The Genera Gynura and Crassocephalum in Java

As far as known at present there occur in Java 4 wild species of Gynura, viz. G. aurantiaca (Bl.) DC., G. carnosula Z.M., G. densiflora Miq. and G. procumbens (Lour.) Merr. A fifth species, G. pseudochina (L.) DC., is met with as a cultivated plant only, and even as such it seems to be very rare. A sixth, G. crepidioides an African plant of recent introduction, is better placed in Crassocephalum. Only one of the wild species, G. procumbens, , occurs throughout the island, from sea-level up to about 2100 m. altitude. G. aurantiaca is restricted to West- and Central-Java, where it is found between 75° and 2400 m. alt.; along watercourses, however, it occasionally descends 1 as low as 350 m.; its area of distribution, extending from Mount Gédè to Mount Wilis, slightly overlaps in its eastern part the western extremity of that of G. densiflora. – G. densiflora, though reported to have been found almost a century ago in West-Java, seems, at present at least, to be confined to the eastern half °t the island. It is a true mountain plant, growing between 2000 and 2600 m. above sea-level; its area of distribution extends from Mount Lawu to Mount Idjèn. O OAn _ . ' G. densifolia appears to be essentially a sea-shore species; it has been found only in the eastern half of Java along the southern coast.