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Northern Myanmar lies at the intersection of three globally important biodiversity hotspots. However, little information on diversity and the distributions of large mammals (> 1 kg) is available for conservation and management. To fill these data gaps, we established 174 camera stations in protected areas (PAs) and adjacent non-PA in northern Myanmar, with an elevational range from 470 m to 3150 m, to survey the large mammals from December 2015 to June 2019. We recorded 34 large mammal species (29 from PAs and 28 from non-PA), and plus one species Hoolock leuconedys which was documented from vocalisations. By inspecting wildlife body parts of animal found in local houses a further six species were recorded. In total, 41 species belonging to six orders and 18 families with five Endangered and ten Vulnerable species were recorded. Northern Myanmar accounts for 29% of Myanmar’s threatened mammal species (based on the IUCN Red List), including one Evolutionarily Distinct species (based on EDGE score), one keystone, two flagships and two range restricted species. Species richness and diversity showed a clear humped shaped pattern with elevation. However, higher species diversity was found in non-PA (H’ = 2.38) than PAs (H’ = 2.23), and similarity index was 0.81. We conclude that both PAs and non-PA are important to maintain the mammal diversity and enhance the conservation in northern Myanmar. However, shifting cultivation, agricultural expansion, and hunting frequently occurred in non-PA. Therefore, increasing the law enforcement and the establishment of proposed lowland southern extension of non-PA into PA is urgently needed to effectively conserve biodiversity in northern Myanmar.

In this study, we describe several new taxa belonging to the flora of Myanmar. One new family, Polyosmaceae (Polyosma wallichii Benn.) is recorded. Over ten new genera are recorded for the first time, including Amentotaxus Pilger (Taxaceae), Hydrobryopsis Engler (Podostemaceae), Cyrtosia Blume and Biermannia King & Pantling (Orchidaceae), Eleutharrhena Forman and Haematocarpus Miers (Menispermaceae), Craigia W.W. Smith & W.E. Evans (Malvaceae), Amblyanthopsis Mez (Primulaceae), Huodendron Rehder and Rehderodendron Hu (Styracaceae), Platea Blume (Metteniusaceae), Achyrospermum Blume (Lamiaceae), Christisonia Gardner (Orobanchaceae). In addition, five new species are described and illustrated: Tupistra natmataungensis Y.H. Tan & H.B. Ding, Biermannia burmanica Y.H. Tan & Bin Yang, Impatiens megacalyx Y.H. Tan & H.B. Ding, Amblyanthopsis burmanica Y.H. Tan & H.B. Ding, Platea kachinensis Y.H. Tan & H.B. Ding. The distribution, ecology, phenology, and conservation status of these new species are also described. Keywords: Polyosmaceae, New record genus, New species, Flora, Myanmar

The objective of this study was to investigate a method of measuring bamboo diameter at breast height (DBH) for biomass estimation using Monte Carlo sampling. The data for this study were collected in Paung Laung Reserve Forest, Myanmar. The research developed two different methods for determining required sampling numbers based on changes in the coefficient of variation (CV) with the sampling ratio and sampling size using 37 plots of bamboo. These sampling numbers were derived from the sampling ratio with a CV less than 10 % and the stability of the CV. The error ratios of the two results between measured and estimated bamboo biomass were 6.0 % and 6.9 %. It will be necessary to assess the balance between the estimation accuracy and survey time for carbon stock estimation of bamboo, which is indispensable for an accurate forest carbon accounting in Myanmar.

Coelogyne victoria-reginae, a new species of section Proliferae, from Natma Taung (Mt.Victoria) National Park, Chin State, Myanmar, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to C. prolifera, but the clustered pseudobulbs, pure brownish- red flowers and column wing with irregular notches at the apex of the new species differ from the other species. A preliminary risk-of-extinction assessment shows that the new species is regarded as EN C2a[i] according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Trivalvaria rubra and Trivalvaria casseabriae, two new species of Annonaceae from Putao, Kachin State, Myanmar, are here described and illustrated. They are morphologically similar to T. costata and T. macrophylla. The major differences between them are outlined and discussed. A diagnostic key to the species of Trivalvaria is provided.

Dendrobium naungmungense, a new species from Naungmung, Kachin State, North Myanmar, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to D. ciliatilabellum and D. vexabile, but the epichile is oblong with three long-ciliate laminae and the column wing has significant denticulation. A preliminary risk-of-extinction assessment shows that the new species should be regarded as Critically Endangered (CR) according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Coelogyne magnifica (Orchidaceae), a new species from Putao, Kachin State, Myanmar, is described and illustrated. It belongs to Coelogyne section Ocellatae Pfitzer & Kraenzl. and it is morphologically similar to Coelogyne corymbosa and C. taronensis, but can be distinguished from these species by its larger flowers, lanceolate sepals and petals, a narrowly ovate lip, which has two bright yellow patches surrounded by shiny brownish red and two fimbriate or erose-lacerate lateral keels on the lip. The major differences between these species are outlined and discussed.

The flying squirrel genus Biswamoyopterus (Rodentia: Sciuridae: Pteromyini) was once considered to contain three species, Biswamoyopterus biswasi from northeastern India, B. laoensis from central Laos and B. gaoligongensis from southwest China, all identified from morphological characteristics of one or two specimens. However, based on similar morphological characteristics of two samples of the genus Biswamoyopterus collected recently from northern Laos and northern Myanmar, and the small genetic distances on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA between them, the results strongly support these two samples as representatives of the same species. The phylogenetic analyses strongly support Biswamoyopterus as an independent genus of Pteromyini, as a sister group to Aeromys. Biswamoyopterus biswasi is distributed in the northern Indo-China peninsula, where it is exposed to a series of threats, such as intense hunting activity, illegal trade, and rapid habitat loss; this should warrant its classification as critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria. Here, the molecular data for genus Biswamoyopterus and two new specimen records from northern Laos and northern Myanmar are presented.