Günter Gottschlich, Detlev Drenckhahn

• The genus Hieracium comprises more than one thousand sexual and apomictic species in Europe, with numerous intermediates and microspecies. Only a small fraction of the members of the genus Hieracium has been illustrated or photo-documented in the literature. Since many of these publications are difficult to obtain, only a few specialists are familiar with most of the species and subspecies described in the literature. In order to overcome this problem and encourage geobotanical research on the genus Hieracium, we decided to edit an iconographyThe genus Hieracium comprises more than one thousand sexual and apomictic species in Europe, with numerous intermediates and microspecies. Only a small fraction of the members of the genus Hieracium has been illustrated or photo-documented in the literature. Since many of these publications are difficult to obtain, only a few specialists are familiar with most of the species and subspecies described in the literature. In order to overcome this problem and encourage geobotanical research on the genus Hieracium, we decided to edit an iconography of central and southern European Hieracia in an electronical journal (Forum geobotanicum) with free international access through the internet. Part I of this endeavour contains descriptions and photographs of the morphological spectrum of the genus Hieracium. Here, we categorize the genus into 15 basic morphotypes. These types conform partly to the sections and subsections of the genus Hieracium, but are in some cases informal and may even include members of different sections. Classification of morphotypes is considered helpful to obtain a first rough picture of an unknown species that then can be traced to the species and subspecies level by using keys or, after completion of this iconography, simply by screening the relevant images. One particularly novel aspect of the present endeavour will be the regular inclusion of magnified images and scanning electron micrographs.…