576 
E. D. MERRILL 
Briza elegans Osbeck, Dagbok Ostind. Resa 246. 1757 = ? Eragrostis 
elegantula Steud. 
The original description of this species is as follows: Briza 
{elegans}) spiculis oblongis, valvulis carinatis " followed by a state- 
ment in Swedish to the effect that it was a very beautiful grass that 
grew at the highest plantations. It was from Dane's Island, near 
Whampoa, October 24, 1751. 
Rendle^ includes this species under Briza, but states that he had 
seen no specimens; he suggests that it might be a synonym of Era- 
grostis major Host. Dunn & Tutcher'* also enumerate it, with the 
comment: " Near Canton. Fl. April to June." In both publications 
the original place of publication is cited correctly, but the species is not 
included in Index Kewensis. Briza is known from China by but a 
single species, Briza minor L., this apparently introduced, and northern 
in range (Province of Chihli). No representative of the genus is 
known from southern China. I am of the opinion that Briza elegans 
Osbeck is probably a synonym of Eragrostis elegantula Steud.; at 
least that it is an Eragrostis, certainly not a Briza. The specific 
name in Eragrostis is invalidated by Eragrostis elegans Nees. 
Ceratolobus javanicus (Osbeck) comb. nov. 
C^ryota javanica Osbeck, Dagbok Ostind. Resa 270. 1757. 
Ceratolobus glaucescens Blume in Roem. & Schult. Syst. Veg. 7: 
1334. 1829. 
This species has been overlooked by all botanists and is not 
enumerated in Index Kewensis. Osbeck's specimen was from New 
Bay, Java, where the plants were observed January 19, 1752. The 
original description is here repeated: Caryota (javanica) frondibus 
bipinnatis, aculeatis; foliolis cuneiformibus, rotundato-praemorsis. 
Fructificationem non vidi; unde genus obscurum. Frondes sunt bi- 
pinnatae, ut in Caryota, subtus albidae. Pinnae alternae, obovatae, 
plicatae, margine superiori rotundato inaequalis. Petioli superne 
aculeis plurimis oppositis, recurvatis, non solum ad pinnarum exortum, 
sed etjam saepe par enum vel 2 inter pinnas." The description is 
introduced by a statement in Swedish, of which the following is a 
translation: "A great numbei of palms 6 to 12 feet high, with curved 
thorns on the leaves, held us fast and would not let go until our 
^ Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. 36: 421. 1904. 
^ Fl. Kwangtung and Hongkong 329, 1912, 
