Descriptions of Malayan Plants. 



209 



marked between them and the true Hyperica, particularly in 

 the colour of the flowers, which in the latter is almost without 

 exception yellow, but in Elodea is often red. 



ELODEA SUMATRANA. (W. J.) 



Foliis subsessilibus oblongis attenuato-acuminatis glabris 

 rigidiusculis, paniculis terminalibus foliosis, staminibus nu- 

 merosis triadelphis, petalis basi nudis. 



Found at Tello Dalam in the island of Pulo Nica. 



A large shrub or small tree. Branchlets rather compressed, 

 obscurely four-sided. Leaves opposite, almost sessile, oblong, 

 tapering to the point, acute, broad at the base, entire, 

 smooth ; nerves proceeding from a middle rib, strong ; six 

 or seven inches in length ; the surface appears by the aid of 

 the microscope to be dotted with opaque points. Panicles 

 terminal, foliose, the lower divisions being axillary ; oppo- 

 sitely branched and rigid. Flowers dark-red or purple. 

 Bracts minute. Calyx five-leaved, persistent, leaflets ovate, 

 smooth, the outer ones smaller. Corolla cup-shaped, longer 

 than the calyx, five-petaled ; petals subrotund, ungues naked, 

 without pore or scale. Nectaries three, yellow, inserted 

 below the corolla, and half as large as the petals, subrotund, 

 doubled backwards upon themselves in such a manner as to 

 form a sac which opens behind near the base. Stamina 

 numerous ; their filaments united for about half their length 

 into three phalanges, which are inserted alternately with 

 the three nectaries; they are a little shorter than the 

 corolla ; anthers yellow, two-celled. Ovary oblong, three- 

 celled, many-seeded. /S/z//^^ three, diverging. Stigmata three ^ 

 subrotund. Capsule oblong, three-celled, each cell contain- 

 ing several seeds as long as the cell and attached to the bot- 

 tom of the central column ; they are thin and flat, disposed 

 regularly one within the other forming concentric circles, 

 which are particularly apparent in the transverse section of 

 the capsule. 



