xi, c, i Merrill: Plants from Sorsogon Province, Luzon 13 



flowers present but six stamens, the normal number being usually nine 

 or twelve. However, in all other characters it appears to be a true 

 Litsea. 



SAXIFRAGACEAE 



DICHROA Loureiro 

 DICHROA PLATYPHYLLA sp. nov. 



Frutex erectus partibus junioribus inflorescentiisque exceptis 

 glaber ; ramulis incrassatis, usque ad 1 cm diametro ; f oliis ellip- 

 ticis vel oblongo-ellipticis, membranaceis, usque ad 25 cm longis 

 et 12 cm latis, acuminatis, irregulariter dentatis, nervis utrinque 

 7 vel 8, valde prominentibus ; floribus numerosis, 4-meris, petalis 

 leviter puberulis, staminibus 4, stigmate leviter incrassato. 



An erect shrub at least 1 m high, the ultimate branchlets 

 much thickened, up to 1 cm in diameter, when dry pale brown- 

 ish, the older parts glabrous, the tips somewhat puberulent. 

 Leaves, membranaceous, slightly shining, olivaceous when dry, 

 elliptic to oblong-elliptic, up to 25 cm long and 12 cm wide, the 

 apex slenderly and sharply acuminate, the base somewhat de- 

 current-acuminate, the upper surface ultimately quite glabrous, 

 the lower surface paler and somewhat puberulent on the midrib 

 and lateral nerves, the teeth irregular, rather prominent, some- 

 what triangular, acuminate up to 2.5 mm long, sinuses rounded ; 

 lateral nerves 7 or 8 on each side of the midrib, prominent, 

 curved-ascending, the reticulations prominent, lax; petioles 2 

 to 3 cm long. Panicles in the uppermost axils, forming a 

 terminal inflorescence with a few reduced leaves, puberulent, 

 the individual panicles subcorymbose, peduncled, up to 10 cm in 

 length. Flowers rather numerous, blue, 7 to 8 mm in diameter, 

 4-merous, rather laxly arranged, their pedicels up to 5 mm 

 long. Calyx slightly puberulent, 3 to 4 mm long, the teeth 

 triangular, about 1 mm long. Petals oblong, obtuse, spreading, 

 slightly puberulent, 4 mm long, 1.8 mm wide. Stamens 4. 

 Styles 4, spreading, about 3 mm long, the stigmas somewhat 

 thickened. 



Luzon, Province of Sorsogon, Mount Lalao, Bur. Sci. 23416 Ramos, 

 August 11, 1915, in damp forests. 



This species is well characterized by its broad leaves and its 4-merous 

 flowers. In fact it is anomalous in Dichroa in that it presents but four 

 stamens instead of from 10 to 12 as in the other described species of the 

 genus. In all other characters it is distinctly a Dichroa, and is accordingly 

 placed in this genus. Except in its very much larger leaves the present 

 species has much the facies of Dichroa philippinensis Schltr., but the latter 

 has flowers with ten stamens. 



