New plant species first published in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society feature in the IISE Top 10 species from 2008

Selected by an international committee of taxonomists, the list for 2008 was published on March 22nd 2009 to coincide with the 302nd anniversary on May 23rd of the birth of Carl Linnaeus.  It contains only two new plant species, both of which were first published in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society.

Tahina spectabilis, a new species and genus of giant palm was first described in the Botanical Journal 156, in January 2008 in a paper by Dransfield and co-authors.  A suicidal palm, it collapses following the production of spectacular numbers of flowers and fruits.   The Botanical Journal 158, published September 2008 featured a paper by Stoffelen and co-authors entitled “A new caffeine free coffee from Cameroon” describing Coffea charrieriana, notable as the first recorded caffeine free species in Central Africa.

“Most people do not realize just how incomplete our knowledge of Earth’s species is or the steady rate at which taxonomists are exploring that diversity. We are surrounded by such an exuberance of species diversity that we too often take it for granted,” says Quentin Wheeler FLS of Arizona State University.

Dr Vaughan Southgate, President of the Linnean Society of London congratulated Dr Mike Fay, editor of the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, and the editorial team. “This announcement is a further example of the excellent work conducted by the Society’s journal editors, their editorial teams and colleagues internationally, who referee the papers and help us maintain this high standard” said Dr Southgate.

For more information, please contact Kate Longhurst, Communications Manager on Tel: +44 (0)20 7434 4479 Ext. 11 or Email: kate(at)linnean.org. www.linnean.org

Follow links to articles:

A new Coryphoid palm genus from Madagascar 

Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society Volume 156 Issue 1, Pages 79 - 91

A new caffeine-free coffee from Cameroon

Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society Volume 158 Issue 1, Pages 67 - 72

Top 10 New Species 2009

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Tahina spectabilis, a new species and genus of giant palm was first described in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, in January 2008.

Notes for Editors

The Linnean Society of London is the world’s oldest active biological society. Founded in 1788, the Society takes its name from the great Swedish naturalist, Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) who developed the system of binominal nomenclature. This system today provides the fundamental framework for knowledge of the biota of the Earth, supporting effective conservation measures and the sustainable use of biodiversity. The Society is the custodian of Linnaeus’ original library and collections and is creating a digital archive, enabling full global access. It encourages and communicates scientific advances through its three world-class journals, open meetings and website. The Society’s Fellowship is international and its Fellows are drawn from all walks of life including professional scientists and amateur naturalists. The Society welcomes anyone interested in natural history, in all its forms. www.linnean.org.

The mission of the International Institute for Species Exploration is to inspire, encourage and enable the advancement of taxonomy and exploration of earth’s species. The IISE represents a convergence of cutting-edge computer science and engineering with the goals of descriptive taxonomy. The results will include a transformation of taxonomy, the rapid discovery of earth’s species, and open access to reliable information about them.  http://species.asu.edu/

The Linnean Society’s journals are published by Wiley-Blackwell.  Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the merger between Blackwell Publishing Ltd. and Wiley’s Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies have created a global publishing business with deep strength in every major academic and professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,250 scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal. For more information on Wiley-Blackwell, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com or http://interscience.wiley.com.