OPTIMA Newsletter 38

unsettled (there is no clear correlation between
phytochemical, molecular and morphological
data) and the nomenclature sheer
guesswork (no type of J. turbinata Guss. has
been seen, nor has any Sicilian material been
studied).
In summary, this is an extremely valuable
publication, and it is a pity that, being
cheaply produced, the quality in particular
of its black-and-white photographs is inadequate.
I have reviewed it at some length, as
it is unlikely to reach all who should know
it. Those interested may best obtain it directly
from the author (www.juniperus.org).
W.G.
Dicotyledons
13. 12BFriedrich Karl MEYER – Kritische
Revision der “Thlaspi”-Arten Europas,
Afrikas und Vorderasiens. Spezieller
Teil. IX. Noccaea Moench.
[Haussknechtia (ISSN 0863-6451), Beiheft
12.] – Thüringische Botanische Gesellschaft,
Jena, 2006. 343 pages, 110
plates of drawings; paper.
When Meyer in 1973 set out to pulverise
the large, generally recognised genus
Thlaspi he met with general scepticism.
There were good reasons for the reluctance
of many, including myself, to follow suit,
foremost the lack of a detailed rationale,
which one might have expected in support of
such sweeping change. A bare conspectus of
names, most of them new combinations, was
unconvincing evidence. Also, Meyer had not
even remotely considered the possibility to
minimise nomenclatural change by conserving
the familiar name Thlaspi with a type
representing the largest split, Noccaea.
Time has passed, and Meyer at long last
has taken the trouble to explain the rationale
of his new classification. Furthermore, molecular
work started in 1991 does in general
terms support Meyer’s conclusions based
primarily on seed coat anatomy. The mo-
Publications
ment has probably come when the traditional
point of view is best abandoned. The
fact that a full monographic account for all
segregate genera is now available facilitates
this decision.
The present revision of Noccaea is the
ninth and last in a series of papers published
in “Haussknechtia” between 2001 and 2006,
each treating one of the segregate genera, to
name: Thlaspi s. str., Neurotropis, Microthlaspi,
Thlaspiceras, Noccidium, Kotschyella,
Callothlaspi, and Raparia. It is not a
world monograph, because the area of Noccaea
far exceeds the core area of former
Thlaspi on which Meyer has concentrated.
To the 67 species and 10 additional subspecies
here recognised, perhaps half as many
will have to be added when N and E Asia
plus extra-tropical America are considered.
Even so, a solid foundation has been laid.
The detailed descriptions and extensive
specimen citations, together with the large
amount of careful if artless drawings of diagnostic
details (apparently all by the author),
suffice to make his taxonomic judgement
understood and, why not, accepted.
W.G.
14. 13BAli Asghar MAASSOUMI –The genus
Astragalus in Iran, vol. 5. [Research
Institute of Forests and Rangelands,
Publication No. 362.] – Islamic Republic
of Iran, Research Institute of Forests
and Rangelands, Tehran, 2005 (ISBN
964-473-229-4). 786 pages, 213 photographic
plates, graphs, tables; paper.
This is the fifth, concluding volume of
Maassoumi’s monumental revision of Iranian
Astragalus, of which the three first (of
1986, 1989 and 1995) were reviewed earlier
(in OPTIMA Newslett. 31: (2-3). 1997) and
the fourth (not seen) was published in 2000.
Qualifying it as monumental is not an exaggeration.
From the final synopsis, arranged
alphabetically by sections and species, one
will see in the whole revision 70 sections
and 804 numbered taxa (species or subspe-
2009 OPTIMA Newsletter No. 38 (9)