<H cxxiv. PIPERACE.E. (J. D. Hooker.) [Pipn: 



in- Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. v. 555 ; quite glabrous, shrubby, branches 

 terete, leaves petioled membranous or coriaceous lanceolate or elliptic- or 

 ovate-lanceolate acuminate sometimes silvery beneath 5-nerved above the 

 base, nerves distant alternate, base acute often oblique, male spikes very 

 slender, 'peduncles longer .than the petioles, fruiting spike 3-6 in., bracts 

 usually decurrent with raised margins, scars naked or ciliate. Gas. DC. in 

 Prodr. xvi. 1. 365; Wight Ic. t. 1941. P. Malamiri, Wall. Cat. 6642 

 E, F, I. P. Wightii, Miq. in Hook. Lond. Journ. I. c. 552, in part. 



DECCAN PENINSULA, Heyne; Travancore Mts., Wight. CEYLON; in the central 

 province. 



Some states of this appear to differ from P. Hymenophyllum only in being glabrous, 

 others have the much more coriaceous fdliage of other forms, and the leaves are nor- 

 mally more white] beneath. There is so much variation in the development of the 

 bracts that possibly there is more than one species here. The following appear to me 

 to be probably varieties of this. 



1. P. argyrophyllum proper ; leaves long 4 6 by 1^-2 in. whitish beneath, petiole 

 nearly 1 iu., peduncle very 'slender, fruiting spike - 2| in., rachis very slender 

 glabrous, bracts almost confluent with the rachis, fruit small in. diam. Wall. Cat. 

 6642 P. This was sent to Wallich by Wight, but I find no specimen in the Herba- 

 rium of the latter. There are, however, good ones in Arnott's Herbarium. 



2. Leaves smaller shorter petioled more elliptic sometimes bullate not white 

 beneath, fruiting spikes 5-7 in., rachis slender, bracts with raised margins, 

 scars distant with fimbriate edges, young fruit oblong subtruncate with a distinct 

 style globose when ripe. Wall. Cat. 6642 E, I. Courtallam, Wight. Concan ?, 

 Stocks. 



3. Leaves elliptic more coriaceous less acuminate not white beneath, bracts with 

 conspicuous sinuate raised margins which embrace the bases of the young fruits, ripe 

 fruit globose in. diam. P. nepalense, Wight Ic. t. 1938 (not of Miquel). Cour- 

 tallam, in dense forests. This resembles P. sylvestre in the form of the leaf, and P. 

 Wightii in their texture. 



4. Leaves coriaceous 3-5 by li-2^ in. elliptic-lanceolate acuminate bullate 

 above silvery beneath, nerves stronger more distant, petiole \ in., fruiting spikes 

 4-6 in., bracts with raised sinuate margins, fruit large "yellow" (Clarke}. P. 

 argyrophyllum, Thwaites Enum. 293. Nilghiri Hills, alt. 7000 ft., Clarke. Ceylon 

 (C.P. 3625). This should perhaps be referred to P. Wightii, but the alternate 

 nerves are very constant. 



5. Leaves much smaller 2-2| by 1 in. elliptic-lanceolate, petiole short \ in., 

 fruiting spikes 1-2 in. slender, rachis slender, bracts with hardly raised margins, 

 scars ciliate, fruit in. diam. Nilghiri or Kurg Hills, G. Thomson. This very small 

 form a little resembles P. khasianum. 



6. Leaves thinly coriaceous elliptic-lanceolate or oblong ovate silvery or not 

 beneath, fruiting spikes 2-7 in., bracts with raised sinuate margins, rachis rather 

 slender, fruit globose in. diam. P. Walkeri, Miq. in Hook. Lond. Journ. Sot. iv, 

 439 ; Gas. DC. I. c. 3362. P. arborescens, Thwaites Enurn. 293, excl. syn. Ceylon, 

 Walker, Thwaites (C. P. 35 in part, and 2461). I do not find the minute hairs 



" described by Miquel. 



43. P. Wig'htii, Miq. in Hook. Lond. Journ. Bot. v. 552, in part ; 

 quite glabrous, branches stout terete, leaves petioled coriaceous broadly 

 ovate or orbicular rarely elliptic or oblong often glaucous beneath base 

 rounded or cordate rarely acute 5-7-nerved near the base, spikes 2-3 in. 

 stout, bracts with prominent sinuate margins. Wight Ic. t. 1939 (P. 

 Wightiana on plate). P. nigrum, Wall. Cat. 6643 D, the upper right-hand 

 specimen only. 



NILGUIEI and TEA.VANCOBE HILLS, Wight, &c. 



The robust habit, broader leaves with stronger more basal nerves, longer petioles, 

 and often stouter fruiting-spikes with almost winged bracts, best distinguish this 



