12 



pubescent nerves beneath, the upper surface shining, the lower surface 

 dull, the apex abruptly sharp acuminate, the acumen 1 to 1.5 cm. long, 

 narrowed below to the rounded, cordate base, the sinus sharp, very narrow, 

 shallow; nerves from the base five, the inner ones ascending, lateral 

 nerves about 12 on each side of the midrib, curved, ascending, very 

 prominent beneath, anastomosing in a submarginal nerve, tlie primary 

 reticulations lax, prominent, the secondary fine; petioles 2.5 to 3.5 cm. 

 long, slightly pubescent, becoming glabrous. Receptacles near the tips 

 of the branchlets, bright red, the umbilicus obscure, bracts green, orbicular- 

 ovate, rounded, about 8 mm. in diameter, coriaceous, glabrous. Male flowers 

 few, only near the ostiole, 3 to 4 mm. long, the perianth of three broad, 

 unequal segments inclosing the single stamen, the anther sessile, 1.2 to 

 1.4 mm. long. Gall flowers 4 to 5 mm. long, the perianth of the three 

 subequal free segments about 3 mm. long, closely investing the ovary, 

 which is ovoid, about 2 mm. long, the style subterminal, 2 mm. long or 

 less. Fertile female flowers similar to the gall flowers, but usually sessile, 

 the style much longer. 



Type specimen No. 761 (Merrill), Ewiig River, Island of Paragua 

 (Palauan), February 15, 1903. A tree growing in the forests along the 

 river bank at an altitude of aboiit 100 m. above the sea. 



CARYOPHYLLACE.E. 



Stellaria laxa sp. nov. % Eustellarla. 



A difl'use, prostrate, spreading plant, rooting at the nodes, the leaves, 

 young branches, and inflorescence densely, or only slightly stellate pubes- 

 cent. Stems glabrous or with few stellate hairs, shining, 60 to 80 cm. long, 

 branched, forming large, lax mats, the flower bearing branches suberect, 

 25 cm. long or less. Leaves thin, ovate-lanceolate, or lanceolate, acuminate, 

 rounded at the base, sometimes acute, sessile or nearly so, 10 to 30 

 mm. long, 4 to 10 mm. wide; nerves faint, about 5 or 6 on each side of 

 the midrib, the reticulations very lax, obscure. Cymes on slender pedun- 

 cles, axillary, few (3 to 6) flowered; the pedicels 1 to 1.5 cm. long, the 

 bracts lanceolate, acuminate, pubescent, 3 mm. long or less. Flowers 

 white, about 8 mm. in diameter. Sepals 5, free to the base, lanceolate, 

 acuminate, 4 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, 3-nerved, glabrous or with few 

 stellate hairs. Petals 5, membranaceous, about 4 mm. long, cleft nearly 

 to the base, the segments 0.5 to 0.8 mm. wide, obtuse. Stamens 10, 

 hypogynous; filaments filiform, 2 to 3 mm. long; anthers 0.4 mm. long. 

 Ovary 1-celled; styles three, 1.5 mm. long. Capsule about 5 mm. long, 

 slightly exceeding the calyx, 6-valved. Seeds few, 5 to 6, light bro\\-n, 

 minutely tubercled or reticulate, 1.5 to 1.8 mm. long. 



Type specimen No. 0612 (A. D. E. Elmer), Kias, Province of Benguet, 

 Luzon, June, 1904. 



Another species of this genus, Stellaria saxatilis Hamilt., has been found 

 in northern Luzon, No. 1623 (Loher), according to the manuscript list 

 of identification of his collection made at Kew. 



