A new species of Friesodielsia (Annonaceae), Friesodielsia formosa, is described from Borneo. A large woody climber of lowland forests, the species has been collected from Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan. A new combination in Friesodielsia is made for Oxymitra grandifolia Merr. which is resurrected from the synonymy of Friesodielsia latifolia (Hook.f. & Thomson) Steenis. The name Oxymitra grandifolia is lectotypified.

Begonia sect. Petermannia (Begoniaceae) is revised for the Philippine island of Palawan. Three species are recognised, namely Begonia palawanensis Merr. and the newly described B. androturba C.Coyle and B. georgei C.Coyle.

The African genera Paropsiopsis Engl. and Smeathmannia R.Br. (Passifloraceae – Paropsieae) are revised. The two genera are well separated based on the presence or absence of a second, annuliform, corona, as well as the number of stamens and curvature of their filaments. An overview of important characters and a key to all genera of Paropsieae is provided. In Paropsiopsis all previously recognised species are united under P. decandra (Baill.) Sleumer. In addition one species, Paropsiopsis atrichogyna J.M.de Vos & Breteler, is newly described and illustrated. In Smeathmannia both previously recognised species are maintained, but infraspecific taxa are rejected. Descriptions of both genera and their species, keys to species, illustrations and distribution maps are provided.

Pollen and seed characters of 12 Nepalese representatives of the Hedyotis–Oldenlandia–Kohautia complex (Spermacoceae s.l.; Rubiaceae) were investigated morphologically using scanning electron and light microscopy. The members of the complex were found to show remarkable variation in fruit, seed and pollen features. Pollen grains were all colporate with the aperture number varying from 3–4 to occasionally 5. The ectoaperture was a colpus, and the endoaperture was an endocingulum, a lalongate endocolpus or an endocolpus combined with an annulus around the mesoporus. Sexine ornamentation was variable, being perforate, reticulate or microreticulate. Three species were found to have a double reticulum. Supratectal elements were generally absent, but sometimes muri were beset with granules. Seeds were numerous per capsule, small and non-crateriform. Three types of seed were distinguished based on shape: (1) lenticular with a narrow wing-like margin, (2) trigonous, and (3) globose/subglobose. Trigonous seeds exhibited marked variation in colour, size and shape. On the basis of the pollen and seed characters, used in combination with the type of fruit dehiscence, five natural groups are identified for Nepalese taxa. The generic status of Hedyotis, Oldenlandia and Kohautia is maintained but some species are transferred from Hedyotis to Oldenlandia. Pollen and seed morphology, together with the type of fruit dehiscence, proved to be helpful in delimiting supra- and infrageneric groups within the Hedyotis–Oldenlandia–Kohautia complex.

The genus Stichoneuron (Stemonaceae) with five species is revised. Three new species are described: Stichoneuron calcicola Inthachub, S. halabalensis Inthachub, and S. bognerianum Duyfjes. A key to the species, distribution map and descriptions are provided.

Pouzolzia rugulosa (Wedd.) Acharya & Kravtsova, comb. nov., is transferred from the genus Boehmeria on the grounds of the anatomy and morphology of the fruit, correlated with molecular data. A revised set of anatomical and morphological characters is provided to distinguish between Boehmeria and Pouzolzia. Pouzolzia rugulosa shares morphological similarities with a group of serrate-leaved taxa in that genus known from Asia and Oceania. It is a shrub or small tree and is found along the southern slopes of the Himalayas from Himachal Pradesh in northern India to the mountains of northern Burma. It occurs in forest at elevations of up to 1900 m, mainly at forest edges and in clearings. A full description of Pouzolzia rugulosa, including drawings and SEM images of the fruit, is provided, together with a key.

The species of Aeschynanthus Jack (Gesneriaceae) in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are revised. Eighteen species are recognised, keys to the species are given, all names are typified, and detailed descriptions of all species are provided. Conservation assessments are given for all species. Aeschynanthus cambodiensis D.J.Middleton, Aeschynanthus jouyi D.J.Middleton and Aeschynanthus pedunculatus D.J.Middleton are newly described.

Two new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae), Begonia didyma D.C.Thomas & Ardi and Begonia guttapila D.C.Thomas & Ardi, are described from the Latimojong Mountains, South Sulawesi (Sulawesi Selatan), Indonesia. Both species belong to Begonia sect. Petermannia.

The genus Clemensiella (Apocynaceae – Asclepiadoideae) is reported to include two species. Clemensiella mariae, a Philippine endemic, is redescribed, illustrated, and lectotypified. Its chromosome number (2n = 22) is reported for the first time. The recently described Hoya viracensis is synonymised with Clemensiella mariae. Clemensiella omlori is described as a new species from Borneo and Sumatra. The taxonomic relationship of Clemensiella to other genera of tribe Marsdenieae is discussed.

A new species, Bellevalia pelagica C.Brullo, Brullo & Pasta (Hyacinthaceae), growing in the limestone rocks of the Islet of Lampione in the Pelagian Archipelago (Sicily), is described and illustrated. It is a tetraploid with 2n = 16. It belongs to the Bellevalia romana group and shows a close relationship with B. dolichophylla and B. galitensis, both rare endemics from Tunisia.

Of the 25 species presently named in Henckelia sect. Loxocarpus (Gesneriaceae), 10 occur in Peninsular Malaysia (with one species extending into Peninsular Thailand), 12 in Borneo, two in Sumatra and one in Lingga (Indonesia). One species from Peninsular Malaysia is excluded from the section. A key to species in Peninsular Malaysia is provided, together with descriptions and distributions. Three new species are described: Henckelia anthonysamyi Banka, H. sekayuensis Banka & Kiew and H. sericiflava Kiew & Banka. All Peninsular Malaysian species are endemic, many narrowly so – eight are presently known from just one or two localities.

Over the last three decades, vegetation surveys in southwest Arabia have documented the existence of a small number of valley forest patches. A well-known area is in Wadi Rijaf, Jabal Bura, a protected area which has recently been surveyed by the current authors. The other valley forest sites in southwest Arabia have not been surveyed for over 15 years. This paper presents a descriptive study of five of these important valley forest localities. To provide an assessment of conservation value, field studies recorded the extent, quality and composition of the vegetation and the presence of regionally rare species. The significance of these remaining patches of Arabian forest, and the immediate threats to their survival, are also discussed.

A new species of Tinospora (Menispermaceae), Tinospora formanii Udayan & Pradeep from the Western Ghats of Thrissur district, Kerala, South India, is described and illustrated.

Recent studies in the palaeotropics indicate that Rapanea cannot be maintained as a separate genus from Myrsine (Myrsinaceae). Based on the latest evidence from comparative morphology, Papuasian Rapanea are thus transferred to Myrsine. The nomenclatural adjustment provides a foundation for future additions to the enlarged genus, previously represented by only three of the required binomials.

After the establishment of a complete set of Myrsine names for eastern Malesia, M. warrae W.N.Takeuchi & Pipoly is added to the redefined conspectus. The new plant is distinguished by large leaves, rostrate fruits, and an apparent restriction to ultrabasic substrates.

The so-called dithecous leaves with two sheaths (adaxial and abaxial) which occur at branching in species of subfamily Podostemoideae of the aquatic flowering plant family Podostemaceae are enigmatic structures. The fact that in many species the shoot axes and leaves are fused has previously prevented an understanding of the real nature of dithecous leaves. This study reports on the position of the dithecous leaf in Podostemum rutifolium subsp. ricciiforme, the simple shoot structure of which has revealed that the dithecous leaf is the first leaf of the branch and does not arise from the main shoot as previously believed. Accordingly, the two sheaths of the dithecous leaf are interpreted anew: the sheath towards the branch, and its flower bud, is the true (ventral, adaxial) sheath of the dithecous leaf (formerly viewed as an additional new structure), and the other (dorsal, abaxial) sheath towards the flower bud of the main shoot of the branch is a novel structure. Consequently, the branch does not develop from the reverse side of the dithecous leaf in a subfoliar position, but rather is axillary above its subtending leaf. A similar structure was described in a previous paper on Apinagia riedelii, and in both species, and thus in subfamily Podostemoideae, the ramification pattern conforms to the pattern in other angiosperms.

Rhododendron subgenus Tsutsusi (Rhodoreae, Ericoideae, Ericaceae), commonly known as evergreen azaleas, includes approximately 117 deciduous and evergreen species from Japan, China and northeastern Asia. Subgenus Tsutsusi has been divided into two sections, Brachycalyx and Tsutsusi, based on characteristics of the leaves, young twigs and corolla. We obtained molecular data from three chloroplast (matK, ndhF and trnS-trnG) and two nuclear (nrITS and the third intron of rpb2) regions for 30 species of Rhododendron subgenus Tsutsusi and five species of Menziesia. Parsimony, Bayesian and likelihood analyses based on total evidence were used to assess the monophyly of the sections within Rhododendron subgenus Tsutsusi and relationships among the species sampled. In particular, the placement of the problematic Rhododendron tashiroi was addressed. Results support Rhododendron tashiroi as a member of the Rhododendron section Brachycalyx clade. Molecular evidence also supports a clade within Rhododendron section Tsutsusi containing R. indicum, R. tsusiophyllum, R. tschonoskii and R. serpyllifolium, species which were not previously considered closely related.

Species delimitation in Scaphium (Sterculioideae, Malvaceae/Sterculiaceae) has been problematic and has led to confusion in identification of species. The genus was last revised in 1953 and at that time comprised four species. Since then five new species have been published. This revision of Scaphium recognises eight species, with other names being accounted for in synonymy or by exclusion from the genus.

Lectotypes are selected for the following names in the Apocynaceae from the Arabian Peninsula: Adenium arabicum Balf.f., Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schultes, Caralluma adenensis (Deflers) A.Berger, Cryptolepis intricata (Balf.f.) Venter, Cryptolepis volubilis (Balf.f.) O.Schwartz, Kanahia laniflora (Forssk.) R.Br., Leptadenia arborea (Forssk.) Schweinf., Marsdenia robusta Balf.f., Rhazya stricta Decne. and Tylophora yemensis Deflers. For Secamone socotrana Balf.f., it is noted that a previous citation of a holotype is rather an effective designation of a lectotype. Neotypes are selected for Caralluma hexagona var. septentrionalis Lavranos & L.E.Newton, Glossonema boveanum (Decne.) Decne., Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Forssk.) Decne. and Orbea chrysostephana (Deflers) Bruyns.