The Checklist of non-vascular and vascular plants of Slovakia is the first attempt to present a full list of the representatives of the Slovak flora. The aim of the editors and authors was to prepare this checklist as manual not only for those who work with plants as specialists in systematic botany and taxonomy, but also for phytocoenologists, environmentalists, plant ecologists and others who work in other botanical or biological sciences. In our checklist we included correct names and synonyms used in our botanical literature and selectively also the literature of neighbouring countries, which will help also non-specialists to use the relevant literature and nomenclature. The present checklist also represents a new version of the Red list of the flora of Slovakia and a list of Slovak vernacular names of plants. While for the cyanophytes/cyanobacteria, algae, lichens, and bryophytes special checklists have already been published, in the case of fungi it is the first attempt.

The checklist consists of five independent parts, devoted to the cyanophytes/cyanobacteria and algae, fungi, lichens (lichen-forming fungi), bryophytes, and ferns and flowering plants. Each of these parts has its own editor (or editors) and authors as well as some specific features. The amount of data presented in each part of this work is different and reflects the present state of knowledge about these groups of plants. Naturally the largest amount of data is provided for the ferns and flowering plants, where a user can find not only the list of taxa and evaluation of their threatened status, but also data about endemism, alien status, invasiveness and cultivation. Differences in the amount of data presented also occur within groups.

The structure of the parts is uniform and includes: the correct names, synonyms, misidentifications, and indication of basionyms and names substituted in order to avoid illegitimate combinations (column “Názov [Name]”); author names and abbreviations (column “Autor [Author]”) and Slovak vernacular names (column “Slovenský názov [Slovak name]”). In parts devoted to lichen-forming fungi (lichens), bryophytes, ferns and flowering plants, also the degree of threat is presented (column “Ohr”). In the column devoted to the degree of threat the older version of IUCN Red List Categories is used (Ex -- extinct, E -- endangered, V -- vulnerable, R -- rare and I -- indeterminate). The new version of categories approved in 1994 is applied as yet only to the ferns and flowering plants. Following the practice of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature for infraspecific names we do not provide the authorship of the species name. Abbreviations of author names follow Brummitt & Powell (1992), which is already accepted as an international standard. In order to make work with this list easier, genera in all groups are arranged alphabetically, taking into account divisions and classes in the case of cyanophytes/cyanobacteria, classes in the case of bryophytes, and divisions in the case of fungi. For each genus the name of the order, and in the case of fungi, ferns and flowering plants the name of the family is provided in brackets. A few exceptions occur among flowering plants, where in some genera species included in aggregate species, series, sections or subgenera are grouped together.

The checklist represents output from separate databases of non-vascular and vascular plants housed at the Institute of Botany of the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava. We present it in printed form as well as on CD-ROM. We are well aware of the shortcomings of this list which stem from the character of such publication. We treat it as a working document and expect further editions in printed or electronic form. We will appreciate any comments or suggestions which will improve its quality.

Preparation of this checklist was supported by the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic, the Slovak Academy of Sciences, and the Office for Strategy of Development of Society, Science and Technology of the Slovak Republic. The first unpublished version of the checklist of the ferns and flowering plants resulted from the international project “Kartierung der Flora der Slowakei”, which was a part of the East-West Programme of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, supported by the Federal Ministry for Science and Research of the Republic of Austria (project leaders Harald Niklfeld and Eva Kmeťová).

Karol Marhold, František Hindák (Editors-in-Chief)

The present checklist of cyanophytes/cyanobacteria and algae of Slovakia includes all data about the occurrence of these microscopic plants in this area published since 1791 until the end of 1996. The book Súpis siníc a rias Slovenska [List of Cyanophytes/Cyanobacteria) and Algae of Slovakia], which included all data published for these groups of microscopic plants during the period 1791--1971 (Lhotský et al. 1974) and its supplement covering the years 1971--1992 (Hindák 1993) provided good evidence about the attention which was paid to the distribution data of cyanophytes/cyanobacteria and algae in Slovakia. Further lists of taxa include those of the cyanophytes/cyanobacteria and algae of the Slovak part of the Danube River (Hindák & Záhumenský 1983, Hindák 1995) and the Tatry National Park (Hindák & Kováčik 1993). The present list is based on these works as well as on recent data published by other authors. The arrangement of the present checklist differs from those publications in order to comply with the regulations covering the whole book. A list of literature sources is not provided because of the lack of space, but the data can be found in our previous publications (Lhotský et al. 1974, Hindák & Záhumenský 1983, Hindák & Kováčik 1993, Hindák 1993, 1995). Basionyms are provided in all cases where relevant information was available. Unlike in the other groups of plants Slovak vernacular names for algae are not available (with only a few exceptions). We present here only those names which were already used in textbooks or identification manuals, i.e., the names of divisions, classes, orders and some names of genera and species.

We accepted the most recent systematic treatments for nomenclature at the generic and species level, but on higher taxonomic levels we used the same systematic arrangement as was used in the previously published lists.

František Hindák (Editor)

The current knowledge of fungal biodiversity in Slovakia reflects the intensity of mycological research from the past to the present. Although certainly the number of fungal species exceeds many times that of phanerogams, algae and bryophytes, there have been available many fewer records, which does not reflect a true image of the Slovak mycoflora. That is why this checklist is submitted as preliminary study material in hopes that it will stimulate additional research and will help to supplement missing data.

The nomenclature and general taxonomic concepts (at the generic and suprageneric level), with few exceptions, are those provided in the last edition of the Dictionary of Fungi (Hawksworth et al. 1995). The Dictionary is the only modern treatment which gives overall information on all groups of fungi. The nomenclature and taxonomy of included species (and a few infraspecific taxa) follow recent monographs and some partial treatments of families and genera. Synonyms are limited to names under which the taxon was reported from Slovakia. Basic literature sources are listed among the references.

Publications which have records and data on distribution are an integral component of the list and represent the first, at present, incomplete bibliography on the Slovak mycoflora. Due to limited pagination in the book edition, distributional data and bibliography is available only in the CD-ROM edition. The current checklist of fungi is based on published records and only limited collection data were incorporated. We hope that herbaria will be the most important source of data for the next revised edition of this checklist. Unpublished data of long-term research in the Bukovské vrchy Mts were kindly provided by Jan Kuthan. Our thanks go also to Sona Jančovičová for her help in search for literature. Comments and suggestions on draft manuscript (mostly on macrofungi) by Vladimír Antonín, David W. Minter and Richard P. Korf have undoubtedly updated taxonomy and nomenclature of taxa included in this part of checklist. Kind help of Milan Majtán, Vincent Kabát, Dušan Mlynarčík, Miroslav Procházka and Ľudovít Varjú in correction of vernacular names is also much appreciated.

Because of lack of data on distribution of fungi in space and time IUCN Red List categories are presented only for fungi listed in the Red List of Slovak Macrofungi (Lizoň 1995) and in the Red Book of Threatened Plants and Animals of Slovak and Czech Republics (Kotlaba 1995) and those proposed for legal protection in Slovakia.

Slovak vernacular names follow an unpublished list Slovak Names of Fungi (Dermek et al. 1979). All names in that manuscript were critically revised and updated with additional vernacular names. We believe that not all included species need to have vernacular names, but are useful only for those treated in manuals, handbooks and popular mushroom guides or those of economic importance (pathogens and industrially utilised taxa).

Pavel Lizoň, Kamila Bacigálová (editors)

Symbiosis (mutualy beneficial coexistence) is reported from varied plant groups. Only fungi can generate highly differentiated morphological forms as a consequence of living together with different species of cyanophytes/cyanobacteria or green algae. These organisms are called lichen-forming fungi (lichens). They do not form any distinct systematic group and they are treated as fungi. Tradition as well as practical reasons tend to lead us to study them as if they were a separate group.

Almost all the lichen species belong to orders of Ascomycotina: Arthoniales, Dothideales, Verrucariales, Sphaeriales, Caliciales, Leotiales, Ostropales and Lecanorales. The majority of taxa are placed to the last one. About 20 species of lichens are members of Basidiomycotina treated in the orders Aphyllophorales and Agaricales. The one and only one representative is known from subdivision Zygomycotina. The subdivision Deuteromycotina comprises two lichen genera in the order Agonomycetales.

Prior to 1st November 1997, 1474 taxa of lichen-forming ascomycetes (Pišút et al. 1996, 1464 species cited), two species of lichen-forming basidiomycetes and two species of lichen-forming imperfect fungi are distinguished from the territory of Slovakia, in total 1478. This is approximately one tenth of known species number on the Earth (the number estimated varies from 15 to 16 thousand; old sources give even 20.000, which is, regarding the large distributional areas and likelihood of existence of a lot of synonyms, definitely an exaggeration).

The nomenclature follows Wirth (1995a, b). For the taxa not included there we accepted Santesson (1993), Tü rk & Poelt (1993), and Nimis (1993), together with some of the latest taxonomic monographs. Slovak vernacular names follow Pišút et al. (1991) and Liška & Pišút (1995). The low economical importance of lichen-forming fungi is why there are so few vernacular names, except for those used in textbooks and popular literature.

The criterion of threat was applied to 590 species (39.9%). The evaluation is based on data by Pišút (1993), Kyselová (1994), Lisická (1995) and updated information by Pišút et al. (1996). The category of extinct species includes 100 taxa (6.8%), endangered 129 (8.7%), vulnerable 246 (16.6%), rare 98 (6.6%) and indeterminate 18 (1.2%).

The present state of knowledge of lichen-forming fungi does not enable to mark some taxa as endemic. Very frequently those evaluated as endemic, turn out to be, sooner or later, only overlooked. That is why the category of endemic nature is not included in the present list. There are only two well-founded subcarpathian endemic species: Belonia herculina and Ramalina carpatica.

Ivan Pišút (Editor)

One of the groups of non-vascular plants, which is usually given only passing reference in biological circles is bryophytes. Even though their importance, as such, for humans can hardly be seen, they are an irreplaceable entity in ecosystems. Their remarkable variability enables them to find suitable habitats in all different parts of the Earth. Bryophytes play diverse roles in ecosystems -- a water source, a pioneer in the process of succession, they are habitats for many microorganisms, namely algae, fungi, and evertebrates, and a lot more.

At time 903 species have been recognized, 229 of which are liverworts (Marchantiopsida and Anthocerotopsida) and 674 mosses (Bryopsida). In preparation the list we used several bibliographic sources, which included information on the distribution of bryophytes in the former Czecho-Slovakia (Kubinská & Janovicová 1996). Nomenclature follows Corley et al. (1981), and Corley & Crundwell (1991). Author abbreviations follow Brummit & Powell (1992) except for B.S.G (Bruch, Schimper, Gü mbel), which we prefer.

Gradual decrease of in the number of taxa, transforming the character of the bryoflora of Slovakia, is caused by a complex of negative factors. They involve changes in habitat, which are the consequence of changes in natural conditions, many of an irreversibile nature. Moreover, it is the primeval, hence rare, relic and endemic taxa which are mostly affected. Some of them can now be seen only on lists, and others are rarely encountered. Their degree of threat in the present work is based on published Red List (Kubinská et al. 1996).

Special attention is drawn to a small group of Slovak endemic species: Brachytecium vanekii, Pterygoneurum kozlowii, and Ochyrea tatrensis. Another critical group is represented by relics, e.g. Calliergon trifarium, Meesia triquetra, Seligeria oelandica, Scorpidium scorpioides, etc.

Anna Kubinská (Editor)

Checklist of the ferns and flowering plants of Slovakia is based primarily on the published volumes of the Flóra Slovenska [Flora of Slovakia] (Futák 1966, Futák & Bertová 1982, Bertová 1984--1992, Bertová & Goliašová 1993, Goliašová 1997), but its nomenclature and taxonomic treatment differs in cases where new evidence was available. Among other important sources the following should be mentioned: Karyotaxonomický prehľad flóry Slovenska [Karyotaxonomical survey of the flora of Slovakia] (Májovský, Murín et al. 1987), which represents the first enumeration of the flowering plants of Slovakia (excluding hybrids); works by Dostál (1982, 1989), Dostál & Červenka (1991--1992) as well as the Liste der Gefäß pflanzen Mitteleuropas (Ehrendorfer 1973). Data from the Flora Europaea (Tutin et al. 1964--1993), Atlas florae Europaeae (Jalas & Suominen 1972--1994, Jalas et al. 1996), Illustrierte Flora von Mitteleuropa (Hegi 1906--), and Standardliste der Farn- und Blü tenpflanzen der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Wiß kirchen 1993) were taken into consideration as well. In addition, the Provisional Global Plant Checklist compiled by the International Organisation for Plant Information, available through the Internet, was consulted and served as useful information source. Thus, the present checklist is the first full list of ferns and flowering plants for the area of Slovakia.

This part of the list is arranged in the following columns: Názov -- Names, including correct names, synonyms, basionyms, substituted names, misidentifications; Autor -- Author names and abbreviations; ? -- taxonomically (T), nomenclaturally (N) or chorologically (Ch or C in the case of more letters) doubtful species or subspecies (i. e., taxa with unresolved nomenclature or taxonomy and taxa, when occurrence in Slovakia is in doubt); § species and lower taxonomic units protected by the decree of the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic, which will appear in a near future; Ohr -- categories of threat; End -- endemics (explanation of abbreviations see below); Al -- alien taxa (explanation of abbreviations see below); I -- invasive taxa -- neophyte species and subspecies with invasive behaviour, occurring in the primary or secondary plant communities in Slovakia; P -- species and subspecies either exclusively cultivated (at present or only in the past) or only occasionally and for short time escaping from culture (in the latter case they are marked as “B” or “C”); Slovenský názov -- Slovak vernacular names.

A column expressing the degree of threat and rareness of taxa, which represents new edition (the third one) of the Red List of Ferns and Flowering Plants of Slovakia, was prepared by Viera Feráková and Štefan Maglocký in cooperation with Karol Marhold. The list is based on the second draft of the Red List (Maglocký & Feráková 1993), on published additions to this draft (Feráková & Maglocký 1996, Maglocký et al. 1996), and on the comments of authors of this checklist and others (Vlčko 1995, Dúbravcová 1996). Unlike the previous editions of the Red list, the present one uses the Red List categories approved by the 40^th Meeting of the IUCN Council in November 1994. Because of the lack of data we do not provide any information about the degree of threat and rareness of the taxa of the genera Hieracium, Rubus and Taraxacum (except for the sections Dioszegia, Palustria and Piesis), although we are well aware of the fact that many species of these genera are threatened and/or rare.

The data on endemism were prepared by Ján Kliment. Detailed analysis and discussion will be published elsewhere. Categorisation presented here represents the first draft, which will be the subject of further discussion. Only those taxa are treated here as endemic which are confined to the certain phytogeographically natural area (e.g., Carpathians, Pannonian Basin). Thus, the categories of endemics resulting from combination of phytogeographical regions of provincial level (e.g. Alpine-Carpathian, Carpatho-Pannonian or Carpatho-Balkanic) were not taken into consideration. Endemics considered here are of different scales (examples in brackets): eurychoric (endemics of the whole Carpathians), meso-eurychoric (endemics of the West and East Carpathians), mesochoric (endemics of the West Carpathians), steno-mesochoric (endemics of the Tatry Mts), stenochoric (endemics of the Západné Tatry Mts), to high stenochoric endemic taxa (endemic of Mt. Osobitá). As subendemic those taxa are treated here, which are nearly confined to the certain area, but to the limited extent occur also in other areas. It can be the case of subendemics overlapping from the one phytogeographic region to the another or the case of exclave (outpost) occurrence or both. Taxa with only very limited overlap or with just one locality close to the main area are treated here as endemics of the main area, like the taxa with apparently secondary occurrence outside the main area of distribution. Taxa considerably exceeding to the other areas are not considered here as subendemic (e.g., the “subendemic of the Carpathians” Petasites kablikianus, occurring besides the Carpathians also in the whole Sudeten Mts, in many Illyrian mountains and in the Pirin Mts in Bulgaria). For the precise definition of the categories of endemism connected with the area of Slovakia it is important to clarify the position of the phytogeographic unit Matricum, situated in the border area between the regions of the West Carpathians and Pannonia, although this can not probably be done unequivocally. The phytogeographic unit Matricum is usually (especially by the Hungarian authors) considered to be a part of Pannonia and a centre of origin of the Pannonian flora. However, bearing in mind the differences between the mountain regions and lowlands and the different florogenesis of the Carpathian foothills and Pannonian lowlands (as well as opinion of other authors as Futák 1971, Michalko 1986, and Hendrych 1993), in the present work the phytogeographic unit Matricum is considered to be a part of the West Carpathian foothills. Thus the taxa reaching this area from the West Carpathians are considered to be the endemics of the West Carpathians or those of the phytogeographic unit Matricum and Praecarpaticum and not as subendemics. As endemics of Matricum or Matricum and Praecarpaticum are considered not only the taxa occurring outside Slovakia in the Északi-kö zephegység Mts (Matricum in the sense of Hungarian authors), but also those found in the Dunátúli-kö zephegység Mts (Bakonyicum in the sense of Hungarian authors), especially in its northern part, and in the Hainburger Berge Mts in Austria. As Pannonian endemics in a strict sense are considered here only the taxa occurring in the Pannonian lowlands. On the other hand, bearing in mind the current distribution of the many taxa occurring originally only in the Matricum, as a result of the combination of natural factors and activity of man, and widely accepted definition of the Pannonian region, as endemics of Pannonia in a wide sense are considered here also those of Pannonian lowlands and colline regions.

Because of the lack of data we do not provide information about the endemism of the species of the genera Hieracium, Pilosella, Rubus and Taraxacum, although, as in the case of the degree of threat, many species of these genera are probably endemic.

List of plants marked in the column Al as archaeophytes (Ar) was taken with a few exceptions from the recently published paper by Halada (1997). However, contrary to this paper, we do not mark here as archaeophytes plants belonging to archaeoergasiophytes, i.e. taxa which appeared in our area in the same time as archaeophytes, but were brought intentionally for cultivation. From the same paper was mostly taken also an information about the taxa which natural occurrence in Slovakia is in doubt (marked as “A?”).

The aim of this list was not to present a full list of plants cultivated in Slovakia. The extent of coverage of these plants in a present checklist is similar to that in Flora of Slovakia.

Slovak vernacular names are based on works by Červenka et al. (1986), Dostál & Červenka (1991--1992) and partly also on published volumes of Flóra Slovenska [Flora of Slovakia]. In several cases (in connection with changes in taxonomy or nomenclature or in the cases of new taxa for the area of Slovakia) we suggest new vernacular names.

The checklist includes also hybrids reported for the area of Slovakia. For the typographical reasons the hybrid formulas (parental taxa) are presented in the tables as the first synonyms. Presenting the names of hybrids we tried to adhere strictly to the Art. H.5 of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Greuter et al. 1994), which states that the appropriate rank of a nothotaxon is that of the postulated or known parent taxa, and if the postulated or known parent taxa are of unequal rank the appropriate rank of the nothotaxon is the lowest of these ranks. In many cases, however, the names of nothotaxa on infraspecific level were not available (or unknown to us). In such cases we present only the name on the level of nothospecies.

Although this might be seen as controversial, we included also a limited number of names which are not as yet validly published. We treated them selectively and included only those which we expect to see published in a near future.

The checklist was prepared by the group of authors from the Institute of Botany of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava with the help of other co-operating authors, specialists for certain families or genera. A preliminary version of the checklist of ferns and flowering plants was carefully read by Josef Holub and Walter Gutermann, who kindly made many corrections and suggestions which, together with reviewer’s comments, undoubtedly improved the quality of the work. We appreciate also comments on the family Poaceae by Jindřich Chrtek, sen., on the genus Festuca by Jozef Májovský and on Salix by Jaroslav Koblížek.

Karol Marhold (Editor)