A new species of Eriocaulon from Sumatra

Herba valde caespitosa. Folia linearia, interdum falcata, 0.8—4 X 0.2—0.5 cm, vel basi interdum subabrupte usque ad 1 cm dilatata, glabra, axillis pilis longis albis munita. Pedunculi 0.5—4 cm longi, 5—8-costulati. Bracteae involucrantes oblongae vel ovato-oblongae, pallide luteae, glabrae; bracteae florales conchatae, late ovatae, panduratae vel oblongo-obovatae, nigrescentes sed interdum basi pallide lutei, extus parte apicali albo-pilosae. Receptaculum longe pilosum. Flos ♂: sepala 3, interdum 2, connata, basi excepta nigrescentia, parte apicale albo-pilosa; petala 3, connata, glandulosa, extus apice et intus omnino albo- vel luteo-pilosa. Flos ♀: sepala 3, libera, naviculata, nigra, extus parte apicali albo- vel luteo-pilosa; petala 3, inaequalia, extus glabra, intus omnino albo-pilosa, glandulosa; ovarium 3-loculare. Typus: van Steenis 9691 in L. Herbs forming dense semi-globose pin-cushions or cushion-rings of great extent, up to 5 cm high. Leaves linear, sometimes falcate, 0.8—4 by 0.2—0.5 cm, at base sometimes subabruptly broadened to 1 cm, acute, 6—10-nerved, fenestrate, glabrous except for long white hairs in the axils. Peduncles (0.5—)1—2.5(—4) cm long, 5—8-ribbed, glabrous, sheath 0.8—2(—2.5) cm long, at base with long white hairs. Heads obovoid to semi-globose, 2—5 by 2—7 mm, involucral bracts oblong or ovate-oblong, 3.5—4.5 by 1—2 mm, obtuse, 1-nerved, glabrous, pale yellowish, florad bracts conchate, broadly ovate to oblong-obovate, 2.5—3.5 by 1—1.5 mm, cuspidate, sometimes scarious along apical part of margin, blackish at least for ¾, with white hairs on outside in apical part, otherwise glabrous; receptacle with long white hairs. ♂ Flowers: sepals 3, very rarely 2, tubuliformously connate but the two lateral ones connate at base only, boat-shaped, 2.5—3 by about 1 mm, obtuse, with white hairs on outside of apical part, blackish for at least ¾; petals 3, tubuliformously united, very unequal in length, the free lobes oblong, the median one about 1 mm long, the lateral ones about 0.5 mm long, with white hairs along margin and on inside, with an ovoid, black gland on inside; stamens 6, anthers black. ♀ Flowers: sepals 3, free, boat-shaped, 2.5—3.5 by about 1 mm, cuspidate, black, with white hairs on outside of apical part; petals 3, unequal, oblanceolate, the median one longer than the lateral ones, 2.5—3.5 by about 0.5 mm, obtuse, with white or yellowish hairs on inside, with an ovoid, black gland on inside; ovary deeply 3-lobed, about 1 by 1 mm; style about 1.5 mm long, the three filiform branches moreover about 1.5 mm long. Seeds ellipsoid, dark brown, glabrous.