Based on molecular phylogenetic evidence, phylogenetic analyses of both cpDNA and nrDNA sequences based on 76 (cp) and 77 (nr) samples representing 64 species, two subspecies, and three (cp) and two (nr) varieties of Lilium and six (cp) and five (nr) samples from Cardiocrinum, Fritillaria, and Notholirion as outgroups were used to better understand relationships within Lilium and to revise its infrageneric classification. The same individuals were used for both cpDNA and nrDNA analyses to avoid confusion caused by genetic polymorphism within a species. Nine thousand eight hundred thirty seven bp from 10 cpDNA regions and 1069 bp from the nuclear (ITS + ETS) regions were analyzed. The same twelve clades were formed in Lilium in both the chloroplast and nuclear trees (one clade of the former tree and one clade of the latter tree were not strictly formed because of low resolution). In light of the cpDNA and nrDNA trees obtained, 13 morphological characters, including a pair of marginal ridges along a central groove on the adaxial surface of the tepals were examined with attention given for the first time to the use of this character as having diagnostic value. The morphological evidence supported the twelve clades. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, a revised infrageneric classification of Lilium recognizing twelve clades as twelve sections is proposed.

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Phegopteris decursivepinnata harbors diploid and tetraploid strains, forming a polyploid species complex together with P. koreana. Hybridization and polyploidization in the complex blur species boundaries, making it challenging to apply the proper taxonomic treatment. Ploidy determinations, phylogenetic analyses, and morphological investigations to elucidate the origins of the polyploid species and improve species classification for the P. decursivepinnata species complex are reported. Ploidy determinations and phylogenetic analyses revealed that diploid members of the complex were separated into two groups, a diploid P. decursivepinnata and a group consisting of Thelypteris itoana and a diploid P. koreana. The tetraploid P. decursivepinnata was shown to be an allotetraploid derived from hybridization between the two diploid groups. The samples of P. koreana revealed to be diploid suggested intraspecific cytotypic variation in P. koreana. The diploid P. koreana was genetically and morphologically indistinguishable from the diploid T. itoana. The diploid members of the complex previously treated as P. decursivepinnata are described as a new species, P. taiwaniana; and T. itoana is placed in synonymy under P. koreana.

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Hybrids of Vincetoxicum atratum and V. pycnostelma (Apocynaceae–Asclepiadoideae) have been rarely recorded. To date their admixture populations have never been analyzed genetically. We analyzed a putative hybrid population of V. atratum and V. pycnostelma and six populations of the parental species based on 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci and morphometric analyses of 17 morphological characters. The STRUCTURE analyses of 12 microsatellite DNA variations correctly assigned pure V. atratum and V. pycnostelma populations to distinct clusters (q > 0.9). Four of 32 samples from the hybrid population had admixed genotypes. Hybrid class assignment by NewHybrids classified these four admixed individuals into the F₂ hybrid class. Principal component analysis (PCA) of 12 floral and 5 leaf characters separated V. atratum and V. pycnostelma into two clusters. The plots of two hybrid individuals available for PCA fell into an intermediate space between the clusters of the two species. The findings indicate that interspecific hybridization between V. atratum and V. pycnostelma can result in fertile F₁ hybrids. Because hybrid populations typically consist of parental and backcross individuals, the population examined here was unusual in being dominated by F₂ individuals. Postzygotic reproductive isolation between the F₁ hybrid and the parental species appears to the best explanation for the dominance of F₂ individuals in the hybrid population of V. atratum and V. pycnostelma. Artificial crossing experiments are necessary to confirm backcross sterility.

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Two natural hybrids, Carex ×doroyuensis (C. angustisquama × C. otayae) and C. ×thermalis (C. angustisquama × C. thunbergii), are newly reported from the Tohoku region of northern Japan. Based on morphometric and molecular genetic analyses, the hybrids were intermediate morphologically and genetically between their co-occurring parental species. The two hybrids can be distinguished from their parents by several morphological traits, including in their spikes and habitats.

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Two new species of Lauraceae, Beilschmiedia bolavenensis and Machilus champasakensis, are described and illustrated based on specimens from the Bolaven Plateau, southern Laos, and Lindera annamensis, Litsea ferruginea, L. lanceifolia, L. pseudoelongata, L. verticillata, Machilus angustifolia, and M. robusta (all Lauraceae) are reported for the first time for the flora of Laos. Voucher specimens, photographs, ecological information, and taxonomic notes are provided for each species.

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Petrosavia amamiensis (Petrosaviaceae) is described as a new species from Amami-Oshima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The plants were previously identified as P. sakuraii. The flowers of P. amamiensis are autonomously self-pollinated at the beginning of anthesis, while those of P. sakuraii are self-pollinating at a later stage of anthesis. Petrosavia amamiensis has a shorter aerial stem, shorter internodes, more densely flowered inflorescence and smaller seeds than P. sakuraii. Moreover plastid and nuclear DNA differ greatly between P. amamiensis and P. sakuraii.

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A new species of Claoxylon (Euphorbiaceae), C. langbiangense, from Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park, Lam Dong Province, southern Vietnam, is described and illustrated. It resembles C. longifolium of Cambodia, NE India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam, but is distinguished by its serrate-dentate leaf margin, larger staminate flowers and shorter pistillate inflorescences. A vernacular name, preliminary conservation status for the species, and a key to the species of Claoxylon in Vietnam is also provided.

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A new variety, Aristolochia kaempferi Willd. var. laevipes Watan.-Toma & Ohi-Toma (Aristolochiaceae), is described. The variety is distinguished from var. kaempferi by having glabrous pedicels. This new variety is disjunctly distributed in the Ise-Shima region of the Kii Peninsula and the northeastern part of the Owari region of central Honshu, Japan. Moreover, we newly confirmed the presence of A. kaempferi var. kaempferi in the central part of the Kii Peninsula and the Owari region based on flowering individuals in natural populations and in cultivation. Aristolochia kaempferi var. kaempferi and A. tanzawana were in proximity with A. kaempferi var. laevipes in the Owari region.

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A new forma, Gomphostemma chinense f. purpureum (Lamiaceae) from Mount Yunkai, Guangdong, China, is described. The new forma is distinguished from G. chinense in its purple-colored flowers. It is currently known only from Mount Yunkai, growing sympatrically with G. chinense f. chinense in the same area, at an altitude of 1,134–1,629 m.

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The reproductive interference between an invasive alien species, Veronica anagallis-aquatica L., and a native congener, V. undulata Wallich (Plantaginaceae) at the initial stage of invasion by V. anagallisaquatica, is reported. Insect pollinators, interspecific pollen transfer, and seed set rate of the two species were investigated at a site where V. undulata was still dominant. Four and two Dipteran species were observed to visit the flowers of V. undulata and V. anagallis-aquatica, respectively. Two species of Syrphidae (hover flies) were shared by them as pollinators. Pollen transfer from V. undulata to V. anagallisaquatica was observed, but transfer in the reverse direction was not detected. The lower rate of seed set in V. anagallis-aquatica is suggested to have been due to reproductive interference from V. undulata and represents a case of frequency-dependent reproductive interference of two congeneric species at the initial stage of invasion of an alien species into the population of a dominant native species.

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Kotaro T. Takahashi, Jiro Oda, Shizuka Fuse and Minoru N. Tamura. 2021. Biosystematic Studies of Carex (Cyperaceae) I. Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of the C. macroglossa Complex with Reference to Variation in Morphology, Chromosomal Features and Species Delimitation. Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica 72 (2): 81-92

In the key to the species of Carex macroglossa and its close allies under Taxonomy (p. 90), “3a. Style totally straight” should be replaced by “3a. Style twisted at base;” “3b. Style twisted at base” should be replaced by “3b. Style totally straight.”

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