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Relevant chorological notes of genus Carex L. (Cyperaceae) for the flora of the Balkans are provided, with an emphasis on Albania and adjacent countries (North Macedonia and Montenegro). Our findings include new national species records and/or confirmations for Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia (C. agastachys, C. atrata, C. curvula, C. demissa, C. hispida, C. parviflora), as well as other interesting records of rare and/or endangered Carex species in Albania (C. castroviejoi, C. myosuroides). Eventually, we provide relevant comments in order to clarify the taxonomy, distribution and/or ecology of Carex sections Rhynchocystis (C. agastachys, C. pendula) and Aulocystis (C. ferruginea, C. kitaibeliana, C. lazarei) in the Balkans.

— Populations of Carex sect. Rhynchocystis (Cyperaceae) from the Macaronesian archipelagos (Azores and Madeira) have traditionally been treated either as a variety of the widely distributed Western Palearctic C. pendula, or directly synonymized under it. However, recent phylogenetic studies have shown that Azorean populations of C. pendula display a certain degree of differentiation from mainland plants, while the phylogenetic relationships of Madeiran populations remain unclear. Here we perform an integrated systematic study focused on the Macaronesian populations of Carex sect. Rhynchocystis to elucidate their phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status. We reconstructed a molecular phylogeny based on five DNA regions and conducted a multivariate morphological analysis. Divergence time estimates show that the Macaronesian populations can be traced back to a Plio-Pleistocene origin. Our results suggest that these island populations of C. pendula are better treated as two distinct species within Carex sect. Rhynchocystis (i.e. C. leviosa from the Azores and C. sequeirae from Madeira). We provide morphological characters to differentiate the new species from C. pendula s. s., detailed descriptions of the three taxa, a revised key for the entire section, as well as detailed analytical drawings of the two newly described species. We also perform a critical evaluation of the taxonomic diversity of Carex in the Azores and Madeira. Finally, we informally assessed the conservation status of the new species at a global scale under IUCN categories and criteria, resulting in the proposal of the categories Least Concern for C. leviosa and Critically Endangered for C. sequeirae.

Carex microcarpa (sect. Rhynchocystis) is a Central Mediterranean endemic known from Corsica, Sardinia and the Tuscan archipelago, that has been also reported from scattered localities in mainland Italy (Abruzzo, Lazio and Apulia). We tested by molecular means the identification of three specimens classified as C. microcarpa from continental Italy, as well as a voucher from the Montecristo island (Tuscany) and one from Sardinia, whose taxonomic identity could not be determined with certainty by morphological examination. We performed a DNA barcoding study based on four DNA regions (two nuclear, two plastid). Our results reveal that none of previous mainland Italian records corresponds to C. microcarpa, but to C. pendula, which also belong to section Rhynchocystis, and in other cases possibly to C. acutiformis, from a different species group (sect. Paludosae). The specimen from Montecristo island was confirmed to be C. microcarpa. We conclude that C. microcarpa is likely a Tyrrhenian endemic exclusively known with certainty in Corsica, Sardinia and the Tuscan Archipelago. The presence of C. microcarpa in the Italian peninsula remains highly doubtful and we recommend its exclusion from checklists. Our study highlights the utility of DNA barcoding approaches in Carex when a reliable morphology-based identification is not possible. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2021.1897703 .

One of the most common processes shaping evolution in plants could be the introgression or hybridization between species. We sampled a putative hybrid population of Carex × boenninghausiana recently discovered from Sicily (Italy), and one specimen of each of the parent species of this hybrid (C. paniculata and C. remota) from the same area. We performed phylogenetic analyses of nuclear and plastid DNA markers after sequencing and cloning in the case of the nuclear region, as an easy and effective way of hybrid detection. Previous morphological and cytogenetic studies demonstrated the hybrid character of C. × boenninghausiana. Our results show how C. paniculata and C. remota are the parent species of this hybrid, also from a molecular DNA point of view. The use of cloning of the ITS nrDNA region to separate chains from both parents, combined with the analysis of cpDNA regions seems to be a powerful tool to detect hybridization and clarify the evolution and species’s relationships in natural populations in Carex.

Carex section Schoenoxiphium (Cariceae, Cyperaceae) is endemic to the Afrotropical biogeographic region and is mainly distributed in southern and eastern Africa, with its center of diversity in eastern South Africa. The taxon was formerly recognized as a distinct genus and has a long history of taxonomic controversy. It has also an important morphological and molecular background in particular dealing with the complexity of its inflorescence and the phylogenetic relationships of its species. We here present a fully updated and integrative monograph of Carex section Schoenoxiphium based on morphological, molecular and cytogenetic data. A total of 1,017 herbarium specimens were examined and the majority of the species were studied in the field. Previous molecular phylogenies based on Sanger-sequencing of four nuclear and plastid DNA regions and RAD-seq were expanded. For the first time, chromosome numbers were obtained, with cytogenetic counts on 44 populations from 15 species and one hybrid. Our taxonomic treatment recognizes 21 species, one of them herein newly described (C. gordon-grayae). Our results agree with previous molecular works that have found five main lineages in Schoenoxiphium. We provide detailed morphological descriptions, distribution maps and analytical drawings of all accepted species in section Schoenoxiphium, an identification key, and a thorough nomenclatural survey including 19 new typifications and one nomen novum.

PREMISE Most of the Paleotropical flora widely distributed in the Western Palearctic became extinct during the Mio-Pliocene as a result of global geoclimatic changes. A few elements from this Cenozoic flora are believed to remain as relicts in Macaronesia, forming part of the Macaronesian Laurel Forest. Although the origins of the present species assembly are known to be heterogeneous, it is unclear whether some species should be considered climatic relicts with conserved niches. An ideal group to study such relict characteristics is the Miocene lineage of Carex sect. Rhynchocystis, which comprises four species distributed in the mainland Palearctic and Macaronesia. METHODS We reconstructed the current and past environmental spaces for extant mainland and Macaronesian species, and for the occurrence of Pliocene fossils. We also studied the bioclimatic niche evolution. Species Distribution Modeling and Ensemble Small Modeling were performed to assess the potential distribution over time. KEY RESULTS The ecological requirements of Macaronesian species did not overlap with those of either mainland species or with the Pliocene fossils. Conversely, the niches of mainland species displayed significant similarity and equivalence. The ecological differentiation within Macaronesia and similarity across the continent were evaluated in bioclimatic evolution and distribution modeling analyses. CONCLUSIONS Macaronesian species are not climatic relicts from the Paleotropical flora, but instead seems have changed the ecological niche from their ancestors. By contrast, despite their ancient divergence (Late Miocene), mainland C. pendula and C. agastachys show conserved niches, with competitive exclusion likely shaping their mostly allopatric ranges. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Aim To evaluate how Cenozoic climate changes shaped the evolution and distribution of Carex section Rhynchocystis. Location Western Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions (Rand Flora pattern). Methods DNA regions ITS, ETS (nuclear), matK and rpl32-trnLUAG (plastid) were amplified for 86 samples of species from section Rhynchocystis. Phylogenetic and phylogeographical relationships were inferred using maximum parsimony, Bayesian inference and coalescent-based species tree approaches. Divergence times and ancestral areas were also inferred. Results Carex section Rhynchocystis is a clade that diversified during the middle Miocene in Europe. Most cladogenesis events date to the middle and late Miocene. The Afrotropical group seems to have originated from a colonization event from Europe that occurred in the late Miocene. Main conclusions Species of the section Rhynchocystis in the Western Palaearctic are Miocene relicts. Late Miocene-Pliocene aridification of the Mediterranean rather than the more commonly reported Pleistocene glaciations seems to have shaped the phylogeography of the group. Putative Miocene-Pliocene refugia were probably located in the Mediterranean peninsulas and islands, as well as in the eastern shores of the ancient Paratethys Sea. The colonization of Africa could have been facilitated by Miocene-Pliocene global cooling.

We present the first large-scale phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus Carex based on 996 of the 1983 accepted species (50.23%). We used a supermatrix approach using three DNA regions: ETS, ITS and matK. Every concatenated sequence was derived from a single specimen. The topology of our phylogenetic reconstruction largely agreed with previous studies. We also gained new insights into the early divergence structure of the two largest clades, core Carex and Vignea clades, challenging some previous evolutionary hypotheses about inflorescence structure. Most sections were recovered as non-monophyletic. Homoplasy of characters traditionally selected as relevant for classification, historical misunderstanding of how morphology varies across Carex, and regional rather than global views of Carex diversity seem to be the main reasons for the high levels of polyphyly and paraphyly in the current infrageneric classification.

The megadiverse genus Carex (c. 2000 species, Cyperaceae) has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, displaying an inverted latitudinal richness gradient with higher species diversity in cold-temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Despite great expansion in our knowledge of the phylogenetic history of the genus and many molecular studies focusing on the biogeography of particular groups during the last few decades, a global analysis of Carex biogeography and diversification is still lacking. For this purpose, we built the hitherto most comprehensive Carex-dated phylogeny based on three markers (ETS–ITS–matK), using a previous phylogenomic Hyb-Seq framework, and a sampling of two-thirds of its species and all recognized sections. Ancestral area reconstruction, biogeographic stochastic mapping, and diversification rate analyses were conducted to elucidate macroevolutionary biogeographic and diversification patterns. Our results reveal that Carex originated in the late Eocene in E Asia, where it probably remained until the synchronous diversification of its main subgeneric lineages during the late Oligocene. E Asia is supported as the cradle of Carex diversification, as well as a “museum” of extant species diversity. Subsequent “out-of-Asia” colonization patterns feature multiple asymmetric dispersals clustered toward present times among the Northern Hemisphere regions, with major regions acting both as source and sink (especially Asia and North America), as well as several independent colonization events of the Southern Hemisphere. We detected 13 notable diversification rate shifts during the last 10 My, including remarkable radiations in North America and New Zealand, which occurred concurrently with the late Neogene global cooling, which suggests that diversification involved the colonization of new areas and expansion into novel areas of niche space., This work was carried out with financial support by the National Science Foundation (Award #1255901 to ALH and Award #1256033 to EHR), the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project CGL2016–77401‐P to SM-B and ML), the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (McIntire Stennis project 1018692 to DS) as well as postdoctoral fellowships towards SM‐B (Universidad Pablo de Olavide, PP16/12‐APP), and PJ‐M (National Science Foundation, Award #1256033, and the Smithsonian Postdoctoral Fellowship program).

We are grateful to the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for funding of the Biodiversity Synthesis Group of the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) project, which funded our BioSynC Synthesis meeting at the Field Museum in Chicago in September 2011, when the Global Carex Group was formed. We also thank the US National Science Foundation (NSF) for funding our continuing international collaborative work on the phylogeny and classification of Carex under grants DEB 1255901 to ALH and MJW, and DEB 1256033 to EHR. We also acknowledge with thanks funding for nomenclatural research and for attendance at our second meeting during the Monocots V conference in New York in July, 2013, from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canada (NSERC) to MJW and JRS; University of Mainz to BG; JSPS KAKENHI Grant no. 25840136 to OY; Korea National Arboretum to SK; CGL2012- 38744 project from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness to ML; project 30870178 from the National Natural Science Foundation of China to SRZ, and a University of Wisconsin-Madison Raper Travel Grant to DS. The figures were prepared with invaluable technical advice from H. C. Rimmer.

Carex sylvatica subsp. paui is a poorly studied taxon considered endemic from a few places in the western Mediterranean. It has been frequently misidentified as C. sylvatica subsp. sylvatica. To date, it has been reported only from the NE Iberian Peninsula and the NW Africa. We use molecular —nuclear ribosomal and plastid sequences— and morphological data to shed light on the taxonomic circumscription and distribution of this taxon, especially regarding its distinction from the type subspecies. The genetic data support the recognition of C. sylvatica subsp. paui as an independent taxon, and confirm new records from the Balearic and Tuscan archipelagos. It implies a considerable increase in its range and a new taxon for the Italian flora. Strikingly, the morphometric analyses revealed that the Sicilian type specimen ofC. laxula identifies this species with C. sylvatica subsp. paui. We consider that the taxon should be ranked at the species level. Based on the priority of the name C. laxula over C. paui, we subsume C. sylvatica subsp. paui in C. laxula. We also provide notes on the ecology of the species. Carex sylvatica subsp. paui es un taxon poco estudiado considerado endémico de unos pocos lugares del oeste del Mediterráneo. Ha sido frecuentemente confundida con C. sylvatica subsp. sylvatica. Hasta la fecha, se ha citado solo del noreste de España y el noroeste de África. Utilizamos datos moleculares —secuencias nucleares y plastiales— y morfológicos para estudiar la delimitación taxonómica y distribución de este taxon, especialmente en relación con la subespecie tipo. Los datos genéticos apoyan el reconocimiento de C. sylvatica subsp. paui como un taxon independiente y confirman su presencia en los archipiélagos baleárico y toscano. Esto implica un considerable aumento de su área de distribución y un nuevo taxon para la flora italiana. Sorprendentemente, los análisis morfométricos han mostrado que el espécimen siciliano y tipo de C. laxula es C. sylvatica subsp. paui. Consideramos que este taxon debería ser reconocido al nivel de especie. Dada la prioridad del nombre C. laxula sobre C. paui, sinonimizamos C. sylvatica subsp. paui a C. laxula. Además, proporcionamos información sobre la ecología de esta especie.

Seed germination, seedling emergence and survival of Carex helodes Link were assessed in laboratory and field experiments. This rare, endangered sedge inhabits intermittent streams of the South Iberian and North African cork woodlands. Dry storage (1.5–6 months) rather than low temperature was found to break the innate dormancy. In the field, germination occurred during fall and winter, and seeds survived continuous flooding during this period. The mean percentages of seed germination and seedling emergence in seeds located in the stream were four times higher than those of the bank, but a considerable percentage did not germinate and appeared to have developed a secondary dormancy. All of the seedlings died in the first summer due to drought stress; however, seedling survival was higher and delayed in the stream versus the bank microhabitat. Our findings suggest that the survival of this rare and endemic species is closely linked to conservation of intermittent streams.

Carex rainbowii (Cariceae, Cyperaceae), a new species from the Drakensberg mountains (KwaZulu-Natal province), is described and illustrated. It was found in the shady understory of the Afromontane forest in the Cathedral Peak area. An additional, nearby population was also identified based on previously collected herbarium material. Morphological and molecular (cpDNA 5′ trn K intron and nrDNA ITS and ETS sequences) data were used to evaluate the taxonomic status of these populations and shed light on their systematic placement. Our data strongly support their taxonomic identity and inclusion in Carex sect. Sylvaticae . The new species can be readily distinguished from other related taxa mainly by the frequently androgynecandrous terminal spike, dense female spikes, hyaline glumes, as well as by some quantitative features. This finding implies a considerable biogeographic disjunction from the mainly Eurasian-North African range of the remaining species of sect. Sylvaticae , a pattern also found in the related sections Ceratocystis , Rhynchocystis and Spirostachyae . Comments are provided on previous misidentifications of C. rainbowii as the closely related Carex sylvatica . Data pertinent to the conservation status of the species are provided.

Forty-six (1.5%) of nearly 3000 isolates of Mycosphaerella graminicola assayed in vitro were resistant to the QOI fungicide azoxystrobin, but on sub-culturing only ten remained resistant. Cross-resistance extended to other QOIs, but varied between different isolates. In planta the resistant isolates were not well controlled, especially at lower azoxystrobin dose rates. Propyl gallate, an inhibitor of alternative oxidase, potentiated the activity of azoxystrobin in vitro so that resistance was no longer observed. The growth of resistant strains in the presence of azoxystrobin led to alternative oxidase activation. This increased flexibility in respiration allows resistant strains to survive in the presence of a QOI fungicide. Under these conditions, selection for target-site mutations can occur. Using QOIs preventatively reduces the risk of resistance since the alternative oxidase cannot by itself generate all the energy needed for germination and early infection.