Abstract: The Graphidaceae and Opegraphaceae of New Zealand are reviewed. Graphina subvelata, Graphis triticea, Phaeographina arechavaletae, Phaeographis australiensis, and P. exaltata are recorded for the first time from New Zealand. A new combination. Graphina novaezelandia (Knight) G. Hayward, is made. For each of the 22 species, synonymy, typification, description, and citation of specimens examined are given. Nine taxa are considered doubtful or excluded from the New Zealand flora.

Abstract: Historical analysis of the various generic concepts of Micrasterias (Desmidiaceae, Zygnemaphyceae) since its original description by C. Agardh in 1827 leads to the following conclusions: I) the name Micrasterias of C. Agardh, 1827, is not valid since it was published before the starting point for nomenclature in the Desmidiaceae (Ralfs, 1848); 2) the valid generic name is Micrasterias C. Agardh ex Ralfs non Micrasterias Kiitzing; and 3) M. furcata C. Agardh ex Ralfs non M. furcata C. Agardh must be considered the type species for the genus.

Abstract: Before I849, it was the practice to allot the uniovulate mallows either to Sida or Malva depending on the absence or presence, respectively, of an involucel. This practice was found unsatisfactory by Gray (1849) because both of these Linnaean genera, as then constituted, were heterogeneous assemblages. Gray therefore established Malvastrum (and another genus, Sidalcea) in an attempt to resolve this problem. However, as noted by Bates (1967, p. 14) "at its inception Malvastrum included representatives of at least three genera," and unfortunately, it "rapidly became a repository for diverse elements with little in common ..." Malvastrum thus became a third heterogeneous assemblage. Its typification is consequently an important problem, and perhaps a more complex problem than the typification of most other genera of Malvaceae. Subsequent refinements of our understanding of Malvastrum have resulted in the exclusion of several segregate genera from this broad assemblage and consequently a more natural constitution for the residue that remains in Malvastrum sens. str. The clarification

Abstract: and L. occidentalis Baker, a taxonomically valid species of tropical Africa and Madagascar related to L. hirsuta. Had he validly published his genus, like Trevisan he would have chosen L. aurita inferentially and incorrectly as lectotype. Underwood (I899, p. 255) also chose L. aurita as lectotype, but on an arbitrary (first cited species) basis, and so his choice should be disregarded. Maxon (I926, p. 429) was aware of all of the foregoing, except for the Brongniart choice of lectotype. And so he validated Trevisan's name by providing a generic description for it; the name must be cited as Anisosorus Trev. ex Maxon. He cited P. laciniata Willd. as the type, the sole species mentioned by Trevisan. The generic name Anisosorus, therefore, must be placed in synonymy under Lonchitis, which is now considered to contain two species: L. hirsuta L. and L. occidentalis Baker.

Abstract: A taxonomic revision of the fern genus Asplenium in the New Zealand region has been carried out. Fourteen species and four subspecies are recognised. One species, A. terrestre, and three subspecies, A. obtusatum subsp. northlandicum, A. flaccidum subsp. hauraklense, and A. terrestre subsp. maritimum, are described for the first time. Typification, synonymy. range of morphological variation, chromosome number, habitat. and distribution are described for each taxon. A dichotomous key to the species is presented. The origin and development of the New Zealand Asplenium flora is briefly discussed. It has its closest affinities with that of temperate Australia from where most of the species have probably been derived. However, some species such as A. trichomanes, A. polyodon, and A. obtusatum have affinities with Northern Hemisphere, tropical, or South American floras and have therefore ultimately reached New Zealand from much further afield. The genus displays a higher mean level of ploidy (5.9) in th...