96 



CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



ASCIEPIADACEAE. 

 NEW OR INTERESTING SPECIES. 



The study of these few species lias brought to light the urgent 

 necessity of a thorough revision of the representatives of the order in 

 Central America. 



Philibertia reflexa Pittier, sp. nov. Figure 2. 



A vine, almost entirely glabrous, with rounded, slender stems. 



Leaves coriaceous, easily caducous. Petioles 10 to 14 mm. long, slender, sulcate. 

 Leaf blades 3 to 5 cm. long, ovate, cordate, acutely long-acuminate, entirely smooth, 

 deep green above, paler beneath. 



Inflorescences cymose, pedunculate, umbel-like, bearing. 30 flowers, often more. 

 Peduncles 2 to 3 cm. long. Pedicels 2.5 to 3 cm. long, very slender, provided at the 

 base with a common involucre of narrowly lanceolate, acute bracts, 5 to ]0 mm. long. 

 Lobes of calyx ovate, obtuse, 3 to 4 mm. long, 1.5 mm. broad, sparsely ciliate. Corolla 



Fig. 2.— Flower parts of Philibertia reflexa and P. odorata. Of former, o, segment of calyx; b, lobe of corolla; 

 c, translatorium. Of latter, d, retinacle. a, b, Scale 9; c, d, scale 32. 



rotate, deeply incised, about 2 cm. in diameter; tube very short, slightly hairy inside; 

 lobes oblong-lanceolate, rounded at tip, 7 to 8 mm. long, 3 to 4 mm. broad, ciliate on 

 the right margin, all reflexed at anthesis. Outer corona annular, smooth, rather thin; 

 scales of inner corona swollen, longer than the anthers. Retinacle broad, more or less 

 heartshaped, 0.5 mm. long and broad; arms short (0.2 mm.); pollinia oblong, sub- 

 cylindrical, 1.16 mm. long, 0.42 mm. in diameter. Ovary glabrous; stigma slightly 

 bifid. Follicles not known. 



Costa Rica: On bushes around Nicoya, Pittier, flowers, December, 1903 (U. S. 

 National Herbarium no. 578558, type). 



This species belongs to the same group (Cordatae) with P. odorata Hemsl., P. pavoni 

 Hemsl., and a few others. Its nearest affinity appears to be with P. odorata, from which 

 it differs by its being almost entirely glabrous, and by its larger flowers and translators. 

 The reflexed position of the lobes of the corolla at the time of the anthesis seems to be 

 also a good, constant character. 



