438 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



1. Perebea castilloid.es Pittier, sp. nov. Plates 80, 81. Figure 64. 

 A tree 10 to 15 meters high with the habit of Castilla. Latex yellowish. Young 



shoots with thick medulla, densely hairy outside. 



Leaves alternate, each provided with two deciduous stipules. Petioles very thick, 

 about 1 cm. long, densely hairy. Leaf blades very large, 39 to 45 cm. long, 14 to 16 

 cm. broad, oblong-lanceolate, deeply cordate, long-acuminate, subglahrous, except 

 on the hairy midrib, and dark green above; paler and hairy on the midrib, veins, 

 and venules beneath; midrib and primary veins very prominent underneath, the 

 latter connected by regularly disposed transverse oblique and anastomosed venules; 

 margin entire. Stipules large, 5 to 7 cm. long, 1 to 2 cm. broad at base, lanceolate, 

 long-acuminate, hairy outside along the midrib, glabrous along the margin and inside, 

 more or less deeply purple colored. 



Male inflorescences in clusters of 4 in the axils of the leaves, each receptacle pro- 

 vided at the base with two dark-colored bracts, one of which is included in the other. 

 Outer bract long triangular acuminate, hairy outside, smooth inside, 1.5 to 2 cm. 

 long, about 0.8 cm. broad at the base, this enveloping the peduncle; inner bract 

 covered outside with long, sparse hairs, 1 to 1.5 cm. long. 0.5 to 0.6 cm. broad at the 

 base, abruptly contracted at about the middle into a rounded tip, included in that 

 of the outer bract. Peduncles rather slender, hairy, 3 to 4 cm. long. Recep- 

 tacles flat, 1.5 to 2 cm. in diameter, covered outside by several rows of hirsute, imbri- 

 cate bracteoles, the basal ones ovate, obtuse, or acuminate, the marginal ones nar- 

 rower and longer. Flowers numerous, ses- 

 Jsile. Perianth polyphyllous, quite hairy, 

 surrounded at the base with a crown of 

 stiff hairs; segments 4, spatulate-calypt- 

 rate, 1 to 1.3 mm. long, very narrow at 

 the base, opposite the divisions of the 

 perianth and attached to them by the 

 Fie. 64.— J%r*&eacM<#foftira ) detailBof male flower, lower end, the two of the inner circle 

 a, Flower from which one segment of the peri- ^^ flum the exterk)r Q fi I amen ts 



anth una two anthers have been removed; b, , 



two stamens inserted at base of perianth seg- flattened and winged, sometimes sub- 

 ments; c, a single stamen. Scale 9. ciliate at the edges; anthers semiexserted, 



small, heart-shaped. 

 Female flowers, fruits, and seeds unknown. 



Type in the IT. S. National Herbarium, no. 615379, collected at Punta Pena near 

 Chiriqui (Bocas del Toro), Panama, May, 1903, by H. Pittier. Male flowers only. 

 A remarkable species, worth investigating if the milk contains rubber as reported. 

 It is doubtful whether it really belongs to Perebea; the leaves, very large and cordate, 

 have a facies quite distinct from the one usual in this genus and remind of those of 

 Castilla; the stipules are likewise large and striking; the male perianth is polyphyl- 

 lous, its four divisions standing far apart and each bearing a stamen at the base; the 

 shape of the anthers is also quite unusual. But for the lack of knowledge of the 

 female flowers and fruits I should not hesitate to establish for this species a new 

 genus. 



Explanation of Plates SO, 81.— Twigs with young and mature leaves and male inflorescences. From 

 photographs taken by H. Pittier of fresh material from the tree furnishing the type specimen, 



2. Perebea guianensis Aubl. PI. Guian. 2 : 953. pi 361. 1775. 

 French Guiana: Along the Courou River, Aublet. 



3. Perebea laurifolia Trecul, Ann. Sci. Nat. III. 8: 133. pi S.f. 1847. Figure 65. 

 French Guiana: Without localitv, Martin. 



4. Perebea xanthochyma Karst. Fl. Columb. 2: 23. pi 112. 1865. 

 Colombia: Wet forests along the Meta River, near Villavicencio (Karsten). 



5. Perebea integrifolia Karst. Fl. Columb. 2: 23. 1865. 

 Colombia: With the foresoinsr. 



