Impact of the climatic changes in the Pliocene-Pleistocene transition on Irano-Turanian species. The radiation of genus Jurinea (Compositae).

The Irano-Turanian region is one of the world's richest floristic regions and the centre of diversity for numerous xerophytic plant lineages. However, we still have limited knowledge on the timing of evolution and biogeographic history of its flora, and potential drivers of diversification remain underexplored. To fill this knowledge gap, we focus on the Eurasian genus Jurinea (ca. 200 species), one of the largest plant radiations that diversified in the region. We applied a macroevolutionary integrative approach to explicitly test diversification hypotheses and investigate the relative roles of geography vs. ecology and niche conservatism vs. niche lability in speciation processes. To do so, we gathered a sample comprising 77% of total genus richness and obtained data about (1) its phylogenetic history, recovering 502 nuclear loci sequences; (2) growth forms; (3) ecological niche, compiling data of 21 variables for more than 2500 occurrences; and (4) paleoclimatic conditions, to estimate climatic stability. Our results revealed that climate was a key factor in the evolutionary dynamics of Jurinea. The main diversification and biogeographic events that occurred during past climate changes, which led to colder and drier conditions, are the following: (1) the origin of the genus (10.7 Ma); (2) long-distance dispersals from the Iranian Plateau to adjacent regions (∼7-4 Ma); and (3) the diversification shift during Pliocene-Pleistocene Transition (ca. 3 Ma), when net diversification rate almost doubled. Our results supported the pre-adaptation hypothesis, i.e., the evolutionary success of Jurinea was linked to the retention of the ancestral niche adapted to aridity. Interestingly, the paleoclimatic analyses revealed that in the Iranian Plateau long-term climatic stability favoured old-lineage persistence, resulting in current high species richness of semi-arid and cold adapted clades; whereas moderate climate oscillations stimulated allopatric diversification in the lineages distributed in the Circumboreal region. In contrast, growth form lability and high niche disparity among closely related species in the Central Asian clade suggest adaptive radiation to mountain habitats. In sum, the radiation of Jurinea is the result of both adaptive and non-adaptive processes influenced by climatic, orogenic and ecological factors.

Nuclear and plastid DNA phylogeny of tribe Cardueae (Compositae) with Hyb-Seq data: A new subtribal classification and a temporal diversification framework.

Classification of tribe Cardueae in natural subtribes has always been a challenge due to the lack of support of some critical branches in previous phylogenies based on traditional Sanger markers. With the aim to propose a new subtribal delimitation, we applied a Hyb-Seq approach to a set of 76 Cardueae species representing all subtribes and informal groups defined in the tribe, targeting 1061 nuclear conserved orthology loci (COS) designed for Compositae and obtaining chloroplast coding regions as by-product of off-target reads. For the extraction of the target nuclear data, we used two strategies, PHYLUCE and HybPiper, and 776 and 1055 COS loci were recovered with each of them, respectively. Additionally, 87 chloroplast genes were assembled and annotated. With three datasets, phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed using both concatenation and coalescent approaches. Phylogenetic analyses of the nuclear datasets fully resolved virtually all nodes with very high support. Nuclear and plastid tree topologies are mostly congruent with a very limited number of incongruent nodes. Based on the well-solved phylogenies obtained, we propose a new taxonomic scheme of 12 monophyletic and morphologically consistent subtribes: Carlininae, Cardopatiinae, Echinopsinae, Dipterocominae (new), Xerantheminae (new), Berardiinae (new), Staehelininae (new), Onopordinae (new), Carduinae (redelimited), Arctiinae (new), Saussureinae (new), and Centaureinae. In addition, we further updated the temporal framework for origin and diversification of these subtribes. Our results highlight the power of Hyb-Seq over Sanger sequencing of a few DNA markers in solving phylogenetic relationships of traditionally difficult groups.

The Taxonomic Circumscription and Nomenclatural History of Pilosella suecica (Asteraceae): A Special Case of Grey Literature in Taxonomic Botany.

The taxonomic history, nomenclature and application of the oldest species names available for the common hybrids between Pilosella caespitosa and P. lactucella are reviewed. Elias Fries created a nomenclatural and bibliographical collision when he replaced a printed label of his exsiccata Herbarium normale with its second version, distributed at a later date, in which the protologue of Hieracium suecicum had appeared. In this protologue, the new species name was validly published with a mere reference to the original description of H. auricula var. majus, thus being based on the type of the latter. In a later fascicle of the same exsiccata, Fries excluded this synonym and distributed a different morphotype of H. suecicum, which caused taxonomic confusion and re-description of the same taxon under the name H. fennicum. The surviving original material of H. auricula var. majus is rejected, and its neotype is designated, making H. suecicum the correct name for the hybrids strictly intermediate between P. lactucella and P. caespitosa. Such hybrids constitute the most common hybridogenous taxon of Pilosella in Scandinavia, Finland and neighbouring Russia, with many synonyms described from this area and partly typified here. Another hybridogenous taxon of the same origin, more similar to P. lactucella and previously known as P. cochlearis, is correctly named P. stipitiflora comb. nov. The nomenclatural value and bibliographic complexity of exsiccata, a commonly underestimated kind of grey literature in taxonomic botany, are further highlighted.

Alien Plants of Kyrgyzstan: The First Complete Inventory, Distributions and Main Patterns.

The first inventory of casual and naturalised alien plants of Kyrgyzstan is based on an overview of published data, which were re-assessed and re-evaluated using modern standards. Altogether, 151 alien species were registered in the country, of which nearly 40% became naturalised. The total number of alien plant species and the proportion of casual aliens are relatively low due to the harsh climatic conditions (high aridity and continentality) and predominantly high elevations. The highest number of alien plant species in Kyrgyzstan originated from the Mediterranean, which can be explained by some common climatic features between this area and Central Asia, but half of the ten most harmful aliens originated from the Americas. The intensity of plant invasions was the greatest during the period of the Russian Empire and the USSR, and this rapid accumulation of alien plants continues in independent Kyrgyzstan. The uneven distribution of alien plants in Kyrgyzstan is explained by different elevations and climatic conditions across its regions, as well as by the concentration of agricultural activities and human population along warm lowland depressions. More research is required to uncover pathways and particular times of introduction and to produce detailed distribution maps.

Atlas Florae Europaeae notes, 34. Distributions and two conservation profiles of East European species of the Cytisusratisbonensis group (Fabaceae).

Background: The Cytisusratisbonensis group (Fabaceae) includes small shrubs with attractive yellow flowers, used in ornamental cultivation. It is widely distributed in southern forest, forest steppe and steppe zones of Eastern Europe, both in the lowlands and low mountains. This group is notorious for its taxonomic complexity and difficulties in identification, which accounted for incongruent taxonomic treatments and common identification errors, and resulted in a poor understanding of the distribution areas. The increasing availability of herbarium collections and accumulation of human observations through digital resources require their critical taxonomic revision and update in order to provide reliable data for plant species mapping, conservation and analysis of distribution areas. New information: This paper describes a distributional dataset of East European species of the Cytisusratisbonensis group, which was prepared for the pan-European grid mapping project, Atlas Florae Europaeae. The taxonomic revision includes seven species and two interspecific hybrids and is based on the critical evaluation of diagnostic characters, nomenclature and synonymy. The territorial scope of this study is Eastern Europe, but it also includes some data from Central Europe, the Caucasus and the neighbouring territories of Siberia and Kazakhstan, which are included in order to trace eastern and south-eastern limits of the species distributions and to establish reliable synonymy. We report 3699 native occurrence records included in the dataset; these records are based on major herbarium collections which are known to hold specimens from Eastern Europe (DNZ, KRA, KRAM, KW, LE, LW, LWKS, MHA, MSK, MSKH, MSKU, MW), complemented by selected specimens from other herbaria (BUNS, CSAU, H, NNSU, NS, NSK, OXF, PVB, RWBG, TUL). The herbarium collections were examined largely de visu, but partly online. Besides the herbarium specimens, recognisable photographs documenting human observations on online platforms (florafauna.by, iNaturalist, Plantarium, UkrBIN) were also examined and included. All specimen records are accompanied with textual data and georeferences, which were produced for this dataset. Point and contour distribution maps are created for each accepted species. According to the distributional data, the Cytisusratisbonensis group may be classified as temperate lowland and steppic in Eastern Europe. Among European endemic shrubs, C.cinereus (as C.paczoskii) was assessed in 2017 as Near Threatened, whereas its new IUCN protection status is proposed as Least Concern because the new data demonstrated that its distribution area is much greater than previously believed. A species restricted to the Crimea, C.wulffii, is assessed here for the first time as Vulnerable because of its restricted area and small population size (criteria D1,2).

Atlas Florae Europaeae notes, 35. Further critical notes on Cytisussect.Tubocytisus (Fabaceae) in Europe.

A few species names in Cytisussect.Tubocytisus are re-assessed and taxonomically evaluated. Diagnostic characters are discussed and the species status of C.absinthioides Janka, C.eriocarpus Boiss., C.frivaldszkyanus Degen, C.jankae Velen. and C.smyrnaeus Boiss. is confirmed. The holotype of Cytisustriflorus Lam. was found to belong to C.hirsutus L. rather than to the C.ratisbonensis group as currently treated. Cytisuslasiosemius Boiss. is not the correct name for C.frivaldszkyanus Degen, but another synonym of C.hirsutus. Cytisuslitwinowii V.I.Krecz., which was known solely from the holotype, is a synonym of C.austriacus L. s.str. Chamaecytisuspseudojankae Pifkó & Barina, reported from a small area shared between Albania, Greece and North Macedonia, is treated as a subalpine variant of C.austriacus. Cytisustmoleus Boiss. is removed from the synonymy of C.eriocarpus and added to the synonymy of C.pygmaeus Willd. Cytisusfalcatussubsp.albanicus Degen & Dörfl. and C.pubescens Gilib. are synonymised with C.hirsutus. Cytisusmicrophyllus Boiss. is moved from C.austriacus s.l. to the synonymy of C.frivaldszkyanus, and C.pindicola (Degen) Halácsy to the synonymy of C.jankae. Chamaecytisuscalcareus (Velen.) Kuzmanov is accepted as Cytisuscalcareus (Velen.) Sennikov & Val.N.Tikhom., comb. nov., and its distribution is circumscribed. Cytisushirsutusvar.ciliatus (Wahlenb.) Hazsl. and C.polytrichusvar.subglabratus Val.N.Tikhom. & Sennikov, var. nov. are recognised as glabrous variants of the corresponding species. Lectotypes of C.ciliatus, C.hirsutissimus K.Koch, C.jankae, C.lasiosemius, C.pubescens, C.rhodopeus J.Wagner ex Bornm. and C.thirkeanus K.Koch are designated. Cytisuspolytrichus is reported from the Western Caucasus in place of C.wulffii auct.

Atlas Florae Europaeae notes, 33. Taxonomic synopsis of East European species of the Cytisusratisbonensis group (Fabaceae).

A group of species of Cytisussect.Tubocytisus with strictly lateral inflorescences, commonly referred to as C.ratisbonensis s.l., is critically revised in Eastern Europe on the basis of morphology and comprehensive treatment of herbarium specimens and observations. Seven species and two presumed hybrids are recognised. Complete accounts are provided for each species, with synonyms, typifications, brief morphological descriptions, data on ecology and distributions, taxonomic and nomenclatural annotations. Cytisuspolonicus is described as new to science, separated from C.ratisbonensis on the basis of morphology and diploid (vs. tetraploid) chromosome count. The lectotype of C.elongatus is superseded and a new lectotype is designated; this name has priority for the species previously known as C.triflorus. Six species names are newly placed to the synonymy: Chamaecytisuspineticola under Cytisusruthenicus s. str., and Cytisusczerniaevii, C.leucotrichus, C.lindemannii, C.ponomarjovii and Chamaecytisuskorabensis under Cytisuselongatus. The presumed hybrid between C.ruthenicus and C.elongatus, which was incorrectly known as C.czerniaevii, is described here as C.semerenkoanus. Cytisuslithuanicus, which has been an obscure name since its original publication, is resurrected for a newly-recognised octoploid species, which is endemic to eastern Poland, western Belarus and north-western Ukraine. The name C.cinereus is re-instated for the species previously known as C.paczoskii, and C.horniflorus is added to its synonymy; its complete distribution area is circumscribed, and its occurrence in Austria, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia is documented. Cytisuskreczetoviczii and C.elongatus are reported for the first time from Belarus, and the latter species also from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Slovenia. Cytisusborysthenicus and C.elongatus are reported as new to some territories in European Russia. Cytisusratisbonensis s. str. is treated as absent from Eastern Europe. The neglected protologue of C.ruthenicus is discovered, and the nomenclature of all other names is verified and corrected when necessary. The original material of C.borysthenicus is re-discovered. Five further lectotypes and one neotype are designated. Distribution areas are circumscribed on the basis of numerous herbarium collections and documented observations, identified or verified by the authors. Chromosome counts published for nameless taxa from Belarus, Ukraine and Russia are assigned to the species according to their herbarium vouchers: C.borysthenicus, C.kreczetoviczii and C.lithuanicus are octoploid (2n = 100), C.ruthenicus is tetraploid (2n = 50) and octoploid (2n = 100), and C.semerenkoanus and C.elongatus are tetraploid (2n = 50).

Taxonomic inventory and distributions of Chenopodiaceae (Amaranthaceae s.l.) in Orenburg Region, Russia.

Background: Orenburg Region is located in the South Urals, mostly in the steppe zone and is characterised by various landscapes suitable for many Chenopodiaceae. The species of Chenopodiaceae are present in all major plant communities (saline vegetation, steppes, on limestone, chalk and sand, and as degraded or ruderal communities). In the steppe zone, many native subshrubby species (Atriplexcana, Caroxylonlaricinum, Suaedaphysophora) playing a crucial role in semi-deserts (known as southern steppes in the recent Russian literature) located southwards of Orenburg Region are locally found, and several annuals (Salicorniaperennans, Suaeda spp.) are most common dominants in plant communities. Some typical semi-desert species (Kalidiumfoliatum, Bassiahyssopifolia, Sodafoliosa, Spirobassiahirsuta) are found in the easternmost part of the region. New information: We compiled a checklist of Chenopodiaceae in Orenburg Region, with two new records (Chenopodiumvirgatum, Corispermumlaxiflorum), based on our critical revision, comprehensive inventory of herbarium specimens and documented observations and field research. In total, we report 76 species in the Region, which is the third-highest number of the Chenopodiaceae species compared with other administrative territories of European Russia, North Caucasus and West Siberia. Alien and native taxa are distinguished. Zonal patterns of species distributions are confirmed. A preliminary conservation status is proposed for each native species. Three species are recommended for exclusion from the Red Data Book of Orenburg Region: Petrosimoniatriandra (because of its extensive distribution), Kalidiumfoliatum and Anabasissalsa (because of the lack of actual threat to their populations). Arthrophytumlehmannianum and Salsolarosacea are considered threatened (Vulnerable) because of their restricted occurrence and population size and because their localities are under anthropogenic pressure. Atriplexhortensis, Atriplexrosea, Chenopodiumacuminatum, C.karoi, C.praetericola, C.vulvaria, Climacopteraaffinis, C.crassa, Halimocnemiskarelinii, Salsolapaulsenii and Xylosalsolaarbuscula are excluded from the checklist, based on various reasons as discussed in the paper. Point distribution maps are provided for each species. Agriophyllumpungens (Vahl) Link is accepted as the correct authorship instead of "M.Bieb. ex C.A.Mey."

Kazakhstan Has an Unexpected Diversity of Medicinal Plants of the Genus Acorus (Acoraceae) and Could Be a Cradle of the Triploid Species A. calamus.

The Acorus calamus group, or sweet flag, includes important medicinal plants and is classified into three species: A. americanus (diploid), A. verus (tetraploid), and A. calamus (sterile triploid of hybrid origin). Members of the group are famous as components of traditional Indian medicine, and early researchers suggested the origin of the sweet flag in tropical Asia. Subsequent research led to an idea of the origin of the triploid A. calamus in the Amur River basin in temperate Asia, because this was the only region where both diploids and tetraploids were known to co-occur and be capable of sexual reproduction. Contrary to this hypothesis, triploids are currently very rare in the Amur basin. Here, we provide the first evidence that all three species occur in Kazakhstan. The new records extend earlier data on the range of A. verus for c. 1800 km. Along the valley of the Irtysh River in Kazakhstan and the adjacent Omsk Oblast of Russia, A. verus is recorded in the south, A. americanus in the north, and A. calamus is common in between. We propose the Irtysh River valley as another candidate for a cradle of the triploid species A. calamus. It is possible that the range of at least one parent species (A. americanus) has contracted through competition with its triploid derivative species, for which the Irtysh River floods provide a tool for downstream range expansion. We refine our earlier data and show that the two parent species have non-overlapping ranges of variation in a quantitative metric of leaf aerenchyma structure.

Taxonomic revision of the Erigeronacris group (Asteraceae) in Murmansk Region, Russia, reveals a complex pattern of native and alien taxa.

Based on the evidence of morphology and a comprehensive revision of herbarium collections and field records, the taxonomy of the Erigeronacris group in Murmansk Region, European Russia, is completely revised. Its accepted diversity is increased from 2 to 8 taxa, including putative hybrids. The only native species, E.politus, is distributed in mountainous regions, along sea coasts and in the Kutsa River basin. Five species are alien: E.rigidus (previously confused with E.acris s.str.), E.acris s.str. (first recorded in the narrow taxonomic definition), E.brachycephalus (previously unrecorded), E.droebachiensis and E.uralensis (previously reported in error). Two major waves of the introduction of alien taxa are discovered, with different occurrences and species compositions. Regional and local dispersal by pomors (historical Russian settlers) occurred during their colonisation and traditional activities since the 12th century (archaeophytes or early neophytes); such alien taxa (E.rigidus, E.brachycephalus, and partly E.acris) are particularly common within the territory traditionally settled by Russian colonists but also found elsewhere along historical trade routes. Other alien species of the E.acris group (E.droebachiensis, E.uralensis, and partly E.acris and E.brachycephalus) colonised industrial areas in the 1960s-1990s as seed contaminants introduced during revegetation of slag dumps, stockyards, dams and channels. Putative hybrids between E.politus (native), E.rigidus and E.acris (aliens) are found in the places of co-occurrence. Updated nomenclature, synonymy and descriptions are provided for all accepted taxa.

Taxonomy and nomenclature of Abutilonalbidum (Malvaceae, Malvoideae), a cryptic Saharo-Canarian species recently rediscovered in Tenerife.

Abutilonalbidum, a cryptic Saharo-Canarian species, was thought to have been last collected in 1945 in Tenerife by E.R. Sventenius. In 2019, it was rediscovered in the same area. The characteristic features of the Canarian plants are discussed, especially in relation to the morphologically similar-looking and probably closely-related species Abutilonindicum and A.bidentatum. It is concluded that the plants from Tenerife and north-western Africa indeed represent a distinct species. The species is illustrated and a key for the identification of this and related species is presented.

A new species of Atriplex (Amaranthaceae) from the Indian subcontinent.

A new subshrubby C4-species from the lowlands and foothills of India, Pakistan and SE Afghanistan, Atriplexpseudotatarica, is described and illustrated. Previously, it was incorrectly identified as A.crassifolia auct. non C.A.Mey. belonging to a distant C3-group of the genus. A phylogenetic analysis based on nrITS and nrETS revealed its position as sister to A.schugnanica (sect. Obionopsis). Both species share aphyllous inflorescence and smooth bract-like cover, but differ in life form, leaves, seed colour, and geographical distribution. We revised native Indian Atriplex species and excluded some of them from the flora of the country. An improved checklist of the native Atriplex species in India with their corrected synonymy and nomenclature is given, and a new diagnostic key is provided.

Evolutionary imbalance, climate and human history jointly shape the global biogeography of alien plants.

Human activities are causing global biotic redistribution, translocating species and providing them with opportunities to establish populations beyond their native ranges. Species originating from certain global regions, however, are disproportionately represented among naturalized aliens. The evolutionary imbalance hypothesis posits that differences in absolute fitness among biogeographic divisions determine outcomes when biotas mix. Here, we compile data from native and alien distributions for nearly the entire global seed plant flora and find that biogeographic conditions predicted to drive evolutionary imbalance act alongside climate and anthropogenic factors to shape flows of successful aliens among regional biotas. Successful aliens tend to originate from large, biodiverse regions that support abundant populations and where species evolve against a diverse backdrop of competitors and enemies. We also reveal that these same native distribution characteristics are shared among the plants that humans select for cultivation and economic use. In addition to influencing species' innate potentials as invaders, we therefore suggest that evolutionary imbalance shapes plants' relationships with humans, impacting which species are translocated beyond their native distributions.

Species conservation profile and revision of Salviakorolkowii (Lamiaceae, Lamiales), a narrow endemic of the Western Tian-Shan.

Background: Salviakorolkowii (Lamiaceae) has been considered a species of highest conservation priority due to its narrow distribution and isolated taxonomic position. The species has been known from Uzbekistan and, questionably, Kyrgyzstan and treated as endemic to the Western Tian-Shan. Its modern conservation status according to the IUCN Criteria has not been established. New information: The taxonomic position of Salviakorolkowii is evaluated; the species is treated as the sole member of S.sect.Odontochilus (Pobed.) Sennikov, comb. nov. because of its morphological differences and phylogenetic isolation. The herbarium collections are completely revised and the species is proven to occur mainly in Uzbekistan with a single locality (new country record) in Kazakhstan; its former report from Kyrgyzstan (one locality) is confirmed and documented by herbarium specimens. The species occurrences are mapped and its conservation status is assessed as Vulnerable due to the restricted size and continuous decline of its populations because of the ongoing degradation and destruction of its primary habitat (variegated outcrops) at lower elevations. This study highlights the importance of a thorough revision of herbarium collections in Central Asia for conservation purposes.

The first checklist of alien vascular plants of Kyrgyzstan, with new records and critical evaluation of earlier data. Contribution 2.

Background: We continue the inventory of alien vascular plants of Kyrgyzstan, with emphasis on the time and pathways of introduction of the species and their current status in the territory. Each taxon is discussed in the context of plant invasions in Central Asia. This work is a further development of the preliminary checklist of alien plants of Kyrgyzstan, which was compiled for the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species in 2018. New information: This contribution includes all alien species of Kyrgyzstan belonging to Solanaceae and Asphodelaceae and one species of Asteraceae. Physalisphiladelphicus (syn. P.ixocarpa) is reported for the first time from Central Asia, as new to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, thus marking a recent invasion with a variety of imported grain and seed material. The old records of P.ixocarpa from Uzbekistan are based on misidentified specimens of P.angulata. Physalisangulata is an old cotton immigrant in Central Asia, whose invasion started in the 1920s; it is excluded from the alien flora of Kyrgyzstan as registered in error on the basis of cultivated plants. Alkekengiofficinarum is an archaeophyte of the Neolithic period in Central Asia, formerly used for food, now strongly declining and largely casual in Kyrgyzstan. The only historical record of Physalisviscosa from Uzbekistan was based on a technical error and belongs to A.officinarum. Daturastramonium and Hyoscyamusniger were introduced as medicinal plants during the period of the Arabic invasion of Central Asia, by the 11th century. Daturainnoxia is a newly recorded casual alien, recently escaped from ornamental cultivation. Nicandraphysalodes is a casual alien, which was cultivated by Russian colonists in the early 20th century for culinary use and is currently used in ornamental cultivation. Hemerocallisfulva was a remnant of historical cultivation in the former Khanate of Buxoro, and its formerly established colonies are presumably extinct in the wild. Bidensfrondosa was seemingly introduced with contaminated forage and seed of American origin during the late Soviet period and started to spread in the period of independence; its invasion in the former USSR is analysed.

New records in non-native vascular plants of Russian Lapland.

BACKGROUND: The non-native vascular plants of Murmansk Region (European Russia) are under active investigation towards the compilation of the first complete checklist. This work is part of the project 'Flora of Russian Lapland', which ultimately aims at the complete inventory of the taxonomy, distribution and status of vascular plant species in Murmansk Region, based on the comprehensive database of herbarium specimens, field observations and literature. NEW INFORMATION: New territory-level records of non-native vascular plants emerged during our inventory of herbarium collections and recent fieldwork. Fourteen species (Anthemisruthenica, Aruncusdioicus, Bromuscommutatus, Chaerophyllumhirsutum, Galegaorientalis, Geumaleppicum, Leonurusquinquelobatus, Lepidiumdensiflorum, Levisticumofficinale, Myrrhisodorata, Phleumphleoides, Prunusarmeniaca, Rorippasylvestris, Seneciovernalis) are reported as new to Murmansk Region. The historical occurrences of alien plants appeared in the territory largely as contaminants (of seed or forage). In particular, Rorippasylvestris and Seneciovernalis arrived with the forage imported during the Second World War. All recent occurrences originated by escape from confinement (ornamental purposes, horticulture, agriculture), reflecting a high diversity of the modern assortment of cultivated plants in commerce and private gardens. Regarding the invasion status, five alien species are considered casual and eight species are treated as locally established or persisting (for uncertain time). Only one species, Galegaorientalis, is considered naturalised and capable of further spreading in the territory, although without invasive potential.

A new classification of C4- Atriplex species in Russia, with the first alien record of Atriplexflabellum (Chenopodiaceae, Amaranthaceae) from North Siberia.

For a long time, the systematics of Atriplex was based solely on morphological characters and leaf anatomy. The latest worldwide phylogenetic study of Atriplex significantly improved our knowledge about the relationships within the genus, but a new classification has not been put forward thus far. Here we re-evaluate the taxonomy of C4-species of Atriplex that are native to Russia. Seven species are classified into two sections, A.sect.Obione (incl. A.sect.Sclerocalymma, syn. nov.) (A.altaica, A.centralasiatica, A.rosea, A.sibirica, and A.sphaeromorpha), and A.sect.Obionopsis (incl. A.sect.Psammophila, syn. nov.) (A.fominii and A.tatarica). Although the majority of Eurasian C4-species have similar morphology, leafy inflorescence is a typical character for A.sect.Obione. The members of A.sect.Obionopsis are characterised mostly by aphyllous inflorescences, but some species (A.laciniata, A.pratovii, and A.tornabenei) have leafy inflorescences. Geographically, almost all members of A.sect.Obione are confined to Central Asia, although A.rosea is a typical Mediterranean element and A.argentea occurs in North America. The representatives of A.sect.Obionopsis are distributed mostly in the Mediterranean and the Irano-Turanian floristic region. The alien status of A.rosea, A.sibirica and A.tatarica is discussed. Atriplexflabellum, a desert species from the Irano-Turanian region, is reported for the first time from Russia (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, North Siberia) as a casual alien. This species occupies a phylogenetic position distant from both aforementioned sections. An identification key to all C4-species of the genus growing in Russia is given, and a sectional checklist with updated nomenclature and revised synonymy is provided.

The first checklist of alien vascular plants of Kyrgyzstan, with new records and critical evaluation of earlier data. Contribution 1.

BACKGROUND: National checklists of alien plants and detailed databases of non-native plant occurrences are required to study and control regional and global plant invasions. No country in Central Asia has a national checklist of alien plants. A recent inventory counted 183 alien plant species in Kyrgyzstan, including archaeophytes and neophytes, established and casual. This preliminary checklist, which was developed for the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species in 2018, served as a starting point for the present study. NEW INFORMATION: A complete inventory of Xanthium in Kyrgyzstan has revealed that three alien species are resident in the country. Their correct nomenclature is X.orientale (syn. X.albinum, X.californicum, X.sibiricum auct.; invasive neophyle of the period of extensive grain import to the USSR after the Second World War), X.spinosum (invasive neophyte of the period of the Second World War, which arrived as a contaminant on the relocated livestock) and X.strumarium (syn. X.chinense, X.sibiricum; archaeophyte of the Neolithic period, introduced with wheat cultivation, which had lost its invasive status and appeared on the verge of extinction when its pool was no longer renewed by contaminated grain). A history of introduction to Central Asia is uncovered for all the species of Xanthium. A further spread is documented for Buniasorientalis, with a new record extending its distribution to the Eastern Tian-Shan; a complex history of its introduction to Europe and Central Asia is inferred from the archaeological data and its recent dispersal, and the pathways of its introduction to Kyrgyzstan are established. Erigeronannuus s.str. is reported as new to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and E.lilacinus as new to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Nepal and Tajikistan (it was previously recorded as E.annuus s.l. from the three latter countries, in which the presence of E.annuus s.str. is not confirmed). These closely related species differ in their pathways of introduction and invasion status: E.annuus s.str. is an invasive established alien which was imported as a contaminant of forage, whereas E.lilacinus is mostly a casual (locally persisting) alien introduced with contaminated seed of ornamental plants or nursery material, and also intentionally introduced and locally established in the Botanical Garden in Bishkek. Bidenstinctoria (syn. Coreopsistinctoria) is newly recorded as a casual alien from a single locality in Kyrgyzstan; this species name is validly published here in conformity with the phylogeny of Coreopsideae.Point maps of species distributions in Kyrgyzstan are provided on the basis of a complete inventory of the literature data, herbarium specimens and documented observations, and our recent fieldwork. The maps are documented with a dataset of herbarium specimens and observations. Period and pathways of introduction, vectors of dispersal, current and historical invasion status, evidence of impact and distributional trend are established or inferred for each species. Each species is discussed in the context of plant invasions in Central Asia as a whole.These species accounts are part of the national database of alien plants which aims at producing a comprehensive overview and analysis of plant invasions in Kyrgyzstan.

Species conservation profile and amended distribution of Cousinia knorringiae (Asteraceae), a narrow endemic of the Western Tian-Shan.

BACKGROUND: Cousinia knorringiae Bornm. (Asteraceae) belongs to C. sect. Subappendiculatae Tscherneva, a group of the species-rich and taxonomically difficult genus Cousinia Cass. This species is narrowly distributed in the Western Tian-Shan and has been known as endemic to Kyrgyzstan. It inhabits bare rocks and screes at elevations of 1200-1500 m above sea level. This species is of conservation interest because of its small population size and limited distribution. NEW INFORMATION: Cousinia knorringiae is reported for the first time from eastern Uzbekistan on the basis of specimens collected on Ungur-Tepa Mt., a south-western outlier of the Bozbu-Too Mts. (Western Tian-Shan). The conservation status of the species is assessed as Endangered (EN), based on criterion D (estimated population size 200-250 mature individuals), according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (version 3.1). A new distribution map and a line drawing for C. knorringiae are provided and its type locality is clarified. The new knowledge suggests that the species is endemic to the East Fergana botanical hotspot, which includes a transborder territory shared between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and should, therefore, be subjected to international conservation measures. The southern extension of Ungur-Tepa Mt. harbours important plant species, which cannot be found elsewhere in Uzbekistan and may, therefore, be proposed for legal protection.

Evolutionary relationships, biogeography and morphological characters of Glinus (Molluginaceae), with special emphasis on the genus composition in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Glinus is a small genus of Molluginaceae with 8-10 species mostly distributed in the tropics of the World. Its composition and evolutionary relationships were poorly studied. A new molecular phylogeny constructed here using nuclear (ITS) and chloroplast (rbcL, trnK-matK) markers confirmed the monophyly of the genus. Based on ITS analysis, the following well-supported lineages are present within Glinus: the G. bainesii lineage is recovered as sister to the remainder of the genus followed by G. oppositifolius. Three other clades are: G. hirtus with G. orygioides; G. radiatus and G. lotoides; the latter is represented by a sample from North America, and G. zambesiacus as sister to G. setiflorus + G. lotoides + G. dictamnoides. On the plastid gene tree, G. bainesii + G. oppositifolius form a sister clade to all other Glinus species. The next clade is formed by G. hirtus and G. orygioides followed by G. radiatus plus an American sample of G. lotoides. The next branch comprises G. setiflorus as sister to G. zambesiacus + G. lotoides + G. dictamnoides. Glinus seems to have originated from Africa around the Late Eocene or Early Miocene, with further radiations to Australia and the Americas during the Late Miocene or Late Pliocene. Compared with the previous limited character set used for the diagnostics, we have found ten new morphological and carpological traits distinguishing Glinus members. In both trees based on nuclear and plastid datasets, the major phylogenetic clades cannot be characterized by the peculiar morphological characters. Many shared character states leading to their contrasting pattern in the multivariate analysis model are interpreted as a high homoplasy in the phylogenetically distant species. We paid special attention to the composition of the genus in Sub-Saharan Africa, a region with the greatest species diversity. Our results provide new insight into the taxonomy of Glinus in this region. Glinus lotoides var. virens accepted in many previous works is a synonym of G. dictamnoides that is closely related to G. lotoides based on molecular analysis and morphological characters. The status of the American populations of G. lotoides needs further investigation due to different characters of the specimens from the Old and the New World. Many specimens previously identified as G. lotoides var. virens and as the intermediates G. lotoides × G. oppositifolius belong to G. zambesiacus sp. nov. and G. hirtus comb. nov. (≡ Mollugo hirta); the latter species is resurrected from synonymy after 200 years of unacceptance. In some African treatments, G. hirtus was known under the invalidly published name G. dahomensis. Glinus zambesiacus is distributed in the southern and eastern parts of tropical Africa, and G. hirtus previously assumed to be endemic to West Africa is indeed a species with a wide distribution across the tropical part of the continent. Glinus microphyllus previously accepted as endemic to West Tropical Africa together with other new synonyms (G. oppositifolius var. lanatus, G. herniarioides, Wycliffea rotundifolia) is considered here as G. oppositifolius var. keenaniicomb. nov. (≡ Mollugo hirta var. keenanii), a variety found across the entire distribution of G. oppositifolius (Australia, Asia, and Africa). The presence of the American G. radiatus in Africa is not confirmed, and all records of this species belong to G. hirtus. The lectotypes of some names (G. dictamnoides, G. herniarioides, Mollugo hirta, M. setiflora, Pharnaceum pentagynum, Wycliffea) as well as a neotype of G. trianthemoides are designated. A new key to the identification of all Glinus species in Sub-Saharan Africa is provided. A checklist is given of all accepted species in this region (G. bainesii, G. hirtus, G. lotoides, G. oppositifolius s.l., G. setiflorus, and G. zambesiacus) with their nomenclature, morphological description and geographical distribution.