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This paper presents results of surveys carried out during 2009–2016 in different regions of Azerbaijan to study the distribution of Aegilops cylindrica. Two new varieties and four new formae have been identified within this species, based on spike morphology. Eco-geographical data result from both herbarium specimens and from monitoring in the wild. Ecological information results from climate data (altitude, rainfall, temperature) from within the areas of collection. We also present information on the description, systematics and bioecological features of Ae. cylindrica, as well as essential nomenclature, distribution, and habitats in Azerbaijan and beyond.

Wild emmer, Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccoides, is an annual tetraploid wheat characterized by a brittle spike axis that spontaneously disintegrates at maturity. It occurs widely in the so-called Fertile Crescent of the Near East and is of great importance for understanding wheat evolution and for breeding modern wheat cultivars tolerant of extreme heat and dryness. Wild emmer was first collected by Theodor Kotschy on Mt Hermon in Lebanon in 1855, but was not found again for more than half a century. Friedrich August Kornicke was first to realize that Kotschy's specimen represented an ancestral form of hexaploid bread wheat, T. aestivum, but, although he gave it a name, he did not describe it. Paul Ascherson and Paul Graebner were the first to provide a description, basing it on information received in a letter from Kornicke. In doing so, they validated Kornicke's suggested name T. sativum var. dicoccoides and made Kotschy's specimen the holotype. Five years later, on the basis of information received from Ascherson and Georg Schweinfurth in Berlin, Aaron Aaronsohn rediscovered wild emmer on Mt Hermon and started to send specimens for further study to Europe. Soon afterwards he also discovered it east of the river Jordan, while Theodor Strauss collected the first specimens in Iran. This paper focuses on the as yet widely unappreciated herbarium record, listing and commenting on early specimens collected in the wild as well as those cultivated in botanical gardens up to 1910.

Seven species not previously reported for Lebanon and one species re-located after 183 years are reported here after their discovery during an ex situ seed conservation project in the country (Bombycilaena erecta (L.) Smoljan., Centaurea diffusa Lam.; Hypochaeris radicata L.; Gypsophila perfoliata L.; Euphorbia cheiradenia Boiss. & Hohen.; Stachys setifera C.A.Mey.; Stachys zoharyana Eig and Plantago maritima L.).

Expeditions were conducted in the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Regions of Azerbaijan in June–July, 2013. A total of 50 Aegilops L. accessions representing eight (two diploid and six tetraploid) species were collected in the 30 locations of the explored regions, and the eco-geographical characteristics of collection sites were recorded. Plant and germplasm collections were made by following established practice, and descriptors were compiled. Exploration on the right side the Girdman River near the village of Padar in the region of Greater Caucasus resulted in samples of Ae. umbellulata Zhuk. with different spike colours. The rarest species in the studied area were Ae. kotschyi Boiss., Ae. neglecta Req. ex Bertol. and Ae. columnaris Zhuk. The most widely distributed species among the diploid species was Ae. tauschii Coss., and among the tetraploid species were Ae. cylindrica Host, Ae. biuncialis Vis. and Ae. triuncialis L. The distribution and environmental condition data of Aegilops L. species in Azerbaijan will provide valuable information for the future collection, conservation and the genetic resource management for this region of Azerbaijan.

This paper discusses the different taxonomic concepts of the wheat group as exemplified by three species, commonly known together as ‘Farro’: diploid Einkorn, tetraploid Emmer and hexaploid Spelt. A narrow, morphology-based concept is contrasted with a much wider, genome-based one, leading to profound differences in the recognition of taxa at species level and below. The latter concept accepts far fewer taxa; it is advocated here and its effect illustrated for the Farro wheats. Considerations regarding the nomenclature of the accepted taxa are presented, applying both the International Code for the Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants (ICNCP) and the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (ICN or the ‘Melbourne Code’). Within the genus Triticum L. we propose Farro wheats to be classified at subspecies rank, and to be defined as the total of their cultivars united under a botanical name. Einkorn is T. monococcum L. (the cultivars in subsp. monococcum) and Spelt T. aestivum L. subsp. spelta (L.) Thell.; if one chooses the species level the names are T. monococcum L. and T. spelta L., respectively. We show that, based on consideration of the original literature, the ICN and relevant type specimens, the correct name and authorship of Emmer at subspecies level should be T. turgidum L. subsp. dicoccum (Schrank ex Schubl.) Thell. At species level we recommend using T. farrum Bayle-Bar., published in 1809, over the more widely known T. dicoccum Schrank ex Schubl. from 1818, and provide arguments for rejecting T. dicoccon Schrank 1789, T. album Gaertn. 1790, T. spelta sensu Host 1809 (non Linnaeus) and (possibly) T. atratum Host 1809.

An account of species of the genera Aptosimum and Peliostomum occurring in Namibia is presented, together with an updated key for all accepted species of these genera. The sinking of Peliostomum in Aptosimum is discussed and rejected. A new species from Namibia, Aptosimum radiatum, is described. Species descriptions, global and Namibian distributions, conservation status, habitat and phenological information are presented for the 16 Aptosimum and three Peliostomum species recognised from Namibia. The type for Peliostomum is designated. Arguments are presented for the choice of one neotype for an accepted species, as well as 29 lectotypes: 15 for names of accepted species, 14 for synonyms.

Summary. An account of species of Pteronia occurring in Namibia is presented, together with an updated key. New material of P. quadrifaria Dinter confirmed that this is a valid species and not a synonym of P. lucilioides DC., and is resurrected. Species descriptions, global and Namibian distributions, conservation status, habitat and phenological information are presented for the 24 species recognised from Namibia. During this study it became clear that many species names have not been properly typified. As a result arguments are presented for the choice of 10 lectotypes, eight of which concern Pteronia with five of these for names of species accepted here. Four species of Pteronia that have been described from or are at least partly occurring in Namibia but that are no longer considered part of this genus are briefly discussed.

Aegilops caudata was diagnosed by Linnaeus as "Spica subulata scabra, flosculo ultimo tantum aristato". In addition, Linnaeus cited the phrase name from Tourefort (Inst. Rei Herb., Coroll.: 29. 1703), "Gramen creticum, spica gracili in duas aristas longissimas & asperas abeunte", and added the remark "Habitat in Creta. Glumae omnes, excepta ultima, bidentata sunt". In terms of morphology and origin the species was thereby clearly described and fully recognized as such in the two monographs of the genus Aegilops (Zukovskij in Trudy Prikl. Bot. 18: 417-609. 1928; Eig in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg., Beih. 55: 1-228. 1929). The only confusion that could possibly arise was with A. cylindrica Host (Icon. Descr. Gram. Austriac. 2: 6, t. 7. 1802), a tetraploid species which also occurs, but rarely, on Crete (Slageren, in prep.). Differences are: (1) the length and development of the apical glume awns: equal or (usually) longer than the entire spike and with a base which is a continuation of the apex of the glume (in A. caudata) vs. only about one-third to one-half of the spike length (in A. cylindrica); (2) the absence of small lateral teeth at the base of the apical glume awn (in A. caudata) vs. their presence (in A. cylindrica); and (3) features of the apical lemma awns, which are short and narrowly linear with one or two lateral teeth at the base (in A. caudata) vs. well developed, at least equal in length but usually longer than the apical glume awns (in A. cylindrica). The presence of a well developed awn on the lateral glumes in some forms of A. caudata superficially makes this species look similar to A. cylindrica. The situation changed with the remark by Eig (in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg., Beih. 55: 13. 1929) that the plants on the two sheets annotated by Linnaeus in his herbarium as "caudata" (Herb. Linnaeus No. 1218.5 and 1218.6, LINN) do not belong to this species. Bowden (in Canad. J. Bot. 37: 667-668. 1959) confirmed this statement for two of the three plants involved [the right-hand plant of No. 1218.5 and the single plant of No. 1218.6, which he identified as Aegilops tauschii Coss. (A. squarrosa auct.)]. The left-hand individual of No. 1218.5 he left with A. caudata as traditionally understood and indirectly accepted it as the type of the name. When treating A. caudata under Triticum, as the combination T. caudatum Pers. 1805 [= Dasypyrum villosum (L.) Cand.] predates T. caudatum (L.) Gren. & Godr. (based on A. caudata L.), he used the epithet of A. caudata subsp. dichasians Zhuk. (in Trudy Prikl. Bot. 18: 512. 1928) to create T. dichasians "(Zhuk.)" Bowden. We agree with Greuter (pers. comm.) that the basionym of this combination, A. caudata