54 D. Prain et J. H. Burkill: Dioscoreae generis species novae septem. 



acuminatae. ad 2 mm longae; bracteolae ovatae, acutae, pedicellis multo 

 breviores. Perianthii masculi laciniae biseriatae, exteriores ovato-lanceo- 

 latae subacutae, interiores obovatae obtusae vel truncatae, patentes. Sta- 

 mina 6, aequalia, perianthio distincte breviora; antherae didymae. Spicae 

 femineae axillares. simplices, solitariae, usque ad 8 cm longae, depen- 

 dentes; flores solitarii sessiles, 5 — 7 mm distantes. deorsum spectantes; 

 rhachis distincte trigona, aliquomodo zigzag: bracteae et bracteolae ad- 

 sunt. Perianthii feminei laciniae lanceolatae. subacutae, subaequales. Cap- 

 sulae assurgentes, aequilongae et latae, maturae non visae. 



Japan. Without precise locality, Buerger (mixed with Dioscorea 

 Batatas and issued by Miquel as D. japonica). 



This species is most nearly allied to D. tenuipes with which it agrees 

 in the didymous stamens and in the distinctly pedicelled male flowers: 

 but from which it differs markedly in the biseriate perianth, the lobes of 

 which are not refracted, in the rather shorter and stouter pedicels, the 

 thicker and larger perianth-lobes and in the distinctly cymulose (not 

 glomerate) clusters of flowers. The fruits, which we have not seen ripe, 

 when young closely resemble those of D. tenuipes. We suspect that this 

 may prove to be the plant for which Uline has proposed the name D. 

 Buergeri (teste Diels in Engl. Bot. Jahrb. XXIX, 260), but we have not 

 seen specimens which could corroborate the idea. We have therefore 

 been compelled to find a new name for it. and have thought well to 

 connect the name of the author of the SomoJcu Dusets with it. 



7. Dioscorea enneaneura Prain et Burkill. 1. c. suppl.. p. 11. 



Syn.: Dioscorea Buergeri var. enneaneura Uline ex Diels in Engl. Bot. 

 Jahrb. XXIX (1900), 260, nomen tantum. 



Radix ignota. Caules glabri, sinistrorsum volubiles. minopere angulati. 

 inermes. virides. Folia alterna. membranacea, supra glaberrima subnitentia, 

 subtus nervis et praecipue nervulis secundariis minute rugoso-cristatis, 

 cordata. breviter acuminata, apice mucronulata. basis sinu obtuso, margine 

 integra, 9-nervia, nervis extimis profunde bifidis, nervulis secundariis 

 distinctis subtus prominulis. 6 cm longa. 5 cm dimidio lata; petiolus 

 glaber. gracilis supra canaliculars. 3,5 cm longus. Racemi masculi sim- 

 plices. axillares. solitarii; flores solitarii vel bini, distincte pedicellati. 

 sparsim 3 — 4 mm remoti. pedicellis 2 mm longis; pedunculus glaber, 5 mm 

 longus: rhachis ad 4 vel 5 cm longus: bracteae ovato-lanceolatae. ad 2 mm 

 longae: bracteolae subsimiles. pedicellis dimidio breviores. Perianthii mas- 

 culi laciniae ovato-lanceolatae. biseriatae, exteriores acutae ad medium 

 incrassatae. interiores obtusae vel truncatae fere ad apicem incrassatae, 

 patentes. Stamina 6, aequalia, perianthio distincte breviora; antherae di- 

 dymae. Planta feminea ignota. 



Central China. Hupeh. A. Henry. 3641 A. 



This species is most nearly related to the plant here described as 

 D. Yokusai. It differs very markedly in the much smaller flowers which 

 are solitary or geminate and not cymulose on the rhachis. 



