Societal Impact Statement: We found evidence that larger fruited plant species are more likely to be found in aseasonal wet areas of Malesia. These areas are likely to be impacted by increasing human encroachment, which threatens both large‐fruited species and the large fauna that are most likely responsible for their dispersal. This synergistic threat could drive the loss of fruit‐crop relatives that potentially have key traits for resilient fruit crops of the future.Summary: It is unclear how fruit size determines distributions of megadiverse tropical flora. Energetic constraints of ecosystems suggest plant species with larger fruit should be found in the higher productivity, aseasonal wet tropics. However, the probability of seed dispersal over large scales should be increased by fruits being smaller, due to being available to a greater number of dispersal agents. We use a Bayesian phylogenetic model of species occurrence for >3400 species in Malesia to test how fruit size and environment interact to determine species distributions across the archipelago. We show that larger fruited species are more likely to occur in aseasonal wet areas. We also found that smaller fruit size was associated with species occurrence in more mountainous areas. Fruit size interacts with environmental variables to shape plant distributions across the megadiverse Malesian islands. The evolutionary processes that influence the patterns we have observed require further examination.

Caves represent sites of great geological and biological interest. For most taxonomic groups, caves represent one of the most challenging ecosystems due to their extreme conditions. However, these places are rich in biodiversity, and some groups, such as bryophytes, can take advantage of these conditions. Bryophytes from twelve caves on Terceira Island (Azores archipelago) were sampled and compared in terms of species richness, abundance, and composition. The results revealed a high species richness of bryophytes, with one-fifth of the species being threatened and one-third endemic. Moreover, the dominance of bryophyte species, as determined by different functional groups, varies depending on the sampled cave and, consequently, the environmental variables. This is evident from the high β-diversity values obtained, demonstrating significant dissimilarities in species composition among the surveyed caves. Both macro- and microclimatic variables significantly influenced the richness and abundance of bryophyte species in different ways, depending on the functional group studied. Highlighting bryophyte diversity in cave environments, this study points to the need for effective management strategies to preserve and protect these unique and ecologically significant communities. These places can serve as refuges for some species, even for bryophytes, a taxonomic group with a long-distance dispersal strategy.

New Guinea, the most botanically diverse island on the planet, is the location for one of the boldest conservation initiatives. The Manokwari Declaration aims to achieve 70% conservation designation for the Bird's Head Peninsula. This is 40% higher than the 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework target. However, there is a lack of species occurrence data to support evidence of where biodiversity can be best protected. To address this, we integrated plant trait data from taxonomic descriptions in species occurrence models that can inform conservation planning. Inclusion of traits improved the performance of co‐occurrence models of ∼800 plant species across the 100,000‐km ² landscape. Traits generally improved model performance, but not all traits contributed equally (e.g., leaf size and red flower color most improved accuracy of occurrence prediction). Likewise, trait‐parameterized models tended to be most useful with rare species occurrence prediction, but this was inconsistent among traits. Under 70% protection, three‐quarters of the areas selected conserved trait diversity. Critically, trait diversity also increased the chances that areas at high risk of deforestation were selected as conservation priorities. Overall, we found that plant species’ traits, often key parameters of ecosystem function and resilience, improved spatial conservation planning.

Summary: Cyrtandra loratiloba Bramley is presented here as new to science. Due to its unusually narrow, ‘strap-shaped’ corolla lobes, large staminodes and the atypical insertion of the fertile stamen pair in the corolla mouth at the base of the three, lower corolla lobes, C. loratiloba is immediately distinct from any known Cyrtandra species. A full description, distribution map, illustration, photo plate and preliminary conservation assessment are provided.

A checklist of the 319 endemic vascular plants of the Lesser Sunda Islands is presented, derived from specimen data and expert-verified georeferences. The majority of these endemic plant species are single island endemics (251 species). Timor is the most rich in endemic plant species with 82 single island endemics, despite Flores (46 endemics) and Sumbawa (38 endemics) being islands of similar size. Of the 121 species which have been Red Listed, 45 are Data Deficient and 56 are in threatened categories. The persistence of many of these species is uncertain, with 51 not collected since the 19th century. We hope that this baseline data will spur targeted searches for these species, highlight taxonomic gaps, and aid conservation planning decisions.