Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. 3 



Spadix nearly as long as spatlie stipitate . . 17. Podolasia. 



Spadix subsessile . . . . . . . . 18, Cyrtosperma. 



Climbing plants not prickly . . . . . . 19. Potlios. 



Eliizomatous plant with ensiform leaves and 



no spathe . . . . . . . . 20. Acorus. 



1. PiSTIA, L. 



A floating herb stemless, but stoloniferous. Leaves sessile obo- 

 vate obcuneate erect. Spathe shortly pcdimcled small, base tubular 

 limb ovate, enclosing one flask-shaped pistil with short stigmatic 

 processes. Anthers -t globose sessile connate, in a basin-shaped 

 spathel. Fruit membranous few seeded, ovules many. Seeds oblong 

 or obovoid albuminous, testa rugose. Embryo minute. 



Species 1. All the Tropics. 



P. Stratiotes, L. Sp. PI. 963. Eoots tufted white with 

 numerous fibrils. Leaves bright green, obovate spathulate cuneate, 

 apex rounded, ribbed beneath pale, pubescent -^-3 inehes long, -j-l^- 

 inch wide. Spathe tomentose white, base campanulate limb ovate 

 about half an inch long. Eoxb. Corom. PI. IIL 63, t. 269. PI. B. 

 Ind. III. 131. Grifl'. Notul. 12, 211. Ic. PI. As. t. 260, 261. Bot. 

 Mag. t. 4564. Hook. fil. Fl. Brit. Ind. VI. 497. 



Commonly cultivated in Singapore by Chinese to feed pigs. 

 Possibly wild in the river at Batu Pahat, Johor, and Pahang (Ma- 

 liang, Ridley 1309). ISTative name " Kiambang " or '' Kambiang." 

 Distribution all tropical countries. 



2. Cryptocoryxe, Fisch. 



Aquatic herbs with a short or long creeping rhizome. Leaves 

 herbaceous or leathery, petiole sheathing at base. Spathe tubular 

 with the edges connate, with a lanceolate or ovate coloured limb. 

 Spadix very short in the dilated tubular base of the spathe. Male 

 portion conic wrapped in an involute valve of the spatlie. Anthers 

 2 celled, cells perforate at the tip. Female flowers few in a single 

 whorl, perianth 0. Ovaries flask-shaped many ovuled. Styles short 

 recurved. Ovules erect orthotropous. Fruit capsular or connate 2 

 valved carpels, seeds numerous. 



Species about 25. India, Malaya. 



Leaves leathery lanceolate erect . . . . 1. C. ciliata. 



Leaves thin ovate or lanceolate floating. 



Spathe tube much longer than the limb. 



Tail of limb short, limb lanceolate yellow . . ' 2. C. cordata. 



Tail of limb short, limb ovate purple . . 3. C, purpurea. 



