Dendrobium ormerodii (Orchidaceae, Dendrobieae), a new Dendrobium species from Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

A species new to science, Dendrobium ormerodii Handoyo, Naive & J.Champ. from Kalimantan, Borneo is herein described and illustrated. The species is superficially similar to D. fulminicaule but differs in having shorter stem, narrower leaf, dorsal sepal with acute apex, labellum without sidelobes or without the broadening at the base, labellum apex obtuse-truncate, and shorter column. Detailed description, a colour plate, line drawing, notes on phenology, distribution, and a conservation assessment are provided below.

Conamomum Pierreanum (Gagnep.) Skornick. & A. D. Poulsen (Zingiberaceae), a New Record for the Flora of Vietnam

Conamomum pierreanum (Gagnep.) Skornick. & A. D. Poulsen, (Zingiberaceae), a previously known species from Thailand and Cambodia, is here reported, as a new record for Vietnam. It is similar to C. rubidum and C. odorum but differs in having a present stilt root; a shorter petiole, 2-3 cm; a larger leaf blade, oblong, 30-50 × 5-8 cm, glabrous; a globose to ovoid inflorescence, arising near the base of rhizome; tomentose outer surface of bract; a 3-toothed bracteole, outer surface hairy; and a smaller filament, yellowish and glabrous. The detailed morphological description, distribution and ecology information, conservation status and a colour plate of this species are given.

New records of Hedychium hookeri (Zingiberaceae) from China and Myanmar

Hedychium hookeri is newly recorded from China and Myanmar. A full description of the species, a colour plate showing diagnostic features of the species as well as some relevant taxonomic and nomenclatural notes and a detailed comparison of H. hookeri and its close relatives are provided. A lectoptype is designated for H. hookeri.

Didymocarpus phuquocensis, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Phu Quoc Island, South-western Vietnam

A new species of Gesneriaceae, Didymocarpus phuquocensis, is described and illustrated from Phu Quoc National Park, Kien Giang Province, South-western Vietnam. It is most similar to D. pulcher, D. hookeri and D. punduanus in having 3-verticillate petiolate leaves, morphologically similar calyx, corolla, stamens, pistil and fruit, but differs from all in the glandular-pubescent stems, petioles and leaf blades, 1(–2)-flowered cymes, longer corolla and fruit and longer and densely glandular-puberulent ovary. Data on distribution, ecology, phenology and provisional conservation assessment of the new species are given along with an illustration and a colour plate.

Camellia puhoatensis (Sect. Archecamellia – Theaceae), a new species from Vietnam

A new species of Theaceae, Camellia puhoatensis N.S. Lý, V.D. Luong, T.H. Le, D.H. Nguyen & N.D. Do, sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Nghe An Province, North Central Coastal Region, Vietnam. It is most similar to C. chrysanthoides, C. flavida and C. petelotii within sect. Archecamellia in shape and colouration of leaf, petal, ovary and glabrous stamen, but differs by its young puberulous shoot, mature leaf sparsely puberulous abaxially and leaf base rounded or broadly obtuse, petiole and pedicel puberulous, tepals 12–13, ovary and style pubescent. The comparison between the new species and C. velutina and C. dormoyana is presented. Data on distribution, ecology, phenology, use and provisional conservation assessment of the new species are given along with an illustration and a colour plate.

Didymoplexiella laosensis (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Gastrodieae), a new holomycotrophic orchid from Lao PDR

Didymoplexiella laosensis is described as a new species from the limestone mountains of Vang Vieng District in central Laos. A detailed description, colour plate, line drawings and conservation assessment are provided, together with morphological comparisons with three allied species in tropical Asia, namely, D. ornata, D. siamensis and D. trichechus. With the leasing of its limestone habitat to a mining company for cement production, the threat to D. laosensis is already evident.

The CaliPhoto Method

We propose an innovative method based on photography and image processing of interdisciplinary relevance, permitting the uncomplicated and inexpensive evaluation of material properties. This method—CaliPhoto—consists of using a dedicated colour plate with a specific design, placed in the field of view of a photograph of the material to be characterized. A specific image processing workflow is then applied to obtain colour vectors independent of illumination conditions. The method works using commercial colour cameras (e.g., smartphone cameras), and the colour plate can be printed on any colour printer. Herein, we describe the principle of the method and demonstrate that it can be used to describe and compare samples, identify materials or make relatively precise concentration measurements. The CaliPhoto method is highly complementary to any scientific research and may find applications across a range of domains, from planetary science to oceanography. The method may also be widely used in industry.

Return Verdesmum menglaense to the genus Hylodesmum (Fabaceae) based on morphological and molecular evidence

Verdesmummenglaense (C. Chen & X. J. Cui) H. Ohashi & K. Ohashi is a rare species in the tribe Desmodieae (Fabaceae) from Southwest China. The morphological observation shows that the species has minute capitate stigma and ebracteolate calyces, which are entirely different from the funnel-shaped stigma and bracteolate calyces of the genus Verdesmum H. Ohashi & K. Ohashi, but are consistent with those of the genus Hylodesmum H. Ohashi & R. R. Mill. The generic placement of V.menglaense within Hylodesmum was further supported by molecular evidence. Therefore, this species should be returned to Hylodesmum as H.menglaense (C. Chen & X. J. Cui) H. Ohashi & R. R. Mill. A full description including floral characters, a colour plate and a distribution map are first provided here for this species. After excluding the solo representative in China, Verdesmum should be removed from the record in Flora of China.