This study provides new information on phylogenetic relationships in the Ephedra distachya / E. sinica complex (Ephedraceae, gymnosperms) based on sequence variation and morphology-based delimitation of individual species. Altogether we have included 50 samples from this complex and closely related species with 39 samples sequenced for the first time. Our sampling scheme provides a much broader sampling both in respect of the number of species as well as the number of samples per species than has been accomplished in previous studies. Sequences for E. dahurica and E. pseudodistachya are given here for the first time. We sequenced the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer regions (nr ITS1 ITS2) as well as the chloroplast intergenic spacer between rnL and trnF (cp trnL-F), but only ITS1 was sufficiently informative for phylogeny reconstruction. Our data show, for the first time, (1) a well supported E. strobilacea / E. sarcocarpa / E. transitoria clade as sister to the “L” or “Asia 2” clade, furthermore (2) a distinct E. distachya clade, (3) a composite E. dahurica clade that also includes E. sinica and a fraction of E. intermedia, (4) a well supported E. regeliana clade and (5) an unresolved agglomeration of E. intermedia, E. przewalskii, E. lomatolepis and E. pseudodistachya. Most noteworthy is the support derived from the molecular data for (1) the separation of the hitherto doubtful E. pseudodistachya from E. distachya and E. dahurica and (2) the high degree of sequence similarity of E. sinica and E. dahurica. Based on morphological, molecular, ecological and biogeographical evidence, E. sinica is reduced to a subspecies of E. dahurica.

Lectotypes have been designated for 14 species names referable to Suaedoideae. Lectotypes for Alexandra lehmannii, Belowia paradoxa, Schanginia inderiensis, Schoberia acuminata, S. dendroides, S. glauca, S. leiosperma, S. microsperma, Suaeda baccifera, S. linifolia and S. physophora have been selected from the Herbarium of the Komarov Botanical Institute, St Petersburg (LE), for Schoberia transoxana and Suaeda arcuata from the Herbarium of the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris (P), and for Suaeda microphylla from the Herbarium of the Natural History Museum, London (BM). In order to present a complete synopsis of the Suaedoideae species names published by Pallas (7 names), Meyer (5 names) and Bunge (11 names), the dispersed previous typifications are also included in an abbreviated way and commented as far as required.

Salicornia perennans is here typified for the first time, with a Pallas 1771 illustration selected as lectotype. A supporting epitype, recently collected close to the locus classicus, is designated and deposited in B, an isoepitype at LE. The identity of S. perennans is critically discussed and information about its variability in differing environments given.

Reichenbach published Ranunculus binatus in his Flora Germanica Excursoria in 1832, based on a specimen collected by Welden in Transylvania, Romania, and attributed the name to Kitaibel. Since then, the identity of R. binatus has been a focus of discussion by Schur, Janka, Schiller, Jasiewicz and further botanists, in particular since Schiller considered R. binatus a corner stone in the evolution of the R. auricomus complex. To clarify the concept of R. binatus and settle the application of the name, it is here typified. Because no specimen used with certainty by Reichenbach appears to be extant, a well preserved specimen in the herbarium Kitaibelianum, Budapest, identified by Kitaibel himself as R. binatus, collected by Genersich in northern Slovakia and morphologically agreeing well with the original description, is designated as the neotype of the name R. binatus.

A Ranunculus binatus Kit., mely egykor önálló fajként ragyogott a botanika egén, ily módon lassan-lassan elhomályosult a kételkedés sürü felhöi közt, mit már-már el nem tünt a szemünk elöl.

[Ranunculus binatus, which was to admire as a lucent star at the botanical heaven, was pushed slowly, very slowly behind the clouds, and then we lost sight of it.]

Zs. Schiller (1917: 376)

A survey of Apiaceae genera accepted for the purpose of the Euro Med Project is presented. As a consequence of shifts in circumscription of genera or reassessments of specific and subspecific taxa, combinations and new names that are required in the genera Bubon, Cachrys, Dichoropetalum, Hellenocarum, Laserpitium, Selinum and Pastinaca are published.

The GLM herbarium collection houses vascular plant specimens from Namibia collected between 1909 and 1913 by Fritz Schäfer. Duplicates at Berlin-Dahlem (B) were partly destroyed during World War II, and further duplicates are known only in few cases at Zurich (Z) and Cape Town (NBG). At GLM we traced 27 type specimens of 20 validly published names, for eight of these names no further type material is known to have been preserved elsewhere. We typify the names involved and designate Schäfer specimens preserved at the herbaria GLM or B, respectively, as lectotypes for Abutilon schaeferi, Anthericum apicicolum, A. diphyllum, A. glutinosum, Aster schaeferi, Gnidia suavissima, Hermannia seitziana, Lachenalia klinghardtiana, Lebeckia cinera var. schaeferi, Oldenlandia schaeferi, Pelargonium grandicalcaratum, P. squarrosum, Solanum schaeferi and Viscum schaeferi, and a Dinter specimen preserved at NBG for Pelargonium mirabile.

Cousinia saloukensis, a narrow endemic from NE Iran, is described as a species new to science, illustrated and its affinities are discussed. A high morphological similarity between the new species and the eastern members (mainly in E Afghanistan) of C. sect. Eriocousinia is contradicted by a relationship with species of sect. Serratuloides revealed in a previous nrITS phylogeny. In view of the incongruent molecular and morphological evidences, the new species is, for the time being, not assigned to any of the known sections.

In the course of the revision of the genus Euphorbia in Iran, E. grisophylla and E. sogdiana are reported as new for the country. E. erythradenia, E. malleata and E. spartiformis are confirmed as rare localised endemics and an epitype is selected for the name E. spartiformis. E. polycaulis is shown to be the correct name for the more widespread Iranian endemic so far known as E. decipiens and E. sparsiglandulosa is sunk into the synonymy of this species. All species but E. polycaulis are illustrated and the following information is given for each of them: synonymy, description, delimitation from similar species, distribution and specimens examined.

The Cuban representatives of Theophrastaceae are grouped in three genera: Neomezia, endemic of Cuba, Jacquinia s.str., found mainly in the Caribbean, and Bonellia, distributed in the Greater Antilles, Mesoamerica and NE South America. As a result of a taxonomic revision of this family for the Flora de la República de Cuba five new species are described and seven new combinations are published in Cuban Jacquinia and Bonellia.

Calycogonium pseudofloribundum of the Melastomataceae tribe Miconieae, from eastern Cuba, a species new to science, is described and illustrated. C. pseudofloribundum is closely related to C. floribundum, with which it has been confused for a long time. It can be distinguished from the latter species by leaf features (the ovate to lanceolate leaves have an acute to apiculate apex, the blade is flat to slightly revolute, the margin usually obscurely to minutely dentate towards the apex, the adaxial surface is flat and usually opaque to whitish in dry material by presence of wax layers; they have two, rarely one, pair of secondary veins, the second pair originating 2–9 mm above the base), the external calyx teeth being 5–6 mm long, and the petals being white, obtuse to acute, 4-5 × 2-2.5 mm. An amended description and an illustration for C. floribundum is also provided.

The genus Takulumena of subtribe Epidendrinae, segregated from Epidendrum in 2006 by Szlachetko and co-authors with two species, T. vazquezii and T. sophronitoides, is easily distinguishable from Epidendrum by the monopodial type of growth and the basal, continuously growing inflorescences. Three new species of Takulumena from Ecuador and Peru are described, illustrated and their taxonomic affinities are briefly outlined. Two further species are transferred to Takulumena from Epidendrum and the corresponding new combinations are made. An identification key to all seven species of Takulumena is provided.

The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) was first collected by members of the Sessé & Moçiño expedition in Mexico, subsequently also by Humboldt & Bonpland and Schiede & Deppe. Living material sent by Karwinski to the Royal Botanic Garden in Schöneberg formed the basis of the validation of the name E. pulcherrima which is here typified. The other names related to this taxon are also typified. It is shown that E. poinsettii Raf. is a validly published alternative name, which predates E. pulcherrima, making conservation of the latter well established name necessary.

Continuing a series of miscellaneous contributions, by various authors, where hitherto unpublished data relevant to the Med-Checklist project are presented, this instalment deals with the families Bignoniaceae, Boraginaceae, Callitrichaceae, Capparaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Compositae, Euphorbiaceae, Fagaceae, Leguminosae, Malvaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Orobanchaceae, Plantaginaceae, Ranunculaceae, Resedaceae, Rosaceae, Scrophulariaceae; Commelinaceae, Cyperaceae and Gramineae. It includes new country and area records, taxonomic and distributional considerations. New taxa are described in Capparis, Eragrostis, Plantago and Ventenata; new combinations and names at new rank are proposed in Aegonychon, Alcea, Amelanchier, Anemonastrum, Centaurea, Cerinthe, Chamaecytisus, Cytisus, Digitalis, Iranecio, Malva, Mattiastrum, Paracynoglossum, Pilosella, Sorbus and Trigonella.

Altogether 32 angiosperm taxa (species or subspecies) and two pteridophytes are reported and discussed, of which 24 taxa are new for the flora of Albania, one is also new for Kosovo (Carex michelii), and one is new even for the Balkan Peninsula (Evax asterisciflora). Ten other species, which had been reported previously but were neglected in recent floras and the red data book of the country, are now confirmed.

Continuing a series of miscellaneous contributions by various authors, the seventh instalment includes information about 76 taxa focussing on the taxonomy, chorology and ecology of the Cyprus flora. One taxon is new to science, Papaver paphium, and the new combinations Maresia nana var. glabra, Papaver cyprium and Rosa micrantha subsp. chionistrae are published. Several taxa are reported as new to the island, e.g. Centaurea calcitrapa subsp. calcitrapa, Euphorbia hypericifolia, E. maculata, E. prostrata, E. serpens subsp. serpens, Lathyrus clymenum, Lysimachia dubia, Marsilea aegyptiaca and Silene noctiflora. Chromosome numbers of Bupleurum trichopodum, Papaver cyprium and Silene gemmata have been confirmed; the chromosome number of the new species Papaver paphium is also given. A key to the species of Euphorbia subg. Chamaesyce occurring in Cyprus is provided.

Based on extensive field and herbarium studies, twenty species of Bromeliaceae are newly reported for Panama: Aechmea beeriana, A. penduliflora, A. pittieri, A. strobilacea, Bromelia hemispherica, Guzmania graminifolia, G. hollinensis, Pitcairnia halophila, P. wendlandii, Tillandsia dexteri, T. ionantha, T. longifolia, T. utriculata, Werauhia bracteosa, W. kathyae, W. macrantha, W. macrochlamys, W. notata, W. paniculata, W. viridis. Former reports of six bromeliad species for Panama are revised as erroneous. The bromeliad flora of Panama now comprises 206 species. Endemism of the Bromeliaceae in Panama and Costa Rica is newly evaluated based on this revised inventory: 33 species are endemic to Panama, 32 to Costa Rica, 36 species to both countries. Only 3 of the 8 presently recognised subfamilies occur in Panama. The genus Werauhia has its centre of diversity in Panama (47 of 87 species) and Costa Rica. A distribution map is presented for the newly reported species.

FloraGREIF is a web-based collaborative project on the flora of Mongolia. It presents a plant database and a virtual herbarium as an introduction to the flora of Mongolia and intends to be used as a digital information system providing taxonomic and biogeographical data. Moreover, it offers a virtual research environment which allows scientific online cooperation. This project refers to the ongoing long-term research cooperation between Germany and Mongolia. It brings together large herbarium collections and modern online communication facilities. The website is a dynamic system with two basic hierarchy levels. On the record level, as many records as possible for a taxon are included. A record is represented by location data, digital scans of herbarium specimens and images of living plants and their habitats. The taxon level presents information about a taxon such as short morphological description, taxonomic comments and hints for reliable identification. Plant data can be explored in a targeted way using various aspects as well as by browsing through the material to obtain an overview. The information can be downloaded at any time and place.