Here we describe two new species of Inocybe from pine forests of Pakistan; I. hazarensis and I. shimlaensis . Morphological and molecular data show that these species have not been described before and hence need to be described as new. Both species are smooth‐spored and pruinose only in the apical part of the stipe. Inocybe hazarensis is characterized by rather small size, brown to dark brown, dense radial fibrils to rimose to glabrous pileus with prominent umbo, finely fibrillose at apex only becoming pruinose to strigose, along rest of length of stipe, slightly bulbous stipe base, narrow basidiospore spores and smaller clavate, oblong, ovoid, narrowly utriform cheilocystidia. Inocybe shimlaensis is characterized by brown to golden pileus, low and broad umbo, radially fibrillose, rimose to granulose, with brown appressed‐squamulose stipe with only apex pruinose and submarginate base. Anatomically, it has small (6.8 × 4.4 μm) basidiospores and smaller conical to fusiform cheilocystidia. Phylogenetic estimation based on DNA sequences from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and large subunit (LSU) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) genes is congruent with the morphological characters that help to delimit these as new species of Inocybe .

Aster tongrenensis (Asteraceae), a remarkable new species from Guizhou, China, is here described, illustrated and compared with related taxa based on integrated evidence from morphology, micromorphology and molecular phylogeny. Morphological and micromorphological observations indicate that A . tongrenensis is most similar to A . saxicola , but can be distinguished from the latter by its glabrous (versus puberulent) stem, green (versus purplish‐red) phyllary apices, capitula 1.3–1.8 cm in diameter (versus 2.4–3.3 cm in diameter), disc florets number (8–10 versus 10–18), and sparsely strigose and minutely stipitate glandular achenes (versus puberulent and densely strigose). Phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS and ETS sequence data support the close relationship between A . tongrenensis and A . saxicola . The new species is a fertile diploid plant and its karyotype is 2n = 18. Preliminary data on its ecology, distribution, and conservation status (assessed as ‘Data Deficient', DD) are provided.

Amphitecna brevicalyx (Bignoniaceae), a new tree species endemic to Mexico is described and illustrated. Its cauliflorous inflorescences, featuring a single flower per shoot and funnelform corollas without a transverse fold in the throat, place it within the Amphitecna macrophylla group. This species is distinguished by its large corollas and a spathe‐like, circumscissile calyx that is soon deciduous – features not previously reported in the Mexican Amphitecna species. Moreover, its remarkably reduced calyx, covering less than one‐fourth of the length of the corolla, is unique among all known species of the genus. Its conservation status and morphological similarities are discussed. The species is found only in the humid karst forests of southern Mexico, recognized as centers of endemism where unusual traits frequently evolve.

Begonia chunxiuensis , a new species from Guangxi of China, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically similar to B. sinovietnamica and B. aurora , but differs from them by its narrowly triangular stipules, leaf blade that is adaxially green, dark green to viridian, pinkish‐white to white villous, but abaxially light green with red veins, red to pinkish‐white villous, and convex anther apex. It also differs from B. sinovietnamica by smaller staminate flowers. The new species is currently known from only two subpopulations and is assessed as ‘Data Deficient' (DD) according to the IUCN red list categories and criteria.

The new species Drimia courtallensis from the Nellai Wildlife Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu, India is described and illustrated. It is similar to Drimia razii ,in its necked bulb, hysteranthous nature, lax inflorescence and diurnal flowers on moderately short pedicels but it can be distinguished by its broader linear‐lanceolate leaves (230–420 × 6–15 mm), longer flowering scape (210–310 mm long) and longer inflorescence of 10 to 30 pale yellowish‐green flowers on pedicels 4–6 mm long.

Limacella lenta , a new species of the well‐known fungal family Amanitaceae from district Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan is described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis of ITS and combined ITS‐28S sequences. The species is mainly characterized by its orange to bright reddish‐brown sticky pileus with faded pale margins, a stipe surface covered with white fibrils, comparatively large globose to subglobose basidiospores measuring 5.1–6.2 × 4.1–5.6 µm, the presence of clavate to subclavate cheilocystidia and the absence of clamp connections. A morphological description, color photographs, microscopic structures and a comparative ITS and combined ITS‐28S based phylogenetic analysis is presented.

Dyckia semperflorens (Bromeliaceae: Pitcairnioideae) is described as a new species from the temperate climate region of Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil. The new species belongs to the Dyckia encholirioides complex and is closely related morphologically to Dyckia monticola, which is endemic to the Quiriri mountain range, a high‐altitude region in the northeastern part of Santa Catarina state. Dyckia semperflorens is distinguished by having basal floral bracts of the main inflorescence axis exceeding the length of the flowers, flowers 2.3–2.5 cm long, anthers prior to dehiscence 4.5–5.0 × 1.5–1.6 mm, and stigmatic margins without trichomes. The new species is only known from a single population on a rocky escarpment on the banks of the Touros River and is assessed as ‘Data Deficient' (DD) based on the IUCN criteria.

We carefully observed the submicroscopic structural characteristics of the hairs of the stipe, rachis, costae, fronds and indusia of 15 species of Hypodematium from China and photographed them under an anatomical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that the hairs on the epidermis of the leaves of the 15 species could be divided into two types: rod‐shaped glandular hairs and non‐glandular hairs, which were respectively distributed in various parts of each species. The type, density, length and thickness of the hairs were stable within species, but there were significant differences between species. The species could be divided into three groups based on their hairs: 1) H. sinense and H. fordii with rod‐shaped glandular hairs; 2) H. crenatum, H. hirsutum, H. guilinense and H. zhangii with non‐glandular hairs; 3) H. confertivillosum, H. squamuloso‐pilosum, H. mengshanensis, H. shandongense, H. gracile, H. glanduloso‐pilosum, H. jianxiuii, H. chingii and H. taishanensis with rod‐shaped glandular hairs and non‐glandular hairs. These submicroscopic structures, combined with palynology, provide characters for species identification and interspecific classification. This enables the development of plant taxonomy from the traditional classification stage to a new stage based on SEM studies of submicroscopic structures. It is of great significance not only for the protection and development and utilization of plant resources in this genus, but also for other groups and families.

Asproinocybe paksitanica sp. nov. is described as a novel species and Asproinocybe daleyae as a new country record from moist temperate forest in Pakistan, based on morphological and molecular data. Morphologically the new species is characterized by a pileus with variable shades from light to chocolate brown, violet lamellae, light brown stipe (light purplish close to the lamellae) with prominently white striations. Microscopically, it possesses characteristic ellipsoid, nodulose basidiospores. Phylogenetic analyses of the nrDNA ITS region support that it belongs to Asproinocybe, a comparatively rare genus with few species so far reported. A phenotypical and phylogenetical comparison with allied taxa confirms our species as a new taxon and closest to A. sinensis.

Dispersal units that continuously rotate while falling purely due to aerodynamic forces are called autorotating dispersal units. Single‐ to multi‐winged forms of autorotating dispersal units occur in nature. The dispersal unit of Getonia floribunda Roxb. (Combretaceae) is an example of a multi‐winged whirling diaspore that performs efficient autorotation in the air during wind dispersal. The present study aims to investigate the diaspore morphology, geometry, underlying principles, and reasons for the specificity of its autorotation during the dispersal and to find the morphological variations and geometrical significance. Plants and their diaspores from four locations in northern Kerala, South India, were selected for this study. Detailed macromorphological, micromorphological, developmental, anatomical, aerodynamic, and experimental studies were performed on the collected diaspores. The results show that fruit diaspores with distinct spatial configuration of persistent cyclically arranged tepals (perianth whorl) and distribution of the centre of mass along the middle vertical axis are the reasons for vertical autorotation or helicopter motion. Wing modification and paper model experiments prove that the wings have an intrinsically predetermined geometrical right‐side leading‐edge curvature, which is the reason for its distinct anticlockwise direction during autorotation. A significant variation in morphological parameters of these diaspores was observed across locations. Still‐airdrop tests and further statistical analysis show that wing fold angle developed due to the distinct spatial configuration of the wings exhibited a significant, predictable relationship with descent rate and terminal velocity in this diaspore across locations. Thus, wing geometry has an impact on flight in these diaspores and demonstrates the relationship between the shape and fitness of natural flight organs.