In a new taxonomic account of Ranunculus section Batrachium 30 species are recognized. We present a key to the species based on morphological characters of diagnostic value. Taxonomic descriptions including information on chromosome counts, geographic range and ecological preferences are provided. For all species synonyms are listed, allowing access to the relevant taxonomic and floristic literature including taxonomic databases worldwide. Information on types and type localities is provided wherever possible. Reported and confirmed hybrids are listed and assigned to their putative parental species. Infraspecific categories such as subspecies and varieties are not recognized. Unresolved taxonomic problems are discussed for each species and for the section as a whole.

Aims To create a comprehensive, consistent and unequivocal phytosociological classification of European marsh vegetation of the class Phragmito‐Magnocaricetea. Location Europe. Methods We applied the Cocktail method to a European data set of 249,800 vegetation plots. We identified the main purposes and attributes on which to base the classification, defined assignment rules for vegetation plots, and prepared formal definitions for all the associations, alliances and orders of the class Phragmito‐Magnocaricetea using formal logic. Each formula consists of the combination of “functional species groups”, cover values of individual species, and in the case of high‐rank syntaxa also of “discriminating species groups” created using the Group Improvement (GRIMP) method. Results The European Phragmito‐Magnocaricetea vegetation was classified into 92 associations grouped in 11 alliances and six orders. New syntaxa (previously invalidly published according to the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature) were introduced: Bolboschoeno maritimi‐Schoenoplection tabernaemontani, Glycerio maximae‐Sietum latifolii, Glycerio notatae‐Veronicetum beccabungae, Schoenoplectetum corymbosi and Thelypterido palustris‐Caricetum elongatae. Based on a critical revision, some other syntaxa were rejected or excluded from the class Phragmito‐Magnocaricetea. Conclusions This work provides the first consistent classification of the class Phragmito‐Magnocaricetea at the European scale, which is an important tool for nature conservation. Our classification largely respects previously existing concepts of syntaxa, but it also proposes modifications to the recently published EuroVegChecklist. This work also provides a protocol that can be used for extending the current classification to new syntaxa and geographical regions.

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WetVegEurope is a research project (http://www.sci.muni.cz/botany/vegsci/wetveg) whose goal is to provide a synthesized formalized classification of the aquatic and marsh vegetation across Europe at the level of phytosociological associations. In order to achieve the project objective, a WetVegEurope database has been created (GIVD ID: EU-00-020, http://www.givd.info/ID/EU-00-020), which currently contains 375,212 vegetation plots of aquatic, marsh and wet vegetation types from 33 European countries. The WetVegEurope database includes datasets from pre-existing national and thematic databases and also 10,616 plots previously not digitalized or even unpublished. This database offers an extensive source of data for future studies on aquatic and marsh plant species and vegetation types at the European scale.

The paper presents new records for 39 vascular plant species from eight Eurasian countries. Aniselytron treutleri (Poaceae), Hackelochloa granularis (Poaceae), Melica kozlovii (Poaceae) and Melica nutans (Poaceae) are reported from China; Dichondra micrantha (Convolvulaceae) from Hungary; Orobanche serbica (Orobanchaceae) and Viscum album subsp. austriacum (Santalaceae) from Italy; Petrorhagia prolifera (Caryophyllaceae), Puccinellia schischkinii and Stipa pulcherrima (Poaceae) from Kyrgyzstan; Megadenia speluncarum (Brassicaceae), Phelipanche lavandulacea (Orobanchaceae), Solanum physalifolium (Solanaceae), Thymus lenensis (Lamiaceae) from Russia; Rubus phoenicolasius (Rosaceae) from Slovakia; Atraphaxis karataviensis (Polygonaceae) from Tajikistan; as well as Rubus austroslovacus and R. crispomarginatus

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The taxa of Ranunculus section Batrachium (Ranunculaceae) have been variably and unsatisfactorily treated in North Europe. Since the description of Ranunculus schmalhausenii (Batrachium dichotomum), probably the most common species in the area, its taxonomic status and identity have been unclear and differently implied. In the majority of treatments, individuals of R. schmalhausenii were ascribed to R. peltatus but sometimes also to the other morphologically similar, heterophyllous taxa. Based on detailed morphological study combined with geographical, ecological and biological evaluation the separate species status of this taxon was finally evidenced. The additive ITS polymorphism pattern of R. schmalhausenii confirmed its hybridogenous origin, however identification of the parental species was impeded by the heterogeneous character of the polymorphism detected. Genetic variation expressed by R. schmalhausenii samples may provide evidence of its multiple origin and suggests sexual reproduction of the taxon. Analysis of a sequence variation of two noncoding cpDNA regions, namely psbE-petL and rpl32-trnL, showed that individuals of R. schmalhausenii inherited cpDNA from two lineages of Batrachium, indicating that this taxon was created at least in two separate hybridization events. Ranunculus schmalhausenii may have originated from sexual ancestral species as multiple created hybrids which have been stabilized by polyploidisation. Genetic structure of R. schmalhausenii is somehow similar to also hybridogenous R. penicillatus. In this study, a detailed morphological, geographical, ecological, and biological description of R. schmalhausenii was presented and the differences between this species and similar taxa were outlined. The name was lectotypified and its synonymy was provided. In contrast to many other heterophyllous species of Ranunculus section Batrachium, R. schmalhausenii occurs mainly in young, postglacial landscapes of Fennoscandia, prefering deep and clear waters with current or wave action and a hard bottom, which perfectly corresponds with a relict, postglacial nature of the species. The species probably presents an example of rapid hybrid speciation (less than 10 000 years) in postglacial environment of North Europe and may be considered as endemic to Fennoscandia. Moreover, R. schmalhausenii, as a weak competitor and pollution sensitive taxon, can be regarded as an indicator of clean waters. Phylogenetic relations within section Batrachium indicates convergent evolution of some species and two cases of possible cpDNA capture.

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