Iris longnanensis Z.F. Bai, Y.E. Xiao, F.Y. Yu (Iridaceae: subgenus Iris section Pseudoregelia), a novel herbaceous species native to the arid and thermal valleys of Longnan city, Gansu province, China, is herein described and illustrated. Morphologically akin to I. leptophylla Lingelsheim, I. longnanensis is distinguished by its dense, persistent foliage and strikingly short new leaves (6.6–15.1 cm) during the blooming season, along with its distinctive purplish-brown flowering stem. Phylogenetic analyses based on chloroplast DNA sequences corroborate the classification of I. longnanensis within section Pseudoregelia, highlighting the significance of this new species discovery for understanding the evolution and diversity within the genus.

Liparis maguanensis, a new orchid species from Yunnan province of China, is described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular analysis. Morphologically, this new species is similar to L. viridiflora, but it can be distinguished from the latter by having one leaf, a loosely flowered, 11-30 cm inflorescence, and a 1-5 cm × 0.5-1.2 cm obovate-elliptic pseudobulb. Phylogenetic analysis based on nrITS and plastid matK DNA sequences data further supported that Liparis maguanensis is a distinct species.

Laccaria friesii sp. nov. is proposed here as a new species based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses of the nuclear rDNA internal transcribed spacer region. The combination of morphological and molecular data confirmed the novelty of the species and its infrageneric placement within the genus Laccaria. This species was found in association with Rhododendron arboreum and Quercus leucotrichophora and is characterized by large basidiome (17–90 µm pileus diam.), convex to campanulate pileus with a central depression, wavy margins, pink fleshy brown distant lamellae, presence of versiform cheilocystidia and trichoderm type pileipellis.

To understand the phylogenetic relationships of Menyanthes and address the existing gap in the evolutionary study of embryological characteristics, we investigated and compared these characteristics with those of related taxa. Our objective was to deduce the evolutionary polarity of these characteristics. We analyzed the dicotyledonous type of anther wall, the development of an endothelium, and endosperm formation of the ab initio Cellular type. Our findings revealed that vascular bundles extending into the integument are an autapomorphy. When compared with the closely related taxon Nymphoides, Menyanthes share common embryological characteristics at the family level, except for three-celled pollen at shedding time. Primitive angiosperm Amborella exhibited tetra-sporangia, glandular tapetum, and other symplesiomorphic characters, while Menyanthes showed apomorphic characteristics such as simultaneous cytokinesis and endothelium development. Although previously classified as Campanulas, embryological characteristics of Menyanthaceae support its reclassification to Asterales in APG system IV. These findings indicate that Menyanthaceae is more primitive than Calyceraceae, Goodeniaceae, and Asteraceae within Asterales. Our study strongly supports the APG system IV classification based on both embryological and DNA data, providing new insights into the evolutionary history of Menyanthaceae

Andrographis saxatilis (Acanthaceae) new species is described and illustrated from the rocky plateau of the Owk Dam area, Andhra Pradesh. It is a perennial, woody undershrub. Unique characters are hispid hairy, obovate, elliptic-oblong and oblanceolate leaves; lanceolate glandular hairy sepals; empty (without flowers) bract and calyx towards base of rachis. Andrographis saxatilis allied A. glandulosa Nees by its perennial habit, woody rootstock in between rocks, glaucous green leaves, hairy stem, attenuate and glandular hairs on sepals and corolla tube outside. But it distinguished from the later by its hispid texture (versus densely pubescent), obovate, elliptic-oblong, and oblanceolate leaves (versus ovate-oblong), obtusely 4-angled stem (versus acutely 4-angled), hispid and glandular hairy sepals (versus villous with long glandular hairs), boat-shaped upper lip of corolla (versus ligulate), pubescent fruit (versus glabrous at base and glandular hairy towards the tip). IUCN threat status of the species is assessed as ‘Data Deficient’ (DD) in this article.

Euonymus fangdingianus, a new species from southwestern China and northern Vietnam, is described and illustrated. This species differs from its congeners mainly in having large thick leave blade, abaxial black-punctate blade, impressed and abaxial prominent veins, cauliflorous inflorescences, dark purple flower in 5-merous, and obovoid capsules with angles and grooves. A photograph image and conservation assessment for the new species are provided. In addition, the cauliflory in E. fangdingianus, an unusual flowering pattern in Euonymus, is described preliminarily.

This study elucidates the poorly known phenomenon of bulbil formation observed in three species of Sonerila viz., Sonerila tenella, S. ponmudiana and S. nairii. These bulbils represent clusters of 5 to 20 fleshy scales, developing adventitiously from roots or lower stem nodes, connected by a common stalk or premature stem, and predominantly occurring during early winter when plants are in fruiting or late flowering stages. Initially, these scales are white or vinaceous, but later turn into green, ciliate structures resembling leaves. The bulbils undergo rapid growth into independent plantlets, typically within a few weeks, with clusters up to 10 cm from the parent individual. While commonly associated with vivipary, Sonerila bulbils differ by their developmental origin and lack of connection to reproductive structures. Instead, their occurrence may contribute significantly to short-distance dispersal and population persistence in fragmented habitats. This study generates hypotheses on the ecological significance of dispersal mechanisms in response to environmental heterogeneity, highlighting the unique adaptive features of Sonerila bulbil formation within the broader context of plant reproductive strategies.

Corydalis miaotaiensis, a new species of C. sect. Asterostigma Fedde ex C.Y. Wu & H. Chuang (Papaveraceae) from the Qinling-Daba mountains region, central China, is described. It belongs in the C. temulifolia group of the section and is most closely similar to C. ternatifolia C.Y. Wu, Z.Y. Su & Lidén, but differs by having crested (vs. ecristate) outer petals, unbranched, suberect, erect and decumbent (vs. branched, ascending) stems, bipinnate (vs. biternate) rosette leaves and by the presence (vs. absence) of axillary bulbils, long stolons, and long shoots. This study suggests the need of fully botanizing growth habit for species description in Corydalis that is linked to plant life stages.

The contemporary interaction of climate and disturbance drives vegetation composition and species distribution shifts, making their respective roles difficult to disentangle. This study describes the long-term ruderal plant species distributions along the ‘Rallarvägen’ in Abisko, subarctic Sweden. This trail currently serves as a hiking trail but was initially created as a construction road for a railroad from 1898 to 1903 and is paralleled by the E10 Highway since 1982. Using vegetation and climate data from 1903, 1913, 1983, and 2021, we found that warm-adapted ruderal plant species were common along the Rallarvägen shortly after railroad construction in the early 20th century. Interestingly, many of these native and non-native ruderals with relatively high temperature affinity that were present in 1903 and 1913 have since disappeared and have not reappeared, despite the substantial increase in regional temperature in recent decades. In addition, the historical disturbances have had long-lasting effects on the current spatial distribution of the ruderal vegetation. Most ruderals still reside close to the railroad tracks and are progressively filtered out with increasing distance from anthropogenically disturbed introductory points, such as train stations, where they peak in species richness – a process we term “Horizontal Directional Ecological Filtering”, in parallel to the established concept of “Directional Ecological Filtering” along elevational gradients. The historical record of ruderal plant species in the region, influenced by a century-old railroad construction, emphasizes the importance of knowing a system’s disturbance history for understanding current vegetation dynamics and anticipating its future in a changing climate.

Primulina magnifica F. Wen & W.C. Chou, a new species of Gesneriaceae from the limestone areas of Yizhou District, Hechi City, Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated here. It morphologically resembles P. mollifolia (D.Fang & W.T.Wang), J.M.Li & Yin Z.Wang in leaf blades. Still, it can be easily distinguished from the latter by noting a combination of characteristics, especially in its tube infundibuliform, and obviously broader bracts. We found only one population, about 300 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 Critically Endangered (CR).

SUMMARY A new name is proposed for a rare species of Chlorophytum (Asparagaceae) restricted to south-western Tanzania, northern Zambia and Katanga (Democratic Republic of Congo). The new name, Chlorophytum restrictum Kativu, is published for Chlorophytum minor Kativu (Nordic J. Bot. 13: 502-503, 1993)).

A document by Line Johansen. Click on the document to view its contents.

A new species of Senecio L. (Asteraceae, Senecioneae), Senecio anjanericus is described and illustrated from the Anjaneri Hills of Nashik district, Maharashtra, India based on morphological and cytogenetical studies. The species resembles Senecio bombayensis but differs from it in small size of the ligules, presence of conspicuous foliose supplementary bracts and dense indumentum on stem. The somatic chromosome count was observed to be 2n=2x=20, with all the chromosomes exhibiting median region centromeres. Detailed morphology, illustration and karyotypic features of the new species are provided.

Humid dunes slacks are a highly threatened habitat, listed as vulnerable in the EU habitat red list. Accelerated successional processes in dune systems have resulted in the loss and degradation of ideal conditions for specialist dune slack species, hence the need for conservation management. This study investigated the restoration of a dune slack in North Wales, UK, where soil removal was undertaken to reinstate nutrient-poor open damp conditions. It assessed the outcomes of the management for dune slack communities over the 18 years since restoration. It also assessed the differences between restored and unrestored areas of dune slacks. Since the restoration was carried out in winter 2004/05 surveys of fixed quadrats were undertaken most years until 2022 with an additional survey in 2022 of the adjacent un-restored parts of the dune slacks. Species diversity and plant community composition changes over time were assessed using multivariate analysis and indicator species analysis. Comparisons between the restored and unrestored areas of the dune slacks were also made. Ellenberg Indicator Values (EIVs) were examined to identify potential environmental drivers of post management successional changes. After 18 years a species rich and diverse dune slack community exists. This is absent from the unrestored area. The establishment of species occurred rapidly in the first three years, followed by continued but slower increases in species richness and diversity. This is due to the addition of new species without losses of established species. EIVs show no significant difference over time suggesting the restored areas are still at an early stage of succession. Distinct stages of community change since restoration are characterised by different indicator species. Plants are likely to be largely recruited from an existing seed bank. Restoration by turf removal may be suitable for other low nutrient, species rich habitats dependent upon fluctuating groundwater levels.

Primulina guarouba, a new species from the limestone area of northern Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. According to the maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) analysis, it nests in a strongly supported clade (BP = 99%) that includes P. cordifolia, P. repanda and P. huangii. Of these, P. guarouba is similar to the P. cordifolia in morphology, but it is easily distinguished from the latter by some of the distinct characters in leaf blade, peduncles, bracts, calyx, corolla, pistil.

A new species of Chlorophytum is described and illustrated in this article. Morphological, root anatomical, pollen and molecular features were compared with its allied species C. laxum R. Br. which has apiculate anther, lanceolate bract, 16-18 nerved flat leaf and ellipsoid pollen with contrast to obtuse anther, ovate bract, 11-13 nerved conduplicate leaf and ovoid pollen. The molecular features too compliment the differences.

Peperomia (Piperaceae) is a Pantropical genus with approximately 1,700 species, distributed mainly in the Neotropics. In this study, three new species of Peperomia, P. bahiensis, P. ilheusensis and P. mendanhensis belong to subg. Multipalmata are described for the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, distribution maps and an identification key for the species are provided. Keywords: Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Piperales, Neotropics.

A new heterotrophic dinoflagellate, Protoperidinium vietnamicum sp. nov. was described from the coastal waters of Viet Nam. It is characterized by its elongation, pentagonal to pyriform body in ventral or dorsal view, and moderately dorsoventrally compressed. Epitheca is tapering into a robust apical horn and shorter than antapical horns. Cingulum equatorial, slightly descending. Sulcus wide, shallow, and slightly oblique. Plate 1’ is ortho-type, and intercalary 2a and 3a plates are pentagonal. Plate 1a is quadrangular, and its area is approximately triple times smaller than plate 3a. A new combination is proposed, the Protoperidinium curvicorne (Böhm) comb. nov. has distinct morphological features from other members of the section Oceanica. It presents a large cell-sized species with a round, broad body, and strong dorsoventral compression. The epitheca abruptly transitions into a slender apical horn strongly tilted towards the ventral side. Cingulum is narrow, shallow, descending, and strongly inclined relative to the equatorial plane of the cell. The plate 1’ is ortho-type, and 2а and 3а are asymmetrical and pentagonal. Both species are provided with detailed descriptions and are illustrated with line drawings, as well as with light microscopy images and SEM micrographs. In-depth discussion and comparison with similar species are presented.