The circumscriptions of three species of Merostachys, M. medullosa, M. procerrima and M. magnispicula, are modified and a new species, M. soderstromii, is described. Reproductive structures of M. procerrima are described for the first time, and the name is epitypified. All four species are illustrated and notes on distribution, ecology, conservation status are provided.

Amorphophallus minimus (Araceae) is herein described and illustrated as a new species from the montane forest of Nueva Ecija, Luzon island, Philippines. A. minimus has an overall resemblance to Amorphophallus palawanensis Bogner and Hett., however, it is easily distinguished by having a club-shaped and colliculate appendix that is contiguous with the male zone, oblate stamens (2 per flower), presence

During preparation of a revision of the genus Eranthemum (Acanthaceae), it became evident that nine specimens from eastern and south-eastern floristic regions of Thailand and southern Laos represent a new species which is herein described, illustrated and given the name E. decumbens. The new species has affinities to E. strictum and E. roseum. A key to the species of Eranthemum occurring in Thailand

Trivalvaria tomentosa sp. nov. is herein described from Yunnan Province in China. It is easily distinguished from all previously described Trivalvaria species by having tomentose twigs, petioles, abaxial surface of the leaves, sepals and petals. A detailed description for the new species, along with line drawings, photographs, as well as morphological comparisons with similar species, are provided

Nomenclatural issues are still present in the American genus Spigelia due to the absence of recent taxonomic revisions. In this study, we propose eight lectotypes and one neotype for Central and South American species. The protologues of Spigelia ambigua, S. asperifolia, S. brachystachya, S. cascatensis and S. riedeliana have no indication of the holotype herbarium, thus requiring lectotypifications

We have studied hybrids between Rubus idaeus and various members of R. sect. Corylifolii, primarily in Sweden. With the help of DNA-ploidy level determinations using flow cytometry and microsatellite DNA analysis of over 500 samples, we show that the material can be divided into four stable apomictic species (belonging to subsect. Subidaei) and a large number of primary hybrids. Stable species can

Cyperus megapotamicus (A. Spreng.) Kunth is a nomenclatural synonym of Rhynchospora megapotamica (A. Spreng.) H. Pfeiff. but was originally misapplied to a species of Cyperus. Contrary to the rules, both species names are in current use in different genera. We here clarify the perpetuated taxonomic and nomenclatural confusion regarding the identity of C. megapotamicus sensu Kunth and related names

A new species of Passiflora subgen. Astrophea sect. Capreolata, Passiflora bacabensis, has been collected in a typical cerrado environment (savanna) in the Parque Municipal do Bacaba (Bacaba Municipal Park), Mato Grosso state, Brazil. This species show similarities to P. cerradensis, especially when dried in the herbarium. Here, we present a description, illustrations, a distribution map, an identification

For plants inhabiting unpredictable environments, scheduling germination can be challenging. Various responses to environmental conditions have been evolved by plants; these responses combine with variation in local climate to construct germination niche. Germination process may be regulated by a number of factors, among them, the type of seed dormancy and dormancy cycling play an important role in

Torenia gracilis, a species closely similar to Bonnaya antipoda, was published by Bentham in Wallich's Numerical List without description and was later synonymised under B. verbenifolia, now a synonym of B. antipoda. In this paper, the nomenclature of T. gracilis Benth. (nom. inval.) is discussed and this taxon is treated within Bonnaya as B. gracilis sp. nov. with a detailed description and comments

A new corticioid fungal species, Hyphodermella zixishanensis, is described based on a combination of morphological features and molecular evidence. The species is characterized by an annual growth habit, resupinate basidiomata with reddish hymenial surface, a monomitic hyphal system with generative hyphae bearing simple septa, IKI–, CB– and ellipsoid, colorless, thin-walled, smooth basidiospores. Sequences

The nutlet (mericarp) morphology of nine species of Salvia sect. Salvia (Salvia bracteata Banks & Sol., Salvia macrochlamys Boiss. & Kotschy, Salvia suffruticosa Montbret & Aucher ex Benth., Salvia trichoclada Benth.), Hymenosphace (Salvia multicaulis Vahl), Aethiopis (Salvia montbretii Benth., Salvia palaestina Benth., Salvia syriaca L.) and Hemisphace (Salvia russellii Benth.) (Lamiaceae) has been

Here we describe and illustrate two new species of angraecoid orchids from East Africa, Tridactyle delepierrei and Ypsilopus iversenii, respectively from Albertine Rift (Rwanda and Uganda) and west Usambaras (Tanzania). The first species is closely allied to the three species of Tridactyle sect. Eggelingiae and to Tridactyle nalaensis. The second species is closely related to Y. leedalii from the southern

Androsace azizsancarii (Primulaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from Bayburt Province in northeastern Anatolia, Turkey. Diagnostic morphological characteristics, a full description and a distribution map are provided. The new species is morphologically closest to Androsace albana, A. multiscapa and A. villosa, but it is easily distinguished from these species by indumentum, leaf

Recent exploration on the northern Cordillera Mountain Range of Ilocos Norte, Philippines, resulted in the rediscovery of Psychotria palimlimensis Sohmer & A.P. Davis. This is an endemic Psychotria species first collected by Ramos in 1918 and identified as P. subalpina. However, the diagnosis of Sohmer and A.P. Davis in 2007 proposed it as a new species based on herbarium materials, and no further

Elaeagnus L. (Elaeagnaceae) is an important plant genus widely used in erosion control due to its high wind breaking and soil binding capacity, but also possessing medicinal and ornamental values. The phenotypic similarity of fruits and flowers of E. moorcroftii and E. angustifolia has often led researchers to speculate on their close relationship and they have sometimes been considered conspecific

A new species, Centaurea kirikkalensis from the Kırıkkale Province of Turkey is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to C. nallihanensis and C. drabifolia subsp. floccosa from which it differs mainly in the indumentum of stem and leaves, shape of involucre and appendages and pappus features. Detailed diagnostic characters, descriptions, taxonomic comments, ecology, IUCN conservation

In the present paper, two little-known species (T. olympicus Boiss. and T. pichleri Boiss.) endemic to Turkey are evaluated in terms of morphology based on numerous authentic and/or new collections. Additionally, the phylogenetic positions of these little-known species are evaluated based on newly generated sequences of nrDNA ITS, trnL and trnL-F. As a result of the morphological examination, lectotypes

Vaccinium zhangzhouse (Ericaceae), a new epipetric species from Wushan Mountain, Fujian Province, China is described and illustrated. This new species is similar to V. foetidissimum in having an evergreen habit, obovate to oblanceolate leaf blades with cuneate or attenuate bases, basal glands and 3–5 pairs of lateral veins, and long racemes with 6–10 flowers, but is easily distinguished by its pubescent

Corydalis austroshaanxiensis, a new species of Corydalis sect. Incisae Fedde (Papaveraceae) from Shaanxi, China, is described. It is most similar to C. pseudoincisa C.Y. Wu, Z.Y. Su & Lidén, but differs in the outer petals being retuse to emarginate, with dorsal crest (versus acuminate, rounded to shortly mucronate, without crest), lowermost pedicels that are conspicuously elongating and basally recurved

Between 1850 and 1950, hundreds of lecideoid lichen-forming fungi were described from Fennoscandia, mainly in the genus Lecidea. The status of many of these species is still uncertain and some have not been revised since their description. We examined types and nomenclature of nine such lecideoid taxa, and found that they represent synonyms of earlier described species: Bacidia dolera (= Lecidea albofuscescens)

A new species of Brachystelma, B. ananthagiriense is described and illustrated from the Ananthagiri hills of Vikarabad district, Telangana. The new species is closely similar to B. gondwanense but differs in a few attributes which are discussed. A detailed description, photographs and the conservation status of the new species are provided.

Euphorbia lakshminarasimhanii (Euphorbiaceae), a new pygmy species belonging to the genus Euphorbia subg. Euphorbia sect. Euphorbia is described and illustrated from the Konkan region of Maharashtra, India. It is easily distinguished from all known Indian species by its unique sparsely-branched pygmy habit, closely spaced and horizontally flattened tubercles, trapezoidal spine shields which are very

Coprinopsis hispida is described and illustrated as a new species from lowland northern Pakistan. Morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 = ITS) were used to clarify the taxonomic identity of the species. Coprinopsis hispida belongs to C. section Alopeciae and is distinguishable from related species by having a medium-sized

Floral scent is considered an important long-distance signal that attracts pollinators, but also has been suggested to function at shorter distances such as within-flower nectar guides or as a defense against antagonists. Indeed, in some species floral scent production and emission show spatial patterns of variation within flowers, as certain compounds are exclusively emitted from specific floral tissues

Understanding the constraints on sexual reproduction of a plant species are important for predicting stability of the species in its natural habitat. In the absence of such data, any conservation efforts are arbitrary and remain ineffective. We investigated the reproductive ecology and breeding system of a rare and threatened tree species of central and western Himalaya, Ulmus wallichiana. The phenology

Reproductive allocation (RA), the proportion of total resources that are invested in reproductive structures, is a key component of plant life histories. A major methodological issue is to identify the allocation currency that better estimates RA: biomass, energy or some mineral nutrient. Despite considerable effort to ascertain whether biomass could serve as an integrated estimate of the allocation

Emilia corallina is described as a new species endemic to the coastal area of southern Somalia close to the Kenyan border. It is closely related to E. bellioides, the only other species of the genus given for the Flora of Somalia. This narrow endemic grows in coastal dunes and madreporic limestone outcrops along the lower Juba coast and is reported at present only around the area south of Chisimaio

Through field observations, studies of herbarium specimens and relevant literature, Ophiorrhiza exigua and O. michelloides, two long-controversial species are shown to be two different species. Meanwhile, our results supported O. nanlingensis L. Wu & Q. R. Liu as a new species, previously confused with O. exigua. Ophiorrhiza nanlingensis is morphologically similar to O. exigua and O. michelloides,

Colchicum tulakii Th. Giannakis, S. Tsiftsis & E. Eleftheriadou (Colchicaceae), a distinct new species from central Macedonia, northeast Greece, is described. A description, diagnostic characters and taxonomic comments on the new species are given. It is compared with its closely related taxa C. haynaldii, C. autumnale, C. turcicum and C. confusum. Ecological information is provided and the geographical

Prionosciadium guzmanianum, a second species of Prionosciadium with red flowers is described and illustrated. The genus is almost endemic to the Mexican Republic and presents a high richness and endemism in western Mexico. Given the color of its flowers, the closest relationship of the new species is with P. tamayoi, from which it differs by the basal, ternate-pinnatifid leaves, pinnatifid leaflets

Prunus L. subgen. Cerasus Mill. (Rosaceae) contains numerous economically important species, including fruit trees and ornamental plants. This study compares the leaf anatomy and calcium oxalate crystal types of 98 individuals of 14 Prunus subgen. Cerasus taxa from Turkey. We stained leaf sections with Safranin-Alcian Blue double stain and mapped calcium oxalate crystals under light microscope with

Helvellosebacina granulata, collected from the Euro-Siberian phytogeographical region by the eastern Black Sea in Turkey but most probably also present in Estonia, is described as a species new to science based on both morphological and rDNA data. The new species is well distinguished from similar taxa by typically granular, tough, smooth, whitish to beige basidiomata, elliptical to cylindrical or

In red clover seed production, low seed yield is limiting the commercial exploitation of tetraploid red clover. To explore if pollination is the limiting factor for the seed yield in tetraploid red clover, we investigated pollinator behaviour and plant reproductive success in diploid (2x) cultivar ‘Rajah' and tetraploid (4x) cultivar ‘Amos' using honey bee and hand pollination approaches. We measured

Chamaerhodos is a small genus with ca 7–8 species with a disjunct distribution in Asia and western North America. Due to limited sampling of species and genes in previous studies, little is known about the phylogenetic relationships among the species. Moreover, chloroplast genomic resources for Chamaerhodos have been limited. Herein, we conducted a comparative analysis of the complete chloroplast (cp)

We describe a new species of Rhodocybe, R. brunneoaurantiaca, from West Bengal, India. Field photographs of the collected basidiocarps are provided and the new species is compared with its allied taxa based on morphological and molecular (nrITS and nrLSU sequence) data. Rhodocybe brunneoaurantiaca is characterized by clitocyboid basidiomata with a small (25–41 mm), infundibuliform, brownish orange

We describe and illustrate Ophiopogon robustus and Peliosanthes rubra from northern Laos and P. convallarioides from central Vietnam as species new to science. Ophiopogon robustus is close to O. platyphyllus from southern China, P. rubra is similar to P. densiflora from Laos and P. convallarioides is close to P. argenteostriata from Laos and Vietnam. We reduce P. lucida described from northern Vietnam

Glyphochloa shrirangii (Poaceae), a new species from Western Ghats, Maharashtra State, India is described and illustrated. It is similar to G. forficulata, but differs mainly in having culms not tufted, a branched inflorescence, different shape of the caryopsis and in having two awns in the pedicelled spikelet.

Michelia retusa (Magnoliaceae), a critically endangered new species from Hainan, China is described. This species is similar to M. yunnanensis, but differs from the latter in having obovate-oblong, elliptic, obovate or obcordate leaf blades with usually emarginated apexes, petioles without a stipular scar and flowers with smaller outer tepals, longer stamens and glabrous carpels.

Aspidistra peltata, a new species morphologically allied to A. tonkinensis (= A. fungilliformis subsp. formosa; A. formosa) discovered in northern Vietnam, is described and illustrated. From the closely related A. tonkinensis, the new species differs in having an erect stem 4–14 cm tall, much smaller leaves, smaller flowers, filamentose stamens, a pure white style and an entire flat stigma with remarkably

Shoubiaonia yunnanensis is described here as a new genus and species of Amaryllidaceae from Yunnan Province, southwest China. Phylogenetic analyses based on DNA sequences of nuclear ribosomal ITS and three plastid regions (matK, ndhF and rbcL) strongly support Shoubiaonia as a member in the tribe Lycorideae of the Eurasian clade of Amaryllidaceae. However, morphologically S. yunnanensis is readily

Hedyotis howii and H. interrupta, two new species from China are described and illustrated here. Hedyotis howii is similar to H. hainanensis, but can be distinguished by its tetragonal and sparsely puberulent shoots, obovate or ovoid and slightly 4-ribbed hypanthium, and 5–6 mm long corolla tube. Hedyotis interrupta is similar to H. communis and H. cathayana, but differs in having a sharply tetragonal

The identity of Meistera vespertilio is clarified based on a recent collection of flowering material from the type locality in northern Vietnam. We show that this name has to be applied to a yellow-flowered species with echinate fruits widespread in southern China, northern Laos and Vietnam. This species was misidentified in all previous works as Meistera muricarpa (≡ Amomum muricarpum), another species

There is increasing focus on reforestation, but the efforts still often include limited subsets of species despite evidence that tree diversity promote biodiversity and ecological resilience. In addition to these benefits, greater inclusion of rare native species in reforestation efforts would also help conserve these species in an uncertain future. Here, we investigate the population ecology and dynamics

Solanaceous plants are ubiquitous and are able to colonize degraded, abandoned and metal polluted habitats. Members of the family have evolved interesting extrinsic and intrinsic traits to combat the metal toxicity in multiple ways. Indumentum constituted mostly of trichome layer provides structural defense for both biotic stress (herbivory, oviposition, microbial pathogenesis) and abiotic stress (like

Plants have been used as a traditional medicine for many years for the people of Wolaita, Ethiopia. The aim of the study was to record the local knowledge of the peoples who inhabit the Diguna Fango district. A semi-structured interview was conducted with a total of 60 informants. Totally, 50 species belonging to 24 families were identified to treat 28 human and livestock ailments. Solanaceae (14.3%)

According to morphological observation and literature consultation, a new species of Henckelia (Gesneriaceae), H. connata X. Z. Shi & Li H. Yang, is described and illustrated. This new species resembles H. dimidiata, but differs in its dilated and connate petiole bases (versus separated), longer peduncles (4–10 cm long versus 0.3–2.2 cm long) and pedicels (1.5–4.0 cm long versus up to 1 cm long), lanceolate

Impatiens rapiformis (Balsaminaceae), a new species from Malipo County, Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is superficially similar to I. apalophylla, I. malipoensis and I. guizhouensis, but differs by having cylindric or subfusiform root tuber, elliptic or obovate-oblong leaf blades and falcate outer lateral sepals. The characters of its seed micromorphology and pollen morphology

A new species of Strobilanthes collected from Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka, India is described here as S. pushpagiriensis. It is closely allied to S. anamallaica and S. ciliata in having two distinct small leafy bracts at the middle of the peduncle, but differs from them in having dense grayish-white hairs throughout, linear-lanceolate leaves with 9–11 pairs of secondary veins, 2–3 spikes

This study aims to assess the growth in overall publication output in ethnobotany as well as provide a systematic examination of the history of ethnobotanical publications using reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS). The study is based on 5201 papers published between 1974 and 2019 covering 290 006 non‐distinct cited references (CRs), indexed in science citation index‐expanded (SCI‐Expanded)

Even though floral scent is of major importance for pollinator attraction, it is less investigated than other floral traits. Previous studies suggest the importance of joint exploration of olfactory and visual floral cues to understand plant–pollinator interactions. We investigated flower scents in Collinsia heterophylla, a bee‐pollinated, annual herb a with mixed‐mating system combining self‐ and

Urbanisation is expected to function as a filter for plant species by changing the physiochemical environment, causing species turnover along an urbanisation gradient. Analyses of the functional traits of species characteristic of different urbanisation levels allow for comparisons across studies, irrespective of exact species composition. This study aims to examine how plant species and functional

The new species Commicarpus altus Thulin from central Somalia and C. ogadenensis Thulin from southeastern Ethiopia are described, illustrated and mapped. Both species are shrubs with succulent leaves and white flowers, and they have previously been treated as forms of the widespread and variable C. plumbagineus (Cav.) Standl. Commicarpus altus is found on gypseous or saline ground at elevations of

Fragmented landscapes may have implications for the genetic structure of populations and for the microevolution of plant species. In particular, landscape fragmentation and/or population isolation might affect the evolution of plant mating systems. Here, we study the consequences of landscape fragmentation on the genetic structure of populations of a perennial herb, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria with a

A new perennial brome, Bromus orientalis, is described from Bingöl province in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. The species is known only from the type locality where ca 50 individuals were found in 2018. It is similar to Bromus ramosus and Bromus benekenii but differs from them by having leaf sheaths without auricules and 3‐veined lower glumes that are 11–12 mm long. Detailed descriptions, distribution,

Aster sanqingshanica J.W. Xiao & W.P. Li, a new species of Asteraceae from Jiangxi, China, is described, illustrated and compared with related taxa based on evidence from morphology and molecular phylogeny. Morphological observations have shown that A. sanqingshanica is most similar to A. tianmenshanensis, but readily differs by its ascending stem (versus erect), marcescent basal leaves (versus deciduous)

Based on both morphological and molecular data, Rhodocybe cistetorum sp. nov., found under Cistus creticus, is described as a new species from the Black Sea coast of Turkey. ITS and LSU rDNA sequences obtained from the type specimen did not find any close match in public databases, but the new taxon is phylogenetically nested within Rhodocybe based on the analysis of LSU data from the new species as

The taxonomy of Helictotrichon schmidii is discussed, a lectotype and a detailed description are provided, and its distribution in the Western Himalaya, India is expanded by new data. Detailed micromorphological study revealed that the species is closely allied to the genus Tzveleviochloa by having the lemma tip entire to slightly cleft and 2‐aristate like Trisetum, lodicule asymmetrically lobed and

Amanita parvirufobrunnescens, a new species of Amanita sect. Amidella is described here based on morphological and molecular evidence. This new species is recognized by its small sized basidiomata, snow‐white pileus covered by light grey to grey to brownish volval remnants on the pileus, context turning brownish to reddish‐brown on cutting or bruising, ellipsoid to elongated basidiospores measuring

Litostigma is a recently described small genus with two species confined to limestone karsts in southwestern China and adjacent Vietnam. During the course of field works on the limestone karsts of the China–Vietnam border area, two unknown species of Litostigma were collected. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ITS sequences strongly confirm the placements of the two new species in Litostigma