320 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [Sess. lxxix. 



Closer inspection of P. filipes, Watt, makes one realise 

 that it is much more like in facies the obconica than the 

 Listeri group in this series. If one compares the example 

 of P. obconica, Hance, that is shown on Plate XXII with 

 the figure of P. filipes, Watt (Plate XXXI), one could think 

 that by mere reduction in size of parts the P. obconica, 

 Hance, form could be reduced to the type of P. filipes, 

 Watt; or, again, compare the Plate of P. filipes, Watt, with 

 Plate XLV of P. Petitmengini, Bonati, and but little 

 imagination is required to picture the formation of a form 

 like P. filipes, Watt, by slight modification. It seems to 

 me to be possible that future exploration is more likely to 

 bring to light forms that will unite P. filipes, Watt, with 

 true P. obconica, Hance, than forms running it into P. 

 Listeri, King. 



At the present time, P. filipes, Watt, stands as a distinct 

 microform in the obconico- Listeri alliance, with a greater 

 leaning to obconica than to Listeri. This is of much 

 interest because it carries the obconica strain much further 

 west than it has been supposed to extend and establishes 

 it in the Himalayan area. Chuka in south-west Bhutan is 

 undoubtedly far from the nearest Chinese locality of P. 

 obconica, Hance, that has been recorded, but the occurrence 

 of the obconica strain in Bhutan suggests that it will yet 

 be found over the intervening area. Pointing in that 

 direction is the fact that we now know of P. obconica, 

 Hance, outside China in the region much farther south. 

 In the Calcutta Herbarium is a sheet of specimens (Plate 

 XXXII) collected by Captain Phillimore in the Shan States 

 at 6000 feet. The plant shows itself as one of the obconica 

 strain and presents features to some extent intermediate 

 between those of P. filipes, Watt, and P. obconica, Hance. 

 There is a form of the latter (Plate XLI) to which in par- 

 ticular it exhibits likeness, and I do not find in it sufficient 

 distinctive marks to justify under our present knowledge 

 the giving of a definite name to it. The interest attaching 

 to the plant arises from the occurrence of it — a true 

 obconica — in the area west of the Mekong, or it may be 

 even across the Salween, because the exact locality in the 

 Shan States, whence Captain Phillimore 's plant came, is not 

 recorded. P. obconica, Hance, we know of in forms all 



