The Convolvulaceae of Malaysia, I

This is the first contribution to a series of papers dealing with the Convolvulaceae of Malaysia (Malay Peninsula and Archipelago, Philippines and New Guinea). As far as possible the contributions will be published in accordance with the systematical arrangement of the genera. For a survey on this arrangement I refer to HAULIER'S fundamental work on this matter published in 1893 in the 16th volume of ENOLER'S Botanische Jahrbücher, entitled: ”Versuch einer natürlichen Gliederung der Convolvulaceen auf morphologischer und anatomischer Grundlage“. After all genera will have been published, a determination key will be added, based on the genera of the area under consideration, in which I hope to take especially account of the characters of the Malaysian species. Meanwhile the key published by HAULIER in the above mentioned paper can be provisionally used. On account of the structure of the pollen grains the Convolvulaceae as a whole can be subdivided, as has been proposed by HAULIER, into two groups, viz. the Psiloconiae with smooth pollen grains and the Echinoconiae with spinose ones. The former of these groups contains seven tribes, viz. 1. Cuscuteae, 2. Wilsonieae (not in Malaysia), 3. Dichondreae, 4. Dicranostyleae, 5. Poraneae, 6. Erycibeae and 7. Convolvuleae. Of the six genera worked out here, Cuscuta belongs to the Cuscuteae, Dichondra to the Dichondreae, Evolvulus, Bonamia and Neuropeltis to the Dicranostyleae and Porana to the Poraneae. For the limitation and description of the tribes see HALLIER l.c. and in ENGLER’S Botanische Jahrbücher, Vol. XVIII, 1894, p. 92, under Prevostea.