Descriptions of Malayan Plants, 



9 



III. MELANTHACEiE. 



VERATRUM ? MALAY ANUM. (W, J.) 



Foliis radicalibus lanceolatis, scapis erectis verticillato- 

 paniculatis, baccis trilocularibus. 

 Native of Pulo Pinang. 



An erect herbaceous plant. Leaves radical, three or four 

 feet in length, petiolate, lanceolate, acuminate, attenuated 

 into a petiole at the base, very entire, tomentose, striated 

 with parallel nerves which run nearly longitudinally, but 

 diverge from a central one. Petioles canaliculate, obtusely 

 carinate, sheathing at the base. Scape erect, round, tomen- 

 tose, verticillately panicled. Peduncles alternately semiver- 

 ticillate, divaricate and spreading. Flowers sessile, on 

 hermaphrodite or male plants fascicled, on female solitary. 

 Beneath each semiverticil is a large floral leaf, which is 

 ovate, acute, and contracted at the base into a flat, straight, 

 petiole-like unguis which embraces the stem. Perianth six- 

 parted, the three inner lacinise petaliform, white, spreading. 

 Stamina 6 ; filaments flat, dilated at the base. Styles three, 

 short. Stigmata three. 



In the female the calyx embraces a globular berry, which 

 is three-celled, each cell one-seeded. 



Obs. — The true place of this plant is somewhat ambiguous, 

 and I am doubtful whether it can be admitted as a genuine 

 species of Veratrum. It does not however agree exactly 

 with any other genus of the same family ; in habit it is some- 

 what like Alisma. 



IV. TACCEiE. 



TACCA CRISTATA. (W, J.) 



Foliis indivisis lato-lanceolatis, involucro diphyllo, umbella 

 secunda cernua superne intra involucrum foliolis duobus 

 involucro duplo longioribus stipata. 



