This is the first part of a taxonomic revision of section Hololobus of the paleotropical orchid genus Crepidium (Orchidaceae–Malaxidinae). Based on morphology and habit, the new subsection Maximowiczianae is established to include six species from India, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. The new combination Crepidium carinatum is published with C. benguetense as a synonym. A key is provided, and all species are described and illustrated.

Two new species of Ormosia (Leguminosae – Papilionoideae, Sophoreae) are described: Ormosia carinata N.Zamora and Ormosia intermedia N.Zamora.

Comparisons of corolla morphology were made between plants of Conandron ramondioides (Gesneriaceae) from 23 localities in Japan and Taiwan. Lobe-length to tube-length ratios were found to correlate with geographical distribution and support the recognition of two previously described varieties: var. ramondioides in mainland Japan (lobe length less than twice tube length) and var. taiwanensis from Iriomote Island (Japan) and Taiwan (lobe length more than three times tube length). Mitotic chromosomes were also observed but no differences were seen between accessions, all of which had 2n=32.

A new Anchusa (A. negevensis) (Boraginaceae) from the Negev of Israel is described. It is referred to subgen. Hormuzakia (Guşul.) D. F. Chamb. on account of its helmet shaped nutlets with a hollow base and with a basal dentate ring around the ventral side. Although the only other species in this subgenus (A. aggregata Lehm.) is annual, nutlet morphology is strikingly similar between these two taxa. The new species is a perennial, herbaceous plant with succulent roots and reproduces vegetatively by adventitious shoots from its roots. It is known only from a 0.2 hectare area of weathered, Neogene sandstone outcrop, situated with a sloping aspect and subject to high wind erosion, located 10km SE of Dimona, Israel.

Amomum roseisquamosum (Zingiberaceae) is described from Sarawak, Borneo. This new species is related to A. borneense and A. epiphyticum of Smith's (1989) Group V for Bornean species, sharing an epiphytic habit, crested anther-thecae and flattened fruits, but differs in having white flowers, a shorter corolla tube equal to the calyx tube, and lateral petals connate to the labellum. The systematic position is discussed.

Mycena lacrimans (Agaricales, Mycenaceae) is redescribed from material collected recently near the type locality and is for the first time reported as bioluminescent. A comprehensive description, illustrations, photographs, comparison with phenetically similar species, and discussion of phylogenetic relationships are provided.

As delimited here, Pegaeophyton is a Sino-Himalayan genus of six species of which three, P. angustiseptatum (China), P. watsonii (India, Sikkim) and P. sulphureum (Bhutan), are described as new. P. scapiflorum var. robustum is raised to subspecific rank. Keys, detailed descriptions, and distributions are given. The affinities of Pegaeophyton are discussed.

Two species-specific microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers (UAKLly10a and UAKLla1) were used to distinguish Larix lyallii Parl. (subalpine larch) from L. occidentalis Nutt. (western larch) (Pinaceae). These markers can easily be used for rapid identification of the two species at any stage in the sporophyte phase of the life cycle. In the future, they should prove to be an invaluable tool for determining the possible occurrence and magnitude of introgressive hybridization in overlap zones between the two species. They are also expected to be useful in validating controlled crosses between L. lyallii and L. occidentalis and for certification purposes in reforestation and tree improvement programmes aimed at producing genetically improved hybrid stock.

A re-examination of the status of the monotypic genus Saniella Hilliard & Burtt (Hypoxidaceae) was inspired by the rediscovery of Empodium occidentale on Hantam Mountain in Calvinia Division, SW Cape. This plant does not belong to Empodium, and has critical features that show that it is better placed as a second species of Saniella, but at the same time it lessens the gap between Saniella and Spiloxene. It is concluded that the whole question of the interrelations of Saniella, Spiloxene and Pauridia needs to be studied in depth. In the interim these three genera should all be maintained. Empodium occidentale is accordingly transferred to Saniella.

A species checklist is presented for a stretch of the seasonally flooded Macal River in the Cayo District of Belize, together with preliminary phytosociological data for the primary riverine communities. A total of 229 species were recorded in the seasonally flooded riparian zone, representing 7% of the flora of Belize. Results of quantitative sampling indicate that Inga vera subsp. vera dominates the river corridor. Other important woody associates include Cuphea calophylla, C. utriculosa, Calyptranthes bartlettii, C. lindeniana, Lindenia rivalis, Pleuranthodendron lindenii, Calliandra tergemina and Nectandra salicifolia. One of the most significant threats to riparian vegetation in the region is the Chalillo Dam upstream of the study site. The current work provides baseline floristic and ecological data for this threatened riparian habitat and documents the structure and composition of vegetation that exists downstream from the dam before its construction.

Cystopteris dickieana R.Sim is a rare fern protected in Britain under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. Most current floras treat it as a distinct species but ever since it was first discovered in Scotland in the 1830s, there has been considerable debate about its taxonomic status within the C. fragilis complex. This debate centres on the relative importance of two characters, the architecture of the fronds and the surface sculpturing of the spores, in delimiting C. dickieana from other taxa in the C. fragilis complex. The type specimens of C. dickieana have distinctive fronds. Plants with similar frond architecture have, to date, been recorded growing naturally only at the site in Scotland from which the type specimens were collected and at one other site nearby. The type specimens of C. dickieana also have mature spores with surface sculpturing often described as ‘rugose’. These are distinctive and unusual in the genus Cystopteris, in which most taxa have ‘echinate’ spores. However, rugose-spored plants have been recorded not only at, and near, the type locality in Scotland but also at many other sites in the northern hemisphere in populations of plants defined largely on the basis of frond architecture as C. fragilis or C. baenitzii. This indicates that spore sculpturing should not be used alone to delimit C. dickieana from other taxa within the C. fragilis complex but, despite this, the literature on ‘C. dickieana’ contains many reports of studies on material identified as C. dickieana solely on the basis of spore sculpturing. This, combined with the fact that most comparative studies have also failed to include material known to have come from the type locality, has resulted in considerable and continuing uncertainty over the taxonomic status and distribution of C. dickieana.

Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCFs) are characterised principally by frequent immersion in ground-level clouds, which influences their structure. This study aimed to characterise TMCFs in Serra do Papagaio State Park, Minas Gerais State, Southeast Brazil, and to test the hypothesis that TMCF areas can be highly heterogeneous by comparing the tree species composition and structural parameters of 10 TMCF patches in the studied landscape. TMCFs of Serra do Papagaio State Park are of particular interest for conservation, because they contain important populations of threatened tree species.

A new species of Hedychium, H. griersonianum, is described and its relationship to H. ellipticum discussed. Two new combinations are made in Stahlianthus, S. inrolucratus (King ex Baker) R. M. Smith, for which a lectotype is selected, and S. andersonii (Baker) R. M. Smith.

Notes are given on the status of the relict Arabian populations of the fan palm Livistonia carinensis (Chiov.) J.Dransfield & N.Uhl. Its status in Africa is discussed.

Scaphochlamys Baker (Zingiberaceae – Zingibereae) is found in southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. In this treatment 31 species and six varieties are recognised. A new combination is made for Scaphochlamys anomala (Hallier f.) R.J.Searle; Scaphochlamys mat-kilau C.K.Lim, Scaphochlamys biloba (Ridl.) Holttum var. lanceolata (Ridl.) Holttum and Scaphochlamys longifolia Holttum are placed in synonymy. Included in this compendium is an analysis of the morphology of the genus, a brief historical review, a key to the species and a generic outline, as well as full generic and specific descriptions, maps, illustrations, and a full list of all names and types.

Ephedra milleri Freitag & Maier-Stolte (Ephedraceae) from Dhofar (Oman) is described. E. sinaica Riedl, described as an endemic from S Sinai and meanwhile collected from numerous localities in higher altitudes of the western escarpment of Arabia is reduced to a subspecies of E. pachyclada.

The morphological characteristics of mitotic interphase, prophase and metaphase nuclei were analysed for 21 taxa in 14 genera from three different tribes of subfamily Cyrtandroideae (Gesneriaceae) from Asia. Interphase nuclei were classified into three categories: (1) complex chromocentres, as in Ancylostemon, Briggsia, Briggsiopsis, Chirita, Loxostigma, Lysionotus, Oreocharis, Petrocosmea, Raphiocarpus and Whytockia, (2) simple chromocentres, as in Paraboea and Rhabdothamnopsis, and (3) round prochromosomes, as in Anna and Didymocarpus. Species with complex chromocentres seem to be most common among all three tribes. The data further indicate that tribe Didymocarpeae is cytologically much more heterogeneous than other tribes, which accords with the diversity in morphological characters. Three types of chromosome condensation pattern during mitotic prophase were observed, here described as interstitial, gradient and proximal. Except for Ancylostemon, exhibiting a proximal type, and Lysionotus and Whytockia possessing a gradient type, all other species analysed to date exhibit the interstitial type. Our study also reports the chromosome numbers of 12 species in 10 genera of subfamily Cyrtandroideae from China and Vietnam; 11 of these counts are new.

The new species Echidnopsis inconspicua (Apocynaceae–Asclepiadoideae) and Secamone cuneifolia (Apocynaceae–Secamonoideae) are described from Socotra. An account of Echidnopsis is provided for the island, where five species are now known to occur. The first species of Ceropegia is recorded for Socotra.

The following new taxa from the Arabian Peninsula are described: Diplotaxis kohlaanensis A. Miller & J. Nyberg (Cruciferae), Phragmanthera austroarabica A. Miller & J. Nyberg (Loranthaceae), Commicarpus adenensis A. Miller (Nyctaginaceae), Forsskaolea griersonii A. Miller & J. Nyberg, Parietaria umbricola A. Miller (Urticaceae), Trianthema sheilae A. Miller & J. Nyberg (Aizoaceae), Reseda pentagyna Abdallah & A. Miller (Resedaceae), Aerva artemisoides subsp. batharitica A. Miller & J. Nyberg (Amaranthaceae). The following new combinations are made: Boerhavia elegans subsp. stenophylla (Boiss.) A. Miller (Nyctaginaceae), Oncocalyx doberae (Schweinf.) A. Miller & J. Nyberg (Loranthaceae).