151 



Arfak Mts., Angi lakes, on S.W. ridge, where open on summit, 8000'. 

 Fl. Dec. 5503. 



I have found it impossible to separate this plant from the Kinabulu 

 species, which at first glance looks distinct, because of the white villous indu- 

 mentum densely covering the young shoots. The leaves of the Arfak plant 

 are quite glabrous on both sides, but no young shoots are present on the 

 specimens. The yellow flowers, 1-16 in the axils of the leaves, are identical 

 in size and structure, even to the small number of ovules, 10-12 in each 

 loculus ; in both plants the calyx and pedicels are villous. On skeletonising 

 the leaves no radical difference was apparent in the arrangement of the 

 veins. 



Many of the Kinabulu high altitude plants from 7000-10,000' are 

 characterized by hairy covering, due to the exposed conditions and cold 

 nature of the soil. None of the Arfak plants, on the contrary, show this 

 peculiarity, being less exposed to wind and sudden changes of temperature, 

 and growing on w r ell-drained granite gravel soil. 



Mi/rtns flavida is noted by Stapf as the first Myrtle described for 

 Malaya, and it still maintains interest as being, so far, the only species 

 common to both N. Borneo and New Guinea ; but Ridley has since 

 described three from Mt. Carstensz, in Dutch 8.W. New Guinea, at still 

 h gher altitudes, while Eugenia scolopacina Ridl. from the same locality 

 is undoubtedly a Myrtou, very near the present species, and three more 

 are included here. 



MYRTUS (AUSTROMYRTUS) PROSTRATA Gibbs, sp. nov. 



Frutex ramoso-prostratus, novellis pilosulis, demum glabratis. Folia breviter 

 petiolata, parva, opposita vel verticillata, ovata, tasi leviter cuneata, apice obtusa, 

 margine revoluta, coriacea, utrinque glabra, supra nitentia, subtus pallidiora, rugulosa, 

 glandulis run's punctata. Flores subsessiles, in axillis foliorum 2-3 pedunculatis. 

 Calyx turbinatus, ultra ovarium breviter productus, 4-lobatus, lobis erectis, angus- 

 tatis, acutis. Petala 4, flavida, unguiculata. Stamina oo , biseriata, filamenta in 

 alabastro inflexa. Ovarium 3-loculare, ovula biseriata. Fructus sphaericus, glaber, 

 lobis calycinis coronatus. Semina plus minus irregula liter tricaietra, compressa. 



Hob. Arfak Mts., Koebre Mt., spreading on open burnt summit, 9000'. 

 Fl.,Fr. Dec. 5601. 



A densely spreading shrub with small leaves suffused with red, very 

 closely arranged up the stem, which is cylindrical, clothed with a reddi>h 

 papery cortex, very glandular on the young wood. Leaves' + 1 cm. by 

 8 mm., with midrib slightly impressed on the upper surface and indistinct 

 on the lower; petioles 4 mm. long, glandular. Peduncles sparsely villous 

 when young, 2-3 mm. long. Flowers subtended by two villous, narrow- 

 linear bracts 3 mm. long. Calyx-lobes villous when young, 2 mm. lung, 

 narrowing from a broad base. Petals glandular, 4 mm. by 1 mm. Stamens 

 as long as or just exceeding the petals ; anthers globose. Style thick, 



