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The results of phylogenetic analysis, based on the whole chloroplast genome and morphological study support the transfer of a long ignored bamboo species, Sasa gracilis, to the recently established genus, Sinosasa, in this study. Morphologically, this species differs from all the other known Sinosasa species by having very short (2–3 mm) foliage leaf inner ligules, which is unusual in this genus. A revised description of its morphology and colour photos are also provided.

Sasa tomentosa is transferred to the genus Yushania following a reassessment based on a new collection with pachymorph and long-necked rhizomes from its type locality in Guangxi, China. Morphologically, it is most similar to Yushania doupengshanensis, but differs in culm, branch complement and foliage leaf characters. A revised description of its morphology and color photos are also provided.

China represents the northern distribution margin of the genus Globba, with only eight species recorded previously. However, the identity of some of the species remains problematic. Globba barthei was recorded as occurring in Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces by some authors, although the name had been regarded as a synonym of G. marantina by others. Based on specimen examination and field study, we confirm that some of the specimens that were previously identified as G. barthei indeed belong to G. marantina, while others represent a new species, which is described here as G. praetermissa. We have confirmed that G. barthei is conspecific with G. marantina and the latter name should be adopted. Furthermore, this species is newly reported in Hainan province. Globba praetermissa, which is known from southern Yunnan Province, is most similar to G. purpurascens, a species distributed in northern Thailand and northern Laos, in having lax, pendent inflorescence, densely ciliate bracts and lateral staminodes being nearly equal in length to the lateral corolla lobes. However G. praetermissa differs by having green upper leaf sheaths, ovate or elliptic and larger laminae, ovate, pale green and larger bracts, pedicels fully enclosed by bracteoles, longer calyx, and six appendages including a smaller pair between the two larger pairs. Furthermore, no fruits of G. praetermissa were seen in herbarium specimens or in the field and according to previous studies, the species is probably triploid with 2n=48, while G. purpurascens is a diploid with 2n=36, which produce fruits. A tabulated comparison of G. praetermissa, G. marantina and G. purpurascens as well as color plates of the first two species are provided.

Pseudosasa was confirmed as polyphyletic by recent phylogenetic analyses, with Chinese species of Pseudosasa distantly related to those from Japan. Among the Chinese species of Pseudosasa, Pseudosasa pubiflora is a morphologically unique as well as taxonomically problematic species endemic to South China, of which the generic designation is still uncertain. Molecular analyses based on both plastid and nuclear genomic data demonstrated that this species is closest to the recently published genus Sinosasa. Morphologically, the two are somewhat similar to each other in flowering branches developing at the nodes of every order of branches, raceme-like units of inflorescence with 3–5 short spikelets, each spikelet with few florets including a rudimentary one at the apex, and each floret with 3 stamens and 2 stigmas. However, P. pubiflora is very different from Sinosasa species in many reproductive and vegetative characters, such as the morphology of paracladia (lateral spikelet “pedicels”), the absence or existence of pulvinus at the base of paracladia, the relative length of the upper glume and the lowest lemma, the shape of lodicules and primary culm buds, the branch complement, the morphology of nodes, culm leaves and dried foliage leaf blades, and the number of foliage leaves per ultimate branchlet. The morphological and molecular evidence warrants recognition of a new genus to accommodate this unique species, which is here named Kengiochloa. After consulting related literature and examination of herbarium specimens or specimen photos, a taxonomic revision of K. pubiflora and its synonyms was made, and it was confirmed that four names, viz. P. gracilis, Yushania lanshanensis, Arundinaria tenuivagina and P. parilis, should be merged with K. pubiflora, while Indocalamus pallidiflorus and Acidosasa paucifolia are distinct species.

Sasa oblongula was described in 1987 based on a cultivated plant at the bamboo garden of Sun Yat-sen University. This species has two or three branches at the upper nodes, which differ from the rest of Sasa species that have a single branch per node. During the field trip to Baishi Town, Yunfu City, Guangdong Province in July 2021, one bamboo species with oblong foliage leaves was collected and matches the isotype. Then, our question was to test the identity of S. oblongula concerning other Sasa species based on morphology and molecular data. To do that, we sequenced the whole chloroplast genome of S. oblongula and did a phylogenetic analysis. Our morphological results indicate that the new collection is S. oblongula. The phylogenetic tree showed that S. oblongula is close to Pseudosasa, instead of Sasa species. Therefore, we transferred it to the genus Pseudosasa, and a revised description of P. oblongula is provided here.

Senegalia propinqua (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae), a new species from the Yuanjiang dry-hot valley in south-central Yunnan Province, China is described and illustrated. It is compared with S. kunmingensis, S. macrocephala and S. teniana. A distribution map of the four species is provided.

Argostemma tortilobum, a new species endemic to Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The species is morphologically most similar to A. sarmentosum, but differs in having erect stem without runners, densely pilose peduncle and twisted corolla lobes with ciliate margins.

Yushania doupengshanensis Y.Y. Zhang et N.H. Xia, a new species of the temperate woody bamboo tribe Arundinarieae (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), is described and illustrated from south Guizhou, China. Yushania doupengshanensis is characterised by long-necked rhizomes, usually a single branch at each branching node, densely white puberulous and thin white powdery internodes, tardily deciduous culm sheaths, densely ciliate culm-sheath margins, 6‒12 leaves per ultimate branch, densely puberulous and 8‒9 mm long pseudopetioles. Based on the morphological features, this new species is assigned to section Yushania.

Flowering material of Ferrocalamus rimosivaginus has been identified, allowing its analysis and description. The unit of inflorescence of the synflorescences of F. rimosivaginus is panicle-like and its fruit is berry-like. Ferrocalamus rimosivaginus differs from F. strictus in its rachilla puberulent except on its adaxial surface, the first glume with a glabrous apex, the abaxially glabrous lemma with an acute mucronate apex, and the palea with the surfaces between keels apically pubescent and progressively less pubescent towards the glabrous base. An epitype is designated to support the sterile holotype.

This study elucidates the taxonomic position of Indosasa sangzhiensis in considering whether it belongs to Indosasa or Chimonobambusa. Based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence, our results explicitly indicated that I. sangzhiensis should be a member of Chimonobambusa, rather than Indosasa, and is a distinct species closely related to C. communis, C. opienensis and C. puberula. Thus, the new combination Chimonobambusa sangzhiensis (B.M.Yang) N.H.Xia & Z.Y.Niu is made. A detailed description as well as two color plates of this species are also provided.

A plant formerly misidentified as Amomum maximum in Guangxi, China, is described here as a new species, namely A. fangdingii. A detailed description, distribution map and illustrations are provided together with a taxonomic key distinguishing A. fangdingii from eight morphologically similar species characterised by cincinnate inflorescences occurring in Cambodia, China, Laos and Vietnam.

The floral morphological description of Vaccinium glaucophyllum is supplemented based on newly collected flowering material. This species is reassigned to V. section Calcicolus based on its evergreen habit, dimorphic perennating buds, racemose inflorescences with large caducous bracts and pseudo-10-loculed ovary with 2–5 seeds. The information on its type, distribution and conservation status together with color photos is also provided.

Identifying a bamboo taxon from the Asian seasonal tropics is notoriously difficult, if not impossible, especially when the type material is lacking vegetative parts. This is due to the fact that old type material associated with the naming of bamboos often consists of only flowering branches and perhaps just a few leaves, and, as bamboos in the field are vegetative for prolonged periods prior to flowering, they are therefore not easily identifiable much of the time. Investigating one such bamboo, Neohouzeaua mekongensis, we show that previous flowering collections made during the seasonal dry (flowering) season could not have easily included key vegetative parts, such as the culm sheaths, which would have assisted in their recognition at other times. We trace this species back to its type localities and propose an epitype in order that its vegetative characteristics are made available to complement the floral characteristics of the original material.

Among the tropical woody bamboos, the Melocanninae is one of the most clearly recognized subtribes morphologically and has also been consistently well delimited in molecular phylogenetic work. The relationships among those genera in this subtribe, however, have been contentious because of poorly understood generic delimitations, in part due to poor specimen material or insufficiently assessed morphological traits, sometimes exacerbated by poorly accessible provenances. We address the phylogenetic and taxonomic status of two groups which together include the largest number of species in this subtribe: the Neohouzeaua-Schizostachyum complex, distributed from India to South China, Southeast Asia and southwest Pacific, and the endemic Indian genus Ochlandra. Three Neohouzeaua species (including the generic type), 12 Schizostachyum species (including the generic type and several species of uncertain placement), together with five species of Ochlandra and representatives of Cephalostachyum, Melocanna and Pseudostachyum were assessed in a molecular phylogenetic analysis together with members of other well-distinguished subtribes. Members of Neohouzeaua and Schizostachyum align into two main groups that were not completely well-supported statistically but which members possess mostly reflexed culm leaf blades, or mostly erect culm leaf blades. Other characters which provide obvious differences between taxa, such as the number of flowers in a pseudospikelet, fusion of filaments into a staminal tube, and presence of lodicules, were inconsistent between these groups. Neohouzeaua and Schizostachyum cannot be clearly distinguished in either morphological or molecular terms, and thus are united under the latter name, which takes precedence. In reviewing names in Neohouzeaua and their basionyms, several lectotypifications are designated. Three new combinations in Schizostachyum are proposed. On the other hand, Ochlandra forms a distinct clade and its monophyly is demonstrated, supported by clear morphological characters.

Fargesia sapaensis N.H.Xia & Y.Y.Zhang, a new species from Lao Cai, Vietnam, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to F. dracocephala T.P.Yi and F. fansipanensis T.Q.Nguyen, but differs from the former mainly in its mid-culm complement of 3–7 branches at each node, auricles of culm sheaths absent, 2‒6 florets per spikelet, 7‒10 mm long first glume and 2‒3 mm long lodicules, and from the latter by its culm sheaths shorter than culm internodes, 3–4 leaves per ultimate branch, and a mid-culm complement of 3–7 branches at each node.

A new species of the family Magnoliaceae, Magnolia quangninhensis Q.N. Vu & N.H. Xia from Yen Tu National Forest, in the Quang Ninh Province, north of Vietnam is described and illustrated. It is most closely related to M. bawangensis and M. shangsiensis, but differs by having all parts of tree glabrous (except for dense brown sericeous tomentose to tomentulose brachyblasts), larger elliptic-obovate leaves, creamy-white to pink–purple tepals and stamens, and (6–)9–11 tepals.

Eight new diarylheptanoids, coriandralpinins A–H (1–8), were isolated from the rhizomes of Alpinia coriandriodora, an edible plant of the ginger family. Their structures, including the absolute configurations, were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis and ECD calculations. Compounds 1–8 have a 1,5-O-bridged diarylheptanoid structure featuring polyoxygenated aryl units. When evaluated for intracellular antioxidant activity using t-BHP stressed RAW264.7 macrophages, all these compounds scavenged reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a concentration-dependent manner. Compounds 3 and 5 also showed inhibitory activity against NO release in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Six known flavonols, 7,4′-di-O-methylkaempferol, 7-O-methylquercetin, 7,4′-di-O-methylquercetin, 7,3′,4′-tri-O- methylquercetin, kaempferol 3-O-β-d-(6-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)glucopyranoside, and 3-O-β-d-glucopyranuronosylquercetin were also isolated and characterized from the rhizomes.

A new genus of Arundinarieae, Khoonmengia, is established to accommodate a unique new bamboo species, K. honbaensis, from central-southern Vietnam. The morphological features, habitats and distribution of Khoonmengia and related genera, i.e. Ampelocalamus and Hsuehochloa, are compared. The characters of its scrambling habit, internodes with brownish green dots, conspicuous nodes swollen at one side, elliptic buds wholly sunken into culm, extravaginal branching pattern, mid-culm branch complement with one central dominant branch elongating to reiterate the culm accompanied by several lateral slender branches, swollen culm sheath base with a distinctive zone of transverse wrinkles, synflorescence composed of only one spikelet, single or several to many synflorescences arranged into a raceme or panicle terminal on leafy branches, purple anthers and nut-like caryopsis with hardened pericarp and loosely adherent lemma and palea distinguish K. honbaensis from morphologically similar taxa. In order to investigate the phylogenetic position of this unknown bamboo, molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the nuclear gene GBSSI were also conducted, and the results proved that K. honbaensis is definitely a member of Arundinarieae with an isolated position, which also indicated that this species could not be assigned to any of the already described genera and supported the establishment of the new genus.

Schizostachyum dakrongenseis a new species of woody bamboo from Dakrong Nature Reserve, Quang Tri Province, central Vietnam. It is closely related toS. hainanensebut differs by its pseudospikelets having terminal rachilla segments with ciliate margin and 6 bracts; culm sheath with the base of the outer margin having a slight projection below its point of attachment at the node, as well as sheath blades usually less than half as long as the culm sheath proper; and leaf blades pale-puberulent and sparsely pilosulous on the abaxial surface. The new species is described and illustrated here.

A new species, Fordiophyton tereticaule, from China, is described and illustrated here based on morphological and molecular evidence. It is morphologically similar to F. faberi in having erect stems, slightly oblique and membranous leaf blades, broadly ovate to suborbicular bracts, and oblong petals, but differs by the terete stems, densely puberulous petioles, and elliptic leaf blades. Our phylogenetic analyses based on plastid genome and nrITS data indicate that this new species is clustered with four Fordiophyton species of Yunnan but placed far apart from F. faberi. An updated key to the genus is also provided.

Due to their specialised flowering biology where frequent or even annual flowering is uncommon, reproductive materials of bamboos are not always available, so hampering taxonomic interpretation and research into other aspects. Bambusa contracta, B. corniculata, B. cornigera and B. subtruncata were established only based on vegetative materials and flowering or fruiting material has been hitherto unknown. The floral morphology of these four species is described for the first time and, correspondingly, epitypes are designated to support a more complete interpretation of the species.

The taxonomic history of Boesenbergia (Zingiberaceae) in China is reviewed. Based on field observations and herbarium specimen studies, a comprehensive taxonomic revision of Chinese Boesenbergia is carried out. The results suggest that those specimens previously misidentified as B. longiflora and B. fallax in China should be either B. maxwellii or B. kingii. Boesenbergia maxwellii is newly recorded for the country. Altogether, four species are recognized for China. Keys, descriptions, distributions and illustrations of all recognized species are presented.

Background Bamboos, widely distributed in temperate and tropical Asia, Africa and America, refer to a group of special plants in Poaceae, Bambusoideae. China is rich in bamboo species. However, due to a long flowering cycle, the flowering habit and the flowering structure of many bamboo species are still not well understood. Here, we report a new bamboo species from Guangdong, China and an analysis of its interesting branch development in relation to flowering. Results This species is similar to G. stellatus, the type species, but differs in the characteristics of its lemma and palea, mid-culm branch complement, and culm-sheath ligules. The initial branches at a culm node do not apically develop flowering structures during a flowering episode; instead, these form on what appears to be specialized flowering branches. Conclusions The results of morphological comparison support the recognition of Gelidocalamus fengkaiensis as a new species. And during a flowering episode, two branch types (‘foliage branch’ and ‘flowering branch’) can be distinguished in this species.

Costus chinensis and C. oblongus (Costaceae) has been previously placed in synonymy under C. lacerus. Our critical examination of herbarium specimens including type material demonstrates that they are morphologically distinct from each other. Therefore, the independent specific status of C. chinensis and C. oblongus is reinstated. According to recent studies, Costus chinensis as well as other two Chinese species, C. oblongus and C. viridis, should be transferred to Hellenia. Thus, a new name for C. chinensis, and two new combinations are proposed. A detailed description of C. chinensis along with a distribution map of three allied species is also provided.

Rhododendron xishuiense C.H.Yang & C.D.Yang in Yang et al. (2012: 95) was described based on material from Xishui, Guizhou, China. In the protologue, Yang et al. (2012) provided a Latin description and cited two collections, C.H. Yang 5784 with flowers and C.H. Yang 7590 with fruits. Both of the collections were deposited in the herbarium of Guizhou Academy of Forestry (GF). However, no type was indicated in the protologue. According to Art. 40.1 & 40.6 of ICN (Turland et al. 2018), it was invalidly published. Here R. xishuiense is validated by reference to the previously published description (Yang et al. 2012) and by designating the specimen with flowers (C.H. Yang 5784) as its holotype.

Based on a careful examination of the voucher specimens, the newly recorded Spiradiclis purpureocaerulea H. S. Lo from Vietnam was confirmed to be a misidentification of S. coccinea H. S. Lo. Coincidentally, Spiradiclis coccinea is a species previously known only from China, and represents a new record for the flora of Vietnam. True specimens of S. purpureocaerulea were collected by the authors in Thanh Hua Province (Vietnam) in 2017. Therefore, we report S. coccinea and S. purpureocaerulea as new records for the flora of Vietnam here. Detailed descriptions and color photographs of the two species and a key to the five species of Spiradiclis in Vietnam are also provided.

Hornstedtia tibetica was originally described only from fruiting material. On the basis of morphological study of flowering material originating at the type locality, the species is a member of Amomum. This was also confirmed by palynological evidence and a molecular analysis based on ITS region. A new combination Amomum tibeticum is therefore established here, together with a detailed description and colour plate of this species. As previously suspected from the similarity of the original description and type, Hornstedtia arunachalensis is conspecific with A. tibeticum and is therefore synonymised here. The only remaining species of Hornstedtia in China is therefore H. hainanensis, which was also described only from fruiting material. To aid unambiguous understanding of this taxon, we provide a detailed description and colour plate based on recent collections of flowering material near the type locality in Hainan Province, China.

Editorial of special issue of plant diversity in southeastern Asia.

A new genus, Wuacanthus Y.F. Deng, N.H. Xia & H. Peng (Acanthaceae), is described from the Hengduan Mountains, China. Wuacanthus is based on Wuacanthus microdontus (W.W.Sm.) Y.F. Deng, N.H. Xia & H. Peng, originally published in Justicia and then moved to Mananthes. The new genus is characterized by its shrub habit, strongly 2-lipped corolla, the 2-lobed upper lip, 3-lobed lower lip, 2 stamens, bithecous anthers, parallel thecae with two spurs at the base, 2 ovules in each locule, and the 4-seeded capsule. Phylogenetic analyses show that the new genus belongs to the Pseuderanthemum lineage in tribe Justicieae. Wuacanthus is closely related to Pseuderanthemum but differs from the latter by its shorter corolla tube and two minute spurs at the base of each anther-theca. W. microdontus is assessed with the status EN B2ab (iii) based on the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.

Michelia sonlaensis Q.N. Vu, a new species of Michelia from Son La province, northern Vietnam is described. The new species is assigned to the genus Michelia (separated from Magnolia), subfamily Magnolioideae based on general morphology. It is closely similar to M. xianianhei and M. mannii, but differs mainly in having a leaf‐lamina that is elliptic, thinly leathery, larger, with lower surface yellowish white villous (easily visible by eyes and feeling by hand), brachyblasts and outside bracts yellowish‐white sericeous, flowers light green to cream white in colour, and nine tepals with the outside of all tepals silky hairy at base.

Hoya tengchongensis, a new species of Apocynaceae, subfamily Asclepiadoideae from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to Hoya serpens in its creeping habit, bearing small and suborbicular leaves, and adaxially tomentose corolla. However, H. tengchongensis differs from H. serpens in corolla size (ca 7 mm versus ca 12 mm in diam) and corona morphology (corona lobes slightly ascending versus erect).

Boesenbergia fallax Loes., previously known as a synonym of B. longiflora (Wall.) Kuntze, is recognized as belonging to the genus Zingiber Mill. Furthermore, it is conspecific with Z. liangshanense Z. Y. Zhu, which was incorrectly treated as a synonym of Z. striolatum in ‘Flora of China’. A new combination, Z. fallax (Loes.) L. Bai, Juan Chen & N. H. Xia is proposed here, and Z. liangshanense is treated as its synonym. Lectotypes are designated for B. fallax and Z. liangshanense. Zingiber fallax is now known to occur in southern Sichuan Province and northwestern to central Yunnan Province, China.

Stephania subpeltata (방기과)의 베트남 분포를 처음으로 보고한다. 본 종은 형태적으로 S. japonica와 유사하지만 엽신이 방패모양에 가까운 난상삼각상 또는 넓은 삼각상이며, 엽병이 조금 더 짧고, 잎맥의 수가 적으며, 작은 화경에 산형모양의 취산화서가 달리지만 드물게는 복취산화서를 가지며, 꽃이 자색이고 내과피 에 돌출된 열의 수가 적어 뚜렷하게 구별된다. 본 종의 분류학적 기재, 상세 분포 및 생태학적 정보와 함께 베트남에 분포하는 함박이속(Stephania) 식물의 종검색표를 제시하였다.

Lysimachia rupestris F. H. Chen & C. M. Hu is reported for the first time in Vietnam, in Cat Ba National Park. The supplemental description of its floral characters is applied. It has glabrous yellow corollas divided near to base, and stamens with short filaments connate basally into a ring and basifixed anthers opening by apical pores. The systematic position of L. rupestris F. H. Chen & C. M. Hu and its closely related species is also discussed.

Magnolia champacifolia J. E. Dandy ex F. Gagnepain, sp. nov., originally described, but invalidly published in 1938, is validated here by designating the flowering sheet as the holotype. Otherwise, a new species of Magnolia L., M. lamdongensis V.T. Tran, N.V. Duy & N.H. Xia, sp. nov. from southern Vietnam is described and illustrated. It is distinguished from the closely related M. champacifolia J. E. Dandy ex F. Gagnepain, sp. nov., and M. albosericea Chun & Tsoong by its leaf blades narrowly ovate, glabrous, apex long acuminate, petiole c. 3 cm long, tepals short and glabrous, peduncle c. 3 cm long and densely papillate when young, and gynoecium glabrous.

A new species of Dendrocalamus Nees new names in Sinocalamus McClure, which was (Poaceae, Bambusoideae), D. longivaginatus N. H. reduced to a synonym of Dendrocalamus Nees by Xia, V. T. Nguyen & V. L. Le, is illustrated and Chia & Fung (1980). In a preliminary enumeration of described from Phu Tho, Vietnam. This species is the bamboos of Vietnam, there were considered to be known only from the northern provinces of Vietnam: 29 species potentially present for this genus in Phu Tho, Yen Bai, and Ha Giang. It is morpholog- Vietnam, but only 14 of them are formally established ically similar to D. brandisii (Munro) Kurz, a widely with scientific names (Nguyen, 2006). distributed bamboo from Thailand, Myanmar, China, During studies on Dendrocalamus from Vietnam, and Vietnam, but differs by the ligules of the culm the authors carried out a survey in northern Vietnam, sheath, which are irregularly fimbriate, slightly with specimens of a distinctive bamboo collected in concave, and 7-9 mm, and by the pseudo-spikelets, Phu Tho, Yen Bai, and Ha Giang Provinces. This new which are (5-)13-16 mm with lemmas 9-11.5 mm. species of Dendrocalamus, locally known as Dind ´

Vaccinium damingshanense (Ericaceae), a new species from Daming Mountain, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China is described, illustrated and placed in a new key for the identification of species of V. sect. Eococcus Sleumer in China. The new species is similar to V. carlesii Dunn, but differs in leaf shape, leaf margin character and details of anther thecae. Information on its distribution and ecology is also provided.

In order to investigate the embryological characteristics of Delavaya toxocarpa Franch. and provide a basis for further understanding the phylogeny within Sapindaceae s.l., we studied the sporogenesis and gametogenesis of D. toxocarpa using the conventional paraffin section method. The results were as follows: anthers are tetrasporangium; tapetum is typically secretory type; cytokinesis in the microsporecyte meiosis is of the simultaneous type and microspore tetrads are tetrahedral; mature pollen contains two cells; the ovary is bilocular with two ovules per locule; placentation is axial; the ovule is amphitropous, bitegmic, and crassinucellate; the chalazal megaspore in a linear tetrad becomes functional; and the development of megaspore is of the polygonum type. Most similarities shared by the species observed suggest that the species and genera of Sapindaceae s.l. have phylogenetic consistency. The distinctive trait, lacking hypostase, indicates Delavaya (and Handeliodendron) might be more primitive than other genera in Sapindaceae. Moreover, some characters, such as opposite palmate compound leaf, apical thyrse, rounded seed without wing, 2 hemitropous ovules per locule, and lacking aril, indicate the close relationship between Delavaya, Aceraceae, and Hippocastanaceae. The preliminary data about the embryological and morphological characteristics in Delavaya might justify the basic systematic position of this genus in the family Sapindaceae s.s.

Traditional markets in Vietnam are considered as important places for trading medicinal plants and also play a social role of exchanging traditional use of herbal medicine among different cultural and social groups at the local level. This study aims to identify and document medicinal plants used in 32 traditional markets of Son La province. Data were obtained through interviews and field observation method. A total of 167 informants include 13 herbalists, 49 herbal sellers, and 105 local people were interviewed. The study collected a total of 99 plant species belonging to 88 genera and 57 families. Identified plant species are used by local people for the treatment of 61 different diseases. Leaves, stems and roots are most commonly used either fresh, dried or by decocting the dried parts in water. In the study, the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) ranged from 0.02 to 0.44; the Use Value (UV) ranged from 0 to 0.84; the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) ranged from 0.84 to 1; the Fidelity Level (FL) ranged from 44.44% to 100%. Villagers view and our observations confirmed that knowledge about the number of medicinal plants available in the study area and used by interviewees positively correlated with the threats on medicinal plants in the wild habitats. Illegal and unsustainable exploitation by the local people is a major cause of their depletion from nature.

A new species, Stephania polygona N.H. Xia & V.T. Chinh, is described and illustrated from southern Vietnam. It is similar to S. subpeltata and S. elegans in general appearance, but differs by its polygonous lobed leaf blade, five to eight veins, and longer, red purple sepals.