The population genetic structure and diversity of Angelica dahurica were investigated in wild populations from Japan and Korea, as well as in Japanese cultivars, using genome-wide SNPs. Phylogenetic network and population structure analyses identified three distinct geographic groups: Honshu, Kyushu, and Korea. Most Japanese cultivars maintained in medicinal plant gardens and nurseries were assigned to one of these three groups, although one strain could not be definitively classified. Genetic diversity within populations did not significantly differ between wild populations in Japan and Korea; however, average genetic diversity at the geographic group level tended to be higher in Korea than in Japan. These findings suggest that A. dahurica populations in Japan are likely indigenous, contrary to some views that they originated from cultivated individuals used for medicinal purposes, although this possibility cannot be entirely ruled out. The population genetic structure and diversity of this species were likely influenced by distributional changes during Pleistocene climate oscillations, as observed in many temperate plant species in Japan. Further field surveys of wild populations in Japan and Korea are needed to better understand the lower genetic diversity at the geographic group level in Japan.

Carex subsect. Pisiformes (sect. Mitratae), focusing on C. multifolia and its allies, was taxonomically studied by means of phylogenetic analyses using plastid and nuclear ITS DNA sequences in addition to the observation of gross morphology and micromorphology. Carex subsect. Pisiformes (s.l.) consisted of the three clades, which were distinguishable also in morphological characters such as shape of perigynia and fibers of basal leaf sheath. Accordingly, we recognized three subsections corresponding to the three clades, i.e., C. subsect. Pisiformes (s.s.), C. subsect. Multifoliae (subsect. nov.) and C. subsect. Daisenenses (subsect. nov.). Further, C. subsect. Multifoliae was divided into three subclades, which differed from one another in leaf characters such as texture, papillose or smooth on abaxial surface and anatomical characteristics. We recognized C. ser. Multifoliae, C. ser. Imbecilles (ser. nov.) and C. ser. Dolichostachyae (ser. nov.) for the three subclades. Carex ser. Multifoliae included C. matsumurae, C. toyoshimae and C. augustini, the latter of which was newly combined as C. toyoshimae var. augustini in this study. Carex kuroshimensis (sp. nov.) was described based on the plants from Kuroshima Isl., Kagoshima Pref. (nom. Jap. ‘Kuroshima-nagabo-suge’), which was previously included in C. multifolia var. pallidisquama. Carex multifolia var. pallidisquama was not included in C. ser. Multifoliae, and separated from C. multifolia at species level as C. pallidisquama (stat. nov.). Carex cucullata was synonymized with C. dolichostachya var. connatisquama (stat. nov.), where C. dolichostachya from Tokunoshima Isl., Kagoshima Pref. (nom. Jap. ‘Tokunoshima-suge’), was also included. （Continued from Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 70(2): 69–85, 2019)

Rhodiola hideaki-ohbae Xin Hui Li, J.P.Yue & Boufford (Crassulaceae), from Daocheng Xian, Sichuan Province, China, is described as a new species. The plants, apparently rare, were compared with other species of Rhodiola, particularly with R. bupleuroides, which it resembles in habit, and with images of specimens of Rhodiola from Sichuan on the Chinese Virtual Herbarium. The habitat on Haizi Shan is discussed and a table of the common associated species on Haizi Shan is presented.

Legume species are typically associated with specific rhizobial symbionts. Section Juncea of genus Lespedeza (Fabaceae) is a suitable system for the study of the levels of specificity in interactions between legumes and rhizobia because various levels of specificity have been seen among species in China and species within this section sometimes co-occur geographically. We examined the rhizobial compositions of four taxa of Lespedeza sect. Juncea, namely L. cuneata var. cuneata, L. cuneata var. serpens, L. pilosa, and L. tomentosa. We isolated rhizobia from nodules of wild-grown plants and identified them through partial sequencing and/or PCR-RFLP pattern of 16S rRNA gene. In total, 815 strains were identified as rhizobia to the genus or species group level; 96.2% of them are identified as Bradyrhizobium (where 44.9% were identified as B. japonicum group and 51.3% were identified as B. elkanii group). The compositions of those Bradyrhizobium groups differed among Lespedeza taxa. Strains of the B. japonicum group were isolated more frequently than those of the B. elkanii group from L. cuneata var. cuneata. In contrast, strains of the B. elkanii group were isolated more frequently than those of the B. japonicum group from L. tomentosa and L. cuneata var. serpens. Lespedeza pilosa showed the most conspicuous interaction with rhizobia, where 90.9% of isolates were identified as B. elkanii group. Although the factors controlling the specificity to certain rhizobia remain unknown, characteristic rhizobial compositions were detected in all of the Lespedeza taxa examined in this study.

The cultivar Kawazu-zakura (Cerasus ×kanzakura ‘Kawazu-zakura’) is characterised by its early flowering, which occurs in mid-February in Kanto region of Japan, thus preceding other Cerasus species and cultivars. In this study, we observed the floral development of C. campanulata, C. speciosa, and C. cerasoides using scanning electron microscopy to elucidate the relationship between the early flowering of Kawazu-zakura and its floral development. Cerasus campanulata and C. speciosa are the parent species of Kawazu-zakura, which flowers in early- and mid-March, respectively. Cerasus cerasoides, which is native to Himalayas, flowers in mid-November. The observations revealed that the initiation of the first floral primordia occurred in July, in C. speciosa and the development of carpel primordia was completed in January in C. campanulata. This suggests that the floral development is not related to the early flowering of Kawazu-zakura, but rather that the period of floral bud dormancy and expansion growth may be a key factor. The observation of the flower development in C. cerasoides also supported this finding.

Androecial development and anther orientation were examined for the male flowers of Idesia polycarpa, Itoa orientalis, Poliothyrsis sinensis and Xylosma congesta of tribe Saliceae in Salicaceae. Stamens initiate centrifugally in all species. In Id. polycarpa, however, the stamen primordia of the outermost whorl develop faster than the adjacent inner ones. This irregular developmental sequence makes these peripheral stamens appear to have initiated centripetally. In Id. polycarpa, moreover, the stamens borne centrifugally in the central part of the flower have extrorse anthers, whereas the outermost stamens have introrse ones. In other three species all anthers are extrorse. The irregular stamen development is closely associated with the unique anther orientation in Id. polycarpa. Idesia polycarpa has small nectary glands arranged in a row between the outermost whorl of stamens with introrse anthers and the inner whorls of stamens with extrorse anthers. Although It. orientalis and P. sinensis have no floral nectaries, X. congesta has discoid floral nectary located external to androecium, anthers of which are all extrorse and face the nectary. Those anthers of Idesia polycarpa are all face the row of nectary glands on both sides.

Ramalina echinata J.E.Han, Kashiw. & K.H.Moon, is described here as a new species from Japan and Korea. This species is characterized by its hollow thallus bearing conspicuous lateral branchlets on the main branches, the absence of isidia and soredia, and its corticolous habitat. Perforations on branches are sparse, and apothecia are produced on the apices of terminal or subterminal branches. The medullary hyphae are continuous and closely adherent to the chondroid layer. Spores are broadly ellipsoid, 2-celled, and measure 11–14 × 4–6 µm. The species produces two major medullary chemical compounds; sekikaic or divaricatic acid. Ramalina echinata inhabits beech forests at elevations between 700 and 1,430 m, occurring in northern Honshu to Kyushu, Japan. In Korea, it grows on the northern slopes of Mt. Halla on Jeju Island, at elevations between 580 and 1,000 m.

Two new species with dazzling flowers of Gesneriaceae, Primulina chouweichuenii F.Wen and P. gemma F.Wen, are described from Guangxi, China. From a morphological perspective, the former species is similar and closely related to P. pseudoeburnea, while the latter resembles P. curvituba. Owing to their high ornamental value, both newly discovered species have been excessively collected and sold, leading to the brink of extinction even before their formal publication. As a result, both have been assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. Additionally, color plates of the two new species and their comparative species are provided herein for identification purposes.

Nine names, including accepted names or their basionyms and synonyms, of Indo-Burmese and Chinese Lindera (Lauraceae) have been lectotypified for unambiguous use of these names. Additionally, Lindera vernayana C.K.Allen has been reduced to a synonym of L. pulcherrima (Nees) Hook.f.

New combinations are proposed for eight infraspecific taxa enumerated in the Flora of Miyagi Prefecture and A List of Wild Plants in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan published in 2017 and 2022, respectively, as well as in the electronic edition of the latter released in 2024.