2966 



Leaflets of Philippine Botany 



[Vol. VJII, Art. 119 



ground of woodlands near a stream at 750 feet altitude. 

 Stem terete, dark green, 5 feet high, .5 inch thick 

 toward the enlarged base, arising from a yellowish rhi- 

 zome; leaves thinly coriaceous, alternating every 3 to 

 5 inches, scattering and bract-like toward the base which 

 is one third from the grouud, flat except the tips, very 

 dark green above, slightly lighter beneath, ascending 

 or horizontal; the suberect terminal young infrutescence 

 green especially the globose fruits. 



Represented by number 16546, Elmer, Irosin (Mt. 

 Bulusan), Province of Sorsogon, Luzon. July, 1916. 



Mainly distinguished from Alpinia Jlabellata Ridl. by 

 the brown pubescent inflorescence. 



Alpinia elegans (Presl) K. Schum. 



Field-note:— Rank masses in black ground along 

 stream flats at 500 feet altitude. Stems erect, scattered, 

 terete, 1 inch thick at least, bulbose and reddish at the 

 base, 7 to 12 feet high; leaves from below the middle, 

 the lower ones much reduced, descending, chartaceous, 

 nearly flat, paler green beneath, alternating, 3 to 5 inches 

 apart, tips straight but strongly twisted; inflorescence ter- 

 minal, erect, rigid, a foot long, the angular and crooked ra- 

 chis yellowish green; the lateral clusters ascending, alterna- 

 ting, few to several flowered, well clothed by brown 

 marcescent sheaths; boot of flower rigid and reddish tinged, 

 spit toward the apex on the upper side from the erect 

 ovoidly fusiform yellow bud; flowers odorless, cremeus, 

 facing the rachis, the upper and outer two segments 

 reflexed, so also the apical portion of the inner upper 

 more whitish one, the lower elongated lip nearly straight; 

 anthers well crested, erectly curved; fruits short ellip- 

 soid, yellowish green, when young erect or subpendant 

 when mature, smooth and glabrous, with numerous 

 seeds. 



Represented by number 14670, Elmer, Irosin (Mt. 

 Bulusan), Province of Sorsogon, Luzon, October, 1915 



Very common in wet alluvial soil and mostly con- 

 fined along creeks and rivers of the valley where it 

 forms jungled masses over large areas. The seeds with 

 the meaty covering are edible. First collected by 

 ffaenke in his exploration of Sorsogon province. 



Alpinia graminea Ridl. 



Field note:— Rather large tussocks in open dry land 

 at 1500 feet altitute. Stems erect, subterete, pale green, 



