332 



Descriptions of Malayan Plants. 



stem, and small lanceolate leaves, not oblique at the base as 

 in most of the genus. 



The uppermost leaves are quatern, forming a kind of invo- 

 lucre to the slender peduncle which springs from their centre. 



SONERILA MOLUCCANA. (Roxb) 



Subcaulescens, villosa, foliis oblique cordatis integris op- 

 positis altero minore, pedunculis axillaribus, racemis uni- 

 lateralibus. 



Rox : Fl : Ind : Vol 1. p. 122, 



Pouh. Malay . 



A native of the moist shady forests of Pulo Pinang. 



A small herbaceous plant whose root is fibrous, and whose 

 stem does not exceed a few inches in length. Every part is 

 thickly covered with red hair. The Leaves are petiolate, 

 opposite, one much smaller and rounder than the other, 

 unequally cordate, acute, very entire, of a deep green on the 

 upper surface, red beneath, with quintuple nerves. Petioles 

 round, and hairy. Stipules none. Peduncles generally from 

 the axils of the smaller leaves, erect, bearing from one to 

 three unilateral somewhat recurved racemes, and furnished 

 about the middle with two small opposite bracteolar leaflets. 

 The racemes are at first revolute, but unroll themselves as 

 the flowers open. The flowers are unilateral, arranged in 

 two rows upon short pedicels, and each supported by a li- 

 near ciliate bract. Calyx superior, covered like the rest of 

 the plant with red hairs, three-parted, lacinias lanceolate, 

 acute. Corolla white, composed of three petals inserted 

 between the divisions of the calyx, ovate, acute, with a few 

 red hairs along the middle of the under surface. Stamina 

 three alternating with the petals ; filaments linear, ascend- 

 ing; anthers linear, bending towards the style, yellow, two- 

 celled. Style declinate in an opposite direction to the sta- 

 mina. Stigma simple. Capsule ovate, crowned by the 

 calyx, hairy, three-celled, three-valved, many-seeded, the 



