210 



PELLIONIA VANHASSELTII Gibbs, sp. nov. 



Herba decumbens, glaberrima ; caulis simplex, plurisulcatus. Folia alterna 

 petiolata vel subsessilia, elliptico-lanceolata, basi uno latere subrotundata, altero 

 cuneata, apice in acumen longum acutissimum sensim attenuata, infra medium 

 integerrima, superne grosse insequaliter obtuse -den tata, penninervia, fere sequilatera 

 (basi excepta), viridia, carnosa, supra cystolithis linearibus baud densis, subtus palli- 

 diora, cystolithis minutis densissime obtecta. Flores feminei albidi, pedicellati, 

 laxiuscule glomerati. Perianthium 5-merum, persistens, segmentis apice leviter 

 retusis, longe aristatis, setis perianthio duplo longioribus. Staminodia 5, parva, 

 segmentis opposita, inflexa. Achcenium compressum. 



Hob. Manokoeari, epiphytic or terrestrial in high forest, 500'. Fr. Jan. 

 6168. 



This plant, up to 5-4 dm. in height, more or less decumbent in habit, 

 was found growing massed on the dead prostrate trunk of a tree, and also 

 beneath on the ground. Leaves dark green when dried, fleshy when 

 growing, +18 cm. long, including the acumen +3 cm. long, 4'5 mm. broad. 

 Flower fascicles l'5-2 cm. across. Pedicels +3 mm. long. Perianth- 

 segments 2 mm. long, with mucro 3 mm. long. IStaminodes +'5 mm. long, 

 when expanded +1 mm. long. Achene 1*5 mm. by 1 mm., light brown in 

 colour. 



Near P. nigrescens Warb., but differs in the deeply dentate leaves, with 

 fewer veins, drying dark green in colour. 



This species is named in honour of Mr. R. F. J. van Hasselt, Chief 

 Missionary at Manokoeari, who, from long residence and perfect knowledge 

 of Papuan dialects, enjoys the confidence of these people, and to whom I 

 was much indebted for valuable information and help, most kindly given. 



LOR AN TRACED. 



LORANTHUS VERSTEEGII Laut. in Nova Guinea, viii. (1910) 289. 



Manokoeari, epiphyte on trees in clearings. Fl. Jan. 6175. 



Distrib. New Guinea (D.S.W., Noord River, Versteeg ; Bian River, 

 Brandenhorst ; S.E. Sogeri Region, Forbes (499, Herb. Mus. Brit.)). 



A very distinct plant with many long hanging shoots, 2-3 m. in length, 

 bearing single, and sometimes binate, densely-flowered racemes in the axils 

 of the leaves on the old wood, for about halfway down each shoot. The 

 flowers are red at the base and yellow-green from about the middle. Some 

 o the racemes are longer than in the type, and some shorter, and the flowers 

 are somewhat longer ; but these are no doubt variable features. In Forbes's 

 plant the leaves are narrow, as in Brandenhorst's 278 (Herb. Kew.), acute, 

 and decurrent at the base, with corollas 5 cm. long, pubescent on the outer 

 surface. 



