Morphological features of pollen and seeds of 19 Turkish species of the complex genus Marrubium were examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. On the basis of exine sculpturing and seed shape, three main types are recognized in Marrubium. The study revealed that palynological and seed morphological characters are of taxonomic significance in the genus.

The aim of the present work is to characterize the glandular hairs and the secretory ducts of Matricaria chamomilla (Asteraceae) morphologically, anatomically and histochemically. The glandular hairs are multicellular and biseriate with two basal cells, two peduncle cells and a secretory head composed of six cells. The histochemical tests show that the glands are positive for lipids, essential oils, sesquiterpene lactones, and pectic—like substances. The secretory ducts show a lumen surrounded by a layer of specialized cells, with the exception in the root where the ducts do not show any secretory epithelium. The histochemical tests show that the ducts are always positive for lipids, while the tests for the presence of essential oils and sesquiterpene lactones are heterogeneous in the plant organs considered.

The study investigates the spatial pattern dynamics of Senecio rivularis on different levels of population organization: genets and ramets. The tested null hypothesis was: in the expansion phase of a population, abundance and spatial pattern are affected by the number and diversity of genet clumps, in the stable phase with limited habitat resources population size is controlled mainly within independent clumps of genets. Spatiotemporal patterns of genets were studied within the entire population area and within selected clumps, respectively, while patterns of ramets were observed at a small scale. Additionally, data on genet survival, production of ramets, and rhizome disintegration were collected on the basis of 100 labelled genets in different clumps. The genet spatial pattern concerning ‘structure scale’ and ‘structure intensity’ was very variable on the level of genets but on the level of ramets it was regenerated close to the mean lifespan of genet, i.e. from several to up to 10 years. Variable spatial patterns of genets and ramets were affected by changes in the proportion of unitary and iterative genets, and by the contribution of these categories to the total number of ramets. Different factors seem to be important for the population dynamics in the phases of expansion and fluctuation, respectively: environmental conditions, plant features, and intrapopulation relations, driven by competition for space and habitat resources.

The development of vegetation and agriculture on the uplifting coastal areas of northwestern Estonia was studied with palaeobotanical methods. On the basis of the land-uplift curves the dynamics of new land appearance was reconstructed. From these reconstructions, we could better understand the pollen and macrofossil records, though some taxa often interpreted as anthropogenic indicators (Ranunculus, Rumex, Chenopodiaceae) are in this case the indicators of pioneer vegetation. The comparison of historical, archaeological and palaeogeographical data from coastal northwestern Estonia demonstrate that the first strong signals about agricultural activity appear in different sections at different time: about AD 292 ± 55 in the northern area and about AD 1080 in the vicinity of Paslepa village.

Eriophorum angustifolium (Cyperaceae) is a pioneer clonal sedge colonizing bare peat surface of harvested peatlands in central Europe. It forms circular patches of densely aggregated ramets, followed by central die-back and ring formation as circles develop. This study experimentally tested the importance of inter-ramet competition, interference with litter, soil nutrient depletion, and architectural constraints for radial clonal spread and ring formation process. Effects of fertilization, litter addition and competition of neighbor ramets on growth and survival of tillers transplanted into four distinct zones within individual circle were detected only in the first zone (green band) with high ramet density. This suggested that both above-ground competition for light and below-ground competition for soil nutrients can play an important role in population dynamics of E. angustifolium. A field study of clonal growth has shown that rhizomes orient preferentially towards the periphery. As the old ramets within the interior of the tussock died due to senescence and inter-ramet competition, disproportionately more ramets are recruited on the periphery, which reduce axillary bud availability within the interior of the tussocks. We also explored the soil nutrient content (NH₄-N, NO₃-N and PO₄-P). High values of NO₃-N outside the circles and low values inside patches might partly explain why Eriophorum rhizomes are oriented into open space. High accumulation of phosphorus (PO₄-P) in the centre of the patches was attributed to the leaching of phosphorus from decaying Eriophorum plants. We suggest that processes of nutrient foraging and utilization are responsible for development of circular patches of E. angustifolium in the harsh environment of cut-away peatland.

The phylogeny of the lichen genera Anaptychia (Physciaceae, Euascomycetes) and Physconia was studied using nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial ribosomal small subunit (mtSSU rDNA) and the internal transcribed spacers of the nuclear ribosomal repeat (ITS). Phylogenetic analyses of the combined data set demonstrated that all included eight Anaptychia species formed a monophyletic group, as did the species of Physconia. The two gene regions revealed qualitatively similar relationships within the genus.

This study reports a new hybrid combination Ophrys × circlarium Pellegrino, hybr. nov., which derives from two highly divergent species, O. lutea (O. fusca-lutea complex) and O. tarentina (O. sphegodes complex). These two species grow sympatrically in the north of Calabria region (southern Italy), in a stand where two potential hybrid individuals were found during a floristic investigation. Two of the 16 morphometric characters analyzed were intermediate relative to those of the potential parental species. PCR-RFLP analysis of nuclear ribosomal DNA Internal Transcribed Spacer sequences (rDNA ITS) confirmed that the two specimens are hybrids of the two cooccurring Ophrys species.

The karyotypes of three species of the genus Thinouia (Sapindaceae, Paullinieae) from southern Brazil and Bolivia are analyzed. New counts and karyotypes are reported for the first time for T. ventricosa and T. paraguayensis, both with 2n = 28. The karyotype formulae of T. mucronata, T. paraguayensis and T. ventricosa are 8m 14sm 6st, 10m 8sm 10st, and 14m 4sm 10st, respectively. In all the species investigated, the prophase chromosome condensation was always proximal and the pattern of the interphase nuclei was non-reticulate. These results are discussed in relation to previous chromosome studies for Paullinieae in order to infer the phylogenetic relationships within the tribe.

Linaria kavirensis Hamdi & Assadi (Scrophulariaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from the central desert and eastern provinces of Iran. It belongs in sect. Supinae and is compared with the morphologically close L. simplex, from which it differs by having filiform vs. linear leaves, shorter bracts (1.5–2 mm vs. 2 × 0.5–0.7 mm), shorter corolla (5–6 mm vs. 7–7.5 mm), shorter spur (1.5–1.7 mm vs. 2.5–3 mm), smaller capsules (3–3.5 mm vs. 4–4.5 mm), and smaller seeds with smooth vs. tuberculate surface. In addition, L. kavirensis is compared with L. arvensis and L. micrantha by means of scanning electron micrographs of seed and capsule surfaces.