Nomenclatural novelties in Ann. Bot. Fennici 42(2). — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 159.
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Huhta, A.-P. & Rautio, P. 2005: Condition of semi-natural meadows in northern Finland today — do the classical vegetation types still exist? — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 81–93.

Species-rich, semi-natural meadows in Finland are threatened. During the last century most of them have either been abandoned or changed into cultivated fields. This has resulted in a collapse of species and habitat diversity of the Finnish agricultural landscape. In this study, we tried to define the present state of inland semi-natural meadows on mineral soil in North Ostrobothnia and in immediate vicinity. We compared the material gathered in national inventory of traditional rural biotopes in Finland with two data sets from the beginning of the last century to find out how does the detected species composition correspond to vegetation types established by two early researchers, A. K. Cajander and K. Teräsvuori. The studied meadows' species composition differs markedly from the meadow types described earlier. Present-day meadows are characterized by several nitrophilous species indicating that modern type of management, where supplementary forage is provided for grazing animals, causes eutrophication. Because the open meadows in North Ostrobothnia are in such a poor condition, — eutrophication and resulting low species diversity — the protection of semi-natural habitats more typical of the coastal areas, e.g. seashore meadows, in particular, should be emphasized.

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Kullman, L. 2005: Pine (Pinus sylvestris) treeline dynamics during the past millennium — a population study in west-central Sweden. — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 95–106.

Dynamics of a pristine and fire-free treeline population of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) over the past millennium was reconstructed at a site in the southern Swedish Scandes. At the broadest temporal scale, population change was analysed from radiocarbon-dated megafossil wood remains (stumps, trunks, etc.) lying on the ground surface. Recent stand history was derived from age structure analysis and repeated photography of the living pine population. The study population has undergone gradual and total demise (deforestation) between the 11th and 19th centuries AD, implying a transformation from a sparse forest structure to near tundra conditions. Pine establishment in the past 50 years has increased tree density to levels that might have existed more than 1000 years ago. The inferred course of pine population change broadly concurred with local, regional and hemispheric paleoclimatic proxies and paleotreeline histories, as well as instrumental temperature records. Little establishment occurred during the cold conditions of the Little Ice Age, while pine recruitment in the latter half of the 20th century was inferred to be exceptional in the context of at least the past one thousand years.

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Laitinen, J., Rehell, S. & Huttunen, A. 2005: Vegetation-related hydrotopographic and hydrologic classification for aapa mires (Hirvisuo, Finland). — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 107–121.

We used a case study (Hirvisuo mire complex, southern aapa mire zone, Finland) to describe a new morphological classification for aapa mires and used as a basis the broad, vegetation-based ecological aapa-mire concept. It deviates from the narrow morphological aapa-mire concept referring solely to patterned fens. Three scales (micro, meso and macro) were applied for the morphology. The important meso scale included eight different units. Units were delineated on aerial photographs. Macro scale included the whole complex and its bisection to central and peripheral aapa-mire areas according to the horizontal water flow pattern within the whole complex. Stability of water regime was mainly inferred from vegetation on the basis of previous literature about the ecology of mire site types and other vegetation units described in Finland and Sweden. Groundwater recharge-discharge pattern was also mainly inferred from mire vegetation supported by previous, sporadic groundwater level measurements in the mineral soil formation south of the study area. For the importance of understanding the whole geo-hydro-ecologic system as a unit, the landscape level is stressed.

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Yue, C.-L., Wang, K.-H. & Zhu, Y.-M. 2005: Morphological plasticity of clonal plant Phyllostachys praecox f. prevernalis (Poaceae) in response to nitrogen availability. — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 123–127.

We studied the morphological plasticity of clones in Phyllostachys praecox f. prevernalis (Poaceae) in response to nitrogen availability in a field experiment. With increasing nitrogen availability, number of ramets per clone increased significantly, whereas the spacer became clearly shorter. Rhizome branching angle and internode length was not responsive to nitrogen availability. Although rhizome length of ramet decreased with increasing nitrogen availability, total rhizome length of clone had no significant variation. In higher nitrogen availability, the total biomass of clone increased significantly. The distribution of more ramets in relatively high nitrogen availability can enable Phyllostachys praecox f. prevernalis to fully exploit patchy nitrogen. With decreasing nitrogen availability, the clone invested higher percentage allocation of biomass into the underground growth, to enhance acquisition efficiency for nitrogen in soil.

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Chen, H.-F., Zhou, R.-Z. & Xing, F.-W. 2005: Magnolia shangsiensis (Magnoliaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China. — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 129–131.

Magnolia shangsiensis Law, R.Z. Zhou & H.F. Chen sp. nova (Magnoliaceae) is described and illustrated from Guangxi, China. It differs from M. championii mainly by its longer and more glabrous leaves with an inconspicuous reticulation of nerves, by its pendulous peduncles, and compressed cylindrical, pubescent gynoecium.

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Deng, Y.-F. & Qin, H.-N. 2005: New combination in the genus Afgekia (Fabaceae, Papilionoideae). — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 133–134.

Afgekia filipes (Dunn) R. Geesink var. tomentosa (Z. Wei) Y.F. Deng & H.N. Qin, comb. nova, is proposed for Whitfordiodendron filipes Dunn var. tomentosum Z. Wei.

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Jin, X.-H. 2005: Coelogyne weixiensis (Orchidaceae), a new species from Yunnan, China. — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 135–137.

Coelogyne weixiensis X.H. Jin sp. nova (Orchidaceae) is described and illustrated. It is morphologically reminiscent of C. gongshanensis, from which it differs in having aristate lateral sepals, petals much narrower than the sepals, and toothed lateral labellum lobes.

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Karamian, R. & Ranjbar, M. 2005: Astragalus pendulipodus (Fabaceae), a new species from Iran. — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 139–142.

Astragalus pendulipodus Ranjbar & Karamian sp. nova (Fabaceae) is described from Iran and illustrated, and placed in Astragalus sect. Ammodendron. It is confined to the western part of Iran (Prov. Zanjan) and known from two localities. Some characters in A. pendulipodus suggest that it is closely related to A. ovalis.

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Özgökçe, F., Tan, K. & Stevanovic, V. 2005: A new subspecies of Silene acaulis (Caryophyll-aceae) from East Anatolia, Turkey. — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 143–149.

Silene acaulis (L.) Jacq. subsp. vanensis Özgökçe & Kit Tan (Caryophyllaceae), a new taxon occurring in the province of Van in East Anatolia, Turkey, is described and illustrated. Its closest affinities are with S. acaulis subsp. bryoides, a plant occurring more than 2000 km away in the mountains of central and southern Europe. The existence of a new subspecies of S. acaulis in the extremely disjunct locality is interesting from a phytogeographical viewpoint. It is possible that during the post-glacial period the present-day Arctic-Alpine flora migrated not only southwards to the mountains of central and southern Europe but also to the highlands of eastern Turkey.

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Xing, F.-W., Wang, F.-G., Chen, H.-F. & Chau, L. K. C. 2005: Begonia hongkongensis (Begoniaceae), a new species from Hong Kong. — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 151–154.

Begonia hongkongensis F.W. Xing sp. nova (Begoniaceae) is described and illustrated. It is most similar to B. tsoongii, but differs primarily in its horizontal rhizome, bigger leaves with long-attenuate apices and irregularly shallowly 1–4-lobed margins, styles with only basal parts connected, and capsules with a longer pedicel and wings. It is known only from Jiujing Mountain in Hong Kong.

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Yue, J.-P., Al-Shehbaz, I. A. & Sun, H. 2005: Solms-laubachia zhongdianensis (Brassicaceae), a new species from the Hengduan Mountains of Yunnan, China. — Ann. Bot. Fennici 42: 155–158.

Solms-laubachia zhongdianensis J.P. Yue, Al-Shehbaz & H. Sun sp. nova (Brassicaceae) is described from the Hengduan Mountains of Yunnan, China, and illustrated in line drawings. It resembles S. xerophyta but differs in having papery petioles, shorter leaves, dense pubescence on fruit valves, shorter fruiting pedicels, and larger seeds. Solms-laubachia minor Hand.-Mazz. is reduced to synonymy with S. pulcherrima Muschl.

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