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The role of clothing in antropochorous seed dispersal
77-86Views:148Humans play an increasing role in seed dispersal. Through human help, seeds can bridge distances which otherwise would not be possible. The most important human-mediated dispersal types are: the spread on clothing, shoes and vehicles. The effect of these dispersal types can be combined in many cases. During dispersal with clothing, the seeds attach to cloths, but its probability depends on whether the seeds or other parts of the plant have morphological characteristics which make the attachment possible (e.g. hooks, hairs, spikes) and on the adhesion characteristics of the clothing (cotton/nylon, drill/cotton). This way, cloth-dispersal can be considered analogous to epizoochory. In our review, we evaluated the publications about human-mediated seed dispersal on cloths. In total we have found twelve experimental and field studies on the topic. So far, seeds of 449 species have been documented to be able to spread on clothing worldwide, out of the 449 species, 262 occur in Hungary. With future studies, these numbers will be increasing considerably. The average dispersal distance of the seeds was estimated between 150 and 5000 m, but the distance could be significantly increased, if means of transport are used during the dispersion. According to the results, the seeds of weed and invasive plants are dispersed most frequently on clothing (87% of all species, 26% of species occurring in Hungary). These cause serious damage worldwide. We emphasise that people should pay attention to the type of clothing, when they are visiting remote and unique nature reserves. For instance, waterrepellent foot wears could significantly reduce the adhesion of the seeds therefore it can prevent unintended seed dispersal. Further investigations are needed to find solutions to these problems, especially in regions with lack of these studies, such as in Europe, South America, Asia and Africa.
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Spreading along the railways: morphology and invasion success of Vulpia ciliata in Hungary
145–156Views:469Vulpia ciliata Dumort, a widespread species in the Mediterranean region, has been introduced in several European countries in recent decades, mainly along railways. The species was first discovered in Hungary at Szolnok railway station in May 2016, then a few days later at Keleti railway station in Budapest. In 2020 the species was found in several Transdanubian railway stations. Apparently, V. ciliata has recently been established in numerous parts of the country, probably spreading by railway transport. Until now, the species has only been found in the vicinity of regularly used tracks (in a distance of 20 m at the most). Being an invasive alien species, V. ciliata can displace the native Vulpia myuros in ruderal vegetation along railway lines. The species can easily be distinguished from V. myuros by its hairy lemma. Moreover, it flowers earlier than the other two indigenous species in Hungary, often already in late April. Based on the characteristics examined (number of nodes in the upper 2 cm zone of the rachis, number of fruits per spikelet, rate of fertile and sterile florets within the spikelet, lower and upper glume length, lemma and awn length separately, rachis width in the upper 2 cm zone) we have concluded that V. bromoides and V. myuros are less different from each other than V. ciliata from these two species. In the case of V. ciliata subsp. ciliata, we observed that spikelets (detached from the inflorescens) function as dispersal units. Therefore we assume that the observed low fertility rate within the spikelets, as well as the presence of marginal cilia on lemmas promote the spreading success of V. ciliata (spreading in clusters, anemochory, zoochory, anthropochory). Its early maturation (in May) can also facilitate its spread along railways, because the populations survive the chemical weed control usually carried out in late spring. The other two Hungarian species usually ripen later (in June). For the time being, the spread of V. ciliata outside the Hungarian railway network may be hindered by climatic conditions, or by the lack of seasonal weed control outside that network, which otherwise offers a relative survival advantage for V. ciliata along railway tracks.
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Lactuca tatarica (Asteraceae), a new species for the Hungarian alien flora
170-178Views:133The first occurrence of blue lettuce (Lactuca tatarica (L.) C.A. Mey.) is reported from Hungary. Information on its taxonomy, morphology, distribution, habitat preference and nature conservation aspects is presented. The European local spread of this Eurasian and North American species started at the end of the 1800s. The first localities were reported from the shores of the Baltic and North Sea. Its alien occurrences in inland European regions have been noticed since the 1920s. As L. tatarica have previously been known from the neighbouring territories of Slovakia and Austria, its appearance in Hungary is not at all unexpected. However, the species was found (August 2018) in the southern part of Csongrád county, i.e. far away from the above-mentioned countries. Due to the species’ habitat preference (ruderal ground), ecological requirements and successful vegetative propagation, which correspond to foreign observations, its future spread is highly probable.
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The herbarium of Debrecen University (DE) I. The “Rezső Soó Herbarium”
142-155Views:166The paper introduces the herbarium of Debrecen University (DE). All specimens of the herbarium were documented by digital photographs, and all data from the labels were entered into an Excel spreadsheet. The largest collection of Herbarium DE, the “Soó Rezső Herbarium” (abbreviation: SRH) consists of ca. 38.000 specimens from almost all European countries, but mainly from Hungary and the neighbouring countries. Most of the specimens originate from Hajdú-Bihar, Pest, Győr-Moson-Sopron, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Veszprém and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties. The SRH stores a considerable amount of original/authentic specimens collected by Hungarian botanists, primarily by Rezső Soó and his followers, as well as Sándor Polgár. The most rapid growth of the SRH took place in the first half of the last century (1930–1950). By contrast, the collection was practically not developed between 1955 and 2000. After the millennium it started to grow again. Data on the most substantial part of the SRH covering native plants collected in the present-day Hungary are summarized in Electronic Appendix 1. (incl. taxon name, settlement, collecting date, collector, file name of documentary photograph).
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Najas gracillima (A. Braun ex Engelmann) Magnus in Hungary
43-49Views:74Najas gracillima, an introduced species to Europe, naturally occurs in East-Asia and NorthAmerica. It was firstly discovered in Hungary in 2012 in our weed survey of rice fields in the vicinity of Szarvas, Gyomaendrőd and Mezőtúr. Although, it occurred in relatively high abundances in the rice fields along the Körös river its invasion is not expected into new habitats in the near future due to its special habitat preference and gregariousness.
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Herbarium database of the vascular collection of Eszterházy Károly College (EGR)
339-348Views:145The paper describes the vascular herbarium of the Eszterházy Károly College (EGR) in Eger (Hungary), according to its condition in 2013. All specimens of the herbarium were documented by digital photographs (ca. 8 000 specimens), and all data from the labels were entered into MS Excel spreadsheet. 54% of the specimens were collected in present-day Hungary, the other half comes mainly from the neighbouring countries, but more distant European countries are represented as well. Hungarian specimens were collected mostly in Heves, Pest, Zala, Vas, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and Veszprém counties. Most of the herbarium sheets originated from the 1860’s and the 1950–60’s. Apart from these periods the collection has hardly developed. The most prolific collectors were Gábor Vida, Márton Vrabélyi, Árpád Károlyi and Tamás Pócs. More than half of the Hungarian flora (61%) is represented in EGR, although some taxa (e.g. Pterydophyta, Gymnospermatophyta) are much underrepresented. The digital photographs and the database are property of the authors and the Department of Botany and Ecology of Eszterházy Károly College. Data of non-cultivated plants collected in the territory of present-day Hungary are summarized in an electronic appendix (http://kitaibelia.unideb.hu/?download&aid=852&volume_id=94&lang=hun – including: catalogue number, taxon name, collector, settlement, date of gathering and file name of the documentary photograph). Further data can be required from the corresponding author or the curator of the herbarium.
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Taxiphyllum densifolium (Taxiphyllaceae) and other rare bryophytes of the Mecsek valleys (SW Hungary)
3-16Views:88In this paper, we deal with threatened and/or legally protected bryophytes found in the shady, forested valleys of the Mecsek Mountains, which are rare in national and/or local terms. Taxiphyllum densifolium, a rare moss in Europe has stable colonies with sporophytes in two valleys. This study is the first to describe the spore characteristics of this species. The previously considered unique and legally protected Rhynchostegiella teneriffae is nowadays so widespread in the Mecsek that it can no longer be considered a vulnerable species (VU) in Hungary. We present the first population of the legally protected Neckera pennata in Tolna county, and we also report on the recent, unusual occurrence of the data-deficient (DD) Fossombronia wondraczekii. We also list new populations of three other endangered (EN) species, Blindiadelphus recurvatus, Palustriella commutata and Porella arboris-vitae. Several vulnerable (VU) taxa such as Blepharostoma trichophyllum, Porella cordaeana, Sciuro-hypnum flotowianum, Seligeria pusilla, as well as new occurrences of near threatened (NT) mosses such as Microeurhynchium pumilum (with sporophytes), Phaeoceros carolinianus are documented. In addition, the data on Rhynchostegium rotundifolium in Jakab Mountain, which has not been recorded for more than 50 years, is confirmed. The difficulties of differentiating Hygroamblystegium species are briefly discussed.
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The Herbarium of Debrecen University (DE) II.: The „Zoltán Siroki Herbarium”
15-22Views:408The paper introduces the “Zoltán Siroki Herbarium” (on the basis of the MS Excel spreadsheet database of the collection) which is a separate section within the Herbarium of Debrecen University (DE). The Zoltán Siroki Herbarium consists of ca. 20 000 specimens from almost all European countries, but mainly from the historical territory of Hungary. Although ca. 400 botanists contributed to this collection, most of the specimens were collected by Zoltán Siroki in Hajdú-Bihar, Pest and Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén counties. The most rapid growth of the Herbarium took place in the middle of the last century (from the 1940s to 1960s), but Siroki remained an active collector until the 1980s. Some specimens from the Herbarium of former Royal Seed Testing Station (Budapest) was also incorporated in this collection; they represent gatherings from the last decades of the 19th century and first decades of the 20th century. Data on the most significant part of the collection, representing native plants collected in the present-day Hungary, are summarized in Electronic Appendix 1. (incl. taxon name, settlement, collecting year, collector, file name of documentary photograph).
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Multiclavula mucida (Basidiomycota) and other cryptogamic taxa in the Hungarian flora
173–184Views:220The paper deals with the species found during cryptogamic flora mapping in 2023 that are remarkable from a floristic, taxonomic or conservational point of view. We present data from the Bükk Mts of two Trapeliopsis species which appear to be rare in Hungary. Multiclavula mucida, which is apparently a rare basidiomycete lichen species in Europe that prefers humid, montane habitats was discovered in the Mecsek Mts as a new species for the Hungarian flora. Of the knothole moss, Anacamptodon splachnoides, which is now thought to be entomophilic, we communicate the only extant population from Southern Transdanubia. We report the first occurrence of the atlantic-mediterranean Leptodon smithii from the Hungarian side of the Great Hungarian Plain. Numerous data of the corticole Neckera pennata indicate that in Hungary the distributional centre of this species is situated in the county of Baranya in the lowlands. New data from the Bükk Mts underline that in the Pannonian region Buxbaumia viridis is primarily a terricole species of acidophilous beech forests. We communicate the first occurrence from the lowlands of the alien lignicolous Sematophyllum adnatum which is dangerously spreading in Europe, at the same time one of the most vigorous populations in the Pannonian region. The third Hungarian occurrence of Callicladium haldanianum, a species that seems to spread in bogs, as well as the second occurrence of Racomitrium lanuginosum, growing abundantly on an andesite boulder scree in Mátra Mts, are also reported here. Of Phegopteris connectilis we present in photographic documentation the first extant population from Southern Transdanubia, and we discuss whether the first publication from Mecsek Mts is correct or exact. In addition to listing the floristic data, we also briefly discuss the (mis)use of distribution data in the context of climate change, the difficulties of distinguishing the microtaxa of some pteridophytes, e.g. Asplenium adiantum-nigrum agg. and Dryopteris affinis agg., and we correct one of our previously published, erroneous Hedwigia stellata data. Some interesting data of other taxa (such as Leucobryum glaucum, Palustriella commutata, Tetraphis pellucida, Gymnocarpium robertianum, Ophioglossum vulgatum) are also mentioned in the paper.
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Bruchia flexuosa (Schwägr.) Müll. Hal. a true peculiarity in the Hungarian bryoflora
193-201Views:118The fifth European occurrence of the moss species Bruchia flexuosa possessing a holarctic distribution range with a North American centre was encountered in Hungary. Outside of the North American continent only two Asian (both from Japan) and four European occurrences from four different countries (Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia) have hitherto been reported. Apart from the recent Japan findings and the Croatian record observed in 1987, all other European records date back to the 19th century. Our paper reports the circumstances of the Hungarian occurrence along with a short descriptions and photographic illustrations of both the species and its habitat.
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New montane species in the Hungarian bryophyte flora
16-26Views:652During a bryofloristical investigation in the vicinity of Ómassa (Miskolc) in the Bükk Mountains (NE Hungary), three montane-boreal bryophyte species new to the Hungarian bryoflora were collected. Encalypta spathulata Müll.Hal. was found on the ledges of limestone cliffs of Vörös-kő Hill as well as on the rocky debris among roots of a fallen tree lying under the cliffs. Hydrogonium croceum (Brid.) Jan Kučera and Orthothecium rufescens (Dicks. ex Brid.) Schimp. were found in the crevices of dolomite cliffs on the north-facing steep slope of Jávor Hill. While the latter two species are widespread in European Mountains, E. spathulata is considered to be a rare species, and is assessed as ‘Vulnerable’ in the IUCN red list.