1900.] D. Prain — Some neiv plants from Eastern India. 173 



existence of a distinct annulus. Its other characters however amply justify its 

 title to specific rank. It is not very like any of the hitherto described Indian 

 Gomphostemmata. The fact that the flowers occur on independent leafless stems 

 or scapes recalls the habit of G. chinense Oliv. and the fact that the calyx and less 

 markedly the bracteoles are purple-coloured, recalls also G. Curtisii, and G. peduncu- 

 latum which are the other members of the group Pedunculata. to which 6r. chinense 

 belongs. The general facies of the species nevertheless rather recalls the Strobilina 

 group of the § Pogosiphon to which, from the presence of hairs within the corolla 

 tnbe, it must necessarily be referred. If, however, we are right in supposing that 

 these hairs form a distinct annulus, instead of being scattered as in the other 

 Strobilina, it must be considered in this respect as linking that group with the 

 hitherto somewhat isolated G. Hemsleyanum. 



This is the second new species recorded since the publication by the writer in 

 1891 of An account of the Genus Gotnphostemma (Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard., Calcutta, iii. 

 227, et seq.). The other species, Gotnphostemma furfuracea Hallier fil., has been very 

 fully and accurately described and figured by its author, after comparison with the 

 material in the Calcutta Herbarium, in Bull, de Vherbier Boissier vi. 351, 622 t. 9, 

 f. 1 a-c (1898). It is a species of § Eugomphostemma, group Melissifolia, and as its 

 bracts are not longer than the calyx it comes nearest to G. velutinum and Gr. Mastersii. 

 The outer bracts are however in shape like those of G. ovatum and G. melissifolium, 

 so that it stands, as its author has already indicated, intermediate between G. ovatum 

 and G. Mastersii. It is a native of Eastern Sumatra. 



Another point with reference to this genus may be noted in passing. In the 

 account of the genus referred to above, the position of Gomphostemma fiavescens 

 Miq. was left doubtful. In the following year the writer was able to say that, 

 judging from specimens of the plant (Anthocoma fiavescens Zoll.) on which Miquel's 

 species is based, kindly lent by Dr. Treub from the Buitenzorg Herbarium, this 

 species was in reality Cymaria acuminata Dene. In 1895 the writer was afforded, 

 though the kindness of M. Drake del Castillo, on opportunity of examining the 

 actual type specimen of Anthocoma fiavescens and of thus confirming the accuracy 

 of the identification published in Annals of Botany vi. 214 (1892). 



CHLORANTHACE^E. 



10. Chloranthus kachinensis King fy Prain; leaves subsessile, 

 ovate, caudate-acuminate, margin finely gland-serrate except at the 

 cuneate base ; anthers 3, connate by their connective ; spikes in termi- 

 nal clusters. 



Kachin Hills ; Shan Busti, Sadon, near water, Prain' s Collector ! 



An evergreen erect undershrub ; leaves glabrous, shining above, dull and finely 

 puberulous on the nerves beneath, nerves about 10 pairs doubly inarched within the 

 margin, length 6-8 in., breadth. 3-3*5 in., caudate apex '75-1-in. long ; petiole "1 in. 

 long or 0. Spikes 3'5 in. long, 4-6 together, fascicled at the apex of the branches 

 among linear bracts, surrounded by 2 closely approximated, distichous pairs of leaves. 



The leaves most resemble those of C. officinalis Bl., but the fascicled instead of 

 panicled spikes at once distinguish it. The inflorescence is like that of C, nervosus 

 Coll. & Hemsl., from the Shan Plateau, which is however at once distinguished by 

 its coarsely serrate, distinctly petioled and smaller leaves which are not caudate- 

 acuminate at the apex. 



