11 



fact I have had for examination named representatives of but 

 one-third of the species admitted as Bornean. 



Species that are credited to Borneo solely on the authority 

 of specimens collected by Lobb and which are known from 

 Java, the Malay Peninsula, or Luzon should be viewed with 

 suspicion so far as the Bornean reference is concerned. It is a 

 well known fact that many of the labels on Lobb's specimens 

 are erroneous as to the locality cited.* If the list of species 

 known only from Borneo and Sumatra be examined it will be 

 noted that a high percentage of them are credited to both 

 areas only on the basis of specimens collected by Korthals. He 

 collected in both Borneo and Sumatra, and doubtless did secure 

 the same species in both Islands in some cases. It is strongly 

 suspected that some of the Bornean records based on Korthals's 

 material are really due to erroneously labelled specimens. 



The flora of Borneo, like that of most other parts of Malaya, 

 is very imperfectly known. I have already noted elsewhere that 

 Doctor Copeland estimates the 700 species of ferns known to 

 occur in Borneo to represent about 60 per cent, of the actual 

 fern flora. In the present list 4,924 species of flowering plants 

 are credited to Borneo, yet judging from the 5,000 species of 

 spermatophytes from the much smaller island of Java, and the 

 great number known frcm the Malay Peninsula and the 

 Philippines not more than 50 or 60 per cent, of the actual 

 Bornean flora is now known. 



Borneo, an equatorial island situated wholly within the 

 rainy tropics and one of the largest islands in the World, 

 presents a high humidity, and hence ideal conditions for the 

 development of a most luxuriant type of vegetation, and for 

 the development of a rich epiphytic flora. There is also a 

 great range in altitude, the highest peak, Mount Kinabalu 

 attaining a height of 13,455 feet. The island is essentially 

 mountainous, and it is only reasonable to expect that in various 

 parts of its vast area local endemism is pronounced. Vast areas 

 are occupied by primeval forests, and most of these regions 

 have never been visited by a botanist or a botanical collector. 

 Probably no single area in Borneo of any appreciated size can 

 be considered as thoroughly explored botanically, and collections 

 made in these regions where the most field work has been 

 accomplished invariably present numerous novelties. With about 

 5,625 species of pteridophytes and spermatophytes reported 

 from Borneo to-day; with no part of this large island 

 intensively exploited from a botanical standpoint; with the 

 known richness of the vegetation of the Malay Peninsula to 

 the north-west, Java to the south, and the Philippines to the 



Merrill, E. D. Philip. Journ. Sci. 10 (1915) Bot. 184. 



