0). XI + 1017 pages, drotti offers to students and practitioners a photographs and facsimiles in black- complete textbook for botanical mapping and-white and colour; hard cover with purposes. Using the traditional, wide defini- dust jacket. tion of the term geobotany, he presents defi- nitions, examples and procedural rules for What a beautiful title: “Order out of any conceivable kind of map, from choro- chaos”. It is doubly appropriate, first in re- logical representations (showing the distri- calling the great Linnaeus’s achievement, to bution of genotypes in populations, of indi- order by means of his new System the pre- vidual species or higher taxa, or vegetation viously chaotic botanical knowledge and units) through classical vegetation maps to make it readily accessible through the short- the spatial assessment of diversity or the cut of binominal designations; and again in visualisation of developmental prospects and referring to the major uncertainty and disor- impacts. Mapping procedures and tech- der into which Linnaeus’s nomenclature and niques are discussed for each of these many the application of his names had fallen in the categories, which are generously illustrated course of a quarter millennium, and setting with concrete examples not only from Italy matters straight with the panacea of this but anywhere in the world. book. The book is not, in the first place, an aid Charlie Jarvis has been in charge of the for interpreting maps. Rather, it offers gui- Linnean Plant Name Typification Project dance to authors in the choice of the type of since it was launched in 1981, based at the map and procedure of mapping best suited Natural History Museum that had been for their given subject and scope. It may al- founded in South Kensington exactly one

* Please send all items for announcement or review directly to the column editor: Prof. W. Greuter, Herbarium Mediterraneum, Giardino Botanico, Via Lincoln 2/A, I-90123 Palermo.

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (1) Publications

century before. This book is the synthesis of metic subject into an easily understood, all well over 25 years of labour, during which but fascinating account. Add the lavish, skil- Charlie’s own skilled efforts have been as- fully selected illustration, and you have a sisted by several enthusiastic and competent book that is unrivalled as a basis for teach- associates, only to name Norman Robson, ing Linnaean nomenclature. Discounting its Fred Barrie, Nick Turland, Steve Cafferty, bulk and weight, this is the best possible tool and Katherine Challis. In so far as the type for making Linnaeus’s botanical achieve- designations for Linnaean names are con- ments palatable and even popular among the cerned, their results have been databased and new generation of botanists. are available for direct Internet consultation. Publication was made possible by sup- The major portion of this volume mirrors port from the Linnean Society of London faithfully these results, or rather, is present a and the Natural History Museum. Both may snapshot image of the state of the data in the be assured that their sponsorship was well moment when the book was set in type, a earned, and their money well spent. time when the work had reached a certain W.G. degree of stability not to say completeness. This portion, bound to become outdated progressively as the years go by, will be Cryptogams used mainly in situations when one has no Web access of when – as happens all too often – the database’s Web site is temporar- 3. C.2B Clara HEYN & Ilana HERRNSTADT ily inaccessible. (ed.) – The bryophyte flora of Israel and adjacent regions. [Flora Palaes- Jarvis’s central contribution, very much tina Series.] – Israel Academy of Sci- his own, are the book’s introductory chap- ences and Humanities, Jerusalem, 2004. ters, over 250 pages of text and images. At (ISBN 965-208-004-4, 965-208-152-3). core they are a tribute to the great master of xi + 721 pages, 246 plates of drawings, Linnaean studies, William Stearn, and for XVI plates of black-and-white photo- sure no one could have been more delighted graphs, coloured frontispiece, 8 plates + than he, had he lived to see them published. 2 unnumbered extra plates of colour While building extensively on Stearn’s ex- photographs, 247 maps + 1 map in col- perience and writings, this introductory por- our; cloth with dust jacket. tion expands the subject considerably. The chapters on literature and herbaria consulted The bryophyte flora of Israel, including by Linnaeus are extremely rich in relevant the Palestinian Authorities plus Mt. Hermon information that cannot be found easily and the Golan Heights, comprises 86 genera elsewhere, and the portion on collectors and with 249 species (210 mosses, 39 liver- and suppliers of material used by him is novel hornworts), plus a few varieties and a couple and most informative. Among other subjects of subspecies. The treatment includes keys treated, let me mention the presentation of for identification, full synonymy, detailed the life and writings of Linnaeus himself, the descriptions, indication of habitat and distri- treatise on the foundations and practice of bution, and critical notes. Illustrations are type designation, and the analyses of plentiful and of outstanding quality. With protologues in Linnaean writings. These minor exceptions every taxon is illustrated by chapters may not be innovative nor greatly a full page of drawings, with shoot habit and original, but they share a trait that is charac- analytical, including anatomical, details, plus teristic of the whole book. Jarvis’s style of a map showing, by grid squares, the known writing fluid and extremely didactic; he has distribution within the territory. In addition, the gift to turn an essentially dry and her- 60 species are shown on 62 colour photo-

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graphs, and there are 136 scanning micro- 8820-409-1). Pages 3-271, 3 photo- graphs with spore surfaces of 116 species. graphs, 400 facsimiles in colour; hard The book consists of two parts with dif- cover with dust jacket. ferent authorship. The first and by far larger portion is by the editors themselves and Giuseppe Inzenga (c. 1816-1887), son treats the mosses. The second, with the horn- of the writer and poet Pompeo, was a colour- and liverworts, was written by Hélène Bis- ful figure in Sicilian botany. Basically an chler and Suzanne Jovet-Ast in Paris, at the agronomist, he was appointed to lifetime Laboratoire de Cryptogamie; Muséum Na- directorship of the Istituto Agrario Castel- tional d’Histoire Naturelle. The whole work nuovo in Palermo in 1844, and in 1860 to a should better not be considered the fifth professorship of Agriculture at Palermo Uni- volume of Zohary’s and Feinbrun’s Flora versity. He published on a wide range of Palaestina, as some have suggested, as it subjects, both in his own field and in botany, differs from the latter in many important notably mycology, most often in the journal respects, including the area covered; and “Nuovi Annali di Agricoltura Siciliana” while bibliographically it is an (unnum- founded and edited by him. His main inde- bered) part of the Flora Palaestina Series, it pendent botanical work was “Funghi sicil- is the seventh such part in a chronological iani”, published in two centuriae in 1865 and sequence. 1869 and illustrated with 18 colour plates. As always in a work of large size and Of the 200 species of Sicilian fungi there ample scope, the critical minded may raise a described, several were new but most or all few negative points (e.g. the occasional fail- remained unassessed. ure to conform to the self-set standards of Giuseppe Venturella found the original author and literature citation, or the absence Inzenga herbarium, still faithfully kept in the of references to the colour photographs in library of the Istituto Agrario, containing the text) – but these are minor quibbles in- most of the species described in the two deed. On the whole, the book is a remark- published centuriae and the materials for a able achievement. Ilana Herrnstadt, the only third, unpublished one. Associated with sev- surviving author and editor, has recently eral of the specimens were Inzenga’s hand- been awarded the OPTIMA Medal in Silver written descriptions, and almost all were for what was considered the most out- accompanied by original colour illustrations. standing publication in Mediterranean taxo- Venturella was able to study these materials nomic botany published in 2004, and that and, in many cases, establish their modern award is well deserved. This flora will identity. For the present volume he tran- doubtless prove one of the most useful, or scribed the manuscript information, adding rather, indispensable tools for Mediterranean notes of his own for each item. Most impor- bryologists. Its importance is enhanced by tantly, he included colour reproductions of the fact that narrow endemism in bryophytes the full set of illustrations, most of which, is almost unheard of, and so the phrase obviously, had never before been published. “around the Mediterranean” appears in the The text of his book is in Italian (or Latin), general distribution statement of a large but a full English translation has been pro- majority of species. vided of both the introductory, biographical chapter and the author’s own notes. W.G. The book is splendidly produced but not well organised and difficult to consult, partly

4. Giuseppe3B VENTURELLA – L’iconogra- due to numbering. The author’s notes and fia micologica di Giuseppe Inzenga. – the facsimile illustrations have been given Archimede, Palermo, 2005 (ISBN 88- new numbers (1 to 260) that neither corre-

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (3) Publications

spond to the numbering in the Centuriae, nor formation in a maquis environment depends to the (unexplained) figure numbers appar- on a limited number of specialised deutero- ently inscribed by Inzenga on the sheets, nor mycetes, often dwelling on the shed leaves do they appear in the first and main text por- of only one or a few species. Knowledge of tion, with the transcribed manuscript notes. these saprobionts is of mycologycal as well Correlating the two sets of notes, and the as general ecological interest. first set with the figures, is problematic. The The present volume has been written as rationale of the new numbering is unclear. a practical tool for identifying fungi known The order is not systematic, perhaps it re- to occur on litter in maquis communities. It flects the sequence of the items in the par- is restricted to species that have been found cels. Adding to complexity, ongoing study in Sardinia – 122 in total, belonging to 62 while the work was being printed resulted in different genera; but as the component a substantial number (46) of new or revised shrubs of maquis communities are wide- identifications, to be looked up in an appen- spread all over the Mediterranean area, one dix at the end. may expect that it will be found useful in a Inzenga’s work presents some biblio- much wider area. Clearly, in regions where graphic problems that might have been ad- the maquis communities are richer and the dressed but remain unexplained. The origi- woody flora more diverse than on Sardinia, nal publication of the “Centuriae” is said to supplementary components of the litter my- have occurred in several parts in the “Gior- coflora are to be expected. Basically, how- nale di Scienze Naturali ed Economiche”, ever, this identification aid with its practical the first between 1865 and 1868 and the key to genera and species and its artless but second in 1869-1871. No details of the in- informative drawings will nevertheless retain stalments are given, but they are said to have its usefulness, that is enhanced by the listing been consolidated in book form – in 1865 of known substrata for each treated species. and 1869, respectively. So, either the latter, W.G. presently accepted dates are wrong, or pub- lication in the journal, somewhat illogically, was later. An 1869 review is mentioned, but 6. Luis5B Alberto PARRA SÁNCHEZ – Aga- it is unclear whether it concerns both vol- ricus L., Allopsalliota Nauta & Bas, umes, or the first only. A matter, perhaps, to tribu Agariceae S. Imai, part I. [Fungi be clarified by Venturella in the future. Europaei 1[1].] – Candusso, Alassio, 2008 (88-901057-7-1). 823 pages, 461 W.G. photographs or micrographs in colour, 104 figures in black-and-white, 42 col-

5. M.4B PASQUALETTI, A. RAMBELLI, B. oured facsimile plates; hard cover. MULAS & S. TEMPESTA – Identifica- Luis Parra, a veterinary doctor by pro- tion key and description of Mediter- fession, is entirely a self-made mycologist. In ranean maquis litter microfungi. [Boc- this he is not of course alone, but among his conea (ISSN 1120-4060), 18.] – Her- many peers he is doubtless one of the most barium Mediterraneum Panormitanum, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and polyvalent. Palermo, 2005 (ISBN 88-7915-020-0). 176 pages, 132 figures, 4 plates of The present book bears witness of Par- drawings, table; paper. ra’s many talents. It is the first half of a full- sized monograph of European representa- Mediterranean maquis is mainly formed tives of the tribe Agariceae, encompassing by sclerophyllous woody species whose the two genera mentioned in the title. The leaves are unpalatable for the common contents of the second half are not specified; saprotrophic fungi of other habitats. Litter but as there are 11 sections of Agaricus pre-

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sent in Europe, of which 5 are treated here, non delineati” (see e.g. OPTIMA Newslett. one may surmise that tome 2 will cover the 37: 57. 2004). He deserves being associated remaining 6 sections plus the genus Allop- with the author in our positive appreciation salliota. The present, first portion consists of of the present book. a general, introductory part of c. 120 pages; W.G. the systematic treatment of the 35 species concerned (more than 400 pages) generously illustrated with drawings, photographs and 7. Luis6B Alberto PARRA SÁNCHEZ – No- facsimiles in black-and-white; 240 pages of menclatural study of the genus Agari- colour illustrations (photographs, micro- cus L. (Agaricales, Basidiomycotina) of graphs, facsimiles); and the final bibliogra- the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Is- phy and indexes. The text is bilingual (Span- lands. [Cuad. Trab. Fl. Micol. Ibér. ish and English) throughout except for the (ISSN 1132-0605), 21.] – Consejo Supe- introduction and keys that are trilingual rior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ma- (Italian in addition). drid, 2005 (ISBN 84-00-08316-4). 101 With over 10 printed pages per species pages + one sheet of errata; paper. on average, the monographic part is unusu- Luis Parra’s nomenclator of Iberian ally detailed. The amount of micromorpho- Agaricus is a surprisingly learned and de- logical data, in particular, is awesome. Ob- tailed work. The author has undergone servations on many different relevant aspects painstaking labour to not only achieve com- are provided. The synonymic treatment is as pleteness of coverage but, most commenda- detailed as one may desire (except for the bly, check all cited names to their original wanting typification of synonyms) and source. He has furthermore documented in shows that the author, initially shy, has now unusual detail the reasons for all his nomen- adopted nomenclature as one of his cher- clatural decisions and assessments, always ished specialties. [This being so, may I point with reference to the relevant provisions of out to him that Agaricus sect. Campestres the Code. His reasoning, often repeated, may cannot be lectotypified because A. campes- perhaps at first sight seem tedious and pe- tris is the automatic type under Art. 22.6; dantic to the specialist, but they have obvi- and that Art. 60.2 specifies that capitalisa- ous educational merit in a field where ama- tion of epithets is not a question of orthogra- teurs that are often unfamiliar with the laws phy but merely a matter of typography.] of nomenclature are prominent stakeholders. Illustration is of unprecedented abun- One would wish that equally thorough com- dance and quality. The photographic mate- pendia were available for other groups of rial brought together by Parra, himself a fungi as well. skilled photographer, by itself makes the In one case at least, one may well feel book a worthwhile acquisition. The micro- that Parra is being exaggeratedly meticulous: graphs of spores, basidia and cystidia are when he ascribes a new species to himself useful additions, illustrating those tiny de- (as is normal) by using “L. A. Parra ex L. A. tails that so often are crucial for species Parra” as author citation. identification. W.G. Numerically, the twin volume on Aga- riceae is first in the ambitious series “Fungi

Europaei” published by the Edizioni Can- 8. Ana7B Rosa BURGAZ & Isabel MARTÍ- dusso – but chronologically it comes after NEZ – Peltigerales: Lobariaceae, Ne- volumes 2 to 10, which appeared in 12 phromataceae, Peltigeraceae. [Flora li- tomes between 1991 and 2005. The same quenológica ibérica (ISSN 1696-0513), publisher also produces the series “Fungi [1].] – Sociedad Española de Liquenolo-

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (5) Publications

gía, Murcia, 2003. 61 pages, 10 plates X). 589 pages, numerous colour photo- of drawings, map; paper. graphs, 12 black-and-white figures; hard cover. The first issue of the ambitious new li- chen Flora for the Iberian Peninsula and This new field guide to common and Balearic Islands is at the same time intended characteristic lichens and bryophytes is the to serve as a model for all further treatments. first to have been produced in Spanish and It will therefore be received and studied with intended for use in Spain. It is due to the particularly keen attention, as it foreshadows collaborative effort of two lichenologists and what we are to expect in the future. three bryologists, half from Spain and half The new Flora is being based on Lli- from Germany. Nicely illustrated by colour mona & Hladun’s 2001 inventory of Iberian photographs showing more than 500 com- lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi (see mon and easily recognised species, it is OPTIMA Newslett. 36. (3). 2002). Its treat- meant to provide an opportunity to all who ments are of an exemplary, submonographic love nature, notably those familiar with style, with full keys, high-standard nomen- wildflowers in the first place, to delve into clatural treatment (except that no types are the realm of the humble and unobtrusive yet cited for synonyms), detailed taxon descrip- incredibly diverse and fascinating higher tions and copious illustration, by original avascular cryptogams. drawings, of a majority if not all of the spe- cies. Distribution (both overall and by Iberian The question may be asked: is this a provinces) is summarised but not mapped. new book or not? The answer is somewhat Ample space is given to observations of all ambiguous. In the foreword it is declared a kind. The language adopted is Spanish. “Spanish edition”, resulting from the transla- The present, initial instalment treats tion of a German book to which elements of three of the four Peltigerales families pre- the Spanish flora were added. The German sent in the area: Lobariaceae (including model, discretely cited on the penultimate Sticta), Nephromataceae, and Peltigeraceae page, is Wirth & Düll’s “Farbatlas Flechten (including Solorina); the fourth, Placyn- und Moose”, published in 2000. But as no thiceae, being left for the future. This less than 133 lichen and 101 bryophyte spe- amounts to a total of 6 genera with 44 spe- cies have been newly added – almost one cies, of which over one half (24) belong to half of the total – this is better considered as Peltigera. The only infraspecific rank ac- an original, independent work. cepted here is subspecies, but informal use is made of the term “morph” to designate indi- How practical and reliable it is, users viduals with different algal symbionts. will tell. The basic concept appears to be Except for some wrong references to well suited to the needs of its potential read- figures, perhaps due to a late relettering of ership. From a botanist’s point of view I plate 2, we found the treatment to be flaw- would have liked to find a somewhat more less. Best wishes for the new Flora’s future explicit indication of where each species is fate and its speedy progress! found in Spain (and elsewhere), and cer- tainly an indication of where the photo- W.G. graphs were taken. Books of this kind are all but unknown for Mediterranean countries,

9. Volkmar8B WIRTH, Ruprecht DÜLL, Xa- and the present one is bound to be of use vier LLIMONA, Rosa María ROS & outside of Spain as well , e.g. in Italy and the Olaf WERNER – Guía de campo de los Balkan Peninsula, the language barrier not- líquenes, musgos y hepáticas. – Omega, withstanding. Perhaps a future edition – Barcelona, 2004 (ISBN 84-282-1266- supposing the present one sells as well as it

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deserves – might take such needs and poten- closely “Flora liquenológica ibérica” of tials into account. which we have just presented the first issue W.G. (see item 8, above; obviously, considering the dates of publication, the bryological concept takes priority over the lichenologi-

10. Juan9B GUERRA & Rosa María CROS cal one). The basic rules and tenets of the (ed.) – Flora briofítica ibérica. – So- publication, repeated faithfully in each sub- ciedad Española de Briología, Murcia, sequent issue (which seems a bit of a waste 2000-2004 (ISSN 1696-0521). 9 unnum- of space), bear witness of a well conceived bered, paper bound fascicles received to and stringent plan, although nothing is said date, each with a map of provinces, as as yet on how the eventual multitude of tiny follows (chronologically according to fascicles to be expected is supposed to be registration numbers): arranged in the end. María Teresa GALLEGO & María So far as they are available to me, 8 of Jesús CANO – Género modelo Aloina the fascicles deal with Pottiaceae (20 genera (Potticeae) [as “vol. 0, fasc. 0”]. – 2000; with 96 species in total, plus few subspecies 16 pages, 2 plates of drawings. and several varieties), Didymodon (18 spe- Juan GUERRA – Pottiaceae: Weissia, cies), Tortula and Syntrichia (16 each) being Astomum, Trichostomum. – 2002; 24 the major genera. The remaining fascicle pages, 5 plates of drawings. treats the 8 Iberian species of Andreaea (An- María Teresa GALLEGO – Pottiaceae: dreaeaceae). In contrast to the lichen flora, Syntrichia. – 2002; 31 pages, 6 plates each taxon (including varieties) is illus- of drawings. trated, if not by a habit drawing at least by Juan GUERRA – Pottiaceae: Phascum, details aiding identification. This I consider Acaulon, Aschisma, Protobryum, Lep- to be a major asset of the work, particularly tophascum. – 2003; 27 pages, 6 plates since the drawings (by S. Gallego and, for of drawings. Andreaea, A. Barrón) are faithful to detail Alicia EDERRA – Pottiaceae: Eucla- and show remarkable artistic skill. dium, Gymnostomum, Gyroweisia, Hy- W.G. menostylium, Leptobarbula. – 2004; 27 pages, 7 plates of drawings.

María Jesús CANO – Pottiaceae: Hen- 11. Dino10B MARCHETTI – Le pteridofite nediella, Tortula. – 2004; 36 pages, 9 d’Italia. [reprint from: Ann. Mus. Civi- plates of drawings. co Rovereto, 19.] – Museo Civico, Ro- Rosa María CROS & Cecília SÉRGIO– vereto, 2003. Pages 71-131 + half-sheet Andreaeaceae: Andreaea. – “2003” of addenda and errata, maps; paper. [2004]; 27 pages, 9 plates of drawings. Of the c. 180 species and subspecies of Juan Antonio JIMÉNEZ – Pottiaceae: pteridophytes deemed to be indigenous or Didymodon. – 2004; 35 pages, 8 plates naturalised in Europe no less than 129 occur of drawings. in Italy, which is therefore one of the pteri- Felisa PUCHE – Pottiaceae: Tortella, dologically most diverse European coun- Pleurochaete. – 2004; 23 pages, 5 tries, rivalling with France and Spain. The plates of drawings. present paper provides their inventory, full What is designed to become the basic keys for their identification, and for each a Flora for Iberian bryology started actively if standard profile with diagnostic description, modestly with the production of (so far) 9 habitat, distribution, and a map of its known unnumbered, printed fascicles in DIN A4 occurrence in Italian provinces. Notes, format. In layout and concept they resemble sometimes of substantial size and always

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (7) Publications

informative and well written, are added for tially phytochemical and molecular, but not several taxa. As is customary with ferns, yet DNA sequencing). Even though some when different ploidy levels are known questions are still unanswered, we are now within a species they are assigned to differ- closer to an understanding of juniper taxon- ent subspecies (in spite of the fact that omy than ever before. autopolyploids are indistinguishable mor- The Mediterranean is not the centre of phologically from their diploid ancestor, species diversity for the genus, which is from which they may have arisen repeat- rather to be found in the Sino-Himalayan edly), the only exceptions to this rule being region and Mexico; but it is a good candi- in Pteris and Cystopteris. date for being its centre of origin, as the only Hybrids are not treated in full but enu- area where all three sections occur. Indeed, merated at the end of their respective genus. what is likely the basic clade of Juniperus, Hidden among these lists is a validly pub- the unispecific sect. Caryocedrus (J. Dru- lished new combination (Ceterach officina- pacea), is an E Mediterranean endemic. Ac- rum nothosubsp. mantoniae) which, not cording to Adams’s classification, 11 of the being in any away highlighted or flagged as 67 recognised Juniperus species occur in the such in the summary, has so far failed to be Mediterranean region proper, and three more picked up by indexers. if one adds the Caucasus and Macaronesia. It is not the usual policy, in this column, As compared with traditional treatments to review papers appearing in a journal. The for the area, reflected in the enumeration in present work, however, deserves that an “Med-Checklist”, the changes are consider- exception be made. It provides a new, solid able, especially in the needle-bearing group basis for pteridological research in a major (sect. Juniperus). J. communis has merely Mediterranean country, and will no doubt be two European varieties, “var.” communis found useful by non-Italian botanists as well. (including subsp. hemisphaerica) and “var. W.G. saxatilis” (i.e., subsp. alpina; encompassing J. oblonga). The changes are even more sub- stantial in the J. oxycedrus complex, split Gymnosperms into four species: J. macrocarpa, J. navicu- laris (the former subsp. transtagana), J. oxy- cedrus and J. deltoides. The two last named, 12. Robert11B P. ADAMS – Junipers of the taken together, equal traditional subsp. oxy- world: the genus Juniperus. – Traf- cedrus, representing its western (east to the ford, Vancouver, 2004 (ISBN 1-1420- SW Alps and Corsardinia) and eastern (west 4250-X). v + 275 pages, numerous black- to peninsular Italy) populations, respec- and-white illustrations (photographs, tively. Large-fruited plants from the interior maps, graphs), 8 tables, 4 plates with 96 of Spain, which have often been considered colour photographs; laminated cover. as bridging the gap between J. oxycedrus In his world monograph of the genus, and J. macrocarpa, are placed in the former the undisputed Nestor of juniper studies as “var.” badia, but judging from RAPDs recognises 67 species grouped in three sec- they might even deserve species status. tions (plus several “varieties” in the old In the scaly-leaved sect. Sabina the American sense, corresponding to modern autonomous status of N African J. thurifera subspecies). This taxonomic revision is (as “var.” africana) is confirmed. The dis- based on a lifetime (38 years!) of scientific tinction of a “var. turbinata” in J. phoeni- endeavour, including field work in many of cea, however, and its equation with subsp. the relevant areas, extensive herbarium stud- mediterranea and subsp. canariensis are at ies and experimental work in the lab (essen- best provisional, as the taxonomy is still

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unsettled (there is no clear correlation be- ment has probably come when the tradi- tween phytochemical, molecular and mor- tional point of view is best abandoned. The phological data) and the nomenclature sheer fact that a full monographic account for all guesswork (no type of J. turbinata Guss. has segregate genera is now available facilitates been seen, nor has any Sicilian material been this decision. studied). The present revision of Noccaea is the In summary, this is an extremely valu- ninth and last in a series of papers published able publication, and it is a pity that, being in “Haussknechtia” between 2001 and 2006, cheaply produced, the quality in particular each treating one of the segregate genera, to of its black-and-white photographs is inade- name: Thlaspi s. str., Neurotropis, Micro- quate. I have reviewed it at some length, as thlaspi, Thlaspiceras, Noccidium, Kotschyel- it is unlikely to reach all who should know la, Callothlaspi, and Raparia. It is not a it. Those interested may best obtain it di- world monograph, because the area of Noc- rectly from the author (www.juniperus.org). caea far exceeds the core area of former W.G. Thlaspi on which Meyer has concentrated. To the 67 species and 10 additional subspe- cies here recognised, perhaps half as many Dicotyledons will have to be added when N and E Asia plus extra-tropical America are considered. Even so, a solid foundation has been laid. 13. Friedrich12B Karl MEYER – Kritische The detailed descriptions and extensive Revision der “Thlaspi”-Arten Euro- specimen citations, together with the large pas, Afrikas und Vorderasiens. Spe- amount of careful if artless drawings of di- zieller Teil. IX. Noccaea Moench. agnostic details (apparently all by the au- [Haussknechtia (ISSN 0863-6451), Bei- thor), suffice to make his taxonomic judge- heft 12.] – Thüringische Botanische Ge- ment understood and, why not, accepted. sellschaft, Jena, 2006. 343 pages, 110 plates of drawings; paper. W.G. When Meyer in 1973 set out to pulver- 14. Ali13B Asghar MAASSOUMI –The genus ise the large, generally recognised genus Astragalus in Iran, vol. 5. [Research Thlaspi he met with general scepticism. Institute of Forests and Rangelands, There were good reasons for the reluctance Publication No. 362.] – Islamic Repub- of many, including myself, to follow suit, lic of Iran, Research Institute of Forests foremost the lack of a detailed rationale, and Rangelands, Tehran, 2005 (ISBN which one might have expected in support of 964-473-229-4). 786 pages, 213 photo- such sweeping change. A bare conspectus of graphic plates, graphs, tables; paper. names, most of them new combinations, was unconvincing evidence. Also, Meyer had not This is the fifth, concluding volume of even remotely considered the possibility to Maassoumi’s monumental revision of Ira- minimise nomenclatural change by conserv- nian Astragalus, of which the three first (of ing the familiar name Thlaspi with a type 1986, 1989 and 1995) were reviewed earlier representing the largest split, Noccaea. (in OPTIMA Newslett. 31: (2-3). 1997) and Time has passed, and Meyer at long last the fourth (not seen) was published in 2000. has taken the trouble to explain the rationale Qualifying it as monumental is not an exag- of his new classification. Furthermore, mo- geration. From the final synopsis, arranged lecular work started in 1991 does in general alphabetically by sections and species, one terms support Meyer’s conclusions based will see in the whole revision 70 sections primarily on seed coat anatomy. The mo- and 804 numbered taxa (species or subspe-

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (9) Publications

cies), to which one may add 6 doubtful spe- “paw melia” used in Hawai’i), Plumeria is cies, one that is only cultivated, and 26 were first documented in cultivation in Sicily in recently published ones and that were not Gussone’s 1821 edition of the catalogue of treated in the revision itself. The synopsis the Boccadifalco Garden at Palermo. It spread appears on pp. 666-692 and mentions (by through Palermo’s 19th century’s “gardens of means of abbreviations explained only in delight” to become one of the city’s most Farsi) the life form of each section (A = generalised and best loved ornamentals, wide- annual, H = herbaceous, WO = woody) and, ly grown in backyards and on balconies. for each species, whether it is endemic (e), What I have just designated as a “popu- non-endemic (sh), described as new in the lar revision” is not a work of pure science revision itself (n), etc. but a many-faceted account partly written by Volume 5 treats 18 sections of Astraga- professional botanist. It includes historical, lus subg. Cercidothrix, with 216 numbered horticultural and systematic chapters, and taxa, including 22 species described as new presents a full documentation of the 18 cul- in an Appendix, but not including 11 that tivars of Plumeria rubra extant in the Bo- were published in May 2005 by Zarre and/or tanic Garden’s collections followed by a Podlech, too late for being inserted in full. survey of its other Apocynaceae holdings. This time no short version in English, is As is usual for Palermo publications, the present, nor distribution maps as in some of booklet is lavishly illustrated and produced the earlier volumes. For those not familiar with loving care. As a final surprise, it in- with Farsi language and Arabic script the cludes the facsimile of a work so rare that it book is hard to use. Only the Appendix with went unnoticed by the compilers of TL-2: the description of the new species (and with head gardener Vincenzo Riccobono’s “Ri- one apparently illegitimate renaming) is in vista monografica delle specie di Plumeria”, English and Latin. To compensate, for al- published in Palermo in 1904, with 23 pages most every recognised taxon a specimen, of text (reprinted from the “Bollettino della often the type, is shown as full-page black- Società Orticola di Mutuo Soccorso”) and and-white photograph. All in all, this is a 15 colour plates. most valuable and welcome addition to the literature on Astragalus and on the Iranian In addition to the Italian text, full or flora. summary translations into English are pro- W.G. vided. W.G.

15. Attilio14B CARAPEZZA, Pietro PUCCIO & Manlio SPECIALE – Pomelia felicissima. 16. Luis15B CARLÓN, Gonzalo GÓMEZ CA- Storia, botanica e coltivazione della SARES, Manuel LAÍNZ, Gonzalo MO- plumeria a Palermo. – Kalós, Palermo, RENO MORAL, Óscar SÁNCHEZ PE- 2005. 131 pages, coloured illustrations DRAJA & Gerald M. SCHNEEWEISS – (photographs, facsimiles, maps); paper. Más, a propósito de algunas Phelipan- A public show that presented in the che Pomel, Boulardia F. W. Schultz y summer and fall of 2005 by the Palermo Orobanche L. (Orobanchaceae) del Botanic Garden provided the opportunity to oeste del Paleártico. [Documentos del publish this excellent popular revision of Jardín Botánico Atlántico (Gijón), 6.] – cultivated Plumerias. Locally known by the Jardín Botánico Atlántico, Gijón, 2005 corrupted but loving name “pomelia” (ISBN 978-84-89466-84-5). 127 pages, (which, carried by some Sicilian emigrant, 4 figures, 3 maps, 4 tables, 25 plates, may well be the source of the designation mostly colour photographs; paper.

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This is the fourth contribution to Oro- flower position in P. mutelii when compared banchaceae taxonomy by a group of NW with P. nana is said to be “erect to erecto- Spanish botanists (Grupo Botánico Cantábri- patent” (table 1) but in comparison to other co, or GBC) headed by Luis Carlón, this species is described as “patent, more rarely time with the addition of a Viennese co- erect” (table 2). author who is responsible for DNA sequenc- Although the authors’ missionary zeal in ing; the first three having appeared in 2002 defending their creed is a bit disproportion- to 2005 as Nos. 1-3 of the same journal. It ate, they have made and continue to make consists of a loose series of observations welcome, valuable contributions to a better concerning species growing in, but often not understanding of Orobanche sensu lato limited to, Spain. Recent field work has led W.G. members of the group to explore S France, Portugal and the Canary Islands. The authors split the genus commonly Monocotyledons known as Orobanche into three genera which beyond doubt – whatever their rank – 17. Goar16B Grantovna OGANEZOVA – constitute natural units, well defined both Struktura semeni i sistema Lilejnyh. morphologically and in molecular terms – Institut Botaniki, Nacional’naja Aka- (principally ITS sequences, as there appears demija Nauk Republiki Armenija, 2008 to have been some horizontal inter-group (ISBN 978-99941-2-109-0). 249 pages, gene transfer at the level of chromosome 47 figures, one table; laminated cover. DNA). These are Orobanche proper, Phe- lipanche (also known as O. subg. Pheli- When Huber in 1969 started to revolu- panche or sect. Trionychon), and Boulardia tionise monocot systematics by his studies (or subg. Ceratocalyx; unispecific, to ac- of liliiflorous seeds, Oganezova soon set out commodate the peculiar O. latisquama). to investigate that very subject on her own. Most of the present work concerns Between 1978 and 1988 she performed an Phelipanche, a group in which species de- enormous amount of work, studying primar- limitation is notoriously critical and con- ily the seed coat anatomy, embryology and fused. Four new Phelipanche species are endosperm features, and additionally fruit described, 5 new specific or subspecific morphology and ontogenesis, of no less than combinations validated, and in a number of 550 species of 182 different genera, cur- cases type material has been critically exam- rently placed in 32 families of the former ined and lectotypes were designated. Distri- Liliiflorae. Her present work was, basically, bution maps have been prepared, some written and ready for publication by 1991, showing the Iberian and others the total but only now could the opportunity be found known distribution. Most importantly, some to get it printed. drawings and many good colour photo- Oganezova presents her results in the graphs are included, without which reliable frame of her initial set of 17 traditionally identification would scarcely be possible defined, medium-sized families. While for (even with aid of the photographs, distinc- discussion she uses a modern family con- tion, unless supported by personal experi- cept, essentially based on molecular criteria, ence in the field, is not an easy matter). she is rightly critical of the exclusive use of Sometimes the authors appear to be overly DNA sequences for classification purposes. optimistic in conveying their knowledge to She therefore endeavours to add her own, others, or they talk themselves into recognis- original data so as to refine and consolidate ing differences that vary according to the the concept and arrangement of liliiflorous species being compared. As an example, families. Whereas the families she now

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (11) Publications

adopts represent the ultimate splitting ten- The authors of this new grass inventory dency prevailing today, she also deplores have both visited the S Aegean islands, this dramatic pulverisation and instead ad- Scholz repeatedly since 1988, Böhling in vocates the reintroduction of more broadly 1997-2001. They have, in addition, made defined families subdivided into subfamilies. use of specimens collected by others and Whether this means that she would gladly deposited in the Berlin Herbarium (B), but downgrade the categories she uses by one apparently not in any other herbaria. Even notch, replacing superorder by order, order with this major limitation they have added a by family, and family by subfamily, we are surprisingly high number of new distribu- left to guess. tional data to what uses to be considered as Oganezova’s own classificatory scheme one of the best explored parts of the eastern groups the former Liliiflorae in three super- Mediterranean. Their list of 234 wild and 7 orders, which she believes to have their root widely cultivated grass taxa includes no less in the old Gondwana-Laurasia contact zone than 6 first records for Europe (4 of them in SE Asia: a tropical branch, Dioscoreanae aliens), 15 additions to the Cretan area, 19 to (with the unifamilial orders Dioscoreales Crete alone, and 4, from Rhodes, previously and Taccales); and two closely related pre- unknown from the E Aegean area. The list sumed sister groups, the predominantly N also includes the enumeration of a large hemispheric Lilianae (Liliales plus the uni- number of specimens that enlarge the known familial Alstroemeriales and Iridales) and provincial or altitudinal distribution of taxa, the mainly S hemispheric Asparaganae (As- or confirm old, sometimes doubtful records. paragales and Amaryllidales). Outside of Scholz, the well known grass specialist, these, sharing some characters with each and adopts a “modern”, narrow generic concept. others with none, Haemodoraceae appear to He therefore validates several new combina- be very old, close to the origin of herbaceous tions in this paper, in the genera Elytrigia plants and of unclear affinity. (split from Elymus), Schedonorus (traditio- Had it been possible to include in this nally placed in Festuca) and Ochlopoa (ori- book a significant share of the doubtless ginally a section of Poa, here newly raised huge pictorial material generated by the to generic rank). In other respects, however, author in her studies, it would have been a his nomenclature is stubbornly antiquated, unique compendium of liliiflorous seed ana- as in the cases of “Monerma” (correctly tomy and fruit morphology, a source work Hainardia) and “Aegilops caudata” (for A. for the discipline as a whole. As it is, the markgrafii). drawings provided are barely adequate to W.G. illustrate and justify the author’s basic con- cepts. Even so, her conceptual contribution to monocot systematic is certainly significant. 19. Helmut18B BAUMANN, Siegfried KÜNKE- W.G. LE & Richard LORENZ – Orchideen Europas mit angrenzenden Gebieten. – Ulmer, Stuttgart, 2006 (ISBN 978-3- 18. Niels17B BÖHLING & Hildemar SCHOLZ – 8001-4162-3). 333 pages, 639 colour The Gramineae (Poaceae) flora of the photographs, map and figure on cover southern Aegean Islands (Greece). inside; laminated cover. Checklist, new records, internal distribu- tion. [Ber. Inst. Landschafts- & Pflan- This field guide for European orchids is zenökol. Univ. Hohenheim (ISSN 0947- the work, so to say, of old battle horses: 0778), Beih. 16.] – Universität Hohen- Baumann and Künkele (the latter sadly de- heim, Stuttgart, 2003. 88 pages, 8 fig- ceased in 2004) have published similar ures (graph, maps), 2 tables; paper. guides in 1982 and 1988 already, in the se-

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ries “Kosmos Naturführer”. Also, they have likely to withstand the test by the practical been coordinating for the past few decades user. The fact that the new, molecular-based the work on mapping Mediterranean or- reclassification of the genus Orchis (see the chids, carried out under OPTIMA’s aegis. next following item) has not been taken up None better than they would know of the testifies to the author’s caution rather than to practical needs of those who want to recog- their recalcitrance to change. nise these lovely but highly variable plants Nowadays in an orchid book one ex- in the field, and none could better cope with pects that the illustrations meet highest qual- the restrictions in space and style that a ity standards. It would be surprising if this handy field guide imposes. book were an exception to the rule, which it An author team of such skill and knowl- is certainly not. Its merits, therefore, lie not edge could not fail to produce an excellent so much in the beautiful and impeccably book. Speaking of conciseness, introductory neat pictures it presents, but in their useful- matter has been limited to a single page of ness for recognising the plants in the field. It preface, the minimal necessary explanation is obvious that the authors have gone to of typographical conventions being rele- great length to select the most typical and gated to the inside of the front cover flap. informative among the images at their dis- Author citations for scientific names are posal. When appropriate, as for Himanto- absent from the text but can be found in the glossum and Serapias, they have added dis- index by those who need them. Information sections of flowers to the customary colour for taxa is organised under a few well cho- photographs. sen headers, such as (sparing) synonymy, My concluding wish and advice, then, is morphology, variation, biology, diagnostic that an English edition of this book be pre- hints, habitat, and distribution. Commenda- pared, because its being written in German bly, a half line of text has been set aside to will inevitably and unduly restrict its use mention the place and date where each pho- among orchid lovers to the relatively few tograph was taken, and the identity of the who are familiar with the Teutonic idiom. photographer. Also, descriptions are not of As one of those privileged few, I have been uniform standard length but adapted to the proud and pleased to find that the authors needs of each case. have chosen to dedicate their work to me. In a book with orchids as its subject the W.G. primary question, invariably, is: how many taxa do the authors recognise, at which rank, 20. Horst19B KRETZSCHMAR, Wolfgang EC- and how sensibly defined? Here again, the CARIUS & Helga DIETRICH – The or- great experience of the authors, both with chid genera Anacamptis, Orchis and the plants and their orchidophile colleagues, Neotinea. Phylogeny, taxonomy, mor- have led them to adopt wise compromises. phology, biology, distribution, ecology They have not foregone the recent, often and hybridisation. 2, edition – translated excessive attempts to cast variation into a into English. – Echinomedia, Bürgel, formal taxonomic framework, but neither 2007 (ISBN 978-3-937107-12-7). 544 did they feel compelled to adopt each and pages, numerous photographs, facsimi- every new taxon proposed for a local variant les, tables, maps and graphs, mostly in or, in Ophrys, each population with a deviat- colour; hard cover. ing pollinator. They have made fair and reasonable use of the subspecies category to In his foreword, Richard Bateman refers accommodate the less stable and not so well to this book as an “integrated monograph”. defined, yet distinguishable morphs. By and However defined, this term fits nicely. The large, the classification they have adopted is authors have indeed contrived to approach

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (13) Publications

their subject under a variety of angles, start- 6 in Anacamptis morio and A. papilionacea, 5 ing with general thoughts on the history and in Orchis mascula, etc. They also freely use theory of its classification and ending with sectional subdivisions, many of them uni- an extensive presentation and discussion of specific: 7 each in Anacamptis and 2 in Neo- known or supposed hybridisation phenomena. tinea, which may well seem exaggerate but Understandably, much weight is placed does no real harm. Of the 88 new combina- on the question of generic delimitation. All tions and 4 new taxa proposed, most concern but three of the species here treated have sections, subspecies and hybrids, and only a been universally included in the single genus single one, Anacamptis cyrenaica, stands for Orchis for almost two centuries. This is now a species. split in three, with two of the outsiders (Ana- The book is generously illustrated, not camptis pyramidata and Neotinea maculata) only with colour photographs of plants in providing the generic names for two of the their natural habitat and close-ups of flowers splits – the third, Aceras anthropophorum, but also with images of type specimens, SEM being integrated in what is left of Orchis. micrographs, and distribution maps. Its single Not surprisingly, it is the use of molecular major weak spot, as far as I can judge, are the methods, viz. the sequencing of nuclear keys. Not only does the integration of subspe- DNA, that is at the base of this revolution; cies into the species keys result in the awk- and again predictably, this has led to much ward, unintentional appearance of nonsense criticism or at least scepticism in the recent combinations like “Anacamptis laxiflora past. Yet in the case at hand there seems to subsp. palustris” (p. 51) – which could have be sound support for the revised scheme, been avoided by a better typographic ar- both from (suitably selected) morphological rangement; but more seriously, the keys are criteria and the observed faculty of inter- obviously unsuited for determination. Just specific hybridisation. The present revision, two examples. On p. 193, Neotinea lactea is which fits all taxa into the novel generic contrasted against N. tridentata solely by the scheme, will no doubt greatly enhance ac- outside colour of the “helmet” (other charac- ceptance of the new classification among ters mentioned in one lead are unmatched in botanists and orchid lovers. Lest new re- the other), whitish to yellowish cream as op- search disproves the soundness of the mo- posed to pink to light red; however, colour lecular results – a rather unlikely prospect – as documented by Fig. 212/1 of Spanish N. there is hardly an acceptable alternative in tridentata subsp. conica and Fig. 216/1-2 of sight. The three recognised genera are paced Greek N. lactea is identical, pale pink with far apart in the phylogenetic tree, so they greenish-purple veins. On p. 52, the diagnos- cannot reasonably, as has been proposed, be tic criteria given for Anacamptis papilio- downgraded to subgenera of a genus Orchis nacea subsp. expansa with respect to subsp. that would, in that event, be no more natural alibertis are a dense inflorescence and but than it is at present. slightly upwardly bent lip margin; on which In the main, monographic portion of account, some of the plants shown under the their book the authors adopt a generously former subspecies, e.g. the lectotype illustra- wide species concept, which they justify in tion (Fig. 160.1), key out as the latter. the introduction. They treat as mere subspe- This slight admonition is not meant to cies many taxa that have more often been impinge unduly on the positive general im- accepted as distinct species, ending up with pression given by the book; rather, it shows a relatively low total of 36 species: 11 in how difficult it is to convey to the inexperi- Anacamptis, 4 in Neotinea, and 21 in resid- enced reader slight differences perceived ual Orchis. On the other hand, they recog- through the observation of plants and popu- nise a relatively large number of subspecies: lations in nature – which explains, perhaps,

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why the study of terrestrial orchids is so hybrids are not treated in full as is so often difficult yet fascinating a subject. the case, rather, they are illustrated by a hand- W.G. ful of striking and characteristic examples. The orchid flora of Cyprus comprises 52 taxa (here: species) belonging to 12 gen-

21. C.20B A. J. [Karel] KREUTZ – Die Or- era, among which Ophrys (21 species) and chideen von Zypern. Beschreibung, Orchis (14) followed by Epipactis and Sera- Lebensweise, Verbreitung, Gefährdung, pias (4 each) are prominent. Kreutz in this Schutz und Ikonographie. The orchids book still adopts the narrow species defini- of Cyprus. Description, pattern of life, tion of his former publication but foreshad- distribution, threat, conservation and ows a new, more synthetic approach for the iconography. –Kreutz, Landgraaf, 2004 near future, in which many of the less well (ISBN 90-806626-3-1). 416 pages, nu- defined units will be given subspecies rank. merous maps and photographs in col- When one compares the taxa recognised our; hard cover with dust jacket here with those that Baumann & al. (item 19, The last of Karel Kreutz’s gorgeous Or- above) have subsequently adopted on a chid books that I had the pleasure to review European scale, one finds that there is hardly was that on Rhodes and Karpathos, pub- any difference in taxon number (only lished in 2002 (see OPTIMA Newslett. 37: Ophrys morio has, perhaps unjustly, been 64-65. 2004). The present one, dealing with synonymised with O. alsatica), and only a the Orchidaceae growing on Cyprus, de- small decline (by 8) in the number of differ- serves equal prize as its forerunners with ent species. This demonstrates if need be respect to the superior quality of its text, that Kreutz’ population-based approach to printing and illustration. Most photographs, taxon definition is sound and stands the test once more, are by Kreutz himself; and again, of his peers’ critical scrutiny. the text is fully bilingual. Not counting the Should I be asked to mention a point of illustrations in the general introductory part, criticism, as is known to be my habit, I which include characteristic landscapes, the would pick out the Latin description of the standard setting for each species is of two single newly described species, Ophrys mo- full-page colour photographs facing the Ger- rio. In my young and pitiless days I have man and English treatment, followed by two once dismissed a similar new taxon with the pages with (normally) 6 quarter-page photo- verdict: “diagnosis vix latina”. One wonders graphs and a dot map showing the distribu- why Kreutz, who was aided by a superb tion on Cyprus. language editor for his English text, could The orchid flora of Cyprus is interesting not find a person with skills in botanical and varied, but not exceedingly rich (unless Latin to aid him with this little paragraph. one counts the many doubtful or plainly W.G. erroneous records, carefully discussed and dismissed at the onset) and, surprisingly, not Floras very critical either. With the exception of the genus Serapias and the Ophrys sphegodes- mammosa complex, most taxa present ap- 22. Rui21B Manuel da Silva VIEIRA – Flora pear to be well defined and can be distin- da Madeira. Plantas vasculares natu- guished with relative ease. It may, in many ralizadas no Arquipélago da Madeira. cases, be more difficult to establish their [Bol. Mus. Munic. Funchal (Hist. Nat.), taxonomic identity (or otherwise) with plants Supl. 8 (ISSN 0870-3876).] – Câmara growing elsewhere. As is usual with orchids, Municipal do Funchal, Funchal, 2002. hybridisation plays a substantial role; but 281 pages, table, 18 plates with 72 pho-

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (15) Publications

tographs (16 in colour); paper with dust Eight years after the warmly welcomed jacket. first volume of this new, concise flora of Morocco (see OPTIMA Newslett. 35: (6-8). Far-off islands are characterised by a 2000), there comes the next. With its almost species-poor indigenous flora with low com- 1500 species and 304 genera it corresponds petitive ability, and which by consequence is to roughly one third of the total flora, leav- particularly vulnerable to alien invaders. The ing the last, presumably largest third for the Madeira archipelago (Madeira proper and final volume. Leguminosae are by far the Porto Santo) is no exception. It is therefore a largest family treated, followed in order of good thing to dispose of a full and up-to- magnitude by Labiatae, Umbelliferae, Scro- date inventory of the islands’ known exotics, phulariaceae (defined in the traditional both naturalised and occurring as casual sense) and Boraginaceae. These five taken escapes, to serve as a basis for monitoring together account for exactly 70 % of the their future fate and possible expansion. total species number. Madeira is comparatively well explored botanically, yet the dynamics of invasive The editorial team has unfortunately lost plants are considerable. Little wonder, there- its last French member, Joël Mathez, who fore, that there are a number of new records regettably chose to sacrifice his mandate to among the 447 naturalised and 186 casually his teaching commitments, but nevertheless escaping species inventoried. No less than contributed a most readable preface full of 14, now naturalised, had not been recorded historical reminiscences. The team of au- before, and 11 previously know from a sin- thors shows again the active participation of gle island have been found on both. Fur- many Moroccan botanists who are in a large thermore, 82 species, already known in cul- majority among the 16 text authors. The tivation, have been newly found in the wild, single change of note with respect to the first either naturalised (20) or at least casual (62). volume concerns chromosome numbers, now Of the naturalised species, most are fortu- given more liberally than before but no nately restricted to the lower, heavily built longer in the current text as before: they and cultivated belt, yet several, which occur form an appendix of their own, with refer- at altitudes above 600 m, present a serious ence to their source. threat to the native laurisilva communities Three new combinations have been vali- with their unique endemic flora. dated in the text, one each in Ballota, Globu- W.G. laria, and Scutellaria. They all result from change in rank, either upgrading of former varieties or downgrading of a species. The

23. Mohamed22B FENNANE, Mohammed IBN family key appears again but with some TATTOU, Aïcha OUYAHYA & Jalal improvements incorporated, whereas the EL-OUALIDI (ed.) – Flore pratique du glossary is reprinted unchanged (still con- Maroc. Manuel de détermination des taining terms relevant to the ferns, but not plantes vasculaires. Volume 2, Angio- yet those that will be needed in the next spermae (Leguminosae-Lentibulariace- volume for Compositae or grasses). ae). [Travaux de l’Institut Scientifique, The first volume has, deservedly, re- Série Botanique (ISSN 1114-1174), 38.] ceived a special award at the 2001 OPTIMA – Institut Scientifique, Université Mo- Meeting in Palermo. The second volume fully hammed V, Agdal, Rabat, 2007 (ISBN matches its merits and qualities. Among its 9954-8347-4-5). XI + 836 + [1] pages, many positive aspects, let me mention the map, 73 plates of drawings + 111 fig- editors’ firm promise that they will not stop ures; cloth with dust-cover. short of completing the whole work. W.G.

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24. Pedro23B SÁNCHEZ GÓMEZ & Juan Flora iberica. Plantas vasculares de la GUERRA MONTES (ed.) – Nueva flora Península Ibérica e Islas Baleares. Vol. de Murcia. Plantas vasculares. – DM, XV, Rubiaceae-Dipsacaceae. – Consejo Murcia, 2003 (ISBN 84-8425-289-2). Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 501 pages, 486 colour photographs, 308 Real Jardín Botánico, Madrid, 2007 drawings, 3 maps; laminated cover. (ISBN 978-84-00-08567-4, volume; 84- 00-06221-3, set). XLV + 449 pages, The avowed purpose of this Flora is di- map, 90 plates of drawings; cloth with dactic. It has been written primarily to assist dust jacket. Murcia’s university and college students to recognise the plants of their home region, 26. Santiago25B CASTROVIEJO (gen. ed.), San- and enable teachers to assist them. It is, by tiago CASTROVIEJO, Modesto LUCEÑO, consequence, a simply but methodically Antonio GALÁN, Pedro JIMÉNEZ ME- written book, presenting concise information JÍAS, Francisco CABEZAS & L. MEDI- (keys but no descriptions) but rather gener- NA (vol. ed.) – Flora iberica. Plantas ously illustrated so as to help users to ascer- vasculares de la Península Ibérica e Is- tain that their results are indeed correct. las Baleares. Vol. XVIII, Cyperaceae- In view of its scope one might have ex- Pontederiaceae. – Consejo Superior de pected a pocket book, which it is not by Investigaciones Científicas, Real Jardín either size or weight. Also, the illustrations Botánico, Madrid, 2008 (ISBN 978-84- are of very unequal quality: good for the 00-08624-4, volume; 84-00-06221-3, colour photographs but poor for the (mostly set). XLVII + 420 pages, map, 93 plates original) drawings, many of which are un- of drawings; cloth with dust jacket. characteristic and rather misleading. A mi- nor incident, worth mentioning because it 27. Santiago26B CASTROVIEJO (gen. ed.), Car- concerns the example used in the introduc- los AEDO & Alberto HERRERO (vol. tion, is the crippled synonym given under ed.) – Flora iberica. Plantas vasculares Tetraclinis articulata: Callitris “quadriva- de la Península Ibérica e Islas Baleares. lens” instead of quadrivalvis. Vol. XXI, Smilacaceae-Orchidaceae. – As the impressum explicitly designates Consejo Superior de Investigaciones this issue as a “first edition”, one wonders Científicas, Real Jardín Botánico, Ma- why the editors in the preface refer to an drid, 2005 (ISBN 84-00-08305-9, vol- earlier edition of the book. The fact is that it ume; 84-00-06221-3, set). XLV + 366 is a remake, under a slightly different title, pages, map, 43 plates of drawings, 100 of Sánchez Gómez’s “Flora de Murcia” (ed. full-page colour photographs; cloth with 1, 1996; ed. 2, 1998). dust jacket. In spite of the minor shortcomings men- tioned, the Flora is likely to fulfil its pur- It looks as though the editor had pur- pose: to make the vascular plants of their posely chosen to publish “Flora iberica” in area better known, appreciated and, hopeful- steps of three. Not quite so, if you look at ly, safeguarded. The information given on the the dates – but still… Well, sorry for the habitat, distribution and abundance of each joke. The work certainly deserves to be con- species is particularly helpful in this respect. sidered seriously, as it still is, in my opinion, the flagship among Europe’s Floras. I know W.G. I am repeating myself, but after 13 published volumes (out of a total of 21) it is not easy to

25. Santiago24B CASTROVIEJO (gen. ed.), find words of praise unsaid before. Under Juan Antonio DEVESA, Raúl GONZA- the ongoing if somewhat more relaxed lead- LO & Alberto HERRERO (vol. ed.) – ership of Santiago Castroviejo, young capa-

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (17) Publications

ble Spanish botanists are now taking turns as quality, both with respect to scientific accu- volume editors, which has the welcome con- racy and artistic skill. Besides there is the sequence of ensuring speedy publication of final, surprising innovation of colour plates those parts for which the authors have com- in vol. 21, with full-page colour pictures, by pleted their work. some of Europe’s leading orchid photogra- Each of the three volumes under review phers, illustrating (sometimes twice) every has a single major family at its core, beside accepted species and subspecies. some minor ones. For volume 15 it is Rubia- W.G. ceae, in which Galium (52 species), by Or- tega Olivencia & Devesa, is the largest ge- 28. Daniel27B JEANMONOD & Jacques GA- nus. Cyperaceae make up the bulk of vol- MISANS – Flora corsica. – Edisud, Aix- ume 18, again with an undisputed generic en-Provence, 2007 (ISBN 978-2-7449- leader: Carex (92 species), split up section- 0662-6). 921 + cxxxiv pages, 134 plates wise among Luceño, Escudero and Jiménez of drawings, 3 maps, 1 vegetation pro- Mejías. Finally, Orchidaceae, which fill the file, 3 tables; plastic cover. near totality of the final volume 21, include three major genera of comparable size: Or- So far there has been no pocket flora for chis (19 species), authored by Aedo, Epipac- the island of Corsica, a surprising fact when tis (14), by Crespo, and Ophrys (12), by one considers how popular the “Island of Aldasoro & Sáez. Beauty” is among tourists and nature lovers. The “orchid volume” deserves to be dis- Bouchard’s “Flore pratique” was a scant cussed in some detail, as so much interest surrogate, as even in its third edition of 1978 has centred on the orchid family recently. it is so full of imperfections that it is not Those favouring a revolutionary approach in even mentioned in the list of basic literature genus delimitation will be disappointed, as of the present book. the editors, having given due consideration The wild flora of Corsica comprises to the recent proposals of Pridgeon & Bate- almost 2400 species, including casual man, have opted for a conservative solution, (10.5 %) and naturalised (6,4 %) aliens. identical with the treatment in “Flora Eu- Endemism is considerable, the 146 strictly ropaea”. Theirs was probably a wise deci- endemic taxa corresponding to 6,3 % of the sion, as there was, and still is, scant accep- indigenous flora – a figure and proportion tance of the novel scheme among botanists that will more than double when endemism and orchidophiles (but see item 20, above). in a wider, Tyrrhenian context is considered. The notorious splitters, too, must be quite The new tenets of molecular-based phy- disappointed, because in Ophrys in particu- logeny have been followed with respect to lar the species concept adopted is very broad family sequence: three “basal” families (excessively so in the case of O. dyris, (Nymphaeaceae, Lauraceae, Aristolochia- which considered as a subspecies of O. fusca ceae) precede the monocots, followed in but belonging in reality to the but distantly turn by the dicots starting with Ceratophyl- related O. omegaifera complex). In Orchis, lum. This means that the user, at least ini- on the other hand, O. conica, a member of tially, will have to resort frequently to the the critical and variable O. tridentata group, index. Family delimitations, at least, have is recognised as a distinct species – which I been kept as is traditional, with deviating definitely consider as excessive. modern alternatives (the Angiosperm Phy- A word of praise must, once more, be logeny Group’s APG II family concepts) said on illustration. The drawings (by R. mentioned in brackets, subtitles or notes. Tavera for vol. 15, J. L. Castillo for the two “Flora corsica” is a product of the “pro- others) is – as in past volumes – of superior jet Flore Corse”, based at the Geneva Con-

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servatoire botanique. In spite of its 1050+ ing a paper by Jeanmonod, published two pages it is a handy volume, being printed on years before) three Corsican or Corsardinian extra thin paper. Some concessions had to be endemic species are recognised beside S. made in order to save space, such as the leucanthemifolius proper, which occurs only absence of descriptions of families and gen- as a casual. These results must remain pre- era, but species are treated in full, and in- liminary as long as no equally thorough fraspecific taxa (subspecies, varieties and revision of local native populations repre- even a few formae) are presented in even senting the complex elsewhere in the Medi- greater detail than is usual for critical Floras. terranean coastlands has been carried out. Also, illustration is generous. A fair share of Same as the previous parts of this series, the species are portrayed in full or by diag- the present one endeavours to take into ac- nostic details, the latter either taken from the count all recent changes due, for the most new Belgian Flora of Lambinon & al. (ed. 5, part, to novel results in the field of molecu- 2004) and a few other sources, or contrib- lar systematics. However, progress is so fast uted by one of the authors, André Schlüssel. that it is impossible to keep abreast. Since As to the full but much downscaled por- this account was published a new, important traits, all are original, mostly by E. Sierra split has occurred in Senecio, whereby sev- Ràfols. eral species have been transferred to Jaco- “Flora corsica” cannot of course dis- baea. Watch out: it is unlikely to be the last place the much fuller “Prodrome” to which such rearrangement. the following item belongs, but it is a very W.G. useful and much needed complement to it. W.G. 30. Pier29B Virgilio ARRIGONI – Flora dell’iso- la di Sardegna, 1. – Delfino, Sassari,

29. Daniel28B JEANMONOD (ed.) – Complé- 2006 (ISBN 88-7138-414-8). 448 pages, ments au Prodrome de la flore corse. 184 plates of drawings, 9 maps; hard Asteraceae – II, par Daniel JEAN- cover. MONOD, André SCHLÜSSEL & Jacques There is an obvious tendency to large GAMISANS. – Conservatoire et Jardin formats among Sardinian Floras, starting botaniques de la Ville de Genève, with Moris and more than matched by the Chambésy, 2004 (ISBN 2-8277-0815- present, new one (30 × 22 cm). But large 9). 256 pages, map, 97 black-and-white size is not its main merit, far from it. Ar- figures (photographs, drawings and rigoni presents us with a high quality prod- maps); laminated cover. uct, resulting from a plan that has taken over The second of three projected As- three decades to mature since it was first teraceae parts in the series of complements made public, at the First OPTIMA Meeting to Briquet’s “Prodrome de la Flore corse” in Iraklio, in the fall of 1975. Since then, treats two tribes: Senecioneae and Car- Arrigoni has grown into the undisputed first dueae. Nine tribes had been dealt with in the expert of the Sardinian flora, on which he first part (reviewed in OPTIMA Newslett. has published a great number of papers to 33: (2-3) 1998), and a single but major one, foreshadow the final synthesis that is now Lactuceae, is left for the third. The number taking shape. of genera included here is 24, of which Cen- As may be expected at the start of such taurea (12 species) and Senecio (11 species) an enterprise, the initial general chapters on are the largest and most critical. In the latter the island’s physical environment and bio- genus, extensive space is devoted to the S. sphere, particularly its vegetation and flora, leucanthemifolius group, in which (follow- are given ample space. Each chapter ends

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (19) Publications

with its own bibliography, competently ognition of the outstanding qualities of the guiding the interested reader who may wish book but also as an incentive for the speedy to delve deeper into a particular subject. production of the many (perhaps a dozen?) The linear arrangement of families fol- volumes yet to come. lows phylogenetic criteria, with the Pterido- W.G. phytes first, followed by Gymnosperms, Di- cotyledons (arranged according to Cron- 31. Kiril30B MICEVSKI – Flora na Republika quist’s system) and Monocotyledons (after Makedonija. Vol. 1(3), 1(4), 1(5), 1(6). Dahlgren). Family delimitation, we are left to – Makedonska Akademija na Naukite i understand, will follow the same authorita- Umetnostite, Skopje, 1996, 1999, 2001, tive treatments. The arrangement of genera 2005. Pages 397-776, 777-1116, 1117- takes their affinities into account, with the 1432, 1433-1716; 4 tomes, paper. notable (and illogical) exception of the fam- [Sodržina = index to tomes 1(1) (7 ily’s name-bringing genus, which always pages), 1(2) (11 pages) and 1(3) (13 comes first. Species, regrettably, appear in pages), on loose sheets printed recto alphabetical sequence. Their treatment follows only, were distributed with tome 1(4)]. a clear, coherent pattern. There are source citations for adopted names and synonyms, Since 1993 when the second tome of the and for the former the nomenclatural type is first volume of this Flora was published (see often but not always stated. The remaining OPTIMA Newslett. 30: (12). 1996) it has information is clearly (but not space- slowly but steadily kept progressing. It has economically) arranged under apposite sub- now reached the end of the dialypetalous headings, among which “First inventor” is dicots (and presumably, to judge from the an unusual and innovative feature. Sources presence of a cumulative generic index, the of chromosome numbers are cited only when end of volume 1). the counts are based on Italian material. The third tome treats 17 families includ- Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and the ing Cruciferae (48 genera), the fourth, 14 first 23 dicot families (not counting casuals) family among which are Rosaceae (24 gen- are here treated. Among the latter, for which era), the fifth, 8 families but mainly Legumi- there is no key as yet, the largest is Ranun- nosae (33 genera), and the sixth 21 families culaceae, and several are of medium size: centred on Umbelliferae (51 genera). The Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Fagaceae, largest genera in tome 3 are Viola (41 spe- Fumariaceae, and Papaveraceae. cies), Alyssum (28) and Rumex (22); in tome Illustration is among the Flora’s salient 4, Euphorbia (36), Potentilla (35), Alche- traits. With few exceptions, all species are milla (32), Sedum (22) and Saxifraga (21); illustrated by full-page drawings of habit in tome 5, Trifolium (56), Astragalus (30), and analytical details, most of them original Vicia (27) and Lathyrus (25); and in tome 6, and due to botanical artists of fame such as Geranium (22) and Linum (18). Anne Maury, Bernetti, Buonarroti and Maz- Names of new taxa, validated in Ad- zanti. When one looks at these drawings, denda, are mostly of varietal rank (in Alys- one finds that Arrigoni himself has evidently soides, Alyssum, Anthyllis, and Medicago; in exerted close control over their botanical tome 6 an Erodium variety is proposed in- accuracy, an aspect that botanists all too validly, as the type herbarium is not speci- often tend to neglect! fied). New species or binominal combina- The first volume of his Flora has won tions are found in tome 4 (Potentilla, Sem- its author the award of a Medal at the recent pervivum), but contrary to names in other OPTIMA Meeting in Pisa. A well deserved tomes have apparently so far escaped notice prize and excellent choice, not only in rec- by the indexers at Kew (as is also the case of

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three new Potentilla species published by the figure of Ophrys bombyliflora (p. 457) Micevski in a precursory paper, in 1996). that is unrecognisable as such and might Sadly Kiril Micevski, the initiator of rather represent a caricature of O. apifera. this important work and author of a large To gain full use of this work, readers majority of treatments, died in 2002, shortly are advised to learn Albanian. As many, in- after tome 5 was published (see item 124, cluding myself, will be hard put to follow below). Vlado Matevski, who edited and this friendly advice, let me venture another partly authored the text of tome 6, has had to suggestion: that an English translation of the assume Micevski’s role. We wish him every Flora be produced. With raising prospects of success as well as all the support he may tourism in Albania, it would certainly sell. need to bring this important new national W.G. Flora to completion. W.G.

33. Loutfy32B BOULOS – Flora of Egypt. Vol- ume four. Monocotyledons (Alismata-

32. Jani31B VANGJELI, Babi RUCI, Alfred ceae-Orchidaceae). – Al Hadara, Cairo, MULLAJ, Kolë PAPARISTO & Xhafer 2005 (ISBN 977-5429-41-2). XVI + 617 QOSJA – Flora e Shipërisë, 4. – Aka- pages, 129 plates of drawings + 52½ demia Shkencave e Republikes se Shqi- plates of colour photographs, map; hard përisë, Tiranë, 2000 (ISBN 99927-654- cover with dust jacket. 2-9). 502 pages, 866 figures; paper. One more major national Flora has been Whereas it is always a pleasure to wel- completed. Just as for the previous item it come the first published parts of a new Flora consists of four volumes in total, with the and discuss its promise and prospects, it is monocot treatment in the last. There, how- infinitely more satisfactory – and definitely ever, similarity ends. “Flora of Egypt” is less frequent – to announce completion of written in English, printed on high-quality such a work. “Flora e Shipërisë”, Albania’s paper, generously illustrated with full-page first major national Flora, has made it. Con- drawings by outstanding botanical artists gratulations! (most by Margaret Tebbs) and colour photo- The four volumes have been produced graphs of which the majority were taken by at regular intervals of 4 years. Vol. 1 ap- Loutfy Boulos himself. Besides, the flora of peared in 1988, Vols. 2 and 3 in 1992 and Egypt has little in common with that of Al- 1996, respectively (see OPTIMA Newslett. bania. It is poor in species, especially ende- 32: (7-8). 1997), followed in 2000 by the mic ones, and includes high rates of ruderal final volume, belatedly presented here. It and segetal weeds and of tropical elements. covers the last dicot family, Compositae, The largest monocot family, Gramineae, has and the whole monocots. Jani Vangjeli, al- been further increased by the inclusion of 44 ready a member of former editorial teams, cultivated species, when normally only wild, has been heading the present one as the indigenous or naturalised taxa are admitted. principal editor. As for the third volume (see OPTIMA The basic features of the Flora, natu- Newslett. 37: 72. 2004) the treatments for rally, have remained unchanged. Again, several sizeable groups have been contrib- almost every species is illustrated by a line uted by other authors. In particular, Tom drawing, and again these line drawings, Cope wrote the text for Gramineae; Brian while obviously much reduced in size and Mathew authored Alliaceae and Iridaceae, suffering from paper of mediocre quality, the Snogerups Juncus, and Philip Cribbs the show a good likeness to the portrayed plants. single orchid species occurring in the area, There are a few exceptions, though, such as Epipactis veratrifolia. Their help is certainly

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (21) Publications

one of the reasons why completion of the pro- us to closely collaborate, and have enjoyed ject took so little time, just over 7 years since his unfailing good humour and kindness. volume one was published in February 1999! Now that he has seen the major achievement Unfortunately, health problems pre- of his lifetime completed, I wish him many vented Boulos from always exerting the more happy and still active years. necessary editorial control, which had one W.G. unfortunate consequence. The Cyperaceae treatment (except for Cyperus and Pycreus) 34. Georges33B TOHMÉ & Henriette TOHMÉ had been confided to the Finnish specialist – Illustrated Flora of Lebanon. 2600 Ilkka Kukkonen. Later on, David Simpson wild flowers. – CNRS, National Coun- assumed family editorship and co-authorship cil for Scientific Research, Beirut, 2007 for Kukkonen’s genera. I had the opportu- (ISBN 978-9953-0-1085-4). [6] + 609 nity to study the latter’s original manuscript, pages, numerous colour photographs; dated December 2004, and must confess that hard cover. I sympathise with his complaint about the way in which it has been treated – without An unusual work and impressive his knowing, as he was not given to read achievement! The Tohmés have set out to proofs. From what I see, I must conclude document photographically all species of that Simpson’s co-authorship of Bolbo- their country’s flora, and they have almost schoenus, Cladium, Schoenus and Scirpo- succeeded: only 118 of the calculated total ides is a fraud, as he has made but minor of 2597 did they fail to find, and of some of editorial changes to the original text; in these they provide at least pictures of dried Fimbristylis he changed one name, from cor- plants. All species are accounted for, those rect F. turkestanica to misapplied F. “siebe- missing being set in smaller type but high- riana”; and in the other three genera his lighted by a frame. Of many of them (93) contribution consisted in the deletion of a the authors suspect that they may no longer number of taxa that apparently he had not exist in Lebanon, and that the 13 of the lot seen from the area of the Flora (but Kukk- which are Lebanese endemics have gone onen had). As a result, the following nine extinct altogether. By this aspect of their taxa that occur in Egypt are missing in the work, the authors have made a crucial con- published account: Carex distachya, Eleo- tribution to highlighting the urgency and charis mitracarpa, E. palustris subsp. palus- gravity of the problem. The amount of di- tris, E. uniglumis, Schoenoplectus articula- versity loss among the flora of their country tus, S. erectus, S. lupulinus, S. proximus, and is certainly alarming. Conversely, through S. senegalensis. their explorations Mr and Mrs Tohmé have Toward the end, “Additions and correc- made numerous additions to the Lebanese tions” are provided to the three previous flora. Their 49 new country records have volumes, which include three supplementary been published separately, in three recent taxa: Ficus sycomorus, Forsskaolea viridis, papers in the Lebanese Science Journal. and Merremia (‘Meremmia’) dissecta. Fur- No keys are present and the descriptions thermore, following the general family key, are very brief. Also, the consistently alpha- a remarkable list of vernacular names (Arab betical arrangement not only of genera and and Berber) for the whole flora has been species but also of families, whereby ferns, prepared, first arranged by Latin names and gymnosperms and monocots are scattered then by (transcribed) common names. among the dicots, is rather unusual. Yet the To end on a personal note: I have been attempt at completeness together with the privileged with Loutfy’s friendship for very presence of descriptive data qualifies this many years, even before OPTIMA brought book as a genuine Flora.

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The authors are no professional photo- OPTIMA Board member Ernst Vitek. A graphers. Their pictures are not works of art welcome if minor innovation documenting but scientific documents. Not all are suffi- the change is the imprint with the volume ciently neat and informative to be identified number and content that now appears on the with certainty, and among those that are, formerly blank spine. Needless to say, Wil- identification is sometimes wrong. It is helmina Rechinger, as lively and enterpris- therefore good to know that the herbarium ing as ever, firmly maintains the scientific with the corresponding vouchers, over 3500 editorship in her experienced hands. databased specimens, has been deposited The Rubiaceae treatment has had its with the National Council for Scientific Re- own colourful history of ups and downs, search in Lebanon and is, one assumes, which might well fill a chapter of its own available for consultation. should a publication history of “Flora Ira- W.G. nica” ever be written. To be sure, nothing of that ordeal transpires from the printed text,

35. Karl34B Heinz RECHINGER † (ed.) – but I well remember Karl Heinz Rechinger, Flora iranica. Flora des iranischen many years ago, sighing and worrying, nour- Hochlandes und der umrahmenden Ge- ishing and again losing the hope to receive birge. Persien, Afghanistan, Teile von at long last a manuscript ready for publica- West-Pakistan, Nord-Iraq, Azerbaidjan, tion. It is with these worries in mind, I dare- Turkmenistan. Lieferung 176 (edited by say, that the book has been dedicated to his Wilhelmina RECHINGER), Rubiaceae, by memory. Friedrich EHRENDORFER, Eva SCHÖN- Whereas authorship of the general fam- BECK-TEMESY, Christian PUFF & Wil- ily treatment is shared between the four au- helmina RECHINGER. – Naturhis- thors, the bulk of the generic treatments is torisches Museum, Wien, 2005 (ISBN co-authored by Fritz Ehrendorfer and Eva 3-902421-08-8). 289 pages, 157 extra Schönbeck-Temesy; the former alone has plates of photographs; paper. written Cruciata (4 species), whereas Chris- tian Puff’s share is limited to 3 little known,

36. Karl35B Heinz RECHINGER † (ed.) – small genera totalling 6 species among them. Flora iranica. Flora des iranischen Galium (60 species) is the major genus, fol- Hochlandes und der umrahmenden Ge- lowed by the equally complex Asperula birge. Persien, Afghanistan, Teile von (28), Rubia (18), and Crucianella (13). Sev- West-Pakistan, Nord-Iraq, Azerbaidjan, eral new taxa and new combinations are Turkmenistan. Lieferung 177 (edited by proposed but not separately indexed. Wilhelmina RECHINGER), Papilionaceae The Astragalus treatment has achieved V., Astragalus III., by Eva ZARRE, Frie- its third round (of four originally planned): a drich MAASSOUMI & Dieter PODLECH. – relatively small portion with “only” 83 spe- Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien, 2008 cies of four sections. This is what Podlech (ISBN 978-3-902421-31-9). 125 pages, himself once had split off as a separate ge- 45 extra plates of photographs and nus Astracantha, now sunk into synonymy, drawings; paper. and what he here addresses as Astragalus After a short but unsatisfactory inter- subg. Tragacantha but without giving that mezzo in Salzburg (vol. 175; see OPTIMA subgenus any kind of formal recognition or Newslett. 36: (19). 2002), “Flora Iranica” characterisation. The reader is left to won- has now found its hopefully definitive home der, or find out for himself, which species he base, for the few volumes still to come, at has to look for in which volume. When the the Natural History Museum in Vienna, whole giant genus has been dealt with, a where it is being published under the care of coherent pattern will hopefully become ap-

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (23) Publications

parent. For now, we must be content to + [2], 13 + [2], 51 + [2] pages, 7, 1 + 6, know that the first part includes the annuals 6, 6, 12 (+ 10 photographs), 2, 3, 14 and non-spiny perennials with basifixed hairs, drawings, 5, 1 + 8, 11, 7, 23, 2, 3, 22 the second and third together the spiny spe- maps; paper. cies with that same hair type, which for the fourth apparently leaves the perennials with 39. Mostafa38B ASSADI, M. KHATAMSAZ & medifixed hairs. If the initial estimate of 1000 Ali Asghar MAASSOUMI (ed.) – Flora species in total is correct, that fourth part, of Iran. No. 54: Umbelliferae, by V. with c. 450 species, will be largest by far. MOZAFFARIAN (ISBN 978-964-473- As is customary for “Flora iranica”, the 252-2). – Research Institute of Forests plates at the end are good photographs of and Rangelands, [Tehran], 2007. 596 herbarium specimens. In the case of Astra- pages, 71 drawings, 329 maps; paper. galus they are less plentiful that usual, being 40. Mostafa39B ASSADI, Ali Asghar MAAS- instead complemented by analytical draw- SOUMI & V. MOZAFFARIAN (ed.) – ings, mostly analyses of flower parts, by an Flora of Iran. No. 56: Podophyllaceae, unnamed artist, perhaps one of the authors? by H. MAROOFI (ISBN 978-964-473- W.G. 263-8); No. 57: Orchidaceae, by A. SHAHSAVARI (ISBN 978-964-473-267-

37. Mostafa36B ASSADI & Ali Asghar MAAS- 6). – Research Institute of Forests and SOUMI (ed.) – Flora of Iran. No. 44: Rangelands, [Tehran], 2007; 2008. 25 + Aizoaceae, by F. FADAIE (ISBN 964- [2], 85 + [2] pages, 4, 10 drawings (+ 22 473-183-2); No. 51: Plumbaginaceae, colour photographs), 4, 42 maps; paper. by Mostafa ASSADI. – Research Insti- Since my last review (OPTIMA News- tute of Forests and Rangelands, [Te- letter 37: 73. 2004) the impressive speed hran], 2003; 2005. 17 + [2] pages, 4, 61 with which “Flora of Iran” is being produced drawings, 4, 99 maps; paper. has been maintained. No less than 13 new

38. Mostafa37B ASSADI, Ali Asghar MAAS- fascicles of have meanwhile been published, SOUMI & Z. JAMZAD (ed.) – Flora of covering 14 families. This means, in figures: Iran. No. 45: Caesalpiniaceae, by F. 181 genera with 548 numbered species, or GHAREMANINEJAD (ISBN 964-473-205- 559 mapped taxa of the wild flora (the total 7); No. 46, 47: Ixioliriaceae, Amarylli- number of maps is 560: that of Oenothera daceae, by N. MAZHARI (ISBN 964- sinuata has been printed twice). 473-208-1); No. 48: [Oleaceae], by R. The treatment of Umbelliferae, incredi- AZADI (ISBN 964-473-214-6); No. 49: bly diverse in Iran, is by far largest of this Polygalaceae, by N. JALILIAN (ISBN batch: they encompass two thirds of the 964-473-222-7); No. 50: Onagraceae, genera (121) and more than half of the spe- by D. AZIZIAN (ISBN 964-473-225-1); cies (322). Ferula (32 species), Pimpinella No. 52: Verbenaceae, by Z. JAMZAD (22), Bunium (17), Bupleurum and Prangos (ISBN 964-473-231-6); No. 53: Mol- (14 each) are the largest genera. They are luginaceae, by F. FADAIE (ISBN 964- outnumbered by far, however, by Acan- 473-232-4); No. 55: Rhamnaceae, by tholimon (Plumbaginaceae) with its com- Kh. SOUFIYAN & M. DINARVAND plex patterns of variation. Orchids are less (ISBN 978-964-473-256-0). – Research well represented than in the Mediterranean Institute of Forests and Rangelands, area proper, and present lesser difficulty [Tehran], 2004 [45-47], 2005 [48-50], here. Their colour photographs are a novel 2006 [52-53], 2007 [55]. 26 + [2], 10 + feature in the Flora, but their quality is dis- 22 + [2], 36 + [3], 23 + [2], 59 + [3], 14 appointing due to deficient print and poor

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photographic skills; some have been un- Popular Books evenly scaled horizontally and vertically and appear unnaturally slender, as in a distorting mirror. 42. Hanno41B SCHÄFER – Flora of the The work is entirely written in Arabic Azores. A field guide. – Margraf, script, presumably in Farsi. The only items Weikersheim, 2002 (ISBN 3-8236- that appear in Latin characters are scientific 1368-5). VI + 264 pages, numerous col- plant names, synonymies and the alternative our photographs, map; hard cover. title page of the front (or in Arabic terms, Among the large number of pictorial the rear). The distribution maps and illustra- plant guides that have been forthcoming tions (excellent original drawings) are never- with the raise of biologically oriented tour- theless of immediate interest for the foreign ism, this is one of the most commendable, user. both from a botanist’s and amateur’s point W.G. of view. Among its merits are good coverage of the subject, scientific accuracy and infor- mativity, and high illustration standard. 41. Karel40B KUBÁT (ed.) – Klíč ke květeně The introductory part is well written and České Republiky. – Academia, Praha, interesting, even if it fails to fully explain the 2002 (ISBN 80-200-0836-5). 928 book’s scope, coverage and arrangement. The pages, 9 plates of analytical drawings latter is by families, in systematic order, and maps, 1401 text figures; hard cover. which to my taste is definitely an advantage. The new Key to the flora of the Czech Plant photographs, almost all by the author Republic condenses and updates the large himself, are plentiful, faithful in colour, body of information comprised in the six invariably in focus, well printed, and not too volumes of the country’s monumental na- reduced in size (2-4 per page, white margins tional Flora, “Květena České [socialistické] being dispensed with). Furthermore, they Republiky” (1988-2000). A handy volume show plants in a state and under an angle that suited for use in the field, which people with permit to recognise them confidently. Taxa large and solid pockets might still consider a that are not illustrated are usually mentioned pocket Flora, it resorts to the space-saving in a note under a related species or genus. device of integrating keys and descriptions Among the positive botanical aspects in a single body of text, so that the final lead are good if concise descriptions (with a cor- brings morphological features not mentioned related tabular glossary, giving English defi- before plus essential supplementary informa- nitions plus German and Portuguese equiva- tion: overall size, growth form, chromosome lents), and indication of presence on the number, habitat, overall and national distri- archipelago’s nine islands. There is also a bution, etc. Czech common names (scientific consistent indication of status (whether alien rather than vernacular) are consistently pro- or indigenous), habitat, frequency, and gen- vided. eral distribution; or for aliens, area of origin. Under Kubát’s general editorship a The Azores are a group of relatively large number of botanists with specialist young, sea-born, totally volcanic islands, un- knowledge have contributed to writing this inhabited before their discovery in the Mid- book. Analytical and schematic drawings, dle Ages. Their indigenous flora must have both in the main text and in a glossary of been relatively poor and ill suited to with- botanical terms, contribute to its usefulness, stand the competition of invasive aliens. The for identification purposes, to all who are listed endemic taxa (several of them of in- familiar with the Czech language. fraspecific rank) are 64 in number, most of W.G. them rare and one presumably extinct – and

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (25) Publications

not all of them illustrated. As the visitor will grettably, is lacking. Fourth, a substantial for the most part encounter naturalised new section showing over 130 species of aliens, these have been given equal promi- cultivated plants has been added at the end. nence as the endemic or indigenous plants – Finally (no necessarily an improvement), the a policy that, I believe, is perfectly justified familiar sequence of “Flora Europaea” has in view of the overall scope of the book. been abandoned for alphabetical arrange- W.G. ment of families within major groups. The book, above all, wants to be user- friendly. In this endeavour it uses what ap- 43. Peter42B SCHÖNFELDER & Ingrid SCHÖN- pears to be a genuine innovation (at least id FELDER – Die neue Kosmos-Mittel- did not come across it elsewhere before): a meerflora. A field guide. – Franckh- pictorial family index. Inside the front and Kosmos, Stuttgart, 2008 (ISBN 978-3- back cover and cover flap one finds photo- 440-10742-3). 477 pages, maps, graphs, graphs of a characteristic representative of drawings, > 1600 colour photographs; each of the 109 families, numbered consecu- laminated cover. tively, simultaneously visible at one glance. More than a quarter century ago there The family index, leading from picture num- has been a similar book by the same pub- ber to the name and page, is just overleaf, on lisher and authors, “Die Kosmos-Mittelmeer- the back of the flaps. An ingenious and flora” (see OPTIMA Newslett. 17-19: 39. promising invention which, I believe, the 1985). It is a precursor rather than a previous users will welcome. edition, as the present volume differs in sev- The Mediterranean flora as a whole is eral important aspects such as size, contents estimated to comprise 24,000 species of and layout. The new version constitutes a vascular plants. Those illustrated here corre- marked improvement over an already stately spond to 5 % of the total. This is not much, work, making full use of modern technol- even taking into account that several hun- ogy, both in the field of book production and dred supplementary species are briefly char- photography, and also building on half a life- acterised in the text under their closest rela- time’s increased experience of its authors. tive. Inevitably, a large proportion of the What, then, has changed? First of all, plants one finds in any one place cannot be the number of species shown has more than matched in this book. In view of this restric- doubled, thanks to a 50 % increase of each tion, a judicious choice of species was cru- page number and photographs per page –the cial. Thanks to their experience in the field, latter, we are told, was possible without all around the Mediterranean and on all ma- quality loss thanks to improved printing jor islands, the authors have chosen well. techniques. Second, the photographic mate- W.G. rial – previously 6 × 6 cm slides – has been supplemented with a large number of high- 44. Maria43B ANSALDI & Simonetta MA- resolution digital images. Third, for each CIONI – 10 itinerari botanici nella species a small map is provided showing its Provincia di Massa Carrara. – Am- country-wise Mediterranean distribution (in brosiana Arti Grafiche, La Spezia, 2006. terms of Med-Checklist areas, except for [6] + 115 pages, numerous colour pho- combining Sicily with Malta, Albania with tographs, maps in colour; flexible cover. former Yugoslavia, and adding the Canary Islands); these maps would have been ide- The Province of Massa Carrara is ally suited, by means of a colour dot, to pro- known for being geographically diverse and vide information on the country of origin of floristically rich. Hikers with botanical in- each photograph – an information that, re- terests who want to explore it will greatly

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benefit by this booklet when planning their lands. A field guide. – Margraf, Wei- trips. The proposed excursions cover a wide kersheim, 2006 (ISBN 3-8236-1478-9). range of habitats, from the seashore through IV + 383 pages, 635 colour photo- riversides and lakes to the slopes and sum- graphs; hard cover. mits of the Apuan Alps and Apennines. Topographical maps with drawn-in itin- A wildflower book featuring a high eraries provide good guidance (indications proportion of the species of the area covered of scales and walking distances would have is always welcome. In the present case been useful, though). Many of the botanical coverage is about two thirds (530 of about highlights to be expected are shown in at- 800 indigenous species). This means that tractive pictures. At the end of each chapter, the authors have had to take care of the the most noteworthy species are presented many “unpalatable”, unobtrusive plants: individually, each with a short description grasses, sedges and the like, which they did and further relevant details. with considerable photographic skill. Ex- W.G. treme close-ups are, in fact, their special field of excellence, and commendably, many of the species are represented twice at dif-

45. Filippina44B LANZA SANGIULIANO – ferent scales. Some of the rare and little Disegni botanici delle Madonie. – Orto known endemic species are not easy to Botanico, Palermo, 2005. 40 pages, 33 portray, an example being the submerged graphite drawings in facsimile; paper. aquatic Zannichellia melitensis – in the pho- The author of the 33 charcoal drawings tograph of which the authors may take justi- here reproduced – simultaneously shown in fied pride. an exhibit at Palermo Botanic Garden in All told, the quality of the pictures and December 2005 – is the daughter of Do- print is good average, and the accompanying menico Lanza, lawyer, professor of botany, texts are well written and informative. The and the Garden’s director for three years authors’ concern for conservation of natural (1921-1923). She came to the pictorial arts habitats and plant diversity is commendable. in her mature age, and indeed, she did most Their adopting a phylogenetic family se- of the artwork here presented while in her quence, underpinned with a cladogram and seventies. The 25 species she has portrayed recognising orders and subclasses, is a bit are common and characteristic plants of the overstrung for a book of this kind. On the Madonie Mountains, both wild and culti- negative side, the nomenclature is some- vated. She availed herself of artistic licence times outdated, some names are incorrectly in her work, looking at the essence not at spelled, and a few obvious misidentifications botanical detail, and never mind if oleander do occur, e.g. in Carex. The table with Eng- leaves, in reality, are verticillate. lish; German and Maltese equivalents of Jointly with several other, similar publi- scientific plant names is a particularly valu- cations, the present exhibition guide bears able addition. witness to the remarkable and remarkably W.G. manifold cultural and scientific activities that the Palermo Botanic garden promotes 47. Joe46B SULTANA & Victor FALZON (ed.) and develops under the impulsion of its Di- – Wildlife of the Maltese Islands. – rector, Franco Raimondo. Birdlife Malta and Nature Trust, Malta, W.G. 1996, reprinted 2002 (ISBN 99909- 66-02-1). 336 pages, illustrations in

46. Hans45B Christian WEBER & Bernd colour and black-and-white; laminated KENDZIOR – Flora of the Maltese Is- cover.

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (27) Publications

“Flora u fawna ta’ Malta”, published in In many respects the concept of this 1995, was translated into English in the book resembles that of the previous item, following year. In view of its great success, but restricted to botany. Here again, a selec- the book has now been reprinted. It is an tion of representative species was made, excellent example of popular scientific writ- mostly the same, and all those which are ing to promote the awareness of natural di- presented in full are illustrated. Illustration, versity, in its beauty and value, among the however, is of a different kind, consisting general public. For nature lovers visiting the partly of halftones by Guido Lanfranco and Maltese Islands it can be warmly recom- partly, for seed-plants only, of colour photo- mended. graphs by Edwin. Three parts of very unequal size deal, Cryptogams are not neglected. Macro- respectively, with the physical and biologi- algae are particularly well represented, with cal environment, the flora, and the fauna. 27 mostly marine species; furthermore, there One of the merits of the book is that it gives are 9 higher fungi, 5 lichens, 5 bryophytes consideration to all groups of macroscopic and 3 pteridophytes. Spermatophytes natu- organisms. Naturally, animals far outweigh rally predominate, with 192 fully treated plants, to which the present review is neces- species, among them 12 of the 18 island sarily restricted; but be assured that Maltese endemics. Often, additional taxa are men- insects, seashells, fish and crabs have their tioned in the text. own beauty and interest. Perhaps the plan already exists – but The botanical text is entirely by Edwin would this book not be a prime candidate for Lanfranco, the illustrations by Victor Fal- translation into English? zon. The latter consist of watercolours W.G. grouped together in plates, 14 in all, plus occasional drawings in the text. The pre- sented species are all illustrated: 22 algae, 24 49. Basilikê48B BLAMÊ, Stamatês ZOGKARÊS fungi (three of them lichen-forming) and & Panagiôtês D. DÊMOPOULOS – Be- 267 vascular plants. Selecting which species lanidodasos Xêromerou Aitoloakar- to include and which to leave out most have nania. Oikotouristikos odêgos. [The oak been a difficult task, successfully mastered. woodland of Xeromero, Aetoloakarna- One finds both the most common and rep- nia – western Greece]. – Panepistêmio resentative species of the islands’ flora, Iôanninôn, Ioannina, 2003 (ISBN 960- including naturalised aliens, and the rare 233-142-9). 71 pages, many illustra- endemics which are Malta’s pride. The tions, mostly in colour (photographs, endemic Palaeocyanus crassifolius is the drawings, maps), 5 tables; paper. national flower. Once forming one of three Xeromeros, which means dry place, is a endemic genera, of which only chenopodi- large area situated between the river Aheloos aceous Cremnophyton remains, it has re- and the Ambracian Gulf. This booklet, cently been merged with Cheirolophus. which calls itself an ecotouristic guide, deals W.G. with its southern portion, roughly confined within the triangle formed by Astakos,

48. Edwin47B LANFRANCO & Guido LAN- Etolikó and the Ozeros Lake: A country of FRANCO – Il-flora Maltija. [Kullana wooded hills, where Greece’s largest forests Kulturali, 47.] – Indipendenza, Malta, of Valona oak (Quercus ithaburensis subsp. 2003 (ISBN 99932-41-38-5). V + 166 macrolepis, Greek velanidia) grow. pages, 42 halftone illustrations, 192 col- This is a brilliantly illustrated nature our photographs on 32 extra plates; hard guide, centred on the Valona oak woods but cover. by no means confined to them. Topics cov-

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ered include human culture and history, including Helianthemum hymettium and Lo- landscape and biota, fauna and flora alike. melosia hymettia, here presented, but also At the end one finds lists of mammals, am- Allium hymettium and Viola hymettia, which phibians, reptilians, birds, as well as a pre- did not meet the criteria for inclusion. liminary, obviously incomplete inventory of Plants belonging to either of two cate- flowering plants with 256 species, partly gories were selected for presentation, mostly unidentified. on one page combining colour photographs The text is written competently and lov- with descriptive and explanatory text: first ingly, and the illustrations, for the most part, 55 Greek endemics, then species protected are just gorgeous. Landscapes alternate with either by Greek law or under the CITES portraits of individual animals and plants, convention. The latter include all orchids, so among the latter some rare or local taxa such that 16 species of Ophrys and 13 of Orchis as Ophrys helenae, O. reinholdii subsp. rein- are shown along with 14 others of various holdii (as Ophrys sp., p. 42), and Silene un- genera. The photographs are by several dif- geri (as Silene sp., p. 37). Consultation of a ferent persons, some downloaded from the botanical expert might have added precision Internet, a few taken from herbarium speci- in the latter cases. For readers who are un- mens or showing a related species rather familiar with Greek, there is an extensive than the one described, and not all are well English summary on the cover flaps. focused. W.G. For fungi, the 26 portraits (mostly col- our photographs) and descriptions of indi- vidual species are preceded by a general 50. Athêna49B OIKONOMOU-AMILLÊ (ed.) – introduction to the higher fungi. Under- O biokosmos tou Umêttou. Drastêrio- standably, only fruiting bodies of macromy- têtes tês ekthesês ‘Attiko Topio & Peri- cetes are shown. This chapter is particularly ballon’. – Ethniko & Kapodistriako valuable, as published images of Greek fun- Panepistêmio Athenôn, Botaniko Mou- gi are scant. seio, Athêna, 2007 (ISBN 978-960- W.G. 6608-79-7). 279 pages, numerous col- our photographs; flexible cover.

51. John50B FIELDING & Nicholas TURLAND This booklet was written for Greek stu- – Flowers of Crete. – Royal Botanic dents, as a corollary to the exhibition on Garden, Kew, 2005, reprinted with cor- Attica’s landscape and environment of the rections 2008 (ISBN 978-1-84246-079- Botanical Museum of Athens University 5). XX + 650 pages, numerous colour (ATHU) well known for housing the Orpha- photographs, maps; hard cover with nides Herbarium. It consists of four distinct dust jacket. parts, each by a different author: ecosys- tems, plants, animals, and fungi. The botani- “A celebration of the flora of Crete, cal chapters were written by Iôannês Mpazos seen through the eyes of a specialist plant (Bazós) for plants and Iôannês Dêmêtriadês photographer ... and a botanist”: I can find (Dimitriádis) for fungi. no better words to characterise this impres- Mount Hymettus, one of Athens’ home sive, large and heavy volume than those mountains, is famous in classical history and used by the editor, Brian Mathew, in his modern botany alike. Many species were preface. As I happen to share the authors’ first collected here, by 19th century botanists love for that wonderful Greek island, Crete, such as Spruner, Heldreich, and even Bois- I can fully understand their motives for pro- sier, and the epithet hymettius has been ducing this book, can sense the amount of given to at least five different plant species, knowledge and passion that they instilled in

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (29) Publications

it, and measure the pains and efforts – but graphs. Nick Turland has prepared a new list also the joy – of their work in the field. of Cretan endemic species (159) and subspe- I did not bother to count, but according cies (+ 40), which when compared to previ- to Mathew almost three quarters of the spe- ous such lists shows how fast our notions are cies of Crete’s native flora are accounted for, changing, with new species described by the and more than half are shown in one or more handful in fashionable genera like Limonium of the photographs. These are impressive and Ophrys, and conversely, many good old rates, and while the book is still way off endemics being either sunk in synonymy or being a Flora in the proper sense, it is cer- discovered outside of Crete. Change, for sure, tainly the fullest existing photographic docu- will go on; for one, Androcymbium rechin- mentation of Crete’s botanical diversity. geri is definitely not endemic as listed here, That it is also a work of science and not of but is a NE African species extending to mere delight is underscored by the fact that Crete. all photographs (mostly Fielding’s, but a few W.G. by Turland) bear date and exact location. Moreover, herbarium specimens were pre- 52. Gerhard51B PILS – Flowers of Turkey. A pared whenever identification was critical, photo Guide. – Privately published, and are being deposited as vouchers at the [Buchscheiden, Austria], 2006. (40) pages Natural History Museum in London. I can- + 408 plates with c. 4200 colour photo- not too strongly commend such practice, graphs, 2 graphs, 2 maps; hard cover. which benefits the book as a whole. Crete’s physical environment and geo- To assemble in a single volume pictures logical history are sketched only briefly in of nearly half the species of the flora of Tur- the general chapters, but the vegetation is key, the botanically most diverse Mediterra- well described in all its variety and unique- nean country, is an outstanding achievement. ness. The main body of the book is devoted Gerhard Pils, teacher at the Austrian college to the illustrated account of the plants, fam- in Istanbul during five years (1999-2004), ily by family (alphabetically arranged) and has made it possible, and the plans he had genus by genus, with mention of species. were even more ambitious, granting time. This is not a decriptive botanical text, nor is Forced to quit his job in mid-2004 and to it formally structured, but a pleasantly writ- leave Turkey, he has no kind feelings left for ten and informative talk by one who knows either Turkish or Austrian authorities. This the plans and expects you to know them as is understandable, but whether it was wise to well. It is better suited to reminisce on a express it so drastically in his preface is winter night the botanical acquaintances you another question. It will certainly do the made in a better season than to help identify acceptance of his work in Anatolia no good. your harvest (its sheer weight prevents its With 4153 species of vascular plants misuse as a field guide). From the reader’s featured (the author’s own count), this is es- point of view, cross-references between text sentially a picture book. Text is cut down to and images would have been useful, espe- a bare minimum, yet indicating growth form, cially as the captions often include relevant overall size, flowering period, habitat, alti- complementary information. The index may tudinal range and rough Turkish distribution. help, but then, to find a page by number is What little synonymy is given is relegated to tedious: too often the numbers are missing, the index, and authorship of names is omit- yielding their place to expanded pictures. ted (both can be looked up in “Flora of Tur- Among additional features an appendix key”, just as identification keys and descrip- of cultivated plants is of note, with no text tive matter). Our judgement of the book but copious captions to explain the photo- must therefore depend on the quality of the

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photographs which – perhaps surprisingly habitat, altitudinal range and flowering pe- for a non-professional – is excellent even by riod. For some of them I venture to offer modern high standards. The same applies to improved identifications: “Brassica elon- print. Although with 9 to 12 species shown gata” is Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa, per page (the main picture often with an “Matthiola longipetala” is probably M. inset showing additional detail) the photo- sinuata, “Gagea peduncularis” might rather graphs are not large, about 6.6 × 3-4 cm, be G. bohemica. For “Viburnum orientale”, they all are neat, well contrasted and with certainly not a member of that family, I can the “look” that permits experts to recognise offer no guess except that it looks vaguely and match the plants. like a Jasione. The last-named quality also reveals one W.G. shortcoming: not all identifications are cor- rect. The author may not have had the time

54. Eleonora53B GABRIELIAN & Ori FRAG- and opportunity to ask specialists to check MAN-SAPIR – Flowers of the Trans- his identifications (which in some cases, acknowledged in the preface, he did), and caucasus and adjacent areas. – Gant- specialists when asked usually request her- ner, Ruggell FL, 2008 (ISBN 978-3- barium vouchers, which he could not pre- 906166-34-6). 416 pages, map and nu- pare without breaking the Turkish law. Even merous photographs in colour; hard so, it takes no special knowledge, nor dry cover with dust jacket. specimens, to recognise, e.g., his “Medicago Perhaps the best way of advertising the truncatula” as M. praecox and “Lotus pere- beauty and interest of the countries of Trans- grinus” as L. angustissimus. Such lapses, caucasia, notably Armenia, is through their however, are rather exceptional (some addi- natural riches, gorgeous nature, varied and tional ones are posted on Pils’s homepage, beautiful wildlife and plant world. And the quoted below). An indexing mishap makes best way to know the latter (bar visiting) is that starting with Padus avium (top of page now in our hands in form of Nora Gabrielian 290 but indexed 289) one must add one unit and Ori Fragman’s new flower book. It pre- to all cited pages. sents us with first-class colour photographs These are all trivia. The book as a of landscapes, vegetation and, most impor- whole is unique in its kind, most valuable tantly, 623 species of the wild flora, ar- for all interested in the E Mediterranean flora. ranged in absolute alphabetical order by The problem for customers, and likely also families and species. (This arrangement pre- for Gerhard Pils himself, is the difficulty to sents some inconvenience when plants are get hold of it. If asking your book-dealer wrongly placed, as Pteridium in Pteridaceae does not help, try and contact the publisher rather than Dennstaedtiaceae – but then, we directly (www.geocities.com/gerhardpils). have the index to help.) First the vegetation W.G. types then the individual species are compe- tently if briefly charcterised, and for the latter, flowering period, habitat and distribu- 53. Galip52B AKAYDIN – Doğal bitkilerimiz. tion are mentioned. – Hacettepe Üniversitesi, [Ankara], 2003 (ISBN 975-491-148-7). [6] + 65 pages, This would be, not only a splendid pic- 120 colour photographs; laminated cover. ture book but a genuine scientific work, except for some serious shortcomings. My The booklet presents a selection of 120 least worry are some spelling (ausheri, Dic- indigenous plants of Turkey, with artless thamnus) and gender errors in scientific colour photographs and Turkish texts de- names (Asyneuma amplexicaulis, Hyoscya- scribing their habit and indicating their mus reticulata [wrongly reported for Crete],

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (31) Publications

etc.). The placing of Crupina vulgaris in terranean, but both are good examples that Cousinia (only in the caption) is an amusing can be applied in a Mediterranean context. detail. The absence of locality information Two handy and not too heavy pocket books, for the pictures is a more serious deficit. they can withstand some moisture thanks to When so vast a territory is concerned, en- their plastic cover sheath, are flexible enough compassing the three independent republics to be squeezed into any knapsack, and suited Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaidjan plus for quick and easy consultation during a short adjacent parts of Russia, like to know where break or on a bus ride. the portrayed plants were growing. Worse, Neither aspires to completeness. Not the to my mind, is the lack of authorship credit one on the Vienna area with 638 out of an for individual photographs. Apart from the astonishing total of 2200 wild vascular plant authors of the book no less than 16 people species, and much less the other with a cor- are stated to have contributed pictures, but responding ratio of 604 (not counting Fon- except for the two photographs on the dust tinalis, the single moss) to > 4500. A judi- jacket one cannot guess who did what. This cious choice of species, as was made here, is infringes intellectual property rights, and I therefore essential. The books’ proper use, in wonder how my old friend Sven Koeltz, an a scientific sense, is as a complement to a experienced publisher, could let it pass. complete flora such as, for Austria, Fischer Sorry if I got carried away. The book is & al.’s “Exkursionsflora” (2nd edition, 2005). so valuable that it is maddening to see how Introductory matter is short and to the an easy opportunity has been missed to point, centred on vegetation. In the main make it a masterpiece. Even so it will be body, seed plants are arranged not system- given a place of honour on my bookshelf, atically but by flower colour, visualised by a and doubtless on the shelves of many other coloured strip heading the text pages, always botanists and plant lovers. placed on the left and facing the pictures. It W.G. requires some training to find one’s way, but less than for using a “botanical” Flora. The task is not made easier by a colour fault,

55. Ernst54B VITEK, Alexander C. MRK- many pictures leaning to red, especially in VICKA, Wolfgang ADLER, Ernst the blues (it seem all but impossible for a HORAK, W. FLECK & B. HASLEHNER printer to achieve a pure gentian blue). Apart – Wiens Pflanzenwelt. – Naturhisto- from this minor default, however, the photo- risches Museum, Wien, 2004 (ISBN 3- graphs are as close to perfection as one 902421-04-5). 367 pages + erratum slip, might wish. numerous colour photographs, 3 maps; The explanatory texts, preceded first by paper with transparent plastic sheath. the German then the Latin name of the plant, use a standard sequence of basic data (life 56. Ernst55B VITEK, Alexander C. MRK- form, size, flower colour, flowering period) VICKA, Ernst HORAK, Irene DROZ- followed by a selection of characteristic traits DOWSKI, Wolfgang ADLER & B. plus indication of frequency and habitat. WIMMER – Die Pflanzenwelt der Distribution in Austria, by states, is visual- österreichischen Alpen. – Naturhis- ized by small maps. Sequential reference torisches Museum, Wien, 2007 (ISBN numbers link texts and pictures (through a 978-3-902421-21-0). 351 pages, nu- mishap, number 599 in the second book has merous colour photographs; paper with been attributed twice, and for the few fol- transparent plastic sheath. lowing species the numbers of text and cor- These two botanical field guides I shall responding illustration differ by one unit). present jointly. Neither is particularly Medi- W.G.

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Botanical Calendars and Postcards of gender study, professor of philosophy at Athens University. The photographs are of excellent quality 57. Anonymous56B – Saperi e sapori del Par- and exquisite beauty, but not all represent co delle Madonie. – Arianna, Geraci wildflowers, several are of garden ornamen- Siculo, & Parco delle Madonie, Petralia tals. The botanical contents of the texts are Sottana, [2004 for] 2005. 17 sheets, il- of marginal interest, whereas there are, in lustrated in colour; ring binding. some instances, instructive data pertaining to mythology and classical history. Veronica “Knowledge and tastes of the Madonie glauca features as “Myosotis sylvatica”, a Nature Park” is a collaborative project aim- slip to be condoned in view of the author’s ing to collect and record local traditions in professional background. the villages surrounding and supporting the Park. The present table calendar (in postcard W.G. format, double-faced with identical sides) bears images of six plants used as vegeta- Floristic Inventories and Checklists bles, reproduced from 19th century colour plates of unknown source: chicory, fennel, beet, Scotch thistle (Onopordum illyricum), 59. Christian58B STIERSTORFER & Markus leek and borage. Monthly, plant presenta- VON GAISBERG – Annotated checklist tions (all texts by botanists of Palermo Uni- and distribution of the vascular plants versity) alternate with cooking recipes of of El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain. traditional dishes, by local cooks and inn- [Englera (ISSN 0170-4818), 27.] – keepers. All revolves around the fashionable Botanischer Garten & Botanisches Mu- term and concept “ecogastronomy” – but seum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin, 2006 you might be hard put to come up with an (ISBN 978-3-921800-59-1). 221 pages, edible result when trying to apply the rather photographic frontispiece, maps; paper. sketchy recipes by using what you find on your local market. The two authors have explored the bot- any of El Hierro, the westernmost Canary W.G. Island, for several years, starting in 1997. The study of the vegetation provided the subject of their doctoral theses, dealing with 58. Boula57B Iôan. LAMPROPOULOU – Anthê tou dêmou Filiatrôn kai tês euruterês the lower areas (Gaisberg; see below) and periohês tês Trifulias. – Anko Press, the forest belt (Stierstorfer), both published s.l., [2006 for] 2007. 16 recto printed in 2005 in the series “Dissertationes Botani- sheets, colour photographs; ring binding. cae”. The floristic and chorological results of their studies are set out in the present book. Filiatrá is a village in Messenia, north of Two full inventories of the flora of El Pilos on the coast of SW Peloponnesus. Last Hierro exist, both fairly recent, but neverthe- year it took the initiative to publish a first less there is good justification for having calendar of its own and to devote it to wild- published this new one. Apart from a num- flowers. The translated title reads: “Flowers ber of new taxa records, the authors contrib- of the municipality of Filiatrá and of the ute original information on the naturalisation wider area of Trifilía”. Professor Voula status of many species, and point at numer- Lambropoulou signs as text author and pho- ous others that were recorded in error (or, as tographer. As her name is unknown in bot- they carefully write, the presence of which any I looked it up on the Web and found, they were unable to confirm). Often they add much to my surprise, that she is a specialist critical or explanatory notes, and cite refer-

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (33) Publications

ences to a wide spectrum of literature. Also, in dispute, as the frontier is not indicated on and this is an entirely new feature, they pro- the map and several of the geographical vide highly resolved grid distribution maps, units transgress the internationally agreed with a one kilometre square mesh size, for borderline. We wait impatiently for the sec- about 550 taxa (including a few cultivated ond, concluding volume. ones). Had they added some numerical data W.G. by way of a discussion, their text would not be as frightfully dry as it looks now.

61. Benito60B VALDÉS, V. GIRÓN, E. SÁN- W.G. CHEZ GULLÓN & I. CARMONA – Catá- logo florístico del espacio natural de

60. Mohamed59B FENNANE & Mohamed IBN Doñana (SO de España). Plantas vas- TATTOU – Flore vasculaire du Maroc. culares. [Separately printed from La- Inventaire et chorologie. Volume 1, Pte- gascalia (ISSN 0210-7708), 27]. – ridophyta, Gymnospermae, Angiosper- Sevilla, 2007. Pages [2] + 73-362, map; mae (p.p.). [Trav. Inst. Sci., Sér. Bot. flexible cover. (ISSN 1114-1174), 37.] – Institut Scien- This work has been published with a tifique, Université Mohamed V, Agdal, nice special cover but with the original pagi- Rabat, 2005 (ISBN 9954-8347-2-9). 483 nation of the journal, so technically it is a pages, map; laminated cover. reprint but for practical purposes, a book. It This new inventory of the Moroccan presents the floristic inventory of the Natural flora is the badly needed successor of Ja- Space of Doñana, covering a total area of handiez & Maire’s “Catalogue de la flore du about 230,000 ha and including at its core the Maroc”, also providing an update to the same famous National Park, declared UNESCO authors’ earlier inventory, limited to the Biosphere Reserve in 1980, that today by rare, threatened and endemic taxa and pub- itself encompasses well over 50,000 ha. In lished in 1998 (see OPTIMA Newslett. 34: view of the area’s limited size its vascular (20). 1999). It is planned in two volumes, the flora is surprisingly rich, amounting to 1386 second, yet to come, to include all monocots taxa of species and subspecies rank. and the single dicot family Compositae. The sequence of taxa, for once, is not The treatment is synthetic and clearly alphabetical but follows Valdés & al.’s well structured. Arrangement of taxa, within pte- known “Flora de Andalucía occidental” of ridophytes, gymnosperms and dicots, is al- 1987 (see OPTIMA Newslett. 20-24: (23). phabetical. The main items for each taxon 1988), which also in other respects serves as (species and subspecies, only exceptionally the base of reference. Synonymy is limited varieties) are synonymy (with full citations), to names used in local source works, and known Moroccan distribution (by 11 main indications of distribution and habitat are geographically defined unit areas and 39 rather Spartan (by just three geographical subunits), and overall distribution. Endemics subunits). Great pains have been taken to are flagged, as are additions to the 1998 cite, for each taxon, those post-1987 refer- publication. Recent records are referenced to ences in which relevant localities are men- their published source, and for those unpub- tioned. In this respect, and also in the ex- lished, the herbarium base is indicated. tremely strict editorial care, resulting in the This is a highly condensed, well struc- virtual absence of inconsistencies and scar- tured work that conforms to modern aca- city of printing errors, the work stands out demic standards. The single major uncer- among the likes of it. tainty it condones is the territorial limit be- A special mention must be made of the tween Morocco and Algeria, obviously still endeavour to adopt the most recent classifi-

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cation and nomenclature. To take the exam- variability, uses, local vernacular designa- ple of Compositae, it is pleasing to see that tions, etc. the authors have faithfully followed the There are numerous drawings to illus- Euro+Med treatment available on-line – but trate the book, all but four by the author, as a bit frustrating to find that no credit what- well as his colour photographs of plants and ever is given to that source. their habitats. They document his additional W.G. skills as a botanical artist and nature photo- grapher. W.G. 62. José61B Vicente FERRÁNDEZ PALACIO – Catálogo florístico de la comarca del

Cinca Medio (Provincia de Huesca). 63. Pere62B FRAGA I ARGUIMBAU, Cristòfol [Tolous (ISSN 1130-4596), 13.]. – Cen- MASCARÓ SINTES, David CARRERAS tro de Estudios de Monzón y Cinca Me- MARTÍ, Òscar GARCIA FEBRERO, Xec dio, Monzón (Huesca), 2004 (ISBN 84- PALLICER ALLÈS, Martí PONS GOMI- 95167-14-X). Pages [3]-469, figures, 2 LA, Magda SEOANE BARBER & Mi- graphs, map, 33 colour photographs on quel TRUYOL OLIVES – Catàleg de la 7 extra plates; flexible cover. flora vascular de Menorca. [Col·lecció Recerca, 9.] – Institut Menorquí d’Es- Ever heard of the Cinca Medio? Nor did tudis, Menorca, 2004 (ISBN 84-95718- I before I saw this book. It is a district of 29-4). 367 pages, 11 + 3 figures (maps Huesca Province, situated in the E part of and graphs), 42 tables; paper. Aragón, where the Ebro depression starts grading into the pre-Pyrenees, extending on Minorca is the second among the Bale- either side of the middle course of the river aric Islands, both in area size and number of Cinca from which it takes its name. The botanical taxa. In terms of relative floristic most important of its nine constituent mu- richness, however, it comes first – which nicipalities is Monzón, where José Vicente may be due in part, but not totally, to the Ferrández teaches at the local school for investigating zeal of the present author team. adults – and botanises. Judging from the During the last 15 or so years, these eight paucity of literature records and others’ Minorcan enthusiasts, led by Pere Fraga, herbarium specimens, he is about the only probably have added more species to the person to have taken a serious interest in the known flora of the island than did all other flora of the area. botanists taken together in one century. No With 1049 recorded species of higher less than 75 of the listed taxa (species and plants – 11 of them first found in 2004 and subspecies) had not been recorded from included in Addenda – the flora of Cinca Minorca before. Medio is not exactly poor, particularly when The core of this list, meaning the enu- one considers the absence of mountains (the meration proper, is unexciting: highly con- district reaches 826 m at its highest point). densed, semi-tabular data, among which By way of this book, it may all of a sudden Minorcan vernacular names, often resulting be considered among the better known local from the authors’ own field experience, de- floras of the Iberian Peninsula. The cata- serve special mention. The book acquires logue is unusually detailed. In includes life and originality thanks to the introductory localities, based on the scant literature data chapters and appendices. The former include but mostly the author’s field notes and an account of the history of the island’s bo- specimens, the latter kept in his personal tanical exploration, a comparative numerical herbarium, and in many cases notes, based analysis of botanical diversity of W Mediter- on first-hand knowledge, on habitat, features, ranean islands, an assessment of endemism,

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (35) Publications

with a list of island endemics, statistical 70000 unit records. The literature to be digests of biogeographical elements of the scanned was enormous. To cope with their native and alien flora, as well as a synopsis task the editorial team, four plus two assis- of species protected by law. Three of the tants, could dispose of the cooperation 32 appendices concern the alien flora, indicat- regional advisers, 15 taxonomic advisers and ing for each species the status, abundance, a large number of other contributors. [Also, year of first appearance, way of introduction, 41 “authors” are mentioned; this group is country of origin, etc., and a full documenta- coextensive with the editorial team plus the tion of findings for those that are first 3 for regional and some taxonomic advisers.] Such species previously reported from Minorca a large network of expertise was doubtless but without concrete locality. Also appended necessary to ensure the good quality of the are lists of species to be excluded, or of result – but to think of it as a help to the which the presence is unconfirmed. A bibli- editors would be cynical. In my experience, ography of 26 pages testifies to the thor- it results in a major additional demand on oughness with which this book was written. their time and energy, while helping them I do like island inventories (I have pub- avoid, in many cases, to make a fool of lished a few myself). The present one, with themselves. its many attractive features, I shall adopt as As I already inferred, the result is im- one of my favourites. It provides a bench- pressive. The core of the book, just 141 mark for similar works yet to come. pages, is a concentrate of valuable informa- W.G. tion in easy-to-use format. It may be (in- deed, has proved to be) full of inaccuracies of detail, and will therefore elicit contra-

64. Fabio63B CONTI, Giovanna ABBATE, diction and stimulate critical research, as is Alessandro ALESSANDRINI & Carlo indeed desirable; but primarily it has the BLASI (ed.) – An annotated checklist merit to exist and be available for use. of the Italian vascular flora. – The remaining bulk is corollary infor- Palombi, Roma, 2005 (ISBN 88-7621- mation, necessary for back-checking and ex- 458-5). 420 pages, 1 loose sheet of er- plaining the information given in the main rata & addenda, tables; hard cover. part. The index, which does not include the Writing a critical checklist for the whole accepted names (they are already alphabet- flora of Italy, including the islands, is a ma- ical) but refers synonyms to them, is more jor challenge. Integrating in it distribution than half as long as the core list. There are 23 data in tabular form, which mention for pages with almost 1000 explanatory notes, every taxon the occurrence and status in each grouped together as endnotes. In deference of Italy’s 20 administrative regions, is a to the needs of local administrations, sepa- breathtaking enterprise. The fact alone that it rate lists of exclusive, endemic, legally pro- has been brought to a happy conclusion must tected and alien species are provided for each dispose the critic to leniency toward short- of the 20 regions. And then, the inevitable comings of detail. Let me try and be lenient. additions and corrections begin: first on the To assess the task by looking at the out- two final pages of the book itself, then on a come: 6711 species plus several taxa at addi- loose sheet, the following year (2006) in the tional ranks (aggregate, subspecies) had to local journal “Natura vicentina”, and again be dealt with, 7634 “units” in all (the num- (2007) in the Informatore botanico italiano” ber of different taxa cannot be inferred, as – already well over 100 printed pages, and some duplication is involved). If we count no end is in sight. with an average presence in 10 regions Many of the errors could presumably (probably an overestimate), this signifies over have been avoided by allowing more time

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for the final editing and proofreading. But & Sarnthein’s “Flora von Tirol”, completed then, very likely the greater part of the im- in 1913, almost a century ago. Its update and provement was stimulated by the publication revision, here presented, was thus overdue. of the book. So for my part I would like to Exactly 3000 named taxa (species and absolve the editors from the charge of pre- subspecies) are listed. This figure includes cipitation, and rather encourage them to 190 taxa excluded for various reasons, 251 prepare a new, revised edition pretty soon. that are no longer present (100 native but So far goes the promised leniency. extinct, 151 erstwhile casuals), 410 alien and There is one aspect of the book, however, 2169 native taxa. As family names and cir- that I must criticise: nomenclature. In the cumscriptions are currently quite unstable, introduction, a considerable number of new the authors have – reasonably I believe – names, including newly described species and opted for a single alphabetic order for all even a new genus, are proposed. (In fact, genera and species, with appropriate cross- and rather unnecessarily, they all are pro- references when different generic concepts posed twice.) Some of them are definitely are in use. Readers would, however, fare needed, others are a matter of opinion and better if the generic names that appear as will have to stand the test of time; but a few running titles in the margin did correspond are badly flawed. I hope that no one in his to the taxon that appears on the first line, good senses is going to adopt the awful rather than to the first (left) or last (right) “Peucedanum carvifolium-chabraei”, an ille- generic headline on the page. gitimate creation based on a non-existent pur- The checklist results from cooperation ported basionym; Sixalix atropurpurea subsp. between the South Tyrol Nature Museum in grandiflora is based on a name without defi- Bolzano and the Department of Biogeogra- nite rank and, while validly published, is phy, Institute of Botany, of Vienna Univer- unnecessary; Crepis bivonana, apart from sity. In incorporates data from the floristic being wrongly spelled, cannot be based on mapping project for the area, kept in a data- its alleged basionym, which is illegitimate, base at the said Museum. By consequence although it can be used as a new name dat- the list is very much up to date, also with ing from 2005; Filago tyrrhenica is not new respect to status assessment of alien species. as it had been validly published already in Nomenclatural accuracy is vouched for by 1963; and there may be more of the sort. the participation of Walter Gutermann as W.G. member of the author team. W.G.

65. Thomas64B WILHALM, Harald NIKLFELD 66. Girolamo65B GIARDINA, Francesco Maria & Walter GUTERMANN – Katalog der RAIMONDO & Vivienne SPADARO – A Gefäßpflanzen Südtirols. [Veröff. catalogue of plants growing in Sicily. Naturmus. Südtirol, 3.] – Folio, Wien & [Bocconea (ISSN 1120-4060), 20.] – Her- Bolzano, 2006 (ISBN 978-3-85256-325- barium Mediterraneum Panormitanum, 1). 215 pages, tables, 2 maps, 3 black- Palermo, 2007 (ISBN 978-88-7915- and-white photographs; hard cover. 022-4). 582 pages; paper. If any checklist deserves the attribute At Girolamo Giardina’s premature critical, the present one does. It deals with death, in 2006, the bulky manuscript of this the flora of what is presently the Bolzano inventory of the Sicilian flora was still a Province but is still widely known by its torso. The thankless task of completing and traditional designation South Tyrol, used in editing the text, so as to make it suited for the title. The last previous floristic inventory publication, was left to his co-authors, of South Tyrol was included in Dalla Torre Franco Raimondo and Vivienne Spadaro.

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The book lists 3201 taxa found in the includes indications, partly original and wild state in Sicily and on its surrounding partly second-hand, on features such as islets, not counting those doubtfully present, growth habit, average size, pollination and or extinct, or only cultivated. In case of dispersal type, flower colour, flowering doubt the authors opt for splitting rather than period, and estimated abundance. Of the lumping, and they do not neglect named listed taxa, 89 had not been given as present varieties, exceptionally even formae, their in Pignatti’s Flora of 1982, and conversely, basic philosophy being that no potentially 81 are here considered as doubtfully present useful information should be lost. Even so, on the island. their approach can be called reasonably syn- The inventory is carefully digested and thetic when compared to that of Lojacono, includes much original information (alas not the author of the most recent Flora of Sicily, identified as such). One may however ask: who recognised no less than 4227 Sicilian who apart from the authors themselves will taxa. As that too often neglected five-volume benefit from its use? A list that is limited to Flora is now completely out of date, it is the annual taxa of an area might serve the little wonder that almost 50 new names and purpose of making comparisons with similar combinations were now needed. They in- lists for other areas, or with lists of taxa with clude three newly described infraspecific a different life-form for the same area – if taxa, in Erica, Fraxinus, and Papaver. any existed, which they do not. But then, the This Catalogue has been written with authors obviously do not care how and by the purpose of serving those who explore whom their work might be used – otherwise and safeguard the botanical diversity of Sic- they would not have failed to provide at ily. Part of that service consists in pointing least a generic index, or would have ar- at unsolved problems, whetting the ob- ranged their bibliography in a single alpha- server’s scepticism, eliciting the user’s con- betical sequence. As it is, their three check- tradiction and critical response. In this, I lists (one for therophytes proper, one for believe, it will succeed. “hydrotherophytes” and one for biennials W.G. that may show annual habit), each arranged alphabetically by families, is impractical to consult. The authors also fail to discuss ade- 67. Luigi66B MOSSA, Riccardo GUARINO & quately the tenuous borderline between an- M. Caterina FOGU – La componente nual and perennial plants, a limit which in terofitica della flora della Sardegna. many genera, as for instance Orobanche Forme di crescita, ecologia, corologia e (here incorrectly treated as if they were all sinsistematica. [Rendiconti Seminario annual), has not yet been adequately drawn. Fac. Sci. Univ. Cagliari (ISSN 0370- W.G. 727X), 73, Suppl. 2.] – Seminario della Facoltà di Scienze, Università degli

Studi, Cagliari, 2003 (ISBN 964-473- 68. Giôrgios67B SFÊKAS – Katalogos futôn 195-6). [4] + 209 pages, map, 4 graphs tou orous Pentelê Attikês. – Antho- (2 in colour), 2 tables; paper. foros, Kentro Prostasias tês Ellênikês Hlôridas, Athêna, 2008. [1] + 13 pages; The authors provide a commented in- paper. ventory of “annual” taxa (985, correspond- ing to 943 different species) found or re- Mount Pentelicon rises on the northern ported to be present in Sardinia. The list is outskirts of Athens. It used to play the role based on a compilation from Italian national of the Greek capital’s green lung, badly Floras, recent floristic and phytosociological needed by that smog-ridden city, but in re- literature, and the authors’ own field work. It cent years it was impaired in that function

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by heavy forest fires. Besides, its slopes This is precisely what the Conspectus of have been plagued by marble caves since the Caucasian flora, Armen Takhtajan’s new- classical antiquity, and its southern foothills est if not last great enterprise, has set out to have long fallen victim to the metropolis’ achieve. Adopting as its base Grossheim’s expanding urbanisation. (meanwhile refined) system of natural floris- The flora of Mount Pentelicon has been tic regions that cut across national boundaries, explored by many botanists in the past, and it must necessarily depart from local tradi- several plants, described from its heights, tions and strive for a synthesis. The task is commemorate the mountain’s name in their awesome, complicated by many factors re- epithet. Most of these names have by now lated with the natural and cultural multifor- ended up as synonyms, but Silene pentelica mity of the area: think of the many languages remains, along with Centaurea attica subsp. using several alphabets in which the basic pentelica. information was published, of the dissemi- Contrary to the flora of Mount Hy- nated herbarium holdings, of the difficulty mettus, that of Pentelicon had never been of communication in general, and you will separately listed. Sfikas has now thankfully see what I mean. There is only one place on filled that gap with his modestly produced, the world where all threads run together: the simple list, based on published sources with Komarov Institute in St. Petersburg. the essential complement of his own collec- This first volume is rather thin, and tions. even thinner is the portion devoted to the W.G. checklist proper: just 45 pages, on which 111 species (the Pteridophytes and Gymno- sperms) are treated. Make a quick count: 2.5 69. Armen68B L. TAHTADŽJAN (ed.) – Kon- species per page on average; and then make spekt flory Kavkaza, tom 1. – Sankt- a guess: 3000 pages yet to come? The treat- Peterburgskogo Universiteta, St. Peter- ment is ambitiously detailed, it includes all burg, 2003 (ISBN 5-288-03293-9). 202 that you might expect to see in a Flora ex- pages, 12 maps; hard cover. cept keys and descriptions. For all species The Caucasus is a floristic cornerstone, that are not common and widespread sources linking and at the same time separating the are cited in full, detailed distributions are Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian, Central Asian given, and often lengthy comments are made and European floristic domains, drawing on questions of occurrence, delimitation of from and impinging on them all. The knowl- taxa, synonymy and typification, whatever. edge of the flora of the Caucasus, its genesis The larger part of the book is devoted to and relationships, is crucial, in particular, for general and introductory matters. There is a the understanding of the plant world of the sizeable chapter on the history of botanical Mediterranean-Oriental region. Grossheim’s exploration, which includes such useful pioneer work, “Flora Kavkaza”, was so far features as maps of Tournefort’s travelling the only comprehensive Flora of the whole routes, Güldenstedt’s and Marschall von Caucasian region, and sadly, its second edi- Bieberstein’s collecting localities. (How- tion has remained a torso. On the other hand, ever, I miss a reference to H. W. Lack’s modern critical country Floras for Armenia, important work on Karl Koch’s expedi- Azerbaidjan, Georgia and the Russian north- tions.) Also of considerable interest is an ern Caucasus, taken together, provide com- exhaustive list of Russian, Ukrainian and plete but inhomogeneous coverage. What is Caucasian herbaria with relevant holdings, needed, then, is harmonisation, homogenisa- of which only a minority are registered in tion and critical updating of the extant in- the “Index herbariorum”. Then there are in- formation. valuable bibliographical lists, not only with

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (39) Publications

the basic reference works but all relevant cated, Ostfildern, 2006. 51 sheets + CD- floristic papers published between 1985 and ROM, figures, maps and photographs in 2002. Not to forget a comparative display of colour; paper, plastic front cover sheet. the floristic subdivisions used in the “Con- spectus” with the quite different ones ad- 75. Ina74B DINTER – Das geheime Paradies opted in the national Floras. Griechenlands. Halkidiki. Botanische Good luck, then! For the first volume Studienreise 1.-12. Mai 2007. – Pri- Takhtajan has benefited from the activity of vately assembled/duplicated, Ostfildern, a largish team of authors, but are they really [2007]. 55 sheets + CD-ROM, figures, enough? It strikes me that none comes from maps and photographs in colour; paper, a Caucasian country. I would hope that in plastic front cover sheet. the future Caucasian botanists will be in- Starting 2003 with the first Peloponne- volved – and let themselves get involved. sus tour (see OPTIMA Newslett. 37 80-81. W.G. 2004), Ina Dinter’s excursion guides have adopted a new style, making full use of Excursions modern computer technology. The printed versions prepared in advance remain as they were before, but the “elaborations” incor-

70. Ina69B DINTER – Griechenland. Pelopon- porating the excursions’ own results have nes. Botanische Studienreise 18. Mai – been transposed to CD-ROMs, which per- 1. Juni 2004. – Privately assembled/du- mits the inclusion of numerous highly re- plicated, Ostfildern, 2004. 57 + XX sheets solved colour photographs, mostly of plants + CD-ROM, maps, figures, black-and- but also of landscapes and cultural high- white photographs; paper, plastic front lights, together with the new plant lists. cover sheet. Information, thereby, is more complete and better documented than was possible before 71. Ina70B DINTER – Ibiza. Weltkulturerbe. – and besides, the pictures are amazing both Botanische Studienreise 5.-14. Mai 2005. by their beauty and the detail they show. – Privately assembled/duplicated, Ost- fildern, 2005. 35 sheets + CD-ROM, The preparatory booklets are computer maps, figures, black-and-white photo- printouts, usually illustrated in colour. graphs; paper, plastic front cover sheet. Sometimes they appear again on the CD- ROM as printable files in pdf format. In the

72. Ina71B DINTER – Languedoc. Botanische case of the Ibiza guide, of which at least my Studienreise 29. Mai – 7. Juni 2005. – copy is of reduced size and printed black- Privately assembled/duplicated, Ostfil- and-white, it is thus possible to obtain a full- dern, 2005. 45 sheets + CD-ROM, fig- size copy in colour if one is equipped with a ures, maps, photographs (partly in col- colour printer. The plant lists in the print our); paper, plastic front cover sheet. versions have been put together by Mrs. Dinter during a preliminary trip (she uses to 73. Ina72B DINTER – Andalucía. Botanische Studienreise 2.-12. April 2006. – Pri- prepare her guided tours very thoroughly), vately assembled/duplicated, Ostfildern, or sometimes a previous group excursion if, 2005. 49 sheets + CD-ROM, figures, as exceptionally happens, she offers the maps and photographs in colour; paper, same tour twice in sequence (e.g., for the plastic front cover sheet. Peloponnesus, in 2003 and 2004). They differ from the individual lists on the CD-

74. Ina73B DINTER – Insel Samos. Griechen- ROMs, which reflect the groups’ results. All land. Botanische Studienreise 1.-15. species with their localities are shown in a Mai 2006. – Privately assembled/dupli- combined tabulation (for Samos, for in-

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stance, with all data of the years 1993, 1994, exceptions); the technology used, which 2005 and 2006). now permits the automatic generation, di- The value of Mrs. Dinter’s lists as sci- rectly out of a database, of distribution maps entific data sources is enhanced by the pres- and all sort of useful by-products; and terri- ence, in her personal herbarium, of voucher tory definitions, no longer congruent with specimens of many rare and critical taxa. By those defined for “Flora Europaea” but al- the end of 2007, she had collected about tered to match Euro+Med subdivisions. The 9000 numbered specimens all over the question may be asked: are we thus entering Mediterranean area. a new era of relative stability, or rather a W.G. future of permanent change? I can live with either, provided the project continues, but instability is the more likely answer. Volume Chorology 14 already implements to further territorial changes: segregation of Malta from Sicily (joining Med-Checklist, at long last!) and of 76. Arto75B KURTTO, Raino LAMPINEN & Leo JUNIKKA – Atlas florae europaeae. Luxemburg from Belgium – the next (sepa- Distribution of vascular plants in Eu- ration of Serbia and Montenegro) being rope, 13, Rosaceae (Spiraea to Fragaria, announced for vol. 15. Also, the position of excl. Rubus). – Committee for Mapping project secretary, after two changes in rapid the Flora of Europe & Societas Botanica succession, is now in the able hands of Alex- Fennica Vanamo, Helsinki, 2004 (ISBN ander Sennikov. 951-9108-14-9). 320 pages (+ 11 pages With volumes 13 and 14 published, the on loose sheets), maps, table; paper. “Atlas” is halfway through Rosaceae, ar- guably Europe’s second most complex flow- 77. Arto76B KURTTO, Sigurd E. FRÖHNER & ering plant family (after Compositae). The Raino LAMPINEN – Atlas florae euro- spiraeoid and most rosoid genera (including paeae. Distribution of vascular plants in Rosa and Potentilla) form vol. 13, Alchemilla Europe, 14, Rosaceae (Alchemilla and and Aphanes, vol. 14; the two next volumes Aphanes). – Committee for Mapping the are to be devoted to the last rosoid genus, Flora of Europe & Societas Botanica Rubus, and the maloid plus prunoid genera, Fennica Vanamo, Helsinki, 2007 (ISBN respectively. Increasing time lag and inde- 951-9108-15-5). 200 pages, drawings, pendence of judgement have been gradually maps, graphs, tables; paper. widening the gap between the treatments of Volume 12 of the “Atlas florae euro- the “Atlas” and of “Flora Europaea” that it paeae” (see OPTIMA Newslett. 35: (17-18). was initially meant to mirror and comple- 2000), the last to be published in the second ment. Deviations in vol. 13 are most obvious millennium, marked the end of the work’s at generic level, where Comarum, Dasiphora, first phase, coinciding in coverage with the Drymocallis and Sibbaldianthe were re- first volume of “Flora Europaea”. Much has moved from but Duchesnea included in Po- changed, last but not least on the personal tentilla. In vol. 14, the difference at species level, in the five-year interval between vol- level is dramatic: of 385 Alchemilla species, umes 12 and 13. Of the two pillars of the 204 are additional to the “Flora Europaea” “Atlas”, Jaakko Jalas sadly died at the end of treatment. It is a customary feature of the 1999 and Juha Suominen retired. Other im- “Atlas” to document its deviations from the portant changes concern the mapping grid, “Flora” in the introductory part, but in the adapted to achieve a common European future it may prove more space-economic to standard for biological mapping projects list the cases of congruence. (while doing away with erstwhile sensible W.G.

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (41) Publications

78. Oriol77B de BOLÒS I CAPDEVILA, Xavier rologija i florni elementi. Vtoro dopăl- FONT I CASTELL & Josep VIGO I BO- neno i preraboteno izdanie. Conspec- NADA (ed.) – Atlas corològic de la tus of the Bulgarian vascular flora. flora vascular dels Països Catalans. Distribution maps and floristic ele- Volum 13 [ORCA: Atlas corològic, 13]. ments. Second revised and enlarged edi- – Institut d’Estudis Catalans, Secció de tion. – Bălgaro-Švejcarska Programa za Ciències Biològiques, Barcelona, 2004 Opazvane na Bioraznoobrazieto, Sofi- (ISBN 84-7283-774-2, volume; 84- ja, 2002 (ISBN 954-9959-12-0). 426 7283-625-8, set). [586] pages, maps pages, 2 tables, 3850 distribution maps; 3039-3314; paper. paper.

79. Xavier78B FONT I CASTELL & Josep This handy volume, produced under the VIGO I BONADA (ed.) – Atlas corològic auspices of the Bulgarian-Swiss Biodiversity de la flora vascular dels Països Cata- Conservation Programme, is neither more lans. Volum 14 [ORCA: Atlas corològic, nor less than a concise distribution atlas for 14]. – Institut d’Estudis Catalans, Secció the whole vascular flora of Bulgaria. The de Ciències Biològiques, Barcelona, maps are small, and distribution is not indi- 2007 (ISBN 978-84-7283-902-1, volume; cated by dots but by presence in one of the 978-84-7283-625-9, set). [610] pages, 29 phytogeographical subdivisions recog- maps 3315-3602; paper. nised in the Bulgarian national Flora. Simple as they are, I find these maps quite informa- Two more volumes of this ambitious tive. They are accompanied by a bare mini- chorological Atlas have been published mum of other data: scientific name, altitud- since my last review (OPTIMA Newslett. 37: inal range, phytogeographical element, and a 81-82. 2004), with 564 new grid maps, each special flag for those species that are pro- with coded indication of sources on the tected by law. The arrangement is alphabeti- back. The sequential numbering of the maps cal by genera and species (no subspecies are has now passed the 3600 mark. Impressive recognised), irrespective of family or higher indeed. group. One should note that, with stated Sticking consistently to the taxonomic exceptions, the accepted nomenclature fol- and nomenclatural frame set by the “Flora lows Andreev & al.’s “Opredelitel na visšite manual dels Països Catalans”, and following rastenija Bălgarija” of 1992. its sequence, vol. 13 begins with the last What little text is present is fully bilin- species left over from Solanaceae, then gual (Bulgarian and English). The main title treats Scrophulariaceae (194 maps), Oro- is a bit misleading, but the subtitle helps. As banchaceae (33), Lentibulariaceae (8), Ges- to the “first edition” that the title wording neriaceae and Acanthaceae (1 each), Globu- implies, I have been unable to find it, or any lariaceae (11) and Plantaginaceae (27). For reference to it, either in the book itself or vol. 14, the treated families are Rubiaceae elsewhere. (71), Caprifoliaceae (20), Valerianaceae (28), W.G. Dipsacaceae (32), Cucurbitaceae (2), Cam- panulaceae (49) and the beginning of Com- positae with Eupatorieae (1), Astereae (34), Karyology Gnaphalieae (40) and part of Inuleae (11). W.G.

81. Karol80B MARHOLD, Pavol MÁRTONFI, Pavol MERED’A jun. & Patrik MRÁZ

80. Dimit79B ăr DIMITROV (ed.) – Konspekt (ed.) – Chromosome number survey na visšata flora na Bălgarija. Ho- of the ferns and flowering plants of

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Slovakia. – VEDA, Bratislava, 2007 Bratislava herbarium (SLO). No reproduc- (ISBN 978-80-224-0980-3). 650 pages, tions of published idiograms or metaphase 25 figures (mostly maps, some in col- plate photographs are included (perhaps for our) + 1 CD-ROM; hard cover. reasons of copyright restrictions?), but their Ever and again one is surprised at the presence is indicated. proficiency of the younger generation of The survey is restricted to vascular botanists in handling new technologies for plants and to counts made on Slovak mate- their purposes. There are worlds separating rial. Within these limits it is as complete and the present book from its forerunner, Jozef accurate as is humanly possible. Perhaps its Májovský & al.’s “Karyotaxonomický preh- main merit, if not the most spectacular, is l’ad flóry Slovenska” of 1987, and yet they that it flags or eliminates many of the errors lie only 20 years apart. A well structured and inaccuracies that plague the literature of database was the prerequisite for managing the past. the large amount and diversity of informa- W.G. tion generated by the new project. The CD- ROM with that database, which accompa- 82. Ė81B stella A. NAZAROVA & A. G. GU- nies the book, is in fact in many respects KASJAN – Čisla hromosom cvetkovyh more useful than the printed text itself. I rastenij flory Armenii. – Institut Bota- have tried it out and it works well, the instal- niki, Nacional’naja Akademija Nauk RA, lation runs smoothly and consultation is Erevan, 2004. 169 pages, 15 plates of quick and easy, but you need plenty of space micrographs, portrait, 2 maps; paper. on your hard disk if you opt for a download. The same interactive, searchable database, This handy survey of published chro- or an updated version of it, is available on mosome counts based on Armenian plant the Internet. material appeared under the editorship of A powerful and well organised database Eleonora Gabrielian. It is dedicated to the system is a marvellous tool, but it only memory of professor A. G. Araratian, whose serves as a frame. What makes this survey portrait and succinct biography precede the so valuable is that it has put that frame to main text. Of the biography, as well as the good use. The amount of data screening and foreword and introduction, an English trans- verification that went into it is astounding. lation is provided. All published primary sources and an im- The somatic chromosome numbers are pressive amount of unpublished ones (manu- listed under the name used in the original script theses, in particular) where consulted publication. When counts for the same spe- in original. Locality information was not cies appear under different names, synon- only recorded from these texts but, when- ymy is added to serve as cross-reference. For ever possible, complemented from the labels each count, locality and voucher information of voucher specimens, which were then re- is given in addition to the source reference. vised by specialists to confirm their correct A considerable number of metaphase plate identification. In addition, grid coordinates photographs that appear in the source publi- were added to the localities, so that simple cations are reproduced at the end of the or combined maps can be generated, exam- book. I noted at least one case of contradic- ples of which are provided in the book. The tory information: the chromosome number faculty to generate one’s own map is one of of Silene sisianica is given as 2n = 48 in the the features of the CD-ROM that is lacking main text (3 counts), but the metaphase in the printed volume, as are a number of plate, consistent with the caption, shows 42 data categories, the most interesting being chromosomes. pictures of voucher specimens kept in the W.G.

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (43) Publications

Studies of Flora and Vegetation riverine wetlands, has been unduly trimmed at its southern end, so as to exclude S Pelo- ponnesus and Crete). The accepted generic 83. Udo82B BOHN, Gisela GOLLUB, Christoph names used for purposes of phytosociolo- HETTWER, Zdenka NEUHÄUSLOVÁ, gical nomenclature appear, with their princi- Heinz SCHLÜTER & Herbert WEBER – pal synonyms, in a list compiled by Thomas Karte der natürlichen Vegetation Eu- Raus. Explanations of the special terms used ropas, Maßstab 1 : 2 500 000. Er- in the book and bibliographical references to läuterungstext. – Bundesamt für Natur- maps and publications are appended. schutz, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, 2003 A substantial amount of corollary in- (ISBN 3-7843-3837-2). 655 + XVI formation is not given in the printed book pages + 13 folded maps in pouch (11 in but in the accompanying CD-ROM. There colour), + CD-ROM (by Udo BOHN & one finds species inventories, data sheets Robert NEUHÄUSL), 148 colour photo- relating to the mapping units, with com- graphs, 23 figures, 21 tables, 7 maps, mentary, as well as a glossary. portrait; paper. The separate CD-ROM referred to above is confusingly similar in aspect to the 84. Udo83B BOHN, Gisela GOLLUB, Christoph HETTWER, Zdenka NEUHÄUSLOVÁ, one just mentioned but is altogether different Thomas RAUS, Heinz SCHLÜTER & in content. It brings again, in full, the printed Herbert WEBER – Karte der natür- information of Explanatory text and Legend, lichen Vegetation Europas / Map of with improvements and corrections – both the natural vegetation of Europe, Maß- the German original and an English transla- stab /scale 1 : 2 500 000. Interaktive / tion. It also includes the 9 vegetation maps Interactive CD-ROM. – Bundesamt themselves (but not the survey map). Lim- für Naturschutz, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, ited interactive searching options are imple- 2004 (ISBN 3-7843-3848-8). 1 CD- mented, and a simple feedback facility is ROM + 20 pages booklet in plastic case. provided, encouraging the submission of comments, suggestions and corrections. Last time, when presenting the map of W.G. the natural vegetation of Europe and its Leg- end booklet (OPTIMA Newslett. 37: 82. 2004), I pointed out that without the corres- 85. Marcelino84B José del ARCO AGUILAR ponding, incidentally mentioned manual the (ed.) – Mapa de Vegetación de Cana- provided information was incomplete. Here, rias. – Grafcan, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, now, is that manual. 2006 (ISBN 978-64-611-3811-1). 550 pages, colour illustrations (56 photo- That manual, or “Explanatory text”, is a graphs, maps, graphs, tables) in 1 vol- sizeable volume written in German. In its ume with laminated cover + 7 folded introductory chapters it describes the genesis maps in colour + 1 CD-ROM, all in and history of the mapping project, with its cardboard case. theoretical bases, and summarises Late Qua- ternary vegetation changes. In its main por- Unbelievably, this major work on vege- tion it provides detailed descriptions of the tation mapping (which profited of pre- 19 main vegetation formations and c. 700 existing maps for Tenerife and parts of Gran mapping units with their constituent associa- Canaria) was completed in less than 3 years, tions. These chapters are well illustrated between December 2000 when the research with colour photographs. Maps of the indi- contract was signed and June 2003 when the vidual formations have mostly been printed complete data were handed in. It took an- on loose folded sheets (note that map 20, of other three years to get the results printed, a

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time lag that was used to fill gaps in the Markus von Gaisberg, one of the au- coverage by mapping four offshore islets, thors of the distribution atlas of the El one at the northern tip of Fuerteventura and Hierro flora presented above (item 59), has three in a similar position near Lanzarote. chosen the lower belt of that island as sub- Project director Marcelino del Arco and his ject for his PhD thesis. That thesis has team of 12 can be proud of their achievement. grown into the present, stately book, well The seven map sheets, one for each of written and nicely presented. El Hierro, the the main Canary Islands, are printed on both smallest and presumably youngest of the sides, with explanatory text covering the Canary Islands, was also arguably the least verso. The recto bears a large map of the explored botanically. Looking at the steep actual vegetation at its centre (scale varies flanks of this volcano tip emerging abruptly according to island size, between 1 : 55 000 from a more than 3000 m deep sea floor, one for La Gomera and 1 : 170 000 for Fuerte- can easily imagine how arduous it is to ex- ventura), flanked by smaller maps (one of plore them. This is the terrain that Gaisberg them showing the potential natural vegeta- and his colleague Stierstorfer have thor- tion), vegetation profiles, and the legend of oughly investigated for several years. Their colour codes. The mapped vegetation units field data, electronically stored, have already are associations (for woody formations), al- helped writing three books, and more may liances or orders (herbaceous formations) yet come. One positive aspect of their work defined by the sigmatistic method of Braun- is that it was not done in splendid isolation. Blanquet. Aerial photographs in colour were Rather, they sought and received the support used to establish their distribution. of Canarian botanists and institutions, prin- The book is for a large part devoted to cipally Wolfredo Wildpret and his team of the characterisation of vegetation types, first the University of La Laguna on Tenerife. for the archipelago as a whole then in the W.G. context of the individual islands. Among the appendices, a list of species characterising vegetation units, a glossary, and an exten- 87. Josep86B GESTI PERICH, Lluís VILAR I sive bibliography are of note. SAIS & Susan WATT – Plantes vascu- As to the CD-ROM, it again includes, in lars del quadrat UTM 31T EG07 Cas- separate pdf files, the printed book and map telló d’Empúries. [ORCA: Catàlegs sheets, and in addition it offers the possibil- floristics locals, 16.] – Institut d’Estudis ity to zoom into the vegetation maps and see Catalans, Secció de Ciències Biològi- their every detail, which is more than the ques, Barcelona, 2005 (ISBN 84-7283- printed version since the original mapping 825-0). 95 pages, maps, graph; paper. was done at a 1 : 20 000 scale. The rhythm of publication of this series W.G. of floristic inventories of individual 10 × 10 km squares of the chorological mapping grid for Catalonia has apparently slowed

86. Markus85B VON GAISBERG – Die Vegeta- down. Last time (see OPTIMA Newslett. 37: tion der Fußstufe von El Hierro) Ka- 83. 2004) there were three such fascicles to narische Inseln). [Dissertationes Bota- be presented, published in 2002 and 2003. nicae (ISSN 0070-6728), 395.] – Cra- Since then but a single one has been printed. mer, Berlin & Stuttgart, 2005 (ISBN 3- Castelló d’Empúries is situated in the 443-64308-6). 364 pages, 97 black-and- extreme northeast of Spanish Catalonia, white figures (photographs, maps, close to the Mediterranean Sea. The area of graphs), 22 tables + 1 folded table in its grid square is comprised of lowlands pouch; hard cover. barely exceeding 50 m of altitude and can be

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (45) Publications

subdivided into three main units: the sea- formity. Plans are already taking shape to shore, the agricultural lands of the large extend mapping to other areas of Catalonia alluvial plain, and the Pliocene hillocks in when it is completed for the Pyrenees. the back, with remains of semi-natural The two present map sheets are widely Mediterranean vegetation. In view of this separated geographically, the first concern- unexciting environment, floristic diversity, ing the Catalonia’s western border, where it with 1006 recorded taxa (not counting 104 confines with Aragón, the second an area that are doubtfully present or questionably close to the centre, just east of Andorra. Yet wild), is quite high, reflecting the positive they present substantial similarities, such as contribution of traditional human manage- an all but identical maximum height (they ment to the flora. peak at 2883 m and 2881 m, respectively) W.G. and a similar gross geological pattern. For both areas, the northern portion falls within the domain of the siliceous central chain of

88. Jordi87B CARRERAS & Josep VIGO – the Pyrenees, the centre and south belongs to Mapa de vegetació de Catalunya the basically carbonatic Pre- and Sub- 1 : 50 000. Molló 218 (37-10). Ripoll Pyrenees; and in both, the vegetation cover 256 (37-11). – Institut d’Estudis Cata- is heavily influenced by this duality of sub- lans, Barcelona, 2005 (ISBN 84-7283- stratum. 809-9). 83 pages, graphs, tables, map, W.G. colour legend, with folded colour map by Jordi CARRERAS, Albert FERRÉ, Josep GESTI, Xavier MONJE, Lluís VILAR, Jo- 90. Anna89B SCOPPOLA & Carlo BLASI – sep VIGO & Xavier VIÑAS; laminated Stato delle conoscenze sulla flora va- cover, twin plastic pouch. scolare d’Italia. Anna SCOPPOLA – Carta dello stato delle conoscenze flo-

89. Josep88B M. NIÑOT & Josep VIGO – ristiche d’Italia, edizione 2005. Anna Mapa de vegetació de Catalunya SCOPPOLA & Sara MAGRINI – The 1 : 50 000. El Pont de Suert 213 (32- Italian vascular flora: references and 10). Sort 214 (33-10). – Institut d’Estu- sources. – Anna SCOPPOLA & Giovan- dis Catalans, Barcelona, 2006 (ISBN ni SPAMPINATO – Atlante delle specie 84-7283-835-8). 93 pages, graphs, map, a rischio di estinzione. – Palombi, tables, colour legend, with folded colour Roma, 2005 (ISBN 88-7621-513-1). map (published 2003) by Empar CA- 253 pages, 95 figures (mostly in col- RRILLO, Albert FERRÉ, Xavier FONT, Jo- our), 10 tables, 29 plates (maps in col- sep M. NIÑOT, Rafael V. QUADRADA, our); paper bound fascicle, with 1 loose, Ignasi SORIANO & Josep VIGO; lami- folded colour map and 1 box with 2 nated cover, twin plastic pouch. CD-ROM disks as annexes. Little can be added to what I have pre- This impressive, coherent and well viously written on this admirable enterprise structured collection of data on Italy’s vas- of vegetation mapping, shortly to cover cular flora is the result of a huge national completely the Spanish side of the Catalan effort, demonstrating how seriously Italy is Pyrenees (see OPTIMA Newslett. 37: 84. taking the country’s self-imposed obliga- 2004). Whereas mapping methods have var- tions as partner to the Río Convention and ied with time, from manual design based on participant in the Global Strategy for Plant aerial colour photographs to automated Conservation. Consisting of four discrete processing of combined colour and infrared elements, the present package is in turn pictures, the output maintains welcome uni- member of a triplet of almost simultaneous

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publications of which the two other compo- of those who contributed data fills no less nents are presented elsewhere in these pages than 12 pages. Italy is fortunate to have so (items 64 and 108). many knowledgeable botanists willing to The printed book is devoted essentially help. Their help will be needed in the future to describing the state of and progress in as well. The present publication foreshad- floristic knowledge in each of Italy’s 20 ows new projects that can build upon it, administrative “regioni”. The state of inves- some already well advanced such as the tigation, expressed in five categories ranging inventory of alien (“exotic”) plants, some from “virtually unknown” to “well known”, planned for the decades ahead such as the is mapped for each region and again repre- Flora critica d’Italia, and some still in the sented in context on a single, folded map at stage of a feasibility assessment such as a the scale of 1 : 1,500,000. national chorological atlas. Good luck to all! The first of two CD-ROM disks that are W.G. part of the work shows distribution maps for the 1011 vascular plant taxa that appear in 91. Riccardo90B GUARINO & Sergio SGOR- the latest (1997) Italian red list. (This limita- BATI – Guida botanica al Parco Alto tion was followed to the letter, so that Cen- Garda Bresciano. – Museo del Parco taurea pumilio, first recorded in 1998 and Alto Garda Bresciano, [Gargnano], 2004. illustrated on the book’s very first colour 394 pages, 930 figures (mostly colour photograph, is not treated.) A new national photographs); laminated cover. cartographic grid has been devised for that purpose, extending the grid of zone 33 of the The chief intent in writing this book has UTM projection to the portion of Italy been to induce the layman to observe, know (about one half) lying outside that zone. The and cherish the plant world in general, and presence and status within each 10 × 10 km that of the Alto Garda Bresciano Park in grid square is shown by means of a colour particular. The language it uses is simple but code. Cases of special status (e.g., doubtful, scientifically accurate without being tedious, alien, recorded in error, disappeared) are the subjects range from a general introduc- commented in the accompanying text. tion to the plant world and botanical science The second disk has two literature data- to a knowledgeable description of the Park’s bases. The first includes an impressive various types of vegetation. The needs of the amount (c. 12000 items) of papers with flo- botanically trained are not neglected. For ristically relevant information, published be- them, a complete checklist of the Park’s tween 1950 and 2005. The second is a kind vascular flora is provided, using the – occa- of complement to Conti & al.’s Italian plant sionally updated – nomenclature of Pi- checklist, giving nomenclatural source refer- gnatti’s Flora. The final picture gallery, with ences for unfamiliar names there used (this colour photographs of generally adequate source will be more valuable when ex- quality showing about 830 different species, panded, as has been promised, to cover all is an asset for all categories of readers. names and synonyms). Searches are remark- The Park covers an area of over ably quick and comfortable, the only draw- 380 km2, comprising nine municipalities back being that no searches by scientific with many villages and settlements. In ex- plant name are allowed. tends from the western shores of Lake Garda An incredible amount of effort, time and up to the crests of the surrounding mountain expertise went into the production of this chains, encompassing the better part of the compendium. In the annexes, 89 text authors Giudicarian Alps of Brescia Province. (It are listed, as well as 58 public and 33 private does not, mind you, include the botanically herbaria that have been consulted. Mention famous Monte Baldo, which is situated on

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the Lake’s opposite, eastern side.) Accord- still the leading botanical expert for the ing to the checklist, its vascular flora com- Park, has authore the chapter on vegetation prises 1585 wild taxa, not counting 279 – in the present book. listed separately – that were reported in the This volume is very different from the literature but of which the presence is doubt- popular guide books for visitors of protected ful, either because the records are unreliable areas of which so many are now produced. or because they may have disappeared. A With 28 chapters loosely grouped together selection of species that might well be found under four main headings, written by 29 again is shown in pictures serving as wanted authors from five different countries (Cata- posters. lonia, Malta, Morocco and Tunisia, in addi- The authors have, it seems to me, done tion to Italy), it is a kind of multi-faceted, a good job. Sometimes they are very much patchy scientific monograph of the area. on the popular, journalistic side of the fence, The area in question lies in the southern as when they compare the risks of insect tip of Tuscany, extending along the coast pollination to the hypothetical situation of north of Grosseto and the Argentaro prom- men entrusting parcels with their sperm to a ontory. Like the latter, the hills forming the dog meant to carry them to their beloved central portion of the Park, known as Monti ones for insemination. Well, those who do dell’Uccellina, were in times past an island not appreciate this kind of symbolism need in the Tyrrhenian Sea, but are now com- not read the popular chapters. A more seri- pletely fused to the mainland by wide ex- ous shortcoming is the absence of any in- tents of alluvial plains. The reasons for de- formation on the source and authorship of claring the area a protected park were not so the individual photographs. We may sup- much the abundance of rare, threatened and pose that most are due to the authors them- endemic species but rather the unspoilt land- selves (fifty, but we are not told which, are scape and the interest that the marshland in credited to someone else); but, were they the estuary of the Ombrone River presents really all taken in the Park? Certainly not the for birdwatchers. Among botanical pecu- last dozen, which show plants that have dis- liarities, the subendemic Centaurea aplolepa appeared – but how about the rest? A practi- subsp. cosana may however be mentioned. cal inconvenience is the absence of an index. The Park area can be roughly subdi- We will have to cope. vided into three units: the marshland and W.G. river estuary, at the northern end; the littoral strip, mainly of sand dunes bordered in- wardly by originally planted now invasive – 92. Felicita91B SCAPINI & Mariella NARDI (ed.) – Il Parco Regionale della and of course strongly protected – pine Maremma e il suo territorio. – Pacini, woods (Pinus pinea and P. pinaster); and the Pisa, 2007 (ISBN 978-88-7781-914-7). hills with their cover of evergreen macchia 256 pages, frontispiece, map and 178 and numerous karstic caves. The subjects of figures (mostly colour photographs) and the book are predominantly zoological, geo- 14 tables; paper with dust jacket. graphical and historical, with some emphasis of vegetation features but neglecting the The Maremma Natural Park will be well (cryptogamic or phanerogamic) flora. remembered by participants to the excursion W.G. to W. Tuscany following the II OPTIMA Meeting in Florence. That excursion visited the Park, then just two years old, on 28 May 93. Fabio92B CAPPELLI & Michele PADULA 1977 under the expert guidance of Pier Vir- (ed.) – La Riserva di Luoghi Naturali gilio Arrigoni. Thirty years later Arrigoni, Orrido di Botri. Fondamenti naturali-

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stici, storici e gestionali. – Corpo Fore- colour photographs. They testify, not only to stale dello Stato, Ufficio territoriale per the relative species richness of so tiny an la biodiversità di Lucca, 2006. 250 area, but also to the originality of its flora, as pages, photographs, maps, graphs and many of the constituent species are rare, tables, mostly in colour, folded colour several are Italian endemics or otherwise of map sheet in pouch; laminated cover. phytogeographical interest. The other, shorter botanical chapters, also nicely illustrated, Horrid indeed – or better: terrific! The refer to fungi (by Italo Franceschini) and Orrido di Botri nature reserve in the upper lichens (by Renato Benesperi). catchment basin of the Fegana River (before W.G. it assumes that name and is still named Rio Pelago), in the Apennines of Lucca Province in N Tuscany, has a size of less than 300 ha, 94. Francesco93B Maria RAIMONDO (ed.) – but is crossed by one of the wildest, deepest, Result of the third “Iter Mediterrane- narrowest gorge of peninsular Italy, compa- um” in Sicily, May-June 1990. [Boc- rable in its savage beauty to its better known conea (ISSN 1120-4060), 17.] – Herba- counterparts in the Alps. The site is so im- rium Mediterraneum Panormitanum, pervious that you need special permit to Palermo, 2004 (ISBN 88-7915-019-7). enter it, which is only possible in the sum- 330 pages + one sheet of errata, 41 mer months, for well trained mountaineers black-and-white figures, 2 colour plates, wearing a hardhat – and of course, for a fee. 3 tables; laminated cover. Yet a century ago it was classified as pasture Six “senior” and five “junior” partici- land, being all but deforested, and much of pants, not counting Franco Raimondo the its natural wildlife had been killed off. organiser and his local support team, took Since 1934, the area has been placed part in the Third Iter Mediterraneum, in Sic- under the care of the state forestry service, ily, 29 May to 19 June 1990. During those which has taken care of its reforestation and three busy weeks they collected the impres- protection. Photographs taken before 1934, sive number of 1535 different taxa of vascu- compared to those of today, show astound- lar plants, and in addition 231 of bryophytes, ing changes. The formerly bare slopes are 76 of macrofungi and 66 of lichens. Not now wooded with hop hornbeam (Ostrya only were many of the collected species, carpinifolia) below and beech in their upper especially among the bryophytes, new for part, apart from the sheer cliffs. Wildlife and the Island’s flora, there were also no less wildfowl are steadily increasing, with sev- than six still undescribed and unnamed taxa eral recent additions such as the wolf, of higher plants among them. Five are new groundhog, and deer following the now fully species of Centaurea (2), Dianthus, Hiera- established wild boar to keep company to cium and Pyrus, each described in a short the single surviving couple of golden eagles; paper of its own at the end of the volume; moufflon is expected next. the fifth, Cynara cardunculus var. zingaro- The zoological chapters of the book, ensis, is described but not validly named in from which this information is taken, are fol- the body of the enumeration. lowed by three botanical ones, among which In his introduction, Raimondo some- that on the vascular flora, by Pier Virgilio what apologetically explains the reasons why Arrigoni, Giulio Ferretti and Michele Padula, it took 14 years to publish the results of the is the largest and most complete. About 500 Sicilian Iter. Regrettable as the delay may species are accounted for, with indication of be, what counts in my opinion is that he has habitat, distribution and other (even descrip- finally succeeded. This is a fine book, im- tive) data, and many are illustrated by good portant as a source of floristic data and in-

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structive by way of the introductory general These mountains are not very high (the chapters on Pleistocene history, geology, highest peaks at 1847 m) and in their upper soils, climate and vegetation, which summa- part, above 1000-1200 m, they are covered rise the contents of the seminar lectures by by forest, with Quercus cerris then Fagus which the participants were initiated to Sicil- sylvatica dominating. The schistose base rock ian nature. The present “Bocconea” volume (flysch) does not result in harsh, ragged land- was published just in time for distribution at scapes but rather in rounded elevations sepa- the XI OPTIMA Meeting in Belgrade, Sep- rated by wide, flat-bottomed valleys. An al- tember 2004. The final rush explains some pine element is conspicuously lacking. spelling errors, corrected by means of an Giardina’s book, beautifully illustrated errata sheet (note, however, that the names by the author’s own photographs, consists Delphinium staphisagria, Paspalum paspa- essentially in the presentation of 320 species loides and Hainardia are correct as printed). selected as characteristic of the area’s vascu- W.G. lar flora. For each photograph there is a standard explanatory text that includes a short description followed by indications of 95. Girolamo94B GIARDINA – Conoscere le piante dei Nebrodi. – AG Edizioni, habitat and distribution (global, Italian and Gravina di Catania, 2008 (ISBN 978- Sicilian, the latter incorporating Giardina’s own, original observations). The introduc- 88-89942-30-7). XXXV + 177 pages, drawings, 347 colour photographs; la- tory chapters include a description of main minated cover. vegetation types. At the end, Massimo Geraci and Attilio Caldarera suggest some botanical The question is legitimate: what and itineraries and present selected naturalistic where, in fact, are the Nebrodi Mountains? and cultural highlights of the region. Of old, botanists used to designate as Ne- This is, alas, a posthumous work. Gi- brodi the high limestone massif known rolamo Giardina, aged 64, sadly passed away today as Madonie. Strobl’s “Flora der Ne- in December 2006. In a short biography, broden” (1878-1887) concerns only the Ma- Fabrizio Turrisi describes him as the multi- donie, and the epithet nebrodensis that ap- faceted scientist he has been, with a degree pears in many familiar names designates in physics followed by a specialisation in plants from there, most of which are absent astrophysics then a doctorate on a subject from the present-day Nebrodi range. That from vegetation science. He combined a range, up to Lojacono’s time, was known as profound knowledge of the Sicilian flora “Valdemone”, a designation that has nothing with loving concern for its safeguard, but he to do with demons but, as Franco Raimondo was also a poet of rank. Had he lived to reminds us in his preface, derives by corrup- show his book through the print, he might tion from Latin “vallis nemorum”, the valley have added one or the other chapter to it, yet of woods. (The question of which is more in its present form it is fully self-contained: correct, Cirsium vallis-demonii or Juncus a good, lovingly and competently written vallis-demonis, is therefore moot: neither introduction to the flora of a too little epithet is correctable but neither is appropri- known, unjustly neglected yet beautiful part ate, either modern valdemonensis or classical of Sicily. vallis-nemorum would have been preferable.) W.G. The Nebrodi of the present book are the modern ones: a range in the eastern half of N

Sicily, between the Madonie and the Pelori- 96. Dragan95B M. ŠKORIĆ & Olga VASIĆ tani mountains, the core of which is cur- (ed.) – Vegetacija Srbije II. Šumske rently protected in the “Parco dei Nebrodi”. zajednice 2. The vegetation of Serbia

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II. Forest communities 2. – Srpska ern Transylvania. – Fundaţia ADEPT, Akademija Nauka i Umetnosti, Beo- Mureş 2006 (ISBN 978-973-0-04533- grad, 2006 (ISBN 86-7025-428-X). [13] 8). Pages 3-85, colour photographs, + IV + 369 pages, black-and-white pho- drawings, map; paper. tographs, tables; cloth. The so-called Saxons in Central Roma- Nine years after the publication of its nia have been living in that area since the first half (see OPTIMA Newslett. 35: review 12th century, when they were invited to settle No. 35), the new basic conspectus of Ser- there by the Hungarian kings. They still bia’s forest vegetation has now been com- keep intact much of their original way of pleted. Six authors have contributed the 15 life, the landscape with their villages being a chapters of the present tome, each chapter kind of living museum of what large parts of covering the communities dominated by a the European continent must have looked particular woody species. Where and how like some centuries ago. In the frame of these communities fit into the hierarchy of Natura 2000, Europe’s main nature conser- formal phytosociological classification is vation programme, ways are being sought of made apparent in a concluding overview, maintaining much of this invaluable heritage which helps to dispel the somewhat chaotic by developing it in a sustainable way. The impression the first tome had conveyed. The ADEPT foundation takes stock of the pre- coherent and logical choice of chapter titles sent state and investigates mains and means is also helpful in this respect. to maintain its valuable features while pro- As in the first tome, there are English moting local craftsmanship, small business, summaries at the end of each chapter. There and “green” tourism. is an impressively rich bibliography of 32 This is not a botanical booklet but has pages, followed by indexes of plant and been written and illustrated by a botanist, syntaxon names. The latter have now been which shows on its every page. It illustrates made to conform to the international rules historical aspects and the present way of life, for syntaxon nomenclature (retroactively so but also the landscape, vegetation, flora and for the first tome), allowing for some diffi- fauna. It is, I should say, excellent publicity culties with Latin genitives (“aquilegiifo- for potential “agro-tourists”: read it before liumii”, “palustridis”). you plan your next alternative holidays. In a country that was almost completely W.G. wooded in prehistorical times, and is still covered with woodland for almost one third of its surface area, a comprehensive treatise 98. Norbert97B KILIAN & Mohamed Ali HU- on its forest vegetation is of particular im- BAISHAN (ed.) – Biodiversity of Soco- portance. Yet, the question remains of how tra. Forests, woddlands and bryophytes. and when the vegetation of Serbia’s remain- [Englera (ISSN 0170-4818), 28.] – ing two thirds will be treated in a similar Botanischer Garten & Botanisches Mu- way. It would be interesting to learn of the seum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin, 2006 plans and prospects of completing this basic (ISBN 3-921800-61-4). 175 pages, compendium, the first, introductory volume frontispiece, black-and-white illustra- of which has come to light almost a quarter tions (photographs, drawings, maps, of a century ago. graphs), tables, 16 extra plates with 57 W.G. colour photographs; paper. This volume presents results of research

97. John96B AKEROYD – The historic coun- undertaken, in the frame of a Yemeni-Ger- tryside of the Saxon villages of south- man cooperation agreement, within the BI-

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OTA Yemen project funded by the German Trees and Shrubs Ministry of Education and Research through the BIOLOG programme. In spring 2002 and 2003, expeditions of Berlin and Yemeni 100. Andreas99B ROLOFF & Andreas BÄR- botanists to the island of Socotra took place, TELS – Flora der Gehölze. Bestim- to study the flora and vegetation of vascular mung, Eigenschaften und Verwendung, plants and bryophytes. ed. 2. – Ulmer, Stuttgart, 2006 (ISBN Five papers by varying authors or au- 978-3-8001-4832-5). 844 pages + 2 thor teams are included. Three are studies of colour maps + 1 loose sheet, c, 2350 vegetation, two are floristic. Of the latter, figures; hard cover. one is a complete bryophyte Flora for the What is implicitly considered as the first island, with descriptions and identification edition of this book appeared in 1996 under keys for the 80 presently known species; the the same authorship but with a shorter title, second relates collections of noteworthy “Gehölze”. The page number and selection taxa, including 13 that had not previously of included species has increased signifi- been recorded from Socotra. A species of cantly, and critical feedback from users has Volutaria and a subspecies of Euphorbia been taken into account, but the general plan socotrana are described as new to science, remains. The book includes identification as are several previously unnamed plant keys and fairly detailed descriptions for over communities. 2000 species of woody plants found growing A number of colour photographs by un- wild or cultivated out of doors in Central identified expedition members, showing Europe. The exact coverage is not defined, aspects of the vegetation or featuring indi- but sampling shows that small erect shrubs vidual plants, contribute to illustrate the (Helianthemum spp., Thymus vulgaris) are book. treated but not those with prostrate (Thymus W.G. serpyllum aggr.) or pulvinate growth (Acan- tholimon). As to hardiness, we find that lau- rel, holm oak, camellias, the fig tree, and 99. Jean98B LÉONARD – [A contribution to several bamboo species are included, but not study of the flora and vegetation of myrtle nor the olive tree, let alone palms and the deserts of Iran. Vol. 10, first part. cycads. Apparently exotic habit was a reason Translated [into Farsi] by M. for exclusion along with lack of frost- Ghorbanli.] [Technical Publication, hardiness. 338.] – Research Institute of Forests and A salient feature of the book is its al- Rangelands, Tehran, “2003” [2004] most complete reliance on vegetative charac- (ISBN 964-473-195-6). XIX + 411 ters, both in the keys and illustrations. There pages, 81 black-and-white photographs, are drawings for each and every species, in- 5 maps, 4 graphs, tables; paper. variably showing a leaf, often features of the The third item of Léonard’s series of indumentum, sometimes cross sections of botanical studies of the Iranian deserts to be twigs, petioles etc., but no flowers or fruits translated into Farsi (see OPTIMA Newslett. (which are, however, described). A new ad- 37: 87. 2004, for the two previous ones) was dition is a key for deciduous genera in their originally published in 1991 as its penulti- leafless winter state, by Bernd Schulz. mate item (reviewed in OPTIMA Newslett. Practice will tell, but the first impres- 30: (40). 1996). It is devoted to the physio- sion is of a work that is valuable for the gnomic description of the observed vegetation identification of woody species in their ster- types, written in the style of a travel diary. ile state, but less so when flowers and fruits W.G. are available. In a Mediterranean context, for

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which it has not been conceived, it may still grazing, as they cannot any longer be be used with appropriate care and bearing in climbed by voracious goats, but many show mind its intrinsic limitations. the characteristic razor-sharp trimming, ex- W.G. actly a goat-height above the ground, that characterises tree crowns in heavily grazed areas. The flat-bottomed crown form is, in a 101. Rosario100B SCHICCHI & Francesco Maria way, part of their natural charm. Much of RAIMONDO – Alberi monumentali del- their beauty, however, resides in their le Madonie. – Università degli Studi di twisted, cleft trunks that testify to the vicis- Palermo, Dipartimento di Scienze Bo- situdes of their long life. This book will taniche, Palermo, 2007 (ISBN 978-88- hopefully open the hearts and minds of 903108-0-5). 143 pages, numerous col- many to the beauty and value of this impor- our photographs, paper with dust jacket. tant component of Sicily’s natural heritage. When humans age they eventually W.G. shrink and wither, lose their wits and vigour, and by no means might one call them monu- ments. How different are trees! Their growth Applied Botany rate may decrease but they keep growing until the very end, more impressive every 102. Michael101B HEINRICH, Walter E. MÜL- year, and ever more venerable. The old, LER & Claudio GALLI (ed.) – Local crooked, scarred giants are indeed monu- Mediterranean food plants and nutra- mental landmarks, as this book shows. ceuticals. [Forum of Nutrition (ISSN The authors have inventoried the large 1660-0347), 59.] – Karger, Basel, 2006 old tree individuals growing on the Mado- (ISBN 978-3-8055-8124-0). xii + 185 nie, within and around the boundaries of the pages, 24 figures, 23 tables; hard cover. Park. They did so a first time in 1999, in the frame of the EU Medwood-Islands Pro- An entirely new, fashion-prone domain gramme, when they came up with a list of 35 of science is emerging: “nutraceuticology”. trees (published in Naturalista Sicil., ser. 4, As this may be a novel term just created by 23: 229-314. 1999). A second, recent survey, me (no Google hits encountered), allow me a conducted on behalf of the Madonie Park little linguistic digression. The term nutraceu- Administration, added 25 items to the list. tical is what linguists call a portmanteau. It The present book, therefore, documents 60 results from blending the words nutrition individual trees, or in some cases groups of (from Latin) and pharmaceutical (from Greek). trees, each with telling colour photographs Why inventors of new words so often lack and full details on exact location, habitat, linguistic sensibility and produce graft chime- measurements, general shape, health state, ras has long been a source of wonder for me. threats, advised action, etc. No less than 14 If a new term was needed, “trophoceutical” different genera are included: fir, maple (3 would have been the more adequate choice. species), arbutus, chestnut, hawthorn, beech, A straightforward translation of “nu- ash, holly, apple, olive, poplar, almond, pear traceuticals” as health food would be incor- and oak (the latter with 4 to 9 different spe- rect. Rather, the term means “bioactive sub- cies, according to species concept). stances artificially added to food”. And for- Threats faced by these trees (discount- tunately, nutraceuticals are not really what ing the most deadly, axe and fire) are vari- this book is about. So let me start talking, at ous and include the ailments of age, para- long last, about the book itself. sites, excoriations and wounds. The older Scarcely known within the Mediterra- trees have usually outgrown the ravages of nean itself, the so-called “Mediterranean diet”

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– ultimately based on the model of tradi- Albacete. [Instituto de Estudios Albace- tional food intake in rural Crete – has long tenses “Don Juan Manuel”, Ser. 1, Estu- been popular in global dietology. With olive dios, 167.] – Instituto de Estudios Alba- oil, red wine and a low animal protein ratio cetenses “Don Juan Manuel”, Albacete, at its core, this diet is supposed to diminish 2006 (ISBN 84-95394-92-8). 470 pages, the risk of, in particular, cancer and coronary numerous colour photographs, some disease. Here we are told why it is useful to figures, 2 tables; laminated cover. look in more detail into the actual diet of traditional Mediterranean communities be- From theory to practice. The concepts fore one starts to generalise. That diet is just and statistical data outlined in the previous as multiform as are Mediterranean cultures item (No. 102) have been elaborated in and biota. Sticking (as the book does) to the depth in a series of regional inventories, in botanical aspects, one finds that no less than the frame of the EU-funded project “Local 2300 different plant species are consumed Food [&] Nutraceuticals”. The regions se- by Mediterranean people, and that about half lected for study, in all of which local tradi- of them (not necessarily endemic) are only tions subsist fairly intact, are situated in used locally, within one particular region of Greece (Crete and Epirus), Italy (Lucania and the Mediterranean area. These are the “local S Calabria), and Spain (Albacete Province, food plants” mentioned in the title. Sierra de Alcaraz and Serranía de Cuenca). The results obtained in the Spanish project The book consists of 8 chapters with area are reported in the present book. For its varying authorship. In its first half it draws larger part, it consists of an inventory of local attention to Mediterranean food variety and food plants, followed by 188 traditional cook- to the importance of exploring traditional ing recipes (the latter bilingual, in Spanish local plant foods (and cooking recipes) as and English). For Spain, 173 local food plants long as they are still used, or better, to pro- were identified, of which 100 are presented in mote survival of their use on a sustainable detail, with colour photographs detailed des- basis. The assessment of beneficial proper- criptions of the plants and their uses. These ties of such foods and identification of the plant portraits are grouped by the parts being bioactive compounds are aspects dealt with used, then alphabetically by vernacular desig- in the second half. Whether and when we nations; for instance, the first category (shoots will end up with engineering new health used as vegetables) begins with acederas food by adding “nutraceuticals” designed on (Rumex acetosa, here misnamed R. acetosel- the basis of such analyses, the future will la) and ends with zarzamora (Rubus ulmi- tell. Personally, I am far more attracted by folius, of which also the fruits are eaten). the idea of trying out the original stuff, if Of the plants sampled in Spain, 66 were possible in its genuine environment and used for pharmacological assays, some of prepared by what Italians know as “la cucina which are mentioned in brief (bilingual) della mamma”, than by the prospect of mak- chapters at the end. Among the properties ing our tinned or deep-frozen industrial evaluated are anti-inflammatory, vasoprotec- products more healthy. tive, antioxidant, neuroprotective and anti- W.G. diabetic. However, concrete results of these assays are not presented in any detail. W.G. 103. Diego102B RIVERA, Alonso VERDE, José FAJARDO, C. INOCENCIO, Concepción

OBÓN & Michael HEINRICH (ed.) – 104. Marc103B MOLL MARQUES – Les plantes Guía etnobotánica de los alimentos a Menorca. Noms i usos. [Col·lecció locales recolectados en la provincia de Recerca, 10.] – Institut Menorquí d’Es-

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tudis, Menorca, 2005 (ISBN 84-95718- stock, of great importance for research and 28-6). 341 pages, drawings; paper. breeding purposes, is of essence. W.G. This is an inventory of popular names and uses of plants on the Balearic Island of Minorca, resulting from its author’s own, Conservation Topics extensive studies. It covers wild and culti- vated plants alike, and indeed the exotics are a clear majority. The emphasis is linguistic. 106. Bertrand105B de MONTMOLLIN & Wendy This is reflected by the alphabetic arrange- STRAHM (ed.) – The top 50 Mediter- ment of entries by (preferred) vernacular ranean island plants. Wild plants at designations and by the mention of a great the brink of extinction, and what is number of local variants or alternatives. needed to save them. – IUCN/SSC Standard Catalan names, often significantly Mediterranean Islands Plant Specialist different from the local ones, are also given, Group, Gland & Cambridge, 2005 and even some Spanish “barbarisms” [sic!]. (ISBN 2-8317-0832-X). x + 109 pages, On the other hand, scant attention has been colour photographs, maps; paper. paid to scientific names, several of which are The IUCN/SSC Mediterranean Islands incorrect or obsolete. As, in the absence of Plant Specialist Group has pioneered in pro- voucher specimens, plant determination can- ducing the first (and hitherto only) booklet not be verified, their stated identity should be of the planned “Top 50” Plants Campaign. It taken cum grano salis, same as the reported consists of detailed, illustrated fact sheets for pharmaceutical properties. The author’s merit 50 threatened, endemic species of a dozen is to have assembled and saved from possi- Mediterranean islands or island groups, se- ble oblivion a wealth of popular plant lore. lected by criteria of high risk, special inter- W.G. est as well as geographical and taxonomic representativity. The choice was well oper- ated, the facts presented are scientifically 105. Ė104B stella A. NAZAROVA (ed.) – Pšenica i sound, detailed and up-to-date. All in all, ee dikie sorodiči v Armenii. Wheat this is a commendable book, well suited to and its wild relatives in Armenia – In- spread a message of urgency among its stitut Botaniki Nacional’noj Akademii readers. One must never forget, though, that Nauk RA, Erevan, s.d. [c. 2003]. [16] it illustrates but a fraction of Mediterranean pages, illustrations (photographs and island plants that are presently at risk. map) in colour; stapled. By number of species treated, Sicily (9, This is a well produced if unpretentious including the single fungus: Pleurotus ne- trilingual (Armenian, Russian and English) brodensis) comes on top, followed by the information leaflet, with texts written by P. Balearic Islands (8) and Cyprus (7). Crete, A. Ghandilan and photographs taken by V. with merely 4 species, is clearly under- A. Manakyan. It deals with Armenia’s most represented. Of special note are the endemic prominent natural asset. That country con- genera: Cremnophyton (Malta), Horstrissea siders itself the cradle of wheat, where three (Crete), Naufraga (Majorca), and Petagnaea of the four known ancestral Triticum species (Sicily). Generic endemism on Mediterra- (T. boeoticum, T. urartu and T. araraticum) nean islands is not limited to those four: coexist with other progenitors of bread others, such as Corsardinian Castroviejoa wheat, now placed in the genera Aegilops and and Cretan Petromarula, have not been Amblyopyrum, and with wild primitive bread selected. Femeniasia, here accepted, was wheat itself. Conservation of this aboriginal formerly misplaced in Centaurea but has

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recently been merged in Carthamus. Among progress until 1970, went through an explo- the many other interesting examples in the sive expansion thereafter, but today is in book, let me mention two plants that, having urgent need of stabilisation and reinforce- got extinct in the wild, survived in cultiva- ment if the park network is to survive intact. tion and seed banks: Diplotaxis siettiana The second part sets off with an impres- (Alboran), which has been reintroduced to its sive series of national park sceneries from all homeland with apparent success, and Lysi- continents, enticing pictures showing nature machia balearica (Majorca) for which rein- at its best. The ten chapters that follow de- troduction efforts have not so far succeeded. scribe the multiple facets of protected natu- The book is also available in French, ral spaces: first the primary aspects such as Spanish, and Greek translations. scope (by Franco Pedrotti, whom we see as W.G. the driving force behind this book), basic principles, flora (by Franco Raimondo) and fauna; then practical considerations and con- 107. Giovanni106B PIVA (ed.) – I parchi nel straints: management, economy, sustainable terzo millennio. Ragioni e necessità development, human activities, and education. delle aree protette. – Perdisa, Bologna, A much smaller, third part of this fasci- 2005 (ISBN 88-8372-235-3). IX + 233 nating book is devoted to the special case of pages, photographs, mostly in colour, marine areas under protection. tables; hard cover. W.G. The V IUCN World Parks Congress, which took place in September 2003 Dur- 108. Carlo107B BLASI, Luigi BOITANI, Sandro ban, will hopefully initiate a new era in the LA POSTA, Fausto MANES & Marco conservation of natural space. One of its MARCHETTI (ed.) – Biodiversity in spinoffs is the present book, triggered by the Italy. Contribution to the national bio- Durban Accord which appears in Italian diversity strategy. – Palombi, Roma, translation at the end. It is devoted to the 2007 (ISBN 978-88-6060-041-7). 460 past, present and future of Italy’s network of pages, colour illustrations, tables; paper. protected areas, placed in a global context. Today, we are told, 669 territories placed The Parties to the Convention on Bio- under legal protection exist in the country, logical Diversity are committed to the goals corresponding to 3350 km2 – an impressive of the Strategic Plan adopted in 2002, with a figure as such, but less so when compared 2010 target. Several other global, European with the world total of 90000 protected areas and national commitments exist with a 2010 with 17.5 Million km2 of the 2003 UN List. deadline, by which biodiversity loss is to be The book is subdivided into three parts. halted or at least significantly reduced. The first provides the historical background Catchwords include the EU’s action pro- of Italy’s Park system, beginning with the gramme Environment 2010, IUCN’s Count- two first National Parks (Abruzzo and Gran down 2010 initiative, and the CBD’s Global Paradiso) founded in 1922 on the model of Strategy for Plant Conservation. CBD Par- the Yellowstone National Park in the United ties are asked to develop their own national States. In its seven chapters, five of which Biodiversity Strategy Plans, and to assess are posthumous contributions, this part stands their actions, again in 2010. for the founding fathers’ perspective, aptly Thanks to the forceful activities of the summarised by Luigi Piccioni’s review and last few years, of which the published output outlook. After the unproductive centralistic is being reviewed in this column (see also park administration instituted by the fascistic items 64 and 90, above), Italy stands well regime in 1933, the idea of parks made slow prepared to meet these deadlines. Whereas

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the two former items concern stocktaking as been severely decimated by man during the well as the assembling and synoptic presen- 19th century (and before), so that in the first tation of data, the present book aims at syn- half of the 20th century it was all but extinct thesis, evaluation and outlook. Being written in the wild. The single surviving natural stand, in English, it addresses itself both to a na- protected since 1954, initially consisted of tional and international constituency. immature individuals only. The present book The contents are too manifold to permit presents the results of a four-year campaign their presentation in detail, beyond the men- (2001-2005) to secure its survival and tion of the main subject areas. After an in- spread. It is interesting not only by the detail troduction embedding the Italian endeavour in which it describes the assembled data and in a European and global context, with an the measures taken, but also by some origi- informative overview of the existing frame- nal traits which are apt to inspire similar work of organisms, conferences and pro- projects undertaken elsewhere. grammes, there is a causal analysis of biodi- Today the single surviving natural popu- versity patterns, from genome through spe- lation consists of 30 trees, of which 24 have cies to landscape level, and an assessment of already attained sexual maturity, and a biodiversity loss. The next chapters are bo- steadily increasing number of spontaneous tanical (flora and vegetation) and zoological seedlings. Presently the worst problem, and (fauna). Forests and agricultural areas are the most delicate to solve, is the risk of ge- treated separately. Conservation is consid- netic pollution of the native taxon by planted ered in both its in-situ and ex-situ aspects. A fir species. Such foreign trees (principally presentation of methods and programmes of Abies alba and A. cephalonica, also some A. biodiversity monitoring, both on a national nordmanniana, A. pinsapo and a few exotic and European level, concludes the book. species) were introduced by the forestry ser- The list of almost one hundred authors vice for afforestation purposes and are also responsible for the various included texts present in numerous private gardens and gives an idea of the huge effort Italian bi- public parks of the neighbourhoods. Cross- ologist have made and continue to make in ability was to be expected, and was indeed order to safeguard the natural wealth of their experimentally proved during the project. As country. The fact that they were given this – Abies is wind pollinated, the combined pol- perhaps unique – opportunity is laudable; len production of the numerous planted trees even more praiseworthy is their committed was due to outweigh that of A. nebrodensis. energy in seizing it. It was therefore planned to remove all non- W.G. indigenous trees from the area, which unsur- prisingly was not a popular measure among the local population. A simple and convinc-

109. Rosario108B SCHICCHI & Francesco ing solution was found, to use the foreign Maria RAIMONDO (ed.) – Rendiconto trees as supports for grafting rather than sul progetto LIFE Natura “Conser- felling them. vazione in situ ed ex situ di Abies ne- The feasibility of this technique had brodensis (Lojac.) Mattei”. – Luxo- been proved long ago by Palermo botanist graph, Palermo, 2006. 128 pages, 123 Domenico Lanza. During the project, his role photographs, mostly in colour, 35 fig- as a pioneer advocate of saving A. nebro- ures (facsimiles, maps, graphs), 16 ta- densis became apparent. Two of the largest bles; paper. and oldest cultivated trees of A. nebrodensis, Abies nebrodensis, the Sicilian repre- to be seen at Lanza’s villa in Gibilmanna sentative of the old Mediterranean fir stock near Palermo, are the result of grafts he surviving in widely disjunct relic areas, has made almost a century ago. Some of Lanza’s

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unpublished documentary photographs of re- flora. It furthermore enumerates 186 taxa sidual native fir trees, donated by his family, that are “nearly threatened” and another 340 testify to his early conservation endeavours. that are potentially under threat but for W.G. which the data for risk assessment are defi- cient. Of the fully treated taxa only a single one (Dianthus multinervis, formerly endemic 110. Boško109B ČUŠIN (ed.) – Natura 2000 v to Jabuka islet in the Adriatic Sea) is totally Sloveniji. Rastline. – Založba, Ljubljana, extinct (EX), whereas 10 are believed ex- 2004 (ISBN 961-6500-66-x). 172 pages, tinct in Croatia (RE) but subsist elsewhere. illustrations (photographs, maps, graph) Of those surviving, 90 are assigned to the in colour, 1 table; laminated cover. highest risk category (CR), 62 are consid- This attractive booklet summarises the ered as endangered (EN), and 71 as vulner- advice of botanists for the establishment of able (VU). proposed Sites of Community Interest (pSCI) The central and largest portion of the in Slovenia, in the framework of the Natura book is devoted to the detailed presentation 2000 Network. It presents case studies for of each threatened taxon, including synony- 26 plant species listed in Annex II of the EU my and full description, ecology and distri- Habitat Directive, and for 24 of them pro- bution (with locality data), threat assessment poses that one or more of their known Slo- and bibliography. Each is illustrated by a venian populations be protected in an SCI. (mostly excellent) colour photograph of a For the remaining two, Bromus grossus and live plant, or in the case of extinct taxa, an Euphrasia marchesettii, no Slovenian locali- historical herbarium specimen; and for each ties are known, and their past existence in the known distribution in Croatia has been the country is doubtful. mapped. This portion is entirely written in The case studies, written by a team of Croatian, but the information most relevant 13 Slovenian botanists, are detailed, of five for conservation purposes is also presented pages on average, including plant and habi- in English, in concise tabular format. tat photographs as well as grid maps of The work has over 20 authors, who known distribution. Whereas the text is basi- were assisted by many people, but through- cally in Slovene, there are English summa- out it bears the imprint of the editors’ care. ries at the end of each species account. Nikolić and Topić themselves wrote the W.G. introductory chapters and authored many in- dividual treatments. The monolithic appear- ance of the book is to their credit.

111. Toni110B NIKOLIĆ & Jasenka TOPIĆ – The general chapters also appear in Crvena knjiga vaskularne flore Hrvat- English translation. Apart from brief, infor- ske. Kategorije EX, RE, CR, EN i VU. mative texts on Croatia’s flora, phytogeo- – Ministarstvo kulture, Državni zavod graphy and vegetation, they outline the crite- za zaštitu prirode, Republika Hrvatska, ria and conventions used in the book and Zagreb, 2005. [2] + 693 pages, 309 + 24 give ample room to threat assessment and colour photographs and graphs, 239 + 5 threat analysis. It is of note that the IUCN’s maps in colour, tables; hard cover. ambitious new risk assessment criteria (ver- This sizeable and heavy new Red Data sion 3.1) have been consistently applied. Book on the Croatian flora presents, in mono- The volume as a whole is a choice ex- graphic detail, the treatment of 234 species ample of how sound and thorough, taxon- and subspecies of which the survival on the omy-based knowledge can assist efforts to territory of Croatia is at risk, corresponding preserve biological diversity. The data it in- to less than 5 % of the country’s vascular cludes are exactly the kind of information

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that a rational conservation policy requires The avowed purpose of the book is to in order to be efficient. It is well justified, enhance conservation of wetlands and their therefore, that OPTIMA’s Prize Commission habitats by providing the necessary factual selected it as the best 2005 publication in the bases, compiled from a huge number of scat- field of Mediterranean plant taxonomy, re- tered publications. Indeed, the reference list sulting in the award of the OPTIMA Medal alone fills 72 printed pages! It is to be hoped in Silver to its editors at the recent XII OP- that conservation managers and decision- TIMA Meeting in Pisa. W.G. makers will make good use of this opportu- nity. The collection of fact sheets on the individual wetlands, which form five distinct 112. Tanyo111B M. MICHEV & Maya P. STOY- text files in pdf format on the CD-ROM, is NEVA (ed.) – Inventory of Bulgarian not however, as the authors suggest, a data- wetlands and their biodiversity. Part base in the modern sense of the term, and no 1: Non-lotic wetlands. – Elsi-M, Sofia, particular searching facilities are provided to 2007 (ISBN 978-954-9441-09-3). 364 facilitate its access. pages, tables; 1 hard cover volume + W.G. CD-ROM. This book, with the accompanying CD- ROM minidisk which is a kind of electronic 113. Panagiôtês112B DÊMOPOULOS, Erwin BERG- supplement to it, is neither more nor less MEIER, Kônstantinos THEODÔROPOU- than what the title promises: an inventory. LOS, Petra FISCHER & Maria TSIA- Its subjects are the wetlands associated with FOULÊ (ed.) – Odêgos parakolouthê- stagnant (lentic) water, whereas those of sês tupôn oikotopôn & futikôn eidôn running (lotic) water are to be dealt with in a stis periohes Diktuou Natura 2000 me second volume. The amount of data that foreis diaheirisês stên Ellada. – Pane- exists on Bulgarian wetlands is amazing. A pistêmio Iôanninôn, Tmêma Diaheirisês consistent numbering is here proposed Periballontos Hôrotaxias kai Fusikôn which, for the “stagnant” wetlands alone, Porôn, Agrinio, 2004 (ISBN 960-233- runs from 1 to almost 10,000. Even taking 168-2). 169 pages, 41 black-and-white into account that for about 44 % no data and colour illustrations (photographs, except location and size are known, and that drawings, graphs, maps), tables; paper. over 2000 no longer exist, the amount of available information is still enormous. By The title of this manual, in translation, consequence, the present book is very dry is “The monitoring guide for habitat types and factual. and plant species in the Natura 2000 sites The printed text includes 23 papers by with Management Institutions in Greece”. different authors, mostly in English but two The Greek text is summarised in English on with Bulgarian versions and one (on termi- the front and back cover flaps of the booklet. nology) in Bulgarian. Aspects covered are as The Natura 2000 Network, set up under the diverse as typology, mapping, modelling, auspices of the European Union, has been a geology, conservation, and associated organ- real success story in Greece, where at pre- isms. The latter are dealt with in several zoo- sent no less than 239 areas, covering the logical and 7 botanical chapters (palynology, impressive total of over 35,000 km2, have algae and cyanobacteria, micromycetes, ma- been registered as either Sites of Community cromycetes, lichens, mosses, and vegeta- Interest (SCI), or Special Protected Areas tion), but no species level information is (SPA), or both. By 2003, 27 Management given in the text, and for botanical groups, Institutions had been entrusted with respon- none in the electronic supplement either. sibility for 78 of these sites.

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Much of the contents of the Guide are selected areas, with particular emphasis on of a technical nature, dealing with the way the rare, threatened and endemic species, in which the Network has been set up in assesses human impact and threats of vari- Greece, explaining the definition and assess- ous kinds, and proposes conservation status, ment of threats of various categories, and as appropriate, for the 19 studied territories providing guidelines for the monitoring of that are not as yet protected by law. The 22 habitats and plant species. At the end there is areas of study are thereby added to the 122 a chapter of immediate botanical interest, pre-existing Important Plant Areas (IPA) of with specific monitoring guidelines for 17 Turkey declared in 2003 (see OPTIMA plant species of particular relevance: one Newslett. 37: 90-91. 2004). moss, two ferns and 14 seed plants, 13 of Much of the book is bilingual, in par- them Greek (and no less than 6 Cretan) en- ticular the main body of text in which the demics, to name: Bupleurum capillare, B. regions and areas are described, as well as kakiskalae, Centaurea heldreichii, C. niederi, the tables and fact sheets (but not the intro- Cephalanthera cucullata, Globularia stygia, duction). The plant photographs need no trans- Hypericum aciferum, Nepeta sphaciotica, lation, they are just gorgeous, technically Origanum dictamnus, Paeonia parnassica, perfect and made with professional skill. Silene holzmannii, Veronica oetaea, and Zel- They illustrate better than any words could kova abelicea. do the value of Turkey’s botanical patri- W.G. mony and the importance of affording any possible kind of protection to it. W.G. 114. Neriman113B ÖZHATAY – Türkiye’nin BTC boru hattı boyunca önemli bitki

alanları. Important plant areas along 115. Daniel114B BALÁŽ, Karol MARHOLD & BTC pipeline in Turkey. – BTC Boru Peter URBAN (ed.) – Červený zoznam Hattı Şirketi, Ankara, 2006 (ISBN 975- rastlín živočíchov Slovenska. [Ochr. 404-777-4). 303 pages, coloured illus- Prir. (Bratislava), 20, Supl.] – Štátna trations, tables; paper. Ochrana Prírody Slovenskej Republiky, Centrum Ochrany Prírody a Krajiny, The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline en- Banská Bystrica, 2001 (ISBN 80- ters Turkey in the country’s northeastern 89035-05-1). 160 pages, tables; paper. corner, crosses Turkey more or less diago- nally and reaches the Mediterranean coast at The “Red list of plants and animals of the harbour of Ceyhan. Most of it, 1076 of Slovakia” essentially consists of a series of its total length of 1760 km, lies on Turkish 28 lists of names and associated threat cate- ground. Aware of the impact of its works on gories, each list covering a major taxon. Ap- the environment, the BTC Pipeline Company parently, all organisms except non-photo- has agreed to set up and fund an Environ- synthetic prokaryotes are covered. Of the mental Investment Programme, of which the included lists, 23 pertain to zoology and 5 to present book is one of the results. An excel- botany (fungi, cyanobacteria and algae, li- lent investment indeed! chens, bryophytes, and vascular plants). All By reviewing 22 floristically rich areas are updates based on previous editions of in the regions crossed by the pipeline, Neri- Slovak red lists or red data books. man Özhatay has produced an impressive The botanical lists enumerate the im- and impressively beautiful book. With the aid pressive total of 2931 taxa, of which 192 (73 of a team of 16 co-authors with special re- vascular plants, 26 bryophytes, 5 fungi and gional knowledge, she describes and illus- no less than 88 lichens) are presumed extinct trates the flora and vegetation of each of the on the Slovak territory, one (Aldrovanda

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vesiculosa) is extinct in the wild, and 1949 men persicum, featuring on the photographs fall into a high risk category (492 critically on pp. 95 and 293). With the exception of endangered, 553 endangered, 904 vulner- Selaginella kraussiana, all species are at least able). Such high figures are worrying in- tall herbs, mostly shrubs, trees or vines. There deed. Information of the proportion of en- are four native plants among them that are demics among the extinct and heavily threat- tolerated rather than planted, growing wild ened taxa, which would have been interest- on roofs and old walls: Aeonium urbicum, ing, is unfortunately lacking. Davallia canariensis, Polypodium macaro- W.G. nesicum, and Sonchus acaulis. Other mem- bers of Tenerife’s old endemic stock, how- ever, are cultivated ornamentals: Apollonias Gardens and Gardening barbujana, Convolvulus floridus, Dracaena draco, Kleinia neriifolia, Laurus novocana- riensis, and Phoenix canariensis. The re- 116. Wolfredo115B WILDPRET DE LA TORRE, mainder come from all around the world. Antonio GARCÍA GALLO, Israel PÉREZ This is a fluidly written, utterly readable VARGAS & Juan Sergio SOCORRO and superbly illustrated book that does hon- HERNÁNDEZ – Flora ornamental del our to the city in which and for which it was casco histórico de La Laguna, patri- written. No doubt will it fulfil its declared monio de la humanidad. – Ayunta- purpose, to show to local people the beauty miento, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, and value of what they possess. [2005] (ISBN 84-88919-92-1). 407 pages, colour photographs, plans; hard W.G. cover with dust jacket.

117. Gianni116B BEDINI – L’Orto Botanico di The ancient city core of the Canary Is- Pisa. Piante, storia, pesonaggi, ruoli. The lands’ university town, San Cristóbal de La Botanic Garden of Pisa. Plants, history, Laguna, has been declared a World Heritage people, roles. [Studi Pisani Cultura e Site by UNESCO – a deserved distinction of Società, 16.] – Pacini on behalf of Pisa which the islanders are justly proud. Its old University Press, Pisa, 2007. 155 pages, colonial architecture is unique by itself but is 81 figures (mostly colour photographs); particularly enticing by the harmonious inte- paper. gration of decorative plants in its precincts. La Laguna is not what one might call a green There is an old rivalry between the bo- city, space is too narrow for vast extents of tanic gardens in Pisa and Padova, regarding greenery; yet on every square, in many of the age. The Pisa garden, founded by Luca Ghini ancient patios one finds trees, vines and in 1543, wins by one year and is therefore flower beds. They are the subject of the pre- the world’s oldest institution of its kind – sent volume. but it was transferred to its present site in Nineteen green spaces of La Laguna 1591, leaving Padova as the oldest still ex- were inventoried to write this particular kind isting actual garden. When the Pisa Garden of Flora. All are shown and described in the hosted the last OPTIMA Meeting in 2007, book’s first part. The second, larger portion participants were pleased to have the pre- presents the 129 species that were encoun- sent, recently published guide booklet put at tered. As its title implies, it is not a complete their disposal. It is bilingual, with the Italian floristic inventory but limits itself to decora- text at the front and the English version at tive plants. No weeds were admitted, nor have the end, separated by the illustrations. seasonal plantations been taken into account Besides describing the various areas of (which may explain the absence of Cycla- the garden’s three hectares, Gianni Bedini

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gives a lively account of its transformations closed spaces of domesticated nature”. The through history, mentioning in passing ex- sumptuous catalogue documenting the exhibi- amples of unbelievable secondary radial tion is a worthy way to keep its memory alive. growth of its old palm trees. The all but un- Some of the book’s contents are of di- known historical museum, inaugurated in rect relevance to botanical science, to begin 1991 but open to visitors only on special with Walter Lack’s thoughtful general chap- request, is presented at length and illustrated ter on the essence of gardens and gardening. by several of its items, such as botanists’ Among the botanical highlights here illus- portraits of the 16th and 17th century and wax trated are some of Humboldt’s Latin Ameri- models of the famous Florentine school, and can specimens, including types, kept in the also by is its beautifully restored façade in Willdenow Herbarium (B-W; how Bignonia grotesque style. The garden’s oldest part, chica came to be renamed B. chicagoensis is known as botany school, has long lost its a complete mystery); other herbarium sheets, original symbolistic layout, but the central linked to the names of Clifford, Goethe, and water basins of its six basic squares are be- Klee; Hans Weiditz’ original ink with water- lieved to be the four century old originals. colour illustrations from which the woodcuts The last picture shows an unusual view in Brunfels’ “Herbarum vivae eicones” of of the Garden covered with snow. Is it per- 1530 were made – arguably the first scienti- haps meant to be symbolic? Recently an- fic minded, naturalistic plant representations nounced dramatic budget cuts for Italy’s ever; and a few of Conrad Gessner’s admira- universities might well result in a new Ice ble, annotated original plates meant to illus- Age for structures which, like botanic gar- trate his “Historia plantarum”, made around dens, are kind of marginal in academic life. 1560 but not published before our time. Yet the unique value of the Pisa Garden, and W.G. of others throughout Italy alike, will hope- fully help secure their survival. Bibliography and Biography W.G.

119. Gunnar118B BROBERG – Carl Linnaeus. –

118. Sabine117B SCHULZE (ed.) – Gärten: Ord- Swedish Institute, Stockholm, 2006 nung – Inspiration – Glück. – Hatje (ISBN 978-91-520-0912-3). 44 pages, Cantz, Ostfildern, 2006 [catalogue edi- illustrations in colour; paper. tion]. 392 pages, photographs and fac- Broberg, one of the best experts of the similes, mostly in colour; paper. life and writings of the great Linnaeus, pub- The exhibition on “Gardens: order, in- lished his first biographic essay in 1978 on spiration, happiness” was opened in the Stä- the occasion of the 200th jubilee of Lin- del Museum in Frankfurt on the Main in naeus’s death. What is declared the original November 2006 and moved on to Munich in edition of the present text appeared (in Eng- April 2007. It illustrated gardens and gar- lish and Swedish) in 1992. This new edition, dening through the ages, mainly through designed to commemorate the 3rd centenary paintings but also photographs, silhouettes, of Linnaeus’s birth, was apparently first and even herbarium sheets. Starting with the published in 2005 (reprinted 2006) in Span- “little paradise garden” by an unknown Rhe- ish, then in 2006 (with some reissues dated nish painter of the early 15th century and 2007) in English, Swedish, French, German, ending in the 20th century with works of Paul Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, and probably in Klee and Joseph Beuys, it conveyed a fasci- other languages. nating picture of the changing yet essentially Writings on Linnaeus, taken together, stable human perception of man-made “en- fill several library shelves, yet this one has

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something unique. It is concise, deliberately River to Gran Pará, and in-between he also incomplete, written for easy readability and explored Bolivia and Peru, from the coast with love for the anecdotic detail. More than via La Paz to Lima. He returned to Spain in a biography, it is a eulogy and apology for December 1866, terminally ill, and died just Sweden’s national hero. Having read this a month after his arrival in Madrid from a booklet you may still not claim to “know” liver disease contracted on the last stage of Linnaeus; but if you knew of Linnaeus be- his trip. His botanical harvest, consisting of forehand, it will help you to understand him over 8000 different species, remained unat- better. Many of the illustrations, showing tended for many years, until José Cuatre- little known documents and portraits, will casas took charge of it in the 1930s. By now, assist in this process. the labelling and mounting of the material W.G. has been completed, but identification is still in progress. Paloma Blanco of the Madrid Museum, 120. Paloma119B BLANCO FERNÁNDEZ DE CA- has dedicated many years to the reordering LEYA, Dolores RODRÍGUEZ VEIGA of Isern’s South American collections and ISERN & Pilar RODRÍGUEZ VEIGA travel notes. Here now is the fruit of her ISERN – El estudiante de la hierbas. work, co-authored by two of Isern’s descen- Diario del botánico Juan Isern Batlló y dants. Apart from explanatory material, it Carrera (1821-1866), miembro de la consist of two principal parts: Isern’s travel Expedición Científica del Pacífico diary, preceded by incomplete autobiographic (1862-1866). [Ruizia, 18.] – Consejo notes and complemented by letters he wrote Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, to colleagues and superiors at home; and the Madrid, 2006 (ISBN 84-00-08414-4). full inventory of his harvest, identified as far 731 pages, 44 photographs and facsimi- as possible, with label information in which les in colour or halftone; laminated cover his field notes have been integrated. and dust jacket. W.G. This is not a book relevant in any way for Mediterranean botany, but as its hero is a 121. Piero120B CUCCUINI & Chiara NEPI – Le genuine Mediterranean, I may be forgiven collezioni delle palme di Odoardo for presenting it here. In his younger days, Beccari – Sezione botanica, Museo di Juán Isern collected extensively in Spain, Storia Naturale, Firenze, 2004. 34 especially his homely Pyrenees, was com- pages, 18 figures (photographs, facsimi- panion to Bubani and Webb, correspondent les, maps), mostly in colour; paper. of Willkomm and Graells, and had Cutanda as his mentor. Several Spanish collections of An exhibition at the Museum of Natural his exist, the earliest at the University of Ge- History in Florence, early in 2004, was de- rona, the later ones in the Museums of Ma- voted to the life and work of Beccari (1843- drid, Barcelona and Florence. These are not, 1920) and in particular to his main field of however, the focus of the present account. study, the palms. The same exhibition, sub- Isern left Spain in August 1862, the bo- stantially rearranged, was later (December tanical member of a group of scientists that 2005 to April 2006) shown in the Palermo was to accompany a squadron of the Spanish Botanic Garden, for which purpose a 4-page fleet on mission to S America and the Pa- bilingual (Italian and English) loose insert cific. In that capacity he crossed the continent was added to the present brochure. twice, first in the south from Buenos Aires There were two distinct periods in Bec- to Valparaiso, then in the reverse direction cari’s active life as a botanist. The first from Guayaquil via Quito and the Amazon consists of 16 years (1865-1880) of all but

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continuous travels and explorations in Ma- brother Jan Svatopluk. This manuscript was laysia, extended to New Guinea and E Af- obviously intended for publication. It is rica, from which he brought back huge written in German and divided into two amounts of botanical, zoological and ethno- halves, each with a separate pagination (1-82 logical materials on which he subsequently and 14-171). The first part kind of sets the worked at Florence. The second, encompass- scene, consisting of letters written in March ing his last 20 years, saw him working ex- from aboard, when the ship was kept in clusively on palms – which to be sure had quarantine in Messina and later again, after a been a pet of his already before. Corre- few day spent waiting in that city, from a sponding to these phases of his life, Beccari second quarantine in the harbour of Milazzo. built two distinct herbaria, the first of his These letters are based on what information Malaysian collections, the second restricted on Sicily Presl could gather from the books to palms (see item 132, below). he had taken with him. The second part The present, well illustrated exhibition (April to July) is of more immediate interest guide includes chapters on the palm family, on for botany, as it relates Presl’s travels Beccari’s life, and on his herbarium and palm around Palermo and hence to Cefalù, Castel- fruit collection. It ends with a useful selected buono and the first heights of the Madonie bibliography of his relevant publications. Mountains, and subsequently to Trapani and W.G. the Egadian Islands. It also refers to his ac- quaintance with Gussone, by seven years his senior, and Bivona, both of whom joined 122. Francesco121B M. RAIMONDO & Gianni- him on some of his early excursions. Of pro- antonio DOMINA (ed.) – Il diario del fessor Tineo (the son) he is rather critical, as viaggio in Sicilia di Karel B. Presl, he found the flower beds of the Botanic tratto dal manoscritto di K. B. Presl, Garden badly neglected. The account ends Briefe in die Heimat, geschrieben auf abruptly and is obviously incomplete, as einer Reise durch Sizilien und Italien neither the announced main excursion to the (Lettere in patria su un viaggio in Sicilia Madonie nor a later one to Catania and Mount e Italia). [Seminario di Storia della Scien- Aetna (where he was to discover Berberis za, Quaderni, 10.] – Facoltà di Scienze aetnensis) are mentioned. Matematiche, Fisiche e Naturali, Univer- In the present volume both the original sità di Palermo, 2007. 363 pages; paper. German text (transcribed by Jitla Krešál- Prague-born botanist Karel Boriwog ková) and its Italian translation (by Katrin Presl was aged 23 when he embarked on his Wall) are included, with explanatory foot- journey to Sicily in 1817. As a result, he notes in either language. An index to scien- published dozens of new species, which made tific plant names makes it easy to find the him a pioneer of Sicilian botany. Of his collecting localities for many of Presl’s “Flora sicula” only the first volume was specimens (now kept at PR and PRC). A published (in 1826, reprinted 2003 – see bibliography of Presl’s botanical writings OPTIMA Newslett. 37: 101. 2004), and includes a reference to his doctoral thesis on locality indications for new species de- “Gramineae siculae”, said to have been pub- scribed therein are often scant. The manu- lished in 1818 – apparently an earlier (par- script of the second volume is extant in the tial?) version of “Cyperaceae and Grami- archives of the National Museum in Prague. neae siculae”of 1820. This thesis, unac- In the same archives another manuscript counted for in botanical literature, might of Presl has been found. It is dated 1821 and well be the earliest place of publication of is a detailed relation of his Sicilian journey, names such as Koeleria splendens C. Presl. in the form of transcribed letters to his senior W.G.

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123. Budislav122B TATIĆ – Od čobančeta do Pierre Broussalis looking back onto profesora univerziteta. – Menadžer, “Ninety years of clouds and sunshine”: a Beograd, 2004 (ISBN 86-315-0251-0). promising booklet to read for those familiar 331 pages, 33 black-and-white photo- with Modern Greek. Just for memory: Brous- graphs; laminated cover. salis, born 1913 near Izmir into a Greek family with some French background (which There are not many botanists’ autobio- explains his having been christened Pierre), graphies I am aware of. Linnaeus is known had to flee his native Anatolia as a little to have written four during his lifetime, so schoolboy, to live through moved years till Budislav Tatić is definitely in prominent after World War II. He is not a trained bota- company! The account of his life is placed nist but a self-made man in all of his activi- under the title “From shepherd boy to uni- ties, among which his “hobbies” are promi- versity professor”, showing that he is well nent: mountaineering, photography and the aware of his achievements and takes justi- study of nature, wildflowers in particular. fied pride in them. Being unfamiliar with the He grew into one of the most active Greek Serbian language I cannot alas write much pioneers of nature conservation, a leader of on the book’s contents; for sure, the photo- the Hellenic Society for the Protection of graphic documents reproduced at the end, Nature of which he is now honorary presi- especially those taken at meetings, show dent. Some of his articles, of uncited source some known sceneries and familiar faces. but probably from either “To Bouno” (of the W.G. Greek Alpine Club) or “Ê Fusis” (of the just mentioned Society), are reprinted at the end.

124. Blaže123B RISTOVSKI (ed.) – Spomenica W.G. posvetena na Kiril Micevski redoven člen na Makedonskata Akademija na Naukite i Umetnostite. – Makedonska History and Arts Akademija na Naukite i Umetnostite, Skopje, 2002. 47 pages, portrait; paper.

126. Marco125B BERETTA & Alessandro TOSI Kiril Micevski, the leading expert of the (ed.) – Linnaeus in Italy. The spread of flora of his home country and author of its a revolution in science. – Watson Pub- national Flora, “Flora na Republika Make- lishing Int., Sagamore Beach, 2007 donija” (see item 31, above), died on 6 Feb- (ISBN 0-88135-393-0). XXIII + 340 ruary 2002, in his 76th year. This modest pages, 15 figures, 5 tables; hard cover fascicle includes the texts of the allocutions with dust jacket. held at his funeral and during a commemora- tive session of the Macedonian Academy of Linnaeus, who was no great traveller, Sciences and Arts, of which he was a distin- never visited Italy. However, through corre- guished member. Among them is the address spondence and specimen exchange, he was of Vlado Matevski, who succeeds him in well acquainted with that country’s flora, and taking charge of the Flora. his library abounds in works by Italian natu- W.G. ralists. Conversely, Linnaeus’s ideas on the classification and naming of organisms ex- erted a profound influence on the scientific th 125. Petros124B MPROUSALÊS – 90 Hronia world of the 18 Century, not least in Italy sunefies kai liakades. – Ellênikê Etairia where the natural sciences were then as flour- Prostasias tês Fusês, Athêna, 2005 (ISBN ishing and diverse as anywhere in Europe. 960-6030-547-3). 136 pages, black-and- The book comprises twenty contribu- white illustrations; laminated cover. tions by as many different authors, origi-

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nally presented at a symposium held at the variety of angles a subject of common inter- Botanic Garden of Pisa on 9-10 June 2006. est: the botany of Germany’s national poet These papers are as manifold as the subject Goethe and its roots in Italy, Sicily in par- they illustrate. Some deal with Italian speci- ticular. In 15 contributions from disciplines mens and books held by Linnaeus, and many as diverse as philosophy, history, linguistics, others with the reception of Linnaeus’s and of course botany, here presented in print, thoughts in Italy, the opposition they ini- they revived the interaction of a German tially met and controversy they raised. To genius with a congenial environment. appreciate the complexity of this process, Goethe travelled Italy for almost two one must bear in mind that in Linnaeus’s years (1786-1788). In Palermo, he visited time Italy was nothing more than a geo- repeatedly what is now the Park of Villa graphical term (as Metternich was to put it, a Giulia, contiguous to the Botanic Garden then century later), consisting of a dozen major still in the planning stage. It is this very en- and several minute separate political units, vironment, “the most marvellous place on states or foreign possessions. No less diverse earth”, that on 17 April 1787 (the date of the were the botanical traditions, smitten by meeting was not, we are told, chosen fortui- idiosyncratic domineering naturalists. tously) inspired him to conceive his model The volume was presented during the of the primordial plant, or “Urpflanze”, on XII OPTIMA Meeting in Pisa, on 12 Sep- which the 20th century German morphologi- tember 2007, by Anders Bjurner, Swedish cal school of Troll was to be built. From a ambassador in Italy, who sponsored the botanical perspective, Sandro Pignatti’s con- event. Being written chiefly by the histor- tribution on the genesis of Goethe’s notion ically minded, it is a mine of information of plant metamorphosis and the primeval little known in botanical circles – and some- plant is central to the theme of the Meeting. times unexpected in such a place. I was, for The concept of the Urpflanze is not, how- instance, surprised and delighted to learn ever, the only subject treated. Among the that a small set of Rafinesque’s Italian plants botanical contributions, let me mention that (all thought to have been lost in shipwreck) of Franco Raimondo on contemporary Sicil- has recently turned up among J. E. Smith’s ian botany and botanists; of Pietro Mazzola, collections at the Linnean Society of Lon- with Katja Mineo, on Sicilian plants men- don. A full index of personal names is, there- tioned in Goethe’s travel account and their fore, a highly welcome feature; scientific botanical identity; of Walter Lack took some names of organisms (anyway often mis- pencil drawings made by Goethe as a pretext spelled) were less generously treated. for interpreting Ferdinand Bauer’s slightly W.G. earlier Sicilian flower sketches; and of Fabio Garbari who, starting from Goethe’s initial visit to the Botanic Garden in Padova (and 127. Dietrich126B VON ENGELHARDT & Fran- his close miss, in time, to see that in Paler- cesco Maria RAIMONDO (ed.) – mo), surveys Italy’s Botanic Gardens, from Goethe e la pianta. Natura, scienza e Pisa (founded in 1543) to the present day. arte. [Seminario di Storia della Scienza, Quaderni, 9.] – Facoltà di Scienze, Uni- In short: a slim book with impressively versità, Palermo, 2006. 165 pages, illus- diverse and inspiring contents. My compli- trations (photographs, facsimiles) in ment to the editors. colour and black-and-white; paper. W.G. An illustrious if diverse group of Euro- pean scientists came together in Palermo on 128. H.127B Walter LACK – Florilegium impe- 17 and 18 April 2004, to illuminate under a riale. Botanische Schätze für Kaiser

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Franz I. von Österreich. – Prestel, Lack has discovered, and discloses here, is München, 2006 (ISBN 978-3-7913- the existence of a full set (1433 sheets) of 3591-9). 303 pages, 16 colour photo- preliminary workshop versions of these paint- graphs, 150 facsimiles in colour (includ- ings. They must have come to Berlin soon ing frontispieces), 4 in black-and-white; after Schmutzer’s death and were bound in 6 cloth in paper sheath. large volumes, of which 5 are still extant in the State Library there, whereas the first of Emperor Francis I of Austria was the set ended up in Kraków as Polish war known as “Blumenkaiser” (emperor of flow- booty. The sheets, of which a small sample ers) because of his known passion for botany is reproduced here, are partly or fully col- – a passion that was kind of hereditary in the oured and are variously annotated, often with imperial family but particularly obvious in exact date and provenance. To the expert his case. Not only did he spend a fortune in sleuth, they also show traces of the tech- building, filling and entertaining various niques used in copying the outlines from the gardens and greenhouses, he also employed draft to the original. a botanical artist full time to document his This one more of the sumptuous books plant collections by means of painting – the that have been produced under the author- best one could do to ensure permanence to ship or editorship of Walter Lack. As all the the fragile and ephemerous beauty of flow- others (see e.g. item 140, below) it shows ers, at a time when photography was yet to luxurious outfit in terms of paper, printing be invented. Mathias Schmutzer, of whom and binding. Schmutzer’s paintings are a feast little is known to date apart from his flower to the eye – except if botanically trained. paintings, held that office for at least three Contrary to Redouté and the Bauer brothers, decades (1794-1824), until his death. Schmutzer did not benefit from the supervi- Even Schmutzer’s paintings were all but sion and guidance of trained botanists, and it unknown till now. Dormant in the archives shows. The best test, as usual, is insertion of of the Austrian National Library, they had leaves and flowers on the axis, and in this never been shown in public except for a few Schmutzer fails. Look at the oleander in plate that were exhibited during the International 6, where some of the leaf triplets of a whorl Botanical Congress held in Vienna in 1905. are shown as a single ternate leaf, and you For sure, Nissen had seen them and men- will see what I mean. tions them in his work on botanical illustra- As to the text, few words may suffice. tion; yet they remained largely ignored. Lack is a brilliant writer, erudite and pleas- There are 1314 of them, stored in 16 large ant to read, sparkling with little known facts cases: large paintings in water-colour com- and anecdotes – but on top of that, never is bined with ink and body colour, with botani- he better inspired than when, as here, he cal identifications by the younger Jacquin writes about his beloved home city Vienna. and Host. The present book shows 120 of them at its core, beautifully reproduced in W.G. somewhat reduced size (by about one third). The scientific value of these paintings is scant in the field of botany except for his- 129. Luciana128B SITRAN REA (ed.) – L’orto tory. They are the first and only documenta- rappresentato. Scienza, didattica e tion of the contents of the imperial gardens immagine a Padova tra Sette e Otto- and greenhouses in the early 19th century. cento. – Biblos, Cittadella (Padova), Moreover, due to a lucky circumstance, they 2002. 367 pages, 2 photographs, 160 bear unique testimony to the way in which facsimiles, mostly full-page and in col- artists of that time practised their craft. What our; hard cover with dust jacket.

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Among the treasures of the library of original size, of 57 of the paintings ascribed the Botanic Garden in Padua is a book in to Cattrani, plus for comparison 10 Cattrani large folio size with 345 plates of original plates from the holdings of libraries in the paintings, all but 4 anonymous. They were United States of America. For each plate, commissioned by Antonio Giuseppe Bonato, there is a full page of explanatory and de- professor of botany and prefect of the Padua scriptive botanical text by Luigino Curti and Garden (1794-1836), and were bound to- Fernanda Menegalle. gether under the title “Piante del R. Orto di The second part of the book is devoted Padova” by Visiani his successor. The first to 18th-19th century university teaching, a set of 117 plates were made for teaching subject introduced competently and with a purposes and served Bonato to illustrate his wealth of interesting details by Elsa Maria lectures. The fortunate fact that they were Cappelletti and Arturo Paganelli. This part is durable and durably preserved (as is cer- illustrated with facsimiles of 60 of the 117 tainly less likely to happen with modern didactic plates of the Padua Codex, includ- power-point presentations) provides us with ing the complete set of those illustrating the historically valuable insights into the meth- Tournefort system. ods and contents of university teaching in W.G. the early 19th century. Interestingly, no less that 24 of the tables served to demonstrate and compare the systems of classification of 130. Laura129B SETTESOLDI, Marcello TAR- Tournefort, Linnaeus, and the then brand- DELLI & Mauro RAFFAELLI – Esplo- new natural one of Jussieu. ratori italiani nell’Africa orientale fra il 1870 ed il 1930. Missioni scientifiche The remaining 228 paintings feature con raccolte botaniche, rilievi geografici plants then growing in the Padua garden. ed etnografici. – Centro Studi Erbario They are of high artistic quality, botanically Tropicale, Università degli Studi di faithful, obviously the work of a skilled and Firenze [Pubblicazione No. 104], talented artist. Thanks to the experience of Firenze, 2005. [2] + 142 pages, illustra- Lucia Tongiorgi Tommasi, who wrote the tions (photographs, facsimiles, maps) central chapter of this book, he could now be mostly in colour; hard cover. reliably identified. His name was Balthasar Cattrani (or Baldassarre Catrani), and al- The Royal Colonial Herbarium was though little of him is known he was a very founded in Rome in 1904 by Pirotta then productive and highly valued painter in his transferred to Florence in 1914, to become time. The existence of well over 2000 sheets spatially linked with the Central Italian Her- of his is documented, most of which have barium (FI). For obvious reasons it lost one now been dispersed through the antiquarian after the other its two epithets, to become the trade. He must have worked regularly at the “Erbario Tropicale”, since 2004 a “Centro Padua Garden, but also for a time in the Studi” of Florence University. It is particu- services of Empress Josephine in Malmai- larly rich in plants of Tropical East Africa, son, as at the sale of her son Eugène de Somalia and Ethiopia (including Eritrea) in Beauharnais’ library, in 1935, no less than the first place. Its most valuable historical 1600 of his works, bound in 24 volumes, stock, including many type specimens, is were auctioned. due to the exploration of these countries by Preceded by introductory, general chap- Italian naturalists between 1870 and 1930. ters, among which the architectural history To them the present volume is devoted. of the Padua Garden, by Margherita Azzi A biographical note is devoted to each of Vicentini, is of note, this sumptuous volume 16 protagonists of 11 botanical expeditions of brings faithful facsimiles, in about half the that period. There are well known botanists

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among them, such as Odoardo Beccari, The manuscript consists of the tran- Achille Terracciano, Adriano Fiori and Emi- scripts of the label texts, copied by Latorre lio Chiovenda. Mapped itineraries have been before he donated his herbarium, with his prepared for each expedition, and many in- subsequent annotations, e.g. additional lo- teresting archival documents, including pho- calities. Latorre being a pharmacist, this is tographs, are reproduced, complemented primarily but by no means exclusively a with modern colour photographs by the sec- pharmaceutical herbarium, i.e., the medici- ond author. nal properties of the plants, when known, W.G. were carefully noted. It was conceived for the purpose of demonstration, which means that each species is represented once, with Herbaria and Libraries mention of its known occurrences or local distribution, properties, abundance, etc. The manuscript is here published in full, in tran-

131. Luis130B VILLAR (ed.) – Flora medicinal script, with Villar’s frequent annotations. del Alto Gallego (Pirineo Aragonés). Introductory chapters, by various authors, Herbario de D. Vicente Latorre (1823- include in much more detail the story just 1888) farmacéutico de Larrés (Huesca), told, and other background information. conservado en Jerez (Cádiz). – Amigos The book is embellished by Julio de Serrablo, Huesca, 2006 (ISBN 978- Gavín’s drawings of local architecture and 84-611-5132-5). 259 + [12] pages, 50 countryside, Marcel Saule’s plant portraits, black-and-white figures, 30 colour pho- and Javier Ara’s photographs of the scenery tographs; laminated cover. of Latorre’s homeland and some of the plants he was familiar with. When in 1999 Luis Villar was shown W.G. the autographic inventory of Vicente La- torre’s herbarium, faithfully kept by his grandniece, Latorre’s name was all but for- 132. Piero131B CUCCUINI & Chiara NEPI – The gotten, and nothing was known of the plants Palms of Odoardo Beccari. [Quad. he had collected. He had been a pharmacist, Bot. Amb. Appl. (ISSN [1121-3752]), born in Larrés where he later practised, keen 17(1).] – Orto Botanico, Università de- connoisseur of the flora of the valleys and gli Studi di Palermo, 2006. 251 pages, mountains of his surroundings, the Pyrenees 23 figures (photographs and facsimiles), of Upper Aragon. He is known to have sent partly in colour, handwriting samples plant collections to Texidor and other corre- from 133 specimens; paper. spondents of his, in Madrid and Barcelona, The palm material of two “closed” col- but the fate of these materials is unknown. lections, kept separate in the Florence Her- Stimulated by the quality of the said in- barium (FI), is treated in this inventory built ventory, Villar was able to ferret out the on downloads from the corresponding label whereabouts of the corresponding herbarium, information database. The first is Odoardo in as unlikely a place as the college “Padre Beccari’s Malesian Herbarium (Erbario della Luis Coloma” in Jerez de la Frontera, a pro- Malesia), in which there are 405 palm acces- vincial town in southern Spain. It had been sions, mostly collected by Beccari himself. donated by Latorre to the institution then This collection, acquired in 1879. is stored directed by his brother, and where his sons in the same room as the Webb Herbarium were being educated. It was well attended to (FI-W) and is complemented by 28 sepa- there as the “collection from the north”, the rately kept carpological specimens. The sec- name of its originator having long been lost. ond consists of palms alone, and is known as

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (69) Publications

“Herbarium Palmarum”. It was bequeathed before, the information is arranged, first by to FI by Beccari’s student Martelli and ar- botanists, then by taxa studied, and finally rived at the Florence Herbarium in 1937, by countries and institutions. three years after Martelli’s death. It com- One would expect this information to be prises 6804 herbarium specimens, 214 car- automatically produced from a database, but pological samples, 1205 drawings, and 1368 apparently this is not so; otherwise, it would photographical plates, received by Beccari be hard to explain the discrepancy between and his pupil Martelli from all over the the same data in different lists. Making the world. A couple of later additions by Flor- test for Berlin, I find H. Scholz correctly ence botanists are also present. [Conversely, spelled (twice) then misspelled Scholtz some specimens, belonging rightfully to (third list), a fate shared by M. Heilmeyer Beccari’s collection but filed by mistake in whose initial becomes B., whereas the mis- the general FI herbarium, are apparently not spelling of the name as Hedmeyer is consis- covered here.] tent. F. Areces Berazaín, a Cuban guest in The information is presented in two Berlin, will be hard put to recognise her own specimen lists, one for each herbarium, and name as it is (consistently) misspelt here. in additional lists of collectors and genera Mind you: this is not a criticism of the au- they collected, countries where they collected, thors; much more likely, the fault will be type specimens, etc. A useful feature, for with the visitors’ handwriting or carelessness practical purposes, are numerous label fac- of clerical staff processing loan requests. similes at the end. The special-cover edition The examples show, however, that much of the work is available from the authors critical screening is necessary before a reli- against prior refund of postage cost. able list of this kind can be produced. W.G. At the end, as a most pleasant surprise, we find not only the early visitors of the Herbarium Centrale Italiano listed, drawn

Giorgio132B PADOVANI & Piero CUCCUINI 133. from the “golden book” of Filippo Parlatore; – The Florentine herbaria – Scholars but also their autographic entries in that and materials II. Update (1993-2005), book in facsimile, an all but complete sam- addenda et corrigenda (1945-1992), to the ple of handwritings of Europe’s leading origins of the H.C.I. (1842-1877). [Pub- botanists of the time. blicazioni della Sezione Botanica “F. W.G. Parlatore”, 152.] – Sezione Botanica “F. Parlatore”, Museo di Storia Naturale,

Università di Firenze, 2006. 103 pages, 3 134. Laura133B SETTESOLDI, Marcello TAR- graphs, 111 handwriting samples; paper. DELLI & Mauro RAFFAELLI – The types of the Tropical Herbarium of This inventory of botanists who con- Florence. Volume II: Dicotyledons sulted material of the Florence Herbaria, (Piperaceae to Euphorbiaceae). – Cen- either as visitors or by requesting loans or tro Studi Erbario Tropicale, Università specimen photographs, is an update of Cuc- degli Studi di Firenze [Pubblicazione cuini’s earlier publication on the same sub- No. 98], Firenze, 2004. 104 pages; la- ject, “Gli erbari fiorentini (FI e FT) nell’ul- minated cover. timo mezzo secolo (1945-1992). Studiosi e materiali”, published in 1995 (see OPTIMA The first instalment of the type register Newslett. 36: (55-56). 2002). It adds the data of the Tropical Herbarium in Florence (now for the years 1993 to 2005 (inclusive), and part of Florence University, as a “Centro in separate listings it corrects and comple- Studi”) was published in 2001 and com- ments those for the previous 50 years. As prised the monocots (see OPTIMA Newslett.

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37: 96-97. 2004). The present, second in- pose is stocktaking of what exists in terms of stalment encompasses the first third of the material, with reference to the lectotype des- dicots, arranged in the sequence of Dalla ignations that were already published. In the Torre & Harms’ “Genera” (by no means a form of fact sheets, it gives for each of “decimal classification system”, as the pref- Hedwig’s species standard information on ace claims, but a linear numerical arrange- names (original and current), protologue ment of families and genera, following Eng- data, and specimens extant in the Geneva ler). The logics of subdividing the dicots in collection, with shy attempts at label text this way then arranging the families alpha- transcription. All relevant sheets are illus- betically may be questioned. Also, the final trated by colour photographs, but digital “Index” is not really an index but rather a images with a much better resolution can be synopsis, as it repeats the sequence of en- seen on the Website of the Conservatoire tries in the body of the text. For the list to be botanique in Geneva (www.ville- really useful, not to say usable, one will ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/hedwig/). A definite have to await its completion, hopefully with shortcoming of these pictures, including a cumulative index at the end. A rapid pro- those on the Web, is that capsule contents gress of the inventory is therefore desirable. are not shown. Thus, the type illustration of However, four years after the present fasci- the first species presented, Andreaea alpina, cle was published (in the frame of the cen- shows no plant at all. tenary jubilation of the Erbario Tropicale), The type specimens of Hedwig’s pupil none is apparent. and scientific heir, Schwägrichen, included in W.G. the same herbarium, will be dealt with in a similar way by Michelle Price – she promises. W.G. 135. Michelle134B J. PRICE – Catalogue of the Hedwig-Schwägrichen Herbarium (G). Part 1. Type material and a review of Names and Nomenclature typifications for the Hedwig moss names. [Boissiera (ISSN 0373-2975), 61.] –

Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de 136. Francis135B MAUHIN – Les noms français Genève, Chambésy, 2005. 388 pages, 352 des plantes vasculaires de Belgique et colour photographs; laminated cover. des régions voisines. [by implication, a special issue of Le Petit Sourcier (ISSN Since the Brussels Congress in 1910 de- 0773-9419).] – Cercles des Naturalistes clared Hedwig’s posthumous “Species mus- de Belgique, Section Les Sources, corum” of 1810 the starting-point work for Vierves-sur-Viroin, [2006]. 96 pages; the nomenclature of mosses (except Sphag- stapled, with plastic cover sheet. num), the Hedwig-Schwägrichen Herbarium in Geneva acquired an importance, for Musci, Plant names in modern language have that is easily comparable to that of the Lin- their importance, which is bound to increase nean Herbarium in London for vascular with the decline of Latin. Their main short- plants. This treasury, as is normal for such old coming is the lack of a one-to-one relation collections, presents its problems, and they between them and the plant taxa to which are not few – to begin with the deciphering they refer: some, homonyms so to say, des- of the label texts, in which the present author ignate different kinds of plants, and con- does not excel. (Even for Germans, today, versely, many plant kinds are known under a old Gothic handwriting is tricky!) variety of common-language designations. This volume, though, does not solve nor These difficulties notwithstanding, and in even discuss typification problems. Its pur- spite of the lack of official codification,

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (71) Publications

names in modern language are used by many, and their etymology. Arabic, English and perhaps increasingly so, and lists such as the French names. – Librairie du Liban, Bei- present French-Latin and Latin-French “dic- rut, 2008 (ISBN 978-9953-86-410-5). tionary” for Belgian plants correspond to a 456 pages; hard cover with dust jacket. real need. Jacques Lambinon in his introduction Both volumes are of similar layout and makes the important distinction, too often widely overlapping content, to the extent to ignored, between “popular” and “learned” which the floras of the two countries, Leba- common language names. The former are non and Syria, coincide. Syria, with its much primarily the domain of linguistics and eth- larger surface area, has a somewhat richer nographic studies, the latter are often those flora: 3109 species, as compared to 2607 for used in school floras. Surprisingly, there are Lebanon. The numbered entries are 3949 countries in which there is no tradition for and 3390, respectively. The numerical dif- the second category, such as Greece, Turkey ference between species and entries corre- and perhaps Spain; whereas the “learned” sponds to the number of genera (each genus names have their stronghold in countries having its own entry), which means that no such as France, Britain, and most promi- infraspecific taxa are mentioned. nently in the German language domain. It As the title implies, the books have a would be interesting to examine, in an his- dual function. The first is etymological. For torical perspective, why this is so. It would each generic name and specific epithet the also be worthwhile to explore the origin of derivation is given. The etymological infor- this, so to say, parallel nomenclature. The mation is carefully researched, detailed, and earliest source of German “learned” plant I found it to be very useful. Besides, its ap- names of which I am aware is Carl Ludwig plicability is by no means geographically as Willdenow’s “Species plantarum” (1797- restricted as one might rashly conclude from 1810), where they are consistently given. the book titles: the area of many genera is They appear to be German translations of large, and as to epithets, the same have often the Latin name, and their purpose may well been used in other genera all around the have been, not so much to be used for com- world (as there is an alphabetical index to munication but to explain to the reader the epithets at the end, the information can be meaning of the Latin names. easily found, irrespective of genus). When However this may be, I am convinced perusing the book, I immediately found lots that the “learned” common language names of information of which I was unaware, e.g., of plants have an important function, and I that Allium derives from a Celtic word, Car- would encourage authors of Floras of coun- thamus from Aramaic, Datura from San- tries lacking them to establish their tradition. skrit, Marrubium from Hebrew, and Taraxa- W.G. cum from Persian. The books’ second purpose is to serve as a polyglot (Latin-French-English-Arabic) 137. Moustapha136B NEHME – Dictionnaire étymologique de la flore du Liban. dictionary of pant names. As is usual for well Noms scientifiques et leur étymologie. designed polyglot dictionaries, translation is Noms français, anglais et arabes. Noms possible from any of these languages into arabes translittérés. – Librairie du Li- any other, e.g., from French to English or vice ban, Beyrouth, 2000. 368 + 48 pages; versa, by using the language indexes at the hard cover with dust jacket. end, which refer to the entry number. Of course, it is the Arabic names that are most

138. Moustapha137B NEHMÉ – Etymogical dic- valuable. I know of no other comparably tionary of Syrian flora. Scientific names complete, botanically reliable source of such

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terms. In the book for Lebanon, Arabic names any are also present. There are 5 papers on are given twice, in Arabic script and translit- liliiflorous families (4 on Allium alone) and erated into Latin script; in the Syrian book 14 on dicot groups: Boraginaceae (2), Com- (perhaps because in that country the Latin positae (3), Cruciferae (1), Labiatae (1), alphabet is scarcely used) the second is omit- Leguminosae (3), Moraceae (1), Rosaceae ted. At species level, the Arabic designations (1), and Rubiaceae (2). Descriptions of 11 are as a rule not “popular”, vernacular names, new species and one subspecies are in- but are of the “learned” type, i.e., they are cluded, among them Asperula oppositifolia translations of the Latin binomial into Arabic. subsp. rechingeri, Astragalus heinzii, and They are therefore fairly precise as to their Cousinia caroli-henrici, all dedicated to Re- meaning and provide a valuable standard for chinger. Of special note are Iranshahr’s in- communication without resorting to the per- ventory of new taxa with names typified by haps unfamiliar Latin scientific names. Rechinger’s specimens from the Iranian W.G. highlands (no less than 566, 266 of them from Iran); and Akhani’s statistical analysis of the 176 issues of “Flora Iranica” pub- Festschrifts lished by 2006, with 9977 species treated on 10065 printed pages and illustrated on 6077 plates (204 of them in colour). One further 139. D.138B ERSHAD (ed.) – Memorial issue volume has been published in the meantime dedicated to the 100th birthday of (item 36, above), and three or four are still in late Univ.-Prof. Dr. Karl Heinz Re- the pipeline, but updating Akhani’s figures chinger. [Rostaniha (ISSN 1608-4306), at the end will be easy, now that the main 7, Suppl. 2.] – Iranian Research Institute inventory has been done. of Plant Protection, Tehran, 2006. [4] + II + 402 + [4] pages, black-and-white il- W.G. lustrations, maps and tables; paper.

The inventor, editor and principal au- Reprints thor of the monumental “Flora Iranica”, Karl Heinz Rechinger, died in 1998, aged 92. The botanists of Iran, a country where his mem- 140. H.139B Walter LACK – Jardin de la Mal- ory is venerated more than anywhere else maison. Ein Garten für Kaiserin Jose- (certainly more than in his home country), phine. – Prestel, München, 2004 (ISBN had the brilliant and most appropriate idea to 3-7913-3050-0). 327 pages, 20 colour honour him with a posthumous Festschrift photographs, 142 facsimiles in colour, 1 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his in black-and-white; cloth in cardboard birth. He had received more than one such box. homage during his lifetime, each of which he thoroughly enjoyed, and he would cer- A further highlight in the famed series tainly have enjoyed reading the present one. of Walter Lack’s sumptuous volumes (see 37 botanists, in their large majority Ira- also item 128, above), this time concerning nian, have contributed 24 papers to this vol- Napoleonic France – although with a sym- ume. All articles have an Iranian subject, and bolic Austrian touch, as we shall see. It is in their majority they are systematic and more than a mere reprint, and at the same floristic, but contributions from the fields of time, less. Less, because the descriptive texts micromorphology and anatomy, karyology, accompanying the 64 plates – coloured stip- molecular taxonomy, phytogeography, vege- ple engravings based on paintings by the tation science, nomenclature and applied bot- great Redouté, beautifully reproduced in one

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (73) Publications

third less than original size – are lacking; This reprint of the main publications of definitely a sore spot from the point of view Vincenzo Tineo was published on the occa- of the scientific user, but of scant relevance sion of the 2nd Centenary Jubilee of Palermo in the eyes of the art-loving buyers who are University and 210th anniversary of the Bo- likely the majority. More, because of the tanic Garden of Palermo. Vincenzo’s father corollary chapters by Lack and others, which Giuseppe had been the Garden’s founding provide a lively and historically faithful director in 1795, and he himself succeeded background of the time when Malmaison him in 1813, aged 22, having ousted his flourished, of the preceding period and the competitor Bivona (a narrative of these hap- years to follow, until the inglorious present. penings, based on Bivona’s not unbiased Read the ups and downs of the imperial perspective, can be read in Presl’s Sicilian couple, Napoleon and “his” Josephine, in travel account: see item 122). The preface to their stormy relationship, written in Lack’s the reprint was written by Tineo’s present accurate yet almost poetic style, and you will successor, Franco Raimondo. be enticed. Look at the series of Auguste The last item of the reprint was the first Garnerey’s 12 watercolours documenting to be published, in 1817. It consists of the Malmaison, light flowery paintings made description of 20 new species, in a small and after Josephine’s death but ahead of the irre- tiny pamphlet, here somewhat enlarged. It is versible dismemberment of the estate in 1824, preceded by a triplet which, confusingly, has and you will live again the charm of these exactly the same title, with a common cover unique surroundings. The volume as a whole, dated 1846, and with continuous pagination. the reproductions at its core and surrounding There is still some doubt on the correct cita- narrations, are an integral work of art. tion and actual dates of publication. The first And, you might ask, what now with part of the triplet is an avowed reprint from a Austria? The volume from which the plates medical journal of the time, named “Ingras- were reproduced, a permanent loan of the sia”, which no botanist ever has apparently Deutsche Bank to the Berlin-Dahlem Bo- seen. Raimondo’s preface states that all tanical Museum, is known as the “two em- three parts were originally published in “In- perors book”; most likely a personal gift of grassia”, in 1846 and 1847. If this is so, then Napoleon to the Austrian “flower emperor”, the usually cited date is wrong at least for Francis I, perhaps offered in Schönbrunn fasc. 3, and Tineo’s new species should all when the peace treaty with Austria was be cited from the journal, presumably with a signed and Napoleon was in the apogee of different original pagination. Anyway, the his power. reprint has an additional (third?) pagination W.G. of its own, which is the one that is used in the (new) index at the end. W.G.

141. Vincenzo140B TINEO – Plantarum rari- orum Siciliae minus cognitarum fas- ciculus 1, fasciculus 2, fasciculus 3.

Panormi 1846. In appendice Plantarum 142. Carl141B LINNAEUS – Musa cliffortiana. rariorum minus cognitarum pugillus Clifford’s banana plant. Reprint and primus. Panormi 1817. – [Introduction translation of the original edition (Lei- + facsimile reprints + index], Università den 1736). [Regnum Veg. (ISSN [0080- degli Studi di Palermo, Dipartimento di 0694]), 148]. – Gantner, Ruggell, 2007 Scienze Botaniche, Palermo, 2005. 88 (ISBN 978-3-906166-63-6). 264 pages, pages [48 + 23 with alternative original figures and facsimiles (partly in colour); pagination]; paper. cloth with dust jacket.

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To celebrate the 300th anniversary of Congresses and Meetings Linnaeus’s birth, the International Associa- tion for Plant Taxonomy, in its prestigious “Regnum Vegetabile” series, published a 143. Olja142B VASIĆ (ed.) – Proceedings of the facsimile reprint and first translation into XI OPTIMA Meeting, Beograd, 5-11 English of Linnaeus’s first and most exten- September 2004. [Bocconea (ISSN 1120- sive monographic treatment. Never again 4060), 21.] – Herbarium Mediterraneum would he devote so much time, energy and Panormitanum, Palermo, 2007. 421 space to the treatment of a single species: the pages, tables, illustrations; paper. Price: banana plant. That treatment exemplifies 100 €. how his own principles, set out in his “Me- The proceedings volume for the Bel- thodus”, can and should be applied in prac- grade Meeting of OPTIMA comprises 43 tice. The “Methodus”, published at about the papers by 111 authors in total, correspond- same time as the “Musa” but intended as a ing to 9 lectures and 34 posters among those supplement to the “Systema Naturae” of the that were presented. It was released from the previous year, consists of a single page of press just in time for being distributed at the “cooking recipe” for the authors of system- next subsequent OPTIMA Meeting, at Pisa atic works. It, too, is reprinted and translated in 2007. in the present volume. Contrary to tradition, all papers were Among the many riches Linnaeus found peer reviewed, which explains the decrease in Clifford’s greenhouses when he took in bulk in comparison with earlier volumes charge of them in September 1735 was a of the same series. The editors were restric- banana plant. It had never flowered, and tive in accepting only the best and most indeed only three cases of banana flowers suitable papers for publication, and they produced in European greenhouses had be- deserve our thanks and congratulations on come known so far. Under Linnaeus’s care that account, and also for their good job of flowers were soon produced, which started copy editing. The result is a book of which to open on 24 January of the following year. both OPTIMA and the Herbarium Mediter- Within less than a month (the dedication is raneum Panormitanum that produces Boc- dated 20 February) Linnaeus managed to conea can be proud. study it in depth, compare it with everything W.G. that was known and published on bananas, write his book, have drawings executed and two copper plates engraved, and proceed to 144. Fabio143B GARBARI (ed.) – XII OPTIMA the printer. Certainly a brilliant testimony of Meeting. Pisa, Italy, 10-16 September his youthful productivity and efficiency! 2007. Abstracts. Lectures, communica- tions, posters. XIIème Colloque d’OPTI- This volume is not a mere reprint and MA, Pise, Italie, 10-16 septembre 2007. translation. It bears ample commentary in Résumés. Conférences, communications, the form of notes, a full chronology of events démonstrations. – Department of Biol- and documentation of the historical context, ogy; Pisa University, Pisa, 2007. XVIII + and an erudite, voluminous and in turn copi- 217 pages; paper. ously annotated Introduction, by Staffan Mül- ler-Wille. The translation was not done by a The abstract texts (one per page) are good professional but not a botanist, which preceded by the full scientific Programme of shows in places. The reader may resort to the Meeting. Of the 63 lectures presented the Latin original to understand that “plain” during the Meeting’s 12 symposia, 57 have stands for botanical “simple” (simplex). their abstract included. They are followed by W.G. 76 poster abstracts (plus three latecomers

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (75) Publications

added on loose sheets), grouped thematically Botanico. Riassunti. Relazioni – comu- in 9 sections or subsections. The full ver- nicazioni – poster. [Collana Siciliana sions of lectures and posters will, subject to Foreste, 34.] – Università degli Studi di positive peer review, be published as a vol- Palermo, Dipartimento di Scienze ume of “Bocconea”. Botaniche, Palermo, 2007. 425 pages; W.G. paper. The 2007 Congress of the Italian Bo-

145. Ignazio144B CAMARDA, Santiago CAS- tanical Society in Palermo comprised 6 TROVIEJO & Pietro MAZZOLA (ed.) – symposia on subjects related to botanic gar- Proceedings of the VI Conference on dens, monumental trees, cell biology, tropi- Plant Taxonomy, Alghero, 31 May – 2 cal vegetation, proteomics, and biodiversity June 2003. [Bocconea (ISSN 1120-4060), conservation. The abstracts here presented 19.] – Herbarium Mediterraneum Pa- are mostly extensive, often covering the normitanum, Palermo, 2006. 308 pages, allotted page in full, some with bibliogra- tables, illustrations (some in colour); phy, a few even spilling over to a second paper. page. The abstracts of 37 symposium lectures Although it is nowhere mentioned in the and almost 300 posters are printed here, proceedings volume, this conference is the th grouped into 21 sections and subsections, by 6 edition to what started in 1988 in Sevilla 796 different authors – and with up to 18 as a purely Spanish event, named “Jornadas posters for a single author. It is obvious that de Taxonomía Vegetal”. It has long since Italian botany is in a healthy state! turned into an international congress of re- W.G. nown, held every three years on average, with its subsequent stations in Madrid (190),

Munich (1993), Barcelona (1996), and Lis- 147. Salvatore146B GENTILE (ed.) – Botanici bon (1999). Its 6th edition is the first to be dell’Ottocento in Liguria. Atti del Con- held on Italian territory. Of the 7th I could vegno. Genova, 25 ottobre 2002. Chia- find no announcement as yet. vari, 26 ottobre 2002. [Accademia Lig- Of the 30 papers here included, 18 are by ure di Scienze e Lettere, Collana di Italian and 12 by (mainly) Spanish authors. Studi e Ricerche, 29.] – Accademia Li- They cover substantially the same geo- gure di Scienze e Lettere, Genova, 2003 graphical area, except for two each that are (ISBN 88-86746-16-4). 255 pages, il- relevant to Tunisia and Oman. Some new lustrations in black-and-white, colour binomials are proposed: Centaurea delucae, and half-tone; paper. Dipsacus valsecchii, Limonium elfahsianum, Thanks to its clear structure, with in- and Oncostema maireanum (‘maireana’). th other groups treated include bryophytes, vited lectures each on one 19 century Lig- orchids, Genisteae, and the genera Antho- urian botanist, plus an account of the xanthum, Hieracium, Lotus, Matthiola, Oro- Genoa herbarium, this book is more that the banche, and Quercus. haphazard assemblage of loosely intercon- nected papers that is usual in symposium W.G. proceedings. It is a useful and informative compendium of Liguria’s botanical history,

146. Giuseppe145B VENTURELLA & Francesco from 1800 to 1900 and with spinoffs until Maria RAIMONDO (ed.) – 102° Con- today. gresso della Società Botanica Italiana, There are 15 botanists treated here, not Palermo, 26-29 Settembre 2007. Orto all of Ligurian origin, nor all remembered

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mainly because of their activity there, but all entations. The symposium titles were: Bal- scientifically active in the 19th century, and kan flora and vegetation; Biodiversity: con- many of them famous. In the order of their servation and management; Biosystematics, dates of birth, which range from 1744 to taxonomy and evolution; Plant geography 1875, they are: Batt, Gallesio, Viviani, Ber- and vegetation science; Structure and phys- toloni, Turio, De Notaris, Casaretto, Bagli- iology; Phytochemistry, natural products and etto, Delpino, Giacomo Doria, Bicknell, An- ethnobotany; Genetics, genetic engineering tonio Piccone (with his great-granduncle and biotechnology; and Ecology and envi- Gian Maria), Penzig, and Béguinot. For ronmental botany. Abstracts are included for each, an account of their life and work is 100 talks (27 plenary or keynote lectures) provided, often extensive and with plentiful, and 289 poster presentations, with an overall carefully researched detail (allowing for authorship of 289. some fallout as the initial uninformative chat W.G. on Batt). The paper on collections and herbaria is, however, disappointing. One would have 149. Panayotis148B DIMOPOULOS, Erwin BERG- hoped to find concrete data there, in particu- MEIER, Milan CHYTRÝ, John ROD- lar on the amount of destruction caused by WELL, Joop SCHAMINÉE & Karle the Second World War, and on which parts SÝKORA (ed.) – European oak wood- of the collections were saved (and how) – lands: past, present and future. Pro- but there is nothing on the sort, and the ceedings of the 13th EVS Workshop at losses are treated in such cursory, hidden Ioannina, Greece, 16-20 April 2004. manner as if they were shameful and best [Botanika Hronika (ISSN 0253-6064), ignored. 18(1).] – Ergastêrio Botanikês, Pane- W.G. pistêmio Patrôn, Patra, 2005. 316 pages, black-and-white illustrations, tables; la-

148. Sulejman147B REDžIć & Samir ĐUG (ed.) minated cover. – “Plant resources in the creation of The European Vegetation Survey work- new values”. Third International Bal- shop on oak woods in Ioannina, NW kan Botanical Congress, Sarajevo, 18- Greece, was attended by 133 participants 24 May 2003. Book of abstracts. – Cen- from 13 European and 4 extra-European ter for Ecology and Natural Resources, countries. Faculty of Science, University of Sara- There are 23 papers in this symposium jevo, 2003 (ISBN 9958-9281-2-4). [8] + volume, two of them of a general, intro- 429 pages; laminated cover. ductory nature: Sandro Pignatti’s thoughts The previous (second) Balkan Botanical on the European Vegetation Survey and its Congress was held in Istanbul in May 2000 ongoing struggle with uncertainties and in- (see OPTIMA Newslett. 36: (47). 2002). consistencies of vegetation classification; and Three years later, exactly as promised, Sulej- Costas Thanos’ analysis of Theophrastos’ man Redžić hosted number three. The ab- works with respect to the oaks there men- stracts volume testifies to the excellent, in- tioned, which can be equated with 9 of the ternational attendance, dominated as is natu- 11 currently known Greek oak species. The ral by participants from SE Europe. remaining papers are of a more special na- The Congress programme included 14 ture. Most of them concern the oak woods of plenary lectures and 8 broadly defined sym- Greece and adjacent countries (Albania, Bul- posia, each with 1-2 keynote lectures, sev- garia and W Anatolia). eral short talks, and associated poster pres- W.G.

2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (77) Publications

New Journals 151. DSB150B Newsletter, No. 1, December 2005. – Università degli Studi di Pal- ermo, Dipartimento di Scienze Botani-

150. Kochia,149B Band 1 (ISSN 1863-155X). – che e Orto botanico di Palermo, 2006. Gesellschaft zur Erforschung der Flora 32 pages (including cover), illustrated in Deutschlands e.V., Berlin, 2006. 171 colour; paper. pages, black-and-white illustrations, ta- bles, 1 map in colour; laminated cover. The Botany Department of Palermo Uni- versity became reality at the beginning of Two novelties in one: the new journal 1985. It had been set up to provide a com- commemorating Wilhelm Daniel Joseph mon administrative roof to botanists who Koch, known among others as the author of were previously assigned to three different “Synopsis florae germanicae et helveticae”, faculties. The Botanic Garden and the Her- is published by the equally new Society for barium, belonging to the Faculty of Science, the Exploration of the Flora of Germany. are also part of that same structure. Plans for My welcome to both! publishing a newsletter of the Department Floristics experiences an obvious ren- go back to the early 1990s but had not so far aissance, in Central Europe and elsewhere. materialised. Thanks to the initiative of the This phenomenon is best explained by the present editors, Giuseppe Venturella and keen awareness, among the younger genera- Franco Raimondo, they now became reality. tion, of environmental problems, man-made The Newsletter is bilingual (Italian and Eng- changes, and the need to inventory and docu- lish, printed in colour in DIN-A4 format, ment what we have now in order to save it and due to be produced annually (I have for the future – ideally by securing its sur- seen No. 2 of 2007, too). vival in situ, but at the very least by re- The Newsletter is intended both for in- cording it in our archives. ternal use and an international audience. After The contents of this firstling volume are a concise historical introduction it describes indicative of a clear editorial programme, the department and its subdivisions (9 Labo- not yet explicitly spelled out. The new jour- ratories), lists the personnel, both scientific nal has the double function of a forum on and technical-administrative, and the curric- which new results of German floristics can ula available for master’s and doctorate stud- be presented, and of an easy means, espe- ies. At the end, the publications, lectures and cially for those not associated with an insti- posters by Department members are listed tution with a well stocked library, to know for 2005. what’s up in an international context. Half a Since it was created, the Department has dozen of the included papers are examples almost doubled the number of its professors, of the first kind, dealing with Rubus (with from 12 (3 of them full professors) to 23 (6 three new binomials), Arabis sagittata, Knau- full), whereas there has been little variation tia drymeia, the nomenclature of a Selinum in the number of researchers (now 8) and species and a Galeopsis hybrid, and the flo- technical-administrative staff (27). An im- ristic inventory of the heights of SW Ger- pressive aspect, unusual for a university insti- many. The second function is fulfilled by to- tution, are the numerous (11 in 2005!) and be standing columns: new chromosome counts diverse cultural and social activities such as based on German material, a survey of rele- exhibitions and conferences. In future issues, vant taxonomic and nomenclatural changes one may hope to find some more data on found in the literature, and an extensive ancillary structures such as the garden, li- section with book reviews. brary and herbarium. W.G. W.G.

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Commission on Bryophytes Commission for Secretary: R. M. Ros, Murcia Karyosystematics and Molecular E-mail: [email protected] Systematics

Chair: G. Kamari, Patras Commission for Threatened plant Secretary: C. Blanché, Barcelona E-mail: [email protected] Chair: D. Zohary, Jerusalem Secretary: J. M. Iriondo, Madrid E-mail: [email protected] Lichen Commission Secretary: M. R. D. Seaward, Bradford Commission for the Diffusion of E-mail: [email protected]

Knowledge on Mediterranean Plants Programme Committee for the XIII Secretary: U. Plitmann, Jerusalem E-mail: [email protected] OPTIMA Meeting President: T. Ekim, Istanbul E-mail: [email protected] Commission for Floristic Investigation Prize Commission Chair: B. Valdés, Seville Secretary: E. Vitek, Wien Secretary: W. Greuter, Palermo & Berlin E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Commission on Fungi Publications Commission Chair: S. Onofri, Viterbo Chair: F. M. Raimondo, Palermo Secretary: G. Venturella, Palermo Secretary: G. Domina, Palermo E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Commission on Mediterranean Web Commission Herbaria Chair: G. Venturella, Palermo Chair: M. Fennane, Rabat Secretary: G. Domina, Palermo Secretary: G. Domina, Palermo E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Herbarium Mediterraneum Commission

Chair: W. Greuter, Palermo & Berlin Secretary: F. M. Raimondo, Palermo E-mail: [email protected]

Submission of contributions to OPTIMA Newsletter: Contributions, announce- ments and news items related to Mediterranean botany are welcome. Please send any text as a MS Word file to the pertinent Commission Secretary, or directly to the OPTIMA Secretariat.

Informateur OPTIMA / OPTIMA Newsletter 38

Contents

Editorial ...... 1 Publications Offer ...... 2 The Med-Checklist Compositae Volume ...... 2 Publications Available For Sale at the OPTIMA Secretariat ...... 4 Price List ...... 6 OPTIMA Membership ...... 8 Barter Specimens for OPTIMA Membership and Bocconea ...... 9 OPTIMA News ...... 10 Deaths ...... 12 Updates on Commissions ...... 12 Obituary Notices ...... 20 Institutions ...... 21 Web News ...... 21 The New OPTIMA Website ...... 21 The Digital Library of the Royal Botanic Garden in Madrid ...... 22 Projects ...... 23 Meetings ...... 25 Report on the XII OPTIMA Meeting ...... 25 XIII OPTIMA Meeting, First Circular ...... 28 Announcements of Meetings ...... 30 Notices of Publications ...... (1) General topics ...... (1) Cryptogams ...... (2) Gymnosperms ...... (8) Dicotyledons ...... (9) Monocotyledons ...... (11) Floras ...... (15) Popular Books ...... (25) Floristic Inventories and Checklists ...... (33) Excursions ...... (40) Chorology ...... (41) Karyology ...... (42) Studies of Flora and Vegetation ...... (44) Trees and Shrubs ...... (52) Applied Botany ...... (53) Conservation Topics ...... (55) Gardens and Gardening ...... (61) Bibliography and Biography ...... (62) History and Arts ...... (65) Herbaria and Libraries ...... (69) Names and Nomenclature ...... (71) Festschrifts ...... (73) Reprints ...... (73) Congresses and Meetings ...... (75) New Journals ...... (78)