Antidesma.] cxxxv. EUPHORBIACEJ:. (J. D. Hooker.) 355 



-lobed or -partite. Disk entire or lobed. Stamens 2-5, rarely more, inserted 

 on or around the disk, often irregularly, inflexed in bud ; anthers lunate or 

 didymous, connective thickened ; cells globose, approximate or distant. 

 Pistillode minute, clavate or globose or 0, rarely 2-fid, glabrous or hairy. 

 FEM. FL. Calyx of the male. Disk usually annular or pulvinate. Ovary 1- 

 (rarely more-)celled ; stigmas 2-4, usually short, 2-fid or 2-partite ; ovules 2, 

 pendulous. Fruit a small more or less compressed drupe, crowned with the 

 sublateral or terminal stigmas. Seed small, albumen fleshy ; cotyledons 

 broad, flat. Species about 60, Tropical Asia, Africa, Australia and the 

 Pacific. 



Owing to the minuteness of the flowers, and the frequent impossibility of matching 

 the sexes of Herbarium specimens, I am unable to limit and define the forms of this 

 most difficult genus with much confidence. Comparatively few of Wallich's specimens 

 were examined by Tulasne or Mueller, who are the chief authorities for the Indian 

 species. I expect several of these which are not hitherto identified with previously 

 (often imperfectly) described Malay Island ones, will prove to be the same with them. 

 The stipules, the length of the pedicels of the male flowers, the size and form of the 

 bracts, and the depth of the calyx-lobes are all variable. In De Candolle's Pro- 

 dromus too much importance is attached to the number of stamens and the division 

 of the calyx, whether as to depth or number of lobes, as affording sectional characters ; 

 and I am not satisfied with the more restricted use I have made of the same modi- 

 fications of the calyx. The fruit may probably prove to afford the best sectional 

 characters. 



Series I. Leaves very large, 10-18 in. long. Fruit large, f-1 in. long. 

 'See also 23. acuminatum, and 24. martabanicum). 



1. A. long-ipes, Hook. f. ; branches slender and leaves puberulous 

 beneath, leaves 10-12 in. oblong-obovate base rounded or cordate, nerves 

 15-20 pairs, fern, racemes very long slender simple pubescent flowering erect 

 fruiting pendulous, fern. fl. minute pedicels very short greatly lengthened in 

 fruit, ovary tomentose, fruit \ in. obliquely ovoid flat rugose, stigmas very 

 minute subterminal. 



PEEAK, King's Collector. 



A shrub or tree with a simple stem ; branches whitish and petioles and pedicels 

 nudrid above and nerves beneath finely pubescent. Leaves membranous, 3-6 in. 

 broad, nerves 15-20 pairs; petiole stout, | in.; stipules not seen. Racemes 

 peduncled; pedicels filiform, J-f in. ; bracts very minute. Fem.fl.'m.; sepals 4, 

 ovate, acute; stigmas acute, spreading; disk glabrous. Fruit bright red, margins 

 very acute, faces puberulous deeply impressed, pericarp thin. I assume the 

 flowering and fruiting specimens to be conspecific, and that the pedicels lengthen as 

 described, but I have seen only flowering and fruiting individuals (apparently of the 

 same species). 



2. A. pachystachys, Hook. /. ; glabrous, or nearly so, branches 

 stout, leaves 12-18 in. obovate- or linear-lanceolate cuspidately acuminate 

 base narrowed acute or rounded, nerves 17-20 pairs slender, petiole very 

 stout, stipules large foliaceous, spikes solitary simple, male filiform, flowers 

 sessile pubescent, fruiting female erect very stout, fruit f in. very shortly 

 pedicelled obliquely ovoid compressed reticulate, stigmas very minute sub- 

 terminal. Antides ma ? Wall. Cat. 8569. 



PENANG-, Wallich. PEEAK ; at Larut, King's Collector. 



A shrub, 6-8 ft. ; branches as thick as a swan's quill, bark white. Leaves mem- 

 branous, 4-6 in. diam., quite glabrous on both surfaces; petiole --1 in.; stipules 

 14-2 in., obliquely lanceolate, acuminate, many-nerved. Male spikes 10-12 in., 

 pendulous, glabrous ; bracts very small ; flowers ^ in. broad ; calyx cupular obtusely 

 4-6-lobed to the middle ; stamens 4-5, short 5 disk hirsute ; pistillode clavate. 



