Cybianthus anthuriophyllus (Primulaceae) was previously known from eastern Ecuador and northern Peru. Here we document the first confirmed occurrences of this species in Colombia and develop a distribution model based on collections from the Andean–Amazonian foothill of Caquetá, Cauca, and Putumayo departments, in order to clarify its conservation. Specifically, to refine its potential distribution and inform conservation efforts, we developed a species distribution model (SDM) using MaxEnt and assessed its extinction risk following IUCN Red List Criteria. The model identified high suitability in the northwestern Amazon, particularly along the Andean foothill, and response curves indicated that annual precipitation and isothermality were the primary predictors of habitat suitability. The species qualifies as Endangered (EN B2ab(iii)) due to its limited area of occupancy, few known locations, and ongoing habitat loss. These findings extend the distribution known range of Cybianthus anthuriophyllus, close the floristic gap in the subgenus Comomyrsine, highlight the conservation importance of the Andean–Amazon foothill corridor, and provide evidence for the continued need to prioritize biological inventories in this area.

There are disputed opinions about the three taxa of series Reniformia, namely A. nelumboides X. C. Zhang (A. reniforme L. var. sinense Y.X. Lin), A. reniforme L. var. reniforme, and A. reniforme L. var. asarifolium (Willd.) R. Sim, owing to their similar morphology but intercontinental disjunctive distribution and close lineage with the series Venusta (only distributed in China). In order to clarify their relationship, we studied their morphological characteristics and conducted phylogenetic analyses of Adiantum L. including the series Reniformia and series Venusta. The results showed that A. reniforme var. asarifolium diverged before A. reniforme var. reniforme and A. nelumboides, and A. flabellum had a close relationship with A. nelumboides. Distinctive morphological features were determined to help identification. All these suggested that A. nelumboides, A. reniforme var. reniforme, and A. reniforme var. asarifolium were three independent species rather than varieties. Therefore, we propose that A. reniforme var. asarifolium is a synonym of A. asarifolium and support that A. reniforme var. sinense is a synonym of A. nelumboides. Furthermore, the voucher plate (type specimen) of Adiantum reniforme var. asarifolium did not match its description in the original publication, and the specimen (No. 2444215 in MO) in Kenya may be A. nelumboides, and there are some other disputed taxa around the Madagascar Islands. Results from haplotype analyses and genetic diversity indicated that gene flow among these taxa was hindered by long periods of geographical isolation and their genetic differentiation increased. China was deduced to be the most possible original evolution center of series Reniformia; areas along the southeast coast of Africa (Madagascar, Mauritius, Kenya, and Reunion) were the genetic diversity centers of the modern series Reniformia. The Canary Islands/Madeira was inferred to be the glacial refugia of A. reniforme var. reniforme in the western Mediterranean during the late Quaternary.

Extensive floristic explorations throughout southern India have uncovered some noteworthy taxonomic additions within the subgenus Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae). Three distinct taxa of Euphorbia are described and illustrated herein as E. sankarensis, E. bahalita, E. tortilis var. mysorensis. All three taxa are allied to Euphorbia tortilis but differ in stem, cyathia, involucral glands, fruit, and seed characters. These taxa were delineated by morphological characters, field observations, and comparative analysis with allied species. The Neotype for Euphorbia tortilis is designated in this article.

Impatiens labordei Hook. f. is a spec'ies of Impatiens L. that was collected in Guiyang, Guizhou in 1899 by two collectors, E. M. Bodinier and J. Laborde, and later described in 1908 by J. D. Hooker, a renowned British plant taxonomist. However, for over a hundred years thereafter, no relevant collection records or image materials were found. In this paper, based on the examination of the protologue and the type specimens, the morphological description of this species is supplemented through retracing the historical collection routes of the early missionaries, which led to the rediscovery of Impatiens labordei in Longli County, adjacent to Gaopo Township in present-day Guiyang City. Colour photographs and distribution information are provided, and morphological differences from the closely related species I. bodinieri Hook.f. are compared.

Based on morphological evidence three new deciduous species of Berberis L. are proposed - Berberis pseudovirescens, Berberis orbicularis and Berberis tawangensis, the types being collected in the Tawang and West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Detailed description and diagnosis, along with colour photoplate, distribution information and conservation status are provided. All these new species are provisionally evaluated as Data Deficient (DD) following IUCN guidelines.

A new hysteranthous species of Ceropegia, C. andrahica P. Chiranjeevi, V. Nagaraju & K. Prasad sp. nov. (Apocynaceae), is described from the Paderu forest division, Alluri Sitharamaraju District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It morphologically resembles Ceropegia vemanae and C. ciliatior in features such as the shape and size of tuber, pendulous flowers, reflexed corolla lobes and exposed gynostegium with corona, but differs in several characters which are discussed below. A detailed descrip¬tion, photographs and the conservation status of the new species are provided.

Names in the genus Pinguicula established for taxa from the Baltic and Nordic countries, including their oversea territories and Iceland, were analyzed to provide nomenclatural and taxonomic clarity. Of the 33 names retrieved from the literature and online databases, one is illegitimate, two are invalid and 16 were found to require typification. Nine lectotypes and three neotypes were designated, while four names remain untypified due to the absence of suitable material.

The identification of Daphne species is difficult because of the lack of available morphological characteristics. Here, we aime to describe leaf and wood micromorpho-anatomical characteristics of native Turkish Daphne species (D. glomerata, D. gnidioides, D. mezereum, D. mucronata, D. oleoides subsp. kurdica, D. pontica and D. sericea) from three phytogeographical regions (Europeo-Siberian, Ir.-Turanian and Mediterranean) to contribute to the systematic position of species. Totally, 41 leaf and wood characters were investigated. Most of the features were characterised in detail for the first time in these taxa, and statistical analyses were used to evaluate the diagnostic characters. SEM analysis was carried out to determine the surface structures of leaves and tracheal elements of wood. We encountered the following distinct anatomical differences: (1) the differences in wax depositions in leaves, (2) the pubescens details, (3) the cell wall patterns, (4) the mesophyll types, (5) the structures of midrib, (6) differing stomatal number and stomatal length in hypostomatic leaves with anomocytic stomata and (7) vessels arranged in growth rings, with different ray frequency and cellular ray composition, and the presence of tori in intervessel pits in wood. An identification key based on these micromorpho-anatomical characters is presented, some ecological interpretations are made, and the study’s results are compared to existing data in the literature. Our results demonstrate that the compared micromorpho-anatomical data across taxa are partly congruent with the classification in the Flora of Turkey, but new arrangements may be recommended for the systematic positions of taxa based on their phytogeographical origins.

Primulina marmorata, a new species of Gesneriaceae from the limestone areas of Siding Town, Rong’an County, liuzhou City, Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated here. It morphologically resembles P. yungfuensis in leaf blades. Still, it can be easily distinguished from the latter by noting a combination of characteristics, especially in its obviously larger bracts. We found only one population, about 10000 mature individuals, at the type locality. According to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (Version 3.1), the new species is tentatively designated as Near Threatened (NT).

In 2019, A.J. Paton et al. proposed a new taxonomic combination, transferring Anisochilus carnosus (L.f.) Wall. ex Benth. to Coleus strobilifer (Benth.) A.J. Paton, thereby including Anisochilus eriocephalus Benth. within this broader circumscription. However, a recent comprehensive study conducted in Tamil Nadu, India, re-evaluated species within Anisochilus using an integrative approach. This study deployed various evidences, including leaf epidermal morphology, seed structure, pollen characteristics observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and molecular data derived from sequencing the trnL-trnF, rbcL, and matK regions. The results revealed clear morphological and genetic distinctions between A. eriocephalus and A. carnosus. Specifically, A. eriocephalus is characterized by a terete, glabrescent stem (in contrast to the tetragonal, pubescent stem of A. carnosus), yellow gland-dotted leaves, calyx, and corolla (versus red gland-dotted in A. carnosus), and the presence of gland-tipped trichomes on the lower lip of the corolla (as opposed to simple trichomes). Additionally, the calyx tube in A. eriocephalus is villous, whereas it is pubescent in A. carnosus. Pollen morphology further differentiates the two species: A. eriocephalus exhibits finely reticulate grains with shallow colpi, while A. carnosus displays coarsely reticulate grains with deep colpi. Molecular phylogenetic analysis validated these findings, confirming significant genetic divergence between the two taxa. In light of these evidences, the study proposes a revised taxonomic treatment, reinstating A. eriocephalus under the genus Coleus as Coleus eriocephalus (Benth.) Soosairaj.

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown The hair types of stipe, rachis, costae, fronds and indusia of 15 species of Hypodematium from China have been carefully observed and photographed under anatomical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) for the first time. The results show that the species can be divided into tree groups based on their rod-shaped glandular hairs and non-glandular hairs under SEM: 1) H. sinense K. Iwatsuki and H. fordii (Bak.) Ching with rod-shaped glandular hairs; 2) H. crenatum (Forssk.) Kuhn, H. hirsutum (Don) Ching, H. guilinense J. X. Li & X. J. Li and H. zhangii J. X. Li & X. J. Li with non-glandular hairs; 3) H. confertivillosum J. X. Li, F. Q. Zhou & X. J. Li, H. squamuloso-pilosum Ching, H. mengshanensis J. X. Li & X. J. Li, H. shandongense J. X. Li & X. J. Li, H. gracile Ching, H. glanduloso-pilosum (Tagawa) Ohwi, H. jianxiuii X. J. Li, H. chingii J. X. Li & X. J. Li and H. taishanensis J. X. Li. & X. J. Li with rod-shaped glandular hairs and non-glandular hairs. These characteristics were stable within species but show significant differences between species, which is combined with palynology, these results not only provide new data of submicroscopic structure characteristics for the species identification and systematic classification for the first time, but also provide a basis for studying the biodiversity of Hypodematium, which is of great significance for the exploitation and conservation of its resources.

Strobilanthes sharavathiensis, a newly discovered species from the high-altitude shola grasslands of the Sharavathi river basin in the central Western Ghats, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, this species is closely allied to Strobilanthes jomyi, particularly in its pendulous spike inflorescence, exerted stamens, and glandular hairs near the capsule apex. However, it is distinct in having smaller leaves, crenate-margined bracts, distinctive longer hairs on each bract notch, shorter inflorescence, a non-villous peduncle during the fruiting stage, black dots on the calyx and the unique colouration of bracts. This is also similar to Strobilanthes ixiocephala in its echinulate, spheroidal pollen and differs in its pendulous inflorescence, exerted stamens, and non-viscid bracts. The pollen morphology is also considered as a critical diagnostic feature for describing this as a new species. Comprehensive notes on its taxonomy, ecology, conservation status and distinguishing characters with other interspecific species in the location are also provided.

Pollen limitation, a decrease in reproductive success via the female function due to deficient pollen receipt, may influence plant demography and the evolution of sexual systems. Nonetheless, empirical estimation of pollen limitation by pollen supplementation is prone to overestimation due to potential resource reallocation among resource pools within an individual, e.g., among flowers and inflorescences. Yet little empirical research has simultaneously evaluated the effect of resource reallocation across different modular levels within a single species, especially in alpine plants. We estimated pollen limitation at three modular levels (i.e., flower, raceme, and whole-plant) in the perennial alpine herb Veratrum grandiflorum in the eastern Himalayan Hengduan Mountains, using fruit set and seed production as two proxies for female reproductive success. Based on seed production, we found that pollen limitation differed significantly among modular levels, with the highest and lowest values being at the flower and whole-plant levels, respectively; this result points to resource reallocation among modules within individuals. In contrast, fruit set was relatively insensitive to pollen supplementation, so estimates of pollen limitation were low and did not differ among modular levels. These results highlight the importance of multi-modular and multi-metric approaches for accurately assessing pollen limitation, which may often be overestimated at lower modular levels.

The insect-pathogenic fungal genus Strongwellsea (Entomophthorales) contains specialist species infecting only adult flies from cyclorrhaphan adult flies. Flies with infection develop one, two or even three abdominal holes, through which conidia are discharged while the fly is still alive. We describe three new species from Strongwellsea infecting adult flies from the family Anthomyiidae. Strongwellsea caulis infects cabbage root fly, Delia radicum (Linnaeus), Strongwellsea lata infects Anthomyia liturata, and Strongwellsea potentia infects Hylemya vagans. The descriptions of the three new species are based on a) pathobiology as revealed by natural host species, b) the morphologies of primary conidia and resting spores, and c) DNA as revealed by ITS2 sequence analysis. Of particular importance is that the two pest species cabbage fly D. radicum and bean seed fly Delia platura (Meigen), are infected by different species from Strongwellsea, namely S. caulis and Strongwellsea castrans respectively. Our findings suggest the existence of a high and still little known diversity of highly specialized Strongwellsea species infecting adult flies from Anthomyiidae.

The Eurasian steppe area has been a dynamic vegetation type during the Pleistocene with its repeated cycles of forest advances and retreats. Such a scenario allows the evolution of ecotypes at the ecotone with the potential for parallel evolution in different parts of the distribution area. We test this hypothesis using the forest steppe/steppe herb Veronica spicata, based on results from genotyping-by-sequencing and pollen morphology. We provide evidence that the forest-living paczoskiana-morphotype evolved independently in Ukraine (the type locality in central Ukraine) and the Altay region, but potentially also elsewhere. Pollen morphology of 26 herbarium specimens was studied using both light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Pollen grains are 3(4)-colpate and 3-colporate, suboblate to prolate (P/E = 0.82–1.75) in shape; small- and medium-sized. Pollen grains of forest ecotypes were usually smaller in size (mean20.74 × 18.72 µm) than pollen of grassland V. spicata (mean 23.79 × 20.98 µm). Lack of an indumentum, reddish stem color and smaller pollen seem to be parallel adaptations to the shadier and more acidic soil in these forests. The dynamic history of the forest-steppe zone in Eurasia during the Pleistocene provides a compelling scenario supporting the convergent evolution of this morphotype.

Euphorbia costatalata is allied to Euphorbia tortilis but differs in having prominent ribbing and up to 5 wings, segments longer, thinner, not spiral, cymes fewer per axil, trapezoidal glands that are humped convexly upwards, flattened ovaries with non-connate styles, capsules concave on top, and seeds dark brown with light speckles and streaks. This species appears to replace E. tortilis north of the Nilgiri and Bilirangan hill ranges.

Blumea calcicola, a new species restricted to limestone areas in southwestern China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to B. aromatica, B. balsamifera, B. sagittata, but distinguished by the combination of pilose and glandular leaves, usually auriculate leaf bases with appendages, slender capitula, campanulate-cylindrical involucres, small receptacles, 9–11-ribbed achenes, and white to reddish pappus. Photographs, distribution information, conservation assessment, and comparisons with similar species are also provided.

The species Euonymus duanensis (Celastraceae), a small shrub, is newly described and illustrated from karst areas of Guangxi Autonomous Region, China. This species is similar to Euonymus dielsianus but is readily distinguished by its smaller leaves, obovate or elliptic-obovate, 2-2.5 × 5-6 cm (vs. 4.5-6 × 9-15 cm), blade margin crenulate, serrulate to serrate (vs. margin proximal 1/5-2/5 entire, distal 3/5-4/5 crenulate, serrulate to serrate, sometimes ciliate), reddish flowers and petals (vs. flowers and petals green, light yellow, or greenish yellow), short petiole, milk white seeds (vs. dark brown), and aril bright red partial covering seed (vs. aril bright red covering seed wholly). Phylogenetic study also revealed apparent phylogenetic position of the new species among Euonymus species, and the relationships between related species have also been discussed.