JACK'S LETTERS TO WALLICH, 1819-1821. 225 



business, been busy collecting all the information respecting it 

 that was to be procured, and as we continued visiting the different 

 parts of the island till the 31st Dec. a month and a half, it is 

 pretty complete upon all points. It is not improbable that Sir 

 Stamford may wish me to draw up some account of it for our 

 Miscellanies, so I need not trouble you with much of its history 

 now. as I may have that opportunity of sending you the whole in 

 shape, if you feel any curiosity on the subject. 



In the botanical department, although its over cultivation 

 was greatly to be abused, it has been by no means unproductive. 

 The first thing I met with was a new Alpinia 266 of the division 

 with radical inflorescence, but which threw up its spikes to the 

 height of two feet haetenus. I think, inauditum. I have roots of 

 it which are thriving, and which shall go up to you by the first 

 good opportunity. In what possible way can you make a specific 

 name of Xias, Niasana or Xiasensis. in no way can I arrive at 

 euphony? I believe it cannot be admitted into the Botanical 

 temple of fame. Alpinia longiseapa will perhaps answer. — I found 

 also a very extraordinary Zingiber of which the fellow neglected 

 to bring the roots. The spike was larger than a pineapple, and 

 the edges of the bracts involute in such a manner as to give the 

 whole the appearance of a carved capital of the Corinthian or 

 some nondescript order. The Callicarpa arborea Boxb. 207 is very 

 abundant ; you mention having it from Xepal : here we come again 

 in contact. I sent you in one of my late letters the description 

 of my Hoy a grandiflora, I have now discovered what I take to 

 be another species on Pulo Xias. It has in every respect the 

 habit and character of Hoya, except that the column and nectaries 

 are not so flat, but are more conical than in the other. The posi- 

 tion of the masses is the same and the inner angle of the nectarial 

 leaflets is acute and incumbent on the membrane of the anther. 

 Can you understand this? — the other species are depressed in the 

 centre, this rises. It is a delicate slender species and may be called 

 H. gracilis.- 1 '" the leaves about the size and shape of this :— 



X 



z 



the margin thick and fleshy. I shall send you my description when 

 I get to Bencoolen, if I think it is likely to be in time for Box- 

 bur o-h's Flora. 



266. Alpinia clatior. Jack in the Malayan Miscellanies, ii. (1822) 

 No. 7, p. 2. 



bfg. Callicarpa arborea, Roxb.. is a widely distributed plant, not at 

 all unlikely to be Sumatran. 



268. Hoya gracilis was never described under this name. 



R. A. Soc, No. 73, 1913. 



