Lespedeza davurica (Laxm.) Schindl. reported by Nakai (1932) from Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan was taxonomically revised. The specimens corresponding to the species sensu Nakai were collected only in Hiratsuka and Hayama in Kanagawa Pref. and Kamata in the Tokyo metropolitan area more than 60 years ago. These specimens differ from the true L. davurica and its allied species, L. inschanica (Maxim.) Schindl., L. juncea (L.f.) Pers. and L. cuneata (Dum.Cours.) G.Don, mainly in the features of leaves, inflorescences and flowers, and they were regarded as a new species, L. hisauchii T.Nemoto & H.Ohashi. It belongs to subgenus Lespedeza in having cleistogamous flowers. This new species shows very low pollen stainability of less than 1%, which suggests the possibility that the original plants might be hybrid origin, polyploid or apomictic. Further researches are needed to clarify the reproduction and relationships of the new species based on fresh materials.

Three new species and one new variety of Aconitum are described here. Aconitum rilongense described from Rilong, Sichuan Prov., southwestern China is distinguished from A. crassiflorum in having strigose pedicels, dull yellowish flowers and longer nectary labia. Aconitum kirghistanicum described from the Kirghisky Mountain Range, Kirghistan, is discriminated from A. rotundifolium in having strigose pedicels, obovate and emarginate nectary labia and robust habit. Aconitum iidemontanum described from Mts. Iidesan, northern Japan, differs from A. sanyoense in having villose pedicels and tall cylindrical helmets. Aconitum okuyamae var. wagaense is also described from Mt. Ugo-Asahidake, northern Japan, which is different from var. okuyamae by erect stem, a few-flowered compact raceme and coriaceous leaves.

The cotyledon areole (= CA) was observed in 108 species among 147 species examined in the subfamily Papilionoideae of Leguminosae. These species are included in 69 genera and in 22 tribes. CAﾕs shape, position and size were approximately illustrated on the mature seed embryo in each species. CAs were triangular, circular, oval, oblong, or linear, and situated at the base, basal-middle, middle, apical-middle, or apex of the cotyledons. The shape and position of the CAs were usually similar in a genus and may be useful as characters for consideration of phylogenetic relationships among the genera in Papilionoideae.

A new species of Hydrobryum, H. koribanum Imamura ex Nakayama & Minamitani, is here described from Kyushu, southern Japan. This is the forth species of the genus Hydrobryum in Japan. The new species is characterized by rough multi-layered thalli, the longest capsules, the longest septa, the longest placentas and many seeds. Comparison among the four Japanese species is given in the text.