Aims To produce representative aggregate maps of plant collection locations in Thailand and discuss their impact on biogeographical studies in Thailand and the surrounding region.Location Thailand.Methods A representative data set comprising 6593 plant specimen records for Thailand has been assembled. The data set contains AE all known collections for fifteen representative plant families and further records for another 104. All records are localized to Changwat (province), 6441 to at least quarter degree square.Results Analysis shows that the spread of collecting activity in Thailand is markedly uneven; 20% of collections come from a single Changwat (Chiang Mai) and 53% of Changwat have fifty or fewer collections. The distribution of collections by Changwat and by quarter degree square is erratic with most squares and Changwat having few collections, both in proportionate and absolute terms. Some of the most densely forested Changwats and squares appear undercollected. Distribution maps for common, easily recognized tree species in the genus Syzygium show distributional gaps.Conclusions Thailand is defined as an undercollected country. Even within the few well-collected quarter degree squares the spread of collecting is still poor; almost all collections being localized to one of three mountain ranges or their foothills. There are many gaps in collecting activity which make impossible a straightforward interpretation of biogeographical pattern. It is argued that targeted collecting activity is needed, that assembly of this type of data set is therefore essential and that our data set and its interpretation is a model for all countries in the region.

Rapid recent developments in DNA sequencing and genetic marker technologies call for the establishment of cost‐effective, automated phenotyping assays for evolutionary biology and systematics, so that the effects of DNA polymorphisms and epigenetic changes on the phenotype can be evaluated. We discuss the use of digital image‐based morphometrics in evolutionary biology and systematics with special emphasis on studies of taxa with porous genomes, i.e., taxa that do not conform to the traditional view of whole‐genome isolation between species. We outline the phenomenon of the 'phenotypic mosaic' in taxa with porous genomes using well‐documented examples from the literature and describe three important challenges arising for taxonomists: (1) character conflict in phylogenetic studies, (2) biased sampling of traits in morphological studies, and (3) cryptic ecological speciation. We demonstrate the use of geometric morphometrics using a combined molecular and morphometric dataset from an interspecific hybrid zone between two divergent Eurasian species of Populus, P. alba (white poplar) and P. tremula (European aspen). Elliptic Fourier analysis (EFA)‐based morphometric data were collected for 527 leaf specimens from 84 trees with known genomic composition as determined by a set of 30 nuclear DNA microsatellites. In addition, to demonstrate the ease of scoring functionally relevant phenotypes via digital image analysis, quantitative differences in leaf reflectance were examined and their structural basis determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The EFA results indicate a heritable inter‐individual component for symmetric aspects and an important intra‐individual component for asymmetric aspects of variation in leaf outlines. Symmetric traits displayed a striking variety of phenotypes in hybrids compared to their parental species, consistent with the notion of the phenotypic mosaic. Linear discriminant analysis of these morphometric traits revealed (1) clear differentiation between parental species and (2) divergence between recombinant hybrids and their sympatric backcross parent P. alba, mediated primarily by two P. tremula–like and two transgressive traits. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of geometric morphometrics to interrogate multiple independent phenotypic characters and detect individual traits affected by introgression and divergence in taxa with porous genomes. Digital image‐based morphometrics holds great promise for large‐scale studies of relationships between DNA polymorphism and phenotypes in evolutionary biology.

This is the first study to use chemometric methods to differentiate among 21 cultivars of Camellia sinensis from China and between leaves harvested at different times of the year using 30 compounds implicated in the taste and quality of tea. Unique patterns of catechin derivatives were observed among cultivars and across harvest seasons. C. sinensis var. pubilimba (You 510) differed from the cultivars of C. sinensis var. sinensis, with higher levels of theobromine, (+)-catechin, gallocatechin, gallocatechin gallate and theasinensin B, and lower levels of (-)-epicatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), respectively. Three cultivars of C. sinensis var. sinensis, Fuyun 7, Qiancha 7 and Zijuan contained significantly more caffeoylquinic acids than others cultivars. A Linear Discriminant Analysis model based on the abundance of 12 compounds was able to discriminate amongst all 21 tea cultivars. Harvest time impacted the abundance of EGC, theanine and afzelechin gallate.

Aims This study sought genetic evidence of long-term isolation in populations of Monstera adansonii var. klotzschiana (Araceae), a herbaceous, probably outbreeding, humid forest hemi-epiphyte, in the brejo forests of Ceará (north-east Brazil), and clarification of their relationships with populations in Amazonia and the Atlantic forest of Brazil. † Methods Within-population genetic diversity and between-population dissimilarity were estimated using AFLP molecular markers in 75 individuals from eight populations located in Ceará, the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Amazonia. † Key Results The populations showed a clinal pattern of weak genetic differentiation over a large geographical region (F ST ¼ 0 . 1896). A strong correlation between genetic and geographical distance (Mantel test: r ¼ 0 . 6903, P ¼ 0 . 002) suggests a historical pattern of isolation by distance. Genetic structure analysis revealed at least two distinct gene pools in the data. The two isolated Ceará populations are significantly different from each other ( pairwise F PT ¼ 0 . 137, P ¼ 0 . 003) and as diverse (Nei's gene diversity, average H e ¼ 0 . 1832, 0 . 1706) as those in the Atlantic and Amazon forest regions. The population in southern Brazil is less diverse (Nei's gene diversity, average H e ¼ 0 . 127) than the rest. The Ceará populations are related to those of the Atlantic forest rather than those from Amazonia (AMOVA, among-groups variation ¼ 11 . 95 %, P ¼ 0 . 037). † Conclusions The gene pools detected within an overall pattern of clinal variation suggest distinct episodes of gene flow, possibly correlated with past humid forest expansions. The Ceará populations show no evidence of erosion of genetic diversity, although this was expected because of their isolation. Their genetic differentiation and relatively high diversity reinforce the importance of conserving the endangered brejo forests.

The crisis facing the conservation of biodiversity is reflected in a parallel crisis in alpha taxonomy. On one hand, there is an acute need from government and non-government organisations for large-scale and relatively stable species inventories on which to build major biodiversity information systems. On the other, molecular information will have an increasingly important impact on the evidential basis for delimiting species and is likely to result in greater scientific debate and controversy on their circumscription. This paper argues that alpha-taxonomy built on the Internet (alpha e-taxonomy) can provide a key component of the solution. Two main themes are considered: (1) the potential of e-taxonomic revisions for engaging both the specialist taxonomic community and a wider public in gathering taxonomic knowledge and deepening understanding of it, and (2) why alpha-species will continue to play an essential role in the conventional definition of species and what kinds of methodological development this implies for descriptive species taxonomy. The challenges and requirements for sustaining etaxonomic revisions in the long-term are discussed, with particular reference to models being developed by five initiatives with botanical exemplar websites: CATE (Creating a Taxonomic E-Science), Solanaceae Source, GrassBase and EDIT (European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy) exemplar groups and scratchpads. These projects give a clear indication of the crucially important role of the national and regional taxonomic organisations and their networks in providing both leadership and a fruitful and beneficial human and technical environment for taxonomists, both amateur and professional, to contribute their expertise towards a collective global enterprise.