When Mark Newman took on the role of editor-in-chief of the Edinburgh Journal of Botany at the beginning of 2014, he stated clearly that it would be for a fixed term of three years. Now that his tenure has come to an end, I find myself in the enviable position of taking on responsibility for a thriving journal that has made the transition to early online publication (FirstView) under his management, has introduced colour figure printing free of charge to authors, and now has an outstanding average lead time from manuscript submission to publication. We owe Mark a debt of gratitude for both his exceptionally deft handling of the editorial process and his development of ‘EJB’ into a fully fledged international e-journal.

Begonia speculum is described and illustrated as a new species endemic to the San Martín Region of Peru, and compared with Begonia cremnophila Tebbitt and Begonia lutea L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. Begonia erythrothrix is described and illustrated as a new species endemic to the Cuzco Region of Peru, and compared with an updated description of Begonia thyrsoidea Irmsch., which is lectotypified. Using International Union for Conservation of Nature criteria, Begonia speculum is considered Vulnerable; B. erythrothrix and B. thyrsoidea are assessed as Data Deficient.

Araucaria goroensis R.R.Mill & Ruhsam sp. nov., a new monkey puzzle species from New Caledonia, is described and illustrated with photographs from the field and from herbarium specimens. Previously confused with Araucaria muelleri, it is more similar to A. rulei. It is distinguished from the latter species by its larger leaves, microsporophylls without a shouldered base, and shorter female cone bracts. It occurs in a very limited area of south-east New Caledonia, where its existence is threatened by nickel mining. Using the guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, we propose an assessment of Endangered for the new species and reassess Araucaria muelleri also as Endangered. A key to the seven species in the ‘large-leaved clade’ of New Caledonian species of Araucaria is given. The name Eutassa latifolia de Laub. is synonymised with Araucaria muelleri, and the recent typification of the latter name by Vieillard 1276 is rejected. Detailed reasoning is given for these nomenclatural acts.

A new species, Etlingera frederikii, is described and illustrated, and is the first record of the genus in the Bougainville Region. Etlingera frederikii and E. cevuga, which occurs in Fiji and Samoa, are the two most easterly species in the distribution range of the genus. The new species differs from Etlingera cevuga in its much larger leaves, with a conspicuously silky-haired band on the ligule; the smaller, narrowly ovoid to cylindrical inflorescence with pale brown bracts (not hemiglobose with reddish brown bracts); and fewer, smaller flowers.

Four new species of Begonia are described from Northern, Peninsular and Southwestern Thailand. Three belong to Begonia sect. Diploclinium (B. exposita Phutthai & M.Hughes, B. pengchingii Phutthai & M.Hughes and B. pseudosubperfoliata Phutthai & M.Hughes), and one (B. phutthaii M.Hughes) to Begonia sect. Apterobegonia. All four species are karst limestone endemics. The provisional IUCN status of all the new species is ‘Vulnerable’.

Rhododendron stanleyi S.James & Argent is described as a new species from Mount Yule, Central Province, Papua New Guinea. Its morphological position in the subgenus is discussed and the differences given from the most closely similar species. A note on the habitat and conservation assessment is also provided.

Two new species of Paphiopedilum from Sumatra, Indonesia, are described and illustrated. These two species belong in Paphiopedilum section Barbata and are so far known only from Aceh Province in the north of Sumatra.

Begonia mayasiana L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. is shown to be synonymous with Begonia albomaculata C.DC. An emended description and lectotypification of Begonia albomaculata is provided, and the species is recorded from the Peruvian regions of Amazonas, Loreto, San Martín, Huánuco and Ucayali; the Brazilian state of Acre; and the Ecuadorian province of Pastaza. The use of the name Begonia albomaculata in the Flora of Ecuador and related publications is a misapplication, and the specimens cited there represent an undescribed taxon closely related to Begonia tiliifolia C.DC., described in a companion paper in this volume. Taxonomic study of Begonia albomaculata prompted a re-evaluation of related Andean species. As a result, two further new species were identified, and Begonia longimaculata Irmsch. and Begonia maynensis A.DC. were found to be conspecific. The two new species are described as Begonia chemillenensis Moonlight sp. nov. and Begonia scorpiocaulis Moonlight & Tebbitt sp. nov., and are known only from the Pasco and Huánuco regions and the Madre de Dios region of Peru, respectively. Begonia longimaculata Irmsch. is newly treated here as a synonym of B. maynensis A.DC.

Begonia albomaculata as circumscribed in the Flora of Ecuador and related publications is shown to be a misapplied name and represents an undescribed species. This is described as Begonia botryoides Moonlight & Tebbitt sp. nov., and is recorded from the Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Napo, Cotopaxi, Azuay and El Oro provinces in Ecuador, and the Antioquia and Chocó departments of Colombia. The taxonomic study of this species prompted a re-evaluation of related species. It was subsequently found that the Central American material previously included in Begonia tiliifolia C.DC. is distinct from the type and other South American material of this species and represents an undescribed species. This is described as Begonia boreoharlingii Tebbitt & Moonlight sp. nov., and is recorded from the Limón province in Costa Rica, and the Bocas del Toro and Coclé provinces in Panama. Four species, Begonia tiliifolia C.DC., Begonia harlingii L.B.Sm. & Wassh., B. botryoides and B. boreoharlingii, are placed in the informally named Begonia tiliifolia group. A key, descriptions, illustrations and distribution maps are provided for the members of the Begonia tiliifolia group, and its sectional classification is discussed.

A taxonomic study was conducted of four Andean Begonia species, each originally described only from its type collection: Begonia hydrophylloides L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub., B. triramosa Irmsch., B. velata L.B.Sm. & B.G.Schub. and B. xerophyta L.B.Sm. & Wassh. Amended descriptions of Begonia hydrophylloides and B. velata are provided. The distribution range of Begonia hydrophylloides is extended to include the Colombian department of Meta, as well as Cundinamarca. Begonia velata, originally described from Huncabamba Province, of Píura Region, Peru, has its distribution range extended to include Contumazá Province, of Cajamarca Region, Peru. Begonia triramosa, described from Chimborazo Province, Ecuador, and B. xerophyta, described from Loja Province, Ecuador, are both synonymised with B. acerifolia Kunth. Following an in-depth taxonomic study of Begonia acerifolia, an additional species, B. erythrocarpa A.DC., is synonymised with this species. An amended description of Begonia acerifolia is provided, and the species is recorded from Andean Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Begonia hydrophylloides, B. velata and B. acerifolia are all affiliated with species currently classified in the polyphyletic Begonia sect. Knesebeckia (Klotzsch) A.DC. Begonia hydrophylloides is assessed as Data Deficient (DD), B. velata is assessed as Vulnerable (VU) and B. acerifolia is assessed as Least Concern (LC), according to IUCN criteria.

The new species Ornithoboea grandiflora D.J. Middleton and new variety Ornithoboea maxwellii var. minutiflora D.J. Middleton are described.

Curcuma prasina (Zingiberaceae), a stenoendemic species from Thailand, is described and illustrated here. It differs from other similar species in Curcuma subgenus Hitcheniopsis in Thailand in its inflorescences composed of fertile green bracts only (lacking any white coma bracts), purple staminodes, and purple labellum with a bright yellow centre extending from the base to about two-thirds of the labellum towards the apex.