1286 LEAFLETS OF PHILIPPINE BOTANY [Vor. IV, ArT. 68 
grayish white, latericius except the epidermis. Leaves few, 
scattered alternatingly, horizontal and descending, flat, subcharta- 
ceous, very deep green above, much lighter so beneath, entire 
or distantly apiculate, characteristically turning murinus upon 
drying, glabrous, exceedingly variable in size and somewhat 
in shape, oblong to obovately oblong, the average blades 12.5 
em. long by 6 cm. wide across the middle or above this, apex 
acute to acuminate, base acute to broadly obtuse; midvein stout, 
the 7 to 11 lateral pairs divaricate and with ascendingly curved 
more or less united tips forming a marginal line 5 mm. from the 
leaf edge, reticulations nearly obscure; petiole also stout, 7.5 
mm. long, glabrous, caniculate along the upper side; bud bracts 
short and broad, nearly glabrous.. Inflorescence erect, terminal 
or from the uppermost leaf axils, more or less 1 dm. in length 
and occasionally provided with foliaceous bracts below the middle, 
at the base subtended by persistent bud bracts, only sparingly 
short branched and then the branches subtended by similar 
bracts; flowers in few scattering groups, their pedicels very 
slender and 5 mm. long, all subtended by unequally sized bract- 
eoles; perianth of 2 distinct series, whitish; the outer series com- i 
posed of 5 segments united toward the base, rather thick and , 
rigid, subglabrate or only sparsely ciliate especially along the | 
edges, oblongish, with rounded apices, 5 mm. long, 2.5 mm. wide; 
the inner series of the same number of segments, thinner in texture, 
white in color, glabrous, 8 mm. long, one half as wide, elliptieally 
oblong, broadly rounded at apex which usually becomes recurved, 
inserted upon the lower series; scales about 8, short, lobulate 
or more or less united into a rim between the perianth and anthers 
ciliate along the edges; stamens about 18, more or less united 
into a fleshy white column or the lower ones upon nearly free 
filaments, the uppermost ones only upon short filaments, all 
glabrous and fertile; anthers thick, blackish brown, 1 mm. across, 
much compressed and peltately arranged, ovately rotund, bifid 
at the base, attached in the sinus from the lower side, dehiscing 
along the edges, light sulphur yellow when fresh; pedicels of fruits 
2 em. long, very stout, strict, suberect; capsules 1.5 em. across; 
the 3 lobes creased, quite hard, subtended by the persistent and 
much enlarged perianth segments, 3-celled and bearing an 
equal number of seeds, strigosely hairy but when fully mature 
glabrate, shining green but upon drying turning nearly black; 
