The Labiates of the Malay Peninsula. 



By H. N. Ridley. 



The Ldbiatae in the Materials for a Flora of the Malay 

 peninsula have been described by Dr. Prain who gives 

 eighteen genera and thirty species of this order as occurring 

 in the Malay peninsula. Like the Compositae the Labiates 

 are very poorly represented all through the rain forest 

 region. They are inhabitants of open country and being all 

 small plants and being dispersed chiefly by the mere sprink- 

 ling of their seeds as the wind blows, can neither push their 

 way into our dense forests nor establish themselves there in 

 the thick shade if they did get there. The only forest species 

 indeed that we possess, the Gomphostemmas, have been so far 

 modified for forest life that their fruits are developed into 

 small white pulpy drupes, which can be eaten by birds and so 

 the seeds dispersed. An analogous case among the Rubiaceoe 

 with capsular fruit is seen here too in Hedyoiis congesia be- 

 longing to an open country group of capsular seeded weeds in 

 which also the fruit is developed into a small white pulpy 

 berry. 



The species recorded in the Materials are as follows : 

 Ocimum sanctum, L. 0. Basilicum, L. 0. gratis- 

 simum, L. (and 0. canum might be added.) Orthosiphon 

 stamineus, Benth. Hyptis brevipes, Poit. H. suaveolens, 

 Poit. Plectrantlius Kunstleri, Prain! Coleus atropurpur- 

 eus, Benth ! Pogostemon Heyneanus, Benth ! P. Goblin, 

 Benth. Dysophylla auricularia, Bl ! Mentha javanica, Bl. 

 Calamintha gracilis, Benth! Salvia coccinea, Juss. S. ple- 

 beia, Br. Scutellaria discolor, Colebr! Anisomeles ovata, Br! 

 A. malabarica, Br. Leonotis nepetifolia, Br. Leucas mar- 

 tiniceusis, Br. L. zeylanica, Br! L. lavandulifolia, Sm! 

 Leomirus sibiricus, L. Paraphlomis rngosa, Prain! Gom- 

 phostemma microcalyx, Prain! G. crinitum, Wall! G. 



R. A. Soc, No. 50, 1908. 



