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.     

Impatiens maculifera sp. nov. (Balsaminaceae) Yunnan,China

Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) is a notoriously difficult genus to study for reasons that include small, remote and endemic areas of occurrence, and difficulty in obtaining well‐dried herbarium specimens and separating and reconstructing floral parts from available dried specimens. Impatiens has also been notoriously difficult when it comes to phylogenetic resolution at the infrageneric level, but a new system with two subgenera (Impatiens and Clavicarpa) was recently proposed by Yu et al. and it has made it easier to classify newly discovered species. Impatiens maculifera, a new species of Balsaminaceae from Malipo County, Yunnan, China described here, is similar to I. parvisepala S.X. Yu & Y.T. Hou in having racemose inflorescences, four lateral sepals, clavate capsules and ellipsoid seeds, but differs in having leaves narrowly oval or with elliptic–lanceolate blades (versus obovate or obovate–lanceolate), obvious petioles (versus leaves subsessile), racemose inflorescence with 8–12 flowers (versus 6–8 flowers), flowers greenish yellow (versus yellow), lateral united petals and lower sepal with dense red spots (versus red spots absent), and dorsal petal with apparent stalk at base (versus unapparent stalk). Morphological characters and molecular phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences from both nuclear ribosomal and plastid genes show that the new species differs distinctively from I. parvisepala. Furthermore, I. maculifera is distinguished from other Impatiens species based on morphological, micromorphological and palynological evidence, and molecular data.     

Burmannia bengkuluensis sp. nov. (Burmanniaceae) from Sumatra

A new species of Burmannia (Burmanniaceae), Burmannia bengkuluensis Tsukaya et Daernadi, discovered in a swamp adjacent to Bengkulu Airport, Sumatra, Indonesia, is described. It has poorly developed photosynthetic leaves and resembles B. ledermannii Jonker, described from a specimen collected in Palau, in having poorly developed leaves, narrowly 3‐winged erect flowers, and in particular, funnel‐shaped anthers, but differs in having dark purple flowers, longer outer perianth lobes, well‐developed, fan‐shaped inner perianth lobes, and a thick and short style. Sequence data on genomic DNA regions covering ITS1 and ITS2 are also provided.     

Oberonia swaminathanii sp. nov. (Orchidaceae) from Kerala,India

Oberonia swaminathanii, a new species of Orchidaceae from Wayanad district, Kerala, India is described and illustrated. The new species resembles Oberonia balakrishnanii, O. chandrasekharanii and O. seidenfadeniana by its 3‐lobed labellum and 2‐lobuled midlobe; but differs in having brick‐red coloured flowers, triangular labellum disc, and a subglobose column.     

Zygia nubigena sp. nov. (Leguminosae–Mimosoideae) from a submontane cloud forest in western Ecuador

A new species, Zygia nubigena Ståhl, L. Rico & G. P. Lewis (Leguminosae–Mimosoideae), is described from western Ecuador. It is characterized by large and very thick‐walled fruits with coarsely alveolate‐reticulate surfaces, spicate inflorescences, one (less common) or two pairs of pinnae per leaf and 4 or 5 pairs of petiolulate leaflets per pinna. In leaf features, Z. nubigena is similar to Z. steyermarkii (Schery) Barneby & J. W. Grimes from montane forest in southern Ecuador, but differs by having somewhat smaller flowers borne in long, many‐flowered racemes (not 25–30‐flowered capitulae). The fruits of Z. nubigena resemble those of Z. rhytidocarpa L. Rico (Honduras, Guatemala) and Z. megistocarpa (Barbosa) L. Rico (northern Peru), but Z. nubigena differs from both in vegetative and floral characters.     

Bupleurum shanianum sp. nov. (Apiaceae) from China

Bupleurum shanianum X. G. Ma & X. J. He, previously recognized in China as B. gracillimum, is proposed here as a new species. This new species and B. gracillimum differ in many morphological characters (flowering stem position, bract size, number of flowers per umbellule) and have non‐overlapping distribution ranges. Bupleurum shanianum is most similar to B. yunnanense Franch., but the new species has shorter cauline leaves, and umbellules usually with 4 bracteoles and 3–6(–9) flowers. Bupleurum shanianum is known from eastern Himalayas to western Sichuan.     

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.     

Chamaesium jiulongense sp. nov. (Apiaceae) from Sichuan,China

Chamaesium jiulongense X. L. Guo & X. J. He, a new species of Apiaceae from Mt Haite in Jiulong County, Sichuan Province, China, is described. The new species differs from other Chamaesium species by its ultimate segments of the leaves which are 1–3‐lobed, rarely entire, with a narrow, minutely incised, pale brown margin, as well as by the presence of leaf‐like bracts, bracteoles longer than flowers, pubescent styles and oblong fruit with obsolete calyx. Morphological and micromorphological characters of the new species are provided and illustrated.     

Salvia evadens sp. nov. (Lamiaceae) from Sierra del Halo,Jalisco, Mexico

Salvia evadens (Lamiaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species discovered in Sierra del Halo, Jalisco, Mexico. It is similar in vegetative morphology to S. aequidistans. However, it differs from the latter by having less flowers per verticillaster, lanceolate floral bracts, 5‐ or 7‐veined upper calyx lip, ornate connective with an acute tooth at the middle, and larger flowers and mericarps. A table with similarities and differences between both species is provided.     

Millettia weizhii (Fabaceae: Millettieae), a new species with four‐winged pods from a limestone area in Yunnan,China

Millettia weizhii sp. nov. (Fabaceae), a tree species bearing pods with 4 wings is described and illustrated from a limestone area in Yunnan, China. Fruiting specimens of the new species were previously identified as Millettia tetraptera Kurz, a species recorded from Myanmar and India (West Bengal), but examination of specimens and data from our field survey show that the new species is easily distinguished by having longer and stipitate pods, much shorter pseudoracemes with 2 flowers at each node, white and longer corolla, triangular calyx lobes and more and narrower leaflets. The new species should be placed in the Merrillii/Xylocarpa‐group of Millettia sect. Fragiliflorae Dunn based on morphological characters.     

A CLADISTIC ANALYSIS OF PARKIA (LEGUMINOSAE: MIMOSOIDEAE)

A cladistic analysis of the tropical mimosoid genus Parkia was undertaken to examine relationships among the 31 species and to test the monophyly of the three recognized sections. The implications of the cladogram to the evolution of bat-pollination and biogeography were also explored. The analysis, based on 52 morphological characters, resulted in 408 most parsimonious trees. A consensus tree supports the monophyly of sections Parkia and Platyparkia, but section Sphaeroparkia is paraphyletic. The latter section is distinguished by a capitulum of all fertile flowers, a plesiomorphic attribute in this analysis. Characters supporting the monophyly of section Platyparkia include an inflorescence with distal nectar flowers having exserted styles, and fruits with seeds in two rows. Section Parkia is characterized by having sterile basal flowers with nectar flowers just above them, and calyx lobes included in bud. Bat-pollination was mapped onto one of the most parsimonious cladograms to examine the evolution of pollination syndromes within the genus. Our phylogeny is consistent with a single origin of bat-pollination and indicates that entomophilous species of Parkia are basal rather than secondarily derived. Sections Platyparkia and Parkia are separate lineages within the bat-pollinated clade and have independently developed capitulum types adapted to chiropterophily. Characters that are associated with chiropterophily include specialized nectar-producing flowers and basifixed anthers. Several characters, including presence of a staminodial fringe, a nectar ring, and pollen with verrucate sculpturing on the exine, probably represent increasing specialization for bat-pollination. The cladogram supports a South American origin for Parkia but is not consistent with a Gondwanan vicariance event as is usually hypothesized to explain its amphi-Atlantic distribution.     

Dendrobium tamenglongense sp. nov. (Orchidaceae) from Manipur,India

Dendrobium tamenglongense R. Kishor, Y. N. Devi, H. B. Sharma, J. Tongbram & S. P. Vij sp. nov. from Manipur, India is described and illustrated as a new species. The new species differs from D. jaintianum in having larger and glabrous leaves with acute apices, green sepal apices, a 1–3‐flowered inflorescence, smaller and non‐fragrant flowers and a 3‐lobed labellum with fimbriate midlobe.     

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.     

Michelia sonlaensis Q.N. Vu,sp. nov. (Magnoliaceae) from northern Vietnam

Michelia sonlaensis Q.N. Vu, a new species of Michelia from Son La province, northern Vietnam is described. The new species is assigned to the genus Michelia (separated from Magnolia), subfamily Magnolioideae based on general morphology. It is closely similar to M. xianianhei and M. mannii, but differs mainly in having a leaf‐lamina that is elliptic, thinly leathery, larger, with lower surface yellowish white villous (easily visible by eyes and feeling by hand), brachyblasts and outside bracts yellowish‐white sericeous, flowers light green to cream white in colour, and nine tepals with the outside of all tepals silky hairy at base.     

Bulbophyllum huangshanense sp. nov. (Orchidaceae) from Anhui,China

Bulbophyllum huangshanense, a new species of orchid from Anhui, China, is described and illustrated. This new species is close to B. taeniophyllum with pseudo‐bulbs closely spaced along the rhizome, leathery leaf, entire dorsal sepal, toothed petals, the lateral edges of lateral sepals connate and fleshy lip, but differs from the latter in having roots arising from the node with the pseudo‐bulb, inflorescence much shorter than leaf, flowers pure yellow, lip mobile, and stelidia broadly triangular.     

Primulina rubella sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from a limestone area in Guangdong,China

A new species of Primulina (Gesneriaceae) from a limestone area in southern China, P. rubella L.H. Yang & M. Kang, is described and illustrated. The new species has purple‐red flowers and is thus similar to P. lijiangensis, but differs by its petiole, leaf blade, cyme, filament, stigma and ovary. In adition, a molecular phylogenetic reconstruction indicated that P. rubella and P. lijiangensis belong to quite different clades. Instead, P. rubella appears to be closely related to the sympatric P. qingyuanensis, although these two species are obviously differentiated both in terms of flower color and other vegetative and floral characters. The conservation status of P. rubella is assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ (CR) according to the IUCN red list categories and criteria.     

Petrocosmea chrysotricha sp. nov. (Petrocosmea,Gesneriaceae), a species previously mistaken for P. begoniifolia on marlstone cliffs in Yunnan,China

Petrocosmea chrysotricha M.Q.Han, H. Jiang & Yan Liu, a new species from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. Petrocosmea chrysotricha was found growing with P. melanophthalma on damp marlstone cliffs in evergreen broad‐leaved forest on Mopan Shan. The new species has been grown for decades by Gesneriad enthusiasts under the name P. begoniifolia for decades and it is indeed similar to P. begoniifolia in its oblique campanulate corolla tube, but differs by having filaments covered with golden lanate indumentum in the middle part and by having primrose yellow flowers at the beginning if anthesis, then turning white.     

Visual signalling of nectar‐offering flowers and specific morphological traits favour robust bee pollinators in the mass‐flowering tree Handroanthus impetiginosus (Bignoniaceae)

Mass flowering is a widespread blooming strategy among Neotropical trees that has been frequently suggested to increase geitonogamous pollination. We investigated the pollination ecology of the mass‐flowering tree Handroanthus impetiginosus, addressing its breeding system, the role in pollination of different visitors, the impact of nectar robbers on fruit set and the function of colour changes in nectar guides. This xenogamous species is mainly pollinated by Centris and Euglossa bees (Apidae) seeking nectar, which are known to fly long distances. The flowers favour these bees by having: (1) a closed entrance in newly opened flowers which provides access only to strong bees capable of deforming the flower tube; and (2) a nectar chamber that is accessible only to long‐tongued bees. Only first‐day flowers with yellow nectar guides produce nectar. Pollinators prefer these flowers over second‐ and third‐day flowers with orange and red nectar guides, respectively. Nectar robbers damage two‐thirds of the flowers and this robbing activity decreases fruit set by half. We attribute the low fruit set of H. impetiginosus to the intense nectar robbing and hypothesize that visual signalling of nectar presence in newly opened (receptive) flowers reduces geitonogamy by minimizing bee visits to unrewarding (non‐receptive) flowers. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 176 , 396–407.     

Unravelling the stylar polymorphism in Melochia (Malvaceae): reciprocity and ancillary characters

Heterostyly is a genetic polymorphism in which plant populations possess two (distyly) or three (tristyly) morphs with flowers differing reciprocally in stigma and anther height. Sex organ deployment has been described as being highly variable among and within species of several distylous taxa belonging to different taxonomic groups. However, the number of studies considering within‐species disparities is still limited. For a better overview of the existing amount of variation that can occur within and between heterostylous species, we sampled 46 populations of six Melochia spp., a style‐polymorphic genus in Cuba. We characterized the floral morphology in all populations and described a set of ancillary characters per species. All of these Melochia spp. are distylous, except for the monomorphic M. nodiflora. The S‐morph produces fewer, larger pollen than L‐morphs, and has verrucose ornamentation. The L‐morph produces reticulate pollen and has larger stigmatic papillae than the S‐morph. The monomorphic M. nodiflora shows ancillary characteristics that are similar to the L‐morph individuals in the related species. As expected, there are differences in ancillary characters among species and also dissimilarities in reciprocity among and within species of Melochia. Our results highlight the importance of considering intraspecific variation in the morphometric characterization of heterostylous taxa. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 176 , 147–158.