226 MERRILL. 



An erect somewhat woody plant about 15 cm higli, from stout, elongated, 

 woody roots, the stems simple or dichotomously once branched, terete, 

 slender, the branchlets pale or dark in color, puberulent. Leaves obovate- 

 oblong, 8 to 12 cm long, 3 to o cm wide, membranaceous or subchartaceous, 

 entire, the apex acute or very shortly acuminate, rather gradually narrowed 

 from about the upper third to the acute base, the upper surface shining, 

 with very few, scattered, short hairs, becoming glabrous or nearly so, the 

 lower surface paler, eglandular, often shining, sometimes somewhat 

 puberulent on the nerves; nerves about G on each side of the midrib, 

 distant, distinct, anastomosing, the reticulations lax; petioles 2 to 4 mm 

 long, puberulent. Inflorescence cymose, rather densely puberulent, termi- 

 nating the stems- and branches, or in the dichotomously branched plants 

 terminating the main stem between the branches and also frequently 

 teiTTiinating the branches, pedunculate, the peduncles about 1 cm long, 

 the cymes in anthesis about 1 cm long and wide, somewhat larger in fruit, 

 rather densely flowered, the pedicels about 2 mm long, subtended by small 

 bracteoles. Calyx in anthesis about 2 mm long, puberulent outside, 

 narrowly funnel-shaped, equally 5-toothed, the teeth obtuse, 0.5 mm long, 

 as wide as long, accrescent and persistent, 2-lipped in fruit. Corolla 

 white or greenish-white, sliglitly exserted, 4.5 mm long, the tube broad, 

 cylindric, straight, glabrous outside, inside somewhat villous, about 1.5 

 mm long, the limb prominently 2-lipped, the smaller lip rounded, about 

 2 mm in diameter, entire, imbricately covering the larger lip in bud. the 

 larger lip prominently 3-lobed, the middle lobe rounded, 1.6 mm in 

 diameter, entire, the lateral lobes about 1 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, all 

 lobes reflexed, or the middle lobe of the upper lip subcrect. Stamens 4, 

 inserted in the tube, the filaments 0.5 mm long; anthers ovate or broadly 

 elliptic, 0.6 mm long, the cells parallel, not divergent. Ovary ovoid, 

 glabrous, 2-cclled, each cell 2-ovuled ; style less than 1 mm long, minutely 

 cleft at the apex. Fruit black, broadly obovoid, tipped by the remains 

 of the style, about 5 mm long, 4 mm in diameter, somewhat inequilateral, 

 the pericarp thin, fleshy, the endocarp bony, longitudinally rugose. 1-celled, 

 containing a single seed, but fret|uently with indications of an additional 

 cell, the second cell rarely developing a seed. Calyx accrescent, persistent, 

 in fruit nearly 4 mm in diameter, distinctly 2-lippod, the larger lip with 

 three, 0.5 iiini long teeth, the smaller lobe witli two similar but f1ist;int 

 teeth. Seeds oblong, compressed, exalbuminous. 



Luzon, Province of C'agayan, Piat, liur. <S'ci. 78 '/I Rainos. April 2, 1909: 

 Province of Tsnbcla, llat.'an, Bur. Sri. S12'i Ramos. April 20, 1909. in open grassy 

 plains. 



This curious little plant apparently represents the type of a new genus alliefl 

 to Prp,mna and Vitex, but more especially to the former. It difTers remarkably 

 from all species of both genera in its habit and in its small size as well as 

 in floral and fruit characters indicated in the diagnosis. The stout roots, nnicb 

 larger then the stems, reach a diameter of 5 mm. Striking characters of the 

 genus, aside fr<mi tlio small si/.o and linliit of tlie plant iiro its 21ipped corollas. 



