The First Genome from the Basal Monocot Family Has Been Misnamed: Taxonomic Identity of Acorus tatarinowii (Acoraceae), a Source of Numerous Chemical Compounds of Pharmaceutical Importance

The basalmost monocot genus Acorus is well-known for its use in traditional oriental medicine. It comprises the groups of A. calamus and A. gramineus. A recent study recognized three species in the latter group, A. gramineus, A. macrospadiceus, and A. tatarinowii. The material currently known as A. tatarinowii has been extensively studied as a source of various chemical compounds and for producing the first published genome of Acorus, which is important for understanding the origin and evolution of monocots. Using the data from morphology, anatomy, and biogeography, we argue that the type material of A. tatarinowii does not match the interpretation of the species name as adopted in the current literature and herbarium collections (to a taxon of the A. gramineus group from Southeast Asia) but rather belongs to the A. calamus group. Moreover, the name A. macrospadiceus also cannot be used because it was invalidly published. Under a narrow species concept, other appropriate species names should be found or proposed for the plants currently named A. tatarinowii and A. macrospadiceus. However, we discourage the use of a narrow species concept in the A. gramineus group as insufficiently justified and suggest recognizing a single polymorphic species, A. gramineus s.l., at least until a comprehensive taxonomic revision of the group is available. Apart from the presentation of our revised taxonomic framework, we update the geographical distributions of Acorus species in Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand

Checklist to the Elatostema (Urticaceae) of Vietnam including 19 new records, ten new combinations, two new names and four new synonyms

Elatostema (Urticaceae) comprises several hundred herbaceous species distributed in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania. The greatest species richness occurs on limestone karst in Southeast Asia. Taxonomic revisions of Elatostema are largely out of date and contradict each other with respect to the delimitation of Elatostema and Pellionia. Most herbaria in SE Asia and worldwide contain significant amounts of unidentified material. As part of a broader revision of Elatostema in SE Asia, we present an updated checklist for Vietnam based on field visits, a review of specimens in herbaria worldwide, a review of type material and nomenclature. We recognize 77 taxa (75 species and two infraspecific taxa) of Elatostema in Vietnam, 23 of which were previously ascribed to Pellionia. Nineteen of these are new records for the country, i.e., E. attenuatoides, E. austrosinense, E. backeri, E. brunneinerve, E. crassiusculum, E. crenatum, E. fengshanense, E. glochidioides, E. malacotrichum, E. nanchuanense, E. oblongifolium, E. obtusum, E. oppositum, E. pergameneum, E. prunifolium, E. pseudolongipes, E. pycnodontum, E. salvinioides and E. xichouense. We place E. baviensis in synonymy of E. platyphyllum, E. colaniae in synonymy of E. myrtillus, P. macroceras in synonymy of E. hookerianum, and P. tetramera in synonymy of E. dissectum for the first time. Fourteen taxa (18% of all the recognized taxa) are endemic to Vietnam, which makes Elatostema one of the richest genera for endemic species in this country; this level of endemism is comparable to levels observed in Orchidaceae. Our checklist suggests that the highest diversity and endemism of Elatostema occurs in northern Vietnam, and that there is the greatest floristic similarity of northern Vietnam to SW China. The relationship among floristic regions is also investigated. We could find no records of Elatostema for 33 out of 63 provincial units of Vietnam, including all the southernmost provinces. We propose that further studies on the diversity of Elatostema in central and southern Vietnam are severely needed

New Species of Orchids from Vietnam

Identification of herbarium specimens collected in course of field exploration works in Vietnam during 2005-2007 revealed ten species of orchids new for science. Illustrated descriptions are provided for each discovered species, which are named as Anoectochilus papillosus, Arundina caespitosa, Bulbophyllum paraemarginatum, B. sinhoënse, Cheirostylis foliosa, Goodyera rhombodoides, Liparis rivularis, Oberonia multidentata, O. trichophora and Sunipia nigricans

Hayata glandulifera (Orchidaceae), New Genus and Species From Northern Vietnam

New orchid related to Cheirostylis, Goodyera, Rhomboda and Zeuxine discovered in lowland central part of northern Vietnam is described in rank of separate genus Hayata. Proposed genus differs from Goodyera in 2 separate lateral stigmas; in not hairy hypochile; in massive, knob-like mesochile and in large 2-lobed, dentate epichile. It differs from Cheirostylis in large flowers with completely free sepals (newer forming tube); in peculiar bunches of capitate glands on lateral walls of hypochile and in not swollen succulent rhizome forming normal adventitious roots, not modified into ridges or pillows covered by root hairs. From Rhomboda discovered genus differs in absence of any keels on the lip; in specific papillae bunches inside hypochile and in not winged column. New genus may be also close to Zeuxine, from which it differs in plant habit, large flowers, large dentate lobes of epichile and in specific shape of stelidia and rostellar arms. Described plant not fits well with any genera of subtribe Goodyerinae and certainly desires generic segregation. Besides Vietnamese plant, described genus includes H. tabiyahanensis from Taiwan and H. sherriffii from Bhutan. Standard taxonomical treatment of new genus and key for its species identification is presented in the paper

Species of Orchids (Orchidaceae) Newly Recorded to the Flora of Vietnam

Bulbophyllum cauliflorum, B. dissitiflorum, B. depressum, B. leopardinum, B. nematocaulon, B. pectinatum, B. trichocephalum, Cleisomeria pilosulum, Dendrobium jenkinsii, D. lagarum, D. monticola, D. strongylanthum, Eria affinis, Eulophia chaunanthe, Liparis resupinata, Peristylus laceriferus, Thrixspermum acuminatissimum and Uncifera lancifolia were discovered in Vietnam during 2006-2009 at first for the Vietnamese orchid flora. Geographical position of all discovered localities and illustrations for these species are presented

The Genus Sciaphila Blume (Triuridaceae) in the Flora of Vietnam

Two species of Sciaphila: S. arcuata and S. stellata (Triuridaceae) discovered in Vietnam are described as new taxa for the genus and one discovered species (S. nana) is first recorded for the country. The key for identification and illustrated descriptions are provided for all species of this genus in the flora of Vietnam

Peliosanthes yunnanensis and Trichosma yanshanensis - New Additions to the Flora of Vietnam

Two rare, poorly known species – Peliosanyjes yunnanensis (Convallariaceae) and Trichosma yanshanensis (Orchidaceae) recently discovered in Vietnam represent new additions to the flora of the country. Short data on taxonomy, types, morphology, ecology, distribution and studied voucher specimens, as well as illustrations are provided for both species. Two necessary nomenclature combinations are also proposed, namely - Trichosma chlorantha (Aver. & Averyanova) Aver. and T. yanshanensis (S.-C. Chen) Aver