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Ophiorrhiza reflexa, a new species from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated in this study. It is morphologically similar to O. alatiflora due to the branched inflorescence, distylous flowers and the tubular-funnelform corolla with five longitudinal wings. The new species can be distinguished from O. alatiflora by its erect inflorescence, its smaller and equal-sized calyx lobes 0.5–0.7 mm long, its corolla tubes winged to the middle and the wings straight and its strongly reflexed corolla lobes at anthesis. Ophiorrhiza reflexa is assessed as least concern (LC) according to IUCN Categories and Criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has an exceptional diversity in Begonia, holding the second largest number of described species in this genus at the national level. Many new taxa need to be explored and described. This paper reports two new species, Begonia ruchengensis (B. sect. Reichenheimia) and B. auritalata (B. sect. Platycentrum), from Hunan province and Guizhou province, respectively. Besides the detailed morphology description, color illustrations, and line drawings, the diagnoses of these two species distinguished from their allied taxa are provided. Their conservation statuses are evaluated according to The Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stachys yingzuijieensis, a new species from western Hunan, China, is described and illustrated. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on three nuclear ribosomal DNA loci (ETS, ITS and 5S-NTS) recovered S. yingzuijieensis within the Stachys clade and as a sister group of S. arrecta. The two species can be easily distinguished by the morphology of lamina, corolla and nutlet. A key to all species of Stachydeae from China is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitreola quanruii, a new species from Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated in this study. It is morphologically similar to M. liuyanii because of the terete stems, creeping and branched at the base, the leaves which are pilose on both surfaces and the bilobed capsules with two erect horns. The new species can be distinguished from M. liuyanii by its taller habit, up to 20-50 cm tall, its linear leaves, 4-18 × 0.3-1 cm with acuminate apex and 8-10 pairs of lateral veins, its narrowly triangular stipules, its linear bracts, ca. 1.0 cm long and glabrous and its glabrous calyx. Mitreola quanruii is temporarily assessed as data deficient (DD) according to IUCN. The habitat of Mitreola quanruii is extremely fragile. Therefore, this species deserves close attention and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Hedyotis L. (Rubiaceae), Hedyotis konhanungensis B.H. Quang, T.A. Le, K.S. Nguyen & Neupane, is described and illustrated from the central highlands of Vietnam based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. The new species belongs to the morphologically diverse tribe Spermacoceae (ca. 1000 species) of the family Rubiaceae, which is represented by 70-80 species in Vietnam. The phylogenetic analysis, based on four DNA regions (ITS, ETS, petD, rps 16), confirms the new species' placement within the genus Hedyotis -- one of the largest genera in the tribe, comprising ca. 180 species across Asia and the Pacific. Hedyotis konhanungensis is morphologically distinct from all southeastern Asian Hedyotis L. in its set of traits such as leaf type (shape and thickness), growth habit, and floral parts (color of inflorescence axis and the shape of calyx lobes). The new species shows similarities with Hedyotis shenzhenensis, H. shiuyingiae, and H. yangchunensis from China in its herbaceous habit, fleshy ovate leaf blades, and dark purple floral parts, but it is phylogenetically distinct and can be distinguished from them by the following combination of morphological traits: habit with slightly smaller stature (<25 cm), broadly ovate or deltoid stipules with cuspidate apex and entire margin, and ovate or nearly ovate calyx lobes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiradiclis liboensis L. Wu & W. J. Liu, a new species in tribe Ophiorrhizeae of Rubiaceae from limestone mountain areas of Guizhou, south-western China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to S. guangdongensis and S. jingxiensis, but differs from the latter two by the following traits: stipule triangular, inflorescence sessile or with peduncle up to 0.5 mm long, pedicel 0.8-2.2 mm long, corolla white, salverform, corolla tube 1.6-2.2 cm long, corolla tube of long-styled morph inside with a villous ring and stigmas positioned at the throat of the corolla tube. The conservation status is assessed as "Vulnerable" (VU) according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Rubiaceae, Spiradiclis detianensis is described from a limestone karst area of southwestern China. This new species is morphologically similar to S. cordata and S. spathulata. All of them have rosetted habit and long peduncles, but it differs from the former by the cuneate leaf bases (vs. basally cordate) and much longer corolla tubes (1.8-2.2 cm long vs. ca. 5 mm long), and from the latter mainly by its tubular-funnel shaped corolla (vs. slenderly salver shaped), 4.5-6.8 (vs. 1.5-2) mm in diam, inside throat and corolla densely puberulent (vs. glabrous except a ring of long hairs at the middle). It also resembles to S. tubiflora, but differs clearly by its subrosulate habit (vs. procumbent to creeping), longer leaf blades (7.0-10.5 cm vs. 0.5-2.5 cm) and longer corolla tubes (18-22 mm vs. 14-16 mm). At same time, color photos, illustrations, detailed descriptions and conservation status of the new species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiradiclis tubiflora, a new Rubiaceae species, is described from a limestone area of southern China. It is similar to Spiradiclis glandulosa and S. umbelliformis, but differs from the latter two in its linear stipule, short peduncle and tubular-funnelform corolla with a distinctively enlarged tube. The colour photograph, illustrations, detailed descriptions and conservation status of the new species are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiradiclis karstana, a new species of Spiradiclis (Rubiaceae) collected from Yunnan, China, is described for the first time. It is morphologically close to S. jingxiensis, but differs from the latter mainly by its inflorescences with 5-9 flowers, its 1.5-2.4 mm long peduncles, its stipules shorter than 1 mm and the 5-12 pairs of secondary veins. The conservation status is assessed as "Vulnerable" (VU) according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiradiclis cavicola L. Wu, Hareesh & B. Pan (Rubiaceae), a new species from limestone caves in Guizhou and Guangxi provinces, southwestern China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to S. scabrida, but can be easily distinguished by its 0.5-3 cm long petiole, elliptic to oblong leaf blade, and homostylous flowers with anthers and stigma positioned at the throat of corolla tube, or sometimes stigma slightly above anthers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ophiopogon yangshuoensis R.H. Jiang & W.B. Xu (Asparagaceae), a new species from limestone areas in Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to O. intermedius, but differs by its abaxially glaucous leaves, white streaked, broad-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate bracts, narrow-lanceolate innermost bracts, and ovate, reflexed tepals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]