Description: Mr. ABANG MOHD MOCHTAR ABANG PAWOZAN (SAR) is doing a post- graduate course for his Ph.D. at Reading under the guidance of Dr. D.M. KEITH-LUCAS and Dr. E. SOEPADMO on the systematics and ecology of Palaquium (Sapotaceae). Ms. M.G. AGOO (PNH) left the Philippine Flora Project at the end of February, 1994, to continue her Ph.D. studies at PNH. She has been replaced by Ms. M.S. SAMSON. Mr. J.A. ALVAREZ also left to become a forester with the Philippine National Oil Company.

Description: FRIM regularly makes botanical expeditions, which other scientists may join. Please contact Dr. E. SOEPADMO, Department of Botany, University of Malaysia, 59100 – Kuala Lumpur. K.M. WONG et al. (1988) have given notes on the early exploration and botanical collecting in the Endau-Rompin area of Peninsular Malaysia. (Gard. Bull., Singapore 41: 83- 91, 1 map).

Description: The circular which was enclosed in Bulletin 24 has received full attention of our readers and a large number of cards were received. The large majority favours the continuation of our annotated bibliography as it is, not cutting off references on the Australian and Pacific floras, and not discarding the references on the Cryptogams. A review of Mr. Ferguson’s Index is given on p. 1912. October 21, 1970, Foundation Flora Malesiana existed twenty years. This anniversary was marked by a small festivity in the Rijksherbarium. Although curtailed financially since January 1958, it has kept its promise to promote all studies encompassing progress of the botany and plant geography of the Malesian subcontinent. It is gratifying that with the distinct tendency of the rehabilitation of the economical and political situation in Indonesia during the last few years, science in general, and biology in particular, are getting a new impetus. Amongst others through international agreement and co-operation, two master organisations have been set up, SEAMEC and BIOTROP, the latter being the centre of biological studies and education allotted to Bogor. It is clear that this focus will be a great stimulant and will sponsor biological activity. It was particularly pleasant to learn from Professor Sarwono and Dr. Didin, chairman and secretary of LIPI respectively, that this general scientific rehabilitation scheme included assistance towards the Flora Malesiana Foundation. Although the scientific elaboration of Flora Malesiana has been transferred as a major work project to the Rijksherbarium, a necessity since 1958, there are various desiderata left, amongst others contributions from Indonesian systematists. Unfortunately, the net result of Dr. Kostermans’s efforts to have promising Indonesian students thoroughly trained and prepared to share the tremendous task still before us, is meagre. Two of them, Dr. Soegeng and Dr. Didin, are occupied with very responsible and very necessary but largely administrative tasks, Dr. Prijanto died unexpectedly, and Dr. Soepadmo spends his time largely on educational matters. Clearly something must be done and we trust that in the near future creative work by Indonesian systematists can be resumed. We shall, I sincerely hope, overcome, and the future carries certainly very promising features for a more intense co-operation. And disinterested loyal co-operation is the very basis of ensuring achievement. It is with immense satisfaction that I see this perspective of a bright future ahead.

Description: Dr. J.A.R. Anderson, who retired from the Sarawak Forest Service, and now lives at 15 Church Hill, Edinburgh EH10 4BG, will continue his interest in Malesian botany and ecology as a consultant forester and ecologist. The MS. of a project on which he had been working for several years is now in the final stage. This is a ”Check List of the Trees of Sarawak”; the scientific names will be coded and alphabetically arranged by families, genera and species, together with a moderately comprehensive list of vernacular names. This should be of value to the Forest Department in Sarawak. Miss P. Aston, senior botanist at the Melbourne Herbarium, is Australian liaison officer at Kew where she will remain until mid-1974. She is specialized in aquatic plants of Australia on which subject she wrote a most informative book (1973) which will be duly reviewed in this journal.

Description: The Botanical Survey of India, Andaman, and Nicobar Circle, Port Blair, in 1994 inventoried the Kalpong hill forests and Saddle Peak scrub forests for the proposed Hydro-electric Project in the North Andaman group, the Bakultala and Baratang areas in the Middle and South Andamans were explored, while Rutland Isl. in the South provided collections of mainly marine species.

Description: The entries have been split into five categories: a) Algae – b) Fungi & lichenes – c) Bryophytes – d) Pteridophytes – e) Spermatophytes & General subjects. — Books have been marked with an asterisk.

Description: Demand for space have necessitated the closure of the Herbarium associated with the Botany Department, University of Queensland, Saint Lucia (BRIU, formerly listed under BRISBANE). The collections went to BRI. The Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) together with the Forest Departments of Sabah and Sarawak recently initiated the Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak Project. This aims to document all tree species occurring in these states following the format of the Tree Flora of Malaya.

Description: As an integrated part of the highly successful second Flora Malesiana Symposium held in Yogyakarta from 7—12 September 1992, a workshop on four major aspects included in the Flora Malesiana Action Plan (viz.: 1. Fund raising; 2. Recruitment of new authors; 3. Training and exchange programmes; 4. Flora Malesiana Checklist) was conducted on 11 and 12 September. On 11 September four groups discussed these items under the chairmanships of respectively John Burley, Marco Roos, Mien Rifai, and Peter van Welzen. The discussion group on training attracted by far the largest number of participants. Recommendations by the discussion groups were submitted to a plenary session on 12 September, chaired by Pieter Baas. The resulting recommendations to the Board of the Flora Malesiana Foundation and to all with an interest in the plant diversity of the Malesian region were unanimously adopted.

Description: AKIYAMA, H. 1992. Taxonomic studies of mosses of Seram and Ambon (Moluccas, East Malesia) collected by Indonesian-Japanese botanical expeditions. V. Hypopterygiaceae. Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 43:111-120, illus. — 9 species, 1 new comb. in Cyathophorum. ARTS, T. & P. SOLLMAN. 1991. Remarks on Phascum leptophyllum C. Müll., an earlier name for Tortula rhizophylla (Sak.) Iwats. & K. Saito. Lindbergia 17: 20-27, illus. — Synonymy; taxonomical position uncertain; new record for Malesia (Papua New Guinea).

Description: Mr. J.H.A. AHMAD (BRUN) spent 1991 at K to study herbarium techniques. Dr. H. AKIYAMA (KYO) moved to TI in April 1992. Although his collections are kept in KYO, all communications on the specimens (request on loan, exchange, etc.) should be addressed to his new address.