Beilschmiedia osacola (Lauraceae) a new species from the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

We describe and illustrate a new species of Beilschmiedia, from the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. It is distinguished by its small flowers, which are turbinate to campanulate, with six fertile stamens and pubescent ovary, in addition it has alternate leaves along the twigs, with the lower leaf surface glabrous and not glaucous. In the field, it can be recognized by its stature, a very large tree, with the bark reddish, and peeling in large plates. Among described congeners it is superficially similar to B. hexanthera, from French Guiana, which also has six fertile stamens, and staminodes of whorl III columnar, but differs in having a pubescent ovary and larger, more branched inflorescences.

A new species of freshwater crab of the genus Badistemon Yeo & Ng, 2007 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae: Potamiscinae) from Manipur State, India, with the reassignment of Potamiscus pealianus (Wood-mason, 1871)

A new species of potamid crab of the genus Badistemon Yeo & Ng, 2007, is described from Kamjong district of Manipur, India. Badistemon fulvum n. sp., can be distinguished from congeners by a distinct combination of carapace and gonopod characters: carapace subquadrate, convex, dorsal surface glabrous, cervical groove superficial, anterolateral margin longer than posterolateral margin; cornea relatively large; sixth male pleonal somite trapezoidal in shape, male telson broader than long; terminal segment of male first gonopod relatively long, outwardly bent, sub cylindrical with low and short dorsal flap, tip pointed, groove for male second gonopod terminal. Holotype and paratypes of Potamiscus pealianus (Wood-mason, 1871) are re-examined, and the species is here referred to Badistemon as carapace morphology and male gonopods characters are found congeneric with the genus. A key for all the three species of Badistemon are provided.

A new species of Eriobotrya (Rosaceae) from Con Dao National Park, southern Vietnam

We describe a distinctive new species of Eriobotrya condaoensis (Rosaceae) from Con Dao National Park, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, southern Vietnam, based on both morphological and molecular evidences. The new species is characterized by leaf blade oblong-oblanceolate, 8–12 × 4–6 cm, leaf margins crenate, both surface glabrous, secondary veins 6–7 pairs, bracts apically dentate and persistent, flowers sessile and yellowish, hypanthium funnel-shaped and brown tomentose, petals elliptic and 6–7 × 4–5 mm long, styles 2, free at base and 5–6 mm long, and ovary glabrous. Morphological characters and phylogenetic analysis based on nrDNA ITS sequences confirmed the distinctiveness of this new species in the genus.

Helvella sublactea sp. nov. (Helvellaceae) from southwestern China

A new species, Helvella sublactea, is discribed from southwestern China using morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence. It is morphologically characterized by the combination of the following characters: saddle-shaped or irregular lobed pileus with milky white, greyish beige to taupe hymenium, margin fused with stipe, white receptacle surface glabrous and white stipe with deep longitudinal ribs. Molecular phylogenetic analyses, based on a combined ITS and 28S sequence data, showed that H. sublactea clustered with H. lactea but is clearly distinct from the latter. A description, figures, phylogenetic placement and comparison with similar taxa are presented.

WOUND HEALING PROPERTIES OF SYMPLOCOS RACEMOSA

India has a rich variety of flora that is widely distributed throughout the country. Herbal medicines have been the basis of treatment and cure for various diseases and physiological conditions in traditional methods practiced such as Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha. Medicinal components from plants play an important role in traditional as well as western medicine. Plant derived drugs has played an important role in the evolution of human, healthcare for thousands of years. Plant based drugs were commonly used in India and China. Today a substantial number of drugs are developed from plants which are active against a number of diseases. Ayurveda is considered as the oldest medical science of the Indian Subcontinent. It has been practiced since 1000 B.C., with the objective to accomplish physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing, by adopting health-promoting and holistic approach towards life (Patwardhan et al., 2005). In today’s contemporary era, main emphasis is given on plant research. This is because of the fact that large evidence has been made available to show the huge potential of medicinal plants in various traditional systems (Bora et al., 2011) Symplocos racemosa or Lodhra is a common indigenous drug, mentioned in Ayurvedic classics as a remedy for various human ailments. In Sanskrit “Lodhra” means „Propitious‟& „Tilaka‟, since the bark of the tree was used in making the Tilaka mark on the forehead (De Silva et al., 1979). Lodhra is even mentioned to as “DIVYA AUSHADHI” (Divine herb). Symplocos racemosa is a critically endangered medicinal plant attaining a height up to 10 m.Bark: Bark is smooth or rough, grey or in young parts yellowish. Leaf: Leaves are simple, alternate, lanceolate-oblong, oblong, elliptic or ellipticlanceolate, margin serrate, crenate, serrulate or entire, apex acute to acuminate or obtuse at both ends, surface glabrous or slightly pilose on the midrib.

Primulina glandaceistriata (Gesneriaceae), a new species from Guangxi, China

Primulina glandaceistriata from Lingchuan County, Guangxi, is illustrated and described as a new species. It is morphologically close to P. dryas and P. beiliuensis, but can be easily distinguished by its leaf blades oval, ovate or nearly rounded, and both leaf surfaces being sparsely purple strigulose and the hairs with a papillose base; shorter peduncle 7.5–9.5 cm long that is densely erectly purple pilose; bracts inside densely erectly purple pilose; corolla pale purple to purple, inner surface glabrous and with sparse purple spots and two obviously brown stripes, and the outer surface piloglandulose; staminodes longer, ca. 7.5 mm long. The conservation status of this new species was assessed as “Critically Endangered” (CR).