DR, O. STAPF ON THE FLORA OF MOUNT KINABALU. 99 
light upon the history of the flora. Some are probably very old types, as, for instance, 
Myrica ; others may have attained their almost world-wide distribution at a comparatively 
late date, as Rubus $ Ideobatus; and others, which are already becoming better 
known, suggest a differentiation more in accordance with their geographical distribution, 
as, for instance, Sterculia $ Integrifolie, which seems to consist of two natural groups, one 
confined to the Old, and the other to the New World. 
b. Paleotropical Types (types confined to the Tropics of the Old World generally).— 
These consist of about 20 per cent. Not a few of them have their present centre 
in the Indo-Malayan region, extending westward only to the Mascarenes or to 
Madagascar, or in a few species to Tropical Africa. Thus, Melastoma does not go beyond 
the Seychelles and might better be counted with the Indo-Malayan types. Nepenthes 
extends to Madagascar, but not to Tropical Africa, and has its centre most decidedly 
in the Indo-Malayan region. The same may be said of 4dinandra, Pygeum, Eugenia 
§ Syzygeum, Argostemma, Mesa, Embelia, Ardisia, Alyxia, Strobilanthes, and probably 
of several more. Adinandra, Pygeum,and Argostemma, for instance, are each represented 
only by a single species in Tropical West Africa, thus leaving an enormous gap between 
the two areas inhabited by them. Dianella is very widely spread, from Polynesia to 
Madagascar ; but it does not reach the African Continent. Most species of the genus, 
moreover, being Australian, it would perhaps better be connected with the Austral- 
Antarctic types. If we may venture to make any suggestion as to the origin of these 
types, we must say that all the evidence ascertainable is in favour of the Indo-Malayan 
region. The remaining types, though represented by more and even by numerous species 
in Tropical Africa also, cannot be said to be more African than Indo-Malayan. In some 
cases, as Impatiens and Eugenia $ Syzygeum, the centre is distinctly more in the western 
part of the Indo-Malayan region, and the relations with Madagascar and Tropical Africa 
are rather strong. On the whole, however, these types would not justify the assumption 
of an “ African” branch in the primary forest flora of Kinabalu. All these types 
extend also east of Kinabalu and to the Philippines, with the exception of Argostemma, 
which does not range east of Kinabalu, although it is known from the Philippines, and 
of Adinandra, which I know from Celebes, but not further eastwards. They are, 
however, more abundantly developed west of the Macassar line than east of it, where 
many of them are represented by a few species only. : 
e. Indo-Malayan Types (types confined to the Indo-Malayan region).—I find these 
represented by 68 genera or sections, or by 56 to 57 per cent. in the primary forest flora of 
Kinabalu. 25, or two-fifths, are found only west of Kinabalu, 3 extend to Celebes, the rest 
range more or less eastward, many to Tropical Australia or even to Polynesia. Some of 
these number many species in Austro-Malaya, as for instance Medinilla, but the majority 
have their centre most distinctly in the wide region between the Sunda Islands and the 
Himalaya; and there is not a single genus, subgenus, or section among the Indo-Malayan 
types of Kinabalu which might be considered truly * Austro-Malayan,” i. e., having at 
present its centre in Austro-Malaya, and the same is the case with regard to the 
Philippines. Melastomacee, Rubiacee, Ericacee (incl. Vacciniee), Gesneracee, and 
Orchidee are the most prominent orders so far as these types are concerned. 
