Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org

i86 Journal of the F.M.S. Museums. [Vol. VI,
*244. BuRMANNiA DiSTicHA, L. ; Ridl. Op. cit. p. 331.
Common all over the Padang, except in very dry spots.
Flowers light blue.
Distributed over the mountains of Australia, China,
Sumatra, Ceylon, and Kasiya; in the Malay Peninsula only
seen from Mt. Ophir and Kedah Peak.
I have in vain sought for any insect visiting this plant and
B. ccelestis, Don. The petals and sepals in B. disticha remain
connivent the whole day, but are most widely separated about
midday, leaving only a narrow opening for an insect to
pollinate it.
245. [BuRMANNiA TUBEROSA, Becc. Occurs at Kuala
Teku in muddy spots on the banks of the Tekli River. It is
scattered all over the Peninsula in the low country.]
LILIACE^.
246. Protolirion paradoxum, Ridl. & Groom, antea,
p. 59. Common in wet woods on the Padang to 6,000 feet
elevation. As usual associated with Dacrydium.
Distribution. All high hills in the Peninsula where these
conifers grow.
247. DiANELLA PARVIFLORA, n. Sp.
Habit of D. ensifolia, Red. Stems one or two, about 6
inches long, covered with distichous leaves from the base and
flattened slightly. Leaves linear-acuminate, coriaceous, usually
revolute at the margins when dry, armed with short thorns on
the midrib and the margins for the whole length, 12 to 18
inches long, \ inch wide. Panicle terminal, elongate, lax, 14
inches long, with a single, lanceolate, acute sheath halfway up ;
branches few and short, about half an inch long. Bracts
lanceolate-acuminate, a quarter of an inch long. Flowers 4 or 5
together a quarter of an inch across. Sepals ovate-obtuse.
Petals longer, elliptic-obtuse, all blue in the centre, fading off to
dirty white at the edge, spreading, not reflexed.
than -the petals ;
Stamens shorter
filaments short, white, abruptly dilated above
into a yellow swelling. Anther brown, dehiscing at the apex
only. Ovary shining green. Style cylindric, white. Berry
deep blue.
This species is distinct from D. ensifolia, Red., the common
lowland species, in its smaller flowers, shorter and differently
shaped stamens, ovate sepals, and longer petals. When dried,
it might easily be mistaken for D. ensifolia. This plant is
recorded from Mt. Kinabalu at 7,000 to 8,000 feet altitude by
Dr. Stapf in the 'Flora of Mt. Kinabalu.' It is improbable
that this lowland and sea-shore plant should occur at such an
altitude. May the Kinabalu plant not be D. parviflora, Ridl. ?
248. Rhuacophila javanica, Bl. Enum. i. 14; antea,
P- 59-
Stems usually numerous, 6 to 8 feet tall, strongly flattened.
Leaves rather flaccid, glaucous, subcoriaceous, linear, acuminate,
unarmed, midrib very inconspicuous, disappearing