Description: -The problems of reconstructing historical relationships for areas of endemism from distributional data for groups of taxa and the cladistic relationships among the members of those groups can be solved by applying the two principles of parsimony and mutual inclusion or exclusion (compatibility) of components. Components can be extracted from a data matrix by means of transcription into partial monothetic sets. The data matrix thus derived represents the distribution over areas for the monophyletic groups in one or more cladograms. It is derived from two different matrices by boolean multiplication. The first matrix gives the binary representation of distributions of taxa over areas of endemism; the second describes the cladogram for the same taxa, in terms of character states converted into binary form by additive binary coding. The derived data matrix can be used in historical biogeography to represent the given phyletic data ( Assumption 0 here newly defined), and can be amended to reflect Assumptions 1 or 2 to accomodate the problems of wide-spread taxa and missing areas. Areacladograms are determined from the derived matrix by searching for the largest sets of mutually compatible components. Area-cladograms are evaluated in terms of support (vicariance) and contradiction (ad hoc interpretations such as dispersal and extinction). Area-cladograms that best fit the data matrix regarding the balance between support and contradiction are selected as the best possible recontructions of relationships among the areas of endemism. The procedure is illustrated by the example of the poeciliid fish genera Heterandria and Xiphophorus, and several other standard examples.

Description: In his introductory statements to 'The Symposium on the Phylogeny and Classification of the Filicopsida' which was held in London, 1972, HOLTTUM, when dealing with 'dubious groups of relationships which would particularly repay investigation', mentioned the Polypodiaceae first (HOLTTUM, 1973: 6). Talking about Polypodiaceae the present authors deal with the Polypodiaceae sensu stricto only, thus excluding the Cheiropleuriaceae, Dipteridaceae, Grammitidaceae, and also the Loxogrammaceae, taxa which were formerly (or are still) included in the Polypodiaceae sensu lato. As delineated in this way, this almost exclusively pantropical family consists of about 600 species and an indefinite number of genera.

Description: Last year I have reported on the results of a first annual questionnaire sent out to all collaborators in the Flora Malesiana network early 1993, asking information on progress, possible bottlenecks, and the expected date of completion of the manuscript. The present report deals with the results of the second questionnaire, which was circulated early 1994. The response was somewhat lower compared to the first one (c. 80% and 85%, respectively).

Description: Second Flora Malesiana Symposium — The highlight of the year was the Second Flora Malesiana Symposium. It was organized under the auspices of the Foundation Flora Malesiana (FFM) by Puslitbang Biologi of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and the Fakultas Biologi of the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta and was held there from 7-12 September, 1992. The Symposium was concluded with four workshops, devoted to Fund raising, Recruitment of new authors, Training and exchange programs, and the Checklist Project respectively. The discussions yielded many valuable suggestions and recommendations (Fl. Males. Bull. 11(1): 97-101). It was announced that the Third Flora Malesiana Symposium will be held at Kew in 1995, preceding the Symposium commemorating the centenary of the late Dr. R.E. HOLTTUM’s date of birth. During the XV International Botanical Congress in Yokohama a session on Flora Malesiana will be organized.

Description: Some membership changes occurred which were affirmed during the last Board meeting at Kew. Dr. Aprilani Soegiarto, while remaining on the Board for his term, resigned as chairman, because he will retire before the next meeting. With regret the Foundation accepted Dr. Aprilani’s decision, but is most grateful to him for so actively chairing the Board from its start in 1991 onwards. By acclamation Dr. Mien Rifai has been appointed as the new chairman.

Description: Anticipating a forthcoming monograph of the subfamily Drynarioideae (Polypodiaceae), six new combinations in Aglaomorpha are made. Apart from full synonymy and descriptions, this monograph will include the phylogenetic systematics of this group. The phylogenetic relationships established lead to the recognition of the holophyletic genera Aglaomorpha and Drynaria only. The generic delimitation of Drynaria is not affected, but Aglaomorpha needs to be emended including all other (mostly monotypic) drynarioid genera. As a consequence, the following nomenclatural changes are necessary.