The phylogeographical structure of chloroplast DNA haplotypes within Stachyurus praecox Siebold & Zucc. (Stachyuraceae) was investigated throughout the species range by comparing the sequences of two intergenic regions, the trnT(UGU)-trnL(UAA)5'exon and the trnL(UAA)5'exon-trnF(GAA). Eleven cpDNA haplotypes were found within S. praecox. These haplotypes appeared to be phylogeographically structured. Whereas most haplotypes were concentrated on the Pacific Ocean side of Japan and each haplotype showed a localized distribution, one haplotype ranged widely in the northern part of the archipelago and the Sea of Japan side. Four haplotypes in the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean side formed a lineage group. By integrating the geographical distribution and the genealogical relationship of haplotypes, the species range can be divided into at least three major geographical regions; the western part of the Pacific Ocean side, the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean side, and the region from the northern part of the archipelago to the Sea of Japan side. This apparent phylogeographical structure was interpreted to be the result of distribution changes effected by climatic oscillations from the late glacial period to the present.

Aconitum gassanense, a new species of subgenus Aconitum from Yamagata Prefecture, northern Japan, is here described. Aconitum gassanense belongs to Sect. Flagellaria (Steinb.) Nakai Ser. Latifolia Nakai with the chromosome number 2n = 2x = 16 and is akin to A. sanyoense Nakai and A. iidemontanum Kadota & al. Aconitum gassanense is discriminated from A. sanyoense by having strigose pedicels and A. iidemontanum by having strigose pedicels and tall conical helmets with long beaks. Aconitum iidemontanum is reported from the same populations to A. gassanense in Mts. Gassan as the second locality of this species. Putative natural hybrids between A. gassanense and A. iidemontanum were also obtained from the populations. This is the first report of natural hybridization bewteen the species in the ser. Latifolia.

A new species, Carex bitchuensis T.Hoshino & H.Ikeda (Cyperaceae), is described. This species is similar to C. lanceolata Boott and C. pediformis C.A.Mey. in having obovoid to fusiform hairy perigynia with a recurved short beak, but differs in having short creeping-ascending rhizomes, wide leaves, short pistillate scales, and short perigynia. Chromosome number of C. bitchuensis is 2n = 36 (diploid) while C. lanceolata 2n=72 and C. pediformis 2n=70 (tetraploid levels). Carex bitchuensis occurs on exposed limestone in the northwestern part of Okayama Prefecture, southwestern Japan.

Electrophoretic patterns of seed proteins of 12 taxa of 9 species of Vicia endemic to East Asia were analysed. A total of 53 stable bands was detected. Inter- and infra-specific phylogenetic relationships among these taxa were inferred with a UPGMA dendrogram from Jaccard's similarity matrix of the band patterns. The resultant phylogenetic implications were consistent with those from morphological or DNA data. We suggest that the electrophoretic pattern of seed proteins is useful to clarify inter- and intra-specific phylogenetic relationships among the East Asian endemic taxa of Vicia.

The evolution of Cephalomanes meifolium is discussed based on the developmental process of the ultimate segments, a key character in this species group, observed with living plants. It is suggested that the particular morphology of the ultimate segments of Cephalomanes meifolium may have evolved through special reduction of their surface.

The records of native occurrence of Lespedeza floribunda Bunge and L. inschanica (Maxim.) Schindl. from Japan are erroneous. These were based on misidentification of herbarium specimens; the former is L. bicolor Turcz. and the latter L. juncea (L.f.) Pers. The two misidentified species should be excluded from the indigenous flora of Japan.