Dioscorea .] cxlv. dioscoreace^e. 319 
(15) D. laurifolia Wall. Cat. 5111; Hook. F.B.I. vi. 293; 
Ridl. Mat. ii. 83. 
Base of steam smooth or prickly, stem rather slender. Leaves 
lanceolate to oblong or elliptic blunt acuminate, coriaceous, 3-nerved, 
strongly reticulate beneath, entire narrowed at base, 2 to 3-5 in. 
long, 1*5 in. wide; petioles 1 in. long. Male panicles 1 to 2 ft. long. 
Spikes deflexed in pairs 1 to 3 in. long. Flowers minute, green. 
Sepals ovate. Petals linear-oblong. Female panicles 1 ft. long, 
few branched. Capsule glaucous transversely elliptic, refuse, 2 
in. wide, 1 in. long. Hab. Not rare, edges of woods ascending to 
4400 ft. altitude. Singapore, Tanglin; Garden Jungle. Johor, 
Batu Pahat. Pahang, Gunong Tahan (Hanifif); Leban Chondong, 
Rumpin River (Evans). Malacca, Merlimau; Mt. Ophir. Negri 
Sembilan, Tampin (Burkill). Selangor, Kwala Lumpur; Semang- 
kok Pass. Perak, Hermitage Hill; Gunong Keledang; Thaiping 
Hills (Kunstler). Penang (Porter); Government Hill (Burkill). 
Native names : Akar Surinting; Akar Kamahang. 
Generally quite unarmed, but Burkill sends a plant with prickly base 
from Gunong Hijau, Perak, at 4500 ft. altitude. 
(16) D. alata Linn. Sp. PI. 1033; Ridl. Mat. ii. 84. 
Stems fleshy, 4-angled and winged. Leaves deeply cordate 
orbicular or ovate, 5- to 7-nerved. Male flowers in slender fascicled 
spikes. Capsule obcordate, 1 to 1-5 in. long. Hab. A commonly 
cultivated yam, very rarely flowering. The best known varieties 
are Ubi Jawa, tubers short white-fleshed ; Ubi Teropong, with long 
white yams, Ubi Kenduduk, tubers small, red; Ubi Nasi, large red 
tubers. 
This plant, cultivated all over the East, is only known in cultivation. 
(17) D. stenomeriflora Prain and Burkill, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. 
x. 40. 
Stem climbing to 80 ft. tall, purple. Leaves alternate coriaceous, 
glabrous elliptic abruptly acuminate, cordate or sagittate or entire, 
3-nerved with strong nervules from midrib; 5 to 10 in. long; 
petioles *5 in. long. Male flowers in solitary or paired axillary 
spikes glabrous. Perianth-tube 0-4 in, long. Sepals triangular 
ovate blunt. Petals ovate blunt, all spotted red. Stamens 6. 
Female spikes 1 ft. long, 1 to 3 together. Perianth greenish yellow, 
spotted red, -4 in. long, tube 6-keeled. Sepals ovate. Petals 
lanceolate. Hab. Forest edges. Singapore, Changi. Selangor, 
Batu Tiga. Perak, Larut Hills at 1500 to 2000 ft. altitude (Kunstler). 
This extraordinary plant, with its long-tubed flowers, might very well 
be put in a distinct genus. 
Doubtful Species. 
(18) D. piscatorum Prain and Burkill, MSS. D. sp. Ridl. Mat. ii. 
84; Prain and Burkill, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. lxxiii. 186. 
Tuberous. Stem long, woody angled covered with triangular 
