278 ^'^^ Philippine Journal of Science i9i4 



LORANTHUS FRAGILIS sp. nov. § Dendropthoe. 



Frutex parasiticus, glaber, ramis ramulisque crassis, teretibus, 

 fragilis; foliis late ovatis, crasse coriaceis, nitidis, usque ad 15 

 cm longis, ovatis, sessilibus vel subsessilibus, obtusis, basi late 

 rotundatis vel leviter cordatis; inflorescentiis in axillis superio- 

 ribus, floribus omnibus sessilibus, 6-meris, pallide flavidis, circiter 

 2.4 cm longis, in triadibus brevissime pedunculatis racemose 

 dispositis. 



A species in the alliance with Loranthus secundiflorus Merr., 

 and L. miridanaensis Merr., distinguished at once by its sessile 

 or subsessile, broadly rounded or subcordate leaves. Branches 

 up to 1 m in length, stout, terete, smooth and shining when dry, 

 grayish-brown, very brittle when fresh, branches 1 cm in diam- 

 eter breaking very readily. Leaves ovate, subopposite, thickly 

 coriaceous, pale greenish-olivaceous when dry, shining, 9 to 15 

 cm long, 5.5 to 9 cm wide, apex rounded or obtuse, base broadly 

 rounded or somewhat cordate, sessile or subsessile, the lateral 

 nerves not prominent, 6 or 7 on each side of the midrib. Inflores- 

 cence in the upper axils, usually fascicled, about 4 cm long, the 

 flowers 6-merous, all sessile in triads on very short peduncles 

 which are racemosely disposed. Flowers pale-yellow, their sub- 

 tending bracts broadly ovate, obtuse, 1 mm long, the peduncles 

 bearing the triads of flowers very stout, about 2 mm long. Calyx 

 oblong-ovoid, truncate, 3.5 to 4 mm long. Corolla about 2 cm 

 long, the petals 6, united for the lower 2 to 3 mm, the reflexed 

 parts of the petals above the insertion of the anthers 5 mm long. 

 Filaments 1.5 long; anthers continuous, linear, 2.5 mm long. 



Palawan, Taytay, on Vernonia in forests at sea level, May 31, 1913, 

 Merrill 921^8. 



A species well characterized by its brittle stems, its thickly coriaceous 

 leaves, which are almost fleshy and very brittle when fresh, and which 

 are sessile or subsessile, broadly rounded or somewhat cordate at the base. 

 Its inflorescence is of the type found in Loranthus secundiflorus Merr., and 

 L. mindanaensis Merr., that is, the flowers sessile in triads, the triads 

 shortly peduncled and racemosely disposed. 



LORANTHUS LEYTENSIS sp. nov. § De7idrophthoe. 



Frutex parasiticus, inflorescentiis puberulis exceptis glaber; 

 foliis oppositis, alternis, vel subverticillatis, petiolatis, crassissime 

 coriaceis, oblongis, usque ad 6 cm longis, acutis, nervis lateralibus 

 obsoletis. Inflorescentiis axillaribus, pedunculatis, floribus 5- 

 meris, circiter 3.3 cm longis, in triadibus umbellatim dispositis. 



A stiff, parasitic shrub, glabrous except the inflorescence, the 

 branches stout, reddish-brown or grayish, terete, the ultimate 

 branchlets about 3 mm in diameter, the nodes often thickened, 



