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The fundamental value of universal nomenclatural systems in biology is that they enable unambiguous scientific communication. However, the stability of these systems is threatened by recent discussions asking for a fairer nomenclature, raising the possibility of bulk revision processes for "inappropriate" names. It is evident that such proposals come from very deep feelings, but we show how they can irreparably damage the foundation of biological communication and, in turn, the sciences that depend on it. There are four essential consequences of objective codes of nomenclature: universality, stability, neutrality, and transculturality. These codes provide fair and impartial guides to the principles governing biological nomenclature and allow unambiguous universal communication in biology. Accordingly, no subjective proposals should be allowed to undermine them.

Carex hartmaniorum (sect. Racemosae, Cyperaceae) is reported for the first time for Spain, from a single known population in the Cerdanya region (Eastern Pyrenees, Girona province). The main differences with closely related taxa are highlighted, a dichotomous key to differentiate this species from members of section Racemosae inhabiting the Iberian Peninsula and the Pyrenees is presented, and some comments on its distribution and ecology are made. A preliminary conservation assessment for Spain resulted in the proposal of the Endangered category of C. hartmaniorum for Spain.

Se presentan diversas notas corológicas del género Carex para la península ibérica, que incluyen novedades provinciales para cuatro especies (C. elata subsp. elata, C. demissa subsp. demissa, C. oedipostyla, C. sylvatica subsp. sylvatica) así como la confirmación provincial (no indicada en Flora iberica) de la presencia de tres taxónes. Proporcionamos asimismo la segunda cita nacional para Portugal de C. reuteriana subsp. mauritanica. Otras tres citas poseen interés corológico al constituir novedades comarcales y/o de sector biogeográfico, o bien segunda cita provincial. Cinco de las novedades revisten interés conservacionista por tratarse de especies o poblaciones amenazadas, incluidas en Listas Rojas y/o protegidas a nivel legal. Por último, hacemos referencia a la posible naturalización de C. pendula., Various chorological notes for the genus Carex in the Iberian Peninsula are presented, including new provincial records for four species (C. elata subsp. elata, C. demissa subsp. demissa, C. oedipostyla, C. sylvatica subsp. sylvatica), as well as provincial confirmations (not indicated in Flora iberica) for the presence of three taxa. We also provide the second national report for Portugal of C. reuteriana subsp. mauritanica. Three additional reports have chorological interest by constituting new regional and/or biogeographic records, or the second provincial report. Five of the novelties are of conservation concern because they imply endangered species or populations, included in Red Lists and/or legally protected. Finally, we refer to the possible naturalization of C. pendula.

Despite centuries of work, the basic taxonomic knowledge of the flora of the Iberian Peninsula is still incomplete, especially for highly diverse and/or difficult genera such as Carex. In this study, we conducted an integrative systematic study based on molecular, morphological and cytogenetic data to elucidate the taxonomic status of several problematic Carex populations from La Mancha region (S Spain) belonging to Carex sect. Phacocystis. These populations have been traditionally considered of uncertain taxonomic adscription, but close to C. reuteriana due to their morphological appearance and ecological preferences. A detailed morphological and cytogenetic study was performed on 16 La Mancha’s problematic populations (Sierra Madrona and Montes de Toledo) to compare them with the other Iberian sect. Phacocystis species. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis was conducted using two nuclear (ITS, ETS) and two plastid (rpl32‐trnLUAG, ycf6‐psbM) DNA regions, including representatives from all species of sect. Phacocystis. We found a significant degree of molecular and morphological differentiation that supports the recognition of La Mancha’s problematic populations as a new Iberian endemic species, described here as Carex quixotiana Ben.Benítez, Martín-Bravo, Luceño & Jim.Mejías. Our results reveal that C. quixotiana, unexpectedly, is more closely related to C. nigra than to C. reuteriana on the basis of phylogenetic relationships and chromosome number. These contrasting patterns reflect the taxonomic complexity in sect. Phacocystis and highlight the need for integrative systematic approaches to disentangle such complicated evolutionary scenarios.

Carex camposii Boiss. & Reut., endemic to high mountain ranges in Southern Iberian Peninsula (Sierra Nevada, Sierra de los Filabres and Sierra de Baza), is a morphologically and molecularly well-defined species included in Carex gr. laevigata (subg. Carex, sect. Spirostachyae). We have discovered a population of a morphologically similar species to C. camposii in a different mountain range (Sierra de Tejeda), that displayed some deviant morphological characters and was found in a different habitat from that typical of the species. In order to disentangle the taxonomic status of this population, we have conducted a phylogenetic analysis using five nuclear (ITS, ETS, G3PDH, CATP and GZF) and three plastid (matK, rpS16 and 5 trnK intron) DNA regions. In addition, a morphological analysis including the population from Sierra de Tejeda was carried out. The resulting phylogenetic trees show that the samples of the problematic population are closely related to C. camposii, while the morphological study revealed that a total of nine morphological features did not match those of typical C. camposii. Even though the samples from Sierra de Tejeda are genetically not well differentiated from C. camposii, the morphological and ecological differentiation supports its recognition as a new subspecies, C. camposii subsp.Tejedensis. An assessment of its conservation status using IUCN categories and criteria suggests that it could be critically endangered (CR).

Poales are one of the most species-rich, ecologically and economically important orders of plants and often characterise open habitats, enabled by unique suites of traits. We test six hypotheses regarding the evolution and assembly of Poales in open and closed habitats throughout the world, and examine whether diversification patterns demonstrate parallel evolution. We sampled 42% of Poales species and obtained taxonomic and biogeographic data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants database, which was combined with open/closed habitat data scored by taxonomic experts. A dated supertree of Poales was constructed. We integrated spatial phylogenetics with regionalisation analyses, historical biogeography and ancestral state estimations. Diversification in Poales and assembly of open and closed habitats result from dynamic evolutionary processes that vary across lineages, time and space, most prominently in tropical and southern latitudes. Our results reveal parallel and recurrent patterns of habitat and trait transitions in the species-rich families Poaceae and Cyperaceae. Smaller families display unique and often divergent evolutionary trajectories. The Poales have achieved global dominance via parallel evolution in open habitats, with notable, spatially and phylogenetically restricted divergences into strictly closed habitats. © 2023 The Authors. New Phytologist

Geographic isolation and chromosome evolution are two of the major drivers of diversification in eukaryotes in general, and specifically, in plants. On one hand, range shifts induced by Pleistocene glacial oscillations deeply shaped the evolutionary trajectories of species in the Northern Hemisphere. On the other hand, karyotype variability within species or species complexes may have adaptive potential as different karyotypes may represent different recombination rates and linkage groups that may be associated with locally adapted genes or supergenes. Organisms with holocentric chromosomes are ideal to study the link between local adaptation and chromosome evolution, due to their high cytogenetic variability, especially when it seems to be related to environmental variation. Here, we integrate the study of the phylogeography, chromosomal evolution and ecological requirements of a plant species complex distributed in the Western Euro-Mediterranean region (Carex gr. laevigata, Cyperaceae). We aim to clarify the relative influence of these factors on population differentiation and ultimately on speciation. We obtained a well-resolved RADseq phylogeny that sheds light on the phylogeographic patterns of molecular and chromosome number variation, which are compatible with south-to-north postglacial migration. In addition, landscape genomics analyses identified candidate loci for local adaptation, and also strong significant associations between the karyotype and the environment. We conclude that karyotype distribution in C. gr. laevigata has been constrained by both range shift dynamics and local adaptation. Our study demonstrates that chromosome evolution may be responsible, at least partially, for microevolutionary patterns of population differentiation and adaptation in Carex.

Carex camposii Boiss. & Reut., endemic to high mountain ranges in Southern Iberian Peninsula (Sierra Nevada, Sierra de los Filabres and Sierra de Baza), is a morphologically and molecularly well-defined species included in Carex gr. laevigata (subg. Carex, sect. Spirostachyae). We have discovered a population of a morphologically similar species to C. camposii in a different mountain range (Sierra de Tejeda), that displayed some deviant morphological characters and was found in a different habitat from that typical of the species. In order to disentangle the taxonomic status of this population, we have conducted a phylogenetic analysis using five nuclear (ITS, ETS, G3PDH, CATP and GZF) and three plastid (matK, rpS16 and 5’trnK intron) DNA regions. In addition, a morphological analysis including the population from Sierra de Tejeda was carried out. The resulting phylogenetic trees show that the samples of the problematic population are closely related to C. camposii, while the morphological study revealed that a total of nine morphological features did not match those of typical C. camposii. Even though the samples from Sierra de Tejeda are genetically not well differentiated from C. camposii, the morphological and ecological differentiation supports its recognition as a new subspecies, C. camposii subsp. tejedensis. An assessment of its conservation status using IUCN categories and criteria suggests that it could be critically endangered (CR).