191 



nl)lon,i2,--limc('()lat(' to elliptieal-lancoolate, ii'lahrous. .snl)C()fiacpoiis, sliin- 

 ino- above. })ale and somewhat glaucous Ixuieath, 10 to l-i cm. long, 2 

 to .') cm. wide, the l)ase acute, slightly inequilateral, the apex acute or 

 obscurely sharp acuminate; nerves about 15 on each side of the midrib, 

 indistinct, scarcely more prominent tlian the secondary nerves and lax 

 reticulations; petioles glabrous, 5 mm. long. Flowers in fascicles of 4 

 to 10 or more on the branches below the leaves, the pedicels slender, 

 glabrous, 1.5 to 2.5 cm. long. Calyx pubescent, the lobes orbicular- 

 reniform, rounded, about 1.2 mm. long, wider than long. Petals G, 

 2-seriate, equal, narrowly oblong blunt, not or but slightly narrowed 

 above, puberulent, l.G to 2 cm. long, 4 mm. wide. Stamens about 1 

 mm. long, nearly as wide, the connective very shortly produced, truncate, 

 concealing the cells. Ovaries many, glabrous, oblong, 1 mm. long, the 

 ovules 2, on the ventral suture; stigma elliptical-ovoid, equaling the 

 ovary in size. Fruit unknown. 



MiNDORO, Bongabong River (1447 Whitford) February 23, 1906 (type); (3712 

 M. L. Merritt) March 20, 1906. Delta of the river slightly above sea level, in 

 forests. A species apparently related to XJnona desmantha Hook. f. et Tli., but 

 quite distinct froni tliat species. Tiie flowers have the same color and odor as 



('(nniiif/iiiin' (xloratiiin Bail). 



MYRISTICACE.E. 



MYRISTICA Linn. 



Myristica nivea Merrill sp. nov. 



A tree about 12 m. high, glabrous. Branches terete, striate, glabrous 

 except the innovations. Leaves chartaceous, oblong, the base rounded, the 

 apex acute, glabrous above and somewhat shining, beneath glabrous, white, 

 the midvein thick; nerves 14 to 15 on each side of the midrib, prominent, 

 curved, brown, anastomosing near the margin, the secondary and tertiary 

 nerves indistinct, the reticulations lax; petioles glabrous, sulcate, rugose 

 when dry, 1 to 3 cm. long. Staminate inflorescence axillary, few flowered, 

 the peduncle very short, the pedicels 3 mm. long, ferruginous pubescent, 

 shorter than the flowers. Flowers subovoid, 7 to 9 mm. long, fasciculate, 

 outside rufous-pubescent, inside glabrous, three parted for the upper one- 

 fourth or one-fifth, the basal bract broadly ovate, obtuse, pubescent 

 outside. Anthers about 10, 3 to 4 mm. long, narrowly linear, connate, 

 glaljrous, the stipe shorter than the column. Fruit solitary, short and 

 thickly pediceled, broadly ovoid, subtruncate or rounded at the base, 

 rounded at the apex, densely rufous pul)escent or puberulent, 3 cm. long, 

 the pericarp thick, the aril laciniate nearly to the base, the areolae narrow. 



Ba.silax {S'iS'i Hutchinson) December, 1905 ( Staminate flowers ) . Mindanao, 

 District of Zaniboanga, San Ramon [Copeland) March, 1905 (fruit). 



A species a])parently most closely related to Myristica mindanaensis Warb., of 

 the known Philippine species of this genus, differing from it in its fewer nerved 

 leaves, fasciculate, much larger flowers, and other cliaracters. .]fi/ristira ii'ircit 



