364 



RUMPHIUS'S HERBARIUM AMBOINENSE 



STERCULIA Linnaeus 

 STERCU LI A FOETIDA Linn. Sp. PL (1753) 1008. 



Clompanus molucanus Raf. Sylva Tellur. (1838) 73 (type!). 

 Clompanus major Rumph. Herb. Amb. 3: 168, t. 107. 

 Amboina, Silali, Robinson PI. Rumph. Amb. 293, in clearings at an 

 altitude of about 150 meters, September 22, 1913. 



This reduction, manifestly correct, was first made by Linnaeus, 

 in Stickman Herb. Amb. (1754) 14, Amoen Acad. 4 (1759) 

 124, Syst. ed. 10 (1759) 1277, Sp. PL ed. 2 (1763) 1431, and 

 has generally been accepted by all botanists who have had 

 occasion to cite the Rumphian figure and description. The 

 Rumphian description and figure typify Rafinesque's genus and 

 species Clompanus molucanus. 



STERCULIA TREUBII Hochr. PI. Bogor. Exsicc. (1904) 8. 

 Clompanus minor Rumph. Herb. Amb. 3: 169, t. 107 bis. 



Amboina, Lateri, Robinson PI. Rumph. Amb. 327, August 25, 1913; Ama- 

 hoesoe, Robinson PL Rumph. Amb. 398,' August 28, 1913; the former in 

 forests at an altitude of about 250 meters, the latter on coral rocks at an 

 altitude of about 10 meters; locally known as choklat utan and saklat utan; 

 that is, wild chocolate, the seeds being' used as a substitute for, or as an 

 adulterant of, chocolate. 



Linnaeus reduced this to Sterculia balanghas Linn., in Stick- 

 man Herb. Amb. (1754) 14, Amoen. Acad. 4 (1759) 124, Syst. 

 ed. 10 (1759) 1277, Sp. PL ed. 2 (1763) 1430, and this disposi- 

 tion of the Rumphian plant has been accepted by most authors. 

 However, it manifestly is incorrect, as Sterculia balanghas Linn, 

 is known only from India and Ceylon. Smith placed the Rumph- 

 ian species under his Sterculia urceolata in the original de- 

 scription of that species, Rees's Cyclop. 34 (1816) no. 3, in which 

 he was followed by de Candolle, Prodr. 1 (1824) 482. Smith's 

 material was from Honimoa Island, near Amboina, and his 

 description, a copy of which has kindly been supplied to me by 

 Sir David Prain, does not conform with my interpretation of 

 Clompanus minor Rumph. The specimens cited above appear 

 to be identical with Sterculia treubii Hochr., originally described 

 from trees cultivated in the botanic garden at Buitenzorg, Java, 

 their definite origin being unknown. The Rumphian figure is 

 very poor, and from it alone one would hardly suspect the species 

 described by Rumphius to be even closely allied to Sterculia 

 treubii Hochr. The Rumphian description applies to the speci- 

 mens much closer than the figure. 



Under Clompanus minor several forms are discussed, which 

 probably represent distinct species. These are Clompanus terna- 

 tensis femina Rumph. Herb. Amb. 3: 170; C. ternatensis mas Rumph. 



