108 Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. 



S. singaporensis, A. De C. Monogr. Smilax 177. S. calophylla Wall. 

 Cat. 131, Herb. Richard. Differs from S. Ilelferi in its scanty thorns, 

 shorter sheath of the petiole, base of blade obtuse, bract at the base of 

 the raceme more cuspidate, female flower larger, stigmas longer more 

 papillose ; without male flowers difficult to distinguish from S. India. 

 This may possibly be S. Helfcri, but that has not been found since in 

 Singapore, nor do I know of any plant like this in the Island. It ap- 

 pears that in distributing Wallich's duplicates the specimens of Smilax 

 got mixed and the specimen on which this species was based may 

 perhaps not have come from Singapore at all. 



10. HETEROSMILAX, Kunth. 



Climbers with the habit of Smilax but the perianth tubular, apex 

 triiid to 6-fid. Stamens 3 filaments connate. Fruit a 2 seeded berry. 



Species 5. India, Malaya, China, Japan. 



H. INDICA, A. De C. Monogr. Smilax 43. Stem slender unarmed 

 obscurely angled. Leaves ovate lanceolate acuminate base rounded 

 rather thin, 3 to 8 inches long 1 to 3i inch wide, ribs 5 connate at base 

 petiole 1-li inch long geniculate above; no sheath, tendrils slender. 

 Peduncle solitary, axillary stiff compressed 2 inches long, umbel an 

 inch through. Male flowers f\ inch long, apex trifid. Stamens 3 con- 

 nate about half way up. Anthers elliptic ovate with a short cusp. 

 Fruit globose {-?; inch through. Seeds 2 hemispheric. Hook. fil. Fl. 

 Brit. Ind. VI. p. 314. 



Singapore, thickets near Tanjong Katong. (Hullett). Rare. Dis- 

 trib. India. 



XL PONTEDERIACEAE. 



Herbs growing in open marshes and fresh water, with a short 

 rootstock, and erect or floating leaves parallel-nerved. Flowers in 

 spikes or racemes from the axil of the upper leaf, bisexual, blue or 

 white. Bracts sheathing. Sepals 3 and petals 3 free, fugacious. 

 Stamens G, one usually longer. Ovary free 3 celled or one celled with 

 three parietal placentas. Style slender. Stigma entire or more or less 

 bilobed, ovules anatropous. Capsule membranous. Seeds minute, rib- 

 bed. Albumen horny, embryo cylindric. 



About 3G species, tropics of both hemispheres. 



1. MONOCHORIA, Presl. 



Marsh plants. Leaves radical and solitary at the top of the stem 

 or branches, pctioled, lamina ovate. Perianth widely expanded or 

 campanulate blue. Stamens 6, live sterile, one longer fertile. 



Species 5 to 6. Tropics of the old world. 



