Material from Afghanistan previously referred to Ferula lehmannii Boiss.

(Umbelliferae) is shown to belong to a closely related endemic species, F. hedgeana Pimenov & Kljuykov. sp. nov.

Comparative morphological and carpological investigation shows that Ladyginia and Spongiosyndesmus are congeneric. An emended generic description of Ladyginia is given and two new nomenclatural combinations Ladyginia afghanica and L. gigantea are made.

A new species of Alpinia (Zingiberaceae). A. smithiae Sabu & Mangaly is described from Western Ghats of India. It is a member of section Alpinia subsect. Catimbium.

Myxochlamys amphiloxa R.J.Searle (Zingiberaceae) from Central Kalimantan Province, Indonesia is described and illustrated. An IUCN conservation assessment is made.

Two new species, Paraboea stellata D.J.Middleton and Paraboea minutiflora D.J.Middleton, are described and provisional conservation assessments given.

A taxonomic study was conducted of four Andean Begonia species, each originally described only from its type collection: Begonia hydrophylloides L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub., B. triramosa Irmsch., B. velata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. and B. xerophyta L.B.Sm. & Wassh. Amended descriptions of Begonia hydrophylloides and B. velata are provided. The distribution range of Begonia hydrophylloides is extended to include the Colombian department of Meta, as well as Cundinamarca. Begonia velata, originally described from Huncabamba Province, of Píura Region, Peru, has its distribution range extended to include Contumazá Province, of Cajamarca Region, Peru. Begonia triramosa, described from Chimborazo Province, Ecuador, and B. xerophyta, described from Loja Province, Ecuador, are both synonymised with B. acerifolia Kunth. Following an in-depth taxonomic study of Begonia acerifolia, an additional species, B. erythrocarpa A.DC., is synonymised with this species. An amended description of Begonia acerifolia is provided, and the species is recorded from Andean Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Begonia hydrophylloides, B. velata and B. acerifolia are all affiliated with species currently classified in the polyphyletic Begonia sect. Knesebeckia (Klotzsch) A.DC. Begonia hydrophylloides is assessed as Data Deficient (DD), B. velata is assessed as Vulnerable (VU) and B. acerifolia is assessed as Least Concern (LC), according to IUCN criteria.

The generic name Microsisymbrium O.E. Schulz was illegitimate when described because it included the type of Guillenia Greene. The monotypic Ianhedgea is proposed to include one of the 12 species previously assigned to Microsisymbrium, i.e. M. minutiflorum (Hook.f. & Thomson) O.E. Schulz. The proper generic placement of the remaining 11 species of Microsisymbrium is presented. The following new combinations are made: Ianhedgea minutiflora (Hook.f. & Thomson) Al-Shehbaz & O'Kane, I. minutiflora subsp. brevipedicellata (Hedge) Al-Shehbaz & O'Kane, and Neotorularia quingshuiheense (Ma & Z.Y. Zhu) Al-Shehbaz, O'Kane & G. Yang.

Three new tragacanthic representatives of the genus Astragalus L. are described. They are compared with their closest relatives. The line drawing illustrations of the floral parts and a distribution map are given for each species.