Lectotypification of Alchemilla hirsuticaulis H.Lindb.

Harald Lindberg described Alchemilla hirsuticaulis in 1904 based on material collected from two localities in Finland. The name is typified here with a specimen collected by H. Buch from South Savo, Lappeenranta in 1903. The lectotype and other original material are in the collections of the Botanical Museum at Helsinki (H).Peer reviewe

Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies on Salicornioideae (Amaranthaceae)

The subfamily Salicornioideae (Amaranthaceae) consists of 11 genera and c. 100 species of obligatory halophytes with a reduced morphology mainly in coastal and inland salt marshes from tropical mangroves to the subarctic. The plants are succulent, often with articulated stems and highly reduced leaves and flowers. This, together with their phenotypic plasticity, has caused much confusion in the morphology-based taxonomy. The study starts with the morphology, taxonomy and nomenclature of the genus Salicornia in northern Europe, extends to cover the whole Eurasian continent and use of molecular data and finally proceeds to a comprehensive DNA-based phylogeny and phylogeography of the subfamily. The new taxonomy of the annual Eurasian Salicornia presented aims to reflect a plausible phylogeny, using monophyly as the main criterion. Several taxa with a limited geographical distribution are neither supported in the molecular analysis nor morphologically separable and are thus placed in synonymy. On the other hand, unresolved clades, cryptic speciation and the fact that all involved taxa were not available in the molecular analysis offer a challenge for future studies. The monophyly of Salicornioideae is confirmed by the phylogenetic analysis. Five clades are found: 1) Kalidium, 2) Halopeplis, 3) Halocnemum/Halostachys and 4) Allenrolfea/Heterostachys. 5) The remainder of the subfamily forms the fifth clade, in which Eurasian Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Microcnemum, the North American Arthrocnemum subterminale and Tecticornia form an unresolved polytomy. Sarcocornia and Salicornia form a monophyletic clade in which the American and Eurasian species of Sarcocornia and Salicornia respectively form well-supported clades. The Southern and Eastern African and Australian Sarcocornia are moderately supported. Salicornioideae probably originated in Eurasia during the late Eocene to early Oligocene. The divergence of the early main clades took place in the middle Oligocene. Long-distance dispersal has taken place several times to the Americas, South Africa and Australia. An updated generic classification of Salicornioideae is proposed with two main novelties: 1) the two species of Arthrocnemum are separated and described as two different genera, Arthrocaulon and Arthroceras, 2) Sarcocornia is treated as congeneric with Salicornia. In addition, all Australian plants are treated under Tecticornia as proposed earlier by Australian researchers. For Salicornia a new infrageneric classification is proposed to accommodate the four phylogenetically and geographically well-supported lineages within the genus.Revonhäntäkasvien (Amaranthaceae) alaheimoon Salicornioideae kuuluu 11 sukua ja noin sata lajia, jotka ovat erikoistuneet kasvamaan suolapitoisella alustalla trooppisilta mangrovesoilta aina subarktisille merenrannoille; monet lajit kasvavat sisämaan ajoittain tulvanalaisilla suolamailla, muutama myös kuivilla paikoilla. Kasveja luonnehtivat mehivartisuus, pieniksi ja suomumaisiksi surkastuneet lehdet sekä hyvin pienet ja huomaamattomat kukat, jotka sijaitsevat suomumaisten tukilehtien hangassa tavallisesti kolmen kukan ryhminä. Kuivattaessa kasvit yleensä menettävät suuren osan vähistäkin käyttökelpoisista tuntomerkeistään. Kasvien määrittäminen, sukujen ja lajien rajaaminen ja niiden sukulaissuhteiden selvittäminen on näistä syistä ollut erityisen vaikeaa. Tämä väitöstyö on edennyt vaiheittain pohjoiseurooppalaisten suolayrttien (Salicornia) morfologian, nimeämisen ja luokittelun selvittämisestä ensin koko Euraasiaan, mistä tutkimus laajennettiin selvittämään koko alaheimon alkuperäalueita, polveutumista ja polveutumisen ajoitusta.| Tutkimuksessa esitetään euraasialaisten suolayrttien uusi luokittelu, joka pohjautuu DNA-tutkimukseen, morfologiaan ja maantieteeseen. Pohjois- ja Itä-Euroopan suolayrttien osoitetaan kuuluvan kahteen perimältään toisistaan eriytyneeseen kryptiseen lajiin, joita ei ulkoisten tuntomerkkien avulla pystytä erottamaan toisistaan. Alaheimon monofyleettisyys pystyttiin vahvistamaan DNA-pohjaisessa fylogeneettisessä tutkimuksessa. Alaheimon kaikki 11 sukua ovat kukin monofyleettisiä ja muodostavat yhdessä viisi suurempaa polveutumishaaraa. Ryhmän kantavanhemmat ovat todennäköisesti kehittyneet Euraasiassa myöhäiseoseenin ja varhaisen oligoseenin aikana, ja ryhmän viisi haaraa ovat syntyneet oligoseenikauden lopulla. Alaheimon kasveja levisi kaukokulkeutumisen seurauksena useana eri ajankohtana Etelä- ja Pohjois-Amerikkaan, Etelä-Afrikkaan ja Australiaan, missä sukujen ja lajien eriytyminen vauhdittui. Näiden tulosten pohjalta tutkimuksessa esitetään alaheimon uusi luokittelu, joka poikkeaa aikaisemmista kahdessa pääkohdassa: 1) suolasormion (Arthrocnenum) suku jaetaan kahteen uuteena kuvattavaan sukuun, Arthrocaulon (Euraasia) ja Arthroceras (Pohjois-Amerikka); 2) suolasormikit (Sarcocornia) siirretään suolayrttien sukuun. Lisäksi kaikki viisi australialaista, usein erillisinä pidettyä endeemistä sukua käsitellään yhtenä nivelsarvien (Tecticornia) sukuna. Tutkimuksessa kiinnitetään erityistä huomiota ryhmän usein sekavankin tieteellisen nimistön selvittämiseen ja nimistöhistorian yksityiskohtiin

Euphrasia wettsteinii var. botniensium, comb. nov. (Orobanchaceae)

For updating the checklist of vascular plants of Finland, one new nomenclatural combination is proposed: Euphrasia wettsteinii G.L.Gusarova var. botniensium (Brenner) Piirainen.Peer reviewe

Lectotypification of Alchemilla hirsuticaulis H.Lindb.

Harald Lindberg described Alchemilla hirsuticaulis in 1904 based on material collected from two localities in Finland. The name is typified here with a specimen collected by H. Buch from South Savo, Lappeenranta in 1903. The lectotype and other original material are in the collections of the Botanical Museum at Helsinki (H).Peer reviewe

Alchemilla straminea in redetermined herbarium specimens – new to Finland and northern Europe

Alchemilla straminea was determined in herbarium material that had been collected from at least four adjacent localities at Kangasjärvi in the municipality of Hyrynsalmi, Kainuu, in eastern central Finland in 1952–1978. The species is new to Finland and northern Europe. Kangasjärvi served as a German military depot during World War II in 1941–1944. Large numbers of horses and mules were housed in the area, and hay for the animals was imported from Central Europe. After the war, Kangasjärvi was known for its rich flora of German polemochores, some of which are still extant in the area. The origin of A. straminea is probably from hay cut from natural alpine meadows in the area of the Alps, Jura and the Schwarzwald. Several polemochorous Alchemilla species from World War II still have established populations in Finland. A. straminea survived at least c. 35 years. Its present status is unknown, as the locality has not been studied thoroughly enough

Accessions to the Botanical Museum of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, in 2007

The herbarium accessions amount to 19,878 specimens, including 5,510 specimens of vascular plants, 2,767 specimens of bryophytes and algae, 11,566 specimens of fungi (incl. lichens), and 35 specimens of zoocecidia. Some details of noteworthy accessions are given here

Accessions to the Botanical Museum of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, in 2006

The herbarium accessions amount to 19,919 specimens, including 6,570 phanerogams and pteridophytes, 2,103 specimens of bryophytes and algae, and 11,246 specimens of fungi (incl. lichens). Some details of noteworthy accessions are given here

Accessions to the Botanical Museum of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, in 2009

The herbarium accessions amount to 17,972 specimens, including 6,193 phanerogams and pteridophytes, 2,118 specimens of bryophytes and algae, 9,605 specimens of fungi (incl. lichens), and 56 specimens of zoocecidia. Some details of noteworthy accessions are given here

Accessions to the Botanical Museum of the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, in 2008

The herbarium accessions amount to 19,139 specimens, including 5,238 phanerogams and pteridophytes, 2,598 specimens of bryophytes and algae, and 11,303 specimens of fungi (incl. lichens). Some details of noteworthy accessions are given here