J. M. Macfarlane. — Nepenthaceae. 25 



respectively 191 and 209, two of N. melamphora showed 197 and 167, one of JV, 

 khasiana 425. In all species except N. Pervillei the seeds are light filiform spindles 

 that may be from 3 to 25 mm long, and that vary in color from silvery yellow to 

 dark brown, according to the species. The cells of the greatly elongated testa are 

 thin-walled, but are thickened internally by spiro-annular bands that become specially 

 strong around the endosperm region in the middle of the seed. The tegmen consists 

 of thin-walled cells surrounding the distended nucellus and endosperm. The endosperm 

 cells contain oil, starch, and protein material, and Surround a minute triangulär em- 

 bryo, the greater bulk of which consists of the cotyledons. For successful germination 

 the seeds must fall on a moist porous surface, and must be surrounded by a moist 

 atmosphere. Subsequent changes have been already described. 



Hybridization (Bastardbildung). All of the cultivated species of Nepenthes hy- 

 bridize readily with each other, and the resulting hybrids are fertile to a high degree, 

 alike between themselves, and when crossed by other species. A large series of arti- 

 ficial hybrids is therefore in cultivation at the present day, the parentage of which is 

 accurately known. These exhibit, to a marked degree, the blended peculiarities of their 

 parents, alike in macro- and microscopic characters. They may also inherit commend- 

 able qualities from both parents that render them more acceptable to growers than the 

 parents. Thus JV. Mastersiana pitchers as freely, is as easily grown, and can be as 

 easily propagated by cuttings, as the one parent JV. khasiana, while the pitchers are 

 often as richly colored as, and the plant shortens its habit toward, the other parent 

 JV. sanguinea. Again JV. mixta is more amenable to cultivation than are the parents 

 JV. Northiana and JV. maxima (Curtisii), while JV. Tiveyi is a superior type of plant 

 to JV. maxima and JV. Veitchii. When such results have been secured readily under 

 cultivation, it might reasonably be expected that natural hybrids would be formed in the 

 native haunts of the species. Such seems clearly to be the case. Thus Burbidge's 

 JV. Harryana (p. 54) may with almost complete certainty be regarded as a hybrid 

 between JV. villosa and N- Edwardsiana, alike from habitat, structure, and stature. 

 JV. cincta from Borneo exhibits the blended characters. of JV. Northiana and JV. albo- 

 marginata. Even JV. Hookeriana, which the writer has temporarily accepted as a 

 species, since it has thrice been found wild, shows all the blended characters of JV. 

 ampullaria and JV. Rafflesiana. The two last species have been found in the regions 

 where the supposed hybrid occurs. More critical study of these plants in their native 

 haunts will almost surely reveal that natural hybrids of Nepenthes are not unfrequent 

 in the wild state. 



Geographica! Distribution (Geographische Verbreitung). The Nepenthaceae are 

 now mainly restricted to the "indisches Monsungebiet", and have their headquarters 

 in N. Borneo, with Mount Kina Balu as a centre. This mountain alone possesses the 

 most striking species, including N bicalcarata, N Boschiana, N. Edwardsiana, N. 

 Lowii, N rajah, N. Veitchii and N. villosa. It is noteworthy also that while some 

 of the species like N. bicalcarata, N echinostoma, N. gracilis and N neglecta grow 

 in Borneo at low levels and in bot moist situations, others like N ampullaria, N 

 hirsuta and JV. Veitchii grow commonly at an altitude of 600 — 700 m, while N. Ed- 

 wardsiana, N. Lowii, N. rajah and N. villosa reach an elevation of 1500 — 3000 m. 

 The last group and in particular JV. rajah are almost continuously exposed to a moist 

 dripping atmosphere (Fig. 1 2) owing to the bot wind currcnts from the plains round 

 Kina Balu meeting the cold currents from the upper regions of the mountain. The 

 extremely light seeds, combined with their relalively large surface of exposure to wind, 

 favor wind-dissemination to a marked degree. This probably explains in part the 

 distribution of the species in radial manner from Borneo as a focal centre. At least 

 twenty species have been recordcd from this island. From the adjacent island of 

 Sumatra eleven species have been recognised of which four are peculiar to it and the 



