Tas. 6280. 
TUPISTRA MACROSTIGMA. 
Native of the Khasia Mountains. 
Nat. Ord. Littackm—tTribe AspipIsTRE®. 
Genus Tuptstra, Gawl. (Baker in Journ. Linn. Soe. vol. xiv. p. 580). 
TuristRa macrostigma ; rhizomate crasso ramoso, foliis binis lanceolatis longe 
petiolatis chartaceis viridibus, exterioribus rudimentariis in fibras dissolutis, 
pedunculo brevi erecto, spica laxa cernua, bracteis deltoideis, perianthi 
atropurpurei segmentis deltoideis tubo campanulato quilongis, stigmate 
magno peltato convexo margine 6-lobato tubum corolla et antheras occultante. 
T. squalida, Baker in Journ. Linn. Soc. loc. cit. partim, p. 130, t. 192, non Gawl. 
~ Macrosrrama tupistroides, Kunth, Enum. vol. v. p. 319; Hegel, Gartenflora, 
1857. 
& 
In my monograph of the Aspidistree just cited, judging from 
dried specimens alone, I joined all the species of Tupistra 
then clearly known into one. Now, upon study of living © 
specimens of this, I recognise that it is really distinct speci- 
fically from 7. squalida of Gawler, which inhabits the same 
country, and differs from the plant now in question by its 
more robust habit, broader leaves, denser spikes, and mate- 
rially smaller stigma. For making the plants two different 
genera, as Kunth has done, I certainly cannot see any good 
ground. 
The native country of the present plant has never been 
stated. We have a considerable suite of specimens in the 
: Kew herbarium, gathered in the mountains of Khasia, at an 
- elevation of between two thousand and four thousand feet, by 
_ Griffithand Hooker and Thomson. There is a fine drawing 
at Kew yet unpublished, by Cathcart, of the true 7: squalida, 
from Sikkim. ‘The present drawing of 7. macrostigma was 
made from a plant which flowered in Kew Gardens in 
December, 1876, which was sent to the collection by Dr. 
- Regel in 1872. 
Descr. Rhizome like that of a Ginger, short, creeping, 
thick, much-branched ; floriferous tufts consisting usually of. 
