NEW OR RARE MALAYAN PLANTS. 45 



TACCACEiE. 



Tacea borneensis, n. sp. 



A large tufted plant with the habit of T. cristata. 

 Leaves ovate acuminate, petiole 6 inches or more long, 

 blade 24 inches long, 9 inches across glabrous nerves 

 about 9 pairs primary distant ascending one intramar- 

 ginal running to the tip, margin undulate. Scape stout 

 6 inches long. Involucral bracts 4, subequal and similar, 

 ovate sessile obtuse opposite pubescent on the back 2£ 

 inches long l-£ inch wide, the two inner ones shortly 

 petioled. Filamentous bracts rather short. 



Flowers smaller than those of T. cristata purple. Sepals 

 oblong slightly narrowed at the base apex rounded. 

 Petals ovate acute mucronate, £ inch long. Stamens, with 

 very short but distinct filament, anthers ovate base 

 retuse, stigma, too-much crushed. Ovary and pedicel ^ 

 inch. 



Borneo : Sarawak on Matang, (Ridley.) 



The broad ovate leaves of this plant would be quite 

 sufficient to distinguish it from T. cristata. The involu- 

 cral bracts too are very distinct, the outer ones broadly 

 ovate, the inner ones narrowed slightly at the base, and 

 all minutely and scantily pubescent. The flowers are,, 

 smaller and the stamens more distinctly stalked. 



T. laevis var. minor. 



Differs from the description of the type in its gener- 

 ally smaller size. It has an erect cylindric stem 1£ 

 inches long, leaves elliptic acuminate bright green 6 

 inches long 4 inches wide, petiole as long. Scape 6 

 inches or less deflexed or hardly ascending. Involucral 

 bracts outer ones lanceolate acuminate an inch long, 

 wide, inner ones ovate acuminate as long but much 

 wider all olive green. Bracteoles filiform 5 inches long 

 dusky tips paler flowers few pedicels thick purplish £ 

 inch long. Perianth \ inch across. Petals oblong tri- 

 angular acuminate brownish green, spreading. Sep&ls 

 erect about half the width. Stamens purple 6. 



R. A. Soc., No. 49, 1907. 



