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Erysiphe species (powdery mildews) on Corylus and Ostrya hosts (Betulaceae subfam. Coryloideae) in Asia and North America are widespread pathogens on these economically and ecologically valuable nu...

A new fossil occurrence of Ostrya (Betulaceae) is reported based on 14 involucre impressions from the lower Oligocene of Lohe Basin, Yunnan Province, Southwest China. They are characterized by their bladder-like shape with longitudinal veins and perpendicular or branched intercostal veins that form a reticulate venation. The discovery of these fossil involucres represents the earliest unequivocal fossil record of Ostrya in East Asia and the record at the lowest latitude. Its fossil history suggests that the modern distribution pattern of Ostrya might have been established since the early Oligocene, and that this genus has inhabited low altitude areas since then.

In the southern Great Lakes Region, North America, between 19,000 and 8,000 years ago, temperatures rose by 2.5–6.5°C and spruce Picea forests/woodlands were replaced by mixed‐deciduous or pine Pinus forests. The demise of Picea forests/woodlands during the last deglaciation offers a model system for studying how changing climate and disturbance regimes interact to trigger declines of dominant species and vegetation‐type conversions. The role of rising temperatures in driving the regional demise of Picea forests/woodlands is widely accepted, but the role of fire is poorly understood. We studied the effect of changing fire activity on Picea declines and rates of vegetation composition change using fossil pollen and macroscopic charcoal from five high‐resolution lake sediment records. The decline of Picea forests/woodlands followed two distinct patterns. At two sites (Stotzel‐Leis and Silver Lake), fire activity reached maximum levels during the declines and both charcoal accumulation rates and fire frequency were significantly and positively associated with vegetation composition change rates. At these sites, Picea declined to low levels by 14 kyr BP and was largely replaced by deciduous hardwood taxa like ash Fraxinus, hop‐hornbeam/hornbeam Ostrya/Carpinus and elm Ulmus. However, this ecosystem transition was reversible, as Picea re‐established at lower abundances during the Younger Dryas. At the other three sites, there was no statistical relationship between charcoal accumulation and vegetation composition change rates, though fire frequency was a significant predictor of rates of vegetation change at Appleman Lake and Triangle Lake Bog. At these sites, Picea declined gradually over several thousand years, was replaced by deciduous hardwoods and high levels of Pinus and did not re‐establish during the Younger Dryas. Synthesis. Fire does not appear to have been necessary for the climate‐driven loss of Picea woodlands during the last deglaciation, but increased fire frequency accelerated the decline of Picea in some areas by clearing the way for thermophilous deciduous hardwood taxa. Hence, warming and intensified fire regimes likely interacted in the past to cause abrupt losses of coniferous forests and could again in the coming decades.

Betulaceae is a well‐defined family of Fagales, including six living genera and more than 160 modern species. Species of the family have high ecological and economic value for the abundant production of wood. However, phylogenetic relationships within Betulaceae have remained partly unresolved, likely due to the lack of a sufficient number of informative sites used in previous studies. Here, we re‐investigate the Betulaceae phylogeny with whole chloroplast genomes from 24 species (17 newly assembled), representing all genera of the family. All the 24 plastomes are relatively conserved with four regions, and each genome is ∼158–161 kb long, with 111 genes. The six genera are all monophyletic in the plastome tree, whereas Ostrya Scop. is nested in the Carpinus clade in the internal transcribed spacer tree. Further incongruencies are also detected within some genera between species. Incomplete lineage sorting and/or hybrid introgression during the diversification of the family could account for such incongruencies. Our dating analysis, based on four fossils, suggests that the most recent common ancestors of the extant genera date back to the mid‐ to late Miocene, and confirms that Betulaceae started to diversify in the upper Cretaceous/early Paleocene. Our results highlight the significance of using more informative sites in resolving phylogenetic relationships. Plastome data and increased taxon sampling will help to better understand the evolutionary history of Betulaceae in the future.

Alnus nitida (Himalayan Alder) is a monophyletic species of family Betulaceae. It is distributed in the mountainous ranges of Hindu Kush and western Himalayan of the Sino-Japanese belt. Family Betulaceae has a cosmopolitan distribution with 2 genera (Betula and Alnus) and 95 species. Previously, the family was divided into Betulaceae (Alnus, Betula) and Corylaceae (Carpinus, Corylus, Ostrya, and Ostryopsis). Various species of the family are used for different purposes such as timber, lumber, and household utensils production across the globe. Many species have been studied against for their therapeutic potential against various ailments, i.e. obesity, cancer, tuberculosis. Stem bark of Betula utilis is used for spiritual purpose as well as to treat various diseases. Himalayan Alder is among those species that offers numbers of ecosystem services. A. nitida being a riparian species is cultivated by farmers along the stream sides of their fields to control soil erosion. Wood is used by local people for the formation of different pots. Nodulation and biomass production are also the prominent characteristics of the family. Some studies revealed that Alnus acts as an indicator species of eastern North America for dry period. Ethno-ecological surveys have revealed that Alder is preferred by local communities in several ways such as fuel, fodder, and construction purposes. The species is ecofriendly to form a phyto-social association with about 146 species in its geographical range in Pakistan. The nitrogen fixation capability makes it more suitable for agroforestry and inter-cropping. Alder can be used as an alternate to discourage shift cropping and to enhance the ecofriendly and high yield techniques of inter-cropping. Alder has prominent role in the absorption of heavy metals and boost up water quality. Since few years population of this important species is continuously decreasing and facing problem of extinction due to drought, developmental projects, deforestation, and other anthropogenic activities. This chapter provides a baseline for further comprehensive studies on its molecular genetics, phyto-chemistry, and conservation priorities for this and many other associated species.

Coryloideae is a subfamily in the family Betulaceae consisting of four extant genera: Carpinus, Corylus, Ostrya, and Ostryopsis. We sequenced the plastomes of six species of Corylus and one species of Ostryopsis for comparative and phylogenetic analyses. The plastomes are 159–160 kb long and possess typical quadripartite cp architecture. The plastomes show moderate divergence and conserved arrangement. Five mutational hotspots were identified by comparing the plastomes of seven species of Coryloideae: trnG-atpA, trnF-ndhJ, accD-psaI, ndhF-ccsA, and ycf1. We assembled the most complete phylogenomic tree for the family Betulaceae using 68 plastomes. Our cp genomic sequence phylogenetic analyses placed Carpinus, Ostrya, and Ostryopsis in a clade together and left Corylus in a separate clade. Within the genus Corylus, these analyses indicate the existence of five subclades reflecting the phylogeographical relationships among the species. The data offer significant genetic information for the identification of species of the Coryloideae, taxonomic and phylogenetic studies, and molecular breeding.

Nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners own a substantial amount of acreage within the southern USA. The NIPF landowners are usually less financially motivated and implement relatively less-intensive management options, such as partial harvesting, to pursue a variety of multiuse objectives. Understanding how developmental processes are influenced by partial harvesting is vital to constructing viable silvicultural prescriptions. Liquidambar styraciflua L., Quercus alba L., and Ostrya virginia (Mill.) K. Koch seedling (10–105 cm tall) growth and physiology were investigated in relation to different gap sizes and within-gap positions in a mixed Pinus L.–hardwood forest. The levels of photosynthetically active radiation that penetrated the overstory conditions allowed shade-intolerant Liquidambar styraciflua to produce greater (mean ± SE) monthly height and groundline diameter growth (12 ± 0.94 cm and 0.2 ± 0.02 cm, respectively) than Ostrya virginia (8 ± 0.87 cm and 0.1 ± 0.02 cm, respectively) and Quercus alba (4 ± 0.51 cm and 0.1 ± 0.01 cm, respectively), which was facilitated, in part, by significantly higher photosynthetic rates (P < 0.01). Solely manipulating the overstory conditions within mature, Pinus-hardwood mixtures may not be adequate for Quercus regeneration in those mixtures and is conducive to Liquidambar styraciflua obtaining a more-dominant canopy position in the future.

Betulaceae have simple flowers but complex inflorescences. Recent phylogenetic analyses using molecular data have produced robust phylogenetic trees of Betulaceae. In this study, we evaluated the phylogenetic value of comparative organogenetic data of reproductive organs in the context of molecular phylogenies. Flower and inflorescence developmental processes of 21 species from all six genera in Betulaceae were documented with scanning electron microscopy. In each pistillate cyme, there are one primary bract, two secondary bracts, and two or three flowers in the six genera; only in Alnus are there two tertiary bracts on the abaxial side. The pistillate flower of all genera but Alnus has tepal primordia. Two tepals stop developing early on, resulting in the lack of tepals in mature flowers of Betula; while the tepals are initiated from a common circular primordium at the base of pistil in Corylus, Ostryopsis, Carpinus, and Ostrya, and the developed tepals with irregular shape and unstable number of lobes are adnate to the top of the pistil. In staminate organogenesis, each cyme has one primary bract and three flowers in all genera; two secondary bracts are only present in Alnus, Betula, and Corylus. Staminate flowers have no tepals except in Alnus and Betula, and exhibit high variation in number of stamens among genera. The number of secondary and tertiary bracts in each pistillate and staminate cyme, as well as the presence of tepals in pistillate and staminate flowers was clarified in all genera. Micro-morphological characters were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships of genera and sections of Betulaceae. Our analyses support the division of two subfamilies: Betuloideae (Alnus and Betula) and Coryloideae (Corylus, Carpinus, Ostrya, and Ostryopsis), and three tribes: Betuleae (Alnus and Betula), Coryleae (Corylus), and Carpineae (Carpinus, Ostrya, and Ostryopsis). The results agree with those from molecular phylogenetic studies, and suggest that micro-morphological characters are phylogenetically informative in Betulaceae, and reproductive organs of Betulaceae have evolved in the direction of reduction in bracts and tepals.

Summary Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy enables chemical analysis of pollen samples for plant phenotyping to study plant–environment interactions, such as influence of climate change or pathogens. However, current approach, such as microspectroscopy and attenuated total reflection spectroscopy, does not allow for high-throughput protocols. This study at hand suggests a new spectroscopic method for high-throughput characterization of pollen. Samples were measured as thin films of pollen fragments using a Bruker FTIR spectrometer with a high-throughput eXTension (HTS-XT) unit employing 384-well plates. In total, 146 pollen samples, belonging to 31 different pollen species of Fagaceae and Betulaceae and collected during three consecutive years (2012–2014) at locations in Croatia, Germany and Norway, were analysed. Critical steps in the sample preparation and measurement, such as variabilities between technical replicates, between microplates and between spectrometers, were studied. Measurement variations due to sample preparation, microplate holders and instrumentation were low, and thus allowed differentiation of samples with respect to phylogeny and biogeography. The spectral variability for a range of Fagales species (Fagus, Quercus, Betula, Corylus, Alnus and Ostrya) showed high-species-specific differences in pollen's chemical composition due to either location or year. Statistically significant inter-annual and locational differences in the pollen spectra indicate that pollen chemical composition has high phenotypic plasticity and is influenced by local climate conditions. The variations in composition are connected to lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and sporopollenins that play crucial roles in cold and desiccation tolerance, protection against UV radiation and as material and energy reserves. The results of this study demonstrate the value of high-throughput FTIR approach for the systematic collection of data on ecosystems. The novel FTIR approach offers fast, reliable and economical screening of large number of samples by semi-automated methodology. The high-throughput approach could provide crucial understanding on plant–climate interactions with respect to biochemical variation within genera, species and populations.

This paper provides taxonomic and biological data on one new and one newly recorded species of Coptotriche Walsingham and one new and one newly recorded species of Tischeria Zeller from Japan. Coptotriche symplocosella Kobayashi & Hirowatari, sp. n. (host Symplocos lucida, Symplocaceae), and Tischeria kumatai Sato, Kobayashi & Hirowatari, sp. n. (host Tilia japonica, Malvaceae) are described. The pupal morphology of Coptotriche symplocosella is illustrated with scanning electron micrographs. Coptotriche minuta Diškus & Stonis, 2014 and Tischeria relictana Ermolaev, 1986 are newly recorded from Japan. The female, hostplants (Carpinus, Corylus, and Ostrya species), and immature stages of Coptotriche minuta and the adult features, female, and hostplants (Betula species) of Tischeria relictana are described with photographs and drawings for the first time. Mine types and characters of Japanese Tischeriidae are reviewed with photographs.

Species delimitation through which infers species boundaries is emerging as a major work in modern systematics. Hop‐hornbeam species in Ostrya (Betulaceae) are well known for their hard and heavy woods. Five species were described in China and their interspecific delimitations remain unclear. In this study, we firstly explored their distributions in all recorded field sites distributed in China. We then selected 110 samples from 22 natural populations of five species from this genus and one type specimen of O. yunnanensis, for molecular barcoding analyses. We sequenced four chloroplast (cp) DNA fragments (trnH–psbA, trnL–trnF, rps16, and trnG) and the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region for all samples. Sequence variations of Ostrya from four cpDNA fragments identified three groups that showed no correspondence to any morphological delimitation because of the incomplete lineage sorting and/or possible interspecific introgression in the history. However, phylogenetic analyses of ITS sequence variations discerned four species, O. japonica, O. rehderiana, O. trichocarpa, and O. multinervis while O. yunnanensis nested within O. multinervis. Morphological clustering also discerned four species and showed the complete consistency with molecular evidence. Moreover, our phylogenetic analyses‐based ITS sequence variations suggested that O. trichocarpa comprised an isolated lineage different from the other Eurasian ones. Based on these results, hop‐hornbeams in China should be treated as four separate species. Our results further highlight the importance of ITS sequence variations in delimitating and discerning the closely related species in plants.

The aim of this study was to investigate aerobiological dynamics of pollen in the Mediterranean part of Croatia in the air of the city of Split. Pollen monitoring during the period from 2005 to 2013 was performed using a Hirst-type volumetric trap. Among the identified pollen of 50 taxa, 21 were allergenic. The average annual pollen index was 33513. Three pollination seasons were established: early winter season dominated by tree pollen, spring-summer season dominated by herbaceous plants and summer-autumn season with lower amounts of Parietaria and Cupressaceae pollen. According to the abundance, the main taxa were: Cupressaceae, Parietaria/Urtica, Pinus, Quercus, Olea, Carpinus/Ostrya, Poaceae, Platanus and Ambrosia. The annual pollen index together with the daily maximum concentrations showed an upward trend for selected taxa during the study period. The higest monthly pollen index and the highest biodiversity were recorded in April and the lowest during the late autumn and winter months. The pollen calendar created for the city of Split confirmed Mediterranean features of the pollen spectrum. The longest pollen seasons were recorded for Cupressaceae, Parietaria/Urtica and Poaceae pollen types. The correlations between pollen concentrations and meteorological parameters were analyzed. The correlations between pollen concentrations and temperature were positive, whilst the humidity and the precipitation mostly showed negative influence.

Betulaceae is a relatively small birch family that comprises about 160 deciduous trees and shrubs. Chloroplast (cp) genome sequencing of Alnus rubra and Betula cordifolia was carried out to elucidate their molecular features and phylogenetic relationship among species in Betulaceae family. Chloroplast genome sequencing was carried out using next generation sequencing method. Molecular and genomic features of the two cp genomes were characterized with other cp genomes in Betulaceae. Also, molecular phylogenetic analysis was performed using the whole cp genome sequences. The average cp genome length was 160,136 bp among the Betulaceae species. Base compositions of the cp genomes were skewed toward a high AT ratio, with an average of 63.4%. We identified 117 different genes 83 with protein coding, 4 with ribosomal RNA, and 30 with tRNA. Eighteen genes contained introns which were conserved among the cp genomes of all Betulaceae. We mined 82 SSRs from the cp genomes of A. rubra, A. cordifolia, and A. nana. The SSRs were variable in motif repeat numbers and presence/absence among the cp genomes. Chloroplast genome-wide sequence comparison from 11 Betulaceae species and one cp genome of evergreen oak revealed that the patterns of sequence variations were congruent with two subfamily classification Betuloideae (Alnus and Betula) and Corylaceae (Corylus, Ostrya, and Carpinus). Subsequent phylogenetic analysis also supports the sub-classifications of these species.

7. Ostrya virginiana (Mill.) K.Koch Dendrologie 2 (2): 6 (Koch 1873). ��� Carpinus virginiana Mill., The Gardeners Dictionary ed. 8, no. 6 (Miller 1768). ��� Zugilus virginica Raf., Florula Ludoviciana: 159 (Rafinesque 1817) orth. var., nom. illegit. superfl. ��� O. ostrya var. virginiana (Mill.) C.K.Schneid., Illustriertes Handbuch der Laubholzkunde 1: 143 (Schneider 1904) nom. inval. (tautonym). ��� Type: [Cult. garden specimen], 1740, Chelsea Physic Garden 938 (lecto-, designated by Reveal (1990): BM001041898!). ��� Note: in his protologue, Miller only cited a Plukenet (1692) drawing, which does not correspond well to what is today considered as O. virginiana. Reveal (1990) found a matching typotype (H.S. 95:143, BM- SL) that turned out to be O. carpinifolia Scop., and three specimens from that era that Miller might have had seen (but without actual evidence) of what is now considered O. virginiana. Nevertheless, the proposal to conserve the name with a new type was rejected, and it was decided that one of the specimens should serve as lectotype (Brummitt 1993)., Published as part of Holstein, Norbert & Weigend, Maximilian, 2017, No taxon left behind? - a critical taxonomic checklist of Carpinus and Ostrya (Coryloideae, Betulaceae), pp. 1-52 in European Journal of Taxonomy 375 on page 36, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.375, http://zenodo.org/record/3838542, {"references":["Koch K. H. E. 1873. Dendrologie; Baume, Straucher und Halbstraucher, welche in Mittel- und Nord- Europa im Freien kultivirt werden. Vol. 2. F. Enke, Erlangen. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 20459","Miller P. 1768. The Gardeners Dictionary ed. 8. John and Francis Rivington, London. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 541","Rafinesque C. S. 1817. Florula Ludoviciana. C. Wiley and Co., New York. Available from: http: // gallica. bnf. fr / ark: / 12148 / bpt 6 k 973548 [accessed: 1 Jul. 2015].","Schneider C. K. 1904. Illustriertes Handbuch der Laubholzkunde. Vol. 1. Gustav Fischer, Jena. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 194","Reveal J. L. 1990. (979) Proposal to conserve the name and type of Carpinus virginiana P. Miller (Betulaceae), the basionym of Ostrya virginiana (P. Miller) K. Koch. Taxon 39 (2): 357 - 359. https: // doi. org / 10.2307 / 1223075","Plukenet L. 1692. Phytographia. Vol. 3. London. Available from: http: // bibdigital. rjb. csic. es / ing / Libro. php? Libro = 4827 & Pagina = 1 [accessed: 1 Jul. 2015].","Brummitt R. K. 1993. Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta: 39. Taxon 42 (4): 873 - 879. https: // doi. org / 10.2307 / 1223273"]}

6. Ostrya trichocarpa D.Fang & Y.S.Wang Guihaia 3 (3): 189 (Fang & Wang 1983). – Type: China, Guangxi, Napo County (那坡县), 百都^社, 弄̔, 1260 m a.s.l., 石山 [rocky hill], 23 Apr. 1981, D. Fang, T.-H. Tan and Z.-G. Wang [³鼎, 覃 德海, 王振刚] 22412 (holo-: GXMI050301). – Additional type material: ibid., D. Fang, M.-X. Lai et al. 25379 (para-: GXMI); ibid., Guanxi Zhuang Auton. Region, Jinxi County, 780 m a.s.l., 17 Nov. 1962, Z.-J. Li and H.-Q Li 1650 (para-: IBK00079836!, IBK00079837!).

3. Ostrya japonica Sarg. The Silva of North America 9: 32 (Sargent 1896). ��� O. ostrya var. japonica (Sarg.) C.K.Schneid., Illustriertes Handbuch der Laubholzkunde 1: 143 (Schneider 1904) nom. inval. (tautonym). ��� Type: Japan, Hokkaido, Hill near Sapporo, 18 Sep. 1892, C.S. Sargent s.n. (syn-: GH00055441!); ibid., Oiwagi, 1861, C.J. Maximowicz s.n. (syn-: BM!, BR!, K000859914!, L!, M-0265487!, P06809338!, P06811038!, W1886���1595!); ibid., Nambo, 1865, S. Tschonoski s.n. (syn-: K0000859913!, P06811037!); ibid., in sylvis frondosis circa lacum Konoma (syn-: not localized); cult. in Arnold Arboretum from seeds sent from Japan by H. Mayr (syn-: not localized). ��� Note: the name O. japonica Sarg. was only accepted by the author in the 1896 publication. Before, Sargent (1893, 1894) initially expressed certainty on the distinctness ���In the forests of Yezo I felt no doubt of its specific distinctness [���] all, things considered, it is, perhaps, best to consider the Japanese tree as specifically distinct���. However, just in the next sentence, he weakened his opinion stating ���Only after it has been grown here during many years side by side with the American species will it be possible to reach any opinion on this subject worthy of much consideration. If it proves to be distinct it should bear the name of Ostrya Japonica ���. According to Art. 36.1. b (McNeill et al. 2012), the two early publications (Sargent 1893, 1894) cannot be considered as a valid publication of O. japonica. In 1896, however, Sargent accepted the Japanese collections as fully distinct and formalized the name. O. carpinifolia f. japonica Schelle, Handbuch der Laubholzbenennung: 49 (Beissner et al. 1903) nom. nud. O. liana Hu, Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 11: 49 (Hu 1930). ��� Type: China, Chihli, eastern tomb, 15 Sep. 1929, C.F. Li timber no. 3 [field no. 3, Herbarium number 15] (lecto-, designated here: PE00021986!; isolecto-: A00033788!). O. japonica var. homochaeta Honda, The Botanical Magazine [Tokyo] 47: 433 (Honda 1933). ��� Type: Japan, Honshu, Nikko, prov. Shimotsuke, 1889, M. Shirai s.n. (holo-: TI). ��� Additional type material: ibid., 1931, H. Itoo s.n. (para-: not localized); ibid., prov. Bicchu, Takahashi, 1915, G. Koidzumi s.n. (para-: not localized); ibid., Hokkaido, in monte Moiwa, circ. Sapporo, 1893 G. Yamada (para-: not localized); South Korea, [Seogwipo,] in monte Hallaisan, ins. Saishuutoo, 1917, E.J. Taquet 4439 (para-: E00388817); ibid., [Jeju,] ins. Saishuto [Jeju-do, Quelpaert], 1917, T. Nakai 4905 (para-: not localized); ibid., [Haenam], in monte Daikoji, prov. Zenra-nandoo, 1921, T. Nakai 9384 (para-: not localized). O. virginica var. japonica Sarg., Garden and Forest 6: 383 (Sargent 1893) nom. nud. ��� Note: Sargent wrote that Maximowicz (1881a) had named the Japanese Ostrya collections as var. japonica, but there is no such name mentioned in the cited Maximowicz paper., Published as part of Holstein, Norbert & Weigend, Maximilian, 2017, No taxon left behind? - a critical taxonomic checklist of Carpinus and Ostrya (Coryloideae, Betulaceae), pp. 1-52 in European Journal of Taxonomy 375 on pages 34-35, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.375, http://zenodo.org/record/3838542, {"references":["Sargent C. S. 1896. The Silva of North America. Vol. 9. Houghton, Mifflin and Company, Boston and New York. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 14668","Schneider C. K. 1904. Illustriertes Handbuch der Laubholzkunde. Vol. 1. Gustav Fischer, Jena. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 194","Sargent C. S. 1893. Notes on the Forest Flora of Japan. - XXI. Garden and Forest 6: 383 - 385.","Sargent C. S. 1894. Forest flora of Japan. Houghton, Mifflin and Company, Boston and New York. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 18184","McNeill J., Barrie F. R., Buck W. R., Demoulin V., Greuter W., Hawksworth D. L., Herendeen P. S., Knapp S., Marhold K., Prado J., Prud'homme van Reine W. F., Smith G. F., Wiersema J. H. & Turland N. J. 2012. International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code). Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein.","Beissner L., Schelle E. & Zabel H. 1903. Handbuch der Laubholzbenennung. Paul Parey, Berlin. Available from: https: // archive. org / details / Laubholzbenennung 1903 [accessed: 1 Jul. 2015].","Hu H. H. 1930. Notulae systematicae ad floram sinensem. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 11: 48 - 50.","Honda M. 1933. Nuntia ad Floram Japoniae XXI. The Botanical Magazine [Tokyo] 47: 433 - 437.","Maximowicz C. J. 1881 a. Diagnoses plantarum novarum asiaticarum IV. Melanges biologiques tires du Bulletin de l'Academie imperiale des sciences de St. Petersbourg 11: 155 - 350."]}

4. Ostrya knowltonii Coville Garden and Forest 7: 114 (Coville 1894). ��� O. carpinifolia f. knowltonii (Coville) Schelle, Handbuch der Laubholzbenennung: 49 (Beissner et al. 1903). ��� Type: USA, Arizona, Yavapai Co., Grand Canon of the Colorado River, 10 Jul. 1892, J.W. Toumey 272 (holo-: US 00130392!; iso-: A00263686!). O. baileyi Rose, Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 8 (4): 293 (Rose 1905). ��� Type: USA, Texas, Guadalupe Mountains, 19 Aug. 1901, V. Bailey 435 (holo-: US 00089317!). O. chisosensis Correll, Wrightia 3 (7): 128 (Correll 1965). ��� O. knowltonii subsp. chisosensis (Correll) A.E.Murray, Kalmia 12: 22 (Murray 1982). ��� O. knowltonii var. chisosensis (Correll) A.E.Murray, Kalmia 13: 10 (Murray 1983). ��� Ostrya virginiana var. chisosensis (Correll) Henrickson ex A.M.Powell, Trees and Shrubs of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas: 75 (Powell 1998). ��� Type: USA, Texas, Brewster Co., Chisos Mts, Big Bend NP, base of north-facing ledges, Emory Peak, 17 Jun. 1964, D.S. Correll 29733 (holo-: LL00370396!; iso-: C10009751!, GH00033786!, LL00370395!, MEXU00122440!, MEXU00711117!, MICH1192171!, NCU00000363!, TEX, US 00089316!). ��� Additional type material: USA, Texas, high shady crevice in rock bluff, near Nail place, Chisos Mts., 21 Aug. 1915, M.S. Young s.n. (para-: SRSC3716!, TEX00378112); ibid., north of Crown Mt, Chisos Mts, 1 Jul. 1937, B.H. Warnock 21633 (para-: SRSC3715!, SRSC3721!, TEX00378110); ibid., igneous soil on Emory-Boot trail, Big Bend NP, Chisos Mts, 7500 ft, 8 Jun. 1952, B.H. Warnock 10478 (para-: LL00378111, SRSC3718!); ibid., along a trail from Boot Spring and Basin, Chisos Mts, north side of emory Peak, Big Bend NP, 15 Jul. 1955, B.H. Warnock 12726 (para-: LL00378109, SRSC3714!). ��� Note: Ostrya chisosensis was recognized in Flora of North America (Furlow 1997). However, its taxonomic status has been challenged recently (McCauley & Paces 2015)., Published as part of Holstein, Norbert & Weigend, Maximilian, 2017, No taxon left behind? - a critical taxonomic checklist of Carpinus and Ostrya (Coryloideae, Betulaceae), pp. 1-52 in European Journal of Taxonomy 375 on page 35, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.375, http://zenodo.org/record/3838542, {"references":["Coville F. V. 1894. New or little-known plants. Ostrya knowltonii, a new species of hop hornbeams. Garden and Forest 7: 114 - 115.","Beissner L., Schelle E. & Zabel H. 1903. Handbuch der Laubholzbenennung. Paul Parey, Berlin. Available from: https: // archive. org / details / Laubholzbenennung 1903 [accessed: 1 Jul. 2015].","Rose J. N. 1905. Studies of Mexican and Central American plants-No. 4. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 8 (4): 281 - 339.","Correll D. S. 1965. Some additions and corrections to the flora of Texas. Wrightia 3 (7): 126 - 140.","Murray A. E. 1982. Notae Spermatophytae. Kalmia 12: 18 - 27.","Murray A. E. 1983. Notae Spermatophytae. No. 2. Kalmia 13: 3 - 11.","Powell A. M. 1998. Trees and Shrubs of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas.","Furlow J. J. 1997. Betulaceae. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.) Flora of North America: North of Mexico. Vol. 3. Oxford University Press, New York.","McCauley R. A. & Paces M. N. 2015. A preliminary analysis of phylogeography and species diversification of Ostrya (Betulaceae) in the southwestern US and Mexico. Published abstracts, Botany 2015. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada."]}

5. Ostrya rehderiana Chun Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 8 (1): 29 (Chun 1927). ��� Type: China, Tien Moh Shan, 400 m a.s.l., fairly common in open woods, 2 Oct. 1925, R.C. Ching 3385 (lecto-, designated here: A00033790!; isolecto-: N, US 00089314!)., Published as part of Holstein, Norbert & Weigend, Maximilian, 2017, No taxon left behind? - a critical taxonomic checklist of Carpinus and Ostrya (Coryloideae, Betulaceae), pp. 1-52 in European Journal of Taxonomy 375 on page 35, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.375, http://zenodo.org/record/3838542, {"references":["Chun W. Y. 1927. New species and new combinations of Chinese plants. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 8 (1): 19 - 22."]}

Ostrya Scop. Flora Carniolica: 414 (Scopoli 1760) nom. cons. ��� Type: Ostrya carpinifolia Scop. ��� Note: the name was conserved against Ostrya J.Hill (Hill 1757: 513) [���1756���], which is a publication of a superfluous name for Carpinus L., Published as part of Holstein, Norbert & Weigend, Maximilian, 2017, No taxon left behind? - a critical taxonomic checklist of Carpinus and Ostrya (Coryloideae, Betulaceae), pp. 1-52 in European Journal of Taxonomy 375 on page 33, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.375, http://zenodo.org/record/3838542, {"references":["Scopoli J. A. 1760. Flora Carniolica. Johann Thomas Trattner, Vienna. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 6681","Hill J. 1757 [\" 1756 \"]. The British Herbal. London."]}

1. Ostrya carpinifolia Scop. Flora Carniolica ed. 2, 2: 244 (Scopoli 1772). ��� O. carpinifolia var. genuina Fliche, Bulletin de la Soci��t�� botanique de France 35: 166 (Fliche 1888) nom. inval. (although not explicitly cited but in context including the type, see Art. 24.3, McNeill et al. 2012). ��� O. italica subsp. carpinifolia (Scop.) H.J.P.Winkl., Das Pflanzenreich IV 61 (Heft 19): 22 (Winkler 1904). ��� Carpinus ostrya L., Species Plantarum: 998 (Linnaeus 1753) p.p. ��� Original citation: ��� Italia, Virginia.��� ��� Type: s. loc., s. coll. (lecto-, designated by Iamonico & Reveal (2012: 866): LINN! ex herb. Linn. no. 1131.4). ��� Additional original material: S.d. (BM000647418! ex herb. Clifford 447, Carpinus 2). O. vulgaris Willd., Species Plantarum ed. 4, 4 (1): 469 (Willdenow 1805) nom. illegit. superfl. ��� Note: Willdenow cites O. carpinifolia as synonym, so his name is superfluous. O. italica P.Micheli ex Spach, Annales des sciences naturelles, Botanique ser. 2 16: 246 (Spach 1841b) nom. illegit. superfl. ��� O. italica Scop., Flora Carniolica: 414 (Scopoli 1760) nom. inval. (polynomen), pro syn. ��� Carpinus italica Steud., Nomenclator Botanicus ed. 2, 1: 300 (Steudel 1841) nom. inval. pro syn. ��� O. ostrya var. italica (P.Micheli ex Spach) C.K.Schneid., Illustriertes Handbuch der Laubholzkunde 1: 143 (Schneider 1904) nom. inval. (tautonym). ��� Note: Ostrya italica Scop. is rather a misinterpretation as Scopoli discusses only genera and as he did not adopt Linnaeus��� binomials in this work. Scopoli���s name might better be read as polynomial ��� Ostrya Italica, Carpini folio liongiore &? breviore.��� that he took from Micheli (1729: 223) as one of the names used for the genus Ostrya. Spach accepted O. italica in 1841, but he cited O. carpinifolia in synonymy. One year later, Spach refers to the species as O. vulgaris Willd. Steudel refers to an unpublished name, or used by Scopoli, ��� Carpinus italica ��� (or mistaken by Steudel) as a synonym of O. vulgaris. O. cylindrica Friv., A���Magyar Tud��s T��rsas��g ��vk��nyvei 3 (3): 163 (Frivaldszky von Frivald 1837) nom. nud. ��� Note: the name also appears on a specimen (WU!) from Macedonia. O. carpinifolia var. alpestris Ces., Saggio su la Geografia botanica e su la Flora della Lombardia: 61 (Cesati 1844). ��� Type: not localized (RO?). ��� Note: There is a specimen by Cesati from Varenna, Lombardy, Italy (P06751764!). It was annotated by him as ��� Ostrya carpinifolia �� collina mihi ���. Eventually, Cesati changed his mind about the epithet upon publication of his new variety. O. ladelcii Sanguin., Flora Romanae Prodromus Alter: 818 (Sanguinetti 1864). ��� Original citation: ���In sylvaticis Latii, Frascati, Albano.��� ��� Type: not localized (RO?). O. carpinifolia var. corsica Fliche, Bulletin de la Soci��t�� botanique de France 35: 166 (Fliche 1888). ��� Type: France, Corsica, for��t communale de Pietrosa, May 1885, P. Fliche s.n. (syn-: not localized). France, Corsica, for��t de Tova, May 1885, P. Fliche s.n. (syn-: not localized); ibid., for��t de Bavella, Mathieu s.n. (syn-: not localized); ibid., plateau de Nebbio, Mathieu s.n. (syn-: not localized). O. carpinifolia var. lanceolata Kem. -Nath., Trudy Tbilisskogo Botaniceskogo Instituta 2: 131 (Kemularia- Nathadze 1937). ��� Type: Georgia, prov. Kutais, distr. Letschchum, fauces fl. Ladjanura loc. Orpiri, prope pag. Atscharis-chidi ad rupes calcareas, 22 May 1929, L.M. Kemularia-Nathadze s.n. (syn-: not localized); ibid., 19 Oct. 1932, L.M. Kemularia-Nathadze s.n. (syn-: not localized)., Published as part of Holstein, Norbert & Weigend, Maximilian, 2017, No taxon left behind? - a critical taxonomic checklist of Carpinus and Ostrya (Coryloideae, Betulaceae), pp. 1-52 in European Journal of Taxonomy 375 on pages 33-34, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.375, http://zenodo.org/record/3838542, {"references":["Scopoli J. A. 1772. Flora Carniolica ed. 2. Vol. 2. Johann Paulus Krauss, Vienna.","Fliche P. 1888. Sur les formes du genre Ostrya. Bulletin de la Societe botanique de France 35: 160 - 172.","McNeill J., Barrie F. R., Buck W. R., Demoulin V., Greuter W., Hawksworth D. L., Herendeen P. S., Knapp S., Marhold K., Prado J., Prud'homme van Reine W. F., Smith G. F., Wiersema J. H. & Turland N. J. 2012. International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code). Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein.","Winkler H. J. P. 1904. Betulaceae. In: Engler H. G. A. (ed.) Das Pflanzenreich IV 61 (Heft 19). Wilhelm Engelmann, Berlin.","Linnaeus C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 669","Iamonico D. & Reveal J. L. 2012. Lectotypification of the Linnean name Carpinus ostrya L. (Betulaceae). Taxon 61 (4): 866.","Willdenow C. L. 1805. Species Plantarum ed. 4. Vol. 4 (1). G. C. Nauk, Berlin. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 727","Spach E. 1841 b. Notes sur les Ostrya. Annales des sciences naturelles, Botanique ser. 2 16: 243 - 248.","Scopoli J. A. 1760. Flora Carniolica. Johann Thomas Trattner, Vienna. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 6681","Steudel E. G. von. 1841. Nomenclator Botanicus ed. 2. Vol. 1. J. G. Cotta, Tubingen. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 655","Schneider C. K. 1904. Illustriertes Handbuch der Laubholzkunde. Vol. 1. Gustav Fischer, Jena. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 194","Micheli P. A. 1729. Nova plantarum genera. Bernardo Paperini, Florence. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 49380","Frivaldszky von Frivald E. 1837. Balkany videki termeszettudomanyi utazas [Natural history journey taken in Balkan region]. A'Magyar Tudos Tarsasag Evkonyvei 3 (3): 156 - 184. Available from: http: // opacplus. bsb-muenchen. de / title / 7526457 / ft / bsb 10500528? page = 638 [accessed: 1 Jul. 2015].","Cesati V. 1844. Saggio su la Geografia Botanica e su la Flora della Lombardia. Tipografia Bernardoni, Milano. Available from: https: // books. google. de / books? id = Hc 4 ZAAAAYAAJ [accessed: 25 Nov. 2017].","Sanguinetti P. 1864. Flora Romanae Prodromus Alter. Rome. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 9982"]}

8. Ostrya yunnanensis W.K.Hu Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica 17 (1): 87 (Li 1979b). ��� Type: China, Yunnan, Lu-chuan Hsien, in thin forest, 2600 m a.s.l., 5 Dec. 1938, P.Y. Mao [Mao Pin-yi] 1935 (lecto-, designated here: PE00021988!; isolecto-: KUN446238, KUN446239, PE00734260!, PE00734261!)., Published as part of Holstein, Norbert & Weigend, Maximilian, 2017, No taxon left behind? - a critical taxonomic checklist of Carpinus and Ostrya (Coryloideae, Betulaceae), pp. 1-52 in European Journal of Taxonomy 375 on page 37, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.375, http://zenodo.org/record/3838542, {"references":["Li P. C. 1979 b. New taxa of Betulaceae from China. Acta Phytotaxonomica Sinica 17 (1): 87 - 91."]}

7a. Ostrya virginiana (Mill.) K.Koch subsp. virginiana Carpinus virginica M��nchh., Der Hausvater 5 (1): 120 (M��nchhausen 1770) orth. var. ��� O. carpinifolia var. virginica (M��nchh.) Fliche, Bulletin de la Soci��t�� botanique de France 35: 166 (Fliche 1888). ��� Note: M��nchhausen misspelled the name given by Miller. Carpinus triflora Moench, Methodus: 694 (Moench 1794). ��� Type: not localized. ��� Note: the protologue does not state any locality, and Moench���s herbarium is destroyed (Stafleu & Cowan 1976 ���1988). O. americana F.Michx., Histoire des Arbres Forestiers de l���Am��rique Septentrionale 3 (1): 54 (Michaux 1812) nom. inval. ��� Associated material: A Canada ad Carolinam montosam, s. coll., s.n. (P06810885!). ��� Note: while Michaux briefly mentions an ��� Ostrya americana ���, he apparently does not consider it to be a species different from ��� Carpinus ostrya ��� (Ostrya carpinifolia). The name is not mentioned in the index either, so the name is rather to be interpreted as meaning the plants from America. The associated material by Michaux also suggests that. O. virginica var. eglandulosa Spach, Annales des sciences naturelles, Botanique ser. 2 16: 246 (Spach 1841b). ��� Type: Cult. at Trianon Garden, 1833, s. coll., s.n. (lecto-, designated here: P06811525!). ��� Note: the specimen designated as lectotype here bears a note by Spach as author ���Nob.��� after the name. O. virginica var. glandulosa Spach, Annales des sciences naturelles, Botanique ser. 2 16: 246 (Spach 1841b). ��� O. virginiana var. glandulosa (Spach) Sarg., Botanical Gazette 67: 216 (Sargent 1919). ��� O. virginiana f. glandulosa (Spach) J.F.Macbr., Publications of the Field Museum of Natural History, botanical series 4 (7): 192 (MacBride 1929). ��� Type: Cult. at h. P. [hortus Parisiensis], 1833, s. coll., s.n. (lecto-, designated here: P06809319!). ��� Note: the specimen designated as lectotype here bears a note by Spach as author ���Nob.��� after the name. O. ostrya (L.) MacMill., The Metaspermae of the Minnesota Valley: 287 (MacMillan 1892) nom. inval. (tautonym), p.p. ��� Note: MacMillan referred only to the Virginian part of Linnaeus��� Carpinus ostrya L., but he produced a tautonym, which is not valid according to Art. 23.4 of the ICN (McNeill et al. 2012). O. virginiana var. lasia Fernald, Rhodora 38: 414 (Fernald 1936). ��� O. virginiana subsp. lasia (Fernald) A.E.Murray, Kalmia 12: 22 (Murray 1982). ��� Type: USA, Florida, Columbia Co., Lake City, 11���19 Jul. 1895, G.V. Nash 2158 (holo-: GH00033787!; iso-: E00870598!, K!, P06810598!, P06810607!, US 00089313!, WU!). ��� Additional type material: USA, Virginia, Henrico Co., Richmond, 5 May 1894, J.R. Churchill s.n. (para-: not localized); ibid., Princess Anne Co., rich dry woods, Little Neck, M.L. Fernald et al. 4627 (para-: not localized); ibid., Norfolk Co., dry rich woods, east of Gertie, M.L. Fernald et al. 4628 (para-: not localized)., Published as part of Holstein, Norbert & Weigend, Maximilian, 2017, No taxon left behind? - a critical taxonomic checklist of Carpinus and Ostrya (Coryloideae, Betulaceae), pp. 1-52 in European Journal of Taxonomy 375 on page 36, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.375, http://zenodo.org/record/3838542, {"references":["Munchhausen O. von 1770. Der Hausvater. Vol. 5 (1). Verlag Seel. Nic. Forsters und Sohns Erben Hof- Buchhandlung, Hanover. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 13511","Fliche P. 1888. Sur les formes du genre Ostrya. Bulletin de la Societe botanique de France 35: 160 - 172.","Moench C. 1794. Methodus. Officina nova libraria academiae, Marburg. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 304","Stafleu F. A. & Cowan R. S. 1976 - 1988. Taxonomic literature II. Bohn, Scheltema et Holkeman, Dr. W. Junk b. v., Publishers, Utrecht, Antwerpen, The Hague, Netherlands, Boston, USA.","Michaux F. - A. 1812. Histoire des Arbres Forestiers de l'Amerique Septentrionale. Vol. 3 (1). Imprimerie de L. Haussmann et d'Hautel, Paris.","Spach E. 1841 b. Notes sur les Ostrya. Annales des sciences naturelles, Botanique ser. 2 16: 243 - 248.","Sargent C. S. 1919. Notes on North American trees. IV. Botanical Gazette 67: 208 - 242.","MacBride J. F. 1929. Variants of Ostrya and a Texas Tephrosia. Publications of the Field Museum of Natural History, Botanical Series 4 (7): 192 - 193.","MacMillan C. 1892. The Metaspermae of the Minnesota Valley. Minneapolis. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 10852","McNeill J., Barrie F. R., Buck W. R., Demoulin V., Greuter W., Hawksworth D. L., Herendeen P. S., Knapp S., Marhold K., Prado J., Prud'homme van Reine W. F., Smith G. F., Wiersema J. H. & Turland N. J. 2012. International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code). Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein.","Fernald M. L. 1936. Plants from the outer coastal plain of Virginia. Rhodora 38: 414 - 452.","Murray A. E. 1982. Notae Spermatophytae. Kalmia 12: 18 - 27."]}

Hornbeams (Carpinus) and hop-hornbeams (Ostrya) are trees or large shrubs from the northern hemisphere. Currently, 43 species of Carpinus (58 taxa including subdivisions) and 8 species of Ostrya (9 taxa including sudivisions) are recognized. These are based on 175 (plus 16 Latin basionyms of cultivars) and 21 legitimate basionyms, respectively. We present an updated checklist with publication details and type information for all accepted names and the vast majority of synonyms of Carpinus and Ostrya, including the designation of 54 lectotypes and two neotypes. Cultivars are listed if validly described under the rules of the ICN. Furthermore, we consider Carpinus hwai Hu & W.C.Cheng to be a synonym of Carpinus fargesiana var. ovalifolia (H.J.P.Winkl.) Holstein & Weigend comb. nov. During the course of our work, we found 30 legitimate basionyms of non-cultivars that have been consistently overlooked since their original descriptions, when compared with the latest checklists and floristic treatments. As regional floras are highly important for taxonomic practice, we investigated the number of overlooked names and found that 78 basionyms were omitted at least once in the eight regional treatments surveyed. More seriously, we found 4 basionyms of accepted species being overlooked in a major floristic treatment.

A palynological study was performed on a 2 m thick sediment sequence recovered from Mire Kupena (1356 m), a former lake in the Western Rhodopes Mountains (south Bulgaria) and supported by radiocarbon dating. The record extends back to ca. 30,000 cal. yrs. BP (Middle Pleniglacial) when the study area was occupied by wooded steppe composed of Pinus sp., Pinus peuce , some Betula , Juniperus , and cold-tolerant herb vegetation dominated by Artemisia and Chenopodiaceae. In addition, the almost continuous presence of deciduous Quercus , Tilia , Corylus , Abies , Picea , Fagus , Alnus , and Carpinus betulus pollen suggests interstadial conditions and this area could be recognized as a montane refugial place. A reconstruction of the interval between ca. 24,000 and 15,000 cal. yrs. BP was not possible due to an extremely low sediment accumulation rates or, more likely, a hiatus. The lateglacial landscape was dominated by mountain-herb steppe vegetation with isolated stands of Pinus , Betula and shrubland of Juniperus . The afforestation in the Early Holocene started with broad-leaved forests composed of Quercus with C. betulus , Carpinus orientalis / Ostrya , Ulmus , Tilia and Corylus and minor amounts of Pinus , Betula and Abies . In the Late Holocene ( Fagus began to gain importance chiefly at the expense of the mixed oak forests, while after ca. 2000 cal. yrs. BP forests of Pinus sylvestris with some P . peuce quickly expanded around the mire. A comparison with other long palynological records from the mountains and lowlands of Bulgaria and in northern Greece reveals not only common trends in the vegetation development that are a reflection of the climate changes, but also site-specific features related to the location and topography of each site.

Ostrya spp. and Carpinus spp. pollen was in vitro exposed to three atmospheric pollutants: CO, O3 and SO2. Two levels of each pollutant were used, and the first level corresponds to a concentration about the atmospheric hour-limit value acceptable for human health protection in Europe and the second level to about the triple of the first level. Experiments were done under artificial solar light with temperature and relative humidity controlled. The viability of the exposed pollen samples showed a significant decrease. Also, the germination percentage showed a significant decrease in both exposed pollens, and the effect was most pronounced for SO2, followed by O3 and CO. A general decreasing trend in the total soluble protein content of the exposed pollen samples when compared with the control was observed, but it was only statistically significant for the Ostrya spp pollen. The results showed marked effects were observed on the Ostrya spp. and Carpinus spp. pollen when exposed to air pollutant levels that can be considered safe for human health protection.

Betulaceae, with 120–150 species in six genera, are a family of Fagales that occurs mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. Previous studies of the evolution of Alnus, Betula, Carpinus, Corylus, Ostrya and Ostryopsis have relied on a relatively small number of sequence data and molecular clocks with fixed-point calibrations. We exploited GenBank to construct Betulaceae matrices of up to 900 sequence accessions and 9300 nucleotides of nuclear and plastid DNA; we also computed species consensus sequences to build 46- and 29-species matrices that strike a balance between species sampling and nucleotide sampling. Trees were rooted on Ticodendraceae and Casuarinaceae, and divergence times were inferred under relaxed and strict molecular clocks, using alternative fossil constraints. The data support the traditional two subfamilies, Betuloideae (Alnus, Betula) and Coryloideae, and show that Ostryopsis is sister to Ostrya/Carpinus. The fossil record and molecular clocks calibrated with alternating fossils indicate that the stem lineage of Betulaceae dates back to the Upper Cretaceous, the two subfamilies to the Palaeocene and the most recent common ancestors of each of the living genera to the mid- to late Miocene. A substitution rate shift in Coryloideae between 25 and 15 Mya preceded the mid-Miocene climatic optimum and may be linked to temperate niches that became available following the mid-Miocene. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 172, 465–477.

In connection to an archaeological project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, charcoal fragments from several geomorphological profiles were analysed, due to the lack of other archives for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. The major aim of the presented study was to systematically test the suitability of the documented colluvial and alluvial layers for charcoal analysis. The profiles uncover main phases of sedimentation of Drina Valley Holocene alluvial sedimentation and for the first time provide anthracological data from the area, giving initial insight into the vegetation of the catchment areas and into dynamics of the Drina. For the late Holocene, the presence of several genera in the catchment areas of the investigated profiles was documented. The most important genera are Quercus and Ostrya/Carpinus type, Fagus, Acer and Pinus are also present. Light-demanding genera such as Corylus and the Maloideae group indicate human activities. Alluvial elements such as Ulmus, Fraxinus and Alnus are present. A major advantage of this investigation is the distinction of catchment areas for alluvial and colluvial layers by the means of charcoal analysis. This interdisciplinary cooperation of botanists, geoscientists and archaeologists yields new information about a rarely investigated region of southeastern Europe, and thus improves understanding of natural processes and human impact.

Pollen analysis of Middle Pleistocene sediments from the Yangtze Delta Plain provides a paleoecological reconstruction and has implications for stratigraphic correlation in East China. The pollen assemblage is characterized by high values of Fagus (16.8% on average), which is unusual because Fagus is generally present only sporadically in other lowland Quaternary pollen records from the region. In addition to Fagus , the assemblage has a rich diversity of broad-leaved deciduous trees, including Quercus , Ulmus , Carpinus/Ostrya , Juglans , Betula , and Liquidambar , as well as conifers, including Pinus , Picea , Abies , Larix , and Tsuga . Thus, the pollen flora suggests a broad-leaved deciduous forest mixed with abundant conifers, which developed under cooler and more humid conditions than present. The stable pollen sequence throughout the studied section suggests a stable environment. Beech forests also characterize the Middle Pleistocene of Taiwan and Japan, and thus may be a stratigraphic indicator of the Middle Pleistocene in East Asia. The Yangtze Delta Plain may have been an important refugium for the last survival of Fagus in the lowlands.

Knowledge about vegetation dynamics during the last glacial and deglacial periods in southeastern North America is under-constrained owing to low site density and problematic chronologies. New pollen records from two classic sites, Anderson Pond, TN, and Jackson Pond, KY, supported by AMS14C age models, span 25.2–13.7 ka and 31.0–15.4 ka, respectively. A transition fromPinusdominance toPiceadominance is recorded at Jackson Pond ca. 26.2 ka, ~ coincident with Heinrich Event H2. Anderson and Jackson Ponds record a transition from conifer to deciduous-tree dominance ~ 15.9 and 15.4 ka, respectively, marking the development of no-analog vegetation characterized by moderate to high abundances ofPicea,Quercus,Carya,Ulmus,Fraxinus,Ostrya/Carpinus, Cyperaceae, and Poaceae, and preceding by ~ 2000 yr the advent of similar no-analog vegetation in glaciated terrain to the north. No-analog vegetation developed as a time-transgressive, south-to-north pattern, mediated by climatic warming.Sporormiellaabundances are consistently low throughout the Jackson and Anderson Pond records, suggesting that megafaunal abundances and effects on vegetation varied regionally or possibly that theSporormiellasignal was not well-expressed at these sites. Additional records with well-constrained chronologies are necessary to assess patterns and mechanisms of vegetation dynamics during the last glacial and deglacial periods.

The aim of the study is to report a reliable airborne pollen spectrum composition and seasonal timings for the monitored area as a basis for allergy management and to ascertain possible modifications through the detection of trends during the 20-year time series (1989–2008). Pollen was collected at San Michele all’Adige (Trento, Italy) by means of a Hirst-type spore trap. Sampling and counting of airborne pollen grains were carried out according to a national standard. Pollen concentration data for the period were processed in order to characterize the main pollen seasons for a subset of taxa, selected on the basis of their allergenicity and local representativeness. Variations in the pollen data over the years surveyed were analyzed using non-parametric tests. The results showed the presence of 63 pollen taxa, 40 of which belonged to tree and shrub species and 23 to herbaceous species. The local pollen spectrum was characterized by the presence of highly allergenic taxa, such as Urticaceae, Graminaceae, Ostrya sp., and Cupressaceae, in terms of percentage contribution as well as mean daily pollen count or peak values over the years surveyed. A significant upward trend was observed for daily mean pollen amount, mainly due to pollen from woody species and probably ascribable to a temperature-driven increase in pollen production. Evaluation of the results presented will form the basis of further research focussed on the climate change-related causes of modifications to vegetational dynamics as well as on the phenology of flowering and on pollen production.

Pollen-based paleoclimatic interpretations of late-glacial to early Holocene climates (17–9 ka) in Midwestern North America are hampered by samples that lack modern analogues. Unresolved questions include the magnitude and direction of temperature seasonality (i.e. were these climates more or less seasonal than present) and the temporal changes in precipitation. Central to the no-analogue problem is the truncation of modern pollen-climate relationships for abundant late-glacial taxa such as Fraxinus. Here we present a new method called the expanded response-surface (ERS) method, developed to reconstruct climates from no-analogue pollen assemblages and applied to a high-resolution late-glacial pollen record from Crystal Lake, Illinois to test hypotheses about late-glacial climates. The key assumptions central to the ERS method are: (1) plant species and pollen abundances follow symmetrical unimodal distributions along climatic gradients, (2) taxa with truncated distributions in modern climate space occupy a subset of their fundamental niche, and (3) expansion of truncated distributions by mirroring around the distributional mode recovers the portion of the fundamental niche not realized in the modern climate space. With the ERS method, we expanded modern pollen-climate relationships by mirroring pollen abundances for each taxon around a mode defined with respect to four climate axes (mean winter temperature, mean summer temperature, mean winter precipitation, and mean summer precipitation). The ERS method reconstructed past temperatures and precipitation during the height of no-analogue conditions (14 160–12 370 cal yr BP) for 37% of the Crystal Lake samples where techniques that employed only modern observational data found matches for only 13% of the fossil samples. The total climate space of the expanded taxa set allowed analogue matches under more seasonal-than-present climates with higher-than-present precipitation. The ERS climate reconstructions for the height of no-analogue conditions indicated cooler-than-present summer and winter temperatures, similar-to-present seasonal range in temperatures, higher-than-present winter precipitation, and similar-to-present summer precipitation. These results thus suggest that high moisture availability helped drive the formation of the Midwestern no-analogue communities with high Fraxinus nigra abundances, but do not show higher-than-present temperature seasonality notwithstanding the higher-than-present insolation seasonality at this time. During the no-analogue late-glacial interval, Picea mariana, F. nigra, and Larix stands probably grew on low-lying, poorly drained soils in the Crystal Lake region; whereas Abies, Picea glauca, Quercus, and Ostrya/Carpinus grew on upland positions with better soil drainage.

The vegetation and fire history of few coastal sites has been investigated in the Mediterranean region so far. We present the first paleoecological reconstruction from coastal Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. We analysed pollen and charcoal in the sediments of Biviere di Gela, a lake (lagoon) on the south coast of Sicily. Our data suggest that the area became afforested after a marine transgression at ca. 7200 cal b.p. (5250 b.c.). Build-up of forest and shrublands took ca. 200–300 years, mainly with the deciduous trees Quercus, Ostrya and Fraxinus. Juniperus expanded ca. 6900 cal b.p. (4950 b.c.), but declined again 6600 cal b.p. (4650 b.c.). Afterwards, evergreen trees (Q. ilex-type and Olea) became dominant in the forest and Pistacia shrublands were established. Forest and shrubland reached a maximum ca. 7000–5000 cal b.p. (5050–3050 b.c.); subsequently forest declined in response to human impact, which was probably exacerbated by a general trend towards a more arid climate. During the Neolithic, fire was used to open the landscape, significantly reducing several arboreal taxa (Q. ilex, Fraxinus, Juniperus) and promoting herbs and shrubs (Achillea, Cichorioideae, Brassicaceae, Ephedra). Final forest disruption occurred around 2600 cal b.p. (650 b.c.) with the onset of the historically documented Greek colonization. We conclude that the open maquis and garrigue vegetation of today is primarily the consequence of intensive land-use over millennia. Under natural or near-natural conditions arboreal taxa such as Q. ilex, Olea and Pistacia would be far more important than they are today, even under the hot and rather dry coastal conditions of southern Sicily.

Phylogenetic studies were conducted for 35 populations of the subfamily Coryloideae (Betulaceae) based on waxy gene of nuclear DNA and atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer region of chloroplast DNA. Waxy data analysis suggest that Coryloideae is monophyletic; Corylus is monophyletic and basally branching within the subfamily Coryloideae; Ostryopsis is sister to the Carpinus and Ostrya clade, and the Ostrya is monophyletic (BS=86, PP=99). AtpB-rbcL intergenic spacer region analysis shows that Ostryopsis appeared as the most basal clade within the Coryloideae; Corylus is monophyletic(BS=98, PP=100) and placed between Carpinus-Ostrya and Ostryopsis clade; Carpinus and Ostrya formed a clade with a high support value(BS=100, PP=100). Carpinus sect. Carpinus is monophyletic, whereas sect. Distegocarpus is paraphyletic in the waxy tree. Corylus formed two subclades, but discordance at the infrageneric classification based on morphological characters. In the atpB-rbcL tree, Carpinus and Corylus taxa form a polytomy within the each clade. Results from the two data sets differ mainly in the relative position of Ostryopsis, the monophyly of Ostrya, and the relationships within the Carpinus-Ostrya clade. Further studies are needed for clarify the taxonomic position and the generic limitation.

Species of the abbotii and erythrogaster groups of Nematus Panzer are revised. The abbotii group includes N. abbotii (Kirby), N. laticulus (Noton), and N. tertius, n. sp. The erythrogaster group includes N. carpini (Marlatt), N. corylus Cresson, N. erythrogaster Norton, N. hamamelis, n. sp., and N. latifasciatus Cresson. Pteronus dyari Marlatt, 1896, is a new synonym of Nematus latifasciatus Cresson, 1880. The species are described, illustrated, and keyed. All occur in eastern North America with two species extending west to Alberta and British Columbia. Host plants are species of Alnus, Betula, Carpinus, Corylus, Ostrya (Corylaceae), Hamamelis (Hamamelidaceae), and Robinia (Fabaceae).

Phylogenetic studies were conducted for Carpinus and the subfamily Coryloideae (Betulaceae) using sequences of the chloroplast matK gene, the trnL-trnF region (trnL intron, and trnL [UAA] 3' exon-trnF [GAA] intergenic spacer) and the psbA-trnH intergenic spacer, and the nuclear ribosomal ITS regions. The combined analyses of the three chloroplast regions suggest that Coryloideae is monophyletic; Ostryopsis is sister to the Carpinus - Ostrya clade; Corylus is monophyletic and sister to the Ostrya - Carpinus - Ostryopsis clade; Ostrya is paraphyletic; and within Carpinus, species of sect. Carpinus from eastern Asia form a monophyletic group, whereas the positions of C. betulus from Europe and C. caroliniana from eastern North America are unresolved within the Carpinus clade. The cpDNA tree generated in this study is largely congruent with the previously published ITS results, but the ITS tree places Carpinus sect. Distegocarpus as sister to the Ostrya - Carpinus sect. Carpinus clade. Future work is needed to examine the relationships within the Ostrya - Carpinus clade, evaluate the generic status of Ostrya, and test the phylogenetic position of Ostryopsis.

A summary pollen diagram and old cartographic materials were used to reconstruct the recent vegetation history and trends of temporal dynamics of the North Adriatic Karst grasslands. Before the Roman period some evidence about grassland vegetation exists from Neolithic settlements, but deforestation, detectable on the landscape level because of pollen, started 2500-2000 years BP. A large-scale anthropogenically-driven process of clearance started in the Roman period as is reflected in the increasing pollen of grasses (Poaceae) and other herbaceous species (Apiaceae). The presence of pioneer trees (Quercus, Ostrya), juniper and grasses during 1000-400 years BP suggests that cycling processes of cultivation (strong grazing pressure), abandonment and re-cultivation were present. A 250-year-old map shows a peak of probable deforestation, where grasslands have 3.2 times larger surface area than on a recent land-use map in a 665.8 km2 large pilot area. More than 60% of grasslands changed into forest since then. On a sub-plot area of 626 ha (1% of the pilot area), where habitat mappings were performed, only 12.8% were still grasslands without tall herb invasions or scrub encroachments. Another 27.1% were grasslands with early signs of reforestation. The traditionally open landscape of the North Adriatic Karst was able to recover to forest due to almost total abandonment and sufficient mesic climate conditions.

Patterns of seedling recruitment may have persistent effects on population and community processes. Assuming seed availability is not limiting, the environmental sieve (i.e., the suite of factors influencing seed germination and seedling emergence and survival) determines how many seedlings establish and, most importantly, where they do so. In this study, we identify the spatial structure of some resources and abiotic conditions known to be significant for tree seedling emergence and survival and determine how these environmental factors influence the establishment of Fagus grandifolia, Acer saccharum, Fraxinus americana, and Ostrya virginiana in a deciduous forest of southern Quebec (Canada). We expect an increase from Fagus, through Acer and Fraxinus, to Ostrya in the control of environmental variables on seedling emergence and survival, because of differences in the seed size of these species. Density of newly-emerged seedlings of all four species showed positive spatial autocorrelation at distances of up to ca. 10 m. Environmental variables were also structured at the same spatial scale, except for soil moisture. Acer seedling emergence pattern was positively correlated to photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), and the pattern of Fraxinus to soil N and moisture. Seedling survival was not spatially autocorrelated for any of the four species, although it was positively density-dependent in Acer and Fagus. In only Ostrya was seedling survival correlated (positively) to one of the environmental variables studied, i.e., PPFD. Overall, environmental variables were spatially less heterogeneous than seedling emergence and survival. Either seed availability was not saturating or factors not considered here, such as competition and predation (the intensity of which often varies with resources and/or abiotic conditions), modified the influence that the physical environment had on patterns of seedling establishment. Our prediction of a greater environmental control on seedling emergence and survival in small-seed species was not totally confirmed.

A palynological investigation of a Holocene profile from Lake Voulkaria, western Greece, was carried out as a contribution to the environmental history of the coastal area of northwestern Acarnania and the Classical city of Palairos. It shows that deciduous oaks dominated the natural vegetation of the area throughout the Holocene. Until ca. 7000 B.C. Pistacia occurred abundantly, while other evergreen woody taxa were rare. At ca. 6300 B.C. an expansion of Carpinus orientalis/Ostrya can be observed. Around ca. 5300 B.C. spreading of Erica indicates a change to a drier climate and/or first human impact. Since ca. 3500 B.C. an increase of evergreen shrubs now clearly indicates land-use. The foundation of the Classical city of Palairos led to a temporary expansion of Phillyrea maquis. Within this period, molluscs of brackish water indicate the use of the lake as a harbour after the construction of a connection to the sea. The deciduous Quercus woodland recovered when human impact decreased in the area, and lasted until modern times.

In Early Pontian deposits from Batoţi (Mehedinţi county) has been described a macroflora formed, until now, of 35 taxa, many other being in course of determination. By this paper the floristic epitome is filled with other 10 taxa: Pinus sp. binae, Magnolia sp. aff. M. acuminata Linné, Sassafras subtriloba (Konno) Tanai et Onoe, Ostrya sp. aff. O. virginiana (Miller) C. Koch, Castanea gigas (Goepp.) Iljinsk., Quercus cf. meuhlenbergii Engelmann, Juglans acuminata Al. Braun, Acer tricuspidatum Bronn, A. cf. campestre L. and Berchemia multinervis (Al. Br.) Heer. The stage of knowledge of the Pontian flora from Batoţi contains 45 taxa. Trough the listed taxa the degree of confidence of the paleoecologycal and paleophytocenotical rendering grows.