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Süsswasserflora von mitteleuropa 9 chlorophyta I phytomonadina
9O
This happens at various places in the text, and the title o f the b o o k is an obvious example. C. DEN HARTOG Nijmegen, The Netherlands
PHYTOMONADINA
Siisswasserflora yon Mitteleuropa 9 Chlorophyta I Phytomonadina. H. Ettl, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 1983, I-XIV + 807 pp., price DM 180. ISBN 3-437-30408-9. The initiative to publish an up-to-date edition of Pascher's "Siisswasserflora von Mitteleuropa" has been generally welcomed, and has become really important, n o w it appears that the publishers have been able to p r o d u c e the various volumes with a regular frequency. The publication o f this work will have a great impact on the study o f freshwater algae, as for several groups this flora presents the first comprehensive monographs, making available uniformly-structured species descriptions, identification keys and literature. The user can start from a sound basis, w i t h o u t the often immense difficulties which are usually met, when an u n k n o w n alga has to be identified. Most institutes have inadequate libraries as far as algal literature is concerned, and scientists generally have tasks other than extensive literature safaris. The "Silsswasserflora" m a y contribute to a greater reliability of identifications of freshwater algae, and also to the discovery of many new species. Seen in this light the volume on the Phytomonadina fills a major gap. Although the flora has been written for use in central Europe, the author o f the P h y t o m o n a d i n a volume has incorporated all k n o w n freshwater species of the world, with the exception of tropical representatives in specified cases (e.g., Volvox); he has also listed the marine and salt-water taxa w i t h o u t description, b u t with references to the relevant literature, and lists of d o u b t f u l or insufficiently described taxa are given as well. The 1120 figures are all very nicely reproduced. So, Ettl has in fact prepared a volume that can be used practically all over the world. For this reason it is in fact a pity, that the Siisswasserflora is published in German, and n o t in English. The volume consists of a general introduction to the Chlorophyta (32 pp.) and a general treatment of the P h y t o m o n a d i n a (62 pp.), followed by the systematic description of the Phytomonadina. The descriptions are clear and also contain data derived from ultrastructural research.
91
The main point of criticism on the Flora is, that it maintains the original taxonomical system as developed by Pascher, in which the various higher groups are arranged according to the levels of morphological organisation (monadoid, eapsoid, coccoid, trichoid and siphonal). This is done as a tribute to Pascher. Although Pascher's system is rather artificial, but very usable from a practical point of view, it has not been confirmed by later studies on the ultrastructure of the algae. Consequently the P h y t o m o n a d i n a is a form class, consisting of a n u m b e r of unrelated taxonomical units. It is clear that Ettl, although remaining within the main frame of Pascher's classification, does not follow it in all its consequences (see the taxonomical overview on p. 30--32). The present volume contains treatments of the classes Prasinophyceae, C h l a m y d o p h y c e a e (with the orders Chlamydomonadales and Volvocales, i.e., only two of the four recognized orders) and Chlorophyceae sensu stricto (with the order Dunaliellales). The largest genera are Chlamydomonas with 421 and Chloromonas with 139 recognized species. The ecology of the representatives of these groups is, with a few exceptions, greatly unknown. In the work, I found very few slips. On p. 765, the genus Volvox has been sub-divided into 4 sections; the typical section is named Euvolvox Printz 1927, although according to the nomenclature rules it should be simply Volvox. In the general part Chlamydomonas fungicola and C.augustae are said to occur on mushrooms ("FriichtkSrper h~herer Pilze"), but in the special part C. fungicola is referred to as a doubtful species, and for C. augustae the occurrence on fungi is not repeated. Dr. Ettl must be congratulated with this very valuable volume. C. DEN HARTOG
Nijmegen, The Netherlands
SEAGRASSES AND GREEN ALGAE FROM SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA
The Marine Benthic Flora o f Southern Australia Part 1. H.B.S. Womersley, Government Printer, Netley (South Australia), 1984, 329 pp., ISBN 0-7243-4552-3 The function o f a flora is that it gives an enumeration, as complete as possible, of all species of a certain area; these species need to be arranged by preference according to the prevailing taxonomical classification. Further a flora needs to provide species descriptions and keys, in order to enable users to identify the plants. Nowadays, as a gesture to the users, in several floras short introductions are given about the physiographic features of the area involved, plant ecology (plant communities, master factors, etc.) and plant geography.
This happens at various places in the text, and the title o f the b o o k is an obvious example. C. DEN HARTOG Nijmegen, The Netherlands
PHYTOMONADINA
Siisswasserflora yon Mitteleuropa 9 Chlorophyta I Phytomonadina. H. Ettl, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 1983, I-XIV + 807 pp., price DM 180. ISBN 3-437-30408-9. The initiative to publish an up-to-date edition of Pascher's "Siisswasserflora von Mitteleuropa" has been generally welcomed, and has become really important, n o w it appears that the publishers have been able to p r o d u c e the various volumes with a regular frequency. The publication o f this work will have a great impact on the study o f freshwater algae, as for several groups this flora presents the first comprehensive monographs, making available uniformly-structured species descriptions, identification keys and literature. The user can start from a sound basis, w i t h o u t the often immense difficulties which are usually met, when an u n k n o w n alga has to be identified. Most institutes have inadequate libraries as far as algal literature is concerned, and scientists generally have tasks other than extensive literature safaris. The "Silsswasserflora" m a y contribute to a greater reliability of identifications of freshwater algae, and also to the discovery of many new species. Seen in this light the volume on the Phytomonadina fills a major gap. Although the flora has been written for use in central Europe, the author o f the P h y t o m o n a d i n a volume has incorporated all k n o w n freshwater species of the world, with the exception of tropical representatives in specified cases (e.g., Volvox); he has also listed the marine and salt-water taxa w i t h o u t description, b u t with references to the relevant literature, and lists of d o u b t f u l or insufficiently described taxa are given as well. The 1120 figures are all very nicely reproduced. So, Ettl has in fact prepared a volume that can be used practically all over the world. For this reason it is in fact a pity, that the Siisswasserflora is published in German, and n o t in English. The volume consists of a general introduction to the Chlorophyta (32 pp.) and a general treatment of the P h y t o m o n a d i n a (62 pp.), followed by the systematic description of the Phytomonadina. The descriptions are clear and also contain data derived from ultrastructural research.
91
The main point of criticism on the Flora is, that it maintains the original taxonomical system as developed by Pascher, in which the various higher groups are arranged according to the levels of morphological organisation (monadoid, eapsoid, coccoid, trichoid and siphonal). This is done as a tribute to Pascher. Although Pascher's system is rather artificial, but very usable from a practical point of view, it has not been confirmed by later studies on the ultrastructure of the algae. Consequently the P h y t o m o n a d i n a is a form class, consisting of a n u m b e r of unrelated taxonomical units. It is clear that Ettl, although remaining within the main frame of Pascher's classification, does not follow it in all its consequences (see the taxonomical overview on p. 30--32). The present volume contains treatments of the classes Prasinophyceae, C h l a m y d o p h y c e a e (with the orders Chlamydomonadales and Volvocales, i.e., only two of the four recognized orders) and Chlorophyceae sensu stricto (with the order Dunaliellales). The largest genera are Chlamydomonas with 421 and Chloromonas with 139 recognized species. The ecology of the representatives of these groups is, with a few exceptions, greatly unknown. In the work, I found very few slips. On p. 765, the genus Volvox has been sub-divided into 4 sections; the typical section is named Euvolvox Printz 1927, although according to the nomenclature rules it should be simply Volvox. In the general part Chlamydomonas fungicola and C.augustae are said to occur on mushrooms ("FriichtkSrper h~herer Pilze"), but in the special part C. fungicola is referred to as a doubtful species, and for C. augustae the occurrence on fungi is not repeated. Dr. Ettl must be congratulated with this very valuable volume. C. DEN HARTOG
Nijmegen, The Netherlands
SEAGRASSES AND GREEN ALGAE FROM SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA
The Marine Benthic Flora o f Southern Australia Part 1. H.B.S. Womersley, Government Printer, Netley (South Australia), 1984, 329 pp., ISBN 0-7243-4552-3 The function o f a flora is that it gives an enumeration, as complete as possible, of all species of a certain area; these species need to be arranged by preference according to the prevailing taxonomical classification. Further a flora needs to provide species descriptions and keys, in order to enable users to identify the plants. Nowadays, as a gesture to the users, in several floras short introductions are given about the physiographic features of the area involved, plant ecology (plant communities, master factors, etc.) and plant geography.