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The current tribal classification of Myrtaceae was based on analysis of the plastid matK coding region within the trnK intron. The phylogenetic position of the genera Cloezia and Xanthomyrtus was poorly supported, and the original sequence for Kania, the type genus of the tribe Kanieae, was rather poor. To clarify relationships, we sequenced plastid psbA–trnH and an extended portion of the trnK intron, including the spacer regions flanking matK, and nuclear ribosomal ITS and ETS regions for representative species across the tribes, including denser sampling of the three genera of interest. Analyses of these extended datasets show a strong relationship between Kania and the tribe Metrosidereae but not with other genera presently assigned to the Kanieae. The relationship between Kania and the tribe Metrosidereae is strongly correlated with morphological features recently documented in Metrosideros fossils. Consequently, a new tribe, Tristaniopsideae PeterG.Wilson, is described to accommodate most genera presently assigned to Kanieae. Furthermore, the morphological divergence and genetic distance shown by Cloezia and Xanthomyrtus are here considered as justifying their recognition as the tribes Cloezieae Peter G.Wilson and Xanthomyrteae Peter G.Wilson. Recognition of these tribes brings to four the number of tribes absent from present-day mainland Australia. Prior to this study, Metrosidereae was the only tribe in subfamily Myrtoideae that was absent from mainland Australia.

The typification of the names of three non-endemic species of Indigofera in Australia is revisited. Firstly, the uncertain typification of an introduced species, I. hochstetteri Baker, is considered; a previous, imprecise lectotypification is recognised and a second step lectotype is designated. Secondly, an earlier error in the citation of the type of another introduced species, I. sessiliflora DC., is corrected and specific details of the holotype are provided. Thirdly, a lectotype is designated for I. seticulosa Harv., a synonym of the widespread native species, I. colutea (Burm.f.) Merr.

Mustaqim, Wendy A., Martiansyah, Irfan, Mambrasar, Yasper M., Wilson, Peter G. (2022): Lectotypification of Xanthostemon petiolatus (Myrtaceae). Phytotaxa 559 (2): 213-216, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.559.2.11, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.559.2.11

A new species, Indigofera centralis Peter G. Wilson & Rowe, is described from Central Australia, west of the Finke Gorge National Park in the Northern Territory; it resembles some other inland species (I. fractiflexa, I. gilesii, I. warburtonensis and I. helmsii) but differs most conspicuously by the relatively larger flowers.

Two additional species in the Indigofera haplophylla are described. Indigofera brennanii Peter G. Wilson, is a recently discovered taxon that occurs on Groote Eylandt and in Limmen National Park on the adjacent mainland. Indigofera fimbriolata Peter G. Wilson is a geographically isolated species that occurs in Bulleringa National Park, Queensland; it was formerly included in I. rupicola. Although both taxa are found in national parks, their conservation status has not been assessed.

Rhodomyrtus verecunda A.J.Ford & Peter G. Wilson from north-east Queensland, Australia, is formally described and illustrated. Notes on habitat, distribution and conservation status are provided, as are details of how it can be distinguished from R. macrocarpa, the only other species of the genus in the region that lacks acrodromous venation. A revised key to the species of Rhodomyrtus in Australia is also presented.

A new species of Tristaniopsis (Myrtaceae) from the Philippines, Tristaniopsis flexuosa Fernando & Peter G.Wilson, is formally described and illustrated. At present, the species is known only from a single locality in upper montane forest in extreme ultramafic habitat and we provide an assessment of its conservation status. Its relationship to other Malesian species of Tristaniopsis is discussed, and a key to the identification of the Philippine species provided.

We introduce the AusTraits database - a compilation of values of plant traits for taxa in the Australian flora (hereafter AusTraits). AusTraits synthesises data on 448 traits across 28,640 taxa from field campaigns, published literature, taxonomic monographs, and individual taxon descriptions. Traits vary in scope from physiological measures of performance (e.g. photosynthetic gas exchange, water-use efficiency) to morphological attributes (e.g. leaf area, seed mass, plant height) which link to aspects of ecological variation. AusTraits contains curated and harmonised individual- and species-level measurements coupled to, where available, contextual information on site properties and experimental conditions. This article provides information on version 3.0.2 of AusTraits which contains data for 997,808 trait-by-taxon combinations. We envision AusTraits as an ongoing collaborative initiative for easily archiving and sharing trait data, which also provides a template for other national or regional initiatives globally to fill persistent gaps in trait knowledge., Measurement(s)plant traitTechnology Type(s)digital curationSample Characteristic - OrganismViridiplantaeSample Characteristic - LocationAustralia Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: 10.6084/m9.figshare.14545755

The current tribal classification of Myrtaceae was based on analysis of the plastid matK coding region within the trnK intron. The phylogenetic position of the genera Cloezia and Xanthomyrtus was poorly supported, and the original sequence for Kania, the type genus of the tribe Kanieae, was rather poor. To clarify relationships, we sequenced plastid psbA–trnH and an extended portion of the trnK intron, including the spacer regions flanking matK, and nuclear ribosomal ITS and ETS regions for representative species across the tribes, including denser sampling of the three genera of interest. Analyses of these extended datasets show a strong relationship between Kania and the tribe Metrosidereae but not with other genera presently assigned to the Kanieae. The relationship between Kania and the tribe Metrosidereae is strongly correlated with morphological features recently documented in Metrosideros fossils. Consequently, a new tribe, Tristaniopsideae PeterG.Wilson, is described to accommodate most genera presently assigned to Kanieae. Furthermore, the morphological divergence and genetic distance shown by Cloezia and Xanthomyrtus are here considered as justifying their recognition as the tribes Cloezieae Peter G.Wilson and Xanthomyrteae Peter G.Wilson. Recognition of these tribes brings to four the number of tribes absent from present-day mainland Australia. Prior to this study, Metrosidereae was the only tribe in subfamily Myrtoideae that was absent from mainland Australia.

The application of the name Indigofera monophylla is clarified by reference to the type held in the Geneva herbarium and an revised description provided. The name has been widely applied to plants with rounded, unifoliolate leaves and some workers have suggested that there are multiple species within this broadly defined group. One of these has previously been given the phrase name Indigofera sp. Bungaroo Creek (S. van Leeuwen 4301) and this is formally named here as Indigofera rivularis Peter G. Wilson. Two additional species in this complex are also described: Indigofera deserticola Peter G. Wilson & Rowe, is a species of sandplains occurring within the Great Sandy Desert and Dampierland Bioregions, and Indigofera rotula Peter G. Wilson, which is a species with smaller leaves and flowers that occurs primarily in areas south of the Pilbara. A key to these species is provided.

International audience; Premise To further advance the understanding of the species-rich, economically and ecologically important angiosperm order Myrtales in the rosid clade, comprising nine families, approximately 400 genera and almost 14,000 species occurring on all continents (except Antarctica), we tested the Angiosperms353 probe kit. Methods We combined high-throughput sequencing and target enrichment with the Angiosperms353 probe kit to evaluate a sample of 485 species across 305 genera (76% of all genera in the order). Results Results provide the most comprehensive phylogenetic hypothesis for the order to date. Relationships at all ranks, such as the relationship of the early-diverging families, often reflect previous studies, but gene conflict is evident, and relationships previously found to be uncertain often remain so. Technical considerations for processing HTS data are also discussed. Conclusions High-throughput sequencing and the Angiosperms353 probe kit are powerful tools for phylogenomic analysis, but better understanding of the genetic data available is required to identify genes and gene trees that account for likely incomplete lineage sorting and/or hybridization events.

Leptospermum scoparium (Myrtaceae) is a morphologically highly variable species found in mainland Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. For example, in New Zealand up to six morphologically distinct varieties of this species have been described, although only two (var. scoparium and var. incanum) are now formally recognized. In the present study we provide a first examination of genetic diversity in this culturally and commercially important species with the aim of gaining insights into its origins and evolution. We used anchored hybrid enrichment to acquire sequence data from 485 orthologous low-copy nuclear loci for 27 New Zealand and three Australian accessions of L. scoparium and representatives of several other Leptospermum spp. The final concatenated data matrix contained 421 687 nucleotide positions of which 55 102 were potentially informative. Despite the relative large data set, our analyses suggest that a combination of low and incompatible data signal limits the resolution of relationships among New Zealand populations of L. scoparium. Nevertheless, our analyses are consistent with genetic diversity being geographically structured, with three groups of L. scoparium recovered. We discuss the evolutionary and taxonomic implications of our findings.

Application of the name Eucalyptus obtusiflora DC. (Myrtaceae). Telopea #: #–# (2019). The name E. obtusiflora has been applied to both an eastern Australian species and to a distantly-related species from Western Australia. We have re-examined the literature and type material of E. obtusiflora and conclude that the holotype was most likely collected on the west coast of Western Australia, possibly as part of the Baudin Expedition, and was certainly not collected by Sieber, with whom the type specimen has previously been associated.

Hybridisation is a complex process that has important evolutionary consequences. In the case of rare species, a comprehensive understanding of inter-specific hybridisation can be critical for their conservation and management. Eucalyptus tetrapleura is a rare species of ironbark that is restricted to a 40 km × 100 km area around Grafton on the North Coast of New South Wales (Australia), and is distinctive in that it has four ribs on the sides of its buds and fruits. In recent years, central populations of E. tetrapleura have been cleared to facilitate upgrades to one of the major highways in eastern Australia. This has led to increased habitat fragmentation, and there are now concerns that the species is at risk of genetic swamping by more common ironbark relatives. In this study, we investigated the population genetics and patterns of gene flow in E. tetrapleura. We used DArTseq to genotype samples collected from across the known distribution of E. tetrapleura, as well as leaf material collected from co-occurring ironbark species. We found that while E. tetrapleura was a distinct evolutionary lineage, there was evidence of gene flow between this species and other ironbarks. Furthermore, many populations that had been identified as E. tetrapleura on the basis of morphology were of hybrid origin, thus the range of the species was much smaller than previously thought. Overall, our findings demonstrate how genomic methods can improve our understanding of admixture across closely related lineages, which can be used to inform the restoration of rare species.

The species included in the Blechnum vulcanicum group are all characterised by the presence of unique, minute, surface outgrowths on various aerial parts of a plant; these have previously in error been described as short hairs. However, these so-called ‘hairs’ are distinctive and consist of about 4 to 7 cells in a linear arrangement. The species of Blechnum that have this feature are here recognised as a new Section, Blechnum sect. Pilosa. The species Blechnum vulcanicum (Blume) Kuhn has been widely cited in taxonomic, floristic and ecological studies for Malesia, Australasia and Oceania, but shows much variation across this wide geographic range. The present study rejects this broad view and recognises a total of 14 species in this group. This includes four new species (Blechnum aequabile, B. basipilosum, B. humile and B. megavulcanicum), and three new combinations (Blechnum deltoides, B. feani, and B. tovii).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Although leaves of Myrtaceae are easily identified to family level, very few studies have convincingly identified fossil Myrtaceae leaves to living genera. We used a broadly comparative approach with a large data set of extant taxa to confidently assign the mummified remains of myrtaceous leaves from early Miocene sediments at Kiandra (New South Wales, Australia) to a living genus. METHODS Fossils were identified using a nearest living relative approach, against a database of 232 extant broadleaf rainforest species of Myrtaceae. Leaf cuticles were prepared from 106 species, sourced from herbarium specimens as well as some living individuals, and a further 127 records were assembled from the literature. A set of simple but phylogenetically informative cuticular characters were observed, described, and recorded under both scanning electron microscopy and standard light microscopy. KEY RESULTS A new fossil species of Syzygium Gaertn. is described from mummified remains found in early Miocene (21.5-21.7 Ma) sediments. The fossil taxon is here named Syzygium christophelii sp. nov., in honor of the late Australian paleobotanist David Christophel. CONCLUSIONS These fossils represent some of the most confidently described Myrtaceae leaf fossils published to date and are the first and oldest described fossil record of Syzygium from Australia. While several fossil parataxa have been illustrated from New Zealand, and several fossil species of Syzygium have previously been proposed in the literature, many of these fossils lack characters for a confident diagnosis.

Speciation is a complex process that is fundamental to the origins of biological diversity. While there has been considerable progress in our understanding of speciation, there are still many unanswered questions, especially regarding barriers to gene flow in diverging populations. Eucalyptus is an appropriate system for investigating speciation mechanisms since it comprises species that are rapidly evolving across heterogeneous environments. We examined patterns of genetic variation within and among six closely related Eucalyptus species in subgenus Eucalyptus section Eucalyptus in south-eastern Australia (commonly known as the "green ashes"). We used reduced representation genome sequencing to genotype samples from populations across altitudinal and latitudinal gradients. We found one species, Eucalyptus cunninghamii, to be highly genetically differentiated from the others, and a population of mallees from Mount Banks to be genetically distinct and therefore likely to be a new undescribed species. Only modest levels of differentiation were found between all other species in the study. There was population structure within some species (e.g., E. obstans) corresponding to geographical factors, indicating that vicariance may have played a role in the evolution of the group. Overall, we found that lineages within the green ashes are differentiated to varying extents, from strongly diverged to much earlier stages of the speciation continuum. Furthermore, our results suggest the green ashes represent a group where a range of mechanisms (e.g., reticulate evolution and vicariance) have been operating in concert. These findings not only offer insights into recent speciation mechanisms in Eucalyptus, but also other species complexes.

Premise of the Study: The capsular-fruited genus Metrosideros (Myrtaceae) is one of the most widely distributed flowering plant genera in the Pacific but is extinct in Australia today. The center of geographic origin for the genus and the reason for and timing of its extinction in Australia remain uncertain. We identify fossil Metrosideros fruits from the newly discovered Golden Fleece fossil flora in the Oligo-Miocene of Tasmania, Australia, shedding further light on these problems. Methods: Standard paleopalynological techniques were used to date the fossil-bearing sediments. Scanning electron microscopy and an auto-montage camera system were used to take high-resolution images of fossil and extant fruits taken from herbarium specimens. Fossils are identified using a nearestliving-relative approach. Key Results: The fossil-bearing sediments are palynostratigraphically dated as being Proteacidites tuberculatus Zone Equivalent (ca. 33-16 Ma) in age and provide a confident Oligo Miocene age for the macrofossils. Two new fossil species of Metrosideros are described and are here named Metrosideros dawsonii sp. nov. and Metrosideros wrightii sp. nov. Conclusions: These newly described fossil species of Metrosideros provide a second record of the genus in the Cenozoic of Australia, placing them in the late Early Oligocene to late Early Miocene. It is now apparent not only that Metrosideros was present in Australia, where the genus is now extinct, but that at least several Metrosideros species were present during the Cenozoic. These fossils further strengthen the case for an Australian origin of the genus.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Phenotypic plasticity is an important means through which organisms cope with environmental variability. We investigated seedling plasticity in the green ash eucalypts within a phylogenetic framework to examine the relationship between plasticity and evolutionary history. The green ashes are a diverse group, which include the tallest flowering plant in the world (Eucalyptus regnans) and a rare mallee less than 1 m tall (E. cunninghamii). METHODS Seedlings of 12 species were exposed to high and low nutrient and water availability in a factorial experiment. Leaf trait and total plant plasticity were evaluated using the phenotypic plasticity index. A phylogeny of the species was estimated using genome-wide scans. KEY RESULTS We found significant differences in functional traits across species, growth forms, and substrates in response to changes in resource availability. Many traits (e.g., leaf width) were highly plastic for most species. Interspecific differences in leaf-level plasticity was significant, however plasticity was not correlated with phylogeny. Species with broader environmental niches had higher leaf-level plasticity than species with narrower environmental ranges. CONCLUSIONS Plastic responses to environmental variability can differ widely among closely related species, and plasticity is therefore likely to be associated with many factors, including habitat and range size, as well as evolutionary history. Our results provided insights for species delimitation in Eucalyptus, which have management implications. Because of the high number of rare species and that other species are commercially important, a more comprehensive understanding of plasticity is essential for predicting their response to changing climates.

A lectotype is here designated for Mimosa pubescens Vent., the basionym of the Australian species Acacia pubescens (Vent.) R.Br.

We investigated the phylogenetic affinities of the rare and threatened Indian species Meteoromyrtus wynadensis (Bedd.) Gamble. Sequences from the ITS and ETS regions of nrDNA and the trnK/matK and psbA–trnH regions of the plastid genome were compiled in a 45 taxon dataset augmented by sequences from Genbank. Phylogenetic analysis using maximum parsimony and Bayesian approaches showed that Meteoromyrtus is deeply embedded in Eugenia and sister to E. reinwardtiana in a clade with other Old World taxa. The evidence clearly indicates that the genus should be considered a synonym of Eugenia and that the species should henceforth be known by its original name E. wynadensis Bedd.

A new classification of Myrtaceae tribe Chamelaucieae DC., derived from a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on nr ETS and cp trnK and atpB–rbcL spacer sequences, is presented. Eleven subtribes are recognised, eight of which are new. The currently accepted circumscriptions of subtribes Calytricinae Benth. and ‘Euchamelaucieae Benth.’ (nom. inval.) are retained, with the latter being formally published here as Chamelauciinae Rye & Peter G.Wilson. Subtribe Thryptomeninae Benth. is reduced in size by the creation of the new subtribes Alutinae Rye & Peter G.Wilson and Micromyrtinae Rye & Peter G.Wilson. Subtribe Baeckeinae Schauer is reduced to a single genus, with the excluded genera distributed in the new subtribes Astarteinae Rye & Peter G.Wilson, Hysterobaeckeinae Rye & Peter G.Wilson, Ochrospermatinae Rye & Peter G.Wilson, Rinziinae Rye & Peter G.Wilson and Stenostegiinae Rye & Peter G.Wilson. The history of recognition of the genera and subtribes of Chamelaucieae is outlined and supporting morphological evidence for the new classification discussed.

Two new species of Tristaniopsis (Myrtaceae) are described for Sabah: Tristaniopsis musa-amanii Berhaman & Peter G.Wilson and T. sam-mannanii Berhaman & Peter G.Wilson. Both species occur on ultramafic substrates.

Callistemon purpurascens SM Douglas, S David & P Wilson is described from the Blue Mountains region in Central Tablelands Botanical Division of New South Wales, Australia. The conservation status of this taxon is considered with the conclusion that it should be assessed as Critically Endangered under both state and Commonwealth legislation.

A reassessment of specimens of Haloragis exalata subsp. exalata from near Geehi, in Kosciuszko National Park, revealed that they were consistently different from typical examples of that taxon in stem, leaf and indumentum characters. It is here concluded that this population merits recognition at specific rank, a conclusion that is strongly supported by preliminary DNA sequence analysis. The species is named Haloragis milesiae in honour of the discoverer of the population.

Four new species of Camellia L. (Theaceae) are described from Vietnam: C. duyana Orel, Curry & Luu, C. ligustrina Orel, Curry & Luu, C. bugiamapensis Orel, Curry, Luu & Q. D. Nguyen, and C. capitata Orel, Curry & Luu. The new taxa were collected from the Da Lat Plateau and the Lang Biang Massif phytogeographic region in southern Vietnam. The new finds are morphologically dissimilar to known Camellia species, and for two species, the new sections Camellia sect. Capitatae Orel and Camellia sect. Pierrea Orel are established. These species are endemic to the montane temperate or to the lowland tropical rainforests of Vietnam.

Typification of seven species and two varieties in Indigofera is considered. All relevant specimens are discussed and lectotypes designated for seven taxa, including five currently accepted species. Typification is clarified for a further two names.

Two species of Camellia L. (Theaceae) are described here as new: C. curryana and C. longii. The new species were discovered in the southern Annamite Mountains of Vietnam and are endemic to tropical rainforest remnants that occur at altitudes between 1500 and 1700 m a.s.l. Camellia curryana possesses almost sessile, unevenly circular, two whorled, white-cream and proximally yellowish flowers, proximally joined outer stamens, three styles and mature fruit that dehisces into three parts, or longitudinally into two halves. Camellia longii has campanulate or almost campanulate, intensely dark orange to red flowers with uneven whitish margins, 5–6 petals and 3–2 petaloids, filaments that are united with the petals and one another, a diamond shaped ovary and compound 5–6 styles that are connate at the base.

Phenotypic plasticity is an important means through which organisms cope with environmental variability. We investigated seedling plasticity in the green ash eucalypts within a phylogenetic framework to examine the relationship between plasticity and evolutionary history. The green ashes are a diverse group, which include the tallest flowering plant in the world (Seedlings of 12 species were exposed to high and low nutrient and water availability in a factorial experiment. Leaf trait and total plant plasticity were evaluated using the phenotypic plasticity index. A phylogeny of the species was estimated using genome-wide scans.We found significant differences in functional traits across species, growth forms, and substrates in response to changes in resource availability. Many traits (e.g., leaf width) were highly plastic for most species. Interspecific differences in leaf-level plasticity was significant, however plasticity was not correlated with phylogeny. Species with broader environmental niches had higher leaf-level plasticity than species with narrower environmental ranges.Plastic responses to environmental variability can differ widely among closely related species, and plasticity is therefore likely to be associated with many factors, including habitat and range size, as well as evolutionary history. Our results provided insights for species delimitation in

Orel G., Wilson P. G., Curry A. S. & Luu H. T.: Two new species of Polyspora (Theaceae) from Vietnam and new combinations for some Asian species. — Willdenowia 43: 301–308. December 2013. — ISSN 0511-9618; © 2013 BGBM Berlin-Dahlem. Stable URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3372/wi.43.43210 Two new species of Theaceae from Vietnam, Polyspora nivea and P. ampla, are described and illustrated. Although showing close affinities with other Vietnamese species of Polyspora, the new taxa possess a number of fundamental morphological dissimilarities, which are here evaluated and discussed. The morphological evidence for the two new taxa supports taxonomic placement in the genus Polyspora. In addition, 23 new combinations are made for Asian species of Polyspora.

The new species Camellia oconoriana Orel, Curry & Luu (Theaceae), endemic to Lam Dong Province, Vietnam, is described and illustrated. It is compared to Camellia species in sections Archaecamellia, Stereocarpus, Piquetia and Chrysantha. Morphological evidence supports a transitional placement in Camellia sect. Chrysantha ser. Chrysanthae.

Two new species of Indigofera are described from western Queensland, one of which also extends into the Northern Territory. Indigofera erubescens Peter G. Wilson & Rowe, is a species sometimes confused with I. brevidens and, to a lesser extent, I. helmsii but readily distinguished from both by its rather small, red flowers; Indigofera queenslandica Peter G. Wilson & Rowe, is a species superficially similar in parts of its range to I. leucotricha in having a rather dense, greyish indumentum. Both species are illustrated and their conservation status discussed.

Palladium-catalysed coupling reactions based on a novel and easy-to-synthesise difluorinated organotrifluoroborate were used to assemble precursors to 6π-electrocyclisations of three different types. Electrocyclisations took place at temperatures between 90 and 240 oC, depending on the central component of the π-system; non-aromatic trienes were most reactive, but even systems which required the temporary dearomatisation of two arenyl sub-units underwent electrocyclisation, albeit at elevated temperatures. Photochemical conditions were effective for these more demanding reactions. The package of methods delivered a structurally-diverse set of fluorinated arenes, spanning a 20 kcal mol-1 range of reactivity, by a flexible route.

Syzygium Gaertn. is the largest woody genus of flowering plants in the world. Unpublished but extensive recent herbarium surveys suggest 1200‒1800 species distributed throughout the Old World tropics and subtropics (Table 1). Until recently, Syzygium exemplified a recurring taxonomic impediment among megadiverse genera, wherein few taxonomists worked on the group in any sustained manner, a majority of the herbarium specimens remained undetermined or misidentified, few if any attempts were made to look at the genus globally, and limited or no molecular studies were available to provide a predictive phylogenetic context of the genus. The situation with Syzygium has slowly begun to change as allied genera have been absorbed into the genus (Biffin et al., 2006; Craven & Biffin, 2010), and predictive phylogenetically-based infrageneric classifications are emerging. Taxonomic outputs on Syzygium also have been increasing across its range with the description of new species, resolution of nomenclatural and typification issues, and some regional revisions being initiated or updated. However, virtually all regional treatments (which some areas lack) need urgent revision because they are severely outdated, have limited molecular sampling and are error-ridden. We are coordinating a genus-wide taxonomic update of Syzygium through a series of 22 regional revisions, including 9 in the Flora Malesiana region (Figure 1). Each treatment will include a phylogenetic framework with species descriptions, type information, synonymy, distributions, ecological notes, and keys. Field images (Figure 2) and/or line drawings will be included with the goal of every species being illustrated. This working group has been formed to encourage a coordinated effort to document this unwieldy taxonomic giant and regional botanists working on the group are encouraged to be involved. A robust taxonomy of the genus is a prerequisite for testing the many complex questions about evolution and ecology that Syzygium could help address.

A new species of Camellia (Theaceae), C. cherryana Orel, endemic to the Sichuan-Yunnan border region, the People's Republic of China, is described and illustrated. It has variably sized, slightly coriaceous, elliptic to lanceolate leaves with a strongly acuminate apex and cuneate base; the adaxial leaf surface is glabrous and slightly pitted, mid-green and shiny, the abaxial leaf surface is sparsely pubescent, light green and shiny; the flowers are solitary, pedicellate, 5–7 cm in diam.; the corolla is two-whorled, white and the petals are soft, opaque to translucent, orbicular or almost orbicular, widely reflexed with undulate margins; the filaments are glabrous, up to 1.5 cm long, but mostly shorter; the styles are three, brown, densely pubescent, 1–1.2 cm long, basally joined but otherwise free; and the stigma is of the same colour, indistinct. The morphological evidence supports a placement in Camellia sect. Heterogena.

A recently developed method for the near-ambient generation of difluorovinylzinc reagents has facilitated the preparation of 1-(N,N-diethylcarbamoyloxy)-2,2-difluoro-1-iodoethene and 2,2-difluoro-1-iodo-1-(2'-methoxyethoxymethoxy)ethene. The utility of these reagents has been investigated in Suzuki-Miyaura couplings with a range of potassium trifluoroborate coupling partners, with the scope of successful couplings proving wide. Deiodinated species appeared as significant side products, but a solvent change from i-PrOH to t-BuOH suppressed the pathway to these species and improved coupling yields.

A new species of Camellia L. (Theaceae) from Vietnam, C. inusitata Orel, Curry & Luu, is described, illustrated and compared with six Camellia species from sections Thea (L.) Dyer, Corallina Sealy and Paracamellia Sealy. Reproductive morphology and molecular evidence supports taxonomic placement in the genus Camellia but the vegetative morphology is so distinct that a new section, Camellia sect. Bidoupia Orel, Curry & Luu, is established.

The rare rainforest tree species,Syzygium paniculatum,is the only knownAustralian species of the genus to produce seeds that regularly have multiple embryos. Evidence from other species suggests that this is a case of adventitious polyembryony, with the embryos arising from maternal nucellar tissue. In the present study we use microsatellite data to determine whether sexual reproduction does occur and, if it does, to investigate the relative fitness of asexual versus sexual seedlings. Genotyping suggested that the species is a polyploid and our results found very little genetic diversity within and among populations (with a total of nine genotypic combinations across the entire species).The only significant variation was between the three northernmost populations and the other eight populations sampled.Analysis of individual embryos showed that sexually derived embryos did occur in some seeds but that these were not necessarily the fittest. In general, the seedling from the largest embryo is the first to emerge and maintains a competitive advantage over the other seedlings from the same seed.We discuss the ramifications of the low levels of genetic diversity and consider whether there is a direct relationship between polyembryony and the inferred polyploidy of the species. We consider the possible advantages of reproductive bet-hedging but also highlight the susceptibility of a species with low genetic diversity to extreme stochastic events.Syzygium paniculatum occurs in areas heavily impacted by human activity and these findings should contribute to improved management of this threatened species.

A new species of the genus Camellia L. (Theaceae, Theoideae) is described and illustrated under the name C. cattienensis. This species occurs in the rainforest vegetation of Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. A discussion of the morphological characters distinguishing this new species from related Camellia species is presented. Morphological evidence supports a transitional taxonomic placement in Camellia sect. Archaecamellia Sealy. This placement is justified by C. cattienensis exhibiting some morphological characteristics also found in sects Stereocarpus (Pierre) Sealy and Piquetia (Pierre) Sealy.

The monophyly of the genus Rhodomyrtus (Myrtaceae) was tested using data from morphology and the nuclear ribosomal ITS regions (ITS-1, ITS-2) and 5.8S gene. Representative species from baccate genera hypothesized to be closely related to Rhodomyrtus were included, such as Archirhodomyrtus, Octamyrtus, Knnakomyrtus, and some genera believed to be more distantly related, including Rhodamnia, Decaspermum, Pilidiostigma, and Myrtastrum. Up to four capsular-fruited outgroup species were used to root the trees (Heteropyxis natalensis, Carpolepis tardiflora, Lophostemon confertus, and Metrosideros rotundifolia). Morphological data using neighbor joining scattered species of Rhodomyrtus across several branches but generally recovered genera other than Rhodomyrtus. Using parsimony, the morphological data analysis also rejected the monophyly of Rhodomyrtus and resulted in consensus trees with relatively low resolution and bootstrap support. Based on traditionally recognized generic boundaries, results from...

A new species of Camellia L. (Theaceae), C. maiana Orel, endemic to the Da Lat Plateau in southern Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The newly described species has variable-sized, ovate to obovate leaves; 2-whorled, terminal, sessile flowers exhibiting emarginate, opaque to translucently white, finely textured petals; a compound style consisting of four parts that are fused at the base; persistent bracteoles; and a superior 4-chambered ovary. The morphological evidence supports taxonomic placement as a transitional member of Camellia sect. Stereocarpus (Pierre) Sealy.

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A new species, Haloragodendron gibsonii, is described from the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales. This taxon has always been recognised as being close to H. lucasii, a species restricted to the Ku-Ring-gai area of Sydney, but its rank has been uncertain. Relationships within the genus in eastern Australia have now been assessed using molecular data and these support recognition of the Blue Mountains plants as a distinct species.

The two varieties of Indigofera pratensis described by Karel Domin are reassessed. Indigofera pratensis var. coriacea is distinct from the widespread Indigofera pratensis sens. str. in a number of reproductive and vegetative characters and is here raised to specific rank as Indigofera scabrella. Indigofera pratensis var. angustifoliola is judged to be an environmental or rare geographic variant of Indigofera pratensis sens. str. and not worthy of continued recognition. Lectotypes are designated for both names.

A phylogenetic study of selected fleshy-fruited genera of the Myrtaceae was conducted using sequences from the ITS region of nuclear DNA and the psbA-trnH region of plastid DNA. Studies to date have suggested that the fleshy-fruited state has arisen on several occasions in the Myrtaceae. The previously accepted and predominantly Neotropical tribe Myrteae has traditionally been divided into three groups, the subtribes Myrtinae, Eugeniinae and Myrciinae. This subtribal arrangement is analysed in detail here for the first time. The monophyly of the tribe and subtribes are tested and relationships of the genera within them, in particular those of the Myrciinae and anomalous genera sometimes associated with it, are discussed. Combined analyses of these two DNA regions revealed 40 shortest trees, all of which resolve Myrteae (excluding the Acmena group) as monophyletic. Myrciinae appears to be monophyletic whereas Myrtinae and Eugeniinae appear polyphyletic. The phylogenetic positions and relationships of the anomalous genera Myrceugenia,Luma and Blepharocalyx are unclear, but Myrceugenia is never included within the Myrciinae s.str. A Myrciinae s.str. clade emerges within which Myrcia,Calyptranthes and Marlierea appear polyphyletic. Clades emerge, however, that may reflect some natural groupings within the subtribe.

Taxonomic revisions of the genera Ackama and Caldcluvia have left one taxon without a current validly published name under the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (ICN, McNeill et al. 2012), and the new combination Ackama paniculosa is made.