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PLANT COLLECTIONS AND FIELD EXCURSIONS 
Owing to leave and changes of staff, less botanical field work was 
possible in 193S than has been usual in recent years. The need of such 
work, as explained fully in the report for 1937, does not decrease, but 
rather the reverse. When senior officers are not available, it is often possible 
to send out trained Malay collectors, who have made very useful collections. 
In this matter, co-operation with the Forest Botanist at Kepong has 
continued, to the mutual advantage of both institutions. 
Mr. E. J. H. Corner paid a number of visits to the neighbouring 
parts of Johore during the early part of the year, continuing his field work 
on this very interesting area. He also collected regularly in the Bukit 
Timah reserve (see belou'). 
ffn April and May the Plant Collector Kiah bin Haji Salleh went to 
Kedah and Perils, where he made extensive collections, especially on the 
limestone at Kaki Bukit, Perlis. Here he found an interesting new species 
of the genus Buxus, related to Buxus Rolfei of the Philippines. This is 
the third relative of the northern box tree (Buxus sempervirens) to be found 
in Malaya; all are limestone plants. 
The primary object of Kiah’s visit to Perlis was the collection of seeds 
of wild bananas, to be sent to the West Indies, where seed-bearing species 
are needed in breeding experiments. The object of these experiments is to 
produce new varieties of edible bananas resistant to disease. Kiah’s search 
unfortunately failed to produce any species beyond those already known 
further south, but seeds were sent to Kew and the West Indies in the hope 
that they might prove useful. 
In May Mr. Henderson paid short visits from Penang to the limestone 
hills at Baling and Alor Star in Kedah, and to the Sungei Krian at Selama on 
the Kedah-Perak boundary. Near the summit of Gunong Baling an 
abundant growth of a grass resembling lemon-oil grass was found. Air. C. E. 
Hubbard of Kew reports that this appears to be a new species. Plants of it 
have been obtained for cultivation in Singapore. 
In July and August two collectors were sent to Sarawak, in company 
with a Sakai tree climber from the Forest Department, F.M.S. These three 
men made useful collections, chiefly of trees. The necessary local arrange¬ 
ments were kindly made by the Senior Forest Officer, Sarawak, who is to 
receive a set of the specimens collected. The flora of Sarawak is closely 
related to that of the south of Malaya, and it is very valuable to have such 
collections for comparative purposes. 
In October, Kiah bin Haji Salleh again visited Kedah to collect 
specimens in an area of forest which was being felled near Sungei Patani. 
Thanks are expressed to Dr. E. D, B. Woi.fe, Health Officer, Sungei Patani, 
in connection with this visit, especially for pointing out a very interesting 
species of Petraeovitex which is probably new. It is also a very handsome 
species and will probably prove a striking addition to local gardens; cuttings 
have already been rooted in the Waterfall Gardens. 
Within Singapore Island collections were also made of many common 
local and cultivated plants, as these have often been neglected by collectors, 
and are not always well represented in herbaria. Considerable series of 
duplicates of these collections were made for distribution. 
