288 XXIV. STERCULiACE^. [ByUiteria. 



The leaves vary very much in size, shape and length of petioles in different 

 specimens ; those specimens taken from ends of branches are much smaller, 

 in these parts than on the lower part of stem. 



(5) B. elliplica Masters, I.e. ^yy ; King, I.e. 91. 



Softly hairy climbing shrub. Leaves sub-membranous, oblong 

 shortly blunt-acuminate, base blunt truncate, broad, 3-nerved; 

 lateral nerves 3 pairs with numerous smaller parallel ones all 

 inarching within margin, reticulations elevate conspicuous, above 

 sparsely (midrib densely) hairy, edges and nerves beneath hairy, 

 4'5 to 5*5 in. long, 2'5 in. wide; petioles densely hairy, i'5 in. 

 long. Cymes umbellate numerous, pubescent, i in. long; pedicels 

 •3 in. long. Flowers '12 in. across. Bracts small, linear. Sepals 

 lanceolate, hairy. Petals shorter. Hab. Malacca (Maingay) ; very 

 rare. 



A very distinct plant with thin 3-nerved broad-based leaves. 



(6) B. elegans Ridl. Jourii. Roy. As. Soc. S. Br. 57, p. 25. 



Long slender climber. Young parts pubescent. Leaves ovate- 

 cordate bluntly acuminate, above glabrous, beneath hairy on the 

 nerves, 4 in. long, 3 in. wide or less ; petioles pubescent, 4 in. long. 

 Panicles solitary or in pairs; peduncles slender, -5 to i in. long. 

 Flowers small numerous, red and yellow in numerous small pubes- 

 cent cymes. Bracts lanceolate pubescent. Sepals lanceolate acute, 

 pubescent on both sides. Petals shorter, linear, tip 3-lobed, lateral 

 lobes incurved rounded, midlobe rounded with 4 small teeth; 

 appendage linear obtuse, curved. Capsule globose, "75 in. through, 

 spines "5 in. long. Hab. Climbing on bushes in islands and on 

 banks of rivers. Pahang, Kwala Tembeling ; Perak, Kwala Kener- 

 ing and Temengo (Ridley). 



15. COMMERSONIA, Forsk. 



Trees (or shrubs). Leaves simple, oblique. Inflorescence 

 cymose, terminal, axillary or leaf-opposed. Calyx 5-cleft. Petals 

 5, concave at the base, with a long strap-shaped appendage at the 

 tip. Fertile stamens 5, opposite the petals; anthers sub-globose, 

 2-celled. Staminodes 5, opposite sepals, lanceolate. Carpels 5, 

 connate opposite sepals. Styles connate ; ovules 2 to 6. Capsule 

 loculicidally 5-valved, densely covered with bristly hairs. Seeds 

 ascending, strophiolate, albuminous. About 8 species, Malaya, 

 Australia. 



(i) C. platyphylla Andr. Bot. Rep. t. 603 {note) ; Masters, 

 I.e. i. 378; King, I.e. 93. C. echinata Bl. Bijdr. 86; Andr. Bot. 

 Rep. t. 519 {not of Forster). 



Tree about 20 ft. tall. Branchlets tomentose. Leaves mem- 

 branous, ovate acuminate dentate-serrate, base cordate, above 

 stellate hairy, beneath softly hoary tomentose, 5 to 8 in. long, 

 3 to 4*5 in. wide; petioles '2 to 3 in. long. Stipules scarious 



