David J. Mabberley

A molecular phylogeny of the orange subfamily(Rutaceae: Aurantioideae) using nine cpDNA sequences

The breeding of new, high-quality citrus cultivars depends on dependable information about the relationships of taxa within the tribe Citreae; therefore, it is important to have a well-supported phylogeny of the relationships between species not only to advance breeding strategies, but also to advance conservation strategies for the wild taxa. The recent history of the systematics of Citrus (Rutaceae: Aurantioideae) and its allies, in the context of Rutaceae taxonomy as a whole, is reviewed. The most recent classification is tested using nine cpDNA sequence regions in representatives of all genera of the subfam. Aurantioideae (save Limnocitrus) and numerous species and hybrids referred to Citrus s.l. Aurantioideae are confirmed as monophyletic. Within Aurantioideae, tribe Clauseneae are not monophyletic unless Murraya s.s. and Merrillia are removed to Aurantieae. Within tribe Aurantieae, the three traditionally recognized subtribes are not monophyletic. Triphasiinae is not monophyletic unless Oxanthera is returned to Citrus (Citrinae). Balsamocitrinae is polyphyletic. Feroniella, traditionally considered allied closely to Limonia (=Feronia), is shown to be nested in Citrus. The proposed congenericity of Severinia and Atalantia is confirmed. The most recent circumscription of Citrus is strongly supported by this analysis, with hybrids appearing with their putative maternal parents. The genus was resolved into two clades, one comprising wild species from New Guinea, Australia, and New Caledonia (formerly Clymenia, Eremocitrus, Microcitrus, Oxanthera), but surprisingly also Citrus medica, traditionally believed to be native in India. The second clade is largely from the Asian mainland (including species formerly referred to Fortunella and Poncirus).

Citrus (Rutaceae): a review of recent advances in etymology, systematics and medical applications

The naming, introduction and classification of citrus crops and their allies is outlined. Traditional medicinal use and ‘Western’ applications in the treatment of scurvy and obesity, the prevention of AIDS, and in contraception is reviewed. Names for the commercially significant citrangequat (Citrus × georgiana) and the ‘sunrise lime’ or ‘faustrimedin’ (C. × oliveri) are provided.

Molecular systematics of Clerodendrum (Lamiaceae): ITS sequences and total evidence

Thirty-three species of Clerodendrum s.l. and five outgroup genera were included in a sequence analysis of internal transcribed spacers of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. The results of the cladistic analysis were compared to and combined with cpDNA restriction site data from a previous study. All molecular data identified four major clades within Clerodendrum s.l. and showed the genus to be polyphyletic. Clerodendrum s.s., minus Konocalyx and Cyclonema, is monophyletic and the genus should be restricted to this group. Cyclonema and Konocalyx form a clade distinct from Clerodendrum s.s., which has been recognized as Rotheca Raf.

The Role of Botanic Gardens in the Science and Practice of Ecological Restoration

Many of the skills and resources associated with botanic gardens and arboreta, including plant taxonomy, horticulture, and seed bank management, are fundamental to ecological restoration efforts, yet few of the worlds botanic gardens are involved in the science or practice of restoration. Thus, we examined the potential role of botanic gardens in these emerging fields. We believe a reorientation of certain existing institutional strengths, such as plant-based research and knowledge transfer, would enable many more botanic gardens worldwide to provide effective science-based support to restoration efforts. We recommend botanic gardens widen research to include ecosystems as well as species, increase involvement in practical restoration projects and training practitioners, and serve as information hubs for data archiving and exchange.

Phylogenetic relationships of Clerodendrum s.l. (Lamiaceae) inferred from chloroplast DNA

Seventy-nine accessions representing forty-seven taxa of Clerodendrumn s.l. (Lamiaceae) and seven putative outgroup genera are included in an analysis of chloroplast DNA restriction sites for ten enzymes. Parsimony analysis of 456 potentially informative characters identifies four large discrete clades (Clades I-IV) within Clerodenidruim s.l. and shows that Clerodendruim s.l. is polyphyletic. Clades I and II comprise Asian and African taxa respectively. Clade III comprises coastal species from Africa, Asia and central America and presents an hypothesis of relationship within Clerodendrutm that has not previously been explicit in classifications of the genus. Clade IV, comprising subg. Cyclonema and sect. Konocalyx (subg. Clerodendrrnm pro parte) emerges as a lineage distinct from the rest of Clerodendrtni. Traditional sections Squamnata, Odontocalyx (subg. Clerodendrutm), Cyclonenia and Stacheocymosa (subg. Cycloinema) are well-supported mono- phyletic groups. Subgenus Clerodenidrutm and sections Clerodendrutm and Axilliflora (subg. Clerodendrnm pro parte) are shown to be polyphyletic. The polyphyly of Clerodendruni s.l. is also supported by a separate analysis of chloroplast ndhF sequences, in which a smaller sampling of Clerodendruman is included in a broader sample of labiate genera. The ndhF sequence data suggest that Tetraclea belongs in Clade I of Clerodendruni and support the monophyly of the recently circumscribed subfamily Teucriodeae.

Homoeosis, canalization, decanalization, ‘characters’ and angiosperm origins

Reproductive structure is considered in the context of process morphology: the significance of homoeotic transformations is commented on in Araceae and other modern angiosperms. Disruption leads to the rearrangement of processes and destabilization of process combinations, or decanalization. This is apparently more readily achieved in certain extant angiosperms than in others; both environmentally triggered decanalization, including galling, and genetically prompted decanalization are discussed and illustrated with examples including those leading to the expression of ‘lost’ features. This is extended to a consideration of ‘character’ comparisons in extant angiosperms and possible pitfalls there. Finally, this approach is applied to the relationship of certain extant groups of seed-plants and their fossil allies and it is concluded that modem ones are (distantly) interrelated relics of a complex of ‘hemiangiosperms’ of the Triassic.

Rotheca (Lamiaceae) revived

Clerodendrum L. s.l. subg. Cyclonema (Hochstetter) Guerke plus Clerodendrum sect. Konocalyx Verdcourt (subg. Clerodendrum pro parte) are recognized as a distinct genus, for which the earliest name is Rotheca Rafinesque. The new combinations Rotheca Rafinesque. The new combinations Rotheca commiphoroides (Verdcourt) Steane and Mabberley, Rotheca makanjana (H. Winkler) Steane and Mabberley, Rotheca myricoides (Hochstetter) Steane and Mabberley, Rotheca incisa (Klotzsch) Steane and Mabberley, Rotheca sansibarensis (Guerke) Steane and Mabberley, Rotheca sansibarensis subsp. occidentalis (Verdcourt) Steane and Mabberley, Rotheca sansibarensis subsp. caesia (Guerke) Steane and Mabberley, and Rotheca serrata (L.) Steane and Mabberley are made.

Exploring Terra Incognita

A tree new to science dominates the vegetation over an area of at least 8000 km2 in an African war zone. During visits in May 2006 and February 2007 to Ogaden (or the Somali National Regional State of Ethiopia, as it is formally called), the botanist Mats Thulin and his team encountered a tree previously unknown to science on limestone hills southeast of the town Kebri Dehar. The researchers soon found that it dominates the vegetation over large areas in southeastern Ogaden, covering an area of at least 8000 km2 (see the figure, panel A). For comparison, the Greek island of Crete has an area of 8379 km2. Hundreds of the trees were inspected on the ground, and tens or probably hundreds of thousands were seen with binoculars; the total number must be in the millions. The tree, a species of Senegalia (Leguminosae), is about 6 m tall, with a canopy 8 to 10 m in diameter. It flowers when leafless during the dry season (see the figure, panel C). Thulin has recently formally described it as Acacia fumosa (1). It differs from its relatives by having, among other things, a gray, smooth bark and pink flowers (see the figure, panels B and C).

Ferdinand Bauer’s field drawings of endemic Western Australian plants made at King George Sound and Lucky Bay, December 1801 – January 1802. I

Thirty-five field drawings of Western Australian endemic plants made by Ferdinand Bauer, natural history artist on Flinders’sInvestigator voyage (1801–1803), are published for the first time. In this, and a subsequent paper, surviving drawings made at King George Sound and Lucky Bay December 1801 – January 1802 (the first Bauer made in Australia) are identified and discussed, leading to an interpretation of the highly sophisticated colour-code chart he used as a field aid.RiassuntoTrentacinque disegni a matita di piante endemiche dell’Australia sudoccidentale eseguiti da Ferdinand Bauer, illustratore scientifico durante il viaggio della naveInvestigator del capitano Matthew Flinders (1801–1803) vengono pubblicati qui per la prima volta. In questa pubblicazione ed in un’altra che seguirà, vengono identificati e discussi i disegni giunti a noi, tra quelli eseguiti nella zona di King George Sound e Lucky Bay (dicembre 1801 fino a gennaio 1802, i primi disegni di Bauer in Australia); essi permettono l’interpretazione della scala di colori altamente sofisticata usata da Ferdinand Bauer come supporto all’attività in campo.

A synopsis of Oxera Labill. (Labiatae)

Summary. A synopsis of the genus Oxera (Labiatae), including keys and notes on ecology and distribution is given. The genus comprises twenty-one species and four subspecies native to New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Three new species are described: Oxera coronata de Kok from the north and 0. inodora de Kok from the south of New Caledonia respectively, and O. vanuattuensis de Kok known only in cultivation, in Vanuatu. Four new combinations are made: 0. baladica subsp. nuda (Virot) de Kok, O. brevicalyx (Moldenke) de Kok, 0. pulchella subsp. grandifolia (Dubard) de Kok and 0. macrocalyx subsp. sororia (Dniiiker) de Kok. Nine names are neotypified or lectotypified.