814 MKRKN.L. 



CHONEMORPHA (i. Don. 



Chonemorpha elastica sp. nov. 



Frutex alte scandens, ramis raimi]is(|iie riil)ro-l)ruiincis, glabris; foliis 

 membranacois vel submembraiiaceis ovato-ellipticis vol obovato-ellipticis, 

 15 ad 30 cm longis, breviter aciiminatis, basi rotundatis, siibtus plus 

 iiiiiiiis pilosis: tlorihus albis, 3..") ad o em (liaiiu'tvo; calycibiis S-partitis. 



A scandeiit sbnib of large size. Bi-anelics and branchlets reddish- 

 brown. glal)rous, usuall}' shining. Leaves opposite, membranaceous or 

 submeml)ranac('<)us, ()\at('-('Ili])tic or obovate-elliptic, 15 to 20 cm long, 8 

 to .15 cm wide, entire, the base rather broad, rounded, the apex shortl}^ 

 acuminate, tlie uj)per surface glabrous, slightly shining, the lower surface 

 slightly paler and somewhat ])ilose; petioles rather slender, 2.5 to 4 cm 

 long: nerves about 10 on each side of the midrib, distinct on both surfaces, 

 the ictieidations very distinct beneath. Cymes terminal, few-flowered, 

 about (■> cm long, glabrous or lu'arly so, Ibe l)i'acteoles more or less pubes- 

 cent. al)out 'i mm long. Flowers wbite, fragrant, their pedicels slender, 

 1 cm long or less. Calyx 5-partite, the lobes oblong, somewhat acuminate, 

 the margins above somewliat ciliale, al)ont 5 mm long, 2 mm wide, united 

 below. Corolla-tube 9 to 10 mm long, swollen and about 3 mm in diam- 

 eter in tbc lower third, contracted above, glabrous outside, inside with 

 refiexed hairs below the insertion of the stamens; lobes 5, obliquely 

 obovate, spreading, about 15 cm long, 12 mm wide. Stamens 5. the (ila- 

 ments short, inserted at about the lower one-fourtb of the tube; anthers 

 narrowly-lanceolate, acuininate. 4 mm long, sagittate at the bas(\ Disk 

 entire, truncate, 1 mm liigli. Ovaries and style 4 nnn long, tbe ovaries 

 two, free, united by tbe style: ovules many. Fruit unknown. 



Ml.NDANAo. District of Ziuiiboaiiifa. IJuiiiaiKniiias Bay, Tigbalubu, For. Hur. 

 12351 llutchin.son, May. ]!M)S. in forests at an altitude of about 40 ni : District 

 of Davao, //. .S'. Pcabod/i. .Inly. 1!)06, leaves only. Basilan. /*. L. Sherman, July, 

 1903, leaves only; also leported from Mindanao and from Tawi-Tawi by Sherman. 



So far as is known at present tbis is the most important rubber producing; 

 \iiic in llic riiilippincs. It is one of the two species considered by P. L. Sherman 

 in his ]);ipi'i- on "(iutta-l'crclia :ind Rubber in the Philippine Islands,"'- and an 

 illustration is given by him. 1. c. /i//. .i.i. of leaf specimens collected on Basilan 

 Island. This specimen, as well iis the one collected by Mr. Peabody, cited above, 

 wcic ])rc\ ioiisly provisionally identified as Chonemorpha, but the determination 

 covdd lint 1)1' veiified until (lowering specimens were received. ^Ir. Sherman 

 i('|iiirt> tlii> vine from Mindanao, Basilan. and Tawi-Tawi, but states that cmly 

 the natives of Tawi-Tawi understand the commercial value of the product, and 

 that tliey gather the latex and mix it witli gutta-percha. No information is at 

 hand as to the anioiinl expoited. but it is probably very small. According to Mr. 

 Slierman'> notes, the vine attains a length of from l.")() to '200 feet, and a diameter 

 of from 11 to H inches. 



Appaicntly allied to Chonemorpha tiriffithii Hook. f.. of British India. e-i|)ecially 

 in its deeply cleft calyx. Imt the branches not liispid. W ithmil ciPiM|iaiisnii with 

 the type of Hooker's species, it is impossible to give olbcr ditlVrcnl ia I cliaiacters, 

 as Hooker's description is too short and imperfect. 



'■ I'lihliritlioiiN of llic Hiirrini nf (lorrm iiiciil Lnhnnilnrxs. 7 (lOO:^), :J()-;10. 



