New insights into evolutionary trends in the economically important oat tribe (Aveneae) are presented. Plastid trnT-F and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences were used to reconstruct the phylogeny of the Aveneae-Poeae-Seslerieae complex (Pooideae, Poaceae) through Bayesian- and maximum parsimony-based analyses, separately and in combination. The plastid data identified a strongly supported core Aveneae lineage that separated from other former Aveneae and Poeae groups. Koeleriinae, Aveninae, and Agrostidinae emerged as the main groups of this core Aveneae, which also included other minor subgroups with uncertain relationships and a few former Poeae members. Several former Aveneae representatives were also placed in independent sublineages in Poeae. Seslerieae resolved as close allies of Poeae or Aveneae in the plastid and nuclear topologies, respectively. Because of the intermingling of some Aveneae and Seslerieae lineages in Poeae and vice versa, we propose to expand Poeae to include all the aforementioned lineages. This best reflects our current understanding of the phylogeny of these important temperate grasses and sheds light on their evolutionary history.

No abstract

Sir-The popularity of the Science Citation Index (SCI) as a measure of 'good' science is damaging basic taxonomic work, without which the study of biodiversity would not be possible. Basic taxonomic work is not highly cited, except in 'hot' taxa like the genus Homo. The number of authors citing a paper during the short period of time (ten years) that the SCI uses for its statistics is relatively low. But taxonomy papers continue to be referred to and cited for more than a century after their publication. Almost every good taxonomic paper becomes a classic in the literature. High-quality basic taxonomic workthe description of new taxa and revision of older ones-is expensive and timeconsuming. Many of the most interesting finds are from 'exotic' locations, requiring travelling, sampling, preparing, sending back collections, writing descriptions, illustrating and so on. The resulting papers are rated low in the SCI, even when published in high-quality specialist journals, and are unlikely to impress managers or funding agencies. So a paradox arises: concern for biodiversity goes together with a dismissal of the foundation of any biodiversity work, which is the proper description of taxa. If there is reluctance to fund this kind of work because of low citations, and with fewer journals available to publish their findings, the most basic research in biodiversity is doomed to disappear, as is already happening.

Summary Brummitt, R. K., Castroviejo, S., Chikuni, A. C., Orchard A. E., Smith, G. F. & Wagner, W. L.: The Species Plantarum Project, an international collaborative initiative for higher plant taxonomy. – Taxon 50: 1217–1230. 2001. – ISSN 0040–0262. Basic understanding of the higher plant resources of the world for the successful management of biodiversity requires international collaboration and the setting up of a global taxonomic database. Botanists at all levels should be involved in the taxonomic work, and biologists and conservationists need to be actively aware of the need for such work on a global basis. The database must include census, descriptive, and identification aspects. At present, existing available information is haphazardly distributed on library shelves and inadequately organised. Published data on threatened species have been shown to be hopelessly inaccurate. National and regional Floras may often portray a false perspective of the plants they include. The world's botanists have to organise themselves to pool their information, and substantial international funding is needed to support this. The Species Plantarum Project, set up in 1995 under the International Organisation for Plant Information affiliated to the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), aims to overcome “the taxonomic impediment”, and is currently seeking appropriate funding. It responds to the priorities highlighted in the work programme being developed under the Global Taxonomy Initiative of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The project has an international Steering Committee representing all regions of the world, and aims to develop a further network of collaborators. Publication of data will be in both hard copy and electronic form. Instructions to contributors and accounts of five relatively small families have already been published in hard copy, and accounts of two further families totalling nearly 1000 species are in press. Future plans emphasise the need for capacity building in floristic work throughout the world. The project now invites the collaboration of taxonomists throughout the community, but the future of the project is dependent on funding being made available.

No abstract

LUCERO, M. & CASTROVIEJO, S., 1993. Cytotaxonomic studies in the sections Spirostachyae (Dreyer) Bdey and Ceratocystis Dumort. of the genus Carex L. (Cyperaceoe), with special reference to the Iberian and North African tarn. Karyological studies were carried out on Iberian and North African populations of all species included in sections Spirosfacbae and Ceratocysfis of the genus Carex, with observations made on meiotic divisions in one to seven individuals per population. In the light of the karyological data we present hypotheses of the most probable phylogeny of the section Spirostachyae, and of the relationships of the sections Spirostachyae, Ceratocystis and Elatae. Carex laevigata and C. camposii are transferred from section Elatae to section Spirostachyae.

No abstract

LUCEÑO, M. & CASTROVIEJO, S., 1993. Cytotaxonomic studies in the sections Spirostachyae (Dreyer) Bailey and Ceratocystis Dumort of the genus Carex L. (Cyperaceae), with special reference to the Iberian and North African taxa. Karyological studies were carried out on Iberian and North African populations of all species included in sections Spirostachyae and Ceratocystis of the genus Carex, with observations made on meiotic divisions in one to seven individuals per population. In the light of the karyological data we present hypotheses of the most probable phylogeny of the section Spirostachyae, and of the relationships of the sections Spirostachyae, Ceratocystis and Elatae. Carex laevigata and C. camposii are transferred from section Elatae to section Spirostachyae.