Fruit development in Lespedeza buergeri were anatomically studied. The one-seeded fruits of the species have a structure of joint which separates the fruit into two segments: the distal part including the seed and the proximal one including the stipe of the fruit. The pericarp basically consists of outer epidermis, hypodermis, parenchyma, sclerenchyma and inner epidermis. The sclerenchyma in the distal part is composed of fibres, while that in the joint region is composed of non-fibrous and lignified brachysclereids. A parenchymatous tissue is inserted into these sclereids at the joint, giving rise to a separation tissue. The inner epidermis cells on both sides of the pericarp wall adhere to each other and participate in formation of the joint region. In addition, the sclerenchymas, or phloem fibres borne externally to three main vascular bundles throughout the length of the fruit, are not formed at the joint region. The absence of phloem fibres also appears to contribute to the structural weakness of the joint as well as the separation tissue. Although the sclerenchyma of sclereids at the joint region and that of fibers of the rest of the fruit are continuously distributed beneath the inner epidermis, developmental processes revealed that these two kinds of sclerenchyma have different origins and are not homologous: the former sclerenchyma is originated from the parenchymatous ground tissue, i.e., mesophyll, of the ovary wall, whereas the latter from the inner epidermis. The wall thickening of the former sclerenchyma, moreover, begins earlier than the latter and also the phloem fibres in the course of fruit development.

Seven culture strains of Euglena originating from brackish-water regions in Japan were identified as E. salina, E. agilis var. striata and E. viridis var. maritima, based on morphological features by light microscopy. These three taxa are newly found in Japan. During this study, it became evident that E. salina has chloroplasts each with a naked pyrenoid and E. agilis var. striata inhabits not only fresh water but also brackish water.

Tricyrtis puberula, T. latifolia and several other related taxa are reviewed taxonomically. Both T. puberula and T. latifolia can be regarded as distinct species each with marked diagnostic features. Tricyrtis pseudolatifolia, recently described from China, is reduced to T. puberula, as it has no significant difference from the latter. Tricyrtis bakeri and T. makinoi are regarded as conspecific with T. latifolia. Lectotypification of T. bakeri is made. Tricyrtis latifolia has often been recorded from China, but its occurrence is negated because of the absence of any supporting evidence. It is concluded that T. puberula is endemic to China, while T. latifolia to Japan. Tricyrtis maculata, to which T. puberula has often been referred, is quite a different entity from T. puberula and T. latifolia. Flowers of both T. puberula and T. latifolia are protandrous and last for two days, acting as male on the first day and as female on the second day. Tricyrtis puberula is self-compatible, as far as a preliminary test indicated. Tricyrtis puberula and T. latifolia are pseudo-annuals. The relationships between T. puberula and T. latifolia are discussed briefly.

A new species of Solidago (Asteraceae), S. horieana Kadota, is described from Hokkaido, northern Japan. Solidago horieana is different from S. yokusaiana Makino in having larger capitula, fewer, remote cauline leaves densely strigose with curved hairs on the adaxial side, acuminate involucral phyllaries and subtending leaves and longer outer involucral phyllaries. Solidago horieana occurs along mountain streams of lower elevation in the serpentine area of northern Hokkaido. This new species is both a rheophyte and serpentinophyte.