Polyploidy has played an important evolutionary role in the genus Festuca (Poaceae), and several ploidy levels (ranging from 2n = 2x = 14 to 2n = 12x = 84) have been detected to date. This study aimed to estimate the genome size and ploidy level of two subspecies belonging to the F. yvesii polyploid complex by flow cytometry and chromosome counting. The phenotypic variation of the cytotypes was also explored, based on herbarium material. The genome size of F. yvesii subsp. lagascae has been estimated for the first time. Nuclear 2C DNA content of F. yvesii subsp. summilusitana ranged from 21.44 to 31.91 pg, while that of F. yvesii subsp. lagascae was from 13.60 to 22.31 pg. We report the highest ploidy level detected for Festuca (2n = 14x = 98) and previously unknown cytotypes. A positive correlation between holoploid genome size and chromosome number counts shown herein was confirmed. The morphometric approach showed a slight trend towards an increase in the size of some organs consistent with the variation in the ploidy level. Differences in characters were usually significant only among the most extreme cytotypes of each subspecies, but, even in this case, the high overlapping ranges prevent their distinction.

The influence of different concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn) was analyzed in the Salsola vermiculata germination pattern, seedling development, and accumulation in seedlings. The responses to different metals were dissimilar. Germination was only significantly reduced at Cu and Zn 4000 μM but Zn induced radicle growth at lower concentrations. Without damage, the species acted as a good accumulator and tolerant for Mn, Ni, and Cu. In seedlings, accumulation increased following two patterns: Mn and Ni, induced an arithmetic increase in content in tissue, to the point where the content reached a maximum; with Cu and Ni, the pattern was linear, in which the accumulation in tissue was directly related to the metal concentration in the medium. Compared to other Chenopodiaceae halophyte species, S. vermiculata seems to be more tolerant of metals and is proposed for the phytoremediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals.

Español. Se ha efectuado la revisión taxonómica de Centaurea sect. Jacea (Mill.) Pers. en la Península Ibérica. Se reconocen 12 táxones y se hace una nueva combinación: C. nigra subsp. endressii (Dostál) Arnelas & Devesa. Se aporta una clave para la dentificación de los táxones e híbridos, así como su descripción morfológica e información sobre la distribución geográfica, apetencias ecológicas, fenología y número cromosómico.English. A taxonomic review of Centaurea sect. Jacea (Mill.) Pers. in the Iberian Peninsula was done. Twelve taxa are recognized and a new combination is proposed: C. nigra subsp. endressii (Dostál) Arnelas & Devesa. A key for the identification of taxa and hybrids are provided, also their morphological description, information on geographical distribution, their ecology, their phenology and their chromosome numbers are given.

Valerianella (cornsalad) is a taxonomically complex genus formed by 50–65 annual Holarctic species classified into at least four main sections. Carpological traits (sizes and shapes of achenes and calyx teeth) have been used to characterize its sections and species. However, the potential systematic value of these traits at different taxonomic ranks (from sections to species (and infraspecific taxa)) has not been tested phylogenetically yet. Here, we have assessed the evolutionary systematic value of Valerianella diagnostic carpological traits at different hierarchical ranks and have demonstrated their ability to separate taxa at the sectional level but not at species level for species of several species pairs. A total of 426 individuals (17 species, 4 sections) of Valerianella were analyzed using AFLP and plastid data. Genetic clusters, phylogenetic trees, and haplotype networks support the taxonomic classification of Valerianella at the four studied sectional levels (V. sects. Valerianella, Cornigerae, Coronatae, Platycoelae) but show admixture for ten taxa from five species pairs (V. locusta—V. carinata, V. coronata—V. pumila, V. multidentata—V. discoidea, V. dentata—V. rimosa, V. eriocarpa—V. microcarpa), which are not reciprocally monophyletic. Dating analyses indicate that the Valerianella sections are relatively old (mid-Miocene), while most species diverged in the Pliocene–Pleistocene. A new section Valerianella sect. Stipitae is described to accommodate the highly divergent and taxonomically distinct V. fusiformis type species. Taxonomic treatments that recognize the sectional ranks and that subsume the separate species of each species pair into single species represent a natural classification for Valerianella.

Carduus acicularis Bertol. (Asteraceae) in the Iberian Peninsula Palabras clave. Carduus, Asteraceae, taxonomía, flora, Península Ibérica. Key words. Carduus, Asteraceae, taxonomy, flora, Iberian Peninsula.

Español. Se ha efectuado la revisión taxonómica de Centaurea sect. Cyanus en la Península Ibérica. Se reconocen seis táxones y se hacen dos nuevas combinaciones: C. triumfettii var. semidecurrens (Jord.) Muñoz Rodr. & Devesa y C. graminifolia (Lam.) Muñoz Rodr. & Devesa. Se aporta una clave para la identificación de los táxones, así como su descripción morfológica e información sobre la distribución geográfica, apetencias ecológicas, fenología y número cromosómico. English. A taxonomic review of Centaurea sect. Cyanus in the Iberian Peninsula was done. Six taxa are recognized and two new combinations are proposed: C. triumfetti var. semidecurrens (Jord.) Muñoz Rodr. & Devesa and C. graminifolia (Lam.) Muñoz Rodr. & Devesa. A key for the identification of taxa are provided, also their morphological description, information on geographical distribution, their ecology, their phenology and their chromosome numbers are given.