- 317 — 



First I wisli to draw attention to tlic fact, that rumphius, who was 

 an excellent observer, does not mention at ail the briglit red-and-yellow 

 spathes whicli form such a stnking character of [leliconia B i h a i 

 (Vide Bot. Register, tab. 374). Secondly that lie describes the ovaries as 

 orange-colonred vvhilst in H. B i h a i tliey are wliite. Thirdly that in the 

 Rumphian plant the calyx is about 3 limes as long as the ovary whilst in 

 H. Bihai it is 6 — 7 times as long. Therefore it is highly improbable that 

 the Rnmphian plant shonld be conspecific with the Linnaean one. In the 

 Buitenzorg Botanical Garden (XV, I, 13 and 13a) 2 spécimens of a Heli con i a, 

 introduced from Amboina, hâve been cuitivated for many years under the 

 name of H. spec. Ambon. With thèse spécimens, which flower freelythe 

 whole year round, the description given by rumphius tallies so exactly, 

 that there cannot be a shadovv of a doubt as to their identity with the 

 plant meant by that author. The sanie species is cuitivated under several 

 other numbers in the same division (XV, 1, 2, from ex-German New-Guinea, — 

 XV, 1, 7, from unknown origin,— XV, I, 10, from Pulu Patjing, -XV, 1,12, 

 reported to corne from Brazil, under the erroneous name of H. 1 a t ispath a 

 Benth.,— XV, 1, 14 from Menado). The true H. Bihai is cuitivated in the 

 same division, XV, 1, 11, and differs in so many respects from the Rumphian 

 plant, that they cannot possibly be considered as conspecific, so that 1 do 

 not hesitate to restore for the latter the name H. i n d i c a Lam. The 

 différences between the two species are set forth in the foliowing table: 



H. INDICA Lamk. 



Main-axis of inflorescence pale 

 orange-yellou', pubescent, 



Spathes green, with a very nar- 

 row red border, this red margin soon 

 withering and becoming brown. No 

 waxy lines. 



Bracteolespubescent,neversliniy. 



Pedicels 12—15 mM long, 

 much thinner than the ovary. 



Ovary orange, conspicuously 

 trigonous. 



Calyx 4: 3 times as long as 

 the ovary, its tube 8—10 mM long. 



Staminodc 5—6 mM broad. 



Broader half of the leaf descend- 

 ing less along the pétiole than the 

 other half. 



H. BIHfll L. 



Main axis of inflorescence bright 

 red, quite glabrous. 



Spathes bright red, bordered 

 with yellow and green, often marked 

 with white waxy Unes. 



Bracteoles glabrous, veryslimy. 



Pedicels 6—10 mM long, in 

 living spécimens almost as thîck as 

 the ovary. 



Ovary white, subcylindrical. 



Calyx 6— 7 times as long as the 

 ovary, its tube 13—15 mM long. 



Staminode IV2— 2 niM broad. 



Broader half of the leaf descend- 

 ing lower along the pétiole than the 

 other half. 



