Distribution. 



Sumatra: Palembang leg. TEYSMANN, cult, in H. Bog. XI B, IV, 80. 

 Java: In pagis prope Bzg. an efferata? (N. ind. honje idjoe). 



Robust herb, about 4—5 M tall. Leaves from the youngest to the eldest 

 dark black purple at the lower surface, quite glabrous, rather coriaceous, 

 undulate. Ligula shorter than petiole, coriaceous, subtruncate and a little 

 recurved at the top (in sicco). 



Spike obovate involucre cupuliform. Peduncle 250— 500 mm. long dark 

 green (303—304) velvety. Internodes not quite covered by the dark brown 

 rounded and mucronate scales. 



The involucrum consists of about 7 stiff erect rounded mucronate 

 atropurpureous, green edged bracts, with somewhat incurved edges. 



In the young spikes the stiff erect involucral bracts are much longer 

 than the flowerbuds and so form a room above the buds which on wet 

 days is filled with water. The adult buds and flowers are projected a little 

 beyond the involucre. The outer fertile bracts are quite resembling the 

 sterile ones, orbicular-ovate (60X50). The inner bracts are diminishing gra- 

 dually in size. Torus not very convex not much prolonged during the flow 

 ertime. 



Bracteoles 24X15. linear truncate with 2 red fleshy ribs. Calyx 37 mm. 

 long almost as long as the flower ending in 3 subulate equal erect green 

 teeth. Corolla 40 mm. long. Coroll tube 15 mm. Dorsal petal 25 X° ter- 

 minated by a very acute, hollow green acumen, much longer than the 

 stamen, about as long as the calyx; anterior petals erect acute a 

 little shorter. Lip a little longer than the calyx 25X'7 (explanated), tip 

 obtuse rounded, lip dark red, with a 2 mm. broad yellow border. The 

 stylodes connate into a hemicylindrical fleshy disc, bipartite to the base, 

 crenulate at the top 4 mm. tall 2 mm. wide. 



Fruit head globose, axis not elongate, mean size 70X90. Capsules 

 obovoid, laterally compressed and more or less 4- or 5- angulate, not much 

 longer than wide (30X22), with a blunt top, crowned by the short 

 remnants of the calyx, sordid olive-green when ripe, never coloring red. 



Plate 1. 



Fig. 1. Inflorescence with part of scape, n.s. — Fig. 2. Young inflorescence, n.s. — 

 Fig. 3. Same seen from above, n.s. 



Nicolaia Diepenhorstii (T. et B. !».— Elettaria T. et B. (1862) 326.- 

 Phaeomeria K. SCH. (1904) 265. 



„Elettaria foliis breviter petiolatis, oblongis undulatis, ciliolatis acuminatis, 

 subcordatisve, utrinque glabris subtus rubentibus dein virescentibus, ligulis 

 dorso et petiolo antice rubro-tomentosis ; scapis elevatis, spicis brevibus, 

 late obovatis, dense imbricatis, bracteis late ovatis, rotundatis, apiculatis; 

 labello rotundato, luteo-marginato, stigmate inaequali-pentagono." (T. et B. I.e.) 



Distribution. 



Sumatra: Priaman. (leg. TEYSM. !) 



