7 
Igs 
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES 
BUREAU OF SCIENCE 
MANILA 
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUREAU 
December 21, 1921. 
Mr. I. H. Burkill 
Botanic Gardens 
Sin^pore, S# S. 
Dear Mr. Burkill; 
Some time ago I received from yon an unnumbered specimen of your 
collection made at Joara Bay, Pehang, identified as Hemsndla peltate . 
In goirg over the material before distributing it into the herbarium, 
I recognized this specimen as a representative of the genus Brownlow!a 
I wonder if you can give me any further information as to its specific 
identity. It does not agree with the descriptions of any of the 
species from Asia or from the Sunda Islands. Curiously, I find the 
same species represented in our collections from Sarawak: and Sandakan, 
and very recently I have received specimens from Mindanao. All of the 
material from Borneo and from the Philippines is from the sea shore 
back of mangrove swamps or along tidal streams; I presume this to be 
the habitat of your specimen also. Although Brownlowia riedelii__H emsl 
from the Moluccas is very imperfectly described, in fact, scarcely 
described at all, except by comparison with another species, I suspect 
the Pehang, 3orneo, and Mindanao forms to be the same as Hemsley's' 
species. I have sent a duplicate of the Mindanao form to Eew for 
conparison with Hemsley’s type, and will latter communicate the 
results to you. 
Very truly yours 
Elmer D. Merrill 
Director, Bureau of Beience 
