The island of Kimolos, located in the western Kiklades in Greece, constitutes together with Milos, Polyaegos, Anafi and the Santorini island group the central part of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc. The flora of Kimolos consists of 443 taxa, 70 of which are under a statute of protection, 30 are Greek endemics and 225 are reported here for the first time. We show that Kimolos has the highest percentage of Greek endemics in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc. The known distribution of the endemics Sedum eriocarpum subsp. eriocarpum and Anthemis rigida subsp. liguliflora is expanded, being reported for the first time for the phytogeographical region of the Kiklades. The floristic cross-correlation between Kimolos and other parts of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc by means of Sørensen’s index revealed that its phytogeographical affinities are somewhat stronger to Anafi than to neighbouring Milos.

Publication in 2012 of Tilia paucicostata Maxim. subsp. dictyoneura (V.Engl.) Pigott (Tiliaceae) was not valid because the publication by Engler in 1909 was not the work in which the intended basionym, T. dictyoneura, had been validly published, being predated by that of C.K. Schneider earlier in the same year. The new combination Tilia paucicostata subsp. dictyoneura (V.Engl. ex C.K.Schneid.) Pigott is validly published here, and designation of the lectotype is confirmed.

Gentiana springateana D.Maity sp. nov. (Gentianaceae) is described from the Sikkim Himalaya and placed in G. section Phyllocalyx (Kusn.) T.N.Ho. This new taxon is described and illustrated, and compared morphologically with two related taxa, Gentiana phyllocalyx C.B.Clarke and G. urnula Harry Sm.

Two new species are described in the genus Streptocarpus (Gesneriaceae) from eastern tropical Africa. The first, Streptocarpus mazumbaiensis I.Darbysh. from the Usambara Mts of Tanzania, was treated as Streptocarpus sp. A in the Flora of Tropical East Africa account of the Gesneriaceae. The second, Streptocarpus acicularis I.Darbysh. & Massingue, is known from a single collection from the lower Chimanimani massif in Mozambique, previously misidentified as S. eylesii S.Moore. Both species are illustrated, their likely affinities are discussed and their conservation status is assessed.

Sixty new or updated records of plant species are reported from the Sultanate of Oman, as a result of field work and herbarium research. Four taxa represent new records for Arabia, 26 are new records for Oman, and 30 represent an extended distribution within Oman. Some previously doubtful records are confirmed. Brief comments are given on the phytogeography and ecology of the taxa. Most new records have been made in mountainous areas, either in southern or northern Oman, mostly in areas that previously were botanically very poorly known or unexplored.

Eleven species of fungi and one slime-mould are added to the previous list of fungi from Indian Ocean islands made by the authors in 2004. Two other species in the area are confirmed. Our knowledge of fungal distributions in these remote islands is extended and comments are made on some immature collections. This small collection does, however, indicate a palaeotropical element to the mycota with bias towards species found in Southeast Asia, although some have a worldwide distribution.

Musa argentii Gogoi & Borah (Musaceae), a new species, is described and illustrated from Lohit District, Arunachal Pradesh, India based on observed morphological characteristics in the field. Its distribution and habitat are described, and a key to the species is provided.

Chromosomes were counted for nine of the 24 taxa of Berberis (Berberidaceae) from Nepal, five of which were counted for the first time. The results show that all these species have somatic chromosome numbers of 2n = 28. The absence of polyploids suggests that polyploidy may not have been a major driver of speciation and diversification of Berberis in the Nepal Himalaya.

The taxonomic history of the genus Podocarpus (Podocarpaceae) is reviewed as the first part of a revision of the genus. The major taxonomic and other works relating to the genus published during nine time periods (before 1800, 1800–1850, 1851–1875, 1876–1900, 1901–1926, 1927–1947, 1948–1967, 1968–1987 and 1988–present) are briefly but critically discussed. Three landmark works are those by Pilger (1903), Buchholz and Gray (between 1948 and 1962) and de Laubenfels (1985). The paper ends with an outline plan of the revision of the genus to which the paper forms an introduction.

The genus Leontopodium (Pers.) R.Br. (Asteraceae, Compositae) is economically important for both pharmaceutical and horticultural purposes. This importance, however, has not led to a good understanding of species coherence and the delimitation of species. One fundamental aspect of a good understanding of a species is how many chromosomes it has and any possible indication of polyploidy. Here we present somatic chromosome numbers for 16 Leontopodium species, of which six are new for science. The results indicate basic chromosome numbers of x = 6, 8, 9 and 11, with x = 8 being most frequent among the species examined. While obviously including several distantly related lineages, the x = 8 species have distributions that are concentrated in the centre of diversity of the genus in southwest China. We identified two ‘species-pairs’ (Leontopodium dedekensii–L. sinense and L. souliei–L. calocephalum) in which the tetraploid species has more vigorous growth, but is confined geographically to the centre of diversity. The diploid species ascend to generally higher elevations and extend more towards the Tibetan Plateau. In contrast, our data also suggest range expansions in other polyploid species, such as the hexaploid Leontopodium ochroleucum extending into the mountains of Central Asia. Deviations from x = 8 are found at the edges of the wide Eurasian distribution of the genus. These may relate to subsequent range expansions into the Himalayas, northern Asia, the Far East, and a far disjunctive expansion to the mountains of Europe. This implies an increased ability of these species to colonise mountain floras and adapt to different environmental conditions. Thus, formation of higher ploidy levels in general might be significant for a successful radiation process.

A new species of Vaccinium section Bracteata (Ericaceae), Vaccinium utteridgei Argent, presently only known from the type locality in Papua (West New Guinea), Indonesia, is described. Its distinctive characters are discussed and comments made on the differences between this and related species.

The genus Colutea (Fabaceae) has been revised in preparation for the Flora of Iran treatment and a synopsis is presented here. In Iran the genus includes four sections, three subsections and nine species. An identification key, notes and distributions are given for the taxa. Two new subsections are described: Colutea sect. Rostrata subsect. Gifana and Colutea sect. Rostrata subsect. Uniflora.

Specimens of Hiraea (Malpighiaceae) from the Brazilian states of eastern Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, and Santa Catarina that had been determined as H. cuneata Griseb. and H. wiedeana A.Juss. were found to include four undescribed species. The assemblage traditionally named Hiraea cuneata includes, in addition to H. cuneata (Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro), two novelties: H. hatschbachii C.E.Anderson (Paraná) and H. occhionii C.E.Anderson (Rio de Janeiro). The gatherings labelled Hiraea wiedeana comprise specimens of H. reitzii C.E.Anderson (Paraná, Santa Catarina) and H. restingae C.E.Anderson (Rio de Janeiro), here newly described, and of H. macrophylla (Colla) P.L.R.Moraes & Guglielmone (Rio de Janeiro), the earlier and correct name for the species also known as H. wiedeana. In all, the flowers are borne in a single 4-flowered umbel instead of a compound arrangement, as is often characteristic of other species of Hiraea. Specimens assigned to Hiraea cuneata have the laminas abaxially sericeous initially but glabrous at maturity. In those assigned to Hiraea wiedeana the laminas are abaxially velutinous (eventually glabrescent in H. restingae). Full descriptions and synonymies are supplied, and all species are illustrated.

Amomum Roxb. (Zingiberaceae) in Sumatra, Indonesia is revised. Twenty-four species are recognised, most names are typified, detailed descriptions of species are provided and a key to these species is given. Provisional IUCN conservation assessments are supplied for all species. Two new species are described: Amomum mentawaiense A.J.Droop and Amomum oligophyllum A.J.Droop.

Two new species of Centaurea sect. Cynaroides (Asteraceae) from western Iran, C. shehbazii Ranjbar & Negaresh and C. solitaria Ranjbar & Negaresh, are described. In addition, Centaurea aziziana is typified.

A new species, Adinandra kamalae M.K.Pathak, Bhaumik & G.Krishna (Pentaphylacaceae), is described from Upper Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Two new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae), Begonia gambutensis Ardi & D.C.Thomas and Begonia siregarii Ardi & D.C.Thomas, are described from material collected on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Both species belong to Begonia section Petermannia. A key to the species in the provinces North Sulawesi and Gorontalo is provided.

Arisaema madhuanum, a new species of Araceae from the southern Western Ghats, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically allied to Arisaema attenuatum, from which it differs in having subulate neuters on the male spadix, a wide-mouthed spathe tube with the margins dilated into broad auricular extensions, and an erect to arching, oblong-lanceolate spathe limb with a narrow constricted basal region. The new taxon belongs to Arisaema sect. Sinarisaema Nakai.

The Erich Werdermann collection ‘Plantae Chilenses’ held at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh constitutes an important set of herbarium specimens from the Chilean flora, and represents over 10% of preserved specimens from Chile in the herbarium. Duplicate sets of specimens were distributed from the Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem to a further 15 major international herbaria. Here we provide a description of this collection, highlighting aspects of Werdermann’s journey in Chile. Included are his itinerary and maps showing where the specimens were collected. An important aspect of the paper is to clarify ambiguities concerning label data in order to provide more accurate detail for researchers using Werdermann’s specimens.