Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. 151 



13. Argostemma involucratum, Hemsl. in Hook. Icon. t. 1556. 

 Stems thinner than a goose-quill, succulent, decumbent, 4 to 12 in. long 

 with partially deciduous, long, flexuose, white hairs. Leaves membranous, 

 very unequal in size, the larger of the pair obliquely and narrowly 

 lanceolate or oblanceolate (linear-ovate-lanceolate or ovate in vai's.) 

 more or less narrowed to the slightly unequal base ; both surfaces 

 greenish or olivaceous-brown when dry, the lower paler, the upper more 

 or less bulbous-strigose especially on the midrib and nerves : the under 

 hispidulous, sometimes pitted, the edges shortly ciliate, main-nerves 7 

 or 8 pairs (in var., glabrous sometimes only 5 or 6 pairs) curved, 

 spreading or ascending, slightly conspicuous when dry ; length 1*25 to 

 3 in. ; breadth "5 to r25 in. ; petiole '1 to '4 in. ; the smaller leaf ovate 

 or ovate-lanceolate, 3-nei'ved, sessile, from "1 to "4 in. long. Stipules 

 like the smaller leaves, but not cordate, free. Flowers "6 in. long, from 

 1 to 3 in a raultibracteolate pubescent terminal raceme shorter than the 

 leaves ; the pedicels aboat as long as the flowers, hairy. Calyx densely 

 hairy; the tube short; the 5 lobes many times longer, lanceolate, 

 acuminate, spreading. Corolla with lobes like the calyx but slightly- 

 broader and less hairy, not reflexed. Stamens 5, erect ; the filaments 

 short, thick, curved, dorsifixed near the base of the linear-lanceolate, 

 acuminate, apiculate, but not winged, longitudinally dehiscing anthers. 

 Capsule small, compressed, obovoid, crowned by the long spreading calyx- 

 teeth, 2-celled, 2-seeded : seeds compressed, brown. 



Perak : King's Collector 2204, 2820, 8062. Penanq : Bidley 10273 ; 

 Curtis 342, 3148 ; Gunong Tahan, Yapp. 



VAB. mollis, King. Leaves usually more than 1 in. broad, obliquely 

 ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, the under surfaces and infloi'escence with 

 soft flexuose rather coarse hair. 



Perak : Bidley 2927 ; Kiyig's Collector 2898 ; Scortechini 38. 



VAU. glabrescens, King. Leaves linear-lanceolate to oblanceolate, 

 rarely ovate, glabrous except for a few stiff strigose hairs on the midrib 

 and main-nerves ; "9 to 2 in. long. 



Perak: Scortechini 303, 455; Bidley 9763; King's Collector 27 I4i', 

 Wray 696. 



The bracteoles on the inflorescence often form an involucre at the bases of the 

 pedicels, hence the specific name. 



14. Argostemma Cdrtisii, King n. sp. All parts quite glabrous; 

 stems succulent, decumbent, glabrous, reddish when fresh, rooting in the 

 lower part, thicker than a crow-quill when dry ; 4 to 8 in^ long. Larger 

 leaves succulent, unequal ; the larger linear-elliptic, much attenuated to 

 either end, the apex gradually acuminate, the base moi"e abruptly so ; 

 both surfaces olivaceous when dry, the lower the paler ; main-nerves 



41 



