Descriptions of Malayan Plants. 



339 



to be distinct from A. tomentosa, having lanceolate acute 

 leaves, white beneath but not tomentose, and the fruit being 

 much smaller. 



SPHALANTHUS. ( W. J.) 



Decandria Monogynia. N. O. Combretacece. Br. 



Calyx tubulosus, hinc gibbus, deciduus, limbo 5-partito. 

 Corolla 5-petala summo tubo calycis inserta et ejusdem 

 laciniis alterna. Stamina 10, corolla breviora. Stylus tubo 

 calycis hinc accretus. Ovarium uniloculare, ovulis paucis 

 ab apice loculi pendulis. Capsiila 5-alata, monosperma, 

 semine 5-angulato. Semen exalbuminosum, cotyledonibus 

 convexo-planis, radicula minima conica. 



SPHALANTHUS CONFERTUS. 

 Kayu Sumang. Malay. 



A shrub vidth round nearly smooth branches. Leaves 

 generally alternate, large and reflexly bifarious, short petiol- 

 ed, ovate-oblong, acuminate, subcordate at the base, entire, 

 very smooth. Petioles short, somewhat recurved. Stipules 

 none. . Spikes 1 — 3, terminal, bending in an opposite direc- 

 tion from the leaves. Flowers crowded, sessile. Bracts 

 lanceolate acute, much shorter than the flowers. Calyx 

 superior, very long, tubular, gibbous on one side below, red- 

 dish and somewhat tomentose without, limb 5-parted, some- 

 what reflex, laciniae acute, broader at the base. Corolla 5- 

 petalled, white at first, becoming red after expansion, a little 

 longer than the calyx, petals ovate- oblong, acute. Stamina 

 ten, inserted in a double series on the calyx, erect, shorter 

 than the corolla ; anthers oblong, yellow. Ovary small, 

 oblong, one-celled, containing three pendulous ovula, attach- 

 ed by filaments to the summit of the cell. Style green, fili- 

 form, rather longer than the stamina, adhering to or con- 

 crete with the tube of the calyx on one side along its whole 



