Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects.We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives. Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP) and DIVERSITAS, the TRY database (TRY-not an acronym, rather a statement of sentiment; https ://www.try-db.org; Kattge et al., 2011) was proposed with the explicit assignment to improve the availability and accessibility of plant trait data for ecology and earth system sciences. The Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (MPI-BGC) offered to host the database and the different groups joined forces for this community-driven program. Two factors were key to the success of TRY: the support and trust of leaders in the field of functional plant ecology submitting large databases and the long-term funding by the Max Planck Society, the MPI-BGC and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, which has enabled the continuous development of the TRY database.

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Somatic chromosome numbers of 28 Korean native species in the buttercup family are observed and analyzed. The plants include 10 genera with seven endemic taxa to the Korean peninsula, and most of them are the first reports from Korean populations. In particular, the chromosome numbers for the two taxa are reported for the first time: Clematis fusca var. coreana (H. Lév) Nakai (2n = 16) and Thalictrum aquilegiifolium var. sibiricum Regel & Tiling (2n = 42). The Ranunculus type chromosomes (R-type, c.3-12 μm long) are found in Megaleranthis, Actaea, Cimicifuga, Anemone, Clematis, Hepatica, and Ranunculus, whereas Aquilegia and Ranunculus have the Thalictrum type chromosomes (T-type, c.1-1.5 μm long). The two types of chromosomes in Ranunculus, one of the species-rich genera in the family (c.600 species worldwide), suggest that chromosomal differentiation plays an important role in species diversification in the genus. Evaluation of cytogenetic features in a phylogenetic frame is suggested for a better understanding of the evolutionary history of the family.

A new species, Paraphlomis koreana S.C.Ko et G.Y.Chung, from Korea is described and illustrated. The species is similar to P. albida Hand.-Mazz. in general vegetative characters and white corollas, but the new species is distinguished by its smaller stature, equally toothed 10-veined calyces, and pink-spotted lower corolla lips. P. koreana S.C.Ko et G.Y.Chung has been only found in Bogil-do Island, a small island in the Southern Ocean of Korea, and is the first species described from the genus in Korea.