Five new species in the genus (Bacillariophyta) from European freshwater habitats.

Several populations belonging to the genus have been observed in European rivers that were previously identified as . In light of the recent taxonomic revisions of the genus , the morphology of the unknown populations has been critically investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. Following the comparison with previously described species, five taxa could not be identified using the currently available literature on the genus.

What do tropical cryptogams reveal? Strong genetic structure in Amazonian bryophytes.

Lowland tropical bryophytes have been perceived as excellent dispersers. In such groups, the inverse isolation hypothesis proposes that spatial genetic structure is erased beyond the limits of short-distance dispersal. Here, we determine the influence of environmental variation and geographic barriers on the spatial genetic structure of a widely dispersed and phylogenetically independent sample of Amazonian bryophytes.

Mountains of the Mist: A first plant checklist for the Bvumba Mountains, Manica Highlands (Zimbabwe-Mozambique).

The first comprehensive plant checklist for the Bvumba massif, situated in the Manica Highlands along the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border, is presented. Although covering only 276 km, the flora is rich with 1250 taxa (1127 native taxa and 123 naturalised introductions). There is a high proportion of Orchidaceae and Pteridophyta, with both groups showing a higher richness than for adjacent montane areas, which may be due to the massif's relatively high moisture levels as a result of frequent cloud cover.

Measuring spore settling velocity for an improved assessment of dispersal rates in mosses.

Background And Aims: The settling velocity of diaspores is a key parameter for the measurement of dispersal ability in wind-dispersed plants and one of the most relevant parameters in explicit dispersal models, but remains largely undocumented in bryophytes. The settling velocities of moss spores were measured and it was determined whether settling velocities can be derived from spore diameter using Stokes' Law or if specific traits of spore ornamentation cause departures from theoretical expectations.

Methods: A fall tower design combined with a high-speed camera was used to document spore settling velocities in nine moss species selected to cover the range of spore diameters within the group.