Jurinea stenocarpa is described as a new species based on morphological characters. The new species is morphologically close to J. monocephala and J. sintenisii mainly by having semiglobose involucre and scapose stems but differs in plant indumentum, shape of phyllaries and features of achene and size of pappus rays. This species is a mountainous Irano-Turanian element distributed in north-west of Iran, Azarbaijan region. The specimens of this species were collected from Aqdagh Mountain in Ardabil Province (type locality) and Pir-Saqqa Mountain in Eastern Azarbaijan Province. Description, photos, distribution map and a diagnostic key to the new species and its close species are presented.

Moorlands dominated by Calluna vulgaris (hereafter Calluna) are globally rare and under increasing threat of wildfires due to climate change. The soil seed bank is important for community resilience, but research on its contribution to regenerating vegetation after moorland fires has to date focused on prescribed fire or on the short-term (≤ 2 year) impacts of wildfire. To address the role of the seed bank in long-term vegetation regeneration, we studied a chronosequence of six wildfire sites within a Scottish moorland catchment, ranging from 2 to 64 years since burning. We recorded vegetation composition and sampled the seed bank. Calluna and Erica spp. comprised 66 % and 27 % of germinated seeds, respectively, and the majority of vegetation species were not represented in the seed bank. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) revealed that time since fire was a strong predictor of vegetation species composition, but it had no effect on seed bank composition, suggesting that the same species dominate the seed bank regardless of burning. Whilst total seed density was marginally reduced after wildfire and slightly increased with time, the non-Calluna seed bank was more notably affected. The proportion of non-Calluna species decreased with time in both vegetation and seed bank as Calluna cover was re-established and the seed bank of other species became gradually depleted. Whilst relative non-Calluna cover in the vegetation was at a maximum at the start of the chronosequence and then declined, the proportion of non-Calluna in the seed bank followed a unimodal pattern after fire and reached a peak after around 35 years. Our results contribute to the knowledge of how moorland ecosystems regenerate after severe disturbances, which are likely to become more common as the climate changes.

Saxifraga cataphracta, a new species of Saxifragaceae from Southwest China, is described and illustrated. Morphological and molecular evidence (matK, psbA-trnH, psaJ-rpl33) indicate that S. cataphracta belongs to S. sect. Irregulares, and closely related to S. geifolia and S. mengtzeana. The new species can be diagnosed by its leaf blade abaxially with white or virescent interveinal streaks, involucre and bracts conspicuous, capsule beaks winged when mature.

Two new species from Iran was described in this study. Fritillaria shehbazii from Western Azerbaijan province in northwest Iran and F. selenica from Kurdistan province in western Iran. F. shehbazii is similar to F. chlororhabdota, F. pinardii, F. kordestanica and F. assyriaca in the F. caucasica group in general facies but differs mainly by the color and size of its lowest leaves, shape and colour of perianth segments. F. selenica is similar to F. avromanica and F. assyriaca in general facies but differs mainly by narrower leaves and color of perianth segments. Detailed taxonomic descriptions, diagnostic characteristics, illustrations, original photographs, geographical distributions, habitat, phenology and ecology, etymology, conservation status, and identification key of the new and the related species are presented in this study.

Geodorum laxiflorum Griff. (Orchidaceae) is relectotypified here by superseding Bhatt & al. (2015) and by designating a CAL-specimen as lectotype of G. laxiflorum, as the lectotype designated by Bhatt & al. (2015) for the name is found erroneous. Morphological variations along with an overlooked character of the labellum of this Indian endemic and vulnerable species of orchid are presented based on study of livespecimens collected in the wild for the first time from two Indian states. Further, the name Eulophia diffusiflora M.W. Chase, Kumar & Schuit. is synonymised under G. laxiflorum until Eulophia R. Br. is conserved against Geodorum Andrews.