307 
Stapf — On the Sonerileae of Asia. 
the formation of the { scapus ’ is but indicated, not perfect, and 
these are the nearest links towards the remainder of Sonerila. 
It is a very remarkable fact that the species forming this 
group constitute two series which exhibit a striking parallelism, 
one beginning in Ceylon with a caulescent type, and extending 
in scapigerous forms to Bombay, and the other starting from 
Malacca, also with a caulescent species, and reaching in scapi- 
gerous types to Sikkim. I shall follow both series separately. 
a. Western series. 
1. S. peduncidosa, Thw. South-west Ceylon. 
The reduction of the stem is imperfect. The leaves, how- 
ever, show a distinct tendency towards crowding above the 
ground. But these clusters of leaves are connected by 
generally long hypogaeous or epigaeous weak and flaccid 
internodes which root sometimes. The leaves are more or 
less penninerved. The inflorescences are supported by slender 
and simple, generally long, peduncles. The flowers resemble 
those of 5 . zeylanica , and are not particularly characteristic. 
The capsules, however, are short, indistinctly ribbed, and they 
have a thin pericarp, and exhibit after the seed-scattering a 
very peculiar appearance, evidently in consequence of their 
anatomical structure. 
2. S. Rheedii , W. et Arn. Travancore to North Canara. 
C. B. Clarke and Cogniaux brought this species to S. Walli- 
chii ', Benn. The specimen of Wallich’s herbarium (4076), 
named S. Rheedii , and quoted by Wight and Arnott under 
S. Rheedii , undoubtedly belongs to N. Wallichii', but the 
authors meant the plant figured by Rheede in the Hortus Ma- 
labaricus. This, however, is not a stemless plant. It agrees 
exactly with the specimens collected by Johnston at Cochin, 
by Wight at Quillon and by Talbot in Curwar in North Canara. 
It has a short erect or succumbent fleshy stem, with leaves 
very much like those of N. pedunculosa , but with a more 
distinctly pinnate nervation and longer, more rostrate anthers. 
The capsules agree with those in S. peduncidosa . The shorten- 
ing of the stem, and in consequence the crowding of the 
