Descriptions of Malayan Plants. 21 



This singular plant is found parasitic upon old trees, in 

 the form of a large irregular tuber, from which arise a few 

 thick, short, fleshy branches. The Leaves are crowded at 

 the rounded extremities of these branches, and are opposite, 

 petiolate, obovate-oblong, with a short acumen, attenuated 

 to the petiole, entire, very smooth, somewhat leathery. Pe- 

 tioles long, roundish, inserted on a large persistent peltate 

 knob, whose edges expand into a kind of stipule, ciliated 

 along the margin with dense strigose fibres, and cleft above 

 in the axil of the petiole. The flowers are sessile, closely 

 disposed in the spaces between the stipular bases of the 

 petioles and half concealed under their projecting edges. 

 Calyx membranaceous, superior, nearly entire. Corolla white, 

 tubular, quadrifid ; segments erect, rather acute ; a villous 

 ring within the tube immediately below the insertion of the 

 stamens. Stamens four, shorter than the corolla, and alter- 

 nate v^ith its segments ; anthers white, two-celled. Style 

 longer than the stamens. Stigma simple, tomentose. Ovary 

 four-celled, four-seeded. Berry ovate, smooth, white with 

 longitudinal lines, four-celled, four-seeded. Seeds furnished 

 with albumen ; embryo in its axis. 



Obs. — There can be no doubt of this being the plant 

 described by Rumphius, although the leaves are represented 

 more acute in his figure than they are in my specimens. 



HYDNOPHYTUM. 

 Tetrandria Mofiogynia. N. O. Rubiacea. Juss. 



Calyx integer. Corolla limbo 4-fido, fauce pilosa. Stami- 

 na 4, brevia, fauci inserta. Stigma bifidum. Bacca disperma. 

 Super arbores parasitica, basi tuber osa,fioribus axillaribus, 



HYDNOPHYTUM FORMICARUM. (W. J.J 

 Lin, Trans. XIV. 124. 



Nidus germinans formicarum nigra rum. Rumph. Amb, vi. 

 p, 119. t. 55.flg. 1. 



