Picrorhiza tungnathii sp. nov. from western Himalaya,India

The new species Picrorhiza tungnathii Pusalkar is described and illustrated from the western Himalaya, India. It is distinguished from the allied P. kurrooa Royle ex Benth. by being 10–25 cm tall, having a moderately dense, (10–)15–25‐flowered spike, a zygomorphic, 2‐lipped, glandular‐ciliate corolla that is equaling or slightly exceeding the calyx and partly visible or sub‐exserted between the calyx lobes, a conspicuously long (longer than the corolla lobes), curved corolla tube (1/2–4/5 the length of the calyx), unequal corolla lobes that are ovate‐lanceolate to lanceolate, acute to sub‐acuminate and moderately ciliate, a mid‐lobe of the upper lip that is obliquely erect, galeate with retuse or emarginate apex, lateral corolla lobes that are slightly smaller than the mid‐lobe of the upper lip, a lower corolla lip that is slightly shorter than the lateral lobes, obliquely erect or spreading, didynamous, long‐exserted (2–3 times the corolla) stamens, pollen of the Paederota‐type and a style that is 2–3 times as long as the corolla.     

Nervilia pangteyana sp. nov., a terrestrial orchid from western Himalaya,India

Nervilia pangteyana J. S. Jalal, Kumar & G. S. Rawat (Orchidaceae), a new species from western Himalaya (Uttarakhand), India is described, illustrated and compared with its closest relative. In addition, a key is given to distinguish between species of Nervilia in the western Himalayas.     

Rotala belgaumensis sp. nov. (Lythraceae) from western Ghats,India

During a floristic survey in the Belgaum district, Karnataka state, some specimens of Rotala L. were collected from a lateritic plateau in western Ghats, India. The specimens did not match with any previously described species of Rotala, but closely resembled R. macrandra Koehne and R. rosea (Poir.) C. D. K. Cook ex H. Hara in their exserted stamens and styles. The new species is described and illustrated here as Rotala belgaumensis S. R. Yadav, Malpure & Chandore.     

Zingiberanamalayanum sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae) from India

Zingiber anamalayanum (Zingiberaceae), a new species from the southern western Ghats, India is described and illustrated. A phenetic analyses to assess the similarity indices and the uniqueness of the new species have been performed. A diagnostic key to Zingiber spp. in south India is provided.     

Cremanthodium latilobum sp. nov. and C. medogense sp. nov. (Asteraceae) from Chinese eastern Himalaya

Cremanthodium latilobum Y. S. Chen and C. medogense Y. S. Chen, two new species from Chinese eastern Himalaya are described and illustrated. A diagnostic key to the species of Cremanthodium section Pinnatinervia Y. Ling & S. W. Liu series Cuneata Y. Ling & S. W. Liu is provided.     

Rotala tulunadensis sp. nov. (Lythraceae) from Kerala,India

A new aquatic species of the family Lythraceae (Rotala tulunadensis) collected from the lateritic plateau at Permude, Kerala, India is described and illustrated. It is closely allied to R. pterocalyx A. Raynal, but differs in having larger leaves, calyx tube not stretching laterally to include the capsule, calyx without interjected folds in fruit and larger petals.     

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.     

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.     

Cheirostylis seidenfadeniana sp. nov. (Orchidaceae) from India

Cheirostylis seidenfadeniana is described from Kerala in India. The new species appears to be related to C. parvifolia and shares some characteristics with C. thailandica and C. montana , but differs in floral characters.     

Selaginella lakkidiana sp. nov. (Selaginellaceae) from India

Selaginella lakkidiana Nisha, Nampy & Joby sp. nov. from Lakkidi, the Western Ghats of India is described and illustrated. The new species is closely allied to S. chrysorrhizos Spring, but differs by a serrate and smaller sporophyll, smooth megaspores, and reddish brown and pitted microspores.     

Berberis rawatii sp. nov. (Berberidaceae) from India

In India, 55 species of Berberis have been reported and 22 species are found in Uttarakhand state. Berberis rawatii (Berberidaceae), a new species from Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand state of India (western Himalaya) is here described and illustrated. In terms of leaf and inflorescence, Berberis rawatii shows affinities with B. cretica L. Both these species have entire leaves, fascicled inflorescences, conspicuous style and black berries, but B. rawatii differs in the presence of a petiole, the dorsal surface of leaf pruinose, presence of elongated‐ovate glands, presence of prophylls, three ovules and pruinose fruits.     

Helictotrichon uniyalii sp. nov. from Uttarakhand (India)

Helictotrichon uniyalii sp. nov. collected near Dhakuri village of Uttarakhand is described as a new species and illustrated along with its distinguishing characters from its allied species.     

Teucrium ramaswamii sp. nov. (Lamiaceae) from India

A new species of Lamiaceae, Teucrium ramaswamii M. B. Viswan. & U. Manik. is described from the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) in the Agastyamalai hills of the southwestern Ghats in peninsular India. It is allied to T. tomentosum Heyne ex Benth. but differs by stem, leaves and inflorescence being glandular strigose; leaves being deltoid–ovate, crenate–dentate or doubly crenate–dentate at margin, subcoriaceous, sparsely strigose above, densely strigose beneath; bracts being oblong–deltoid, ca 9.4×2.6 mm; calyx with uppermost teeth being lanceolate, ca 2.8×1.9 mm, lateral teeth being broadly triangular, lower teeth being oblong–lanceolate; corolla being glandular strigose outside below lateral lobes and ovary being glandular strigose. Using the IUCN criteria, conservation status of the species is assigned as Critically Endangered based on the field data (2000–2002). Life history studies, population ecology, genome resource banking and wild population management are recommended for conserving this species.     

Pleurospermum tripartitum sp. nov. (Umbelliferae) from western Yunnan,China

Pleurospermum tripartitum Pu, R. Li & H. Li, a new species of Umbelliferae from western Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. It is closely similar to P. macrochlaenum K. T. Fu & Y. C. Ho, but differs by having unbranched stem, conspicuous calyx teeth, and white petals.     

Ligusticum gongshanense sp. nov. (Umbelliferae) from western Yunnan,China

Ligusticum gongshanense Pu, R. Li & H. Li, a new species of Umbelliferae from western Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. It is closely similar to L. franchetii H. de Boissieu, but differs by having unbranched and light yellow stem, white petals, and styles shorter than stylopodium.     

Tropaeolum sparrei sp. nov. (Tropaeolaceae) from western Ecuador

A new species, Tropaeolum sparrei Ståhl (Tropaeolaceae), is described from submontane cloud forest habitat in western Ecuador. It differs from T. papillosum Hughes (the species it resembles most) by having thinner, tomentose stems, smaller, glabrous or subglabrous leaves with the petiole inserted relatively closer to the lower leaf margin, and flowers with uniformly coloured and straight calyx spurs. In leaf shape it is also similar to T. repandum Heilborn, from which it differs in its larger flowers with entirely black petals and blue anthers.     

Schiedeella jean-mulleri sp. nov. and S. esquintlensis sp. nov. (Orchidaceae, Stenorrhynchidinae) from Guatemala

Two new species of the genus Schiedeella Schltr. (Orchidaceae), S. jean-mulleri Szlach., Rutk. & Mytnik and S. esquintlensis Szlach., Rutk. & Mytnik, are described and illustrated. Their taxonomic position is briefly discussed.     

Musa puspanjaliae sp. nov. (Musaceae) from Arunachal Pradesh,India

Musa puspanjaliae R. Gogoi & Häkkinen, a new species of Musa sect. Musa, is described and illustrated from west Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, India based on morphological characteristics observed in the field. The new species is common in Sessa, Zero Point to Ramda on Sepa road of west Kameng and Hazi Basti, Ziro of lower Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh. A key to M. puspanjaliae and related taxa is provided.