36 Britton: Studies of West Indian plants — XI 



the lower surface rather inconspicuous; pistillate inflorescence 

 slender, longer than the leaves; achenes elliptic, I mm. long. 



Sierra Maestra, Oriente {Leon 10815). 



Pilea micromeriaefolia Britton & Wilson, sp. nov. 



Stems elongate, woody, procumbent, the branches erect or 

 ascending, 4-angled, scaly encrusted. Leaves in whorls of.3's 

 or 4's, lanceolate, 0.8-1 cm. long, about 2 mm. wide, acute at 

 the apex, obtuse at the base, glabrous, the petioles 1 mm. long 

 or less; upper leaf-surfaces covered with linear raphides, those 

 on the lower surface coarser; inflorescence not seen. 



Brecha de Regino, Estribo Turquino, Oriente {Leon 11 008). 



Pilea yarensis Britton & Wilson, sp. nov. 



An erect monoecious herb, 2-3.5 dm. high. Leaves mem- 

 branous, broadly elliptic, acuminate at the apex, acute at the 

 base, crenate-dentate, 3-nerved, glabrous above, often slightly 

 pubescent on the midvein beneath, those of each pair unequal in 

 size; larger leaves up to 15 cm. long, 6 cm. wide, with slender 

 petioles sometimes 3.5 cm. long; smaller leaves up to 11 cm. 

 long, 5 cm. wide, with petioles 1-2 cm. long; upper leaf-surface 

 papillose, densely covered with linear raphides, those of the 

 lower surface often indistinct; staminate inflorescence equalling 

 or longer than the leaves, the peduncles sometimes 1 dm. long, 

 the branches spreading, the perianth about 1.5 mm. long; 

 pistillate inflorescence equalling or shorter than the leaves; 

 achenes elliptic, 0.8 mm. long. 



Bank of the Yara River, Sierra Maestra, Oriente {Leon 10736). 



Pilea ermitensis Britton, sp. nov. 



Stems slender, densely covered with linear raphides. Leaves 

 oblong, oblong-lanceolate or elliptic, membranous, acute, entire, 

 3-nerved, glabrous, those of each pair unequal in size; larger 

 leaves up to 3 cm. long, 6-7 mm. wide, with petioles 3 mm. long; 

 smaller leaves 1-1.7 cm. long, 4-5 mm. wide, the petioles short; 

 raphides of the upper leaf-surface minute, linear-filiform, those 

 of the lower surface scattered, more conspicuous and stouter; 

 inflorescence often shorter than the petioles, the flowers borne 

 in globose heads 1.5-2 mm. in diameter; achenes elliptic-ovate, 

 about 0.5 mm. long. 



La Ermita, Oriente {Hioram 4921). 



Pilea crenata Britton & Wilson, sp. nov. 



Stem creeping, often rooting at the nodes, the branches erect 

 or ascending, pilose. Leaves chartaceous, oval to suborbicular, 



