Pseudocerastium is a monotypic genus in Caryophyllaceae endemic to China. The genus has been widely accepted since it was described in 1998, however its phylogenetic position within Caryophyllaceae has never been studied. In the present study, the whole plastid genome and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of Pseudocerastium stellarioides was obtained through genome skimming, and the phylogenetic position of the species was studied for the first time. Plastid phylogenomic analysis of Caryophyllaceae revealed that Pseudocerastium is clustered within the tribe Alsineae with strong support. Phylogenetic analyses based on an enlarged taxon sampling of Alsineae using five DNA regions (matK, rbcL, rps16 intron, trnL-F and ITS) revealed that P. stellarioides was nested deeply within Cerastium with strong support. Analyses of morphological character evolution suggest that the ancestral states in Alsineae include three styles and a six-lobed capsule at the apex, while both Cerastium and Pseudocerastium have five styles and ten lobes at the apex of the capsule, further supporting their close relationship. The species Pseudocerastium stellarioides is similar to Cerastium wilsonii in morphology, but differs in having villous indumentum on the lower part of the filaments and compressed globose seeds. Therefore, based on the present molecular and morphological evidence, the generic name Pseudocerastium is reduced here as a new synonym of Cerastium and the species P. stellarioides is transferred to Cerastium as C. jiuhuashanense.

The genus Polyalthiopsis Chaowasku (Annonaceae) was a poorly known monotypic genus from Vietnam that was recently segregated from the highly polyphyletic genus Polyalthia s.l. The sister clade relationship between Polyalthiopsis and Miliusa was not well established in previous study. The phylogenetic position of two Polyalthia spp. from China, P. chinensis S.K.Wu ex P.T.Li and P. verrucipes C.Y.Wu ex P.T.Li, remains unresolved and is shown here to be phylogenetically affiliated with Polyalthiopsis. Phylogenetic analyses of six chloroplast regions (matK, ndhF, psbA-trnH, rbcL, trnL-F and ycf1; ca.7.3 kb, 60 accessions) unambiguously placed Polyalthia chinensis and P. verrucipes in the same clade with Polyalthiopsis floribunda (PP = 1, MPBS = 97%); the entire clade is sister to Miliusa with weak to strong support (PP = 1, MPBS = 54%). Polyalthia chinensis and P. verrucipes share several diagnostic characters with Polyalthiopsis floribunda, including the raised midrib on the upper surface of the leaf in vivo, conspicuous foliar glands when dried, petiole with transverse striations when dried and axillary inflorescences. The two species differ from Polyalthiopsis floribunda in having fewer flowers per inflorescence, longer linear petals and two ovules per carpel. On the basis of the combined molecular phylogenetic and morphological data, we propose two new combinations, Polyalthiopsis chinensis (S.K.Wu ex P.T.Li) B.Xue & Y.H.Tan and Polyalthiopsis verrucipes (C.Y.Wu ex P.T.Li) B.Xue & Y.H.Tan. The protologue of Polyalthia verrucipes did not include a description of the flowers, which we provide here. An updated description for the genus Polyalthiopsis and a key to species in the genus Polyalthiopsis is also provided.

With more than 200 species of native Rubus, China is considered a center of diversity for this genus. Due to a paucity of molecular markers, the phylogenetic relationships for this genus are poorly understood. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the plastomes of 22 out of 204 Chinese Rubus species (including varieties) from three of the eight sections reported in China, i.e., the sections Chamaebatus, Idaeobatus, and Malachobatus. Plastomes were annotated and comparatively analyzed with the inclusion of two published plastomes. The plastomes of all 24 Rubus species were composed of a large single-copy region (LSC), a small single-copy region (SSC), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs), and ranged in length from 155,464 to 156,506 bp. We identified 112 unique genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 29 transfer RNAs, and four ribosomal RNAs. With highly consistent gene order, these Rubus plastomes showed strong collinearity, and no significant changes in IR boundaries were noted. Nine divergent hotspots were identified based on nucleotide polymorphism analysis: trnH-psbA, trnK-rps16, rps16-trnQ-psbK, petN-psbM, trnT-trnL, petA-psbJ, rpl16 intron, ndhF-trnL, and ycf1. Based on whole plastome sequences, we obtained a clearer phylogenetic understanding of these Rubus species. All sampled Rubus species formed a monophyletic group; however, sections Idaeobatus and Malachobatus were polyphyletic. These data and analyses demonstrate the phylogenetic utility of plastomes for systematic research within Rubus.

Pogostemon hainanensis, a new species of Lamiaceae from Hainan Island, China, is described. The phylogenetic position of the new species within Pogostemon was investigated based on analyses of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and five plastid markers (viz. matK, psbA-trnH, rbcL, rsp16, trnL-F). The results show that P. hainanensis is supported to be a member of subgenus Pogostemon and is sister to P. parviflorus, a species widely distributed from Eastern Himalaya, through the Indo-China peninsula to China. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from all the other taxa of subgenus Pogostemon in having long petioles usually 4.5‒11.5 cm in length, and the calyx teeth 2/3 to subequal as long as the calyx tube. The new species differs from P. parviflorus further by its obviously double serrate leaf margin, spikes of inflorescence usually 2.5–8.0 cm long, calyx 4‒5 mm long and corolla 6–7 mm long.

Alphonsea glandulosa sp. nov. is described from Yunnan Province in south-west China. It is easily distinguished from all previously described Alphonsea species by the possession of glandular tissue at the base of the adaxial surface of the inner petals. Nectar was observed throughout the flowering period, including the pistillate phase and subsequent staminate phase. Small curculionid beetles were observed as floral visitors and are inferred to be effective pollinators since they carry pollen grains. A phylogenetic analysis was conducted to confirm the placement of this new species within Alphonsea and the evolution of the inner petal glands and specialized pollinator reward tissues throughout the family.

Meiogyne kwangtungensis is a rare species endemic to Hainan, China, known just from two fruiting collections made in the 1930s. Although it was published under the name Meiogyne in 1976, it was suggested that it might be better placed within Pseuduvaria or Mitrephora. For decades, this species was never collected again, thus its true generic affinity remained unresolved due to the lack of flowers. During a field exploration in Hainan, we re-discovered this species and collected a flowering specimen for the first time. The flower immediately confirmed its affinity with Pseuduvaria. Phylogenetic analyses of five chloroplast regions (psbA-trnH, trnL-F, matK, rbcL, and atpB-rbcL; ca. 4.2 kb, 70 accessions) also unambiguously placed Meiogyne kwangtungensis in the Pseuduvaria clade (PP = 1.00, ML BS = 99%). Morphologically, it is most similar to P. multiovulata which is endemic to Myanmar and Thailand, both with often-paired flowers, long pedicels and short peduncles, and often 1–2 monocarps. However, it differs in having smaller flowers with kidney-shaped glands on the inner petals, fewer stamens and carpels, smaller ovoid monocarps with an apicule and fewer seeds. On the basis of the combined molecular phylogenetic and morphological data, we propose a new combination, Pseuduvaria kwangtungensis (P.T.Li) Qing L.Wang & B.Xue. A full description including floral characters and a color plate are provided here for this species. A key to species in the genus Pseuduvaria in China is also provided.