The white stork can affect plant population and community dynamics and structure in an agricultural landscape. It is a vector transporting large numbers of seeds along with nest material, and it is an ecosystem engineer which builds nests that function as specific habitats for plants. The following questions were asked: (i) What is the structure of the seed pool in the nest material? (ii) Can nests be treated as a habitat enabling plants to complete their life cycle? (iii) What is the probability that seeds produced in the nests reach suitable habitats in the nests’ closest vicinity? Seed pools of ten whitestork nests were analysed using the seedling germination method. The average number of seedlings detected in the nest material was 9937 per one nest (870 per 10 000 g of dry weight); they belonged to 97 taxa. Majority of the species present in the nests created persistent seed banks (62.5%); 62.2% of the seedlings represented annual species. Significantly higher percentage of weeds and significantly lower of woodland and peat-bog species in the nests as compared with the respective percentages of these species groups in the regional pool, indicated arable fields and ruderal sites as the main sources of seeds as well as the nest material. Since ruderal species and weeds dominated in the seed pool found in the nests, and such habitat types were most common in the vicinity of the nests, the probability that seeds produced in the nests would disperse into a suitable habitat was high.

Morphological differences among 20 populations of Carex viridula growing in different habitats in Poland were analysed based on examination of 365 specimens. Soil samples collected from each habitat were assayed for pH, organic matter, organic carbon, nitrogen, carbonates, and exchangeable elements (Ca, Mg, K, P). Statistical methods were used to detect patterns in morphological differences among the populations of C. viridula and to elucidate the effects of soil conditions on morphological characters. PCA and cluster analyses divided the specimens into two groups reflecting habitats differing in their soil conditions. A general pattern in the C. viridula morphology was found: habitats with soils of high contents of carbonates and exchangeable elements, and with pH exceeding 7.0, supported specimens usually having three or two (more seldom four) female spikes spaced widely apart, and long, usually peduncled, male spikes.

We studied the occurrence of the crop-to-wild introgressive hybridization in the Medicago sativa-falcata complex in the distribution area of the native M. sativa ssp. falcata (hereafter falcata) in western and northern Estonia. Flower colour and pod shape were used as the diagnostic genetic characters to assess the extent of hybridization from cultivated lucerne to populations of falcata. Among the 106 populations examined, only 15 were pure yellow-flowered falcata populations. In the remaining 91 populations, 1%–90% of the plants had variegated flowers typical of hybrid plants, indicating widespread but highly variable introgression. Hybrid plants were detected most frequently in disturbed man-made habitats, mostly roadsides, wastelands and fallow fields. Hybrid plants with variegated flowers were found to have not only pod shapes characteristic of falcata but also coiled pods characteristic of cultivars, indicating that due to introgression hybrid populations have become morphologically more diverse.

Carex helingeeriensis L.Q. Zhao & J. Yang (Cyperaceae), a new species from Inner Mongolia, China, is described. It appears most closely related to C. asperifructus. The distinguishing characters are given in a key to the two species.

Using 76 presence-only data, altitude, percent tree cover and 11 bioclimatic variables, we modeled the geographical distribution of Macromitrium japonicum in China with an aid of a maximum entropy algorithm modeling program (MaxEnt). We found habitats suitable for M. japonicum in the major mountains in southeastern, southern, and southwestern China, and also in the Changbai Mountains, Taihang Mountains, Yanshan Mountains, Tainwan and Hainan Island. With increasing percent of tree cover, mean temperatures in the driest quarter, the warmest quarter and the coldest quarter, and with decreasing annual temperature range and mean diurnal temperature range, habitat suitability for M. japonicum increases. The MaxEnt model also indicated that areas with precipitation of the wettest month being 300 mm, and precipitation of the warmest quarter being 500–600 mm are favourable for M. japonicum. It also favours lower altitudes (0–1000 m a.s.l.), while with increasing altitude (from 1000 to 6000 m a.s.l.), habitat suitability decreases. Habitat suitability for M. japonicum firstly increases rapidly with increasing precipitation in the driest month and the coldest quarter at lower altitudes, and then slightly increases after the factors exceed a certain threshold value.

To analyze the altitudinal distribution of seed plants in the central area (∼590 km²) of the Qinling Mountains (central China), supporting a giant panda population, we conducted floristic surveys at discrete altitude intervals and reviewed the data in published floras for the area. We found that there are 2031 species of seed plants in the study area, representing 694 genera and 148 families. These seed-plant species account for 59.1% of all those known from the Qinling Mountains and 7.6% of those found in China. The proportion of pantropical species decreases with increasing altitude, and above 2800 m a.s.l. tropical species do not exist. The proportion of northern-temperate plants increases with increasing altitude. The area accommodates predominately a mixture of Sino-Japanese and Sino-Himalayan forest-region species. A regression model predicted a theoretical boundary between the subtropical and warm-temperate zones at 530 m above sea level.

Allium serpentinicum İ. Genç & N. Özhatay and A. kandemirii İ Genç & N. Özhatay (sect. Melanocrommyum) are described and illustrated as new species from East Anatolia, Turkey. The morphological characters of these taxa are discussed and the distributions of the taxa are mapped. The diploid chromosome numbers are: A. serpentinicum 2n = 16, 32; A. kandemirii 2n = 16.

Reseda minoica Martín-Bravo & Jim. Mejías (Resedaceae), a new species from the eastern Mediterranean region, is described and illustrated. It is distributed in Crete (Gavdos Island), Cyprus and S Anatolia (Mersin), where it grows mostly on basic, occasionally schistose, substrates near the coast. It is included in Reseda sect. Phyteuma, a taxonomically complex group mostly containing narrow endemics from the western or eastern Mediterranean region. Reseda minoica has been confused with R. odorata, R. orientalis and R. balansae in Crete, Cyprus and Turkey. It can be distinguished from those by the lower number of stamens, seed size, colour of petals and indumentum. An identification key to the eastern Mediterranean taxa of Reseda sect. Phyteuma is provided.

Astragalus kamarinensis C. Brullo, Brullo, Giusso, Miniss. & Sciandr. sp. nova (Fabaceae) is described and illustrated from Sicily. It grows exclusively on sandy soils, near the ruins of Kamarina, located in the southern part of Sicily. Morphologically, it shows close relationships with A. Stella, A. raphaelis and A. tribuloides, all belonging to A. sect. Sesamei. Several morphological features, chiefly regarding the flowers, legumes and seeds, as well as the micromorphology of the pod indumentum and seed coat, allow to well distinguish this species from the other taxa in the section. A phenetic analysis based on the morphological characters supports our taxonomic conclusions.

Fernandezia ortiziana Kolan. & Szlach. (Orchidaceae), a new species from Colombia, is described and illustrated. The differences between F. ortiziana and similar species are briefly discussed and a key to the Colombian species of Fernandezia is presented.

A specimen from the Linnaean Herbarium (no. 996.61, LINN) is designated as the lectotype of the name Senecio doria.

Dyckia mezii Krapp nom. nov. replaces D. argentea Mez 1894, which is a younger homonym of D. argentea G. Nicholson 1885 and therefore an illegitimate name.

On the basis of field collections and herbarium specimen studies, two new species and one new variety are described and illustrated here: Elatostema bomiense W. T. Wang & Zeng Y. Wu, E. daxinense W.T. Wang & Zeng Y. Wu and E. daxinense var. septemcostatum W.T. Wang & Zeng Y. Wu. The morphological differences between the new taxa and their morphologically closest species are also provided.

Cerasus xueluoensis C.H. Nan & X.R. Wang, a new species from Hubei and Jiangxi provinces, China, is described, illustrated and compared with its congeners. It is somewhat similar to C. tomentosa and C. tianshanicae, but it is distinguished by its 2–4-flowered umbellate inflorescences, much longer pedicels (0.6–2.5 cm), a glabrous pistil and black drupes. A key to distinguish it from the other species of subgen. Microcerasus in China is provided.

Saussurea wenchengiae B.Q. Xu, G. Hao & N.H. Xia, a new species from Qinghai, China, of Saussurea subg. Amphilaena sect. Pseudoamphilaena, is described and illustrated. It is similar to S. polycolea, but differs in its shorter stature, narrowly elliptic middle and upper stem leaf blade with a denticulate margin, and a cylindrical or narrowly campanulate involucre. A color plate, line drawings, a distribution map of S. wenchengiae, and SEM microphotographs of the leaf surfaces of S. wenchengiae and S. polycolea are provided.

Primulina Lutvittata Fang Wen & Y.G. Wei, a new species of Gesneriaceae from Guangdong, China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to P. fengshanensis, but differs by several characters of the leaves, cymes, bracts, corollas and anthers.

Heteropolygonatum has been considered endemic to China, where most of the species are distributed in the SW region of the country. The genus is characterized by having both terminal and axillary inflorescences, inner and outer stamens of different lengths, and an epiphytic existence. Formerly, a number of the species were included in Polygonatum or Smilacina. Polygonatum altelobatum Hayata is an endemic of Taiwan; however, a review of the literature and field observations confirmed that it should be placed in Heteropolygonatum. Thus, we propose the new combination Heteropolygonatum altelobatum (Hayata) Y.H. Tseng, H.Y. Tzeng & C.T. Chao.

Cordiglottis longipedicellata Joongku Lee, T.B. Tran & R.K. Choudhary, a new species of Orchidaceae from Vietnam is described and illustrated. It is morphologically most similar to C. pulverulenta, but differs in its floral morphology and in having a longer pedicel. Colour photographs, a table comparing the floral structure of the new species with supposedly closely allied species and a key are provided to facilitate species identification. The present paper is also the first report of the genus Cordiglottis in the Indo-Chinese region.

Capparis daknongensis D.T. Sy, G.C. Tucker, Cornejo & Joongku Lee, a new species of Capparaceae from Dak Nong province, Vietnam, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to C. khuamak, but differs in having pruinose twigs, fewer stamens, longer filaments and gynophore, and a different fruit morphology.

Saussurea bijiangensis Y.L. Chen ex B.Q. Xu, N.H. Xia & G. Hao (Asteraceae), a new species from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. This species is similar to S. delavayi var. hirsuta and S. atrata; the distinctions among them are presented in a table. We show that the name S. hirsuta has been misapplied.

A new fern species, Polystichum hubeiense Liang Zhang & Li Bing Zhang (Dryopteridaceae), is described and illustrated from limestone cliffs in western Hubei Province, China. Polystichum hubeiense is most similar to P. lanceolatum in having relatively small leaves and pinnae and similar pairs of pinnae per lamina. The new species is distinguished by having overlapping and papery pinnae that are dull adaxially and repand on the margin, while P. lanceolatum has contiguous and leathery pinnae that are lustrous adaxially and dentate and with hard spines on the margin.

Pterichis moralesii, a new orchid species from Colombia, is described and illustrated. The differences between P. moralesii and similar species are briefly discussed and a key to the Colombian species of Pterichis, as well as information on the ecology and distribution of P. moralesii are provided.

Psilochilus antioquiensis, a new orchid species from Colombia, is described and illustrated. The differences between P. antioquiensis and some similar species are discussed, and a key to the Colombian species of Psilochilus is provided. Information about the ecology and distribution of the new species is also given.

Primulina huaijiensis Z.L. Ning & J. Wang sp. nova (Gesneriaceae) from Guangdong, China is described and illustrated. It is similar to P. renifolia, but differs from P. renifolia in several morphological characters, both vegetative and reproductive as well as in having a different flowering period (October-December).

A new species Aspidistra nankunshanensis Yan Liu & C.R. Lin (Asparagaceae) from Guangdong province, China, is described and illustrated. It resembles A. punctatoides in the shape and size of the flowers, but differs in its adaxially yellow perianth, yellow pistil, and stigma upper surface with four inconspicuous radial lines in the center.