1894.] D. Prain — Soine additional species of Convolvulaceae. 97 



13. Lettsomia sikkimensis Glarhe, Flor. Brit. Ind. iv., 194. Argy- 

 reia elHptica Choisy, DC. JProdr. ix., 330 (in part, and as to the Burmese 

 locality). A zeylanica Kurz. (not of Gaertn.) var. peduncular is Knrz, 

 For. Flor. Brit. Burma, ii., 215, Convolvulus peduncularis Wall. Gat., 

 1417. 



Eastern Himalaya : Sikkim, Clarke! Akha Hills, King's Collectors ! 

 Assam: Naga Hills, Masters ! Khasia, Hoo/cer ! Cachar, Keenan. Bdrma: 

 Taong Doung, Wallich ! Ruby Mines, King's Collectors ! 



The chief distinction between Lettsomia sikkimensis and Lettsomia elliptica 

 (Argyreia elliptica Choisy) is the size of the flowers and fruit. Kecent specimens 

 of L. elliptica show corollas nearly as long as in the Himalo-Burmese j^lant ; the 

 calyx and fruit however are always larger in the latter than in the Peninsular si^ecies. 

 Possibly Choisy is right in uniting the two, but they should at least be distinguished 

 varietally : in any case the species ought to be placed near each other. 



14. Lettsomia rubens Clarhe, has been re-transferred to Ipomoea. 



14 6. Lettsomia pallida Prain; leaves ovate-oblong acute, or 

 orbicular-ovate mucronulate, glabrous except for a few hairs on the 

 midrib above, sparsely ashy-pubescent beneath as are the petioles, 

 peduncles and branches ; peduncles short, corymbs small few-fld., bracts 

 minute caducous linear-oblong, sepals \ in. outer orbicular inner broader 

 than long, glabrous. Argyreia pallida Choisy, Convolv, Or. 34 and DC. 

 Prodr. ix., 330 ; Coll. ^' Hemsl., Journ. Linn. Soc, xxviii, 94. Con- 

 volvulus pallidas Wall., Cat. 1418. 



BuRMAH : Between Yandabu and Paghanmyo, on the road to the 

 Petroleum Wells, Wallich ! Mandalay, J. Anderson ! Pwau-olwe, Collett ! 

 Trongla, King's Collectors ! Shan Hills, at Meiktila, Collett ! King's 

 Collectors ! 



A large handsome climber. Leaves 2-3i in. by 1^-2^ in., base usually slightly 

 cordate but often truncate, sometimes shortly cuneate ; petioles 3— li in. Peduncles 

 i-1 in., usually about ^ in., slender. Corymbs 3-12-fld. j bracts i in. pubescent exter- 

 nally, early caducous, pedicels i in. or less, pubescent. Sepals glabrous except along 

 the margins even in bud ; slightly accrescent, coriaceous. Corolla ^ in. long, f in. 

 wide at mouth, campanulate, glabrous externally, white. Stamens included, inserted 

 near the base of corolla tube ; filaments glabrous, anthers oblong, not twisted. Disc 

 prominent ; ovary 2-celled ; stigmas 2, subsessile globose. Fruit a hard brown inde- 

 hiscent 2-seeded berry, depressed globose, \ in. long, | in. across ; seeds 1 in each 

 loculus, black, smooth. 



This species, not taken up in the F. B. I., is dealt with, in passing, in Sir Henry 

 Collett's list of Shan Hill plants. More recent and very complete suites of speci- 

 mens received from Dr. King's native collectors from various parts of Upper-Burma 

 render it possible to give a full description of the species and to show that while 

 it really has an indehiscent fruit the ovary is only 2-celled. As already said, the 

 writer believes that Lettsomia must be again united to Argyreia when Choisy's name 

 will once jnore be applicable. In the meantime, and so long as generic rank is 

 accorded to Lettsomia in India, it is necessai-y to indicate the fact that this is not a 

 J. II. 13 



