101 



lakes, 8000-0000'. Fl. Dec. 5536. Common in forest slopes by ? lake, 

 7000'. Fl., Fr. 5744. 



Distrib. New Guinea (D.N.W., Arfak Mts., Gjellerup). 



A common and very pretty twiner with white flowers. The fruit, which 

 was not available in Dr. Gjellerup's specimens, is a roundish berry, 8 mm. loi'g 

 by 6 mm. broad, 1-2-seeded, with persistent style and remains of perianth- 

 tube at the base. 



IRIDACE.E. 



PATERSONIA NOVO-GUINEENSIS Gibbs, sp. nov. 



Planta perennis ; caulis brevissimus. Folia circiter 5-8, scapum sequantia vel 

 superantia, disticha, linearia, rigida, acutissima, in marginibus dense rufo-pilosa, 

 tenuiter inultistriata. Spathce subsequales, lineari-oblongae, acutissirnse, carinatie 

 (carina ad f rufo-pilosa vel glabra) striatae, scarioso-marginatse. Bracteoe spathis 

 similes nisi magis membranacese necnon angustiores brevioresque, ad apicem piloso- 

 marginatae vel glabrse. Flores in spatha 2-3, sessiles; tubus gracillimus, vix exsertus; 

 lobi exteriores obovati, patentes, in carina dorsali ad apicem dense barbati, interiores 

 nulli. Filamenta in tubum integrum connata. Stylus superne, leviter incrassatus ; 

 lobi stigmatici lineari-oblongi, papillosi. 



Hob. Arfak Mts., Koebre ridge, plentiful on open burnt summit, 9000'. 

 Fl., Fr. Dec. 5600. 



A small rigid plant, with gleaming white or pale mauve flowers, + 1-3-5 dm. 

 in height. Leaves from 1-2-3-5 dm. by 5-6 mm., characterized by a line of 

 matted branched hairs, containing brown colouring-matter, up the dorsal 

 keel, and from the vagina to the apex on the adaxial margin of the leaf. 

 Sheathing scales at the base of the leaves from 3'5 cm. long, lanceolate acute, 

 brown, the old bases persisting round the stem. Scape 7'3 cm. long, more 

 or less exserted from the sheathing leaves, which it exceeds or equals, or it 

 may be shorter. Spathes 3'8 cm. by 5 mm. Perigonium tube 2 cm. long, 

 lobes 8 mm. long, including apical tuft of hairs 1 mm. long. Anthers 3 mm. 

 Stigma-lobes 2 mm. 



This species is near P. Lowii Stapf. It differs in the somewhat broader 

 leaves with marginal line of brown hairs and the generally white corollas 

 with an apical tuft of hairs to each lobe. The transverse section of the leaf 

 shows many more fibro-vascular strands and is more attenuated at the margin 

 than in the above species. There is also no trace of an inner perianth, as 

 Stapf also found for the Kinabalu plant. The marginal line of matted 

 branched hairs is common to some Australian species, viz. P. sericea R. Br. 

 and P. pygmcca Lindl., but in every case apparently the hairs are hyaline 

 and much finer in texture. 



This genus, for many years supposed to be endemic in Australia, now 

 includes three Malayan mountain types, viz. P. borneensis Stapf and P. Lowii 

 from Mt. Kinabalu in N. Borneo, the latter also common to Mt, Halcon in 

 the Philippines, and the above. 



