Species-rich alvar forests represent a rare vegetation type in northern Europe. They grow locally on shallow soils formed on calcareous parent material. The aim of this study was to compare cryptogam species richness and composition on various substrata in alvar forests of different age and management rate. Altogether 101 bryophyte and 54 lichen species were recorded. Substratum explained species variance more than did the stand age or management intensity. Younger and older forests had a different bryophyte and lichen species composition. Decaying wood was the richest as cryptogam species substratum. It had quite a unique bryophyte composition, including a high amount of hepatics. Juniperus communis appeared to be an important substratum for cryptogam species diversity in alvar forests. Bryophyte species composition appeared to be similar on the bases of Pinus sylvestris, Betula pendula and Picea abies and different on J. communis. Most of the recorded threatened bryophyte species grew in old subnatural forests on stones or decaying wood.

The aim of this study was to characterize the spatial structure, density and distribution of shoots within the individual clumps of Myrica gale, and the sexual structure in the populations of this species. The area of most clumps varied from 0.02 to 20 m². The density of shoots in the clumps was negatively correlated with the size of the clump, the mean value being 23.31 shoots per m². The density of shoots in different parts of the clumps was higher in the peripheral parts of the clumps than in their centers. There were more male than female shoots in the clumps (75.87% and 24.13%, respectively). In the 57% of the clumps both male and female shoots were recorded. The occurrence of monoecism and synoecism was common.

Many studies indicate that fire intensity has a marked effect on subsequent vegetation recovery. However, evidence from natural fires is still sparse. We studied vegetation succession during ten years after a wildfire on a sub-xeric, pine dominated coniferous forest. The fire affected four adjacent patches differently and thus created a natural fire intensity gradient. Postfire vegetation data was analysed using non-metric multidimensional scaling and MANOVA. The clearest indication of fire intensity was provided by herbaceous colonizers. Recovering dwarf shrub cover and residual and invader moss cover provided additional evidence for observed differences between the four areas. Despite of initial dissimilarity, community composition became increasingly similar on the different areas during the study period. In conclusion, variation in fire intensity had a clear impact on postfire recovery in natural conditions. Fire disturbance also clearly enhanced local species richness and diversity. Our results indicate that habitat factors play a considerable role in the nature of vegetation recovery following wildfire.

We have revisited the phylogenetic evaluation of the Physcia aipolia—P. caesia lichen group (sect. Caesiae; Physciaceae, Lecanorales) in order to investigate whether new sequence data and extensive sampling can help us to understand the phylogenetic relationships in that group. We combined partial mtSSU DNA data with two previously used nuclear gene regions (betatubulin, ITS) and a group I intron. We also compared the resulting phylogenies with chemical and morphological characters. Altogether 52 specimens of the P. aipolia—P. caesia group were analysed. Direct optimization of the molecular data revealed several well-supported groups. Our results essentially agreed with those of the earlier studies, and we were able to confirm the independent taxonomic status of some controversial morphotaxa. We also discovered at least two distinct clades that potentially represent species new to science. A new nomenclatural combination, Physcia alnophila (Vain.) Loht., Moberg, Myllys & Tehler, is proposed.

133 species of polypores were identified based mostly on collections from Qin Mts. of southern Shaanxi Province, central China. A checklist of the polypores with substrate and collecting data is supplied. Two new species, Polyporus rhododendri Y.C. Dai & H.S. Yuan and Postia qinensis Y.C. Dai & Y.L. Wei, are described and illustrated. The former is an elegant species growing on Rhododendron, and it has almost sessile basidiocarps; microscopically it is characterized by fusiform basidiospores. The latter is characterized by white, soft, resupinate to effused-reflexed basidiocarps, abundant gloeocystidia, cylindric to slightly allantoid basidiospores.

Trigonella coerulescens (Bieb.) Hal. subsp. kemerensis R.S. Göktürk subsp. nova (Fabaceae) is described from SW Anatolia, Turkey and illustrated. It grows on sandy seashores in Olimpos-Çıralı (Kemer) and Adrasan (Kumluca) beaches. It is closely related to subsp. coerulescens, an endemic taxon confined to Olimpos-Beydağlari National Park. Diagnostic morphological characters of subsp. kemerensis and subsp. coerulescens are discussed.

Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl subsp. bartschii (O.E. Schulz) C. Vural comb. & stat. nov., previously regarded as a species, is proposed based on the morphological and pollen characteristics. A detailed description is given on the basis of new material from the type locality. The taxon is endemic to central Anatolia, Turkey. A key to the Turkish subspecies of Descurainia sophia is provided.

Rhododendron qiaojiaense L.M. Gao & D.Z. Li sp. nova (Ericaceae) is described from northeastern Yunnan, China, and illustrated. The new species is compared with the morphologically similar R. decorum and R. vernicosum.

Silene dumanii Kandemir, G. Ecevit Genç & İ. Genç sp. nova (Caryophyllaceae) from East Anatolia (Turkey) is described and illustrated. Diagnostic characters, detailed illustrations and taxonomic comments on the species as well as its geographical distribution are given.

Salvia marashica A. İlçim, F. Celep & Doğan sp. nova (Lamiaceae) is described from Turkey and illustrated. It is confined to C6 Kahramanmaraş in South Anatolia where it flowers early in the year and grows on rocky mountain slopes. The diagnostic morphological characteristics from closely similar species are discussed. Notes are also presented on its ecology and pollen characteristics along with scanning electron micrographs of the calyx hairs. A distribution map of the new and the similar species is also provided.