Picot de La Peyrouse

Bark-dwelling fungi represent a group of ecologically highly specialized organisms. This study deals with an undescribed species of Hymenochaete characterized by specifically inhabiting the bark of Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica), and producing effuse-reflexed basidiomata and mainly globose to subglobose basidiospores. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses of the nuclear ITS-LSU regions revealed that the sequences of H. ametzii form a monophyletic group with a low intraspecific variation and substantially different from closest taxa, further supporting its recognition as a species. The seven localities H. ametzii is known from are old forests with a long ecological continuity, containing large old Q. pyrenaica trees, and are located in the supramediterranean belt of the Mediterranean biogeographical region. Based on habitat availability and field counts of colonized trees, the global population of H. ametzii is estimated at 8,670 mature individuals. Considering that the traditional use of old Q. pyrenaica stands ceased several decades ago in the Iberian Peninsula, with a consequent decline in habitat quality and availability, it is concluded that H. ametzii is Endangered (EN) according to the IUCN criteria. Bark-dwelling fungi represent a group of ecologically highly specialized organisms. This study deals with an undescribed species of Hymenochaete characterized by specifically inhabiting the bark of Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica), and producing effuse-reflexed basidiomata and mainly globose to subglobose basidiospores. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses of the nuclear ITS-LSU regions revealed that the sequences of H. ametzii form a monophyletic group with a low intraspecific variation and substantially different from closest taxa, further supporting its recognition as a species. The seven localities H. ametzii is known from are old forests with a long ecological continuity, containing large old Q. pyrenaica trees, and are located in the supramediterranean belt of the Mediterranean biogeographical region. Based on habitat availability and field counts of colonized trees, the global population of H. ametzii is estimated at 8,670 mature individuals. Considering that the traditional use of old Q. pyrenaica stands ceased several decades ago in the Iberian Peninsula, with a consequent decline in habitat quality and availability, it is concluded that H. ametzii is Endangered (EN) according to the IUCN criteria.

The genus Viola (Violaceae) is among the 40–50 largest genera among angiosperms, yet its taxonomy has not been revised for nearly a century. In the most recent revision, by Wilhelm Becker in 1925, the then-known 400 species were distributed among 14 sections and numerous unranked groups. Here, we provide an updated, comprehensive classification of the genus, based on data from phylogeny, morphology, chromosome counts, and ploidy, and based on modern principles of monophyly. The revision is presented as an annotated global checklist of accepted species of Viola, an updated multigene phylogenetic network and an ITS phylogeny with denser taxon sampling, a brief summary of the taxonomic changes from Becker’s classification and their justification, a morphological binary key to the accepted subgenera, sections and subsections, and an account of each infrageneric subdivision with justifications for delimitation and rank including a description, a list of apomorphies, molecular phylogenies where possible or relevant, a distribution map, and a list of included species. We distribute the 664 species accepted by us into 2 subgenera, 31 sections, and 20 subsections. We erect one new subgenus of Viola (subg. Neoandinium, a replacement name for the illegitimate subg. Andinium), six new sections (sect. Abyssinium, sect. Himalayum, sect. Melvio, sect. Nematocaulon, sect. Spathulidium, sect. Xanthidium), and seven new subsections (subsect. Australasiaticae, subsect. Bulbosae, subsect. Clausenianae, subsect. Cleistogamae, subsect. Dispares, subsect. Formosanae, subsect. Pseudorupestres). Evolution within the genus is discussed in light of biogeography, the fossil record, morphology, and particular traits. Viola is among very few temperate and widespread genera that originated in South America. The biggest identified knowledge gaps for Viola concern the South American taxa, for which basic knowledge from phylogeny, chromosome counts, and fossil data is virtually absent. Viola has also never been subject to comprehensive anatomical study. Studies into seed anatomy and morphology are required to understand the fossil record of the genus.

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) harbors abundant and diverse plant life owing to its high habitat heterogeneity. However, the distribution pattern of biodiversity hotspots and their conservation status remain unclear. Based on 148,283 high-resolution occurrence coordinates of 13,450 seed plants, w…

The description of a new species is a key step in cataloguing the World’s flora. However, this is only a preliminary stage in a long process of understanding what that species represents. We investigated how long the species discovery process takes by focusing on three key stages: 1, the collection …

Environmental change can create opportunities for increased rates of lineage diversification, but continued species accumulation has been hypothesized to lead to slowdowns via competitive exclusion and niche partitioning. Such density-dependent models imply tight linkages between diversification and…

Aim: To determine the global position of tree line isotherms, compare it with observed local tree limits on islands and mainlands, and disentangle the potential drivers of a difference between tree line and local tree limit. Location: Global. Time period: 1979–2013. Major taxa studied: Trees. Method…

1.Pollination niches are important components of ecological niches and have played a major role in the diversification of Angiosperms. In this study, we focused on Euro‐Mediterranean orchids, which use diverse pollination strategies and interact with various functional groups of insects. In these or…