The names Phyllanthus baeobotryoides Wall. ex Müll.Arg. and P. macrocalyx Müll.Arg. from India are lectotypified.

We describe and illustrate Aristolochia neinhuisii (Aristolochiaceae), a new species in subgenus Siphisia from the Highlands of Vietnam. It resembles A. hainanensis, A. tonkinensis and A. howii, but differs from them by having some of the leaves organized opposite-like, instead of exclusively alternate, with a 2-lobed apex and a slightly cordate base, a horseshoe-shaped perianth with chestnut upper tube, and a yellow flower throat without dots.

We sought to test the utility of two single-copy nuclear genes for resolving phylogenetic relationships within the woody plant tribe, Acereae (Sapindaceae). Acereae comprises Acer (125 spp.) and Dipteronia (2 spp.), two genera that possess schizocarpic fruits, which split into two winged mericarps. In Acer, the mericarps are elongated with a basally arranged locule and a dorsal or distal wing. In Dipteronia, the mericarp is obovate, and the locule is located centrally and surrounded by the wing. We analyzed 35 species of Acer representing 12 of 16 taxonomic sections plus Dipteronia sinensis to elucidate the phylogeny of Acereae using the single-copy nuclear genes AT103 and SQD1. Both genes exhibited limited variation in Acereae and, therefore, provided limited support for phylogenetic relationships. The phylogeny of concatenated AT103 and SQD1 showed Dipteronia sinensis within Acer with negligible support (0.14 posterior probability, < 50% maximum parsimony bootstrap, MP-BS), a position that is congruent with results from prior studies using chloroplast DNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS). Based on our results and results from prior studies, we discuss implications for leaf and fruit evolution in Acereae.

Corydalis pseudoamplisepala D. Wang (Papaveraceae), a new species from NW Hubei, China, is described and illustrated. It is most similar to C. amplisepala, but differs by having sepals that are reniform (vs. broadly ovate to suborbicular), 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm (vs. 5–7 × 4–6 mm) and deeply laciniate-dentate (vs. richly fimbriate-dentate), outer petals without crest (vs. with crest), and lower petal broadly saccate at center and with a distinct pouch at base (vs. almost straight, or slightly saccate at center and with an indistinct pouch at base). Supplementary description of flower color, lower petal and seed morphology of C. amplisepala is provided.

A triploid and presumably apomictic species of the Sorbus aria group, S. javorkana Somlyay, Sennikov & Vojtkó, is described as new to science from Slovakia and Hungary. It occurs in the Gömör—Torna (Gemer—Turňa) Karst and probably also in the Slovak Paradise mountain range. Previously this species was known under the misapplied name S. javorkae, which is a synonym of S. danubialis.

Isodon aurantiacus Y.P. Chen & C.L. Xiang (Lamiaceae), a new species from the Yarlung Zangbo River Valley in Tibet, China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically close to I. parvifolius and I. tenuifolius, but can be distinguished from the former by the plants being dotted with aurantiaceous glands, corolla tube included in the calyx, and anterior corolla lip much recurved, and from the latter by the plants being densely aurantiaceous-glandular, larger lamina and corolla, and calyx 2-lipped to half its length.

The historical (mainly from the 1930s) and current records of 482 vascular plant species or genera of non-littoral areas of 464 islands in the archipelago of SW Finland are compared to visualise changes in distribution patterns and to identify environmental variables that affect the distribution of the species. The environmental variables were measured in the GIS. Logistic regression analysis was used to find variables that affect the probability of species occurrences. Results, including distribution maps, are presented for each species. A synthesis of the study is presented in the last part of this article series.

A replacement generic name Allopanax nom. nov. is proposed for a later homonym, Araliophyllum MacGinitie 1969 (non Ettingshausen 1868). Boreopanax gen. nov. is established for fossil Araliaecarpum kolymense Samylina, based on Siberian araliaceous fruits from the Upper Cretaceous (Albian) sediments of Kolyma river basin, Yakutia Republic (Russian Federation). Aralia wetteravica nom. nov. is proposed for a later homonym A. dubia (Ettingshausen) Schimper 1874 (non Sprengel 1827). The new combinations Allopanax quinus (MacGinitie) Doweld comb. nova and Boreopanax kolymensis (Samylina) Doweld comb. nova are proposed.

Three new species of Piper (Piperaceae) — P. canescens J. Mathew, P. megacarpum J. Mathew and P. karpuragandhum J. Mathew & Yohannan — from the southern Western Ghats, India, are described. Taxonomic descriptions, morphological differences to their morphologically closest taxa and colour photographs are provided to facilitate identification.

Taraxacum species collected in the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands are reported, described and illustrated. Most of them are new records, especially for the Canary Islands flora where T. canariense is the only one reported previously. Taraxacum guanchicum A. Galán & E. Linares & Vicente Orell. is described as a new species from Gran Canaria and Tenerife. A key to and a distribution map of all the species studied are provided.

Litsea gorayana Udayan & Robi sp. nova (Lauraceae) is described from Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve of southern Western Ghats in Kerala, India. It resembles especially L. udayanii but differs from it by its shrubby habit, elliptic leaves 4.5–6.5 × 2–3 cm, thickly coriaceous, and with a silvery-glaucous abaxial surface, 4–7 pairs of lateral veins, involucral bracts that number 6, 2–4 umbels in brachyblast, and 7 flowers in an umbel.

Peucedanum hyrcanicum Gholizadeh, Naqinezhad & Mozaff. (Apiaceae) is described here as a new species. It grows at high elevations on rocky cliffs and outcrops in forests and shrublands of the Hyrcanian relict region in northern Iran. It differs from other Iranian Peucedanum s. lato species in the shape and size of leaves, leaflets, umbels, fruits and in the petal color.

The taxonomic applications of two species names of Iris subgen. Scorpiris, I. albomarginata R.C. Foster and I. willmottiana Foster, are clarified. These species are confirmed to be taxonomically separate, and they are redescribed and mapped for the first time. Both species are endemic to the Western Tian-Shan. Iris albomarginata has evenly pale-blue flowers and occurs in the Ugam and Pskem Ranges (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan), whereas I. willmottiana has blue flowers with white-blotched blades of the outer segments of the perianth and occurs in the Karatau and Boralday Ranges, and also in the northern part of the Talas Range (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan). Iris willmottiana is reported as new to Kyrgyzstan. An identification key for blue-flowered juno irises of the Western Tian-Shan is provided.

Verbascum tzar-borisii (Scrophulariaceae) is a highly endangered plant species, with only two small and isolated populations in Bulgaria. Its present distribution range is highly fragmented, and the size of its populations was dramatically reduced during the past years. We used molecular Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers to characterize the genetic diversity of this local endemic. Eleven ISSR primers selected from 25 primers gave rise to 110 amplified loci, of which 106 (96%) were polymorphic. We found a low genetic diversity at the population level and a significant genetic differentiation between the investigated populations. Gene flow (N_m) was estimated to be 0.462, indicating a low migration rate between the populations. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that about two-thirds of the genetic variation was partitioned within populations. The high number of private alleles suggests that the extant populations of V. tzar-borisii need to be conserved.

Historical (mainly 1930s) and contemporary records of 482 vascular plant species or genus of non-littoral areas of 464 islands in the archipelago of SW Finland are compared to visualise changes in distribution patterns, and to identify environmental variables that exert an influence on the distribution of the species. The environmental variables were measured in a GIS. Logistic regression analysis was used to find variables that exert an influence on the probability of species occurrences. In this second part of a series of papers results, including distribution maps, are presented for species of Pinaceae, Cupressaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Ranunculaceae, Papaveraceae, Ulmaceae, Cannabaceae, Urticaceae, Fagaceae, Betulaceae, Myricaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Polygonaceae. A synthesis of the study will be presented in the last part of this article series.

An emended description of Chenopodiastrum S. Fuentes, Uotila & Borsch, a small segregate genus of the heterogeneous Linnaean genus Chenopodium, is provided and morphological characters used in the generic description are evaluated. Two species are transferred from Chenopodium to Chenopodiastrum for which two new combinations, Chenopodiastrum erosum (R. Br.) Uotila and C. gracilispicum (H.W. Kung) Uotila, are made. The descriptions of these species are emended and their relationships within the genus discussed.

Plants that live in coastal dune ecosystems may develop several strategies to deal with environmental stress. The aim of this study was to compare contents of nonenzymatic antioxidants including chlorophyll, carotenoid, anthocyanin and total phenolic compounds, and CSR (competitive, stress-tolerant, ruderal) strategy types of four dune species: Pancratium maritimum, Eryngium maritimum, Polygonum maritimum and Achillea maritima subsp. maritima. CSR strategies were determined using canopy height, leaf dry matter content, flowering period, flowering initiation, leaf dry weight, lateral spread, and specific leaf area (SLA). The lowest values for all measured parameters were found in Pancratium maritimum, while the highest contents of chlorophyll a, carotenoid, anthocyanin and total phenolic compounds were in Polygonum maritimum. The studied species had different ecological strategies to cope with stressful environmental conditions.

Ardisia phankelociana C.M. Hu & G. Hao sp. nova (Primulaceae) collected from the limestone mountains of Ha Giang and Bac Kan Provinces, Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The species is assigned to the subgenus Crispardisia based on its gross morphology. It is most similar to A. crispa, differing from it by numerous black glandular dots and stripes on the abaxial surface of leaves, glabrous inflorescence, and the oblong-elliptic calyx with sub-rounded apex.

The calcareous forests in northern Europe are characterised by a very high species diversity including numerous red-listed species. The aims of the current study were: (i) to describe the Estonian calcareous forests' diversity both on the species and community levels, (ii) to identify the indicator/characteristic species of the established community types and, (iii) to identify the main environmental factors affecting these communities. Of the 271 recorded vascular plant species, 55 occurred in such forests within their geographical distribution limit or close to it. Regarding soil properties, the humus-horizon C content, CaCO₃ content and loss on ignition (LOI) were found to affect the total number of species. All in all, 12 community types were established, each having their own dominating and statistically reliable indicator species. The community types also differed in their structure and characteristics of the soils (particularly humus horizon thickness and depth of the rubble layer). Although calcareous forests are rather threatened, in Estonia they still grow in relatively large and non-fragmented areas.

Hylomecon japonica (Papaveraceae) is the sole species of its genus. Two varieties, H. japonica var. dissecta and H. japonica var. subincisa, have been recognized, but the presence of numerous morphological intermediates renders the intraspecific taxa controversial. Based on observations of natural populations and molecular sequences of nDNA (NADPH) and cpDNA (rpoB-trnC and trnG intron regions), our results show that the samples identified as distinct varieties are scattered and nested within the subclades of plants identified as H. japonica var. japonica. As a whole, all samples of H. japonica are monophyletic; this is further supported by the continuous variation in leaf morphology. As a result, the two infraspecific names are synonymized with H. japonica. Our study emphasizes the importance of evaluating the full range of morphological variation and molecular data when describing infraspecific taxa within a morphologically variable species.

A neotype is designated for Epipactis violacea f. chlorophylla Seeland, which is the basionym of E. purpurata f. chlorophylla (Seeland) P. Delforge, the presently accepted name of the taxon.

Typhonium dongnaiense (Araceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, Vinh Cuu District, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam. A morphological comparison between the new species, T. bachmaense and T. vermiforme and a key to all species of Typhonium known from Vietnam are given.

Gerbera delavayi (fireweed, Asteraceae) is a perennial herb native to southwest China and the neighboring Vietnam. In recent years, the species' distribution and abundance have seriously declined, because its leaves have been excessively harvested for textile industry. In this study, 19 polymorphic and neutral microsatellite primer pairs were developed based on transcriptome sequencing of G. delavayi and then used to infer the influence of human activities on the genetic diversity and population structure of nine wild populations (204 individuals). Moderate genetic diversity was detected based on the allelic richness A_R = 3.436, Shannon's information index I = 0.789, observed heterozygosity H_O = 0.304, and expected heterozygosity H_E = 0.415, and moderate genetic differentiation F_ST = 0.110 (p < 0.001) was found among the nine populations. High genetic differentiation, limited gene flow, and a clear genetic barrier were detected between one population and the remaining eight. The results suggest that isolation barriers and human overexploitation have led to the moderate genetic diversity in the populations of G. delavayi. Environmental factors, floristic composition and geographic barriers of mountain ranges affected the genetic structure of G. delavayi. When utilizing the current wild resources, protection of genetic diversity both in situ and ex situ need to be considered.

Notopterygium oviforme (Apiaceae) is an endangered perennial herb endemic to China. To investigate its population genetics, we characterized 17 novel microsatellite markers based on high throughput Illumina MiSeq sequencing data. The number of observed alleles (N_O) per locus varied between 1 and 7 (mean = 3.53). Observed and expected heterozygosities (H_O and H_E, respectively) ranged from 0.24 to 0.72, and from 0.37 to 0.64, respectively. Fourteen primers were successfully cross-amplified in two congeneric species (N. incisum and N. forbesii). We detected no deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) and linkage disequilibrium (LD) at any loci. These microsatellite markers are likely to be useful for the study of population genetic diversity and genetic structure of N. oviforme and its congenerics.

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Loxostigma hekouensis Lei Cai, G.L. Zhang & Z.L. Dao, is described and illustrated from Hekou County, southeastern Yunnan Province, China. It is most similar to L. glabrifolium in the shape and colour of the flower but differs in the shape and indumentum of the calyx. It also resembles L. fimbrisepalum in the shape of the calyx, but it can be easily distinguished by the shape and colour of the flowers.