Recent trends in compilation of world consensus family classifications from existing floristic and monographic data, and demands for alpha-taxonomic and other traditional phenetic data for analysis with phylogenetic reconstructions derived from DNA sequences are discussed. Obstacles hindering the production of a meaningful, comprehensive data set for Apiaceae include: (1) the lack of comparable non-molecular phenetic data; (2) incomplete coverage of family accounts in recent Floras, particularly in the southern hemisphere; (3) large, artificial genera awaiting monographic treatment; and (4) the lack of database systems that handle differences in taxonomic opinion (alternative classifications). The use of electronic communication, particularly the Internet, can help to accelerate progress in these areas through promoting collaboration and information exchange. The contribution of the Apiales Resource Centre website (especially the umbellifer areas: www.umbellifers.com) is highlighted.

The new species Aeschynanthus scottii D.J.Middleton & H.J.Atkins from Vietnam is described.

An account of Streptocarpus was written for inclusion in Flora of Southern Africa; now that that publication has been suspended, two new names are validated here. The plants were discussed under S. rimicola in Hilliard & Burtt, Streptocarpus. An African plant study, 240–241 (1971).

Nine species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) are recognized in Peninsular Malaysia. Three (C. cupulata, C. pendula and C. wallichii) are common and occur more or less throughout the area; C. pendula is also recorded from Singapore. Four (C. dispar, C. gimlettei, C. patula and C. suffruticosa) have more restricted distributions, and two (C. lanceolata and C. stonei) are local endemics. Three species and one variety originally described by Ridley are here reduced to synonymy: C. barbata (=C. cupulata), C. falcata (=C. suffruticosa) and C. rotundifolia (=C. pendula), and C. cupulata var. minor (=C. cupulata). Keys for fieldwork and herbarium use are presented and general information is provided. The appendix by M.H. Bokhari contains descriptions of leaf anatomy for eight of the nine species recognized and a key based on anatomical characters.

A new species of Rhynchoglossum, R. capsulare Ohwi ex Karton. (Gesneriaceae), is described and illustrated. This species resembles the widespread Rhynchoglossum obliquum Blume. A new combination, Codonoboea kjellbergii (B.L.Burtt) Karton., is proposed to accommodate the former Henckelia kjellbergii B.L.Burtt.

Ochotonophila flava Dickoré & Freitag sp. nov. (Caryophyllaceae – Silenoideae) is described from the mountains of Bamiyan Province, central Afghanistan. It differs from the two previously known species endemic to Afghanistan, Ochotonophila allochrusoides Gilli and O. eglandulosa Hedge & Wendelbo, by its cream to yellow petals and elliptic leaves. A key to the identification of Ochotonophila species is provided; distribution and ecology are outlined.

Three new species of the Neotropical genus Barbacenia (Velloziaceae, Pandanales) from Tocantins, Brazil, are described and illustrated, based on morphology and leaf anatomy. The known species richness of the genus is mapped within the countries of South America and the states of Brazil.

A floristic inventory was carried out in an area of palm-dominated creek forest in Jenaro Herrera, in the northeast of Peru. All trees ≥ 10 cm dbh were surveyed in a one-hectare permanent plot using the standard RAINFOR methodology. There were 618 individuals belonging to 230 species, 106 genera and 43 families. The results showed that the total basal area of the trees in the plot was 23.7 m2. The three species with the highest importance value indexes were Iriartea deltoidea Ruiz & Pav., Oenocarpus bataua Mart. (Arecaceae) and Carapa procera DC. (Meliaceae). The five most dominant families in order of importance were Arecaceae, Fabaceae, Meliaceae, Euphorbiaceae and Sapotaceae. Although the soil of this plot was poorly drained, the number of trees and the diversity of the plot were typical for terra firme forest in the western Amazon.

Dussia atropurpurea is a new species found in Costa Rica and Panamá. It differs from all other Dussia species in this region in its dark purple sarcotesta. The only other species of Dussia with a sarcotesta of this colour is the Amazonian D. tessmannii which is clearly distinct morphologically. Sarcotesta colour is an important character for species delimitation in Dussia, but is infrequently recorded.

Gentiana cachemirica is a rare plant from northern Pakistan and northwestern India. The sectional position of this species has been a matter of considerable debate. Various authors have placed Gentiana cachemirica in one of three different sections – Gentiana sect. Isomeria, Gentiana sect. Kudoa or Gentiana sect. Pneumonanthe. The present paper assesses the taxonomic affinities of this species using a detailed study of its morphology accompanied by morphological phylogenetic and cluster analyses. Characters of the seed testa, corolla morphology and growth architecture were studied for selected species from the above-mentioned sections and closely related Gentiana sect. Cruciata. Representatives of Gentiana sect. Ciminalis were used as outgroups. Our results suggest that G. cachemirica belongs to Gentiana sect. Pneumonanthe and that its affinities are closer to the Western Asiatic group of this section.

Type studies and illustrated descriptions are given of the tropical African Lactarius (Russulaceae) species described by Hennings (1902) and Beeli (1927–1936) which were not included in Heim's monographs (1938, 1955). L. badius Verbeken nom. nov., L. russulaeformis (Beeli) Verbeken comb. nov. and L. kalospermus (Beeli) Verbeken & Walleyn comb. nov. are proposed. L. congolensis Beeli is shown to be an earlier name for both L. craterelloides R. Heim & Gooss.-Font. and L. unicolor Gooss.-Font. & R. Heim which are identical, L. russulaeformis is an earlier name for L. pellicularis R. Heim, L. annulatoangustifolius (Beeli) Buyck is an earlier name for L. pandani R. Heim, and both L. pandani f. intermedius and L. pandani f. pallidus are concluded to be synonyms of L. pelliculatus (Beeli) Buyck. L. zenkeri (Henn.) Singer is neotypified and L. goossensiae Beeli and Lactarius sesemotani (Beeli) Buyck are lectotypified. Finally, Lentinus clitocyboides Henn. is not based on Lactarius, as suggested by Pegler (1983), but on Russula.

A new species of Swertia (Gentianaceae) from Thailand is described and illustrated.

A new species of Passiflora is described from the Andes of Colombia. Passiflora formosa T. Ulmer is characterized by its densely tomentose ovary, the 5–7 petiolar glands and the large leaves which are up to 19cm long. It most closely resembles P. lanata and P. cuatrecasasii. The differences between these species are discussed.

The species of Gagnepainia K.Schum. and Hemiorchis Kurz are revised throughout their ranges. These genera are shown with evidence from morphological and molecular studies to be distinct, although closely related to each other. Two species of Gagnepainia and three of Hemiorchis are recognised. A key to the genera of Globbeae and keys to the species of Gagnepainia and Hemiorchis are given, all names are typified and descriptions are provided. Conservation assessments of all taxa are proposed.

The new species Clinopodium jacquelinae (Labiatae) is described from Peru. Distribution and morphological variability of Clinopodium cylindrostachys are examined and discussed.

Rhodothamnus sessilifolius P.H. Davis (Ericaceae) was until recently known only from two gatherings from NE Turkey, and had not been seen since 1960. The type locality was re-found in 2000, together with two new populations. An emended description of this rare species is provided, including details of the first fruiting material and seeds to have been collected, and notes on its ecology.

Caudella bipolaris sp. nov. (Microthyriaceae), found on leaves of the liana Bredemeyera floribunda Willd. (Polygalaceae) from the Brazilian cerrado, is described and illustrated. This is the fourth known Caudella species and the first reported on a member of the family Polygalaceae. Unique within the genus are the species' bipolar ascospore appendages.