Lycoris tsinlingensis P.C. Zhang, Y.J. Lu & T. Wang (Amaryllidaceae), a new species from the Tsinling Mountains in Shaanxi Province, China, is described and illustrated. It closely resembles L. chinensis in having leaves appearing in spring and stamens nearly as long as to slightly longer than perianth, but can be distinguished by the larger spathe bracts (4–4.5 × 1–1.2 cm), yellow buds with red stripes, and orange-red tepals with undulate and recurved margins.

Zingiber porphyrochilum Y.H. Tan & H.B. Ding sp. nova (Zingiberaceae) from Yunnan, China is described and illustrated. It is similar to Z. densissimum in its bilobed ligule and flower shape but differs from it by having a longer clumped pseudostem (1.5–2.5 m tall vs. solitary, 0.4–0.7 m tall), longer ligules (3–11 mm long vs. ca. 3 mm long), brownish yellow corolla lobes (vs. pure white), labellum and lateral staminodes brownish yellow at the base, and bright clear red to dark purplish towards the apex and margins (vs. pure white).

A number of the Australian and New Zealand Philonotis specimens mainly in V.F. Brotherus's herbarium (H-BR) and in NY were studied, with special attention to the placement of mammillae/papillae on the leaf cells and the cell areolation, and to the taxa synonymized previously with Philonotis tenuis. Philonotis austrofalcata (syn. nov. P. rigens) is distinct from P. tenuis at the specific level. Bartramia pallida and Philonotis laii are synonymized with Philonotis pseudomollis. Philonotis streimannii T.J. Kop. is a new name for P. fontanoides Broth. & Watts (hom. illeg.). Lectotypes are selected to P. pallida and P. streimannii. Philonotis pseudomollis is recorded as new to New Zealand.

According to Art. 53.1 of ICN, the recently published Pedicularis multicaulis W.B. Yu, H. Wang & D.Z. Li (Orobanchaceae) is an illegitimate later homonym of P. multicaulis Bonati and hence P. hongii Kottaim. is proposed as a replacement name.

Jasminum kontumense B.H. Quang sp. nova (Oleaceae) from Kon Tum Province of Vietnam is described here. It is morphologically similar to J. pentaneurum and J. annamense, but differs from them by having subovate to ovate, rarely suborbicular or elliptic leaf blades with 3 veins arising from base, and the inflorescence which is a compound cyme with 3–6 flowers. A taxonomic description, a table comparing the morphological characters of the three species, and colour photographs are provided.

Impatiens shenglanii Q.L. Gan & X.W. Li sp. nova (Balsaminaceae) is described and illustrated. It is the tallest among Chinese Impatiens, and somewhat resembles I. compta in having leaves with coarsely crenate margins, inequilateral ovate-orbicular lateral sepals, and a dorsal petal which is mucronulate at apex. However, I. shenglanii has a longer crista above the dorsal petal, lower sepal with an oblique mouth (vs. vertical in I. compta) and non-curved setose lateral united petals (vs. curved setose in I. compta). A preliminary molecular phylogenetic study suggests that I. shenglanii should be placed in Impatiens sect. Impatiens.

Two recently described endemics of northern Iran are reduced to synonyms: Arenaria assadii to a synonym of Eremogone brachypetala, and A. longibracteata to a synonym of E. macrantha. Both species were already known from the same places in Iran but were overlooked in the latest treatments. Nomenclatural data are verified and corrected for all the taxa involved.

The dispersal ecology of tropical non-vascular epiphytes has rarely been experimentally investigated. We studied epiphyte colonisation on 1 × 1 m polyethene nets placed for four years at seven sites at different elevations in montane forests in the Taita Hills, Kenya. During the first year the nets were also used to measure fog deposition. We predicted that differences in growth conditions would affect colonisation and subsequent growth of non-vascular epiphytes and result in clear differences in epiphyte cover and biomass, and community composition among sites. After four years the nets were taken down for determination of epiphyte cover and biomass. The diversity of established liverworts and macrolichens was also examined. Many liverwort and macrolichen species established diverse communities on the nets placed in the moist upper-montane zone. This was in contrast with the situation in the drier lower-montane zone where only green algae and crustose lichens were able to colonise most nets. Light intensity was an important determinant of epiphyte community composition, with liverworts dominating on nets under closed forest canopies and lichens dominating at more open sites. Atmospheric moisture was also important, with lichens benefiting from abundant fog deposition at open and windy sites. The dry weight of epiphytes (per unit area) on lichen-dominated nets was greater than on liverwort-dominated nets, while the highest cover was generally observed on liverwort-dominated nets. Our results demonstrate that polyethylene nets can be effectively used to study colonisation of non-vascular epiphytes as well as the abiotic and biotic factors controlling epiphyte colonisation and community composition in tropical forests. The liverworts Acanthocoleus chrysophyllus and Diplasiolejeunea kraussiana were new additions to the Kenyan bryophyte flora.

The name Cousinia ginuae Attar was not validly published, because no herbarium in which the holotype specimen was conserved was specified. The name is validated here.

The replacement name Asplenium hovenkampi Kottaim. is proposed for the New Guinean spleenwort A. foersteri Rosenst., because the latter name is an illegitimate later homonym of a fossil species described from Germany in 1859.

Primulina spiradiclioides Z.B. Xin & F. Wen (Gesneriaceae), a new species from limestone areas in Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. It resembles P. curvituba, but can be easily distinguished from it by several characters, especially by its straight corolla tube. We found only one population with fewer than 200 mature individuals at the type locality.

Begonia xishuangbannaensis W.G. Wang & L.J. Jiang (Begoniaceae), a new tuberous species from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. It belongs to Begonia sect. Diploclinium. Morphologically, it is similar to B. fimbristipula and B. exposita in its tuberous habit and pubescent leaves, but can be distinguished from both by its asymmetrical leaf blade, 16–18 stamens, filaments that are free at base, and pistillate flowers having five tepals.

Taxonomy of the genus Huperzia (Lycopodiaceae) in western North America and Europe was studied using morphological characters. Delimitations of species were redefined after examining the morphology of the H. selago lectotype and other type specimens in the genus. Two new species were named, H. acicularis Björk from North America and Eurasia, and one species apparently endemic to Europe, H. europaea Björk. Huperzia occidentalis and H. porophylla were found to be conspecific with the Macaronesian endemic H. suberecta, which is the oldest name of the three. Additionally, H. suberecta was found to be common and widespread in the northern hemisphere; it and H. europaea are frequently confused with H. selago. A key to European and western North American Huperzia is presented.

Sida angustifolia (Malvaceae) was erroneously identified as S. spinosa and synonymized under it. The taxonomic identity and distribution of S. angustifolia is discussed and the binomial is lectotypified. A detailed description, illustration, photographs, and distribution map of S. angustifolia are provided and its morphological differences from S. spinosa are elucidated.

Homalomena acuminata (Ridl.) S.Y. Wong & P.C. Boyce and H. ridleyi S.Y. Wong & P.C. Boyce are described and illustrated as new species of the Griffithii complex of the Chamaecladon clade restricted respectively to sandstones and forested karst formations in NW Borneo, Malaysia. A key to the described species of the Griffithii complex on Borneo is provided.

Chunia bucklandioides, a threatened species of the monotypic Chunia (Exbucklandioideae, Hamamelidaceae) that was known only from Hainan Island, China, is reported here for the flora of Vietnam. Chunia bucklandioides is most similar to Exbucklandia populnea, but differs from it mainly by floral characters such as inflorescences (spicate 12–16-flowered vs. capitate 8–12-flowered), filament length (3–4 mm, somewhat shorter or as long as anther vs. ca. 5 mm, much longer than anther), anthers (4-locular vs. 2-locu-lar), and anther color (red vs. yellowish). Chunia bucklandioides also resembles Mytilaria laoensis, but is easily distinguished from it by morphological characters of stipules (in pairs, broadly ovate, subrounded vs. solitary, conical) and sepals and petals (absent vs. present). In addition an extended taxonomic description, we provide habitat details, illustrations and assessment of the conservation status of C. bucklandioides.

We studied the nucleotide variability in two morphologically similar and taxonomically close endemic legume species, Hedysarum austrosibiricum and H. consanguineum. To estimate the level of genetic divergence between the species, four DNA loci were sequenced and analysed: ITS region of nuclear ribosomal DNA and three non-coding regions of chloroplast DNA, viz. trnL-trnF, trnH_GUG-psbA, and rpl32-trnL_UAG. The chloroplast marker rpl32-trnL was studied in Hedysarum for the first time. Probability of introgressive hybridization between H. austrosibiricum and H. consanguineum was assessed in 17 accessions representing two sympatric and eight allopatric natural populations. The results show that an accession of H. consanguineum contained two trnL-F chlorotypes indicating its heteroplasmic nature. Based on our results, persistence of ancestral polymorphism in Hedysarum is partly present in this species due to the genetic drift and incomplete sorting of the gene lineages.

Pyrostria arayatensis Suba, Arriola & Alejandro (Rubiaceae), a new species from Mount Arayat National Park, Pampanga, Philippines, is herein described and illustrated. It resembles P. ramosii but differs from it by having 20–25 flowers in inflorescences.

Gymnanthemum sahyadricum Balan & Robi (Vernonieae, Asteraceae) is described as a new species from the Western Ghats in Kerala, India. A detailed description, illustrations, and information on phenology, distribution and taxonomy are provided, along with comparisons with morphologically similar species from the Western Ghats. The new combination Gymnanthemum malabaricum (Hook. f.) Balan & Robi is proposed for Vernonia malabarica Hook. f. A key to the species of Gymnanthemum in India is provided.

Ischaemum janarthanamii S.A. Bokil, Datar & R.K. Choudhary, a new species belonging to family Poaceae, subfamily Andropogoneae is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to I. dalzellii and I. semisagittatum but differs from them in having geniculately ascending culms, lower glume of sessile spikelets winged on both sides, apex of upper glume of pedicelled spikelets mucronate, lower glume of pedicelled spikelets asymmetrically deltoid to oblong-lanceolate, joints of rachis linear-trigonous and bases of lower leave-blades hastate. Bayesian analysis of combined trnL c-d and ETS data sets supported the separation of the new species.

Hoya occultata S. Rahayu & Rodda sp. nova (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae) is described from Sulawesi. It is the second species of Hoya from Sulawesi that has a shrubby habit. It resembles H. irisiae, an endemic of the Philippines, also a shrubby species with similar white-yellow flowers and a campanulate-urceolate corolla. The two species, however, differ in peduncle length, corolla and corona size as well as corolla, corona and pollinarium shape.

Pyrostria laljii M.C. Naik, Arriola & M. Bheemalingappa (Rubiaceae) from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India is described and illustrated. It closely resembles P. cochinchinensis and P. subsessilifolia by having subsessile inflorescences and a very short peduncle. However, the presence of a 1 cm long petiole, a shorter glabrous pedicel and an 8–12-flowered umbellate inflorescence sets P. laljii apart from P. cochinchinensis and P. subsessilifolia. Pyrostria laljii represents the first record of the genus from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Aster chuanshanensis W.P. Li, a new species of Asteraceae from Shanxi and Sichuan, China, is described and illustrated based on morphological, micromorphological, molecular and cytological evidence. It is similar to A. indicus and A. shimadae, but differs from them in rhizome type, leaf size and texture, receptacle shape, floral tube and pappi lengths, and in the ratio of stigmatic line to the style arm appendage. Phylogenetic analysis based on nrDNA (ITS and ETS) sequence data supported A. chuanshanensis as a distinct species belonging to sect. Asteromoea. It is diploid with a karyotype 2n = 2x = 18m, which distinguishes it from the morphologically similar species.

Pleurothallopsis renziana sp. nova (Orchidaceae) is described based on Venezuelan material. It resembles P. microptera in which, however, the sepals are longer, the dorsal sepal is oblong-ovate, somewhat constricted in apical third, the lip is widest in the apical third, with small lateral lobes, and ornamented exclusively with one pair of low calli. The flower morphology of P. renziana resembles that of P. tubulosa, but the former differs from the latter by the larger plant size and longer leaves, obliquely linear-ovate lateral sepals, petals being widest in the basal third or in the middle, lip being distinctly wider across lateral lobes than across middle lobe, convex basal part of lip, presence of a pair of low calli extending from the lip lateral lobes' base, and an additional keel running along the central part of the lip.

During our floristic studies in southern Peloponnesus (Greece), specimens of a chasmophytic Campanula with an uncommon pinnatifid foliage were observed on the walls of the Kelefa fortress on the Mani Peninsula. After detailed morphological comparisons with comprehensive material of C. sect. Quinqueloculares from southern Greece, we identified the species as C. kamariana, a recently described endemic of Peloponnesus. Our morphological analysis of specimens collected from the Kelefa fortress revealed some deviations from the original description of the taxon. Therefore, here we provide an amended description of C. kamariana based on newly collected specimens and information on two additional localities where this local endemic occurs.

The taxonomic position of Pseudolinosyris is revised. The genus is reduced to Galatella sect. Pseudolinosyris (Novopokr.) Sennikov comb. nova. It differs from the other sections by its shorter corolla lobes and a higher level of stem lignification. Two species are recognised in this section: G. grimmii (Regel & Schmalh.) Sennikov comb. nova, with three subspecies including G. grimmii subsp. microcephala (Novopokr.) Sennikov comb. nova and G. grimmii subsp. sintenisii (Bornm.) Sennikov comb. nova, and the newly added G. corymbulosa (Bornm.) Sennikov comb. nova. A further species is transferred from Crinitaria to Galatella, G. asperella (Rech. f. & Køie) Sennikov, comb. nova to form a monotypic section Galatella sect. Asperifoliae Sennikov, sect. nova. All the species and subspecies are redescribed and mapped, and their complete synonymy with typifications and a new identification key are provided.

In the Hawaiian Islands, the genus Philonotis of the family Bartramiaceae has five species: P. hastata is pantropical, P. sullivantii is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and P. hawaiica is new to Mexico, P. pseudomollis and P. thwaitesii are new records to Hawai'i. The Hawaiian specimens of P. falcata probably represent depauperate forms of male plants of P. sullivantii, and P. falcata is excluded from the Hawaiian flora. Philonotis turneriana is a Himalayan taxon, and is excluded from the Pacific Philonotis flora. Philonotis asperifolia, P. pseudomollis, P. thwaitesii and P. vescoana occur on several Pacific islands, P. secunda occurs in New Caledonia and Samoa and P. pyriformis on Rapa Island. Philonotis tenuis is known from Norfolk Island; it may have other occurrences in the area, but these need to be confirmed. Philonotis sharpiana is synonymized with P. hawaiica. Philonotis angustissima, P. parisii, P. praemollis and P. runcinata are synonymized with P. pseudomollis. Philonotis etessei is synonymized with P. asperifolia. Philonotis norrisii T.J. Kop. sp. nova is described. Lectotypes are selected for P. asperifolia, P. runcinata, P. sullivantii and P. vescoana. Descriptions and illustrations are provided for P. asperifolia, P. hawaiica, P. norrisii and P. sullivantii, and the taxonomy of other taxa is discussed referring to earlier descriptions and illustrations. The taxa are divided into floristic elements. Philonotis pseudomollis is the first record to Solomon Islands.

A new name, Anemia delphinopolica Doweld, is proposed to replace the later homonym A. delicatula Mickel (an extant fern) non A. delicatula R.W. Brown (fossil; Anemiaceae, Pteridophyta).