r,s 



t 



SYNCECIA. 



stio-ma law, deeply divided into 2 or 3 subulate spreading arms. Neuter flowers containing 



J 



trace of anther or pistil mixed with the fertile females over all parts of the receptacle 

 shortly pedicellate ; the perianth of 3 linear-lanceolate segments. 



Java, on Mount Salak; near Malacca,— Qnfiih. By no means a common plant 



and very poorly represented in collections. 



Plate 87.— Fruiting-branch of F. aurantiaca, Griff. 1, leaf to show nervation ; 2, vertical 

 section of receptacle -of natural size; 3, fertile female flower; 4, ovary with style and tricrural 

 stigma; 5, ditto with bicrural stigma; 6, neuter flower: all from the same receptacle 



and all enlarged. 



78. Ficus punctata, Thunb. Fie. 9; Lond. Journ. Bot. vii. 440; Ann. Mas. Lugd, 



Bat iii. 268, 289. — -F. macrocarpa, Bl. Bijd. 459.— i 7 . falcata, Thunb. Fie 

 o. 5. — Synwcta falcata, Miq. in Lond. Journ. Bot. vii. 470. tab. xi; Miq 

 Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt 2. 329; Miq. Choix de PI. Rares de Buitenzorg, tab. 14 ; 

 PI. Jungh. 67. — Syncecia serpens, Miq. PL Jungh. 67; Wall. Cat. 4574, 



F. stipulat 



» 



» 



A much-branched creeping shrub ; the young branches, petioles, stipules and receptacles 

 with dark reddish brown pubescence, ultimately nearly glabrous. Leaves shortly petiolate, 

 coriaceous, glabrous, shining above, tesselate-punctate below, always more or less 

 oblique, varying from oblanceolate gradually narrowed to the nearly equal-sided base to 

 oblong-subrhomboidal with very unequal sides; apex blunt or sub-acute, base rounded 

 or truncate, very unequally sided. All forms are penni-nerved, with 2 to 4 lateral 

 primary nerves; in the smaller and more oblique leaves the lateral nerves are, however, 



■ obsolete on one side: basal nerves from 3 to 5, irregular; reticulations rather 



distinct on the upper surface, on the lower surface very distinct and beautifully white, 

 tesselate-punctate; length of blade *5 to 1*5 in., or rarely 2 in.; stipules 2 for each leaf from 

 the stem near insertion of petiole, ovate-lanceolate, membranous, about as long as the petiole. 

 Receptacles usually pubescent when young, ultimately glabrous, pedunculate, solitary or in 

 fascicles from the branches or the main stem; when young often strongly umbonate; 

 when ripe varying in shape from globular to ovoid, obovoid or pyriform; colour from 

 russet brown to brilliant orange red; often dotted; length from 5 in. to 1-4 in.; 

 peduncles thick, varying in length from *25 in. to as much as 2 in., with 3 ovate-triangular, 

 rounded, spreading bracts united by their bases so as to form a kind of cup a little above 

 the base ; the base itself often thickened into a many-bracted woody tubercle. Male flowers 

 rather numerous in the receptacles containing gall flowers, stipitate, with one oblong 

 elongate stamen and a perianth of 3 broad distinct pieces. Gall flowers with a perianth of 

 3 distinct linear pieces; the ovary stipitate, smooth; the style thick, short, subterminal. 

 Fertile female flowers in separate receptacles, mixed with numerous neuters ; perianth of 

 fertile females of 3 hyaline linear distinct pieces; the ovary stipitate, oblong, with 

 hyaline margins, smooth ; style terminal elongate ; stigma bifid. Neuter flowers, containing 

 no trace either of anther or pistil, as numerous as the fertile females, and mixed with them, 

 stipitate, the perianth of 3 distinct linear pieces. 



Malayan Peninsula and Archipelago ; not uncommon on trees and rocks. 



A very remarkable and beautiful species, varying much in fruit and in the shape of the 

 leaves even in the same plant, the leaves on the small branchlets from the lower part of the 





