Primulina tsoongii sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from a limestone area in north Guangxi,China

Primulina tsoongii sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) is described and illustrated here. This new species resembles P. hochiensis and P. hochiensis var. rosulata, but is easily distinguished by its sparsely hirsute mature leaves, narrow bracts (only 0.4–0.5 in diameter) and undivided yellowish ligulate stigma with dense elongate papillae.     

Primulina xiziae sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from Zhejiang Province,China

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Primulina xiziae Fang Wen, Yue Wang & G. J. Hua, from Zhejiang Province, China, is identified, illustrated and described. It resembles the widespread P. eburnea, and the stenochoric P. pseudoeburnea, but differs by the leaf blades being ovate‐elliptic or ovate, chartaceous with ciliate margins, 8.5–13.8 mm long, slender peduncle, ovate, ca 1.2 × 1.0 cm large bracts that are generally withered but persistent before full‐blooming stage, slender tubular‐infundibuliform, ca 25.0 × 7.5 mm corolla tube, limb lobes with acute apices, 3 staminodes, and by forming a dormancy bud in winter.     

Petrocodon multiflorus sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from Guangxi,China

Petrocodon multiflorus F. Wen & Y. S. Jiang sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) is described and illustrated. It is most similar to P. dealbatus Hance, but can be distinguished by its leaf lamina texture, shape of leaf margins, and by the number of cymes borne by an individual plant and the number of flowers in each cyme. A key to the species of Petrocodon is provided.     

Chirita tiandengensis (Gesneriaceae) sp. nov. from Guangxi,China

Chirita tiandengensis Fang Wen & Hui Tang, a new species of Chirita from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to C. napoensis Z. Y. Li, C. lunglinensis W. T. Wang and C. obtusidentata W. T. Wang, but differs by leaf blades ovate‐lanceolate, both surfaces sparsely strigulose; cymes 5‐ or 8‐flowered, bracts narrowly lanceolate, 6–8×1.5–2.0 mm; larger flowers (3.8–4.6 cm long), pink corolla, infundibuliform‐tubular tube; backside of anthers puberulous, filaments straight; staminodes glabrous, fused on the capitate top; stigma bipartite to the base with narrowly lanceolate lobes.     

Hemiboea purpurea sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from a limestone area in Guangxi,China

Hemiboea purpurea Yan Liu & W. B. Xu, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to H. follicularis C. B. Clarke, but differs by smaller leaf blades, 3–10×2–5 cm, corolla purple, ca 2.0–2.5 cm long, exserted from the involucre, filaments glandular‐puberulent and staminodes 3. It is only known from one site in the Rongshui County.     

Chirita leprosa sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from limestone areas in Guangxi,China

Chirita leprosa Yan Liu & W. B. Xu, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to C. wangiana Z. Y. Li, but differs by the leaf blade being elliptic to broadly elliptic, bracts broadly ovate, corolla pale yellow, filaments ca 9 mm long, geniculate near the middle, staminodes 3, and by a different flowering period (Oct–Nov).     

Wentsaiboea tiandengensis sp. nov. and W. luochengensis sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from Karst caves in Guangxi,southern China

Two new species of Gesneriaceae, Wentsaiboea tiandengensis Yan Liu & B. Pan and Wentsaiboea luochengensis Yan Liu & W. B. Xu from Karst caves in Guangxi, China are described and illustrated. Wentsaiboea tiandengensis resembles W. renifolia, but differs in the leaf blade being cordate or broadly ovate, the margin crenate or repand, with conspicuous pinnate veins 3–5 on each side, corolla throat constricted, corolla lobes ovate with apex acute, staminodes 3, and ovary broadly ovoid. Wentsaiboea luochengensis is similar to W. renifolia, but can be distinguished from the latter by the coriaceous leaf blade with 2–3 inconspicuous pinnate veins on each side, elliptic or broadly ovate to sub‐rotund in shape, with sub‐entire margin and attenuate to cuneate or sub‐rotund base, broadly ovate or sub‐rotund corolla lobes, rotund or obtuse apex, and 3 staminodes.     

Liparis guangxiensis sp. nov. (Malaxideae: Orchidaceae) from China

A new orchid species, Liparis guangxiensis C. L. Feng & X. H. Jin, is described and illustrated from Guangxi, China. It is a widespread epiphyte in the limestone region at elevations of 200–1400 m in tropical evergreen forest. Liparis guangxiensis is similar to L. rhombea sharing a similar habit, a bifid lip and a column without wings, but differs by having a compressed peduncle, lateral sepals forming in ‘V’ below the lip and an oblong lip with a callus at the base.     

Lysionotus fengshanensis Yan Liu & D. X. Nong sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from Guangxi,China

Lysionotus fengshanensis Yan Liu & D. X. Nong, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. Lysionotus fengshanensis is very similar to L. longipedunculatus (W. T. Wang) W. T. Wang, but differs by the peduncle being 2–4 cm long and purple, corolla campanulate, 2.5–3.0 cm long, 1.5–1.7 cm in diameter at the mouth, filaments slightly geniculate near the middle, apex of filaments with gland and staminodes 3.     

Chiritopsis danxiaensis sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from Mount Danxiashan,south China

A new species of Chiritopsis (Gesneriaceae), C. danxiaensis W. B. Liao, S. S. Lin & R. J. Shen, is described and illustrated from Mount Danxiashan, Guangdong Province, China. The new species is morphologically closely related to C. lobulata and C. cordifolia, but is characterized by having denticulate bracts, yellowish corolla, 2 glabrous staminodes and longer style. A revised key to all species of the genus is also provided.     

Raphiocarpus tamdaoensis sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from Vietnam

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Raphiocarpus tamdaoensis V. X. Phuong, D. T. Xuyen & Y. G. Wei, is described and illustrated from Vietnam. It is similar to R. asper (Drake) B. L. Burtt and R. evrardii (Pellegr.) B. L. Burtt, but is easily differentiated by leaf blades being ovate–elliptic or obovate, 4–10 × 1.5–3.5 cm, one cyme with only one flower, peduncle linear, 3.0–5.0 cm long, corolla light yellow, 3.0–4.5 cm long, and a pubescent ovary.     

Pellionia ronganensis sp. nov. (Urticaceae) from Guangxi, China

Pellionia ronganensis sp. nov. (Urticaceae) is described and illustrated. Pellionia ronganensis resembles P. incisoserrata (H. Schroter) W. T. Wang, but is distinguished by leaves with obtuse theef, larger (6–10 mm long), linear stipules and tuberculate achenes.     

Chionographis shiwandashanensis sp. nov. (Melanthiaceae) from southern Guangxi,China

Chionographis shiwandashanensis a new species from southern Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to C. koidzumiana Ohwi and C. chinensis Krause in habit, but distinguished by oblong‐elliptic to oblong bractlike leaves and 6, filiform, regular tepals.     

Aspidistra albiflora sp. nov. (Asparagaceae) from southwestern Guangxi,China

Aspidistra albiflora C. R. Lin, W. B. Xu & Yan Liu (Asparagaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from limestone areas in Guangxi, China. The new species is similar to A. cerina G. Z. Li & S. C. Tang, but differs in having the perianth white by the sides, white pistils, bracts longer than the perianth, anthers only 2 mm long, pistil obconical and stigma slightly enlarged, 4–5 mm in diameter. The new species is currently only known from the type locality in southwestern Guangxi, near the border to northern Vietnam.     

Microchirita ruthiae sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from Peninsular Malaysia

A new species Microchirita ruthiae Rafidah (Gesneriaceae) from limestone in Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia, is described and illustrated. This new species is characterized by having a branched stem, inflorescences with 1–4 flowers, the flowers with a white corolla (rarely faintly tinged with pale purple), glistening pale brown glandular hairs inside the throat, free anthers, and hairy capsules. Its conservation status following IUCN categories and criteria is assessed as ‘Endangered’ (EN).     

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.     

Aspidistra lingyunensis sp. nov. (Asparagaceae) from limestone areas in Guangxi,China

Aspidistra lingyunensis C. R. Lin & L. F. Guo (Asparagaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from limestone areas in northwestern Guangxi, China. It resembles A. obconica C. R. Lin & Yan Liu in leaf size and its obconical and purplish red pistil, but differs by having a yellowish white perianth, with lobes oblong, explanate, 6–7 mm long, subequal to tube and a white stigma surface, ca 3 mm in diameter. The new species is rare, currently known only from northwestern Guangxi.     

Firmiana calcarea sp. nov. (Malvaceae) from limestone areas in Guangxi,China

A new species of Malvaceae, Firmiana calcarea C. F. Liang & S. L. Mo ex Y. S. Huang, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to F. hainanensis Kosterm., but differs from it by the following characteristics: shrubs, leaf cordate or ovate, entire or 3‐lobed, leaf thinly stellate‐puberulent adaxially, lateral veins 2–4 on each side of midrib, flowers pale‐rose, follicle glabrous, and seeds 2–4 in each follicle. It has been found only in Longgang National Nature Reserve, Longzhou County, southwestern Guangxi, China.     

Impatiens pingxiangensis sp. nov. (Balsaminaceae) from the limestone areas in Guangxi,China

Impatiens pingxiangensis H. Y. Bi & S. X. Yu (Balsaminaceae), a new species from the limestone areas in Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to I. obesa in having succulent stems, subsessile peduncle, tufted pedicel and the lower petal in each pair of lateral united petals being connate, but differs from the latter by having perennial stems, leaf blades with 7–9 pairs of lateral veins, 1–2‐flowered racemes, ovate inner lateral sepals, and elliptic capsule. Moreover, the pollen and seed coat characters also support the recognition of the new species.     

Salvia petrophila sp. nov. (Lamiaceae) from north Guangxi and south Guizhou,China

Salvia petrophila G. X. Hu, E. D. Liu & Yan Liu, a new species from the Chinese provinces of north Guangxi and south Guizhou, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to S. miltiorrhiza, but can easily be distinguished by its shorter, unbranched stem, subsucculent simple leaf, longer pedicel and corolla tube, oblong‐entire middle lobe of lower corolla lip and larger oblate pollen. It is included in S. sect. Drymosphace on the basis of its falcate‐compressed upper corolla lip and connivent posterior connectives. Trichome and pollen micromorphology of the new species and similar species are described and compared. Additionally, assessment of the conservation status, current geographical distribution and notes on ecology of the new species are given.