ars 
’ RHAPHIDOPHORA MACLUREI sp. nov. 
THE PHILIPPINE 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE 
VoL. 21 OCTOBER, 1922 No. 4 
DIAGNOSES OF HAINAN PLANTS 
By ELmMer D. MERRILL 
Director and Botanist, Bureau of Science, Manila 
The following diagnoses of presumably hitherto undescribed 
species of plants, totaling 37, are presented in connection with 
studies prosecuted in the past few months on an extensive series 
of specimens collected in Hainan by Mr. F. A. McClure, of the 
Canton Christian College. From collections made by former 
residents of, or visitors to, Hainan, Messrs. Bullock, Dahl, Dela- 
vay, Faber, Fagg, Hance, Hancock, A. Henry, B. C. Henry, Kat- 
sumada, Konishi, Lamont, and Swinhoe, about 350 species of 
plants in all groups have been credited to the island in botanical 
literature. The collections made by Mr. McClure, supplemented 
by smaller collections made by Miss Margaret M. Moninger and 
Miss K. L. Schaeffer, of the American Presbyterian Mission in 
Hainan, and Hainan material received from the Hongkong 
Botanic Garden in exchange, have enabled me to increase the 
list of known Hainan species from about 350 to about 1,025. 
It is thought, however, that considering the size and location 
of the island, its climatic conditions, altitudinal range, and the 
known rich floras of neighboring regions such as Formosa, north- 
ern Luzon, Kwangtung Province, and Indo-China, this number 
represents less than one-half, perhaps not more than one-third, 
of the species of plants that actually occur in Hainan. 
ARACEAE 
Foliis coriaceis, integris, elliptico-ovatis, circiter 45 cm longis 
et 24 cm latis, acutis vel brevissime acuminatis, basi late rotun- 
dato-cordatis, leviter inaequilateralibus, nervis utrinque nume- 
189203 337 
