Hoya longipedunculata sp. nov. (Apocynaceae,Asclepiadoideae) from Quang Nam,central Vietnam

A new species, Hoya longipedunculata (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae), discovered in Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to H. fusca, but differs by having a weak and shorter stem, thin leaf blade, umbel‐like inflorescence, longer hairy peduncle and long pedicel, as well as broad, narrowly‐ovate to triangular sepals, and wider, white opalescent (sometime abaxially with purple tint) corolla with strongly reflexed segments.     

Hoya tengchongensis sp. nov. (Apocynaceae,Asclepiadoideae) from Yunnan,China

Hoya tengchongensis, a new species of Apocynaceae, subfamily Asclepiadoideae from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to Hoya serpens in its creeping habit, bearing small and suborbicular leaves, and adaxially tomentose corolla. However, H. tengchongensis differs from H. serpens in corolla size (ca 7 mm versus ca 12 mm in diam) and corona morphology (corona lobes slightly ascending versus erect).     

Hoya somadeeae sp. nov. (Apocynaceae,Asclepiadoideae) Thailand and lectotypification of Hoya wrayi

A new species from evergreen montane forests of Thailand, Hoya somadeeae Rodda & Simonsson is here described and illustrated. The new species may be superficially confused with the Peninsular Malaysia endemic H. wrayi King & Gamble, but is clearly separated from it by the very elongated peduncles, up to 20 cm long, the revolute corollas, and outer processes of corona lobes with a membranaceous basal appendage. Morphological affinities between the new species and other Hoya species from Thailand and neighbouring Myanmar and Peninsular Malaysia are discussed.     

Hoya amicabilis sp. nov. (Apocynaceae,Asclepiadoideae), from Java discovered on Facebook

A new species from Java, Hoya amicabilis S.Rahayu & Rodda is described and illustrated. It was first identified as a new species from pictures posted on social media in 2017. Hoya amicabilis is part of a small group of species that have an unusual shrubby habit, but it is the only one in that group with bright yellow campanulate flowers. Furthermore, Hoya amicabilis is a rather unusual species of Hoya since its staminal corona lobes are oblong, erect, while most species of Hoya have well‐developed generally spreading corona lobes, and its style head is umbonate, brightly coloured and extending above the anther appendages, while most species have a conical style head covered by anther appendages.     

Caralluma bicolor sp. nov. (Apocynaceae,Asclepiadoideae) from India

Caralluma bicolor Ramach, S. Joseph, H. A. John & C. Sofiya sp. nov. (Apocynaceae) collected from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu in India is described and illustrated. Morphological differences between the new species and the allied species C. adscendens (Roxb.) Haw. and C. sarkariae Lavranos & Frandsen are discussed.     

Ceropegia pullaiahii sp. nov. (Apocynaceae,Asclepiadoideae) from India

Ceropegia pullaiahii Kullayiswamy, Sandhyarani et Karuppusamy sp. nov. (Apocynaceae) is described from open dry deciduous forest of Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Its tubers are eaten by the local people. It is similar to C. mahabalei Hemadri et Ansari but differs in its twining habit and 3‐flowered cyme.     

Heterostemma trilobatum sp. nov. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae) from Thailand

A new species, Heterostemma trilobatum A. Kidyoo & Thaithong has been discovered in northern, northeastern and southeastern Thailand. It is here described, illustrated and meticulously compared with a morphologically similar species, H. xuansonense T. B. Tran & J. Hw. Kim. Both species resemble each other, having sessile to subsessile cymes, five glands on the inside of the calyx and dark red to purplish red ovate corona lobes. However, H.trilobatum is markedly differentiated by much smaller size of flowers and the presence of peculiar trilobed corona appendages.     

Dischidia kerrii sp. nov. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae) from northeastern Thailand

Dischidia kerrii is presented as a new species from northeastern Thailand. This newly discovered species is thoroughly described, discussed and illustrated. A comparison is made with the putative closely related species D. acuminata. They can be distinguished by differences in corolla lobes and staminal corona lobes.     

Hoya aphylla (Apocynaceae,Asclepiadoideae), a new leafless species from Laos

The leafless species Hoya aphylla Aver. N.S. Khang & Averyanova (Apocynaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species for science from Hin Nam No National Protected Area of Laos (central Laos, Khammoune province). In its floral morphology, this new species may be similar to H. lyi, H. carnosa and H. multiflora, but it differs in corona color and shape of corona segments. Like the first two mentioned species, the new species may be referred to the type section of the genus, but in terms of it its leafless habit it exhibits an isolated position.     

Curcuma pambrosima sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae) from central Vietnam

Curcuma pambrosima (Zingiberaceae), a new species from central Vietnam, is described and illustrated.     

Alpinia newmanii sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae) from central Vietnam

Alpinia newmanii, a new species from central Vietnam, is described and illustrated. A morphological comparison with the most closely related species and a key to the species of Alpinia subsection Catimbium in Vietnam are provided.     

Hoya peninsularis (Apocynaceae,Asclepiadoideae), a new species from Peninsular Malaysia,and notes on Hoya maingayi and Gongronema wrayi

A new species of Hoya from the western part of Peninsular Malaysia is described and illustrated as H. peninsularis. It has long been confused with Hoya finlaysonii because both have leaves with prominent darker venation, but can be distinguished on the corona lobe size and corolla pubescence. In addition, Hoya maingayi, a species earlier considered ‘doubtful and excluded' is typified and illustrated for the first time, and its distribution is shown to extend to Thailand. Gongronema wrayi is recognised as an earlier name and a new synonym for Hoya omlorii, a species previously considered to occur only in Borneo and Sumatra. The name is typified. An updated checklist of Hoya of Peninsular Malaysia is 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.     

Capparis dongvanensis sp. nov. (Capparaceae) from Vietnam

Capparis dongvanensis (Capparaceae) is described as a new species and illustrated from Ha Giang Province of Vietnam. It is morphologically similar to C. lanceolaris and C. fengii, but differs in the number of flowers on peduncles, length of spine and petiole, apex of the leaf, type of inflorescence, petal color, cylindrical ovary without any beak, fruit shape and number of seeds per fruit. Diagnostic morphological characters along with pollen and seed SEM images of C. dongvanensis and allied species are provided. Its ecology, habitat and conservation status are also described.     

Aspidistra obtusata sp. nov. (Asparagaceae) from Vietnam

Aspidistra obtusata is described and illustrated as a new species from southern Vietnam. The new species resembles A. truongii, but differs in smaller diameter of perigone (12.6–14.9 mm vs 25–35 mm), shape of tepals (elliptic, obtuse vs triangular‐ovate) and pistil (widely obconic vs mushroom‐shaped). A molecular characterization of the new species (based on data of plastid psbA‐trnH and nuclear 5S‐NTS regions) is also given, and compared with the most similar congeners.