172 DR. O. STAPF ON THE FLORA OF MOUNT KINABALU. 
rufo-hirtella ; tubus tenuis, 1 poll. longus, in parte tertià superiore paulo dilatatus, 
intus aureo-pilosus; lobi ovato-lanceolati, acuminati, 5-6 lin. longi, papillosi, in 
alabastro valde reduplicati. Stamina in parte tubi dilatatá breviter inserta; anther 
lineares, 3 lin. longze, basi anguste et longiuscule bilobze. Stylus filiformis, 1 lin. 
longus, bifidus, ramulis vix } lin. longis. Ovarium 2-loculare; placente ex axi ortee, 
plus minusve bifidee. Bacca obovoidea, ad 6 lin. longa, nigra vel albido-maculata, 
rufo-hirtella, septis tenuissimis. Semina numerosa, angulata, $ lin. longa, pallida, 
minute scrobiculato-granulata. 
On the Tampassuk and the Dahombang rivers, from 2000 to 3400 feet (Low; Haviland, 
1356, 1357). 
Distribution: North Borneo. 
Beccari, no. 456, from Sarawak, a fruiting specimen, belongs evidently to the same 
species, and probably also no. 2362, which, however, has glabrous berries. 
Mussenda coccinea is intermediate between typical Mussenda and the more herba- 
ceous forms which are referred to Acranthera, a genus which was reduced to Mussenda 
by Baillon (Hist. des Pl. vii. 449), whilst it was maintained by K. Schumann in Engler, 
Natiirl. Pflanzenfam. iv. Th. 4 Abth. 63, although chiefly on an erroneous representation 
of the structure of the ovary which was introduced first by Arnott in his original diagnosis 
of the genus (Ann. Nat. Hist. iii. 20). According to this author the ovarium is **pseudo- 
biloculare, dissepimentis duobus oppositis, vix ad medium attingentibus, placentam 
bilamellatam divaricatam ferentibus." But the fact is that even in the species on which 
the genus was founded, viz. 4. zeylanica, the ovary is perfectly bilocular and that the 
bilamellate placenta rises from the axis, just as it does in typical Musszendas. But the 
division of the placenta often reaches almost the centre, and then disintegration easily 
takes place, particularly when the transverse sections are not made with a sharp 
razor. I dissected various flowers and semi-mature fruits and always found the septa 
reaching right through. So far there is no difference between Acranthera and Mussenda. 
The berry of 4. Maingayi, Hook. fil., was stated to be 2-celled by the author himself 
in Hook. fil. Fl. Brit. Ind. iii. 92; Hemsley pointed out the 2-celled structure of the 
ovary for 4. Griffithii, Hook. fil. (in Hook. Ic. Pl. t. 1718), and I find it also in 4. tomen- 
tosa, Brown, A. grandiflora, Bedd., and A. anamallica, Bedd. Nevertheless, I think, 
Acranthera must be retained as a well-marked genus after excluding 4. Maingayi and 
A. Griffithii. It may be characterized by the herbaceous growth, the generally 
elongated ovary and fruit, the blue or reddish, upwards widened and funnel-shaped or 
campanulate corolla, and the club-shaped, entire style. It is known from Ceylon, the 
Tinnevelly and Anamally Hills, the Khasia Hills, Cachar and Manipur, and there 
are several species, still undescribed, in the Kew Herbarium, from Borneo. Acranthera 
Maingayi, A. Griffithii, Mussenda mutabilis, Hemsl., M. kiutaensis, Kin g, mss. (Perak, fl. 
Mal. Pen. no. 4255, King’s Coll.), and a new species from Borneo (Sarawak, Lobb), form 
another very natural group, which are nearer to the Indian Muss:endas ; they still differ, 
however, in the habit by the straggling or bushy growth, larger corollas, and the absence 
of an enlarged calyx-lobe. The species enumerated here are all very closely allied, and 
will perhaps be partly reduced in future. Their corollas are of a brilliant orange 
