320 THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 



NEW RUBIACE^] FROM TROPICAL AMERICA.— III. 



By H. F. Wernham, B.Sc. 



(Continued from p. 221.) 



The types of the first two novelties following are preserved in 

 the herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden, and I am 

 greatly indebted to the kindness of Dr. N. L. Britton, the Director, 

 for the use of the material for examination. The specimens are 

 taken from the collection made in 1910-11 by Dr. Shafer in the 

 province of Oriente, Cuba. The other specimens described are in 

 the National Herbarium. 



-</^ Portlandia involucrata, sp. nov. Frutex 1-2-pedalis omnino 

 glaber, ramulis rugoso-striatis nodosis lignosis ; foliis saepius 

 3-verticillatis coriaceis obovato-lanceolatis apice rotundatis basin 

 versus in petiolum brevissimum v. obsoletum leniter angustatis, 

 margine involutis, venis nisi centrali omnino opertis, stipulis 

 parvis acutis nee conspicuis ; floribus . . . ; capstdis nigris majus- 

 culis ellipsoideis in ramulorum brevium apice terminalibus sessili- 

 bus, apicem versus in calycis limbi persistentis lobis lineari- 

 oblongis obtusis coronam leniter angustatis, basi bracteolis foliosis 

 decussatis arete cinctis. 



Fr. Dec. 31st, 1910. Camp La Gloria, across Sierra Moa, to 

 Moa Bay, Shafer, 8282. 



Leaves 3-8 cm. x 1*5 cm., petiole up to 6 mm. Capsule 

 1-8 cm. long, 1*1 cm. wide, with calyx-limb 1*1 cm. long, of which 

 the tube occupies only 1 or 2 millimetres. 



A very distinct and evidently xerophilous species, characterized 

 by the small leathery blunt leaves and the involucre of bracteoles. 

 The latter character and the habit suggest that this may be the 

 type of a new genus, but, in the unfortunate absence of flowers, 

 the plant must be relegated to Portlandia — the characters of the 

 capsule and seeds being typical of that genus. 



Portlandia uliginosa, sp. nov. Frutex verisimiliter resinosus 

 sarmentosus 10-pedalis, ramulis novellis brevissime subglanduloso- 

 pubescentibus mox glabrescentibus lignosis ; foliis parvis sub- 

 coriaceis, obovatis apice rotundatis basi in petiolum brevem minute 

 puberulum attenuatis, supra nitentibus utrinque glaberrimis, venis 

 nisi centrali prominente omnino occlusis, stipulis minimis vaginam 

 brevissimam formantibus ; floribus . . . ; capsula parva angusta basi 

 in pedicellum obscure puberulum attenuata, apice calycis limbo 

 persistente tubo brevissimo et lobis longis subulatis subacutis 

 coronata, glabra, obscure costata. 



Trail, Rio Yamaniguey to Camp Toa, 1300 ft., in moist thickets, 

 Shafer, 4018. 



In spite of the absence of flowers the characters of the capsule 

 and seeds lead me to class this plant unhesitatingly as a species 

 of Portlandia. In leaf-character it resembles the preceding 

 species, which may be its nearest ally ; but it is readily distin- 

 guished by the pubescence and the absence of a capsular involucre. 



