Matexiah for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. 129 



PiTTOSPonrM FERRDOiNEUM, Ait., DC. Prod. I, 346. A tree 40 to 60 

 feot high. Young bi'auches leaves and inflorescence softly ferrugi- 

 nous-pubescent. Leaves membi-anous, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute or acuminate at base and apex, the edges minutely undulate ; when 

 adult glabrous except the midrib and larger nerves ; upper surface shin- 

 ing, the lower dull with the minute reticulations distinct; nerves 7 to 8 

 pairs, not prominent, spreading; length 2 to 3 in., breadth 1 to 15 in. ; 

 petiole slender, rusty-tomentose, 5 in. long. Flowers '25 in. long, green- 

 ish-white, in short terminal corymbs. Sepals lanceolate, pubescent. 

 Petals linear, the apices I'eflexed, pubescent, 3-nerved, Ovary cylindric, 

 rusty-tOMientnse; style short, glabrous, excentric; capsule globose, when 

 ripe compressed, rugose, with 6 to 8 black flat seeds. Hook, fil, Fl. Br. 

 Ind. i., i99; Putterl. Monogr. Pittosp. 7; Benth. Fl. Austral, i. 112; 

 Bot. Mag. 2075. 



At elevations of from 800 to 1500 feet; common. Distrib. Burmah, 

 the Malayan Archipelago, Philippines, Queensland. 



There is some variability in leaf in diiferent individuals of this 

 species, some having leaves narrowly lanceolate, others ovate-lanceolate. 



Order XL POLYGALE^. 



Annual or perennial herbs, erect or scaudent shrubs, or timber 

 trees. Leaves alternate (rarely whorled) or occasionally reduced to 

 scales or 0, simple, quite entire. Stipules 0. Flowers irregular, 2-sexual, 

 3-bracteate. Sepals 5, unequal, 2 inner often petaloid (loing sepals), 

 deciduous or persistent, imbricate in bud. Petals 5 or 3, distinct, un- 

 equal, the inferior usually keel-shaped. Stamens 8 (in Salomnnia 4-5, 

 in Trigoniastruin 5) hypogynous, filaments united into a sheath, more rarely 

 distinct ; anthers opening by terminal pores, rarely by slits. Ovary free, 

 1-3-celled ; style generally curved, stigma capitate ; ovules 1 or more 

 in each cell, anatropous. Fruit generally a 2-celled, 2-seeded, loculici- 

 dal capsule; or indehiscent and 1-seeded, or (in Triqoniastrnm) of 3 

 indehiscent carpels. Seed usually strophiolate, albuminous, rarely exal- 

 buminous. Distrib. The whole world except New Zealand, chiefly in 

 warm regions ; genera 16 ; species 450-500. 



Herbs or (more rarely) erect shrubs. Capsule loculicidal, 2-celled: — 

 Stamens 8, united ; 2 interior sepals alteform 1. Polygala. 

 Stamens 4-5, united ; sepals petaloid, near- 

 ly equal ... ... ... 2. Salomonia. 



Climbing shrubs : — 



Stamens 8, united ; fruit 1-celled, inde- 

 hiscent, samaroid ... ... 3. Securidaca. 



69 



