Nanocnide zhejiangensis sp. nov. (Urticaceae: Urticeae) from Zhejiang Province,East China

Nanocnide zhejiangensis X.F. Jin & Y.F. Lu, a new species of Urticaceae from Zhejiang, east China, is described with illustrations. The new species is morphologically similar to Nanocnide japonica in having staminate inflorescence longer than leaves, but differs by having glabrous stems, petioles, peduncles and abaxial leaf surfaces, glabrous perianth lobes of staminate flowers, dorsally glabrous perianth lobes of pistillate flowers, and acuminate or solitary spinose–setaceous at the apex. Analysis based on ITS, atpF–H, atpB–rbcL and trnL–F sequences also demonstrate that Nanocnide japonica is the closest extant relative to the new species.     

Aspidistra albopurpurea,A. khangii,A. lubae and A. stellata spp. nov. (Asparagaceae,Convallariaceae s.s.) from Indochina

Aspidistra albopurpurea, A. khangii, A. lubae and A. stellata discovered recently are described and illustrated as species new to science. All novelties are local endemics of northern Vietnam and southeastern Laos. Aspidistra albopurpurea is unique in the genus with a white/red stigma in striking contrast to the large milk‐white tube base. Aspidistra stellata belongs to a group of species with extraordinary long and narrow lineate perigone lobes. Aspidistra khangii and A. lubae belong to a small group of species having erect, vertical shoots. The first species is easily distinguished by its stout stem, down‐curved peduncle and obpyramidal, container‐shaped perianth. Aspidistra lubae has characteristic horizontal, peduncles and urceolate flowers. Besides the type variety, A. lubae includes var. lancifolia, which differs in its erect, lanceolate, immaculate, shortly petiolate leaves. Both varieties of A. lubae were found growing, often intermixed, in the same locality in very similar ecological conditions.     

Malleola tibetica sp. nov. (Aeridinae,Orchidaceae) from Tibet,China

Malleola tibetica, a new species from southeastern tropical Tibet, China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, the new species is closely related to M. dentifera, but differs from it by having uniformly green leaves, flowers with entire lateral lobes of the lip and a basally thickened mid‐lobe, and a column that is densely cristaline‐papillose adaxially.     

Manihot allemii sp. nov. (Euphorbiaceae s.s.) with entire and unlobed leaves from northern Brazil,with notes about foliar anatomy

Manihot allemii M. J. Silva is described and illustrated as a new species, and its morphological affinities and conservation status is discussed. It is most similar to M. salicifolia Pohl in having a subshrubby and erect habit and in the general aspect of its unlobed leaves, but differs from it in having leaves that are conspicuously petiolate, an inflorescence that is a congested spike‐like thyrse, entire and diminute bracts and bracteoles subtending flowers of both sexes, pistillate calyx that is deeply lobed with oblong lobes, and staminate flowers with 8 or 10 stamens. Both species belong to a group of 14 species recognized by their possession of entire and unlobed leaves, which are the subject of taxonomic studies by the second author. Some notes on the leaf anatomy of species of Manihot that have entire and unlobed leaves are also presented.     

Aristolochia bhamoensis sp. nov. (Aristolochiaceae) and a diagnostic key to all known A. subgen. Siphisia species from Myanmar

Aristolochia bhamoensis from Myanmar is here described and illustrated. This new species is morphologically similar to A. faviogonzalezii (confined to northern Vietnam) and A. cathcartii (growing in the Himalayan region) but is distinguished from the latter two species by having a cream‐white upper part of the perianth tube, with visible purple ridges, a trumpet‐shaped limb, 5.0–5.5 cm diameter, inner surface of limb lobes densely covered with dark‐purple bristles, a nearly circular mouth, 3.2–3.5 cm wide, upper half of throat being dark‐purple to blackish, without striations or dots, and lower half purple, with conspicuous white striation. Morphological characters such as a 3‐lobed gynostemium and a 3‐lobed limb support a placement of the new species in the subgenus Siphisia. A diagnostic key is provided to the seven Siphisia species known from Myanmar.     

蜘蛛抱蛋属（百合科）二新种

报道了在广西发现的2个百合科蜘蛛抱蛋属Aspidistra新种,即乳突蜘蛛抱蛋A. papillata G. Z. Li和环江蜘蛛抱蛋A. huanjiangensis G. Z. Li&Y. G. Wei。乳突蜘蛛抱蛋与大花蜘蛛抱蛋A. tonkinensis（Gagner. ）F. T. Wang&K. Y. Lang近缘。它们的共同特征是:花单生;花被裂片两侧彼此覆盖;柱头盾状,边缘3裂,上表面具3条辐射状沟缝。不同点是:乳突蜘蛛抱蛋植株较大花蜘蛛抱蛋的粗大;叶柄较粗;叶片椭圆形或长椭圆形;花被阔钟     

Polyspora huongiana sp. nov. (Theaceae) from Vietnam and notes on related species

A new species of Polyspora Sweet (Theaceae) endemic to the Bidoup‐Nui Ba National Park, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam, is described and illustrated: Polyspora huongiana Orel, Curry & Luu. The newly described species has variably shaped, coriaceous, narrowly elliptical leaves, terminal, pedicellate, mostly solitary, rather fleshy, dark pink to red flowers, with petals in two whorls; a columnar, seamlessly fused style with 3–5 apical lobes; persistent bracteoles; and a superior 3–4 (–5) chambered ovary. The morphological evidence supports taxonomic placement in the genus Polyspora. A new name is provided and new combinations are made for some other species in the region.     

Aristolochia bidoupensis sp. nov. from southern Vietnam

Aristolochia bidoupensis Do sp. nov. is newly described. This new species, currently only known from southern Vietnam, is most similar to Aristolochia faviogonzalezii (northern Vietnam) and A. moupinensis (China), but can be distinguished from the latter two by the following characters: flowers terminal, axillary, solitary, peduncle 1.3–1.5 cm long, bracteole ovate, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, limb discoid‐shaped with three expanded lobes, not revolute, internal surface uniformly dark purple, smooth, throat uniformly golden without dots. Morphological characters such as a 3‐lobed gynostemium and a 3‐lobed limb place the new species in A. subgen. Siphisia.     

Persicaria changhuaensis sp. nov. (Polygonaceae) from northwestern Zhejiang,China

Persicaria changhuaensis sp. nov., belonging to P. sect. Echinocaulon (Polygonaceae), from Zhejiang, eastern China, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to P. senticosa (Meisn.) H. Gross ex Nakai and P. sagittata (L.) H. Gross ex Nakai var. sieboldii (Meisn.) Nakai, but differs from the former in having an ocrea without a reniform‐orbicular wing at apex, pubescent peduncle, triangular bracteoles, white perianth, and stamens exserted from the perianth. Compared to P. sagittata var. sieboldii, it differs in having the leaf blade triangular‐hastate, sparsely retrorsely‐prickled on abaxial veins, sparsely ciliate at the margin, pubescent peduncle, triangular bracteoles, and stamens exserted from the perianth.     

青海黄精属一新种

发表了黄精属一新种,即青海黄精Polygonatum qinghaiense Z．L．Wu et Y．C．Yang。本种近似独花黄精P．hookeri Baker．但叶长圆形或狭椭圆形,花淡黄色或白色,裂片具3脉,与筒部几等长．雄蕊着生于花被近喉部等是其主要区别。     

Impatiens shimianensis sp. nov. (Balsaminaceae) from Sichuan,China

Impatiens shimianensis Q. Luo (Balsaminaceae), a new species from Shimian county in southwestern Sichuan province, China, is reported and its morphological characteristics are described and illustrated. Pollen grain morphology and seeds under SEM are also described. The new species is somewhat similar to I. bahanensis, I. brachycentra, I. laxiflora, I. parviflora and I. racemosa, but differs mainly by having leaf blades with white short stiff adpressed hairs; basal lobes of lateral united petals triangular, distal lobes lanceolate; and lower sepal salver‐shaped. The distinguishing characters for these six Impatiens species are given in a table.     

Aspidistra punctatoides sp. nov. (Ruscaceae) from limestone areas in Guangxi,China

Aspidistra punctatoides Yan Liu & C. R. Lin (Ruscaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from limestone areas in southwestern Guangxi, China, near the border with northern Vietnam. It resembles A. punctata Lindl. in leaf size, a campanulate perianth densely covered with purple spots, lobes adaxially with two fleshy keels, and the peltate stigma, but differs by the stigma being adaxially truncate and densely papillate, and by the margin being 3‐ or 4‐lobed with lobes emarginate at apex.     

Daphne thanguensis sp. nov. (Thymelaeaceae) from Sikkim Himalaya

Daphne thanguensis sp. nov. from north Sikkim of eastern Himalaya is described and illustrated. It is a narrow endemic related to D. tangutica Maxim. Daphne thanguensis grows in open alpine pastures and differs from D. tangutica by having leaves with revolute margin and a tuft of hairs at apex, ebracteate inflorescence and flowers, calyx lobes with a tuft of hairs at apex and annular, slightly undulate hypogynal disk. The new taxon is also close to D. retusa Hemsl. But can easily be differentiated by its sessile inflorescence, ebracteate flowers and tuft of hairs at leaf apices and calyx lobe apices. A conservation status of the new species in accordance with the IUCN red list categories and criteria is provided and discussed.     

Auxin and physical constraint exerted by the perianth promote androgynophore bending in Passiflora mucronata L. (Passifloraceae)

The androgynophore column, a distinctive floral feature in passion flowers, is strongly crooked or bent in many Passiflora species pollinated by bats. This is a floral feature that facilitates the adaptation to bat pollination. Crooking or bending of plant organs are generally caused by environmental stimulus (e.g. mechanical barriers) and might involve the differential distribution of auxin. Our aim was to study the role of the perianth organs and the effect of auxin in bending of the androgynophore of the bat‐pollinated species Passiflora mucronata. Morpho‐anatomical characterisation of the androgynophore, including measurements of curvature angles and cell sizes both at the dorsal (convex) and ventral (concave) sides of the androgynophore, was performed on control flowers, flowers from which perianth organs were partially removed and flowers treated either with auxin (2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; 2,4‐D) or with an inhibitor of auxin polar transport (naphthylphthalamic acid; NPA). Asymmetric growth of the androgynophore column, leading to bending, occurs at a late stage of flower development. Removing the physical constraint exerted by perianth organs or treatment with NPA significantly reduced androgynophore bending. Additionally, the androgynophores of plants treated with 2,4‐D were more curved when compared to controls. There was a larger cellular expansion at the dorsal side of the androgynophores of plants treated with 2,4‐D and in both sides of the androgynophores of plants treated with NPA. This study suggests that the physical constraint exerted by perianth and auxin redistribution promotes androgynophore bending in P. mucronata and might be related to the evolution of chiropterophily in the genus Passiflora.     

Hemiboea lutea sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from Guangxi,China

Hemiboea lutea F. Wen, G. Y. Liang & Y. G. Wei, a new species in Gesneriaceae is described and illustrated from Guangxi, China. It differs from the similar species H. cavaleriei by having sessile or subsessile leaves, longer peduncles (6–10 cm), spheroidal or triangular‐spheroidal subinvolucre, 5‐divided calyx with lobes fused for 1/3 of their length, revolute and uncinate apex of calyx lobes, larger bright yellow corolla (5–7 cm long), longer staminodes with indistinctively uncinate anther and longer pistil (3.5–3.7 cm).     

Primula persimilis sp. nov. (Primulaceae) from Sichuan,China

A new species of Primulaceae, Primula persimilis G. Hao, C.M. Hu & Y. Xu, from Sichuan, China, is described and illustrated. In general morphology it is allied to the species of P. sect. Monocarpicae, characterized by the presence of multi‐cellular hairs, the distinctly petiolate leaves, a campanulate calyx, and a globose or cylindrical capsule with valvate dehiscence. The new species superficially resembles P. tsiangii W.W. Smith, but can be distinguished by its white flowers, longer calyx lobes, and cylindrical capsules.     

RESURRECTION OF THE GENUS ENDOLEPIS AND CLARIFICATION OF ATRIPLEX PHYLLOSTEGIA (CHENOPODIACEAE)

The genus Endolepis was first described by Torrey in 1860 with E. suckleyi (E. dioica [Nutt.] Standley) as the only species, noting that it differed from species of Atriplex by the presence of perianth parts in the female flowers. Later, Standley described two additional species: E. covillei and E. monilifera. H. M. Hall and Clements merged Endolepis with Atriplex because they thought that the presence of perianth parts in female flowers was variable in Atriplex phyllostegia. It is now clear that this observation was erroneous; A. phyllostegia never has perianth parts in its female flowers. The plants that they examined that had female flowers with perianth parts were specimens of Endolepis covillei; only those with female flowers devoid of perianth parts were specimens of Atriplex phyllostegia. These two taxa differ by several other major attributes including differences in leaf shape, leaf anatomy, fruiting-bract size and shape, fruiting-bract appendages, and flowering habit, and therefore justify taxonomic separation. Also, because the presence of perianth parts in bracteolate female flowers is a rare attribute in the tribe Atripliceae, consistently absent in Atriplex, but always present in Endolepis, the retention of the genus Endolepis, separate from Atriplex, is deemed warranted. We propose that the genus Endolepis comprise two species, E. dioica and E. covillei. The species named E. monilifera by Standley is based on a specimen of Atriplex serenana Nels.     

Impatiens liboensis sp. nov. (Balsaminaceae) from Guizhou,China

Impatiens liboensis K. M. Liu & R. P. Kuang, a new species collected from Xiaoqikong Scenic Area in southern Guizhou, China, is described and illustrated, including its seed and pollen micro‐morphology. Impatiens liboensis is similar to I. chishuiensis Y. X. Xiong and I. tubulosa Hemsl., but differs by having obviously irregular underground tubers, white or pink–white flowers, lower sepal with a 1.2–1.5 cm long spur, obovate dorsal petal, and obovate‐oblong or obliquely obovate lower lobes of the lateral petals with retuse apex.     

Taxonomic studies in the Miconieae (Melastomataceae). IX. Calycogonium formonense, a new species from the Massif de la Hotte, Haiti

Calycogonium formonense, a new species, is here described from the floristically diverse Massif de la Hotte of southern Haiti. It is compared to C. hispidulum, to which it is likely related. Although the genus Calycogonium is not monophyletic, C. formonense and C. hispidulum are probably related to other species, e.g., C. calycopteris, C. heterophyllum, and C. reticulatum, that exhibit reduced inflorescences and 4-merous flowers having hypanthia with four conspicuous lobes separated by longitudinal grooves and external calyx lobes that are flattened parallel to the floral radii. These distinctive species may form a clade. Calycogonium formonense is distinguished from C. hispidulum by its smaller leaves with the tertiary veins not raised on the abaxial surface, with entire margins (i.e., margin without elongate multicellular hairs), and usually solitary flowers.