Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore 62 (2): 327–328. 2011 327 Ginalloa siamica var. scortechinii is a species of Viscum (Viscaceae) T.L. Yao Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 52109 Kepong, Selangor, Malaysia yaotzeleong@frim.gov.my ABSTRACT. Ginalloa Korth. is not represented in Peninsular Malaysia. Ginalloa siamica Craib var. scortechinii Gamble, known only from the type specimen, is conspeciic with Viscum ovalifolium Wall. ex DC. Keywords. Ginalloa, Peninsular Malaysia, Viscaceae, Viscum Introduction In Peninsular Malaysia, Ginalloa Korth. is recorded only through Ginalloa siamica Craib var. scortechinii Gamble (Gamble 1914) described from a single specimen, Scortechini s.n., Perak (CAL, accession number 396346). According to Barlow (1997), Ginalloa siamica occurs in Thailand, Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia and the Philippines. Variety scortechinii is distinguished by its 3-veined leaves compared to the 5-veined ones in the typical variety. Notes on Ginalloa siamica var. scortechinii The Scortechini type specimen is undated and the exact locality not speciied. According to Gamble (1914), Ginalloa is characterised by lowers in triads on terminal and/or axillary spikes and female lowers with 3 minute perianth lobes, contrasting with Viscum L. that has lowers which are usually in triads or sometimes solitary, in the axils of leaves or at lealess nodes on branches, and female lowers usually with 4 perianth lobes. As the specimen Gamble described has a spike-like inlorescence bearing only female lowers with 3-lobed perianths, he described it as Ginalloa. However, Gamble’s note (19 Nov 1912) on the specimen reads: “This is the only sheet available. I found it among the sheets of Viscum orientale. Other sheets should be searched for and some sent to the Kew Herbarium.” I searched the Peninsular Malaysian Viscum collection in the Kew Herbarium and among specimens of Viscum ovalifolium Wall. ex DC. (formerly Viscum orientale auct. non Willd.) that have 3-veined leaves, I found a collection (Scortechini 732) identical to the type of Ginalloa siamica var. scortechinii. Detailed examination showed that the shoot branching, leaf size, shape and venation, and fruits in leaf axils and at lealess nodes were the same. I therefore conclude that Ginalloa siamica var. scortechinii is synonymous with Viscum ovalifolium and Ginalloa does not occur in Peninsular Malaysia. 328 Gard. Bull. Singapore 62 (2) 2011 Barlow (1997) noted that Viscum ovalifolium is polymorphic, and that while its lowers are usually arranged in triads or sometimes solitary, they are less usually found along lealess shoots that supericially resemble the spicate inlorescences of Ginalloa. This is well illustrated by the collection Chew et al. FRI 53735 (KEP). Also, it is not uncommon for female lowers to have a perianth lobe missing, i.e. with only three lobes present. Danser (1931) had maintained Ginalloa siamica var. scortechinii but Barlow (1997) did not recognise the variety, although the latter still regarded Ginalloa siamica as having a distribution that extended into Peninsular Malaysia. Neither had seen the type (Barlow, pers. com.). Viscum ovalifolium Wall. ex DC., Prodr. (DC.) 4: 278 (1830). TYPE: Wallich 489, Penang (holotype K-W). Ginalloa siamica Craib var. scortechinii Gamble, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 75: 383 (1914), syn. nov. TYPE: Scortechini s.n., Perak, Peninsular Malaysia (holotype CAL, accession number 396346). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. I am deeply indebted to M.S. Mondal from the Botanical Survey of India, Central National Herbarium (CAL) for providing the image of the specimen. I am grateful to the curators of the herbaria of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K), Nederlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis (section Nationaal Herbarium Nederland), Leiden University (L), and Singapore Botanic Gardens (SING) for permission to examine specimens in their care. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia is acknowledged for inancial support for the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia Project (No. 01-04-01-000 Khas 2) under which this study was carried out. I am grateful to L.G. Saw, R.C.K. Chung and R. Kiew for advice and comments in improving the manuscript. Also, I would like to express my gratitude to one of the reviewers who took time to do a careful editing in helping me to shorten the text. References Barlow, B.A. (1997) Viscaceae. Fl. Malesiana, Ser. I, 13: 403–442. Candolle, A.P. De (1830) Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis 4. Paris: Treuttel & Würtz. Danser, B.H. (1931) The Loranthaceae of the Netherlands Indies. Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg III, 11: 233–519. Gamble, J.S. (1914) Loranthaceae. Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 75: 349–391.