62 
THE GYMNOSPERMS OF THE MALAY PENINSULA. 
It is called by the Malays Poko Ekor B’lankas (King 
crab’s tail) and Pantat Ulat from the appearance of the male 
spikes. The fruit is sweet and eatable. There is some varia- 
bility in the leaves, those of the Penang plant being unusually 
narrow and lanceolate. The venation varies too, in many 
plants, the nerves are fewer and form very conspicuous extra 
marginal loops. 
Climbers, seeds sessile. 
Gn. microcarpum, Bl. Rumphia LY. 6. t 175 and 1. 
Rather slender woody climber, stems occasionally as much 
as half an inch through, with rough dark grey bark. Leaves 
lanceolate, cuspidate, acute, more rarely oblong, base narrowed 
or rounded, coriaceous, dark shining green, drying brown, 2-4 
inches long, 1-2 inches wide, nerves 6-8 pairs, not conspicuous 
inarching close to the margin, reticulations rather wide 
moderately conspicuous, petiole ¢ inch long. Male spikes in 
tufts on the stem, simple, cylindric, + inch long on shorter 
peduncles, cupular bracts cylindric, short, glabrous. Perianth 
oblong, truncate, flat, narrowed towards the base, apex blunt, 
entire. Stamen twice as long, filament slender, anther 2 celled 
club shaped. Female spikes in tufts from the stem, 1 inch long 
ou pedicels, t inch long or less with ovate, acuminate, acute 
bracts, connate at the base. Cupular bracts cup shaped but 
rather flat ribbed, whorls 1'5 inch apart of 5 or 6 sessile conic 
subulate. Ovules surrounded by a circle of short rusty brown 
hairs, a little longer than the bract. Fruit half an inch long, 
cylindric elliptic, sessile, pinkish flesh color, borne on spikes 
2-3 inches long. 
There are two forms of this plant, one a slender twining 
climber with narrow lanceolate leaves which grows abundantly 
in open places in secondary scrub which might be called 
campestris and a stronger lofty climber with a stout stem half 
an inch or more through, and broad elliptic leaves with a 
rounded base, 2 inches wide. var sylvestrins 
var campestris. 
Distrib. Singapore, Kranji (Ridley 5360), Changi (5863), 
Tanglin etc. Johore, Batu Pahat (Ridley 11219). Pahang, 
Kwala Pahang (1440.) Malacca, Mt. Ophir, Padang Batu 
(Ridley 10015), Ayer Panas (Goodenough 1560), Penang 
Government Hill (Curtis 877), and Batu Feringi (1109). 
Selangor Sempang mines. 
var. sylvestris. 
Singapore Garden, Jungle; Seletar (Ridley 3958), Bajau 
(5864) and Pulau Tekong (5862.) 
It is known as” Akar Jullah”’ by the Malays. 
Jour. Straits Branch 
