A new species of Aristolochia L. subgenus Siphisia (Duch.) O.C.Schmidt, A. kachinensis Ohi-Toma, Nob.Tanaka & J.Murata (Aristolochiaceae) is described and illustrated. The new species is characterized by ring-shaped limb densely covered with dark purplish warts and white to pale pinkish-white throat of the perianth tube, and is thus far known only from Kachin State, northern Myanmar.
A new variety of Zingiber neotruncatum T.L.Wu, K.Larsen & Turland (Zingiberaceae) from Mizoram, North East India, is described here as Z. neotruncatum var. ramsawmii Lalramngh., M.Sawmliana, T.Jayakr. & M.Sabu. A detailed description, distribution and ecology along with colour photographs are provided for easy identification.
Based on the morphological observations of the type and other specimens in the herbaria and from the online digital images, Hedyotis kanehirae (Hatus.) Fosberg (syn. Leptopetalum kanehirae Hatus.), H. leptopetaloides Hatus., H. mariannensis Merr. [syn. H. foetida (G.Forst.) Sm. var. mariannensis (Merr.) Fosberg], and Oldenlandia imberbis Guillaumin are considered as synonyms of L. foetidum (G.Forst.) Neupane & N.Wikstr. (Rubiaceae). In addition, the lectotypes of H. kanehirae, H. leptopetaloides, and O. imberbis were designated.
A total of 176 herbarium specimens collected by Jun-ichi Sugimoto during 1927–1930 were donated to the Museum of Natural and Environmental History, Shizuoka. This collection included 33 specimens cited in Sugimoto’s Flora of Shizuoka and a duplicate specimen of the type of Cacalia amagiensis Kitam. [= Taimingasa amagiensis (Kitam.) C.Ren & Q.E.Yang]. The type of C. amagiensis indicated by Kitamura in KYO consisted of two duplicates (syntypes). Here, we designate one of them (KYO00028734) as the lectotype and remaining two duplicates are, therefore, isolectotypes (KYO00028735 and SPMN-SP 2858).
Harpullia arborea (Blanco) Radlk. (Sapindaceae) is reported for the first time in the area of the flora of Nepal. A detailed description with notes on ecology, distribution and colour photograph are provided.
The distribution of Tephrosia noctiflora Bojer ex Baker (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae) in India was determined for the first time based on specimens collected from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The recent report of this species from Andhra Pradesh was a misidentification for T. villosa.
Close morphological similarities between Folioceros kashyapii S.C.Srivast. & A.K.Asthana and F. paliformis D.K.Singh (Anthocerotaceae: Anthocerotophyta) as well as overlapping key diagnostic characters suggest the two species to be conspecific and hence, F. paliformis is synonymised under F. kashyapii.
Arisaema inaense (Seriz.) Seriz. ex K.Sasam. & J.Murata (Araceae) was found in Komatsu-shi, Ishikawa Pref., Honshu, Japan. This locality is distant from previously recorded sites and the habitat is very different. In addition, there were also some morphologically different characteristics, such as the shape of the spath-limb and spadix-appendix and the tuber not bearing offsets.
As a characteristic of Arisaema sect. Anomala Gusman & L.Gasuman, grouped buds at the axil of the petiole of normal leaves have been noticed, based on observation of A. omkoiense Gusman and A. filiforme Blume. Recently, this type of axillary buds on the basal part of old petioles removed from the mother plant of A. umbrinum Ridl. another species of sect. Anomala, has been found to produce a shoot, after six months’ cultivation with soil. The basal parts of the old petioles may be effective for vegetative reproduction as ramets.