August 25, 1915] 



Notks and Descriptions of Zingibkraceab 



2893 



the middle. Blades alternate, ascending from the base, re- 

 curved toward the sharply acuminate tip, deep or rich green 

 though paler beneath, soft in texture, unequally brown in 

 the dry state, margins irregularly wavy and fuzzy brown 

 pubescent, soft pubescent beneath, puberulent on the upper 

 folded surface, base gradually obtuse and occasionally ine- 

 quilateral, 10 to 15 cm apart, elongated, both the termi- 

 nal 09 well as the basil leaves reduced in size, the average of 

 the larger ones 6 dm long and 1 dm wide; midrib con- 

 spicuous beneath, curing lighter brown, deeply grooved along 

 the upper side; petiole strict, 3 cm long, caniculate above, 

 pubescent, finely striate as is also the midrib beneath; 

 sheath split or separated especially toward the top, striate, 

 the exposed portion dirty yellowish pubescent, the margin 

 on the inner side purplish brown in the dry specimens; lig- 

 ule 5 to 8 mm long and rather wider, erect, dirty pu- 

 bescent on the outside, truncate ly rounded or split at the 

 apex, purplish on the inner glabrous side. Flowers not 

 seen. Infrutescenee mature, 15 cm long, terminal, subereet, 

 ascendingly curved, spicate; peduncle 3 to 5 cm long, 1.25 

 cm thick, green; rachis finely striate and more or less an- 

 gular, yellowish brown pubescent; pedicels alternatingly scatter- 

 ed all aroun I, similarly pubescent, usually curved, 1 to 

 1.5 cm long, scarcely thickened at the distal end; fruit 

 or capsule subfusiform or oblongish ellipsoid, 8.5 to 4.5 

 cm. long, triangular and gradually tapering toward the base, 

 more rounded toward the broader apex, terminated by the 

 circular calyx scar, pubescent in the young state, glabrous 

 and puberulent when old, dehiscing from the base toward 

 the apex into 3 carpels, 1.5 to 2 cm thick at the middle 

 or just above it, subpendulous, deep brick red in the ripe 

 state; seeds nanny, irregularly triangular, glomerated in be- 

 tween the thin subhyaline partitions, creased across the outer 

 convex surface, the inner sides plane and angular, 4 mm 

 across. 



Type specimen number 10506, A. D. E. Elmer, Todaya 

 (Mt. Apo). District of Davao, Mindanao, May, 1909. 



This characteristic plant was collected in fertile humus 

 covered soil of deep damp woods at 4000 feet altitude. 

 The Bagobos who eat the fruits call it "Bosadak". 



