ALBERT

Description: Exbucklandia R. W. Brown ( Bucklandia R. Br. non Pr. ex Sternb., Symingtonia Steen.) In an article on \xe2\x80\x9cAlterations in some fossil and living floras\xe2\x80\x9d (J. Wash. Ac. Sc. 36: 348. Oct. 1946) R. W. Brown proposed the new generic name Exbucklandia for the Hamamelidaceous genus Bucklandia R. Br., non Pr. ex Sternb., while describing a new fossil species from the United States. He also transferred B. populnea to the new genus. Unfortunately I had overlooked this publication when proposing Symingtonia to replace Bucklandia R. Br. (Acta Bot. Neerl. 1: 443\xe2\x80\x94444. 1952). Exbucklandia will have to be accepted for it in future. The Indo-Chinese species B. tonkinensis Lecomte should be referred to as Exbucklandia tonkinensis (Lecomte) Steen. comb. nov. I have to thank Dr E. H. Walker for pointing my attention to R. W. Brown\xe2\x80\x99s paper.

Description: This charming and handy book printed on excellent paper, with its numerous clear pictures of well-known Malayan plants, reminds one in many ways of Merrill\xe2\x80\x99s \xe2\x80\x9cPlant Life of the Pacific World\xe2\x80\x9d (MacMillan 1946, New York), which has perhaps served Prof. Holttum as an example. Its size being only slightly smaller than Merrill\xe2\x80\x99s book and the area covered being very considerably smaller, its descriptions of plants are naturally more detailed; the more so as only a choice has been made, in which the special interests of the author \xe2\x80\x94 ferns, orchids, gingers \xe2\x80\x94 are evident though not predominant.\nThe plants described are not regionally arranged. The 17 chapters are rather headed by names of life-forms, striking organs, and special habitats. As is pointed out in the Preface, the book is \xe2\x80\x9cintended primarily for the Malayan resident who wishes to begin a study of Malayan plants\xe2\x80\x9d. In this purpose the book will doubtless prove to be a success: the reader is gradually taught quite a bit of botany of various fields, morphology, anatomy, ecology, hybridisation, etc. These are demonstrated at plants which are within easy reach of the ordinary layman for which it is destined. Short opening and concluding chapters deal with general features of tropical plants and with the Malayan forest. Since the author is a well-known expert and the Malayan flora as here described is a very good example of any flora between, say, Calcutta and Fiji, it may well be useful to residents of many other countries as well.

Description: A study has been made of the Indo-Malaysian species of Cnestis. The mutual length ratio of sepals and petals, \xe2\x80\x94 brevi- and aequipetaly \xe2\x80\x94, is the main differentiating character for the species; there are no transitions. The areas of distribution overlap in the Malay Peninsula (fig. 1); brevipetalous types are known from the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and Celebes, aequipetalous types from Burma, Siam, Indo-China and the Andaman Islands, the Malay Peninsula and the Philippines. Fruits are of two different shapes: beaked in aequipetalae of the Andamans, Burma, Siam, and Indo-China, pear-shaped in remaining aequipetalae and in brevipetalae. Leaves tend to be longer and jugae more numerous in brevipetalae than in aequipetalae.\nOther characters do not have so clear a separating value, such as texture and indumentum of leaflets, indumentum of inflorescence, texture and indumentum of petals, length of stamens, type and length of pistils, length ratio of stamens and pistils. However, even on the strength of these characters there is some reason to distinguish both groups mentioned above. As to the indumentum of petals there is a remarkable cline in a decreasing sense from the Philippines to continental Asia, the Andamans and the Malay Peninsula and back to the east through the brevipetalae of Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and Celebes.\nBrevi- and aequipetalae have been considered to represent two species, viz Cnestis platantha Griff. and Cnestis palala (Lour.) Merrill. The latter one has been divided into two subspecies, viz subsp. palala with beaked fruits and subsp. diffusa (Blanco) Andreas with pear-shaped fruits. For their area of distribution see fig. 1.\nIn many respects some plants of the Andamans, Burma, Siam, Indo-China (and the Malay Peninsula) are different from the remaining aequipetalae, but not in a uniform way as to the various characters. Although there are some arguments for a further taxonomic subdivision, we did not think it advisable to introduce such a division at present. Our classification differs from the division as given by Schellenberg (1938). This was caused by the material on one hand, being more heterogeneous than Schellenberg described it, and, on the other hand, by the fact that some of the diagnostic characters used by him, in our opinion were not fit for use as such. Therefore a revision of Schellenberg\xe2\x80\x99s system of the genus Cnestis seems desirable.

Description: In Madro\xc3\xb1o (1936) Herre has lamented the disappearance of lichen species through the disastrous interference of man. Unavoidably, the advance of civilised modern life is linked with destruction of the vegetation. This applies all the more as the endangered area is more densely populated and it certainly applies most alarmingly to the lichen flora of the Netherlands. Here, every way-side tree felled is an irreparable loss to the epiphytic lichen communities, every acre of heath burnt or turned into arable land is a blow to our stock of terrestrial lichen species, whereas the use of dry fertilisers and the spraying of orchards are very effective in killing any lichen in the neighbourhood that otherwise might have survived. A comparison of the material preserved in the older collections with what can be found nowadays, clearly shows what has gone lost. It is sad to think that an ever increasing number of species are on their way to total extermination.\nHowever, from a thorough investigation of the epiphytic communities of cryptogams latterly started by Mr J. J. Barkman, it becomes apparent that at least to some extent the losses may be compensated by the discovery of species hitherto overlooked or not recognised. It is on such and other finds that I intend to report from time to time.

Description: Gynostemma hederifolia (Decne) Cogn. in D.C., Monogr. Phan. 3: 916, 1881. (\xe2\x80\x9chederaefolia\xe2\x80\x9d). \xe2\x80\x94 Sicyos hederifolius Decaisne in Nouv. Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 3: 450, 1834.\nKANGEAN Island (N. of Bali): Gua Peteng, 1 M alt.; Backer 26948 (BO), 15-III1919, \xe2\x99\x82, filaments connate up to the top, leaves far more densely puberulous than in the next specimen.

Description: G. kingiana (Brace) Van den Assem, Blumea VII\xc2\xb2, 1953, 373.\nVar. kingiana, l. c. 373.

Description: Combretum kostermansii Exell, sp. nov.\nFrutex scandens, ramulis primo fulvo-pilosis et tomentellis demum sparse pilosis, atro-rubris. Folia opposita breviter petiolata, petiolo 1\xe2\x80\x943 mm longo, piloso, lamina chartacea, ovata vel oblongo-ovata, basi cordata, apice acuminata, 2\xe2\x80\x947 X 1.8\xe2\x80\x943.6 cm, supra nitidula, costa media excepta pilosula fere glabra, subtus ad nervo adpresse pilosula, haud lepidota, costis lateralibus utrinsecus 3\xe2\x80\x946. Flores \xe2\x99\x82+ protogyni, 4-meri, sessiles, albi, in paniculas terminales et axillares, rhachide fulvopiloso, bracteis filiformibus 3\xe2\x80\x944 mm longis fulvo pilosis dispositi. Receptaculum inferius 1\xe2\x80\x941.5 mm longum, dense pilosum, superius cupuliforme, 1.5 X 2.5 mm, pilosulum. Calycis lobi ovato-acuminati, 1 X 0.9 mm. Petala 4, late ovata, apiculata, 2 X 1.5 mm, pilosa. Stamina 8, biseriata, filamentis 2.5 mm longis, glabris, primi inflexis, antheris 1 mm longis glabris. Discus inconspicuus. Stylus 4 mm longus, glaber. Ovuli 2.

Description: The Netherlands Antilles may be divided into: (1) The Cura\xc3\xa7ao Group (or Netherlands Leeward Islands): Cura\xc3\xa7ao, Aruba and Bonaire. (2) The St. Martin Group (or Netherlands Windward Islands): (Netherlands) St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. The latter islands are very small, forming together only 8.1 per cent of the total area of the Netherlands Antilles, and 2.2 per cent of its population.\nThe Cura\xc3\xa7ao Group often has a desert-like aspect with a \xe2\x80\x9ctropical dry-forest\xe2\x80\x9d vegetation. Therefore on these islands the mosquito pest is nothing like so bad as it usually is in the tropics. There are few permanent breeding places, except man-made receptacles in and around the houses to store rainwater or well-water in as the Government waterworks do not always produce sufficient and adequate water. The St. Martin Group has a higher rainfall and a more abundant vegetation.\nIn the preceding pages the morphological characteristics which are of taxonomic value have been described. Keys to the mosquitoes, their classification, their geographical distribution and their biology observed in the Netherlands Antilles have been given.\nMosquitoes may be spread by automobiles, ships and airplanes on the islands. Fortunately, all airplanes from foreign airports and St. Maarten are sprayed on Cura\xc3\xa7ao and Aruba. Except this measure little was done before 1951 to control mosquitoes, except in the areas occupied by the oil companies. An anti-A\xc3\xabdes aegypti campaign was initiated on Cura\xc3\xa7ao in October 1951 and on Aruba in March 1952 (residual DDT house spraying and larviciding).\nBecause of the paucity of mosquito records of the Netherlands Antilles a rather thorough survey was made on Cura\xc3\xa7ao from 1941- 1947, while the other islands were visited only for a short time.\nAt the moment 20 species are known from the Netherlands Antilles.\nAnopheles pseudopunctipennis pseudopunctipennis was found on Cura\xc3\xa7ao and rarely on Aruba, and An.albimanus once on St. Maarten, but never an indigenous case of malaria has been reported from the Netherlands Antilles. The larvae of An. pseudopunctipennis were found in earth-lined breeding places, but also frequently in manmade receptacles. Nearly all these breeding places contained clear, fresh or slightly brackish water with green algae; the majority were sunlit. Though the females of An.pseudopunctipennis attacked man, they were more attracted to animals.\nCulex quinquefasciatus was a common domestic pest mosquito on all of the islands. Though it often bred in earth-lined breeding places, it was found more frequently in man-made receptacles. The water was fresh or slightly brackish and usually polluted. Wuchereriasis bancrofti prevailed at a low rate on the Cura\xc3\xa7ao Group (4.2%, of which at least 2.7% was indigenous) and at a higher rate on the St. Martin Group (10.3% of which at least 5.1% was autochthonous). Elephantiasis was very rare.\nA\xc3\xabdes aegypti was the most common domestic pest mosquito on both groups of islands. It was usually caught in clear, fresh water in man-made receptacles in or around human dwellings. The females bit in the daytime and at night. Several epidemics of yellow fever occurred in the previous century; the last one was on Cura\xc3\xa7ao in 1901. The last sporadic case occurred on Cura\xc3\xa7ao in 1914. Dengue was very common in newcomers from non-endemic areas.\nHaemagogus anastasionis was collected on Cura\xc3\xa7ao and rarely on Aruba. The larvae were mainly found in tree holes after occasional rains. All the breeding places contained dark brown rainwater with a layer of humus. The bite of the female is painful. Fortunately it has not been incriminated as a vector of jungle yellow fever. Besides, there are no wild monkeys on the Netherlands Antilles.\nWyeomyia celaenocephala was found in various species of bromeliads on the Christoffelberg on Cura\xc3\xa7ao. The females will bite fiercely in the jungle.\nUranotaenia lowii was collected from a pond on Bonaire.\nA\xc3\xabdes taeniorhynchus was mainly caught in stagnant, sunlit beach pools with clear, dark brown, brackish water on Cura\xc3\xa7ao, and once in a well on Saba. The females are severe biters.\nA\xc3\xabdes busckii was found in a tree hole on St. Eustatius.\nPsorophora cyanescens was reported from Aruba only once.\nPsorophora confinnis bred in rock holes and other earth-lined breeding places, and rarely in man-made receptacles on the Cura\xc3\xa7ao Group. The majority of the breeding places were temporary and sunlit, and contained clear or turbid rainwater. The females are fierce biters. They entered houses.\nPsorophora pygmaea was collected from a ditch on St. Maarten.\nDeinocerites cancer was mainly found in crab holes on both groups of islands. The water of the breeding places was turbid and brackish. Adults lived in the crab holes. Females did not bite the author.\nCulex erraticus was caught in clear fresh water near the airport on Cura\xc3\xa7ao.\nCulex americanus was found in various bromeliads on the St. Martin Group.\nCulex bahamensis was collected from fresh or brackish water on the St. Martin Group.\nCulex habilitator adults and larvae were found in crab holes on St. Maarten.\nCulex maracayensis was caught in earth-lined breeding places and sometimes in concrete tanks and troughs on Cura\xc3\xa7ao. The water was usually clear, shaded and fresh or slightly brackish.\nCulex nigripalpus was collected near the airport on Cura\xc3\xa7ao from a temporary ground pool with rainwater.\nMegarhinus guadeloupensis was found once in a bromeliad on Saba.

Description: While engaged on working out the beautiful pycnogonid material dredged by Dr Th. Mortensen in shallow waters near the Virgin Islands, I thought it useful to compare this dredged material with material collected between the tide marks, or just below the low tide line. So I was very glad to meet Dr P. Wagenaar Hummelinck, who has made extensive collections of littoral marine animals during his various trips to the West Indies, and who kindly entrusted me with about 50 lots of pycnogonids which had already been sorted from his material.\nA definitive paper will be published as soon as his entire marine material has been searched for the presence of sea spiders.

Description: Les Cop\xc3\xa9podes commensaux et parasites d\xe2\x80\x99Invert\xc3\xa9br\xc3\xa9s, quoique tr\xc3\xa8s communs dans toutes les mers, sont peu connus. En v\xc3\xa9rit\xc3\xa9, on en a d\xc3\xa9crit un nombre assez grand de genres et d\xe2\x80\x99esp\xc3\xa8ces, mais les descriptions sont trop souvent superficielles, voire m\xc3\xaame erronn\xc3\xa9es.\nUn de ces genres tr\xc3\xa8s peu connu est Tococheres, \xc3\xa9tabli par le Professeur Paul Pelseneer, 1929, pour un Cop\xc3\xa9pode trouv\xc3\xa9 sur les branchies de Loripes lacteus. Bivalve r\xc3\xa9colt\xc3\xa9 dans l\xe2\x80\x99Aber de Roscoff (Bretagne). La description de Pelseneer ne donne d\xe2\x80\x99informations que sur la forme generale de la femelle, sur les antennules et sur la cinqui\xc3\xa8me paire de pattes. On ne sait absolument rien sur l\xe2\x80\x99antenne, les pi\xc3\xa8ces buccales et les 4 paires ant\xc3\xa9rieures de pattes thoraciques.