Sasa is a taxonomically problematic genus of bamboos mainly distributed in Japan and China. Recent phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that Sasa is polyphyletic, with Chinese species of Sasa being distantly related to species from Japan. Based on newly collected flowering materials from China, it was found that the Chinese species hitherto placed in Sasa subg. Sasa have racemose synflorescences, 2-3 florets per spikelet with a rudimentary terminal floret, and 3 stamens and 2 stigmas per floret. This distinguishes them from the type of Sasa and other species of that genus, which have paniculate synflorescences, 4-10 florets per spikelet, and 6 stamens and 3 stigmas per floret. Together with several differences in vegetative characters between these two groups, this morphological distinction warrants recognition of a new genus for the Chinese species hitherto placed in Sasa subg. Sasa. The results of our molecular phylogenetic analyses also strongly support the monophyly of the Chinese representatives of Sasa subg. Sasa. The new genus Sinosasa is described to accommodate the Chinese species, including three previously recognized species and four new species.

A new bamboo species, Phyllostachys danxiashanensis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), is described from Danxia Mountain, Northern Guangdong. This new species is similar to P. rivalis in having papery culm sheaths, erect culm sheath blades and the absence of culm sheath auricles, but it differs from P. rivalis by its much longer cilia on culm sheath ligules, hispid culm sheaths, and fewer leaves on ultimate branches.

Schizostachyum dakrongense is a new species of woody bamboo from Dakrong Nature Reserve, Quang Tri Province, central Vietnam. It is closely related to S. hainanense but differs by its pseudospikelets having terminal rachilla segments with ciliate margin and 6 bracts; culm sheath with the base of the outer margin having a slight projection below its point of attachment at the node, as well as sheath blades usually less than half as long as the culm sheath proper; and leaf blades pale-puberulent and sparsely pilosulous on the abaxial surface. The new species is described and illustrated here.

Here we describe and illustrate a new species, Melocalamus grandiauritus N.H. Xia, Q.M. Qin & J. B. Ni sp. nov., from the lowland forest in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. Molecular phylogeny based on the GBSSI indicates that this species is a member of Melocalamus. Morphologically, M. grandiauritus is different from all congeneric species in Vietnam. It is somewhat similar to M. pacoensis H.N.Nguyen & V.T.Tran, but is easily distinguished by having much wider suborbicular culm leaf auricles, very high and ventricose auricles of foliage leaves, entire ligules of both culm leaves and foliage leaves, and large leaf blades.

Based on morphological comparison and literature consultation, a new species, Metapetrocosmea alba (Gesneriaceae), is confirmed from Bach Ma National Park, central Vietnam. This new species is similar to M. poilanei, but differs by its longer and white funnelform corolla and three staminodes. And it is easy to distinguish the new species from M. cycnostyla by its distinct stem, and the shape and size of leaf blade. A detailed morphological description and photographic illustration of the new species are provided along with ecological information and geographic distribution.