130 



EUSYCE. 



Plate 162.— Two branches of F. scandens, Roxb., with mature receptacles. 1 

 of a receptacle; 2, base of the same ; 3, stipules— all of natural sue; 4, male flower • 5 

 flower from the same receptacle ; 6, fertile female flower (from another receptacle) • 7 fertile 



achene : all enlarged. ' ' 



apex 

 gall 



151. Ficus obtusa, Hassk. in Cat. Hort. Bot. Bogor. 18U. 75.—Pogonotroph 



Miq. Lond. Journ. Bot. vii. 75; Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2. 330 ; Miq. i 



Ann. Mus. Lugd. Bat. iii. 278, 263.— F. alnifolia, Miq. PL J ung h. 51 

 Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2. 330 ; Miq. in Ann. Mus. Lugd. Bat. iii. 278,' 293 

 t. X J).— Pogonotrophe phoeopoda, Miq. Lond. Journ. Bot. vii. 76.; FL Ind 

 Bat. i. pt. 2. ZZl.—F.piperifolia, Miq. Mus. Lugd. Bat. iii. 293.— Pogonotroph 



piperifolia, Miq. Zoll. Syst. Verz. 93, 99 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. pt. 2. 330 

 Pogonotrophe Bornemis, Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. I.e. 330.—^. platycaula, Min 

 Fl. Ind. Bat. I.e. 318. q 



A scandent shrub ; the young branches densely covered with soft, short, reddish-brown 

 tomentum or pubescence. Leaves coriaceous or thickly membranous, petiolate, more or less 

 broadly ovate, ovate-elliptic or sub-obovate-elliptic, gradually narrowed upwards to the shortly 

 sub-acuminate, acute, or blunt apex; edges entire, revolute when dry; base broad, rounded 



ely narrowed or cordate or emarginate, 5- to 7-nerved (2 pairs being minute) ; lateral primary 

 wves 3 or 4 pairs, prominent ; the whole of the lower surface, and especially of the midrib 

 and nerves, softly pubescent or puberulous ; intermediate nerves rather distinct and straight ■ 

 reticulations minute, distinct ; upper surface minutely hispid ; when young scabrid or scabrous • 

 the midrib and larger nerves shortly hispid even when adult ; length of blade 2-25 in. to 5 in • 

 petioles -5 to -6 in. long, tomentose or sub-scabrid, -4 to 7 in. long ; stipules lanceolate, pubes- 

 cent, or villous externally, -3 in. long. Eeceptacles shortly pedunculate, or sub-sessile, in pairs in 

 the axils of the leaves or of leaf-scars, obovate-globose to depressed-globose ; the apex faintly 

 umbonate when young ; densely covered with minute brown tomentum ; when ripe yellowish 

 brown to crimson, glabrescent or glabrous, about -5 in. across ; basal bracts H, broadly ovate 

 pubescent ; peduncles from -1 to -3 in long, stout, densely fulvous- tomentose, often almost absent' 

 Male and gall flowers not seen; perianth of female flowers 5-leaved ; ovary elongate, elliptic, 

 style long, filiform ; the stigmas of neighbouring flowers united into a thick, umkmate disc • 

 interior of receptacle hispid. ; 



Malayan Peninsula and Archipel 



The forms named phoeopoda and platycaula by Miquel differ from Hasskarl 



typ 



having the leaves very scabrous above and the receptacles sub-sessile. The old leaves of the 

 form named Pogonotrophe Javana by Miq. are rather scabrid on the lower surface between 

 the nerves, and in this respect they resemble those of the form named Pogon. alnifolia. 

 The form named Pog. piperifolia by Miquel has acute or acuminate leaves, the under surface 

 of which is asperulous, with a few scattered hairs, the midrib and larger nerves being adpressed- 

 pubescent ; but in my opinion none of these forms is worth separating even as a variety. 



This is a very common plant. I have examined a large number of receptacles, and 

 have invariably found them filled with fertile female flowers. No receptacle that I have seen 

 contains a male or a gall flower. I am therefore driven to the conclusion that this is not itself 

 a species, but the female of a species of which the male plant is as yet unrecognised. The 

 enquiry can be completed only in the field. 









