A new species of Dubyaea (Asteraceae), D. forrestii Mamgain & R.R.Rao, from the Burma/China border is described, illustrated and compared with D. atropurpurea. The affinities of the new species to Dubyaea atropurpurea are discussed.

The variability of Asparagus filicinus Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don in the Sino-Hiamalayan region is discussed; the typical variety of this species has been generally misinterpreted. Three varieties are here treated and lectotypified: var. filicinus, var. giraldii C.H. Wright and var. lycopodineus Baker. The new combination Maianthemum oleraceum (Baker) Hook. f. & Thoms, ex Hook. f. var. acuminatum (Wang & Tang) Noltie is made.

A new species of Catasetum Rich. ex Kunth (Orchidaceae), Catasetum apolloi Benelli & Grade, from the municipality of Carlinda in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil is described and illustrated. The plant was discovered in a pasture near the Teles Pires River growing epiphytically under the palm Maximiliana regia Mart. A discussion and consideration of possible related species is presented.

Three new species of Rubiaceae from Central Africa are described and illustrated. Chassalia lutescens O.Lachenaud & D.J.Harris (widespread from Cameroon to Democratic Republic of Congo) is recognised inter alia by the T-shaped ventral furrow of the seeds and the orange-yellow discoloration of inflorescences in herbarium specimens. Psychotria nodiflora O.Lachenaud & D.J.Harris (Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville and Democratic Republic of Congo), belonging to Psychotria subgen. Psychotria sect. Involucratae, is unique among African species of the genus in having paired axillary inflorescences. Psychotria pteropus O.Lachenaud & D.J.Harris (Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo) belongs to Psychotria subgen. Tetramerae; it is closely related to P. leptophylla Hiern but differs in its narrow corolla tube and globose to ellipsoid fruits.

The so-called dithecous leaves with two sheaths (adaxial and abaxial) which occur at branching in species of subfamily Podostemoideae of the aquatic flowering plant family Podostemaceae are enigmatic structures. The fact that in many species the shoot axes and leaves are fused has previously prevented an understanding of the real nature of dithecous leaves. This study reports on the position of the dithecous leaf in Podostemum rutifolium subsp. ricciiforme, the simple shoot structure of which has revealed that the dithecous leaf is the first leaf of the branch and does not arise from the main shoot as previously believed. Accordingly, the two sheaths of the dithecous leaf are interpreted anew: the sheath towards the branch, and its flower bud, is the true (ventral, adaxial) sheath of the dithecous leaf (formerly viewed as an additional new structure), and the other (dorsal, abaxial) sheath towards the flower bud of the main shoot of the branch is a novel structure. Consequently, the branch does not develop from the reverse side of the dithecous leaf in a subfoliar position, but rather is axillary above its subtending leaf. A similar structure was described in a previous paper on Apinagia riedelii, and in both species, and thus in subfamily Podostemoideae, the ramification pattern conforms to the pattern in other angiosperms.

The taxonomy and nomenclature of the Rubus species (sub)endemic to Madeira and the Azores are treated. Only three species names have to be retained: R. bollei Focke (synonyms: R. canariensis Focke, R. concolor Lowe, R. suspiciosus Menezes, R. vahlii Frid.), R. hochstetterorum Seub., and R. serrae Soldano (R. grandifolius Lowe). The last two species are described and illustrated. Three names are lectotypified. A key to Rubus of the Macaronesian region (five native species, one hybrid, one neophyte) is provided.

The status of Rivea bernoulliana (Convolvulaceae) is resolved.

The new species Baphia megaphylla Breteler (Leguminosae – Papilionoideae) from Gabon is described and illustrated. It is most closely related to Baphia maxima Baker. The differences between the two species are summarised in a key.

Rechinger, in his 1968 Flora Iranica account, considered Sterigmostemum to contain nine species in Iran. In 1980 Léonard excluded S. purpurascens from Sterigmostemum and transferred it to the new genus Petiniotia as P. purpurascens. Subsequently, in 1988 Jacquemoud retained this species in Sterigmostemum, but as subgenus Petiniotia. In 2000 Sonboli et al. excluded S. laevicaule from Sterigmostemum and considered it to be a synonym of Erysimum crassicaule. Phenetic analysis of morphological and anatomical characters from herbarium and fresh specimens supports the recognition of five species in Sterigmostemum (S. incanum, S. sulphureum, S. acanthocarpum, S. ramosissimum and S. longistylum). The results of cluster analysis and ordination based on these characters confirm Léonard's exclusion of S. purpurascens and transfer to the genus Petiniotia as P. purpurascens. A key is provided to distinguish Petiniotia from Sterigmostemum, followed by descriptions of the two genera and a conspectus of species.

Eleven new species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) from Sulawesi are described and illustrated: C. albiflora Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. boliohutensis Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. gambutensis Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. hekensis Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. hendrianii Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. hispidula Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. kinhoii Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. multinervis Karton. & R.Bone, C. nitida Karton. & H.J.Atkins, C. rantemarioensis Karton. & R.Bone and C. rubribracteata Karton. & H.J.Atkins. Illustrations, maps and preliminary conservation assessments are provided for all the species.

The genus Leontopodium (Pers.) R.Br. (Asteraceae, Compositae) is economically important for both pharmaceutical and horticultural purposes. This importance, however, has not led to a good understanding of species coherence and the delimitation of species. One fundamental aspect of a good understanding of a species is how many chromosomes it has and any possible indication of polyploidy. Here we present somatic chromosome numbers for 16 Leontopodium species, of which six are new for science. The results indicate basic chromosome numbers of x = 6, 8, 9 and 11, with x = 8 being most frequent among the species examined. While obviously including several distantly related lineages, the x = 8 species have distributions that are concentrated in the centre of diversity of the genus in southwest China. We identified two ‘species-pairs’ (Leontopodium dedekensii–L. sinense and L. souliei–L. calocephalum) in which the tetraploid species has more vigorous growth, but is confined geographically to the centre of diversity. The diploid species ascend to generally higher elevations and extend more towards the Tibetan Plateau. In contrast, our data also suggest range expansions in other polyploid species, such as the hexaploid Leontopodium ochroleucum extending into the mountains of Central Asia. Deviations from x = 8 are found at the edges of the wide Eurasian distribution of the genus. These may relate to subsequent range expansions into the Himalayas, northern Asia, the Far East, and a far disjunctive expansion to the mountains of Europe. This implies an increased ability of these species to colonise mountain floras and adapt to different environmental conditions. Thus, formation of higher ploidy levels in general might be significant for a successful radiation process.

A new species, Roella uncinata Cupido (Campanulaceae), from Western Cape, South Africa, is described and illustrated, and its known distribution mapped. A proposed conservation assessment is provided, and its diagnostic characters and affinity are discussed.

Fifty-one species of basidiomycetes are recorded from the Southern Atlantic archipelago of the Falkland Islands. Several other fungi are discussed in the light of these findings. Some of these fungi are recorded for the first time from the Falklands and especially from some of the smaller islands of the group adjacent to West and East Falkland. The world distributions of the fungi dealt with in this compilation, particularly in the southern hemisphere, are given where they are known. Comments are made on the possible reasons for the occurrence of the species in the Falklands, especially the ectomycorrhizal taxa.

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Aeschynanthus mendumae D.J.Middleton, is described from Laos. The new combination Aeschynanthus membranifolius (Costantin) D.J.Middleton is made. An IUCN conservation assessment is provided.

The Malesian species of five relatively unknown Euphorbiaceous genera are redescribed. Alphandia, Borneodendron, Cladogynos and Tapoïdes, each with one species in Malesia, are part of the Euphorbiaceae in the strict sense; Ashtonia (two species) is presently classified in the Phyllanthaceae. The descriptions have been completed by studying extra material, and high quality drawings are added.

Seven new species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) from Sulawesi are described and illustrated: C. gorontaloensis, C. fasciata, C. luteiflora, C. serratifolia, C. purpurea, C. tenuicarpa and C. roseiflora.

Twenty-two species of Alpinia previously placed under the illegitimate name Psychanthus (K. Schum.) Ridley arc transferred to Pleuranthodium (K. Schum.) R. M. Smith.

A new species, Rhododendron pseudomaddenii A.A.Mao & M.Bhaumik (Ericaceae), is described and illustrated from India.

Lloydia himalensis is confirmed as being synonymous with L. serotina; L. yunnanensis is reported for the first time from the E Himalaya; L. delicatula Noltie sp. nov. is described; L. mairei and L. serotina var. parva are discussed.