Five South American species of Sarcocornia (Chenopodiaceae) are accepted, four of which are new combinations in that genus: S. ambigua (Michx.) M.A. Alonso & M.B. Crespo, S. andina (Phil.) Freitag, M.A. Alonso & M.B. Crespo, S. magellanica (Phil.) M.A. Alonso & M.B. Crespo, and S. neei (Lag.) M.A. Alonso & M.B. Crespo. Synonyms and types arc cited for the accepted taxa, and three lectotypes, an epitype and a neotype are designated to establish a correct usage of the names. Main diagnostic characters, ecological features and distributions are also reported for each taxon, and a key is provided to facilitate identification.

Flooded forests in 79 sample areas were studied in various parts of Estonia. Using the principal component analysis and cluster analysis, six community types were established: (i) Tilia cordata—Mercurialis perennis, (ii) Ulmus laevis—Allium ursinum, (iii) Populus tremula—Convallaria majalis, (iv) Alnus incana—Cirsium oleraceum, (v) Alnus glutinosa—Filipendula ulmaria and, (vi) Alnus glutinosa—Carex acutiformis. The species composition of these types partly overlaps but the abundance proportions of species are clearly different and all types have several significant indicator species. Another classification scheme was established by TWlNSPAN analysis. Following the phytosociological approach, the communities belong to Querco—Fagetea, Alno—Ulmion (Pruno—Fraxinetum, Ficario—Ulmetum, Pruno padi—Alnetum incanae, the latter subdivided further into P.p.—A.i. var. Frangida alnus and P.p.—A.i. var. Urtica dioica), and to Alnetea glutinosae, Alnion (Carici elongatae—Alnetum, represented with two subassociations: C.e.—A. typicum and C.e.—A. cardaminetosum). Despite different concepts used for establishment of community types by either approach the obtained results are rather similar. The syntaxa of Alno—Ulmion show particularly high internal variability, although all recognised communities have unambiguous affinities with the assemblages described elsewhere from central and northern-central Europe.

We report on New Guinea occurrences of the genus Merrilliobryum, previously thought to he endemic to the Philippines. The New Guinea plants are named M. tanianum D.H. Norris, T.J. Kop. & W.R. Buck, sp. nova. They differ from the Philippine M. fabronioides Broth. in their larger size, relatively broader leaves, the more elongate cells of the median leaf, and in the number of cells in the uniseriate leaf apex. The paper includes a key, descriptions, illustrations and distributional data for the two species of the genus.

Neckera hymenodonta Müll. Hal. is reinstated from the synonymy of N. pennata Hedw. and treated as a distinct species. The morphological differences between the two are elaborated and N. hymenodonta is illustrated in line drawings. It is known from New Zealand and Australia. Neckera pennata var. tasmanica Hampe, N. aurescens Hampe and N. leptotheca Mitt. are synonymized with N. hymenodonta. Neckera pennata is excluded from the New Zealand flora.

Dynamics of mycorrhizal colonization of two orchid species, rhizomatous Cephalanthera longifolia and tuberous Dactylorhiza majalis, was studied during two growing seasons, with special emphasis on the occurrence of collapsed pelotons. No complete lysis of pelotons in digestion cells was found. Mycorrhizal colonization of subterranean organs of both species was observed to take place even before aerial shoots developed, indicating that colonization is not restricted to leafy season, and was constantly present throughout, the growing seasons with no distinct coincidence with flowering or fruiting time. Mycorrhizal colonization of C. longifolia was patchy and of low degree (mean = 4.4%. SE = 0.3%). It occurred mostly in the distal parts of main roots, lateral roots and/or in isolated root parts. Intensity of mycorrhizal colonization of D. majalis was generally higher (mean = 12.1%, SE = 0.7%). Tubers lacked colonization except in the root-like extensions.

Michelia concinna H. Jiang & E.D. Liu, a new species of Magnoliaceae from SE Yunnan, China is described and illustrated. The morphological characteristics of the new species and two morphologically similar species are compared.

Pimpineila isaurica V.A. Matthews subsp. sumbuliana R.S. Göktürk subsp. nova (Apiaceae) is described and illustrated from Anatolia, Turkey. It is closely related to P. isaurica subsp. isaurica, also an endemic of Anatolia. The diagnostic morphological characters of subsp. sumbuliana and subsp. isaurica are discussed and their geographic distributions are presented.

Daphne hekouensis H.W. Li & Y.M. Shui sp. nova (Thymelaeaceae) from China (Yunnan Province, Hekou County) is described and illustrated. The new species with its axillary inflorescence and 5-lobed white calyx tube is most similar to D. axillaris, but can be easily distinguished by the larger leaves (13–21 × 5–8 cm), longer calyx tubes (15–25 mm), larger elliptic or oblong calyx lobes (10–15 × 3–4 mm), and upper whorl of stamens located 3–4 mm below the mouth of the tube.

A new species of Gesneriaceae from Guangxi, China. Lagarosolen hechiensis Y.G. Wei, Yan Liu & F. Wen is described and illustrated. it is similar to L. hispidus W.T. Wang in the leaf shape, but differs by its leaf margin, bracts, bracteoles and corolla lobes.

Following the commonly accepted generic concept, the Carpathian endemic Hieracium ullepitschii Blocki and the Balkan endemic H. rhodopeum Griseb. are transferred to the genus Pilosella as P. ullepitschii (Błocki) Szeląg and P. rhodopea (Griseb.) Szeląg. Hieracium alpicola subsp. furcotae Degen & Zahn. H. depannatum Elfstr., H. rufotectum Elfstr. and H. quasadnatum Elfstr. are reduced to synonymy of Pilosella ullepitschii. Hieracium micromegas Fr. is synonymized with Pilosella rhodopea. P. alpicola var. serbica F.W. Schultz & Schultz-Bip. is raised to species rank. Four names are lectotypified and two names are neotypified. A new section Pilosella sect. Alpicolinae (Nägeli & Peter) Szeląg is established.

Cerastium qingliangfengicum H.W. Zhang & X.F. Jin sp. nova (Caryophyllaceae) is described. The new species was found in moist places in the valleys of Mt. Qingliangfeng in western Zhejiang of China. It is morphologically similar to C. wilsonii, hut differs by having sparsely to densely pubescent stems, leaves densely pubescent on both surfaces, petal lobes obtuse at apex, and capsules more than twice as long as sepals.

Tacca ampliplacenta L. Zhang &. Q.-J. Li sp. nova (Taccaceae) is described and illustrated from Yunnan province, China. It is distinguished by the following characters: the petioles, peduncles, and flowers are red wine coloured instead of dark purple; the bracts are very similar to T. chantrieri, but the fruits have different intumescent placentas, which fill the fruit cavity; and the stalk of the infructescence is rich in flexible fibre and very tough. Its flowering period (July–August) is rather late as compared with that of the sympatric T. chantrieri (April–June). This phenological difference may play an important role in reproductive isolation between the two species.

Rigidoporopsis tegularis Juan Li & Y.C. Dai and Skeletocutis fimbriata Juan Li & Y.C. Dai are described as new from Hubei Province, central China. Rigidoporopsis tegularis is characterized by thick-walled, finely ornamented, amyloid and subglobose basidiospores, and monomitic hyphal structure without clamp connections. Skeletocutis fimbriata is distinguished from the other species in the genus by coarsely fimbriate margin basidiocarp and very narrow basidiospores.