Eria mêdogensis S. C. Chen et Tsi was recently found in southeastern Tibet, several specimens of which have been collected by various botanists since 1980. This is a “normal” entity with its habit very similar to that of Eria coronaria, from which it differs by having a regular perianth and longer bracts. We think it probable that this new entity is a peloric form of Eria coronaria. Peloria (or pelory) is a type of floral abnormality, which is found in many zygomorphicflowered taxa. It was first detected by Linnaeus (1744) in Linaria vulgaris, and then by others in Labiatae, Orchidaceae, etc. However, it is still an open question how to explain it theoretically and how to treat it taxonomically. In Orchidaceae, so far as our knowledge is concerned, peloria has been encountered in no less than 21 genera. In most cases, peloric flowers are found sporadically on an occassional plant, as seen in Cypripedium reginae and Eria oblitterata. Sometimes, however, peloric form may occur coexisting with normal-flowered form in one and the same species, as seen in Dendrobium tetrodon and Epipogium roseum. They are both abnormally peloric forms. It would not result in naming or renaming a plant taxonomically, whether the appearance of abnormally regular flowers on a normal-flowered inflorescence, or of abnormal-flowered individuals in normal-flowered species. In Phragmipedium lindenii, however, the case is different. It is quite “normal” and even of wider distribution than its nonpeloric allies P. wallisii and P. caudatum, from which it has once been considered to be derived. This is a normally peloric form. Whether it is a reversal or not, the appearance of a “normally” peloric taxon may be taken for a leap in the process of evolution. Taxonomically, we had better treat it as a separate species, especially when its origin is uncertain. For example, the entity just mentioned had been treated as a peloric va riety of Phragmipedium caudatum (var. lindenii) until 1975, when Dressler & Williams recognized it as an independent species based on the fact that its nonpeloric flowers occassionally found in a peloric population in Jungurahua of Ecuador are dissimilar in lip to those in P. caudatum. Garay (1979) considered it to be a peloric form of P. wallisii but maintained it at the specific level. This is indeed a good example of taxonomic treatment of normally peloric form. On the other hand, however, most of the regular-flowered entities in Orchidaceae are not peloric but rather primitive forms, such as Neuwiedia, Apostasia and Thelymitra, of which no less than 50 species have been reported since the eighteen century. They have never been regarded as peloric forms. Unfortunately, this has been neglected by some botanists. For instance, a hypothetically primitive orchid flower designed by Pijl & Dodson (1966) has a distinctly specialized lip with a short spur. In fact, in addition to the aforementioned genera we have some more examples of normally regular-flowered orchids. Among them Archineottia is the most interesting. This is a genus of four species, two of which are regular-flowered. Of special interest is that in this genus and its ally, Neottia, one can find all steps of column evolution from a simple form with stamen and style not fully united to a most complicated form in which they have well fused. Archineottia has a very primitive column, on which neither rostellum nor clinandrium is found but a terminal and undifferentiated stigma (Fig.2: 2, 4, 6, 8). In addition, there exists on the back of the column a thick ridge with its upper end joining the filament with which it is of same texture. It is obviously the lower part of the filament which has been adnate to the style (column). In Neottia, however, the column is much more advanced and very typical among the family. It has a very large rostellum and most complicated stigma structure (Fig. 10, 12, 14, 16, 18). One of the most interesting examples is Neottia acuminata, in which the stigma even becomes lamellate and almost backwards clasps the erect rostellum, but the perianth is more or less regular with its lip entire and somewhat similar to, but shorter and wider than, the petals. In these two genera there are altogether three species, namely Archineottia gaudissartii, A microglottis and Neottia acuminata, possessing regular or nearly regular perianth (Fig. 2: 1, 3, 17). They are obviously not peloric forms. We can not imagine, indeed, that a complicated form like Neottia acuminata or its allies would degenerate step by step into a simple form, and finally into a peloric form. Archineottia belongs to the subtribe Listerinae, which is closely related to Limodorinae, a rather primitivs subtribe with some genera possessing single pollen grain, relatively few and long chromosomes and monocotyledonous habit. Apparently, there is nothing surprising in the occurrence of some normally regular-flowered taxa, such as Archineottia, Diplandrorchis, Tangtsinia and Sinorchis, in these two primitive subtribes. Another instance is Aceratorchis, a genus formerly included in Orchis, from which it is distinguished by the entire lip which is more or less similar to the petals. Strictly speaking, however, its flowers are not truly regular. Two species have been described in this genus, but they were recently considered as conspecific. Aceratorchis tschiliensis is widely distributed from Hebei through Qinghai and Sichuan to northwestern Yunnan. It is cross-pollinated and produces seeds efficiently. All these indicate its normally primitive taxon, instead of peloria. It may be noted here that Asia is rich in members of Orchidioideae, as well as its primitive representatives. The occurrence of a normally regular-flowered form in Asia, whether representing primitive form of Orchis or Orchidioideae, is imaginable. In Orchidaceae, as mentioned above, regular flowers are not only found in some primitive taxa and peloric forms, but also in a few advanced groups. For example, a close investigation by the senior author (Chen 1979) on Satyrium ciliatum revealed that this species has hermaphrodite, staminate and pistallate forms, for which no less than nine names have been published. The flowers of its pistallate form are almost regular, in which nothing is found but three similar petals and an elongate style with three stigmatic lobes at its top (Fig. 2: 19). It is interesting to note that floral reversions in Orchidaceae are not always in connection with peloria. For example, Epidendrum triandrum of North America represents another kind of reversion. It is a reversal to abnormal polymery of stamens and not to abnormal regularity of perianth. Like Phragmipedium lindenii, it is also hereditary. We may give it a new name “Polyandrism” or something else, but, in fact, there is no essential distinction of this kind of reversion from peloria. It deserves mentioning that most of the regular-flowered entities, including primitive, advanced and peloric ones, occur in Asia and Australasia, where the Orchidaceae may have originated as pointed out by some botanists. We have good reason to verify the primitiveness and normality of many regular-flowered entities, but there exists no sufficient evidence for the impossible existances of normally regular-flowered species in those like Dendrobium, Eria, Lecanorchis, etc. For instance, Lecanorchis javanica, Dendrobium atavus and the new species described here are considered to be peloric forms, but it is only a conjecture, for no reason can be given for it. It is not impossible that some so-called peloric forms may prove to be truly primitive ones in the future. Of course, a closer investigation is needed. Summarizing the above, we may come to the following conclusions: 1. Regular or nearly regular perianth is a normal characteristic of orchids. It is chiefly found in some primitive taxa and sometimes also in certain peloric forms and advanced groups. Regular-flowered entities may not necessarily be peloric forms. 2. There exist two different types of peloria in Orchidaceae. One is abnormal form, with its peloric flowers appearing at random. The other is “normal” form, with its individuals all possessing peloric flowers. The latter is inheritable and can produce seeds efficiently, It would be best to treat it as an independent species taxonomically, especially when its origin is uncertain. 3. Although peloria has been considered to he a reversal as a whole, conditions vary from plant to plant. Some peloric forms have petal-like lip, and others have labellum-like petals. Sometimes the same plant produces different kinds of peloric flowers in different years, sometimes peloric flowers do not reappear upon the same plant. A few species can produce both peloric and normal individuals, but others produce peloric forms only. Peloria is in fact a term only used to cover the phase in which lip becomes similar to the petals. It is never all-embracing. We recognize the existance of peloria in Orchidaceae, but great care must be taken to distinguish truly peloric form from normally primitive one. It must be admitted that what causes peloria and even what is peloria are still problems awaiting solution. Acknowledgments: Our heartfelt thanks are due to Dr. Leslie A. Garay, Curator of the Orchid Herbarium of Oakes Ames, Botanical Museum of Harvard University, for his valuable suggestions during the preparation of this paper. We are also indebted to the artists, Mrs. Chunrung Liu and Mr. Chao-zhen Ji of our department, for their preparing the fine drawings.

Mt. Wuyi, located at 27°37‛-27°54‛ N, 117°27‛-117°51‛ E, is the highest mountain in South-East China. Its main peak, Huanggangshan, is 2158 m above the sea level. In 1955, P. C. Chen organized the first expedition to Mt. Wuyi, and the authors investigated the different ravines and the forests of that area in 1976 and from 1979 to 1984 respectively. Up to now 355 species of the bryophytes have been found in Mt. Wuyi. I. The influence of the factors of geological history on the bryoflora of Mt. Wuyi Fujian Province, belonging to Cathaysian, one of three Chinese ancient lands, was a part of ocean until the end of the lower Tertiary. In the early Devonian, Fujian uplifted above the sea level, but it submerged in the sea later, and then uplifted above the sea level again in the upper Triassic. By the end of the lower Triassic the Himalayan movement influenced the paleogeography of China deeply, and the eastern and central mountains of Fujian uplifted again. In the Tertiary, Fujian was influenced by the hot maritime weather, so the tropical evergreen forests existed in southern Fujian at that time. The conclusion was made by Z. B. Zhao in 1983 after his long period of study on geological history of Fujian Province since the Yanshan movement. According to the morden geographical distribution of Chinese bryophytes, it seems that the above influence might be related to the bryophytes of Mt. Wuyi and also the southern part of Zhejian Province. By the end of the Tertiary the weather became cold in most parts of China. Since then the cold weather and hot weather alternated several times. One kind of the endemic elements of the bryoflora formed in the area from the south-eastern coast of China to the southeastern Xizang (Tibet), including Japan. They are not specialized at the family level or closely related to each other, but they have similar distribution and belong to different families. In the Quaternary, Mt. Wuyi gradually uplifted following the Himalayan movement. As the weather cooled down in the upper part of the mountain, deciduous broad-leaved and needleleaved trees increased there. Meanwhile, temperate genera and species of the bryophytes spread and invaded South China and entered Mr. Wuyi. Rhytidiadelphus and Hvlocomium probably began to grow in Mt. Wuyi at that time, and their distribution is quite different from their primary one. On the other hand, a part of tropical and subtropical bryophytes might enjoy the changed weather and environment in the Quaternary and existed in a few small localities of Mt. Wuyi, and the genera Haplomitrium, Endotrichella and Floribundaria are probably their representatives. From the point of view of geological history we are now living in the interglacial period and the present natural conditions will last continuously, so they will steadily influence the bryoflora of Mt. Wuyi in a long period of time. 2. Essential characteristics of the bryoflora in Mt. Wuyi Due to the geographical position and the other factors of Mt. Wuyi the bryoflora is represented by numerous tropical and subtropical elements (34.1%), but the East-Asiatic endemic ones (79.2%) are characteristic of the bryoflora in Mt. Wuyi (Tab. 1). The tropical and subtropical families of the bryophytes, found south of Changjiang (Yangtzi) River, are Haplomitriaceae (1 genus, 3 species), Porellaceae (2 genera, 8 species), Frullaniaceae (2 genera, 10 species), Lejeun eaceae (21 genera, 35 species), Trachypodaceae (3 genera, 4 species), Meteoriaceae (10 genera, 17 species), Neckeraceae (5 genera, 8 species) and Hookeriaceae (3 genera, 3 species). The above 8 families, including 46 genera and 85 species, represent about 1/4 genera (24.3%) and less than 1/4 species (23.9%) of the bryoflora of Mt. Wuyi. Most species of East-Asiatic elements show very close relationships with Japan, and are widely distributed from the low altitude of Mt. Wuyi to the summit of Mt. Huanggangshan. However, the Holarctic species (26.8%) are also important elements of the bryoflora in Mt. Wuyi, showing its transition nature, although it is located in the subtropics. Moreover, the in fluence of the Himalayas also exists in Mt. Wuyi, and the Himalayan elements cover 14.4% in the bryoflora of Mt. Wuyi. The similarity coefficients between the bryofloras of Central and South America, Africa and Oceania and that of Mt. Wuyi are from 5.0-9.2% respectively. The endemic species are not very many and cosmopolitan species are only 7 there. In 1958, P. C. Chen designated Mt. Wuyi as “the transition region of South and North China rich in East-Asiatic genera and species”. His very important conclusion is essentially in accordance with the fact of the bryoflora on Mt. Wuyi. Recently, some of the new records fur ther show the characteristics of the bryoflora in Wuyi. Two facts are worth being mentioned. One is that East-Asiatic genera are only five in Mt. Wuyi. However, there are 9 East-Asiatic genera in Mt. Huangshan more than in Mt. Wuyi; 4 East-Asiatic genera are recorded in Mt. Shennongjia. The other is that epiphyllous liverworts in Mt. Wuyi, consisting of 7 families, 21 genera and 36 species, are less than on Hainan Island and Xishuangbannan, located in the tro pics in China. 3. Comparison between the bryoflora of Mt. Wuyi and those of the neighbouring regions As China covers a very large area, bryofloristic elements are quite different in the diffe rent regions. In this section, we are concentrated on making a comparison between the bryof loras of Mt. Wuyi and the regions belonging to the Central China of the bryoflora named by P. C. Chen. Huaping Forest Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in South China, with both latitute and altitude very similar to Mt. Wuyi, is included in this comparison (Fig. 1). According to the rough estimation, the similarity coefficient of moss genera between Mt. Wuyi and Huaping is 56.3%, and those between the mountain and southern Zhejian and Mt. Huangshan, Anhui, are 62.7% and 51.6% respectively, while the similarity coefficient of the genera of the mossfloras between Mt. Shennongjia and Mt. Wuyi is 46.8%. Table 2 shows the statistics of mosses in Mt. Wuyi and the others, but the bryoflora of Huaping needs further study However, it is very interesting to note that Haplomitrium and Pleurozia of liverworts are both found in Mt. Wuyi and Huaping Forest Region, and the similarity coefficient between the mossfloras of Mt. Wuyi and Zhejian Province is also higher than those mentioned above. Tropical and subtropical elements reduce towards the north in China, and temperate ones increase. Huaping is located in the south, and, as expected, some tropical and subtropical genera such as Hookeriopsis and Symphyodon have been found there, but not in Mt. Wuyi; several temperate genera, such as Schwetschkeopsis and Fauriella, have been recorded in Mt. Huangshan, but not in Mt. Wuyi. For some unknown reasons, Octoblepharum and Neckeropsis are only found in southern Zhejiang, but not in Mt. Wuyi. Mt. Shennongjia, with its main peak over 1000 m higher than that of Mt. Wuyi, is located in its northwest, and more than ten temperate genera, such as, Ceratodon, Aulacomnium Myurella, Bryonoguchia and Abietinella have been found there. Generally, Mt. Wuyi belongs to the central subtropical region of China, and East-Asiatic endemic genera are the main elements of its bryoflora, but the bryoflora also consists of tropical and subtropical elements with some temperate ones. 4. East-Asiatic endemic genera in the bryoflora of Mt. Wuyi In the bryoflora of Mt. Wuyi, one of the main elements, East-Asiatic endemic genera, should not be neglected (Tab. 4). East-Asiatic endemic genera in Mt. Wuyi (five) are less than in Mt. Huangshan and Mt. West Tianmu, although the positions of the latter two are very close to Mt. Wuyi. East-Asiatic endemic genera of liverworts are Trichocolea and Macvicaria so far found in Mt. Wuyi, and the mosses are Myuriopsis, Meteoriella, Pseudospiridentopsis (Fig. 1). Myuriopsis is only distributed in Taiwan Province and Mt. Wuyi, and the other four are distributed in Mt. Huangshan or Mt. West Tianmu, and also in Taiwan, besides in Mt. Wuyi. About thirty EastAsiatic endemic genera have so far been known in China, which means that about one sixth of East- Asiatic endemic genera of the bryophytes occur in Mt. Wuyi. We may notice that nine and seven East-Asiatic endemic genera of the bryophytes have been recorded in Mt. Huangshan and Mt. West Tianmu respectively. In Mt. Shennongjia, Central China, there are four East Asiatic endemic genera, but only two have been found in the Huaping Forest Region, South China. In Mt. Dinghua, located south of Mt. Wuyi, on East-Asiatic endemic genus of the bryophytes has so far been found. East-Asiatic endemic genera of the bryophytes are mainly limited to China, Korea and Japan, including the East Himalayas, rarely occur in South Asia, Siberia of the Soviet Union. Therefore, these genera enjoy a warm and moist environment. In Mt. Wuyi, all the East-Asiatic endemic genera are monotypic ones with a disjunct distribution. Now in Taiwan Province five of six recorded East-Asiatic endemic genera are common to Mt. Wuyi. In Japan, about eleven, i.e. one third of, East Asiatic endemic genera so far found are common to China, which shows a long history of the phytogeographical relationships between Japan and China. East Asiatic endemic genera of the bryophytes might therefore exist on islands of Taiwan Province and Japan before they were separated from the mainland of Asia. However the fossil evidence is still lacking in the bryophytes, so we are not able to discuss about the distribution area and the distribution center of the East-Asiatic bryoflora in detail. The above estimation is more or less related to geological history, and we assume that the East-Asiatic endemic genera have existed at least since the end of the Tertiary. Starting from the Quaternary, the climatic change during glacial epoch has been possibly the most important factor affecting the bryoflora in Asia, and the upheaval of the Himalayas has stimulated the diversity and the specialization of the bryophy tes. Considering these factors, East-Asiatic endemic genera might be the “Tertiary fossil plants”. Another problem is difficult to explain, because Mts. Huangshan, West Tianmu and Shen nongjia were once influenced by glaciation directly, although Chinese geologists hold different views. However, no evidence of glaciation has been found in Mt. Wuyi. It is worth to study the close relationships between Mt. Wuyi, Mt. Huangshan and Mt. West Tianmu, where is the distri bution center of the East-Asiatic endemic genera. The above three mountain regions share half of the East-Asiatic endemic genera, and about 32% genera of the others are found in two of them (Fig. 2). Myuriopsis, one of the East Asiatic types, was only recorded in Taiwan Pro vince, Japan and Korea. Neodolichomitra, occuring in Taiwan Province, is endemic to China. More or less the differentiation has taken place in Mt. Huangshan, Mt. West Tianmu and Mt. Wuyi. The number of the East-Asiatic endemic genera is smaller in Mt. Wuyi, so it is possibly located on the border of the distributional center of the East-Asiatic endemic genera. Moreo ver, three of four East-Asiatic endemic genera in Mt. Shennongjia are also found in Mt. Huang shan and Mt. West Tianmu, but the other East-Asiatic genus in Mt. Wuyi is common to the mountain areas in SW China, the Qinglin Range of NW China, and the isolated mountain areas of NE China. Considering all the characteristics of the bryoflora of Mt. Shennongjia, we assume that Mt. Shennongjia may belong to another distribution center, including SW part of Sichuan Province, and the other neighbouring mountains.

The present paper aims at discovering the characters of embryological development of Circaeaster agrestis, which makes up a monotypic genus, Circaeaster, to establish the phylogenetic relationships of the genus. The different opinions on its systematic position among botanists are briefly explained. The embryological studies show that the most important advanced characters of the genus are as follows. The ovule is amphitropous, unitegmic and tenuinucelar; the embryo sac formation is in accordance with the Polygonum type; endosperm formation is of the cellular type, the primary endosperm nucleus dividing to form two cells and the first wall vertical; embryo formation follows the variation of the Caryophyllad type; at the early stage of development of embryo, the integument has been already atrophied and at last disappeared, so that the seed coat is absent in the mature fruit. On the basis of the embryological and some morphological evidence, the authors consider that a close relationship between the genus and Ranunculaceae and its related families seems to be unlikely. The affinities of the genus Circaeaster are still uncertain.

This paper deals with pollen morphology of 33 species belonging to 5 sections of Dioscorea in China. They were examined under both LM and SEM. The pollen grains of Sect. Stenophora are monocolpate with the size of 17-25.5×26.8-39.1μm, the exine is reticulate, striate, parforate-reticulate or cerebro-reticulate, while those of the other sections are bicolpate, reticulate or cerebro- reticulate with the size of 19.2-26.7×13.9-23.1μm. Based on palynological data Sect. Stenophora may be considered primitive and Sect. Enantiophyllum the most advanced in Dioscorea.

The pollen morphology of 11 species and 1 variety in the genus Lespedeza and its allied genera (Campylotropis, Kummerowia) from NE China was examined under light and scanning electron microscopes. 1. Lespedeza Michx. (plate 1:1-6; 2:1-6; 3:1-6; 4:1-2) Pollen grains prolate, rarely subprolate or spheroidal, elliptic or rarely suborbicular in equatorial view, 3-lobed-rounded in polar view, tricolporate, colpus margins smooth or jagged. Polar axis 20.7-33.1μm long, equatorial axis 15.4-20.9 μm long. Exine reticulate or foveolate, lumina verrucose or smooth under SEM. 2. Campylotropis Bge. (plate 4:3-4) One species in NE China, C. macrocarpa (Bge.) Rehd. Pollen grains prolate, elliptic in equatorial view, 3-lobed-rounded in polar view, 3-colporate, colpus linear, 25.1μm long, 1.79μm broad, colpus margins jagged, with a series of verrucae equal in size along one side visible under SEM. Polar axis 19.7μm long, equatorial axis 14.6μm long. Exine reticulate, lumina nearly rounded, verrucose at periphery under SEM. 3. Kummerowia Schindl. (plate 4:5-6) Pollen grains spheroidal, oblate or prolate, elliptic in equatorial view, obtuse-triangular in polar view, tricolporate, colups linear, 25.1μm long, 2.01μm broad, colpus margins sinuate. Polar axis 24.7-27.9μm long, equatorial axis 19.7-26.6μm long. Exine reticulate or subreticulate, lumina nearly rounded, with verrocae visible under SEM. According to the pollen morphology of Lespedeza and its allied genera, the division of Lespedeza (s. lat.) into Lespedeza (S. str.), Campylotropis and Kummarowia by Schindler (1912) is reasonable. The subdivision of Lespedeza (s. str.) into Sect. Macrolespedeza and Sect. Lespedeza by many botanists, and the treatment of Lespedeze juncea (L. f.) Pers. var. inschanica Maxim. as an independent species (i.e. Lespedeza inschanics (Maxim). Schindl.) are also supported by the pollen morphology shown in the present work.

The present paper is the outcome of a taxonomic study of Chinese Phyllanthus plants in our flora. Phyllanthus is one of the largest genera in Euphorbiaceae, and is distributed in whole China except for the northwest, extending from 92° to 124° E and 18° to 41°N. It includes 6 subgenera, 7 sections, 33 species and 4 varieties, of which 1 subgenus and 5 species are described as new, and 1 new name and 9 synonyms are proposed.

Dichroa Lour., a small genus of Saxifragaceae, contains about 12 species, ranging from the mainland of S. E. Asia southward to Pacific islands. But most of the species are more restricted in distribution. Of the 12 recognized species, six are known from South China and Indochina; three are confined to west and northwest New Guinea; two are endemic to the Phillipines. Only one species is widely distributed in S. E. Asia. In the present paper, the genus is divided into two sections and two series based on the number of stamens and the characteristics of the ovary. One species is described as new.

It is quite unreasonable reducing Elachanthemum Y. Ling et Y. R. Ling into Stilprolepis Krasch. and it is so wrong idea attributing the achenes and cupuliform corolla (as a matter of fact, the cupuliform corolla is originally from the Stilpnolepis Krasch., not from Elachanthemum Y. Ling et Y. R. Ling) of Elachanthemum Y. Ling et Y. R. Ling to “earlier Development” in the paper published in Act. Phytotax. Sin. 23(6): 470-472. 1985. In Elachanthemum Y. Ling et Y. R. Ling, bracts of capitula herbaceous, obviously floccose on the abaxial surface and membranaceous only on the margin, corolla of bisexual florets tubular, achenes oblique, obovoid, and the exine of pollen grains minutespinulate, but in Stilpnolepis Krasch., on the contrary, whole bracts membranaceous, glabrous, corolla of hermaphrodite florets cupuliform or campanulate, achenes long-clavate or fuciform and the exine of pollen grains remarkably spiny.

Gonatanthus (?) ornatus was described by Schott in 1858. Until recently, however, its exact systematic position has not been clear, because no inflorescence has been found on either the type or other specimens. After having examined all the morphological characters of spathe and spadix of the plant, which was collected from the Shizi Mountain of Wuding County in Yunnan in 1986 and then cultivated in Kunming. It is found that the species is best transferred to the genus Remusatia Schott. Its ovoid tube of spathe, the unilocular ovaries with parietal placentas and many hemiorthotropous ovules all fall into the circumscription of Remusatia. Thus a new combination, Remusatia ornata (Schott) H. Li et Q. F. Guo, is made here in the present paper.