The Ashiu area of Kyoto Prefecture is renowned for its role as a refugium for relict plants that migrated from northern regions in glacial periods. Viola brevistipulata sensu lato in Ashiu represents such a rear-edge population at low latitude, yet its biogeographic and conservation importance has been obscured due to taxonomic issues. This study aimed to clarify the taxonomy of the Ashiu population of V. brevistipulata s.l. through phylogenetic analysis of three varieties occurring in Honshu, Japan. The analysis confirmed the genetic distinctness of var. acuminata from a group including var. brevistipulata and var. minor, and clearly identified the Ashiu population as var. acuminata, which prefers a subalpine climate. Surveys of the distribution of var. acuminata populations in Ashiu revealed their persistence at low altitudes that correspond to upper warm temperate to lower cool temperate climate zones. The riverside rocky habitats that exclude competing plants and the unique life history characteristics of var. acuminata appear to allow these relict populations to survive in a climatically less suitable area.

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A new species of Spatholirion (Commelinaceae), S. wuorum, from North Vietnam is here described and illustrated. Spatholirion wuorum resembles S. cucphuongense in its dwarf habit and variegated leaves, but differs in having (sub)appressed sericeous or tomentose petioles (vs. retrorse velutinous), lamina sparsely pilose on the adaxial surface (vs. minutely appressed puberulous), the staminate part of the inflorescence a panicle (vs. raceme), and the sepals and petals whitish green or very pale creamy white tinged grayish mauve towards the apex (vs. uniformly dark indigo).

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Carex (Cyperaceae) is a diverse genus with approximately 2,150 species. Recent molecular studies showed that, although the genus has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, East and Southeast Asia is the cradle of its diversification. They further showed that Carex comprises six subgenera, among which subg. Carex is the largest in number of species. Despite these studies, the relationships and classification of basal lineages within subg. Carex remain unresolved, owing to their considerable morphological diversity and limited sampling of Asian plants in previous molecular studies. This report is based on a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the basal lineages within subg. Carex that used extensive chloroplast CDS data (70 loci, 58,601 bp) obtained from samples collected in Japan, China, Thailand, and the Himalaya. Based on the phylogenetic results as well as an examination of eleven morphological characters, seven sections, Albae, Decorae, Dissitiflorae (a new section for C. dissitiflora and C. bostrychostigma), Filicinae, Graciles, Indicae and Mundae are recognized as basal monophyletic lineages in subg. Carex. In the phylogeny of subg. Carex, Dissitiflorae occupied the most basal position with 100% bootstrap support. A clade (100%) comprising Albae-Graciles subclade (100%) and Indicae-Mundae subclade (100%) diverged as the next branch, followed by the Decorae-Filicinae clade (100%) and the Core subg. Carex clade (84%).

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The distribution of Symphyotrichum ciliatum, an annual herb mainly occurring in wastelands and wetlands, has been obscure in Japan. So far, it was recorded only from Muroran-shi, Hokkaido, in 1974. We recently recollected it at three populations in southern and central Hokkaido ca. 50 years after the first report of its presence in Japan. All of the populations were likely naturalized because they were in habitats that had been largely impacted by human disturbance. Monitoring the population dynamics of S. ciliatum is required because it occurs at high density and invades wetland habitats where rare species often grow.

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A morphological comparison of type and non-type specimens revealed that Scapania bhutanensis Amakawa is new to the Indian bryoflora. In comparison with its congeners, S. ciliata Sande Lac., S. lepida Mitt., and S. koponenii Potemkin, S. bhutanensis is distinct in its arched, short keels and ovate to cordate dorsal lobes with (1) sporadically furcate cilia at the base, (2) a short ciliate tooth at the apex and (3) distinct trigone in the middle. Illustrations and taxonomic notes based on the Indian specimen are provided.

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The Japanese endemic species Ditrichum sekii Ando & Deguchi ex Matsui & Z. Iwats (Ditrichaceae), is newly reported from southeast China.

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Eulophia siamensis is reported for the first time from India. A detailed description, notes, color plates, and line drawings are provided.

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This is the first report of Aphyllorchis montana var. rotundatipetala, a peloric variant of A. montana from Amami-Oshima Island, Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan, previously reported only from Taiwan. It can be distinguished from A. montana var. montana by its sub-actinomorphic flowers, a labellum that is not divided into hypochile and epichile, and a reduced stigma. Additionally, A. montana var. rotundatipetala can be distinguished from A. simplex from Vietnam and southern China—another probable peloric, sub-actinomorphic form of A. montana—by its obtuse lip apex (vs. acute in A. simplex), a highly reduced rostellum (vs. the prominent erect ligulate rostellum in A. simplex), and inconspicuous apical staminodes on both sides of the column (vs. two large, curved staminodes in A. simplex).

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Sauvagesia rhodoleuca (Diels) M. C. E. Amaral (Ochnaceae), previously known as an endemic and critically species endangered to China, is newly recorded for the flora of Vietnam. A full morphological description, information on ecology and phenology, taxonomic notes, and a provisional assessment of its conservation status in Vietnam are provided based on Vietnamese material.

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