The monotypic genus Holocheila was originally placed in Teucrium sect. Holocheila but was later treated as a distinct genus and variably affiliated with subfamilies Ajugoideae, Scutellarioideae, or Lamioideae. We investigated the phylogenetic position of this enigmatic genus using likelihood, parsimony, and Bayesian methods based on six plastid DNA sequences. The preliminary results from a concatenated ndhF and rbcL dataset that covered all seven subfamilies of Lamiaceae suggested that Holocheila is part of subfamily Lamioideae. To examine its position within Lamioideae more thoroughly, a dataset was assembled that included representatives of 59 of the 63 genera of Lamioideae and data for four genetic markers: trnL intron, trnL‐trnF spacer, rps16 and matK. The results showed that Holocheila is part of tribe Pogostemoneae. Glossy mericarps and unilocular anthers are apomorphies that Holocheila shares with some members of Pogostemoneae. The genera Acrymia and Cymaria, which have been considered incertae sedis, were found to be the closest relatives of Lamioideae. Four other incertae sedis genera (Garrettia, Hymenopyramis, Peronema, Petraeovitex) appear to form a clade that is sister to the clade comprising Lamioideae, Acrymia, Cymaria, and Scutellarioideae.

Subtribe Gentianinae, encompassing Gentiana, Tripterospermum, Metagentiana and Crawfurdia, represents one of the most species‐rich clades of Gentianaceae. Only a few taxonomic uncertainties have remained at generic level in subtribe Gentianinae: the inclusion of Gentiana sect. Otophora in Gentiana, and the polyphyletic nature of Metagentiana. In both cases, data were lacking in earlier studies to resolve ambiguities and provide the baseline for a solid taxonomic treatment of these lineages. For the present study, we increased the number of species sequenced for Gentiana sect. Otophora and Metagentiana, using a combination of nuclear (ITS) and plastid (trnL‐F, atpB‐rbcL) markers. We reconstructed phylogenetic relationships in Gentianinae conducting maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. Our results show that Gentiana sect. Otophora is monophyletic and more closely related to Metagentiana than to Gentiana. We suggest excluding Gentiana sect. Otophora from Gentiana and elevating this group to the rank of genus described here under the name Kuepferia. Metagentiana is monophyletic when excluding two species, M. striata and M. souliei, here described as the new genus Sinogentiana.

The northern temperate genus Pyrola L. is the largest and arguably the most taxonomically complex element in the tribe Pyroleae (Ericaceae). Here we present a molecular phylogenetic study with extensive sampling comprising 26 ingroup and 7 closely related taxa. The results, based on parsimony and Bayesian analyses of nuclear (ITS) and chloroplast (atpB‐rbcL, trnS‐trnG, trnL‐trnF) DNA sequences, add substantially to our understanding of relationships within this diverse group and call for taxonomic changes. Pyrola is confirmed as a monophyletic group with two redefined sections and six series: P. sect. Pyrola (P. ser. Pyrola, ser. Ellipticae and ser. Rugosae) and P. sect. Scotophylla (P. ser. Japonicae, ser. Scotophyllae and ser. Chloranthae). Members of each respective section and series share similar morphological traits and/or geographical distributions. For the potential hybrids P. media and P. faurieana, the maternal donor was identified by their close affinity to P. minor in the chloroplast trees whereas the paternal donor remained unclear.