844 AROiDEiE. [Colocasia. 



ingpart. — Alocasia macrorrhiza, Schott, Prod. Aroid. 146, and ^. commutata, 

 Schott, I.e. 148. 



Hongkong, Hance. In Khasia and Burmali. Cultivated, like the last, of which it may- 

 be a variety. 



5. RHAPHIDOPHOBA, Hassk. 



Spatlia sessile, deciduous, convolute or concave. Mowers hermaphrodite, 

 in a cylindrical spike, without scales or perianth. Stamens 4 round each 

 ovaiy. Filaments flat. Anthers terminal, 2-celled. Ovary 1-celled or in- 

 completely 3-celled, with several ovules. Stigma sessile on the truncate top. 

 Berry 1 -seeded. Seed albuminous. — Climbers, or creeping herbs or sliiiibs. 

 Leaves stalked, entii-e or pinnately divided. 



A small genus limited to tropical Asia, unless it be extended to include the whole or the 

 greater part of the American Monster'ma of Schott, in which case the genus would take the 

 name of Monstera. 



1. R. Peepla, Schott, Prod. Aroid. 380. Stems rooting and attaching 

 themselves to trees or rocks. Leaves on long petioles, oblong, acuminate, 

 more or less falcate, 6 to 8 in. long, entii'e, coriaceous, mth numerous parallel 

 veins diverging from the midrib. Peduncles inserted in long sheathing bracts. 

 Spatha convolute, deciduous, scarcely longer than the spike. Spike about 1|- 

 in. long. — PotJios Peepla, Roxb. ; AVight, Ic. t. 780. RJiaphidopJiora liongkong- 

 ensis, Schott, Prod. Aroid. 378. R. lancifolia, Schott, 1. c. 380, and (a rather 

 broader-leaved form) R. calopJiylla, Schott, 1. c. 380. 



Hongkong, Champion, a single leaf upon which Schott founded his R. hongkongensis, but 

 which appears to me precisely similar to those of the Khasia specimens of R. Peepla, which 

 I here describe. The species appears to be common in Sikhim, Khasia, and Siihet. 



6. POTHOS, Linn. 



Flowers hermaphrodite, in a globular or cylindrical spike, usually stipitate 

 above the convolute or concave spatha. Perianth of 6 small concave scales or 

 segments. Stamens 6, opposite the perianth-scales. Filaments flat. Anthers 

 2-celled. Ovary 1-celled, with 1 to 3 erect ovules. Stigma sessile. Berries 

 1- or 2-seeded. Albumen none. — Stems usually creeping or clmibing. Leaves 

 entii-e, coriaceous, usually articidate on the more or less dilated petioles. Pe- 

 duncles axillary, often bracteate below the spatha. 



A tropical Asiatic genus, extending from E. Africa to N. Australia. 



1. P. scandens, Linn. ; KuntJi, Enum. i. 65 ; Bot. Reg. ^.1337. Petioles 

 winged, varying from 2 or 3 lines to above 1 in. in length, or sometimes at 

 the base of the branches much longer with an abortive lamina ; the lamina 

 usually oblong, acuminate, 2 to 4 in. long, coriaceous, but varying much in 

 breadth as well as length. Peduncles recm-ved (when the flowering branches 

 hang), seldom | in. long, vAi\\ 3 to 5 concave ovate bracts, the uppermost 

 (the spatha) rather larger and more spreading. Spike globiuar or slightly 

 ovoid, 3 or 4 lines diameter. Beriy red. — P. Seemmini, Schott, Prod. Aroid. 

 564, and probably the whole of the first 19 species enumerated in that work. 



Common in ravines, creeping over rocks, Champion and others. Frequent in India, from 

 Ceylon and the Peninsula to the Archipelago, and northward to the Himalaya and S. China, 



