INTKoH CTION. 



xni 



of stipule attains its higheat development in the familiar F. clattica. and in that species it 

 persists for an unusually long period. Stipules of the third kind arc rarely • ■« n in 

 herbarium specimens. They are really leaf-scales, which are present in eonwdcraMe 

 numbers as coverings to the leaf -buds in the truly deciduous *}>ecie8 (e.g. P. infcctmia 

 and F. tjakela), as well as in those which, although not deciduous, make their growth 

 only during clearly defined periods (e.g. F. hractcata). 



The whole of the Indo-Malayan species of which I have seen living specimen* 

 contain milky juice except F. kuconiatoma, and in that species the juice is of a pale bull 

 colour. 



In the following attempt to arrange the Indo-Malayan sp» <-it - of Ficut I have- 

 described a few novelties, chiefly from the superb Malayan collections of Signor lJeccari 

 who most generously put his material at my disposal. Ilerr II. II. Kunstlers fine collec- 

 tions from Perak have also yielded some new forms. Uy far the most laborious 

 part of my work has consisted in disentangling and reducing the rath er formidable 

 synonymy with which the literature of the genus is loaded, lor the purpose of doing 



i 



this thoroughly, I went very carefully over the whole of the Jigs in tho lendid 

 Malayan collections at Leiden and Utrecht, and at Buitcnzorg in Java. Tho materials 

 in M. de Candolle's herbarium and in the collodions at Florence and at the British 

 Museum were also most carefully examined. The herbaria at 1 ew and Culeutta are v ry 

 rich in Indian species, and the former contains many of the typos of Miqui I'a Ji lian 

 species. The types of Miquel's Malayan species are mostly at Utrecht, and those of Blumo 

 and Reinwardt at Leiden. By taking a large suite of specimens of my own along with 

 me, and by comparing these with the types in the collections just mentioned, I ha 1 :. 

 able as I hope successfully, to reduce a good deal of the synonymy. r lhe excessive} 



multiplication of names in this genus is largely due to the fact that trivial variation! 

 from the typical form of a species have been considered sufficient warrant for tho forma- 

 tion of new species. Some of the synonymy is due to downright care), ness, species 

 already welLdescribed having in not a few cases been described a second, and even a 

 third and a fourth time under new names. A good deal of it is also due to authors 



having worked with very imperfect material. Botanists like Blume and Roxbu h, who 

 described from living specimens, have made few slips compared with those who, like 

 Miquel, worked on herbarium material only. 



I have to acknowledge the valuable help given to me during the pi >g * of my 



work- by Mr. W. Betting Hemiley, Special A -latent for Indian Botany m th K. * 



Herbarium. 



