76 Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. 



exceedingly similar ; but this is true also of 8. acuminatus, 8. riparius, S. squamiger 

 and S. Listeri, four species that have fruits hardly distinguishable from those of 

 8. gyrocarpus and 8. ferrugineus. 



Judging from the field notes of Mr. Kunstler and from a manuscript description 

 written by Father Scortechini, 8. ferrugineus, though a large climber, rarely if ever 

 attains the dimensions of 8. gyrocarpus, the next species. 



2. Spatholobus gyrocarpus Benth. PI. Jungh. 238. A robust 

 ■woody climber sometimes over 100-150 feet long with a stem 4-6 in. 

 thick ; branchleis closely shortly rusty-pubescent, black beneatb the 

 tomentum, slightly angular. Leaves 12 in. long; leaflets 3 subcoriaceous 

 bright green and glabrous above rusty-pubescent on all veins and nerves 

 beneath, terminal obovate-rhomboid apex rounded with a short point 

 base cuneate, 5-6 in. long, 4*5-5 in. wide, lateral obliquely elliptic 5-6 in. 

 long 3'5-4 in. wide base obliquely rounded apex as in terminal ; lateral 

 nerves 6-8 pairs ascending and midrib prominent beneath, cross-nerves 

 and fine reticulate venation very distinct ; petiole 4-6 in. rusty puberu- 

 lous, petiolules *3 in. also rusty ; stipels subulate small; stipules broad- 

 based ovate-lanceolate '3 in. long very early deciduous. Inflorescence in 

 lax axillary panicles sometimes 12 in. long with stout somewhat flatten- 

 ed rusty-puberulous peduncles, branches 6-8 in. long again paniculate, 

 the bracts at their bases small lanceolate early deciduous ; pedicels ^erj 

 short, bracteoles at base of cal3'x linear shorter than buds early deci- 

 duous. Calyx grej silky-pubescent '1 in, long, teeth deltoid shorter 

 than tbe tube subequal except the triangular slightly notclied upper. 

 Corolla deep-claret to dark-blue, '15 in. long, standard wide-orbicular 

 deeply notched. Pod 3-5 in. long 1 in. wide below, seed-bearing tip 

 •3 in. wide, softly velvety, semitransparent except at tbe seed-bearing 

 apex. Bak. in Flor. Brit. Ind. II, 193; Miq. Flor. Ind. Bat. I, 204. 

 Butea gyrocarpa "Wall. Cat. 5442. 



Perak ; very common at low elevations, Kunstler 3181 ! 7770 ! 

 8182! 10390! 10458! Penang ; WalUch 5442! StoUczha! Distrib, 

 Philippines. 



This, though common, appears to be hardly so frequent as the last species Avhich 

 it much resembles, especially as regards pods. The tomentum of this species is 

 however, less dense and less red than in S. ferrugineus and the flowers are about half 

 the size. This has never been sent to Calcutta from Malacca though /S. ferrugineus 

 is very plentiful there. 



3. Spatholobus bracteolatus Prain. A slender creeper 15-20 feet 

 long writh sparsely rusty-pubescent branches. Leaves 10-12 in. long ; 

 leaflets 3 ovate-acute or shortly acuminate, the tip slightly mucronate, 

 subcoriaceous glossy bright green on both surfaces very sparsely beset 

 with short rusty adpressed hairs, midrib beneath prominent more 

 densely adpressed-pubescent, lateral nerves ascending 8-9 pairs promi- 



76 



