394 ACCOUNT OF A NEW GENUS OF PLANTS, 



description here, as it essentially agrees with that already 

 given, and may also be considered as superseded by the 

 important information contained in the following letter, 

 which I have more recently received from the same accurate 

 botanist. 



Bencoolex, June 2, 1S20. 



" My Dear Sir, — Since I wrote you last I have ascer- 

 tained several particulars respecting the Gigantic Flower 

 of Sumatra, additional to those contained in the account 

 forwarded by Sir Stamford Raffles to Mr. Marsdeii, and by 

 him communicated to you, which it may be interesting to 

 you to know. 



'' Numerous specimens, in every stage of growth, have 

 been sent from various parts of the country, which have 

 enabled me to ascertain and confirm every essential point. 

 The first and most unexpected discovery is, that it has no 

 stem of its own, but is parasitic on the roots and stems of 

 a ligneous species of Cissus with ternate and quinate leaves : 

 I have not ascertained the species.^ It appears to take its 

 origin in some crack or hollow of the stem, and soon shows 

 itself in the form of a round knob, Avhich, when cut through 

 exhibits the infant flower enveloped in numerous bracteal 

 sheaths, which successively open and wither away as the 

 flower enlarges, until, at the time of full expansion, there 

 are but a very few remaining, which have somewhat the 

 appearance of a broken calyx. The flowers I find to be 

 unisexual, which I did not before suspect, and consequently 

 dioecious. The male I have already described. The female 

 230] differs very little in appearance from it, but totally wants 

 the globular anthers, which are disposed in a circle round 

 the lower side of the rim or margin of the central column 

 of the male. 



" In the centre of this column or pistillum in the female 

 are perceived a number of fissures traversing its substance 

 without order or regularity, and their surfaces are covered 



^ Mr. Jack lias since determined it to be Ohms miausiifolia of Roxburdi, 

 Tl Ind i, ;;. 427. " 



