322 



Descriptions of Malayan Plants. 



Found in the Musi country, in the interior of Sumatra. 



A shrub. Leaves opposite, long-petioled, subrotund, with 

 a sharp acumen at the point, sometimes cordate at the base, 

 about nine inches long, entire, seven-nerved, with a less 

 distinct additional pair near the margin, the middle ones 

 combined a little above the base, nearly smooth, dotted with 

 ferruginous points, particularly on the under surface and on 

 the nerves, deep green above, pale tinged with red beneath. 

 Petioles from five to eight inches long, channelled above and 

 ciliate with long soft hairs. Peduncles axillary, solitary, shorter 

 than the petioles, supporting a dense head of involucred flow- 

 ers. Flowers numerous, pedicelled, collected into a roundish 

 head. Involucre, of five or six large, cordate, broad, many- 

 nerved, ciliate, purple leaves embracing the flowers. Calyx 

 tubular, nearly smooth, dotted ; limb quadrifid. Corolla 

 purple, four-petalled. Stamina eight, equal. Anthers ar- 

 cuate, beaked, inappendiculate, having their points inflexed 

 before expansion. Ovary connected by septa to the bottom 

 of the calyx, four-celled, polysporous, with central placentae. 

 Style long. Berry four-celled, many-seeded. 



This is a very singular and well marked species^ 

 distinguished from all the others of the genus by its large 

 subrotund leaves, and by the peculiarity of having the flowers 

 in a crowded head surrounded by a large involucre. In this 

 particular it deviates widely from the usual habit of the 

 MelastomcB. It is rarely met with, and has only been obtain- 

 ed by me from Musi, a district lying immediately inland of 

 Bencoolen. 



10. MELASTOMA PALLIDA. (W, J.) 



M. octandra, floribus paniculatis axillaribus et terminali- 

 bus, foliis ovatis quinquenerviis glabriusculis, antheris supra 

 basin affixis. 



Native of the Malay Islands. 



