A new species, Primula xilingensis K.Huang & Z.X.Fu, sp. nov. (Primulaceae), is described and illustrated. In gross morphology, it is clearly allied to section Minutissimae on account of having stolons, being glabrous, leaf rosette less than or equal to corolla, flower solitary and bract not swollen at base. The new species is easily distinguished by the combination of scape densely yellow farinose, leaf apex acute, rarely broadly obtuse, corolla pale purplish blue and style 3.0–6.0 mm above base of corolla tube, stamens reaching the corolla tube mouth in thrum flower. In addition, the distribution map, morphological comparison of related species and conservation status of the new species are also provided.

Through field observations of living plants and the analysis of herbarium collections, including type material, it is demonstrated that Sanicula rugulosa can be distinguished from S. subgiraldii by several morphological characteristics, including the presence of slightly tripartite basal leaves (vs. deeply ternate leaves), umbellules that typically contain 5–7 flowers (vs. 4–11), 3–8 staminate flowers (vs. 2–3), generally three fertile flowers (vs. 1–3) and a consistently black stylopodium (vs. a whitish or pale green one). Furthermore, S. astrantiifolia and S. hanyuanensis are not essentially different morphologically from S. rugulosa and we, therefore, propose to treat them as synonyms in this study.

Based on observations of living plants in the field and examination of herbarium specimens (including type materials), we demonstrate that Sanicula serrata var. serrata (Apiaceae) differs from S. potaninii by having single fruit bearing squamose spines – occasionally tuberculate-spiculate or apically prickly – whereas S. potaninii usually bears three fruits with densely uncinate spines. This morphological distinction is further supported by differences in their biogeographic distributions. In addition, S. tienmuensis, S. elongata, S. tienmuensis var. pauciflora, and S. langaoensis are found to be conspecific with S. serrata, while S. serrata var. uncinata is conspecific with S. potaninii; we therefore reduce these taxa to synonymy accordingly. Lectotypifications are proposed for S. elongata and S. tienmuensis var. pauciflora.

Acronema handeloides , a new species of Apiaceae from Jiaozi Mountain in Yunnan Province, is described and illustrated herein. This species is similar to A. handelii and A. sichuanense but can be distinguished by its 1–2 branches; variable basal leaves; bracts 1 or occasionally present, bracteoles 1–3; subulate calyx teeth; linear-subulate, papillate petal apex; and broadly ovoid. Phylogenetic analyses also support that it is a monophyletic group sister to A. handelii and A. sichuanense . In accordance with the IUCN Red List criteria (2024), the conservation status of A. handeloides is preliminarily assessed as Data Deficient (DD).