Achillea asplenifolia Vent. is one of three central European diploid species (together with A. setacea Waldst. et Kit. and A. roseoalba Ehrend.) of the A. millefolium group. Its taxonomic and phytogeographic account from the central European perspective is given mainly on the basis of herbarium and field studies. The synonymy of A. asplenifolia includes A. millefolium var. crustata Rochel and A. scabra Host; both names are typified here. No variation deserving taxonomic recognition was observed. From the taxonomic point of view, A. asplenifolia is a clearly delimited species. It grows in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, and Romania. From the phytogeographic point of view, it can be classified as a Pannonian geoelement with overlaps to Transylvania and to the marginal parts of the eastern Mediterranean. Within the Czech Republic, its distribution range includes only the warmest and driest part of southern Moravia, with the northernmost site situated near the town of Vyškov. In southern Moravia, A. asplenifolia was confined to extrazonal habitats, mainly to islands of halophilous vegetation such as moist saline meadows (formerly used as pastures) and lowland fens rich in mineral nutrients, but most of the sites were destroyed. Out of six or seven localities preserved up to present, only two host vital populations.
Karyological variation, reproductive isolation, morphological differentiation and geographic distribution of the cytotypes of Centaurea phrygia were investigated in Central Europe. Occurrence of two dominant cytotypes, diploid (2n = 22) and tetraploid (2n = 44), was confirmed and additionally triploid, pentaploid and hexaploid ploidy levels identified using flow cytometry. Allozyme variation as well as morphological and genome size data suggest an autopolyploid origin of the tetraploids. Crossing experiments and flow cytometric screening of mixed populations revealed strong reproductive isolation of the cytotypes. Multivariate morphometric analysis revealed significant differentiation between the cytotypes in several morphological characters (pappus length, length and colour of appendages on involucral bracts, involucre width). The cytotypes have a parapatric distribution with only a small contact zone: diploids occupy the whole of the Central and North European geographic range of the species except for the major part of the Western Carpathians, whereas tetraploids are confined to the Western Carpathians and adjacent areas, both cytotypes co-occurring only in a limited area of intra-montane basins of the Western Carpathians. Based on this array of data, taxonomic treatment of the cytotypes as autonomous species is proposed. The name Centaurea phrygia is applied to the diploids and the name C. erdneri belongs to the tetraploids; nomenclature of hybrids with C. jacea is also resolved.
A combined study of morphology, stem anatomy and DNA sequencing data (nuclear ribosomal ITS region and rpl32-trnL and rps12-rpl20 intergenic spacers of chloroplast DNA) was used to identify a putative Potamogeton hybrid from a river in NE Poland. Based on the morphological and anatomical characters the plants were tentatively identified as P. ×subobtusus Hagstr., a hybrid between P. alpinus Balb. and P. nodosus Poir. This identification was independently confirmed by the presence in hybrid individuals of an additive ITS sequence pattern from these two parental species. In all plants peaks corresponding to nucleotide states of both parents were clearly distinguishable, however the variants from P. nodosus dominated over those from P. alpinus. P. nodosus was also identified as the maternal parent of the hybrid based on cpDNA data and dominated the expression of morphological features in hybrid individuals. A detailed morphological description of P. × subobtusus and the typification of the name are provided. As P. nodosus rarely hybridizes with other species, existence of other hybrids, as well as possible difficulties in recognizing these taxa are also discussed.
Plant names based on the original material from a restricted region are scientifically important for the study of local biodiversity. Names typified with or entirely based on the original material from the Czech Republic are studied in the present paper; the names are confined to cases of generally accepted names published and taxa described in the period 1753–1820. Some names with original material coming from a border region (mostly near the Polish border) are included, too. Brief notes and references are given to introduce the authors of names and the history of their herbarium collections. New data are given on publications and herbaria of F.W. Schmidt, T. Haenke and J. E. Pohl, including examples of their handwritings; the other authors being C. Linnaeus (and J. Burser), J. Zauschner, K. L.Willdenow, J. C. Mikan, K. Sternberg, H. A. Schrader, L. Trattinick, K. B. Presl, J. S. Presl, P. M. Opiz, I. F. Tausch and H. G. L. Reichenbach. Nomenclatural and taxonomic notes are given on Aconitum plicatum, Allium senescens subsp. montanum, Gagea bohemica, Plantago uliginosa, Spergularia salina, Valeriana officinalis, V. exaltata, V. sambucifolia and Veronica triloba. A number of names are typified (lecto-, neo- , epitypes): Allium montanum, Athyrium distentifolium, Erysimum arcuatum (= Barbarea vulgaris subsp. arcuata), Schmidtia (= Coleanthus) subtilis, Epilobium nutans, Ornithogalum bohemicum (= Gagea bohemica), Hieracium sudeticum, Myosotis sparsiflora, Cynoglossum (= Omphalodes) scorpioides, Pedicularis sudetica, Phyteuma nigrum, Plantago uliginosa (with an identification key), Poa laxa, Soldanella montana, Symphytum bohemicum, Thlaspi caerulescens, Valeriana exaltata (with notes on the typification of V. officinalis), V. sambucifolia, Veronica triloba (with a note on the status of names in Čelakovský‘s works), Viola sudetica and V. saxatilis. The other names included in the list are Avenula planiculmis, Cardamine amara subsp. opicii, Eriophorum vaginatum, Hieracium rupestre (= H. schmidtii), Luzula sudetica, Mentha longifolia, Potentilla lindackeri, Rosa elliptica, Salix silesiaca, Stipa capillata and Viola rupestris. A few cases of names excluded from the list are also analysed: Achillea millefolium subsp. sudetica, Alchemilla fissa, Carex bohemica, Dactylorhiza longebracteata, Gagea pusilla, Geranium bohemicum, Matricaria recutita, Veronica dentata, Spergularia salina (correct name: S. marina), Gentianella obtusifolia, Myosotis alpestris and Mentha rotundifolia. For most cases, conservation status and situation at the original localities (in many cases in protected areas) are discussed.
A revision of the diversity and distribution of Potamogeton hybrids in the Czech Republic is presented. Thorough examination of herbarium material and recent extensive field studies revealed the present and/or past occurrence of eight Potamogeton hybrids in the Czech Republic. In addition tomorphological characters, stem anatomy and/or molecular analysis were used to identify some of the hybrids. All the hybrids detected are between broad-leaved species of the genus, suggesting that hybrids between linear-leaved species may be overlooked because of the overall morphological similarity of taxa within this group. Four of the hybrids identified, P. ×nitens, P. ×olivaceus, P. ×sparganiifolius and P. ×undulatus, are recorded for the first time from the Czech Republic. Four of the hybrids are now extinct in the Czech Republic and the extant hybrids are rare. The occurrence of P. ×lintonii was not confirmed; the previous record was based on extreme forms of P. gramineus. The name P. ×concinnitus, proposed for a putative hybrid combination “P. pusillus × P. crispus”, was lectotypified and reduced to a synonym of P. crispus. Although the absolute number of finds of specimens of Potamogeton hybrids per decade is increasing, this is not a result of more frequent hybridization but of an increase in recording activity. Most records for recent decades are associated with targeted research by a few experts. The typical habitat of Potamogeton hybrids in the Czech Republic are ponds that were previously drained in summer and allowed to dry out. Many historical localities disappeared when the traditional fishpond management was largely abandoned and fish farming become more intensive. In the 19th century in particular some hybrids were recorded also in rivers but these occurrences generally disappeared after the extensive channelling of rivers at the beginning of the 20th century. Many hybrids occur at the same localities as their parents but it is documented that hybrids can persist vegetatively in the absence of the parental species, presumably as relics of the previous presence of the parent plants. Although almost all Potamogeton hybrids are consistently sterile, a cultivation experiment showed that P. ×angustifolius set seeds that were fertile and successfully produced adult plants.
New information is provided on the distribution of 19 species of lichens belonging to the genus Caloplaca (Teloschistales) in the Czech Republic. Six species are new to this country: C. epithallina, C. erodens, C. inconnexa, C. phlogina, C. polycarpa and C. thuringiaca. The species C. albolutescens, C. cerinella, C. chlorina, C. chrysodeta, C. dichroa, C. flavocitrina, C. herbidella and C. marmorata are reported from the Czech Republic, but little is known about their distribution in this country. Caloplaca biatorina, C. obliterans, C. rubelliana, and C. xantholyta are rediscovered after more than 50 years. The presence of Caloplaca crenulatella, recently reported as new to this country, is confirmed and is actually one of the most common species of this genus. Ecological and chorological data are given for each species, and taxonomic and nomenclatural notes for C. albolutescens and C. chlorina are amended.
The box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859) comb. n., is native to India, China, Korea, Japan and the Russian Far East. Its larvae are a serious pest of different species of Buxus. Recently, C. perspectalis was introduced into Europe and first recorded from Germany in 2006. This species has been placed in various spilomeline genera including Palpita Hübner, 1808, Diaphania Hübner, 1818, Glyphodes Guenée, 1854 and the monotypic Neoglyphodes Streltzov, 2008. In order to solve this nomenclatural confusion and to find a reasonable and verifiable generic placement for the box tree moth, the morphology of the above mentioned and some additional spilomeline taxa was investigated and their phylogeny analysed. The results show that C. perspectalis belongs to a monophylum that includes three of the genera in which it was previously placed: Glyphodes, Diaphania and Palpita. Within this monophylum, it is closely related to the Asian Cydalima Lederer, 1863. As a result of this analysis, Sisyrophora Lederer, 1863 syn. rev. and Neoglyphodes Streltzov, 2008 syn. n. are synonymised with Cydalima Lederer, 1863, and five species are transferred to this genus: Cydalima capriniodes (Hampson, 1912) (Glyphodes) comb. n., Cydalima decipiens (Hampson, 1912) (Glyphodes) comb. n., Cydalima joiceyi (Janse, 1924) (Margaronia) comb. n., Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859) (Phakellura) comb. n. and Cydalima pfeifferae (Lederer, 1863) (Sisyrophora) comb. rev.
The subgenus Alienosternus Lackner, 2016 of the genus Phoxonotus Marseul, 1862 (Coleoptera: Histeridae), described in Eur. J. Entomol. 113: 240-258, is a junior homonym of Alienosternus Martins, 1976 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and is hereby replaced by Saprinosternus nom. n. The status of the single known type specimens of Phoxonotus suturalis Lewis, 1907, P. lectus Lewis, 1902 and P. venustus (Erichson, 1834) (assumed to be holotypes in Lackner, 2016) is clarified., Tomáš Lackner., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Spatial variations in regional forest composition are analyzed for the period around 2 000 years before present in the territory of the Czech Republic. The results of pollen analyses at 16 different sites (original data and those published by other authors) form the basis of this study. The results are preliminary because of the small number of sites sampled. This article demonstrates the possibilities of the approach and is the first step to a wider application in the future. The conclusions indicate that pollen analysis is accurate enough in most cases for the reconstruction of past forest composition on a regional scale, and different deposits reflect spatial heterogeneity. Altitude, intensity of human impact, and soil type were the major factors affecting past distribution of forest trees. Oak and hornbeam woodlands, although widely affected by human activity, dominated the lowlands. Beech and silver fir were an important admixture in these communities. Although oak was present at higher altitudes, the occurrence of upland oak woodlands was limited more than indicated by recent geobotanical reconstructions. Instead, mixed forests existed at middle altitudes, often dominated by silver fir and beech. In less favourable habitats, spruce was common. Such upland forests extended high into the mountains, where because of the more severe climatic conditions beech and spruce started to dominate over silver fir.
Three rheophilic species of the western Palaearctic Barbus with adjacent geographic distributions are recognised in the Danube River basin, each diagnosed by a set of unique mitochondrial DNA alleles. Barbus petenyi Heckel, 1852 from the Eastern and Southern Carpathians and from the Stara Planina Mts is redescribed and a neotype is designated. Barbus carpathicus, new species, is distributed in the Western and Eastern Carpathians. Barbus balcanicus, new species, occurs in the Dinaric and Western Stara Planina Mts. The three species are morphologically similar to each other but B. balcanicus can be distinguished by subtle differences in the snout shape and body and fin colour pattern. As evident from genetic data the name B. cyclolepis waleckii Rolik, 1970 was proposed for the hybrids between B. barbus and B. carpathicus and cannot be used as valid.