Kiiuit — Dischidia raffleskma (ind Dischidia nummularia. 307 



spring directly from the trunk of the host, no roots being visible ; later on, 

 attempting to cut out a plant, I found that it was growing through and com- 

 pletely filling a small hole in the trunk of the host ; this hole communicated 

 with a hollow in tlie centre of the trunk where the roots were freely branching 

 and surrounded by the nest of an ant. I examined four plants and found 

 the manner of growth to be the same in all, except that some grew through a 

 small slit instead of a hole in the trunk. The ants were identified as belong- 

 ing to two species of Cremastogaster, C. hiroi, Mayr, var. qiiadririiga, Forel, 

 and C. EogenJioferi, Mayr, var. fahiicans, Forel. Later I found, in another 

 locality, two plants with no ants near the roots, though there was liunius 

 material round them — perliaps only decayed wood. 



In this species also ants probably plaj' an important part in tlie life- 

 history. Three of the plants examined grew out of very small holes, and it 

 is difficult to see how they could have reached such a situation if the seeds 

 had not been brouglit there by ants. 



Dischidia Collyris, Wall. ? I saw two specimens of what I take to be this 

 plant in evergreen jungle at Sriracha, on the east side of the Grulf of Siam ; 

 both were on branches which liad fallen from lofty trees. The concave leaves 

 were purple beneath, and tlieir edges were applied to the bark of the host so 

 closely that they must be almost as efficient in conserving the water- vapour 

 of transpiration as the pitchers of D. rajflesiana . In both plants ants were 

 nesting under leaves, the roots branching freely in the materials of the nest. 



Dischidia hivsuta, Dene. This species was not uncommon in the same 

 jungle, but it affected moist trunks of trees near the ground and small, often 

 rotten branches of under shrubs. No ants were seen near the plants, whose 

 small scattered leaves would afford them no protection. This species is 

 practically saprophytic, and in becoming so has been able to dispense witli 

 the aid of ants. 



[Explanation of Plates. 



