A new species, Viola tokaiensis Sugim. ex N.Yamada & Igari (Viola L. sect. Patellares (Boiss.) Nakai) is described. This species has long been confused with V. boissieuana Makino which is widely distributed in the warm temperate region of Japan as well as the southernmost part of South Korea, but is easily distinguished by the leaf lamina wider than its length and equipped with more numerous distinct teeth on the margin, the larger, often 2-dentate appendage of sepals, the subglabrous base of lateral petals and the nearly wingless columnar style. The morphology of the style indicates its closer affinity with V. selkirkii Pursh ex Goldie. Viola tokaiensis is confined to forest floors of the cool-temperate zone in the Tokai Region of central to eastern Honshu and disjunctly in the mountain region of Shikoku with higher elevation than V. boissieuana.

The fine structure of a brackish and freshwater benthic diatom Seminavis strigosa (Hustedt) Danielidis & Economou-Amilli was examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. The mature cingulum consists of three non-areolae bands with alternating orientation: a broad valvocopula, a short segmental 2nd band, and a narrow 3rd band. Based on the morphological re-examination and considering previous studies, we propose here the following new taxonomic characteristics that define this genus: i) of the two chloroplasts, the ventral chloroplast is rod-like and the dorsal one is plate-like; ii) the distal raphe ends internally terminate in short helictoglossae; and iii) an accessory rib is developed on the inner surface of the ventral axial area. (Continued from J. Jpn. Bot. 98: 13–18, 2023)

Lectotype of Gardneria multiflora Makino (Loganiaceae) is designated. The name was proposed based on cultivated plants in 1892 and its valid publication in 1901 was prompted by the specimen collected from a wild population in Okayama Prefecture, Japan and sent to Makino by Zensuke Yoshino. As we could not find this Yoshino specimen, we selected a specimen with flowers collected by Makino himself as the lectotype of G. multiflora from the other three specimens made from the cultivated plants in the Botanical Gardens, Science College, Tokyo Imperial University. Supplementarily we comment on Yoshino’s other specimens in herbaria TI, MAK and KURA.

Anoectochilus medogensis H.Z.Tian & Y.Jin (Orchidaceae) is reported from India for the first time based on the collections from Sukiyo, Pakke Kessang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Detailed description based on Indian plants and photo-plates are provided for facilitating identification and also to update circumscription of the species. The conservation status of the species is estimated as Endangered [EN: B1ab(v)+2ab(v); C2a(i); D] as per IUCN’s guidelines based on the present finding.

Based on morphological observations of the type and other specimens, Lasianthus idukkianus E.S.S.Kumar & P.E.Roy, Hedyotis indirae K.M.P.Kumar & Aiswarya, and H. kottangathattiensis M.B.Viswan. & Manik. are treated as synonyms of Canthiumera neilgherrensis (Wight) K.M.Wong, Hedyotis hirsutissima Bedd., and H. purpurascens Hook.f., respectively.

A naturalized plant, Neyraudia reynaudiana (Kunth) Keng ex Hitchc., found in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, is reported with a description, figures and previous records of this genus in Japan to date.

We collected an alien plant, Dentella repens (L.) J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. (Rubiaceae) for the first time from the northern part of Iriomote Island, Okinawa, Japan in 2020. It is a new record of the species and the genus Dentella from the country. Since the first record in 2020, the plant has been found steadily growing at one site in a village near the northern shore of the island. We observed the morphology of the collected materials in detail under a stereomicroscope and the characteristics were generally consistent with the descriptions of the species in previous studies. The features of hairs on the corolla and calyx lobes are new additional information for the species.

Marchantia papillata Raddi. subsp. grossibarba (Steph.) Bischl. (Marchantiaceae), which had been reported from the west of Kanto district, was found in Mt. Usu, Hokkaido, Japan. The subspecies grows on soil around fumaroles on Mt. Usu, which is thought to have allowed it to grow in this cooler region at higher latitudes.

Four noteworthy species of lichenicolous fungi were found on lichen thalli of Ochlorechia A.Massal. collected in Japan: Sphaerellothecium araneosum (Rehm ex Arnold) Zopf is new to Japan, Sclerococcum glaucomarioides (Willey ex Tuck.) Ertz & Diederich, S. parasiticum (Flörke) Ertz & Diederich and S. pertusariicola (Willey ex Tuck.) Ertz & Diederich are the second discovery from Japan. The descriptions of each species are given based on the Japanese materials.

Calamagrostis yatabei Maxim. (Poaceae) was described with the citation of a specimen, “Nippon: montis Hakone, japonice Yama awa (Yatabe, 1884).” Although no specimen in LE completely matches the statement in the protologue, a specimen (LE01042711) collected in 1881 most probably corresponds to the citation and here designated as the lectotype. A duplicate specimen at TI is an isolectotype.

Actinocarya acaulis (W.W.Sm.) I.M.Johnst. (Boraginaceae) is reported as a new record for the flora of Nepal. The habitat, photographs and distribution note are provided.