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Melothria L. (Cucurbitaceae) is a Neotropical genus of wild cucumber comprising 12 species. The only species that occurs in Malesia is M. pendula L., which has been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, mainland Sumatra, the Philippines, Sulawesi, and Bali. During our botanical excursions in Bangka and West Java from 2020 to 2022, we discovered naturalized populations of M. pendula. Our findings reveal that M. pendula has an extensive distribution in Sumatra and is a newly recorded wild cucumber in Java. We present a morphological description, photographs, and a brief discussion.

Two new species of Xenolepis are described and illustrated from Papua New Guinea: X. neoguineana Brown & Miller, n. sp., and X. slipihalo Brown & Miller, n. sp. All specimens examined were collected as larvae, most from Syzygium spp. (Myrtaceae), but a few from Garcinia (Clusiaceae), Ziziphus (Rhamnaceae), Amyema (Loranthaceae), and Gomphandra (Stemonuraceae), which represent the first reported food plants for Xenolepis. The new species bring to seven the number of described species in the genus. We also present DNA barcodes, host plants, and an illustration of the male genitalia of an undescribed species from New Guinea, but refrain from naming it owing to the paucity and poor quality of the specimens. Available descriptions and illustrations indicate that Xenolepis, as presently defined, comprises two distinct species groups that are superficially disparate but possess very similar male genitalia.

The true mangrove genus Camptostemon ( Malvaceae ) is becoming increasingly rare. This genus can be found in the Philippines, Borneo, Sulawesi, Maluku, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. Confusion remains over the taxonomic status of Camptostemon aruensis , endemic to Aru Islands, Indonesia. Therefore, a taxonomic revision is presented. Morphological characteristics, distribution maps, an identification key, and photographs of the species are provided. Based on type and type-locality specimens from the Aru Islands, C. aruensis is found to morphologically match C. schultzii . Camptostemon aruensis is a synonym of C. schultzii . Therefore, Camptostemon consists of two species, C. philippinensis (from the Philippines, Borneo, and Sulawesi), and C. schultzii (from Maluku, Indonesian Papua, Papua New Guinea, and northern Australia). Camptostemon philippinensis and C. schultzii are found in different geographic areas and do not share the same island.

The lianescent genus Tinospora Miers in Singapore is revised. Four species are recognised, two of which are newly described. Tinospora krispura I.M.Turner sp. nov. is known from Christmas Island and Singapore. Tinospora singapura I.M.Turner sp. nov. is known only from Singapore. Two new lectotypifications are included, one at the second step.

Knowledge regarding genome size allows us to infer relationships between taxa, address questions related to systematics and contribute to biodiversity studies. However, currently, less than 3% of described Pteridophyta species have genome size estimates reported in databases, and only around one third of these are tropical species, although the tropics are home of 86% of their diversity. The region of Timor-Leste, included in one of the 25 hotspots of biodiversity, is considered one of the richest areas of the world in terms of pteridophyte species. Nonetheless, research focused on this territory’s biodiversity and phylogenetic resources is lacking. This study presents novel 2C-values for 15 species of ferns collected in Timor-Leste, using the flow cytometry analysis. Furthermore, one species of lycophyte, Palhinhaea cernua (L.) Vasc. & Franco, was also studied and the 2C value estimated compared with a previous report. Estimates ranged from 10.45 pg in Selliguea feei Bory to 29.7 pg in Microsorum punctatum (L.) Copel. Using Leitch’s classification, all taxa analyzed are considered to have medium-size genomes. The data was compared with previous reports for similar species. These are the first 2C-values for two families and 7 genera of ferns, increasing the number of pteridophytes with reported C-values from 292 to 307.

Abstract Dual effects of spatial distance and environment shape archipelagic floras. In Malesia, there are multiple environmental stressors associated with increasing uplands, drought, and metal‐rich ultramafic soils. Here, we examine the contrasting impacts of multifactorial environmental stress and spatial distance upon Lamiaceae species distributions. We used a phylogenetic generalized mixed effects model of species occurrence across Malesia's taxonomic database working group areas from Peninsular Malaysia to New Guinea. Predictor variables were environmental stress, spatial distance between areas and two trait principal component axes responsible for increasing fruit and leaf size and a negative correlation between flower size and plant height. We found that Lamiaceae species with smaller fruits and leaves are more likely to tolerate environmental stress and become widely distributed across megadiverse Malesian islands. How global species distribution and diversification are shaped by multifactorial environmental stress requires further examination.

Seventy-two morphological characters and three ecological characteristics were measured to assess variation and phylogenetic relationships among twelve species and three infraspecific taxa of the genus Spathoglottis from Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. The morphological analyses divided Spathoglottis into two main groups based on the colours of the flower: Purple-Flowered Spathoglottis and Yellow-Flowered Spathoglottis. Species within the two groupings were further classified based on the size of the plants (Large/Dwarf Purple Spathoglottis and Large/Dwarf Yellow Spathoglottis) and the shapes of the labellum (spathulate, bilobulate or narrow/thread–like). The selected morphological characters appeared to support the taxonomic boundaries between two mostly debated taxa in the genus, S. aurea and S. microchilina.

One hundred and fourteen species belonging to 29 genera of Araceae are recorded from Sabah: Aglaonema Schott, Alocasia (Schott) G.Don, Amorphophallus Blume ex Decne., Amydrium Schott, Anadendrum Schott, Arisaema Mart., Bucephalandra Schott, Colobogynium Schott, Colocasia Schott, Cryptocoryne Fisch. ex Wydler, Cyrtosperma Griff., Epipremnum Schott, Gamogyne N.E.Br., Homalomena Schott, Lasia Lour., Lemna L., Nabalu S.Y.Wong & P.C.Boyce, Ooia S.Y.Wong & P.C.Boyce, Phymatarum M.Hotta, Pistia L., Pothos L., Rhaphidophora Hassk., Pursegloveia S.Y.Wong, S.L.Low & P.C.Boyce, Rhynchopyle Engl., Schismatoglottis Zoll. & Moritzi, Scindapsus Schott, Spirodela Schleid., Tawaia S.Y.Wong, S.L.Low & P.C.Boyce, Typhonium Schott, and Wolffia Horkel ex Schleid. Two genera, Cryptocoryne and Phymatarum, are newly recorded from Sabah. One species, Pothos leptostachyus Schott, is newly recorded from Sabah. One genus, Tawaia, and 50 species are endemic to Sabah. Taxonomic notes, an identification key to genera, and comments on habitat and ecology of the species are presented.

Background – Two new species of the sect. Thismia subsect. Odoardoa, Thismia cornuta Hroneš, Sochor & Dančák and Thismia pallida Hroneš, Dančák & Rejžek, from Malaysian Borneo are described and illustrated. The former species is distributed in the Bario area of the Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak, and the latter occurs in the SAFE (Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystem) Project area, northwest of Tawau in Sabah.Methods – This study is based on field observations in several forest localities in Sarawak and Sabah and herbarium material deposited in SAN, SAR and OL. Both conventional herbarium techniques and comparison with protologues of described species were applied.Results – Thismia cornuta is morphologically closely related to T. inconspicua Sochor & Dančák from Brunei Darussalam and T. chrysops Ridl. from the Malay Peninsula but it differs from both species by the presence of only two appendages at apical margin of the connective, by horn-like projection on each side of the lateral appendage and by white colour of perianth tube. It was found at three localities and is preliminarily treated as endangered (EN). Thismia pallida is morphologically close to T. filiformis Chantanaorr. from Thailand but differs by the presence of five appendages at apical margin of connective, by box-shaped lateral appendage exceeding apex of connective and by shorter filiform appendage of perianth lobe. It was found at a single locality within twice logged secondary forest and it is preliminarily treated as critically endangered (CR). This is only the second record of Thismia species inhabiting secondary forests in tropical Asia.