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prospero - your 23 and 26 are both correct. I previously wanted it to be an O too.

Very nice Hamish, thank you. Just the right level of challenge with some pretty obscure words. Cleverly done.

thanks, simond9x - I have both of those now, still struggling with 2 and 8

Not got 8 myself yet but, for 2, once I'd established what the likely subject matter was (from Googling the part of the clue I'd never heard of), the rest of the wordplay suggested to me what the second part of the solution might/must be, leaving me just the first word to work out. Had to use Chambers to confirm my answer. Hope that's not too obscure but I hate spoilers!

Prospero

2 is an anagram plus the figurative missing letters - Google what looks like the definition
8 is a Shakespearean word indicated by the second half of the clue.

Thank you, Prospero & Hamishsoup.

I don't think this is the right Genius for me right now, but the 1across alphabetti is perfect! I always loved Araucaria's.

am almost there - can't see the anagram for 2: pie and frog give me nothing. It's obviously about mushrooms but if the Latin species name is the first word, I can't see the second.
Excellent crossword, Hamish, though some very obscure words ... I pride myself as being something of a Shakespearean myself (having directed most of his work) but my Shakespeare's Words by the Crystals tells me 8 is only used once at the very end of what's likely to be the last play which was only partly written by him - so "Stratford" is a bit steep, I feel. The Globe burnt down at about the time the word was being uttered!
Was held up on 20 by alternative spellings ... bloody Dutch!

I think you have seen the 2nd, prospero.

...unless you're being too specific.

Got there - another one I'd never heard of, but it helps to watch the video on wildfooduk. I love them and never knew the English name ...
Thanks everyone for the help!