Four new species of Silene sect. Physolychnis are described: S. manandharii, S. kaliantha, S. pollicaris and S. deae. The first two are endemic to Nepal, the other two to Nepal and Tibet. Proper use and synonymy are clarified for Silene himalayensis and S. madens; both are widespread in the Western Himalayas and on the Tibetan plateau. Silene puranensis and S. caespitella are recorded as new to Nepal. Silene holosteifolia, S. hideakiohbae and S. pseudoindica, all with their main distribution in Nepal, are reported for the first time from Tibet, Bhutan and/or India. The presence of Silene noctiflora in Nepal is unproven. The status of Silene ischnopetala is discussed, and its earlier association with the Nepalese endemic S. indica is considered a mistake. Silene stellariifolia is suggested to be a synonym of Atocion armeria. The new combinations Silene souliei, S. qomolangmaensis and S. ischnopetala are made. A few emendations to our previous Notulae in this series are presented.
A new species, Pedicularis bhutanica, is described from the Dagala region in Thimphu district, Bhutan. Discovered along well-used trekking routes, this species is morphologically distinct from its closest congeners, Pedicularis heydei Prain, known from India, Nepal and Bhutan, and P. pheulpinii Bonati, from China, by the absence of basal leaves, specific stem indumentum patterns, and distinctive features of its leaves, bracts, calyx, lower corolla lip and capsules. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequence data supports the recognition of this new species. It is assessed as Critically Endangered (CR) under IUCN Criterion B.
A new species of Gaultheria L. (Ericaceae) from the Sikkim Himalaya, G. watsonii, is described and illustrated. This species is morphologically most similar to Gaultheria heteromera in terms of habit, especially in its procumbent branchlets and tetramerous flowers. However, it can be readily distinguished from all other known species of the genus, including Gaultheria heteromera, by its unique combination of morphological characters, namely prostrate habit with procumbent branchlets, adaxially smooth and smaller leaf blades with strongly acute and mucronulate apices, pseudoterminal 2- to 4-flowered racemes, longer rachis, shorter pedicel, 4-merous flowers, and ovary sparsely white hispidulous with conspicuously 8- to 10-lobed discs. Based on its limited geographical distribution and the continuing decline in habitat quality, the conservation status of the new species is provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(iii)] according to the IUCN Red List criteria.
A new species, Agrocybe himalayensis (Strophariaceae), from Uttarakhand Himalaya, India, is described based on macro- and micro-morphological characters and molecular phylogenetic analyses. This species is characterised by its pale-orange to yellow-brown pileus with distinct umbo, wavy cream margin, crowded pale-salmon to fleshy brown lamellae (often anastomosing), and ellipsoid basidiospores 8.7–11.4 × 6.6–7.8 μm. A phylogenetic tree, line drawings and photographs are provided, as is a table of morphological characters of the new and closely related species.
Vegetative keys to the 16 genera and 46 species of woody climbers of Apocynaceae recorded from the Sangha Trinational, Central Africa, are presented. These are accompanied by genus and species descriptions and illustrations of key diagnostic characters.
