876 MR. Н. N. RIDLEY ON THE FLORA OF THE 
THELASIS CAPITATA, Blume. 
Pekan, at Pramau. 
T. ELATA, Hook. f. 
Kota Glanggi, Kwala Pahang. 
T. pECURVA, Hook. f. 
Таһап River. 
NEOTTIACE. 
VANILLA, sp. 
Pekan. In fruit only. 
This is probably the “Vanilla albida, Blume,” of the ‘ Flora of British India,’ but not 
of Blume. It is quite common in the Malay Peninsula, but rarely flowers. It is entirely 
distinct from the plant figured by Blume. 
I will describe it here under the name of 
V. TOLYPEPHORA, n. sp. (roAóz», a ball of wool.) Scandens, caulibus elongatis, crassis, 
canaliculatis, viridibus, radicibus longis gracilibus. Folia ovata vel ovato-lanceo- 
lata acuta, 6 pollices longa, 3 pollices lata, viridia, obscure reticulata. Flores in 
racemo plures singulatim expansi, magni, odori; alabastra clavata. Sepala ovata, 
ultra-pollicaria, virescenti-alba. Petala obovata, subobtusa, majora. Labellum ex- 
planatum, trilobum, lobi laterales lati, rotundati, albi, dente parvo terminali, discus 
profunde excavatus, nervis latis, elevatis, castaneo-kermesinis in utroque latere; 
lobus medius bilobus flabellatus, latus, albus, callo globoso lanuginoso albo in medio. 
Columna alba, crassa, paullo curva.  Stelidia lata, obscure flabellulata. Anthera 
pendula, filamento validulo, oblonga ovata, subacuta, bilocularis, ochrea. Rostellum 
latum, planum, integrum, margine recto. Stigma transversim lineare. 
This occurs in Penang and in an island called Pulau Ubin, lying in the strait 
between Singapore and Johore, where it covers the bushes with a thick mat of stems, 
and in Selangor, and is, І believe, the common species all over the Peninsula, but it 
very seldom produces flowers. Тһе flowers are as beautiful as any in the genus, and 
the fruit, like small bananas, is quite sweet and eatable. 
The Vanilla albida, Blume, according to the figure in ‘ Rumphia, differs in its 
lanceolate-acuminate leaves, narrower sepals and petals, and convolute lip, with the lateral 
lobes hardly distinct, and with a broad raised bar down the centre of the lip, terminated 
by a tuft of white hairs in the notch of the terminal lobe. 
In V. tolypephora the lip is very broad and spread open; there is a deep wide channel 
down the dise between the lateral lobes, on each side of which are three raised, curved, 
brown-crimson ribs; the terminal lobe, beautifully plicate, forms an angle with the rest 
of the lip, and bears a woolly ball, which nearly covers the central portion of this lobe. 
CYSTORCHIS VARIEGATA, Blume. 
Tahan woods. 
C. JAVANICA, Blume. 
With the last, with which it is too closely allied to be, I think, specifically distinct ; 
