Memecylon nervosum Vadhyar, J.H.F.Benj. & Sujana, a new species of Melastomataceae from the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, India, is described and illustrated. It is compared with the closely allied Memecylon heyneanum Benth. and Memecylon jambosioides Wight.

Aim: The study aimed to investigate tree diversity in Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary of Odisha. Twenty (20) plots of 100 sqm each were established in three different disturbed zones within the forest. Methodology: Important quantitative analysis such as density, frequency and abundance of tree species were determined along with the diversity indices which would give a better understanding of the forest structure.  Results: The study revealed a total of 118 tree species of 95 genera distributed in 39 families, were recorded in the different study areas of the forest. From the distribution index it was seen that nearly 80% of the species showed contiguous distribution in the core area. The buffer zone exhibited maximum proportion of the species (25%) with random distribution. In tree species, the value of species richness (Dmg) was highest in core area (14.852) and lowest in periphery area (7.114). The value of species diversity (H’) in tree species was highest in core area (4.332) and lowest in periphery area (3.115). Simpson index of dominance was calculated by using the important value of the plant species which showed minor variation within the study site. The value of dominance (D) in tree species was found to be highest in core area 0.982) and lowest in periphery area (0.931). Conclusion: The forest of KWLS harbours a rich diversity of flora and these diversity indices would give an important insight on laying the conservation strategies in this forest.

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Sonerila veldkampiana, a new species of Melastomataceae collected from an exposed, high-elevation rocky grassland in Kerala, India is described and illustrated. It resembles S. rotundifolia, but differs in having several important characters like pilose leaf-lamina, terete and glabrous peduncle, inflorescence with 10–35 flowers in branched or unbranched scorpioid cymes, an obscurely ridged hypanthium, long acuminate anthers with a deeply cordate base, and seeds with a sub-excurrent raphe.

Eugenia sphaerocarpa, from Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary of Kozhikode district in Kerala, India, is described and illustrated. It has some morphological similarities with Eugenia codyensis, but characteristically differs by having obconic hypanthium, round staminal disk and glossy lemon-yellow coloured fruits. Palynological studies evidenced that the new species have cryptic androdioecy, a feature that is reported in Indian Eugenia for the first time.

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