Phylogenetic analyses of molecular and morphological data have shown the genus Banisteriopsis to be polyphyletic and the genus Diplopterys to be nested within Banisteriopsis subg. Pleiopterys, which is not in the clade that contains the type of the name Banisteriopsis. Therefore, it is necessary to take up the name Diplopterys for the small genus formerly called that plus subg. Pleiopterys of Banisteriopsis. A description of the amplified genus Diplopterys is provided, two new species are described (D. bahiana and D. carvalhoi), and the following new combinations in Diplopterys are proposed, with all combinations by W. R. Anderson and C. Cav. Davis: D. amplectens, D. cachimbensis, D. caduciflora, D. cristata, D. erianthera, D. heterostyla, D. hypericifolia, D. krukoffii, D. leiocarpa, D. longialata, D. lucida, D. lutea, D. nigrescens, D. nutans, D. patula, D. peruviana, D. platyptera, D. populifolia, D. pubipetala, D. rondoniensis, D. schunkei, D. sepium, D. valvata, D. virgultosa, and D. woytkowskii. Illustrations are provided for D. bahiana, D. cabrerana, D. carvalhoi, D. pauciflora, D. pubipetala, and D. valvata.

For the forthcoming treatment of Capparaceae s. str. for the Flora of Ecuador, three new combinations are proposed herewith: Cynophalla didymobotrys, C. sclerophylla, and Capparidastrum sola.

Two new species of Pentagonia (Rubiaceae-Hippotideae), belonging to the group bearing entire leaves, with blades tapering and subsessile at the base and 5-lobed regular calyxes, are described herewith: Pentagonia bonifaziana, from the wet forests of the Mache-Chindul Reserve in northwestern Ecuador, and P. pachiteana, from the Amazonian lowlands of Pachitea, Peru.

One new species, one new variety, and one new combination at the rank of variety are proposed for three taxa of Chinese Syzygium: S. bubengense, S. buxifolium var. verticillatum, and S. jambos var. tripinnatum. The genus Pyrenocarpa is reduced to Decaspermum, with one new name proposed: D. teretis.

Yanomamua araca is described as a new genus and species from Serra do Araçá, an outlier of the Guayana Region in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. Yanomamua is unique in the Gentianaceae as an herb with sessile subcordate pandurate (fiddle-shaped) leaves, and inflorescences composed of oppositely paired solitary flowers situated in the axils of the upper three leaf pairs. Only limited material is available, and flower morphology is unknown. A phylogenetic approach was used to investigate possible relationships to other genera in Helieae, which yielded a likely relationship to several genera in the Symbolanthus-Chelonanthus clade but not a strong relationship to any particular genus. Instead it appears that this genus might represent a more internal, older branch within the tribe.

The species of the Bomarea setacea complex (subgenus Bomarea, Multiflorae group) are examined. Their morphology, leaf anatomy and epicuticular wax is studied. The variability of the population, their ecology and habitat preference is examined in the field. 5 species are recognised: B. crassifolia, B. crocea, B. endotrachys, B. purpurea and B. setacea. The species are distributed from Colombia to southern Peru. They are all very similar to each other, but in several regions two species occur sympatrically.

The morphology and anatomy of Bomarea ovallei, originally described in the genus Leontochir, are examined and compared to other species of Bomarea. Bomarea ovallei is restricted to a small area in northern Chile. It differs from other congeneric species in only two morphological characters. Overall, the evidence presented here supports the view of Ravenna (2000), who included Leontochir in Bomarea.

On the basis of a critical examination of the type collections of all taxa described in Arabis and Boechera from North America, we propose the following nomenclatural adjustments among the sexual diploid taxa. Seven new species of Boechera (B. evadens, B. rollinsiorum, B. serpenticola, B. shevockii, B. texana, B. ultraalsa, B. villosa) are described and new names are proposed for the taxa originally described as A. pulchra var. munciensis (B. lincolnensis) and A. breweri var. austinae (B. breweri ssp. shastaensis). Ten new combinations (B. arcuata, B. atrorubens, B. fernaldiana ssp. vivariensis, B. formosa, B. howellii, B. nevadensis, B. paupercula, B. pendulocarpa, B. polyanthua, B. spatifolia) are validated. Notes on the delimitation, distribution, and/or typification of B. davidsonii, B. holboellii, B. johnstonii, B. lignifera, B. lyallii, B. microphylla, B. pallidifolia, B. pendulina, B. retrofracta, B. sparsiflora, and B. subpinnatifida are presented, with the last species reported for the first time from Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Arabis davidsonii var. parva, A. demissa, A. hirshbergiae, and A. thompsonii are reduced to synonymy under B. davidsonii, B. oxylobula, B. johnstonii, and B. pallidifolia, respectively.

A critical comparison of the type collection of the Peruvian Sisymbrium lactucoides with members of that genus worldwide reveals that the species should be assigned to Dictyophragmus. The new combination D. lactucoides is proposed. A key to the three species of Dictyophragmus is presented.

On the basis of extensive molecular data and comparative morphological studies, the genera Ermania, Gorodkovia, Hedinia, Hediniopsis, Redowskia, Sinosophiopsis, and Sophiopsis, which form a mono-phyletic group with Smelowskia, are herein united with Smelowskia, a recently conserved generic name. Seven new combinations are proposed in Smelowskia: S. bartholomewii, S. czukotica, S. furcata, S. heishuiensis, S. jacutica, S. micrantha, and S. sophiifolia. A key to the 25 species of Smelowskia, as well as a detailed description of the expanded genus, major synonymies, and distributions are given.

Acer is one of the most diverse woody genera in the Northern Hemisphere. Recent phylogenetic studies support the placement of Acer and Dipteronia—sole members of the traditional Aceraceae—in the Sapindaceae. However, the monophyly of Acer and its sections remain to be tested. In this study, sequences of two chloroplast non-coding regions, psbM-trnD and trnD-trnT, are used to elucidate phylogenetic relationships of Acer and Dipteronia. Our results support the monophyly of Acer and sects. Arguta, Ginnala, Integrifolia, Lithocarpa, Macrantha, Palmata, Platanoidea, and Trifoliata. In contrast, sects. Acer, Goniocarpa, Parviflora, Saccharodendron, and Spicata are not monophyletic. Acer trautvetteri and A. opalus of sect. Acer are more closely related to A. monspessulanum of sect. Goniocarpa and A. saccharum of sect. Saccharina than to A. caesium and A. pseudoplatanus of sect. Acer. Acer distylium of sect. Parviflora is more closely related to sect. Platanoidea than to A. nipponicum of sect. Parviflora. Morphological species pairs between eastern Asia and North America are not sister species, including A. pycnanthum—A. rubrum and A. caudatum—A. spicatum. Acer ukurunduense is a distinct species from A. caudatum. Acer glabrum is most closely related to A. pseudoplatanus, whereas A. spicatum may be more closely related to A. carpinifolium than to A. caudatum. Section Hyptiocarpa is most closely related to sect. Rubra, and the two North American species of sect. Rubra (A. rubrum and A. saccharinum) are more closely related to each other than they are to the Japanese species (A. pycnanthum). Sections Integrifolia and Trifoliata are closely related, and so are Cissifolia and Arguta. Nevertheless, more data are needed to fully resolve intersectional relationships of Acer.

This publication is a precursor for the account of Trigonostemon (Euphorbiaceae) for the Flora of China, based on specimens at several herbaria in the U.S.A. (Harvard University, Missouri Botanical Garden, and the Smithsonian Institution) and major herbaria in China. The genus Trigonostemon (Euphorbiaceae: Crotonoideae, Trigonostemoneae) in China is revised. Twelve species and varieties are placed in synonymy, that is, Trigonostemon petelotii, T. kwangsiensis vars. kwangsiensis and viridulis, and T. lii are combined with T. bonianus; T. harmandii, T. leucanthus var. hainanensis, and T. wui are combined with T. chinensis; T. gagnepainianus and Prosartema gaudichaudii are combined with T. howii; T. heterophyllus is combined with T. flavidus; and T. lutescens is combined with T. fragilis. Trigonostemon fragilis is reported as new to Myanmar. A key to the species of Trigonostemon in China is given.

Stelis bricenorum, a new species from the Municipality of Guainía, Amazonas state, Venezuela, is described and illustrated. It has been collected both in the Rio Negro (and therefore the Amazon, along the Yavita-Maroa road) and Orinoco river (“caño Chimita”, affluent of the Atacavi river) basins. Stelis bricenorum is similar to S. santiagöensis, from which it can be easily distinguished by its relatively smaller habit, the wider sepals, and the glabrous petals.