Two African genera of the Gesneriaceae, Saintpaulia and Streptocarpus, are similar in many respects. Both genera have blue to purple flowers, pollen of similar shape and exine sculpting, embryos with one-celled, uninucleate chalazal haustoria, shared vegetative structures among some species, and are among the few genera in the Gesneriaceae which include species with chromosome counts of n = 15. The similarity of these features has indicated that the two genera are likely to be closely related.

The fruit of Davidsonia pruriens F. v. Muell. drying and splitting at maturity into two indehiscent mericarps is re-defined as a schizocarpic didrupe. The sclerified mesendocarpic construction of the whole pericarp supports its classification as a drupe. The peculiar fimbriate surface of the mericarp is caused by the destruction of parenchymatous exocarpic and mesocarpic tissues exposing radially elongated mesendocarpic osteosclereids. The seed coat is described as diffusive exotegmic with expanding pachychalaza substituting the two integuments in the chalazal half of the seed. The diffusive exotegmy of the spermoderm supports a close relationship with Cunoniaceae, but refutes any relationships with Saxifragales or with Staphyleaceae or any Hamamelidae. The seed-coat structure indicates advancement and specialization of Davidsonia among Cunoniales; its origin could trace back possibly to Rosales, but never to hamamelidalean stock.

It is shown that the monotypic genus Whitesloanea (Asclepiadaceae, Stapelieae) is closely allied to Duvalia and Huernia but nevertheless should remain separate from them. The basionym, Caralluma crassa N.E. Br., is lectotypified.

Three new species of Juncus (Juncaceae) are described: Juncus funbristyloides from China (Yunnan), Juncus deosaicus from Pakistan and Juncus tobdenii from India (Sikkim).

Twelve species of Amomum (Zingiberaceae) are reported from Lambir Hills, Sarawak, with systematic and ecological notes based on field observations for more than one year. Five species, Amomum angustipetalum, A. bilabiatum, A. calyptratum, A. durum and A. somniculosum, are described as new to science. A key to all species of Amomum in Borneo is provided. The first report of andromonoecy and sexual dimorphism of inflorescence in Zingiberaceae is given for A. polycarpum.

The taxonomy of Cortinarius subgen. Phlegmacium sect. Phlegmacioides (= Variecolores) in Europe is emended to include 18 species, classified in three subsections: Subsect. Variecolores: C. variecolor (emended to include C. nemorensis sensu R. Henry, Mos.), C. violaceomaculatus, C. spadicellus (= C. amigochrous), C. largus (= C. nemorensis sensu J.E. Lange, C. lividoviolaceus), C. coalescens, C. patibilis var. patibilis, C. patibilis var. scoticus, C. kuehneri and C. russus; Subsect. Balteati: C. balteatus (= C. subbalteatus), C. durus var. durus, C. durus var. chamaesalicis, C. balteatotomentosus, C. balteatoalbus var. balteatoalbus (= C. crassus sensu J.E. Lange), C. balteatoalbus var. areni-silvae, C. vacciniophilus (= C. latus sensu Mos.), C. acidophilus, C. balteatocumatilis (=C. violaceocinctus), C. hysginus (=C. latobalteatus) and C. borgsjoeensis; Subsect. Serarii: C. serarius (= C. eulepistus). Nine taxa have not been previously included in taxonomic treatments of the group.

The species delimitations are discussed, and the diagnostic characters and their differentiation are studied. Species descriptions are provided. Two large species complexes were recognized, the C. variecolor and the C. balteatus complexes, the taxa of which had a large degree of overlapping character variation, frequently with only one, discontinuously varying character. The species have different and often less strict edaphic requirements than found elsewhere in the subgenus. Most species are rare and with a limited distribution, many of them belonging to a Picea or Betula-associated, ± northern, boreal element. A few species have a broad range of mycorrhizal hosts and a very wide distribution in Europe.