228 THE BOTANY OF CHTUSTMAS ISLAND. 



Laportea crenulala, Gaud. 



A shrub or small tree with grey white bark and hollow 

 branches. Leaves deep shining green glabrous above 

 and often beneath except for a few stinging hairs, edge 

 usually undulate or almost crenulate, blade broadly 

 oblong ovate base rounded to oblong lanceolate narrow- 

 er 10-15 inches long 5 to 8 across, petiole 2 to 6 inches 

 long. Male panicles 1-2 inches long axillary below the 

 leaves, armed with stinging hairs. Flowers in small 

 clusters globose, stinging. Females panicles much 

 longer lax a foot long or less cohered with stinging 

 hairs. Flowers very small green 4 sepals hairy, style 

 longer. Achene discoid ^ inch long flat wrinkled 

 or warted. 



Common in Flying Fish Cove, Phosphate Hill 

 Waterfall etc. 



Distribution India, Malay Peninsula, Siam, Sumatra, 

 Java, Borneo. 



Apparently very variable in foliage if all the forms 

 included are of this species. It is well known from its 

 stinging powers which however vary a good deal some 

 being very severe stingers, others sting hardly at all. 

 The Christmas Island one stings somewhat severely. 



L. Murrayanai Rendle. 



A tree about 20 feet tall with pale bark branches 

 hollow. Leaves ovate or orbicular peltate acute or 

 obtuse 3-7 inches long 2-4 wide nearly glabrous light 

 green. Male panicles 2 inches long glabrous. Flowers 

 in small distant clusters, buds globose, sepals four 

 obovate obtuse glabrous. Stamens very short 4. Pistil- 

 lode globose. Female panicles 3-5 inches long much 

 more diffuse. Flowers very small in small tufts. 

 Stigma much longer. Achene discoid ^\ inch across 

 margined. 



Flying Fish Cove, on rocks near the magistrate's 

 house, apparently unsexual! " I .only saw two or 



Jour. Straits Branch 



