Four new Asian taxa are described and illustrated as part of a forthcoming taxonomic revision of the cultivated species of Begonia (Begoniaceae). The new species B. argenteomarginata (sect. Symbegonia) is described from Papua New Guinea. Two new species from section Petermannia are described: B. polilloensis from the Philippines and B. rachmatii from Sulawesi, Indonesia, both of which are unusual in having palmately compound leaf blades. A key is provided for these and a previously described species, B. oligandra, also with palmately compound leaf blades and in section Petermannia. The new subspecies B. brevirimosa subsp. exotica (sect. Petermannia) is described from the Central Range of Papua New Guinea and a brief history of its cultivation is presented.

Previous analyses of macromorphological and molecular data on the continental African species Begonia iucunda (Begoniaceae) suggest that it occupies an isolated phylogenetic position within a clade consisting otherwise of species in sections Cristasemen, Filicibegonia, Loasibegonia and Scutobegonia. Accordingly, the new monotypic section Chasmophila is here described. Its taxonomic position and relationship to other African sections are discussed and data on its distribution and ecology are presented.

A new species of Tylophora, T. corollae Bullock ex Meve & Liede (Asclepiadaceae), is described from Ethiopia. This delicate twiner is characterized by yellow, shield-shaped corona lobes with apical appendages.

The non-twining shrub up to lm high, T. fleckii (Schltr.) N.E. Br., so far known to be endemic to Namibia, is for the first time recorded from NE Africa. The interesting biogeographical implications resulting from the extraordinary gap of 4500km in its distribution are discussed.

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.

Two species, Petalacte vlokii (Compositae) from the southern Cape fold mountains, and Struthiola anomala (Thymelaeaceae) from southernmost Natal, are newly described.

The following new taxa, combinations and synonymy in the genus Kobresia from E Himalaya and SW China are proposed: K. pseuduncinoides Noltie sp. nov.; K. woodii Noltie sp. nov.; K. esenbeckii (Kunth) Noltie comb. nov. of which K. seticulmis Boeckeler, K. hookeri Boeckeler, K. angusta C.B. Clarke and the illegitimate K. trinervis Boeckeler become synonyms; K. esenbeckii var. fissiglumis (C.B. Clarke) Noltie comb. nov.; K. prattii C.B. Clarke and K. harrysmithü Kük. are reduced to synonymy of K. vidua (Boott ex C.B. Clarke) Kük.; K. williamsii is reduced to synonymy of K. gammiei; K. curvata is reduced to synonymy of K. fragilis; K. stiebrilziana is reported new to Bhutan and Sikkim and K. curticeps and K. gammiei new to Bhutan. Notes on K. nepalensis, K. vaginosa, K. vidua, K. gammiei and K. cercostachys are given. Observations on apparent dioecy and distribution of sex within the species K. esenbeckii, K. vidua, K. vaginosa and K. curticeps are reported.

The stem and leaf anatomy of the ten species of Jasione L. (Campanulaceae) in the Iberian Peninsula were investigated; their infra-specific taxa were also studied. The species differ from each other anatomically and can be identified by their anatomical characters. The anatomical evidence supports the taxonomic treatment that will be published in the forthcoming Flora iberica Volume 14. The possible relations between the anatomy and the ecology of these plants are discussed. Specialized small multicellular structures (trichoids) present on the leaf surface, whose interest has not previously been recognized, are described and their possible function discussed.

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).

The newly described white-flowered annual Sedum ince closely resembles S. eriocarpum and the annual forms of S. hispemicum (S. longibracteatum), but differs from the former by its alternate instead of verticillate leaves, and from the latter by the 5-merous instead of 6 9-merous flowers and the ripe follicles which are divergent instead of patent and lack the distinct lips along the ventral suture. Molecular phylogenelic analyses indicate that S. ince is but distantly related to S. eriocarpum as well as to S. hispemicum. It belongs to a cytological distinct lineage of Sedum subgenus Gormunia sporting a basic chromosome number of x = 7. Within this lineage, however, S. ince holds a unique position and consequently it is classified in the monotypic S. series Elegans.

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.

Globba sect. Nudae subsect. Mediocalcaratae (K.Schum.) K.J.Williams is revised. Nineteen species are recognised. Eight names are lectotypified, three names are newly placed in synonymy, and two names are neotypified. A key to the species and descriptions are provided. Nine new species are described and illustrated: Globba argyrocycnos Sangvir. & M.F.Newman, G. cataractarum Sangvir. & M.F.Newman, G. chrysochila Sangvir. & M.F.Newman, G. decora Sangvir. & M.F.Newman, G. lilacina Sangvir. & M.F.Newman, G. newmanii Sangvir., G. nitens Sangvir. & M.F.Newman, G. pycnostachys Sangvir. & M.F.Newman and G. pyrrhopoikila Sangvir. & M.F.Newman. Six names based on five types from Thailand and the Philippines remain doubtful. Andromonoecy in this subsection is defined. Provisional IUCN conservation assessments of all species are supplied.

We describe two new species of Heteropterys (Malpighiaceae) endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Espírito Santo State, Brazil. Heteropterys eucalyptifolia and H. follianum belong to the Aptychia informal group, due to their petioles with a pair of glands at the base, sessile pedicels, petals exposed in the enlarging bud, and strongly heteromorphic filaments. Morphological descriptions, illustrations, a distribution map and information on the conservation status of the species are provided.

Stephania pierrei Diels (Menispermaceae) is a species recorded from the Indo-Chinese Peninsula. It is the only species of the genus bearing apetalous flowers. Diels did not cite a holotype in his publication in 1910. We provide here a more precise description of Stephania pierrei and select a lectotype for this name.

The material here named Bromus lusitanicus Sales & P. M. Smith, sp. nov. (Gramineae) was discovered and collected during 1982-83 at Souzelas near Coimbra (central Portugal). It shows marked affinities to B. racemosus L. and B. pseudosecalinus P. M. Smith. These species form a complex of annuals which have 3-veined lower glumes, 5-veined upper glumes, subterete spikelets, margins of lemma more or less inrolled in fruit, and the awn terete, straight or curved, arising just below the apex of the lemma, although sometimes absent.

The following new taxa, combinations and synonymy in the genus Juncus from E Himalaya and SW China are proposed: J. bryophilus Noltie sp. nov.; J. spumosus Noltie sp. nov.; J. glaucoturgidus Noltie sp. nov.; J. hydrophilus Noltie sp. nov.; J. longiflorus (A. Camus) Noltie comb. & stat. nov.; J. duthiei (C.B. Clarke) Noltie comb. nov. of which the following are synonyms: J. rohtangensis Aswal & Goel, J. sikkimensis Hook.f. var. monocephalus Hook.f. and J. harae Miyam. & H. Ohba; J. bhutanensis Satake is reduced to synonymy of J leucomelas Royle ex D. Don, J. pseudocastaneus (Lingelsh.) Sam. to that of J. sikkimensis; J. tratangensis Satake to that of J. ochraceus Buchenau, J. unifolius A.M. Lu & Z.Y. Zhang to that of J. minimus Buchenau; J. phaeocarpus A.M. Lu & Z.Y. Zhang to that of J. grisebachii Buchenau; J. longibracteatus A.M. Lu & Z.Y. Zhang to that of J. kingii Rendle; J. luteocarpus Satake, the illegitimate J. albescens Satake and J. yoskisukei Goel to that of J. concinnus D. Don and J. bracteatus Buchenau to that of, J. benghalensis Kunth.

J. perpusillus Sam. is reported new to Sikkim and Nepal; J. amplifolius A. Camus new to Bhutan, Sikkim and Nepal; J. trichophyllus W.W. Sm. new to Nepal and Bhutan; J. nepalicus Miyam. & H. Ohba new to Sikkim. J. uniflorus W.W. Sm. is lectotypified. Notes on J. spectabilis Rendle and J. biglumoides Hara are given.

A new species of Rubiaceae, Hedyotis kottangathattiensis M.B.Viswan. & U.Manik., is described from the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in the Agastyamalai hills of the southwestern Ghats in South India. Hedyotis kottangathattiensis is allied to Hedyotis barberi (Gamble) Henry & Subram. but differs in its branching, leaf shape and colour, the presence of raphides, the colour and shape of the stipules, the inflorescence structure, calyx lobe shape, corolla lobe shape and colour, and capsule shape. A conservation status is proposed.

During the 1830s Walker Amott sent a collection of Asian Acanthaceae to be identified by Nees von Esenbeck in Breslau. This material was used by Nees as the basis for describing one genus and 22 new species in Hooker's Companion to the Botanical Magazine in 1836. Both the publication and the collection were subsequently forgotten. During the course of work on the Flora of Ceylon the types were rediscovered in the general herbarium at Edinburgh. The present paper links Nees’ names with the types in Edinburgh, lectotypifying where appropriate and commenting on the taxonomic status of each species.

Musa argentii Gogoi & Borah (Musaceae), a new species, is described and illustrated from Lohit District, Arunachal Pradesh, India based on observed morphological characteristics in the field. Its distribution and habitat are described, and a key to the species is provided.

Systematic data collection for direct statistical analysis of biodiversity trends tends to be focused on charismatic fauna and flora such as birds or vascular plants. When subsequently applied by conservation agencies in summary metrics tracking habitat and species protection, these patterns in biodiversity loss or gain can fail to capture outcomes for groups that have a prominent importance in habitat composition, diversity and ecological function, such as algae, bryophytes, lichens and other fungi. Such species are primarily recorded on an ad hoc basis by taxonomic specialists, yielding noisy data that present problems in robustly identifying trends. This study explored the use of ad hoc field-recorded data as a potential source of biodiversity information, by comparing the pattern of recording for carefully selected indicator species with those for benchmark or control species as a proxy for recording effort. Focusing on Scotland’s internationally important epiphytic lichens, and especially ‘old-growth’ indicator species, British Lichen Society data revealed a decline in the extent of these species in Scotland, relative to recording effort, over a period of five decades. A recent slowing in the rate of decline is observed but remains to be confirmed. The long-term decline is consistent with the effect of land use intensification, resulting in small and isolated populations that are vulnerable to extinction debt. We caution that remedial protection and monitoring for such populations remains vital as a complement to Scotland’s larger scale ambition for increased woodland extent and connectivity.