330 MKURILL. 



TRICHOSANTHES Linn. 



Trichosanthes villosa I'.hiine Bijdr. (1820) 934; Cogn. in DC. Monog. Phaii. 

 3 (1881) :5(i(i. 



LlzoN, Piovintf of ilizal, Bosoboso, Bur. ,Sci. 1027 J{a>nos, July, 190G, with 

 .staminate Howcrs. Mindanao, District of Davao, Todaya, Copcluiid 1301, April, 

 1904, with mature fruit. 



Previously known only from .lava. 



MELOTHRIA Linn. 



Melothria scaberrima >(\. nov. § Eiiiiiclolftrut. 



rianta iiioiioica, Horihus niasciiliuis solitariis vel bini,s, breviter |)e(U- 

 celiatis; foliis lanceolatis vel oblongo-lanccolatis, eliai'taceis. apiee acu- 

 minatis, basi hastatis, margine integris vc4 levitcr dentieulatis. iitrinque 

 scaberrimis, subtus ad nervos hispido-aculeatis, usque ad 9 cm longis; 

 fructibus ovoideis vel oblongo-ovoideis. glaljris. basi acutis. apiee aeu- 

 minato-rostratis. 



Monoecious. Branches slender, striate-sulcate, glabrous or nearly so. 

 Leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 4 to 9 cm long, 1 to 3.5 cm wide, 

 chartaceous, the base hastate, truncate, the basal lobes short, spreading 

 or slightly reflexed, the margins aculeate, entire, or in the lower ])art 

 denticulate, gradually narrowed npward to the sharply acuminate apex, 

 green or olivaceous when dry, of aljout the same color on both surfaces, 

 tbe upper surface strongly wliite-ghindular-scabrous, the luidril) setose, 

 the lower surface less scabrid than the upper, tlie midrib and nerves 

 aculeate-liispid ; basal nerves 5 to T, the inner longer pair reaching at 

 least to the middle of the leaf, ascending, anastomosing witli the primary 

 lateral nerves, the reticulations very lax, obscure ; petioles 0.5 to 2 cm 

 long, tendrils simple, leaf-opposed or from the axils below the leaves. 

 Flowers white, solitary or two in an axil: staminate short-pcdiccllcd. 

 solitary or paired; calyx-lobes linear, 1 mm long; corolla loI)es ovate, 

 shorter; stamens 3, subsessile: pistillate flowers loug-pedicelled ; calyx 

 teeth minute; corolla-lobes ovate, acuminate 3.5 mm long; stigma 'I mm 

 in diameter. Fruit ovoid or oblong-ovoid, terete, glabrous, about 3 cm 

 long, the base acute, the apex strongly acumiiiate-rostrate ; seeds narrowly 

 elliptic, compressed, 5 mm hnig, the base aiipcmlicnlatc-wingcd. 



Luzon, Province of Benjjuct, Elmer 5862; M'illiams 1035; Merrill .'il>57 : Topp- 

 ing 83; Pond s. n.; For. Bur. 15011!) Bacani. 



A species widely distributed in the pine region of Benguet Province, well 

 characterized by its lanceolate, hastate, very scabrous leaves, and ovoid or oblong- 

 ovoid rostrate, fruits. Probably mo.st closely allied to Melothria zeifhtnira Clarke, 

 but very dilTcrciit from tliat species. 



