Brittox: Studies of West Indian plants 329 



cm. long, at first appressed, later spreading, about as long as the 

 bracts. 



On trees, Trinidad. Type from Moruga (Britton and Bioad- 



way 24 jo). Related to T. aloifolia Hook. 



Alpinia silvicola sp. nov. 



Rootstocks rather stout, scaly. Sterile stem 2-3 m. high ; 

 leafy; leaves oblong, thin, glabrous, closely many-veined, 3-5 dm. 

 long, 6-10 cm. wide, the apex acuminate, the base narrowed, the 

 petioles 1-2.5 cm. long, the sheaths striate; lower leaves reduced 

 to thin sheathing scales. Fertile stems about 3 dm. high, pubes- 

 cent above, with a few, narrow scales 3-4 cm. long; spike dense, 

 several- to many-flowered, 7-10 cm. long; bracts 1- flowered, 

 shorter than the flowers; calyx about 1.5 mm. long, pubescent, 

 its lobes broad; corolla yellow, about 2 cm. long; fruit oblong, 

 about 3 cm. long, its juice blue-black. 



Forests of the northern mountain range, Trinidad. Type from 



Mount Tocuche (Britton, Hazen and Mendelson 1301). 



Calathea trinitensis sp. nov. 



Leaves erect, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, glabrous, the blade 

 up to 1 m. long and 3 dm. wide, rather shorter than the slender 

 petiole, rather abruptly narrowed at the base, the apex abruptly 

 tipped, the midvein prominent, the innumerable lateral veins close 

 together. Scape glabrous, about 7 dm. high; spike dense, about 

 2 dm. long; bracts oblique, many- veined, 3-4 cm. long, their 

 spreading tips acute; flowers yellow, about 3 cm. long, the seg- 

 ments linear, parallel-veined, acute. 



Forest, heights of Aripo, Trinidad {Britton and Freeman 2360). 

 In flower March 16, 1921. 



Ficus ierensis sp. nov. 



A tree up to 10 m. high or higher, glabrous. Leaves broadly 

 elliptic or elliptic-orbicular, subcoriaceous, pinnately 5- to 9-veined 

 on each side of the rather prominent midvein, rounded at the 

 apex, cordate at the base, 10-20 cm. long, the stout petiole one 

 fourth to one third as long as the blade; fruiting peduncles 

 slender, about 1 cm. long; fruit globose, 12-18 mm. in diameter; 

 bracts 2 or 3, broad, rounded, nearly as long as the fruit; ostiolum 

 sunken, about 2 mm. in diameter. 



Hillsides in relatively dry districts, Trinidad. Type from 



North Post Road (Britton, Hazen and Mendelson 774). Similar 



