The species was described by SCHUMANN from the original ') spe- 

 cimen in the Kew-herbarium, from a cultivated plant in the Hort. Bog. In 

 Buitenzorg it has been lost before 1903 and the label was placed by a 

 rather different species of the same genus, of unknown origin; but in the 

 Herbarium a fine fruiting specimen is existing. 



it is easily to be recognized by the villous ligula and petiolus, the 

 glabrous leaves, reddish brown at the backside while young, afterwards 

 green, and the obovate long acuminate fruits. The flowers are as yet un- 

 known, but the inflorescence is probably much resembling that of N. 

 atropiirpurea but differently colored. 



There is a specimen in the Buitenzorg Herbarium, collected bij BiiN- 

 NEMEijER no. 154 on mnt Taloe + 800 M. in Padang not very far from 

 the original locality of the species, agreeing with the description by the 

 leaves, ligula and obovate inflorescence, but fruits were never found, though 

 the species is common and so the identification remains dubious. 



Nicolaia gracilis VAL. n. sp. male cognita. 



Gaulis 2—3 M. altus + 20 mm. crassus. Folia brevissime petiolata, 

 obi ongo- e i lineari-lanceolata, 360—500 mm. longa, 80—120 mm. lata in apice 

 caulis 320 X 46 acute acuminata (acumen 15—20 mm.) basi attenuata acuta 

 decun entia, chartacea, in sicco utrinque grisea, supra glabra, secus mar- 

 ginem et subtus appresse puberula (hand ciliaia), acumine sericeo, basi 

 acuta decurrente. Petiolus 5—8 mm. löngus applanatus. Ligula latatruncata 

 + 8 mm. longa, sub lente valida dorso sericea glabrescens. Vaginae striatae. 



Flores valde iuveniles omnibus partibus villosi. inflorescentia nunc 

 35X35 mm. cupuliformis apice convexo. Bracteae involucrantes dense 

 sericeo-tomentosae obovatae apice spinulosae, margine membranaceae. 



Syncarpia pro genere parva, 50 mm. diam, globosa, longe graciliter 

 pedunculata. Scapus 540 X 5 mm. internodiis valde elongatis. Squamae 

 vaginantes internodiis duplo vel quadruplo breviores 50X^5 obtusae. 

 Bracteae extemae ellipticae, 35 mm. longae pallide sericeo-tomentosae. 

 Capsulae globoso-obovatae pressione subangulatae apice applanatae vel 

 truncatae, medio leviter incrassatae (22X^8), sericeo-tomentellae, calyce 

 tomeutello coronatae. Bracteae florales obovatae capsulis longiores, 30 mm. 

 longae persistentes obovatae obtusae sericeae. 



Distribution. 



Sumatra: Lampong, Koetaboemi, 25 M. (coll. HEYNIANUS No. 179, 

 fruit red, n. ind. Ketimbah gadja/i"). 



Species well distinguished by its small flowers and fruits and fruit-heads 

 with persistent sericeous flowerbracts, which are longer than the capsules, 

 on long slender, denudate scapes and the thin pubescence of the leaves. 



') It is to he observed that the determination of 1 he specimens distributed by the 

 Buitenzorg Herbarium earlier than 1893 never is quite to be trusted to. Those of 

 Ha SijKARL are only exceptionally right, and even the labels signed by Binnendijk 

 are not always certain. 



