Phragmites australis (the common reed) is widespread though not native in many regions of the World, including North America.

Heathlands are human-shaped habitats that have a strong cultural and natural value, adding substantially to many ecosystem services such as food and water supply, carbon sequestration, recreation and biodiversity conservation. Fagúndez reviews the specific response of heathland ecosystems to the main drivers of biodiversity loss, which include land-use changes, pollution, climate change, natural succession and human [...]

Teasels are an important species for wildlife, but they don’t like salt. Will they survive?

Carolyn Fry, Sue Seddon and Gail Vines’ The last great plant hunt (2011, published by Kew Publishing at £25.00 in hardback) is difficult to categorise. Certainly, The Last Great Plant Hunt [hereafter referred to as LGPH] is an unashamed advertisement for – and celebration of – the admirably optimistic and forward-looking achievement that is the [...]

The three Genetics Societies in Italy – AGI, SIBV and SIGA – held a strong joint conference in Assisi in September. With 500 people and 300 posters, the major sessions were on topical issues such as epigenetics and epigenomics, then genome plasticity, moving on to systems biology. , Approaches included whole genome sequencing, annotation and functional analysis, and focussed on many crops and some animal genetics

… well, it’s not a plant! And how predictable! The Top 10 new species of 2010 includes no plants. However, before all readers of this column jointly and severally get incensed, we must ask the obvious question: were any new plants discovered in 2010? Let me see: oh yes, there were! In fact, ‘On average, [...]

Deterioration of biodiversity jeopardises the wealth and employment we derive from nature, and endangers our wellbeing. In the EU, only 17% of habitats and species and 11% of ecosystems protected under EU legislation are in a favourable state. The targets for 2020 include; improvement in 100% more habitat assessments and 50% more species assessments under [...]