MELASTOMATACEAE 



405 



This is a very characteristic species; it is well figured by 

 Rumphius, and accordingly its synonymy is very simple. Funis 

 muraenarum mas Rumph. is the whole basis of Melastoma cris- 

 patum Linn., which was transferred to Medinilla by Blume in 

 1831. Linnaeus first erroneously reduced it to Melastoma 

 malabathricum Linn., in Stickman Herb. Amb. (1754) 19, but 

 soon recognized the error and in the reprint of Stickman's paper, 

 Amoen. Acad. 4 (1759) 128, he excluded the reduction to Melas- 

 toma malabathricum and still later, in 1762, made the Rumphian 

 description and figure the type of Melastoma crispatum Linn. 



MEDINILLA MACROCARPA Blume in Flora 14 (1831) 510; Rumphia 1 

 (1835) 14, t. 2. 



Frutex muraenarum femina Rumph. Herb. Amb. 5: 67, t. 35, f. 2. 



Amboina, Lateri, Robinson PL Rumph. Amb. 569, August 25, 1913, in 

 forests, altitude about 250 meters. 

 » 



This is certainly the correct disposition of Frutex muraena- 

 rum femina Rumph., the reduction having been made by Blume, 

 whose description and figure, however, were based on Amboina 

 specimens collected by Zippel. 



MEDINILLA sp. 



Funis muraenarum III Rumph. Herb. Amb. 5: 67. 



This should be a very characteristic species, judging from 

 Rumphius's description, which calls for a vine with solitary 

 (that is, alternate) leaves, 8 to 10 inches long and 5 to 6 inches 

 wide, long-acuminate, with 10 or 11 oblique nerves and many 

 transverse nervules. Blume, Rumphia 1 (1835) 15, referred it 

 to Medinilla crassinervia Blume, with which, however, it does 

 not at all agree. Its exact status must await further botanical 

 exploration of Amboina. 



ASTRONIA Noronha 



ASTRONIA PAPETARIA Blume in Flora 14 (1831) 526; Rumphia 1 (1835) 

 20, t. 6. 



Pharmacum papetarium Rumph. Herb. Amb. 4: 134, t. 69. 



Amboina, Way tommo and Soja, Robinson PL Rumph. Amb. 513, 51U* 

 August 19 and October 14, 1913, in light forests, altitude 50 to 325 meters, 

 locally known as daun tabal. 



Blume's description and figure were based on specimens col- 

 lected in Amboina by Zippel, and he reduced here Pharmacum 

 papetarium Rumph., which is certainly the correct disposition of 

 it, and a reduction that has been accepted by all subsequent 

 authors. The species is known only from Ternate and Amboina. 



