42 The Philippine Journal of Science wis 



characters, and is equally distinct from the scandent Begonia megacarpa 

 Merr. 



CORNACEAE 



MASTIXIA Blume 

 MASTIXIA TETRAPETALA sp. nov. § Tetramastixia. 



Arbor parva, inflorescentiis exceptis glabra ; f oliis numerosis, 

 confertis, alternis, oblongis ad oblanceolatis, coriaceis, usque ad 

 8 cm longis, pallide olivaceis, nitidis, apice obtusis ad leviter 

 obtuseque acuminatis, basi cuneatis, nervis utrinque 6 ad 7, 

 distinctis; paniculis terminalibus, circiter 2 cm longis, leviter 

 pubescentibus ; floribus 4-meris, circiter 6 mm diametro, petalis 

 late ovatis, subacutis, glabris, 3 mm longis, calycis lobis latis, 

 subacutis, glabris, circiter 1 mm longis. 



A small tree 3 to 4 m high fide Ramos, glabrous except the very- 

 youngest growing parts and the inflorescences. Branches rather 

 stout, brownish, rugose, glabrous, terete, the very young branch- 

 lets and young petioles sparingly appressed cinereous-pubescent. 

 Leaves alternate, crowded, sometimes subopposite, coriaceous, 

 oblong to oblanceolate, 5 ad 8 cm long, 2 to 3 cm wide, pale- 

 olivaceous when dry, slightly shining, glabrous, the apex obtuse 

 to shortly and obtusely acuminate, base cuneate, margins often 

 revolute ; lateral nerves 6 or 7 on each side of the midrib, distinct, 

 the reticulations obscure; petioles 8 to 14 mm long. Panicles 

 terminal, sparingly appressed-pubescent, about 2 cm long, 

 branched from the base. Flowers 4-merous, rather numerous, 

 greenish-yellow, about 6 mm in diameter. Calyx-tube stout, 

 glabrous or very slightly pubescent, about 2 mm long and thick, 

 the limb somewhat spreading, the teeth 4, broadly triangular, 

 acute, about 1 mm long and wide. Petals suborbicular-ovate, 

 subacute, 3 mm long and wide. Filaments 2.3 mm long ; anthers 

 broadly ovoid. Ovary projecting slightly above the calyx-tube, 

 the style stout, angled, about 1 mm long. Bracteoles triangular- 

 ovate, acute, 1 mm long, pubescent. 



Luzon, Tayabas Province, Mount Binuang, Bur. Sci. 28575 (type), 28628 

 Ramos & Edano, May, 1917, in forests near the summit of the mountain, 

 altitude apparently about 1,000 meters. 



This species is readily distinguished among the few Philippine forms 

 by its relatively narrow, crowded, alternate, leaves and its 4-merous flowers. 

 It does not appear to be very closely allied to any previously described 

 form. Bur. Sci. 29088 Ramos & Edano, from the same locality, may be 

 referable to this species, but it has subopposite larger leaves and much 

 larger inflorescences; the flowers are very immature. Mastixia premnoides 

 (Elm.) Hallier f. (Vitex premnoides Elm.), which has 4-merous flowers, 

 is entirely different in its vegetative and floral characters. 



