Plate 1703. 



PTYCHOPYXIS COSTATA, Miguel 

 Euphorbiace^;. Tribe Crotonej;. 



Ptychopyxis, Miguel Flores $ spicati. Sepala 4-5, subaequalia, 

 crassa, valvata. Discus 0. Stamina numerosissima receptaculo crasso 

 piloso conferta, filamentis flexnosis apicibus subulatis ; antheree late 

 oblongce, planse, 44oculares, loculis per paria superpositis, connective) 

 in appendiceal latum acu tarn producto, loenlis superioribus oblongis, 

 inferioribus multo minoribus, omnibus introrsum dehiscentibus. Pistil- 

 lodinm \ 0. Fl. $ fasciculati. Sepala 6, lanceolata, crassa, ineequalia 

 v. subceqnalia, pcrsistentia. Ovarium 3-loculare ; stylus elongatus, 

 vill rag, stigmatibus 3 brevibus reeurvis integris intus papillosis ; 

 ovula in loenlis solitaria. Fructus magnus, crassus, late ovoideus, 

 abrupte rostratus, pericarpio crasse 6-costato, inter costas transverse 

 rngoso, 3-IocuIaris, 3-spermus. Semina '? — Arbor pilis simpUcibus dense 

 ferrugineo-tomento8a. Folia apices versus ramulorum conferta, patentin, 

 alterna, breviter crasse petiolata, coriacea, integerrima, penninervia. 

 Flores bracteis linearibus crassis immixti. 



P. costata, Miquel, Fl Ind. Bat Buppl. 402 ; Hook. f. Fl. Brit Ind. 



v. ined. 



Hab. Sumatra ; Perak, King's Collector ; Malacca, Griffith, Maingay. 



A tree 30-70 ft. ; branchlets stout, woody. Leaves 6-12 in., oblanceo- 

 late, coriaceous, glabrous above, except the midrib, rusty-tomentose 

 beneath ; nerves 15-20 pairs ; petiole £-| in. ; stipules subulate. Male 

 spikes, 3-5 in., stout, velvety ; flowers shorter than the bracts, ^ in. 

 diam. Stamens contorted in bud. Clusters of female flowers \ in- 

 diam. ; velvety, as are the bracts. Fruit H in. diam; pericarp thin, but 

 thickly clothed with densely-set hairs £ in. deep. Seeds immature. 



I refer tbis plant to Miqnel's Ptychopyxis with little hesitation, 

 though I have of late seen no specimens of the latter. It agrees with 

 a slight sketch of the leaf made by Professor Oliver from a specimen 

 lent to Kew when the Tiliacece (to which Order Miquel doubtfully 

 referred the genus) were being studied for the ' Genera Plantarum.' 1* 

 also answers fairly well to Miquel's very incomplete description, which 

 was apparently made from a fragmentary specimen. The seeds have 

 decayed away m the ripest fruits, and*! find no traces of a second 

 ovule. I he position of the genus is, I think, near Malloius and 

 Macaranga. — J. D. H. 



Fig. 1. 6" flower and bract. 2. <J flower open. 3. Stamens 4 2 flower. 



