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The largely Australian genus Hibbertia, containing ca. 150 species, has been characterized in the literature as containing a far greater amount of morphological variation with respect to floral bauplan, growth habit, and range of ecological adaptations than perhaps any other group of similar taxonomic rank. A familial-level phylogenetic analysis of Dilleniaceae utilizing sequences of the chloroplast gene rbcL strongly supports the monophyly of Hibbertia as currently conceptualized. Simultaneous maximum parsimony analysis of three data sets-cpDNA (rpll6 intron), nrDNA (ITS 1-2), and morphology-resolves two major clades within the genus that, with at least two notable exceptions, mirrors the morphological dichotomy of species with actinomorphic versus zygomorphic androecia and gynoecia. Hibbertia from the isolated, Mediterranean-climate region of southwestern Western Australia are largely clustered into a few large clades embedded within a grade of taxa indigenous to the eastern states of Australia. Western Australian species from these different clades frequently occur sympatrically, with different clusters of species found throughout the many vegetation types occurring in this part of the continent. In the extensive sclerophyllous shrublands (kwongan) occurring on nutrient-poor sands, sympatric Hibbertia species may show striking convergence on similar ericoid leaf forms, yet each co-occurring species will possess fundamentally different floral bauplans that are characteristic of its respective clade. This pattern of diversification is consistent with the concept of 'leapfrogging' adaptive radiations put forth by Chase and Palmer (1997).

The Sphaerosepalaceae (2 genera, 18 spp.) and Diegodendraceae (monotypic) are both families of deciduous trees and shrubs endemic to Madagascar. Recent phylogenies using rbcL sequences (Alverson et al., submitted; Fay et al., in prep.) and using morphological and anatomical characters (Horn, in prep.) support the placement of these two families within an expanded Malvales as members of a clade which also contains Bixaceae and Cochlospermaceae. In an effort to further clarify the relationships within this 'bixalean' clade, an investigation of the vegetative and reproductive anatomy and morphology of these plants was undertaken, focusing on the structurally poorly-known Sphaerosepalaceae and Diegodendraceae. Phylogenies resulting from parsimony analysis of an expanded Malvales data set including these new observations show the following topology for the bixalean clade: (Cochlospermum (Bixa (Diegodendron (Dialyceras Rhopalocarpus)))). The monophyly of the three Malagasy endemic genera is supported by the presence of a gynobasic style, a condition which is not immediately evident in Rhopalocarpus because of the formation of an apical septum. Apical septa, a morphological feature of rare occurrence in angiosperms, are an elaboration on the condition of basistyly in a eusyncarpous gynoecium and are formed by the congenital fusion of the style with the ventral faces of the carpel cocci, rendering the style secondarily (topographically) gynoterminal. Dialyceras is evidently transitional between Diegodendron and Rhopalocarpus. Dialyceras shares with Diegodendron the lack of an apical septum and a sheathing stipule morphology, while it shares with Rhopalocarpus the presence of copious amounts of endosperm in the seed, syntropous ovule curvature, a tetramerous perianth, fused intrapetiolar stipules, and the absence of vestured pits on the side walls of vessel elements in the secondary xylem. Characters of systematic significance within Rhopalocarpus include intrastaminal disk morphology, leaf architecture, and the presence or absence of a fibrous endothecium.

Residential substance abuse treatment centers have increased considerably in recent years. For many of these centers the ultimate measure of success in alcohol/drug rehabilitation is the client's ability to maintain an alcohol/drug free life style following residential treatment. Participation in some form of continuing therapeutic mechanism appears to be significant in achieving this success. Extended involvement in post-therapy, continuing care programs is important also to the adminstrators/staff of the treatment facility. It constitutes an overt measure of organizational success and a method for maintaining credibility in the expanding treatment community. This paper reports on an evaluation of the continuing care program in a free standing substance abuse treatment center in North Alabama. A random sample of client records for a twelve month period (N = 174) was analyzed to isolate variables associated with diem involvement in the center's continuing care program. Our findings indicate that pre-therapy factors and client support mechanisms are important determinants of post-therapy success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]