In the course of a taxonomic revision of the genus Pyrostria Comm. ex Juss. (Rubiaceae, Vanguerieae) in Madagascar, we describe five new species endemic from the Island: Pyrostria ambohitantelensis Atalahy, Rakotonas. & Razafim., Pyrostria ambrensis Atalahy, Rakotonas. & Razafim., Pyrostria betsomangensis Atalahy, Rakotonas. & Razafim., Pyrostria coriacea Atalahy, Rakotonas. & Razafim. and Pyrostria longicorollata Atalahy, Rakotonas. & Razafim. Each new species is provided with line drawings, a discussion on its morphological affinities and a risk of extinction assessment based on the IUCN Red List criteria.

Chiliadenus is a small genus in the Inuleae (Asteraceae), consisting of ten species with allopatric distributions along the southern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. The different species have restricted areas of distribution, with only one being more widely distributed. The first molecular phylogenetic study of the genus with complete sampling, as well as a biogeographic analysis of the origin and biogeographic patterns leading to the current diversity of Chiliadenus is presented. Results confirm Chiliadenus as monophyletic and placed as sister to Dittrichia. The ancestor of Chiliadenus is dated to have diverged from that of Dittrichia around 5.45 Ma ago, coinciding with the Messinian salinity crisis, whereas the Chiliadenus crown group is dated to 2.29 Ma, around 3 million years later. Ancestral area reconstructions show the crown group to likely have originated in the area around Morocco and northwestern Algeria, which is also the area where the early divergences have occurred. Chiliadenus has then later diverged and dispersed over the Mediterranean to its current distribution. The evolution of the Chiliadenus crown group coincides with the onset of the Mediterranean climate, and its evolution may be connected to the subsequent climatic changes.

Apodocephala is a small genus of nine species of shrubs and trees endemic to Madagascar and currently classified in the tribe Astereae (Asteraceae). However, its present tribal position has been questioned, as it lacks some of the salient morphological features of that tribe. This study includes for the first time DNA sequences from Apodocephala (two species including the type of the generic name) to test its phylogenetic position. Phylogenetic analyses based on sequence data from nuclear ribosomal (ETS and ITS) and plastid (ndhF and trnL–trnF) DNA regions, using Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony methods, strongly reject the placement of Apodocephala in the Astereae. Our results, instead, support its position as sister to the Malagasy monospecific genus Lowryanthus within the tribe Athroismeae. Morphological comparison of these sister genera reveal similarities in cypsela morphology, and the inclusion of Apodocephala in the subtribe Lowryanthinae is proposed here. The tribe Athroismeae is now represented by ten genera (Anisochaeta, Anisopappus, Apodocephala, Artemisiopsis, Athroisma, Blepharispermum, Centipeda, Leucoblepharis, Lowryanthus and Symphyllocarpus), six of which occur in Madagascar. The Malagasy Athroismeae occur in all Malagasy terrestrial ecosystems (rainforests, deciduous dry forests, thicket spiny forests and savannas) and are likely the result of multiple independent colonization events mostly from mainland Africa.

Anisopappus (Asteraceae: Athroismeae) is a genus with its main distribution in Africa (one species also in Asia), currently considered to include around 21 species. A molecular phylogenetic study of Anisopappus is presented for the first time, based on plastid (ndhF, trnL-trnF, trnQ-rps16) and nuclear (ETS, ITS) data. Anisopappus is confirmed to be monophyletic, and species interrelationships are resolved. The results differ from earlier treatments based on morphology, and the phylogenetic analyses reveal a need for changes in species circumscriptions as compared to those of the most recent treatment. Consequently, many taxa currently treated as synonyms are here shown to represent separate species indicating that the genus includes well over 40 species. Distribution patterns now emerge where several clades are found to consist of species restricted to a particular geographical region. The Anisopappus of Madagascar, many of which were earlier placed in synonymy with species found on the African continent, are here shown to be endemic, and the results reveal a need for further studies of that group.

The ~1.6 Ga Tirohan Dolomite of the Lower Vindhyan in central India contains phosphatized stromatolitic microbialites. We report from there uniquely well-preserved fossils interpreted as probable crown-group rhodophytes (red algae). The filamentous form Rafatazmia chitrakootensis n. gen, n. sp. has uniserial rows of large cells and grows through diffusely distributed septation. Each cell has a centrally suspended, conspicuous rhomboidal disk interpreted as a pyrenoid. The septa between the cells have central structures that may represent pit connections and pit plugs. Another filamentous form, Denaricion mendax n. gen., n. sp., has coin-like cells reminiscent of those in large sulfur-oxidizing bacteria but much more recalcitrant than the liquid-vacuole-filled cells of the latter. There are also resemblances with oscillatoriacean cyanobacteria, although cell volumes in the latter are much smaller. The wider affinities of Denaricion are uncertain. Ramathallus lobatus n. gen., n. sp. is a lobate sessile alga with pseudoparenchymatous thallus, “cell fountains,” and apical growth, suggesting florideophycean affinity. If these inferences are correct, Rafatazmia and Ramathallus represent crown-group multicellular rhodophytes, antedating the oldest previously accepted red alga in the fossil record by about 400 million years.

‘Beauty bush’ and ‘twin ower’ are common names attributed to two well-recognizable species belonging to the genus Linnaea (16 spp.) – L. amabilis and L. borealis – long admired by botanists and gardeners for their perfumed paired bell-shaped owers. In the present study, we investigated their oral scent compositions through gas chro- matography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of dynamic headspace samples. Because the owers of L. borealis in wild populations are fragrant both during the day and in the evening, circadian variation of scent emission was also assessed for this species. In total, 26 chemical compounds comprise the oral scent bouquets of L. amabilis and L. borealis, identi ed as monoterpenes (14), benzenoids and phenyl- propanoids (5), aliphatics (3), sesquiterpenes (3) and irregular terpenes (1). Whereas monoterpenes, notably (-)-α- and β-pinene, dominated the scent of L. amabilis (over 82% relative abundance), benzene derivates: 1,4 dimethoxybenzene, anisalde- hyde, 2-phenylethanol, benzaldehyde and nicotinaldehyde were exclusive to anal- ysed headspace samples of L. borealis, accounting for 52% to 100% of their relative compositions, in three Swedish populations. A southwestern Finnish population was characterized by the four rst mentioned benzenoid compounds and large amounts of (-)-α- and β-pinenes plus two aliphatic substances. e scent compounds identi- ed for both species are ubiquitous and may serve as generalist attractants/stimulants for a broad assortment of anthophilous insects. e basic work on the ower scent of L. amabilis and L. borealis should inspire studies of their pollination biology, primarily the behaviour-guiding roles of the characteristic emitted volatiles. 

The mission of the IUCN SSC BryophyteSpecialist Group is to promote the explorationof bryological diversity across all geographicscales and its long-term conservation.

Pleurozia gigantea has a widespread distribution in the tropics, occurring in Africa, south and east Asia, and the Pacific Ocean region.Within its distribution range the species occurs in geographically isolated areas of hyper-oceanic or montane climate. Although the number of mature individuals is not known, it is very likely much higher than the thresholds for a threatened listing under criteria C and D. Globally, the population is likely to be declining, but probably not at a rate to qualify the species for listing as threatened.

We investigated whether the European near-endemic moss Drepanocladus lycopodioides has declined in its core distribution area in the southern Baltic Sea region and explored potential explanations for this. First, we re-visited sites with documented records from 1854 to 1957 in the Stockholm archipelago and nearby mainland in southern Sweden. Second, we compared the numbers and distributions of Swedish occurrences, their habitats, and substrates up to 1950 (289 herbarium records), and from 1951 onwards (347) using different map layers. Third, we explored whether inter-annual variation in reproductive performance was related to moisture conditions at five sites on an island in the Stockholm archipelago during nine years. We estimated moisture conditions based on precipitation data and dry days during the time when fertilization occurs in the year prior to sporophyte maturation. Drepanocladus lycopodioides has strongly decreased in intensively managed agricultural landscapes but remains frequent in natural or semi-natural habitats on limestone. Sporophyte development varied between years and depended on the weather condition during the fertilization period. Climate forecasts for the study area predict longer dry spells during late spring to late summer, which coincides with the timing of sexual branch initiation and fertilization in the species. We expect that sporophyte production will likely decrease in the future, which will affect the species’ abilities to re-colonize spots where it vanishes during years with poor growth conditions.

En stor del av världspopulationen av grov gulmossa finns i Sverige. För att bevara arten behövs kunskap. Irene Bisang och Lars Hedenäs har studerat grov gulmossa under många år och de har hittat betydligt fler honor än hanar. Öppna och kalkrika miljöer måstebevaras för artens långsiktiga fortlevnad.

Sex ratio variation is common among organisms with separate sexes. In bryophytes, sex chromosome segregation at meiosis suggests a balanced progeny sex ratio. However, most bryophyte populations exhibit female-biased phenotypic sex ratios based on the presence of reproductive structures on gametophytes. Many bryophyte populations do not form sexual organs, and genotypic sex ratio variation in such populations is mostly unknown. We tested sex expression, and phenotypic and genotypic sex ratios against environmental parameters in natural populations of the unisexual wetland moss Drepanocladus lycopodiodes at 11 sites in each of three regions in southern Sweden. We identified sex in 660 individual ramets, based on sexual structures, when present, or with a specifically designed molecular marker, when absent. All regions exhibited a female bias in phenotypic and genotypic sex  atios. Sex ratio biases and sex expression differed between regions. Sex ratios were less male-biased in larger patches. Wetter patches exhibited a stronger female bias in genotypic sex ratio and lower sex expression. This is the first evidence of environmental effects on genotypic sex ratio in mosses. A higher frequency of females in wet patches could be due to higher female resource demands for sporophyte production or higher male sensitivity to wetness. A higher incidence of females than males in moister sites aligns with female flowering plants, but differs from reproductive bryophytes in drier environments. Taken together with previous results, our data indicate that sex ratio variation and its drivers differ among species, their life histories and environments.

A new find of the Critically Endangered arable specialist moss Ephemerum recurvifolium in Switzerland, new to Ct. Bern

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B2ab(iii) ver 3.1

Mission statement: The mission of the IUCN SSC Bryophyte Specialist Group is to promote the exploration of bryological diversity across all geographic scales and its long-term  onservation.

Mission statement: The mission of the IUCN SSC Bryophyte Specialist Group is to promote the exploration of bryological diversity across all geographic scales and its long-term  onservation.

The mission of the IUCN SSC BryophyteSpecialist Group (BSG) is to promote theexploration of bryological diversity acrossall geographic scales and its long-termconservation.

The mission of the IUCN SSC BryophyteSpecialist Group (BSG) is to promote theexploration of bryological diversity acrossall geographic scales and its long-termconservation

For this quadrennium, we established severaltargets that will increase the numberof bryophyte species (re-)assessed at theglobal scale, following the latest IUCN RedList guidelines, and highlight the threatenedbryophyte species in publicationsaddressing different readerships. We alsocollaborate closely with expert bryologistsaround the globe to Red List bryophytesat regional scales and to provide relatedinformation to national authorities.

The mission of the IUCN SSC BryophyteSpecialist Group (BSG) is to promote the exploration of bryological diversity acrossall geographic scales and its long-term conservation.

The uppermost Eocene Florissant Formation, Rocky Mountains, Colorado, has yielded numerous insect, vertebrate, and plant fossils. Three previous comprehensive palynological studies investigated sections of lacustrine deposits of the Florissant Formation and documented the response of plant communities to volcanic eruptive phases but overall found little change in plant composition throughout the investigated sections. These studies reported up to 150 pollen and spore phenotypes. In the present paper we used a taxonomic approach to the investigation of dispersed pollen and spores of the Florissant Formation. Sediment samples from the shale units containing macrofossils were investigated using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The general picture of the palynoflora is in agreement with previous studies. However, the combined LM and SEM investigation provides important complementary information to previous LM studies. While a fairly large amount of previous pollen determinations could be confirmed, the purported taxonomic affinities of several pollen phenotypes need to be revised. For example, pollen referred to as Podocarpus or Podocarpidites sp. belongs to the Pinaceae Cathaya, Malus/Pyrus actually belongs to Dryadoideae, pollen of the form genus Boehlensipollis referred to as Proteaceae/Sapindaceae/Elaeagnaceae or Cardiospermum belongs to Sapindaceae but not to Cardiospermum, and pollen of Persicarioipollis sp. B with previously assumed affinities to Polygonaceae actually belongs to Thymelaeaceae. Pandaniidites and one type of Malvacipollis cannot be linked with Pandanaceae and Malvaceae. A few taxa are new records for Florissant (Ebenaceae: Diospyros; Mernispermaceae; Trochodendraceae: Tetracentron). In general, SEM investigations complement the LM palynological studies and improve the identification of dispersed pollen and spores and enable integration of data from dispersed fossil pollen into a wide range of comparative morphological, taxonomic, evolutionary, biogeographic, and phylogenetic studies.

As the third part of an ongoing investigation of middle Miocene palynofloras in the Yatağan Basin (YB), southwestern Anatolia, thepalynofloras of the Salihpaşalar lignite mine in the main YB were studied. Seven types of algal spores, aplanospores/zygospores orcysts, six types of lycophyte and fern spores, 12 types of gymnosperm pollen and 90 types of angiosperm pollen were identified. Of atotal of ca. 140 plant taxa described from the YB, over 10% are confined to the Salihpaşalar assemblage. Differences between coevalpalynofloras of the Sekköy Member might reflect changing or prograding depositional environments. A number of rare accessorialtaxa reflect these local differences: Pilularia, Valeriana, Drosera and Persicaria aff. amphibia only occur at Salihpaşalar and aretypical of shallow water or temporary ponds associated with a lake shore. Apart from this, all the palynofloras, originating from thelignite seams and overlying limnic limestones (uppermost Turgut and Sekköy Member), of the YB are strongly indicative of extensivewoody vegetation with a dominance of diverse Fagaceae and Pinaceae. In addition, a list comparing the well-documented YBpalynomorphs to morphologically similar palynomorphs of published late early to middle Miocene plant assemblages of westernAnatolian was compiled. Such a comparison reveals that in many instances different taxon names have been used to denote the sametaxa. Hence, resolving these synonymies is a prerequisite of any meaningful comparison of palynofloras in the region.

The palynoflora of the lignite strip mines of the Yatağan basin, located in the Muğla province of western Turkey, is the focus of this study. Samples were taken from the Eskihisar, Salihpasalar and Tinaz mines. In the Yatağan basin two Miocene formations, formed from river and lake deposits, Eskihisar Formation (middle Miocene) and Yatağan Formation (late Miocene) have been designated. Both show a general lithology consisting of conglomerate, sandstone, claystone, limestone and tuffite, the mined/excavated lignite bearing strata are restricted to the Eskihisar Formation.

Until now, pollen from the Yatağan basin has mostly been described according to conventional morphological nomenclature, using light microscopy (LM) only. In this study, the same individual pollen grains are investigated by using both, LM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The  high resolution pictographs allow a higher taxonomic resolution.

The rich palynoflora (Table 1) is comprised of diverse spores (at least nine morphotypes), gymnosperm pollen from Cupressaceae, Gnetales, Pinaceae, and angiosperm pollen from Poaceae, Typhaceae, Altingiaceae,  Amaranthaceae (Chenopodieae), Anacardiaceae, Apiaceae, Betulaceae, Buxaceae, Caprifoliaceae (Dipsacoideae, Lonicera) Caryophyllaceae, Compositae (Asteroideae, Cichoriodeae), Cornaceae, Eucommiaceae, Fabaceae, Fagaceae (Fagus, Quercus, Trigonobalanopsis) Geraniaceae, Juglandaceae, Malvaceae, Myricaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Oleaceae, Palmae, Plumbaginaceae (Armeria, Plumbago), Polygonaceae (Rumex), Salicaceae, Sapindaceae (Acer), Smilacaceae, and Ulmaceae (Cedrelospermum, Ulmus, Zelkova).

The former family Taxodiaceae is currently treated as nine genera in five subfamilies of the family Cupressaceae. Pollen ofthe ‘taxodiaceous’ Cupressaceae typically has a papilla in the leptoma area and is common in Cenozoic strata because someof its genera were key elements in lignite forming swamp forests. Dispersed fossil pollen of this group are often assigned toparticular genera and, based on the modern ecologies of these taxa, to particular palaeoenvironments. In this study, weinvestigated pollen of all nine genera of the former Taxodiaceae using light and scanning electron microscopy to evaluatewhether pollen morphology can be used to discriminate modern genera of this paraphyletic group. We found few genus- orsubfamily-diagnostic characters among members of taxodiaceous Cupressaceae. Features such as orbiculae and pollen andleptoma size cannot be used to discriminate subfamilies. However, three basal subfamilies share short papillae, whereas intwo more derived clades (Sequoioideae and Taxodioideae) papillae are markedly longer. In the generally non-papillate coreCupressaceae, the leptoma (aperture) area may or may not possess a distinct circular thinning as also found in the basalgrade of taxodiaceous Cupressaceae. Our results show that it is difficult if not impossible to distinguish genera of theecologically distinct Taxodioideae and Sequoioideae based on pollen morphology. In view of a much wider ecologicalamplitude of many taxodiaceous Cupressaceae during large parts of the Cenozoic, we conclude that it is not recommendableto infer particular palaeoenvironments on the basis of dispersed taxodiaceous pollen grains alone.

The middle Miocene climate transition (MMCT) was a phase of global cooling possibly linked to decreasing levels of atmospheric CO2. The MMCT coincided with the European  Mammal Faunal Zone MN6. From this time, important biogeographic links between Anatolia  and eastern Africa include the hominid Kenyapithecus. Vertebrate fossils suggested mixed  open and forested landscapes under (sub)tropical seasonal climates for Anatolia. Here, we  infer the palaeoclimate during the MMCT and the succeeding cooling phase for a middle Miocene (14.8–13.2 Ma) of an intramontane basin in southwestern Anatolia using three2palaeobotanical proxies: (i) Köppen signatures based on the nearest-living-relative principle. (ii) Leaf physiognomy analysed with the Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program (CLAMP). (iii) Genus-level biogeographic affinities of fossil floras with modern regions. The three proxies reject tropical climates for the MMCT of southwestern Anatolia and instead infer warm temperate C climates. Köppen signatures reject summer-dry Cs climates but cannot discriminate between fully humid Cf and winter-dry Cw; CLAMP reconstructs Cf climate based on the low X3.wet/X3.dry ratio. Additionally, we assess whether the palaeobotanical record does resolve transitions from the warm Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO, 16.8–14.7 Ma) into the MMCT (14.7–13.9 Ma), and a more pronounced cooling at 13.9–13.8 Ma, as reconstructed from benthic stable isotope data. For southwestern Anatolia, we find that arboreal taxa predominate in MCO floras (MN5), whereas in MMCT floras (MN6) abundances of arboreal and non-arboreal elements strongly fluctuate indicating higher structural complexity of the vegetation. Our data show a distinct pollen zone between MN6 and MN7+8 dominated by herbaceous taxa. The boundary MN6 and MN7+8, roughly corresponding to a first abrupt cooling at 13.9–13.8 Ma, possibly might be associated with this herb-rich pollen zone.

The subject of this study is the palynology (biostratigraphic and taxonomic) and the plant remains of the lignite strip mines of Eskihisar, Salihpasalar, and Tinaz (Muğla province, western Turkey). In the Yatağan basin two Miocene to Pliocene formations are present, the Eskihisar Formation (early to middle Miocene) and the Yatağan Formation (late Miocene to early Pliocene). Both formations represent river and lake deposits consisting mainly of conglomerate, sandstone, claystone, limestone, tuffite, and intercalated lignite; the thickest, actively mined lignite seams occur in the Sekköy member of the Eskihisar Formation.

Previous palynological studies of the palynoflora of the Yatağan basin mainly focussed on its biostratigraphic and palaeoclimatic significance, using conventional morphological nomenclature and light microscopy (LM).

In this study the „single grain method“ is applied. Using this method, the same individual pollen grains are investigated by using both LM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The resulting high-resolution pictographs enable a much higher taxonomic resolution.

The studied palynoflora is very rich and taxonomically diverse. Cryptogams are represented by more than ten spore morphotypes of at least three families (Osmundaceae, Pteridaceae, Polypodiaceae). Gymnosperm pollen is dominated by Cupressaceae, Gnetales (Ephedra), and Pinaceae (Cathaya, Keteleeria, Pinus). Angiosperm pollen can be assigned to 57 different genera belonging to Poaceae, Typhaceae, Altingiaceae, Amaranthaceae (Chenopodieae), Anacardiaceae, Apiaceae (three types), Asteraceae (Asteroideae, Cichoriodeae), Betulaceae (Alnus, Betula, Carpinus, Ostrya) Buxaceae, Campanulaceae, Caprifoliaceae (Lonicera), Caryophyllaceae, Dipsacaceae, Eucommiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Fagaceae (Fagus, Quercus, Trigonobalanopsis) Geraniaceae, Juglandaceae, Linnaceae (Linnum), Malvaceae, Myricaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Oleaceae (four different types), Plumbaginaceae (Armeria,), Polygonaceae (Rumex), Rosaceae, Sapindaceae (Acer), Ulmaceae (Cedrelospermum, Ulmus, Zelkova), and Zingiberales (Spirematospermum).

In addition, more than two thousand plant macrofossils were collected in the course of repeated field trips, including remains of Pinaceae, Berberidiaceae (Mahonia), Betulaceae (Alnus, Carpinus), Buxaceae (Buxus), Fagaceae (Fagus, Quercus), Lauraceae, Malvaceae (Tilia), Myricaceae (Myrica), Rosaceae, Salicaceae (Populus, Salix), Sapindaceae (Acer), Smilacaceae (Smilax), Typhaceae (Typha), Ulmaceae (Zelkova).

A combined analysis integrating these rich and diverse plant macro- and microfossil records will lead to a better understanding and refined reconstruction of the vegetation in the Yatağan basin during the middle to late Miocene.

The late Miocene is marked by pronounced environmentalchanges and the appearance of strong temperature andprecipitation seasonality. Although environmental heterogeneityis to be expected during this time, it is challenging to reconstructpalaeoenvironments using plant fossils. We investigated leavesand dispersed spores/pollen from 6.4 to 6 Ma strata inthe intermontane Florina–Ptolemais–Servia Basin (FPS) ofnorthwestern Greece. To assess how well plant fossils reflectthe actual vegetation of the FPS, we assigned fossil taxa tobiomes providing a measure for environmental heterogeneity.Additionally, the palynological assemblage was compared withpollen spectra from modern lake sediments to assess biases inspore/pollen representation in the pollen record. We found aclose match of the Vegora assemblage with modern Fagus–Abiesforests of Turkey. Using taxonomic affinities of leaf fossils, wefurther established close similarities of the Vegora assemblage with modern laurophyllous oak forests of Afghanistan. Finally, using information from sedimentaryenvironment and taphonomy, we distinguished local and distantly growing vegetation types.We thensubjected the plant assemblage of Vegora to different methods of climate reconstruction and discussedtheir potentials and limitations. Leaf and spore/pollen records allow accurate reconstructions ofpalaeoenvironments in the FPS, whereas extra-regional vegetation from coastal lowlands isprobably not captured.

Leaf venation is a pivotal trait in the success of vascular plants. Whereas gymnosperms have single or sparsely branched parallel veins, angiosperms developed a hierarchical structure of veins that form a complex reticulum. Its physiological consequences are considered to have enabled angiosperms to dominate terrestrial ecosystems in the Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic.

Although a hierarchical-reticulate venation also occurs in some groups of extinct seed plants, it is unclear whether these are stem relatives of angiosperms or have evolved these traits in parallel. Here, we re-examine the morphology of the enigmatic foliage taxon Furcula, a potential early Mesozoic angiosperm relative, and argue that its hierarchical vein network represents convergent evolution (in the Late Triassic) with flowering plants (which developed in the Early Cretaceous) based on details of vein architecture and the absence of angiosperm-like stomata and guard cells.

We suggest that its nearest relatives are Peltaspermales similar to Scytophyllum and Vittaephyllum, the latter being a genus that originated during the Late Triassic (Carnian) and shares a hierarchical vein system with Furcula.

We further suggest that the evolution of hierarchical venation systems in the early Permian, the Late Triassic, and the Early Cretaceous represent ‘natural experiments’ that might help resolve the selective pressures enabling this trait to evolve.

Amber is a complex, organic polymer that offers unparalleled utility as a preservation medium, providing insights into past organisms and environments. However, under specific circumstances, this information can be compromised through alteration of the amber structure. Understanding the degradation of amber in the geosphere could improve prospecting techniques and maximise the quality and validity of chemical information from altered samples. This study analysed 114 amber samples retrieved from two new Eocene Australian deposits at Strahan, Tasmania and Anglesea, Victoria using a combination of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared and solid-state 13C cross-polarised magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results identified both Class Ib polylabdanoid and Class II cadinene-based amber. The presence of Class II amber in Australia suggests one of two possibilities: (1) a local Dipterocarpaceae source, the primary producer of Class II resins, despite the absence of this family from the Australian Eocene fossil record; or (2) a local, unidentified botanical source of cadinene-based amber. A third alternative, that Class II amber was transported to Australia from Southeast Asia via ocean currents, is rejected. Taphonomic analysis revealed four mechanisms of alteration prevalent in amber across the two study regions, with evidence of oxidation and metal carboxylate formation. Both the nature and extent of these alterations were found to vary significantly between classes I and II, suggesting that amber class may play a defining role in determining the chemical pathways by which amber degrades. Of note was the high proportion of amber that exhibited no significant chemical changes despite extensive visible alteration features, suggesting the integrity of palaeobiological and palaeoenvironmental information in these samples may be preserved.

Species distribution models can help predicting range shifts under climate change. The aimof this study is to investigate the late Quaternary distribution of Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis)and to project future distribution ranges under different climate change scenarios usinga combined palaeobotanical, phylogeographic, and modelling approach. Five species distributionmodelling algorithms under the R-package ‘biomod2‘were applied to occurrence dataof Fagus orientalis to predict distributions under present, past (Last Glacial Maximum, 21ka, Mid-Holocene, 6 ka), and future climatic conditions with different scenarios obtainedfrom MIROC-ESM and CCSM4 global climate models. Distribution models were comparedto palaeobotanical and phylogeographic evidence. Pollen data indicate northern Turkey andthe western Caucasus as refugia for Oriental beech during the Last Glacial Maximum.Although pollen records are missing, molecular data point to Last Glacial Maximum refugiain northern Iran. For the mid-Holocene, pollen data support the presence of beech in thestudy region. Species distribution models predicted present and Last Glacial Maximum distributionof Fagus orientalis moderately well yet underestimated mid-Holocene ranges.Future projections under various climate scenarios indicate northern Iran and the Caucasusregion as major refugia for Oriental beech. Combining palaeobotanical, phylogeographicand modelling approaches is useful when making projections about distributions of plants.Palaeobotanical and molecular evidence reject some of the model projections. Nevertheless,the projected range reduction in the Caucasus region and northern Iran highlights theirimportance as long-term refugia, possibly related to higher humidity, stronger environmentaland climatic heterogeneity and strong vertical zonation of the forest vegetation.

The hornwort Anthoceros agrestis is emerging as a model system for the study of symbiotic interactions and carbon fixation processes. It is an annual species with a remarkably small and compact genome. Single accessions of the plant have been shown to be related to the cosmopolitan perennial hornwort Anthoceros punctatus. We provide the first detailed insight into the evolutionary history of the two species. Due to the rather conserved nature of organellar loci, we sequenced multiple accessions in the Anthoceros agrestis–A. punctatus complex using three nuclear regions: the ribosomal spacer ITS2, and exon and intron regions from the single-copy coding genes rbcS and phytochrome. We used phylogenetic and dating analyses to uncover the relationships between these two taxa. Our analyses resolve a lineage of genetically near-uniform European A. agrestis accessions and two non-European A. agrestis lineages. In addition, the cosmopolitan species Anthoceros punctatus forms two lineages, one of mostly European accessions, and another from India. All studied European A. agrestis accessions have a single origin, radiated relatively recently (less than 1 million years ago), and are currently strictly associated with agroecosystem habitats.

Background – This contribution is part of an ongoing study on the taxonomy and the phylogenetic relationships of the Malagasy representatives of the tribe Pavetteae (Rubiaceae).

Material and methods – Taxonomic methods follow normal practice of herbarium taxonomy. A molecular study using the plastid markers rps16, trnT-F, petD, and accD-psa1, the nuclear ribosomal marker ITS and the nuclear MADS-box gene marker PI was executed.

Key results – Five new species are described from littoral, lowland, or mid-elevation humid forests in eastern Madagascar. They are characterized by compact inflorescences with small, sessile flowers, a densely pubescent style, large placentas with 2–3 immersed ovules, seeds with a small, superficial hilum not surrounded by a thickened annulus, and pollen grains with supratectal elements. The phylogenetic tree, which included three of the five new species, showed an unresolved backbone but high support for distal nodes grouping species. The new species form a distinct monophyletic clade among the other Malagasy Pavetteae genera and are recognised at genus level under the name Tarennella. Provisional IUCN Red List assessments show that Tarennella homolleana is Vulnerable, T. cordatifolia and T. sanguinea are Endangered, T. puberula is Critically Endangered, and T. coronata is Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct).

Previous paleobotanical work concluded that Paleogene elements of the sclerophyllous subhumid vegetation of western Eurasia and western North America were endemic to these disjunct regions, suggesting that the southern areas of the Holarctic flora were isolated at that time. Consequently, molecular studies invoked either parallel adaptation to dry climates from related ancestors, or long-distance dispersal in explaining disjunctions between the two regions, dismissing the contemporaneous migration of dry-adapted lineages via land bridges as unlikely.

We report Vauquelinia (Rosaceae), currently endemic to western North America, in Cenozoic strata of western Eurasia. Revision of North American fossils previously assigned to Vauquelinia confirmed a single fossil-species of Vauquelinia and one of its close relative Kageneckia.

We established taxonomic relationships of fossil-taxa using diagnostic character combinations shared with modern species and constructed a time-calibrated phylogeny.

The fossil record suggests that Vauquelinia, currently endemic to arid and subdesert environments, originated under seasonally arid climates in the Eocene of western North America and subsequently crossed the Paleogene North Atlantic land bridge (NALB) to Europe. This pattern is replicated by other sclerophyllous, dry-adapted and warmth-loving plants, suggesting that several of these taxa potentially crossed the North Atlantic via the NALB during Eocene times.

Background and Aims: Cork oaks (Quercus section Cerris) comprise 15 extant species in Eurasia. Despite being a small clade, they display a range of leaf morphologies comparable to the largest sections (>100 spp.) in Quercus. Their fossil record extends back to the Eocene. Here, we explore how cork oaks achieved their modern ranges and how legacy effects might explain niche evolution in modern species of section Cerris and its sister section Ilex, the holly oaks.

Methods: We inferred a dated phylogeny for cork and holly oaks using a reduced-representation next-generation sequencing method, restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq), and used D-statistics to investigate gene flow hypotheses. We estimated divergence times using a fossilized birth–death model calibrated with 47 fossils. We used Köppen profiles, selected bioclimatic parameters and forest biomes occupied by modern species toinfer ancestral climatic and biotic niches.

Key Results: East Asian and Western Eurasian cork oaks diverged initially in the Eocene. Subsequently, four Western Eurasian lineages (subsections) differentiated during the Oligocene and Miocene. Evolution of leaf size, form and texture was correlated, in part, with multiple transitions from ancestral humid temperate climates to mediterranean, arid and continental climates. Distantly related but ecologically similar species converged on similar leaf traits in the process.

Conclusions: Originating in temperate (frost-free) biomes, Eocene to Oligocene ranges of the primarily deciduous cork oaks were restricted to higher latitudes (Siberia to north of Paratethys). Members of the evergreen holly oaks (section Ilex) also originated in temperate biomes but migrated southwards and south-westwards into then-(sub)tropical southern China and south-eastern Tibet during the Eocene, then westwards along existing pre-Himalayan mountain ranges. Divergent biogeographical histories and deep-time phylogenetic legacies (in cold and drought tolerance, nutrient storage and fire resistance) thus account for the modern species mosaic of Western Eurasian oak communities, which are composed of oaks belonging to four sections.

The early Burdigalian (MN3) plant assemblage of the Güvem area (northwestern Central Anatolia) is preserved in lacustrine sediments of the Dereköy pyroclastics. Its age is well constrained by radiometric dates of basaltic rocks bracketing the pyroclastics, making the Güvem flora one of the extremely few precisely dated early Miocene floras in the Mediterranean region. The rich assemblage of impression fossils comprises ferns and fern allies (2 species), gymnosperms (12 spp.) and angiosperms (129 spp.). Ilex miodipyrena sp. nov. is described as a new fossil-species. The most diverse families in the assemblage are the Fagaceae with 12 taxa and the Fabaceae with 12 leaf morphotypes and one fruit taxon. Aquatic plants are represented by seven taxa, riparian (including palms) and swamp forest elements by >35 taxa, and lianas by three taxa (Smilax spp., Chaneya). The relatively large number of aquatic and riparian/swamp elements is congruent with the rich fish, amphibian and reptile record of the Güvem area. Another characteristic feature of the plant assemblage is the presence of various lobed leaves which show similarities with modern species of different families (e.g. Alangium, various Malvales). Trees and shrubs growing on well-drained soils and forming closed-canopy and open-canopy forests are the most diversified group (>70 taxa). In terms of number of specimens in the collection and based on field observations, by far the most abundant leaf fossils belong to evergreen oaks of Quercus drymeja and Q. mediterranea and to various types of foliage that cannot be assigned to a particular extant or extinct genus of Fagaceae. These sclerophyllous trees must have covered vast areas surrounding the wetlands that developed during the early Miocene in the Güvem Basin. Based on a recent reassessment of the ecology and taxonomic affinity of these trees, they are considered to reflect humid temperate climatic conditions but with a brief drier season during the winter months. These forests are more similar to the laurel forests of the southeastern United States and those stretching in a narrow belt south of the Himalayas to eastern central China. The large number of Fabaceae may indicate the presence of warm subtropical environments but this is difficult to assess, as they are known for having wide ecological ranges today and in the past. All in all, a larger part of the plant taxa point to forested vegetation. This is in agreement with previous palynological studies which detected only small amounts of herbaceous and grass pollen. Open patches of vegetation may have been restricted to river banks and to rocky areas in a volcanic landscape. The biogeographic patterns detected for the early Miocene of the Güvem assemblage are manifold; most taxa are widespread Northern Hemispheric elements. A substantial part of the species migrated from Asia into Europe during the (late) Paleogene and reached Anatolia during the early Miocene (Fagus, Paliurus, Chaneya, Ailanthus, Quercus kubinyii, Davallia haidingeri, Acer angustilobum, A. palaeosaccharinum). Fewer taxa may have been in Anatolia before they migrated to Europe (e.g. Nerium, Smilax miohavanensis, Quercus sosnowskyi). Finally, very few taxa are Anatolian endemics (e.g. Ilex miodipyrena).