314 2^^'^ Philippine Journal of Science i9i4 



thick and short style as broad as the ovary, glabrous. Fruit 

 narrowly ovoid, gradually narrowed upward to the acute or 

 obtuse apex, 2.5 to 3 cm long, apparently black when mature, 

 the pulp scanty, the endocarp hard, deeply longitudinally pitted 

 and sulcate. 



Luzon, Province of Bataan, Mount Mariveles, Elmer 6835, November, 

 1904, in fruit; For. Bur. 2098 Borden, November, 1904, in fruit; Whit ford 

 1202 (type), March, 1905, with pistillate flowers. Leyte, Dagami, Bur. 

 Sci. 152Jt2 Ramos, August, 1912, in fruit. Camiguin de Mindanao, Bur. 

 Sci. 14651 Ramos, March, 1912, with staminate flowers. Negros, Cuernos 

 Mountains, Elmer 9777, March, 1908, with staminate flowers. 



The material from Mount Mariveles, consisting of specimens with pistil- 

 late flowers and fruits, was originally referred by me to the Javan Platea 

 latifolia Blume, to which the Philippine form is manifestly closely allied. 

 On receipt of staminate material all the specimens were reexamined with 

 the result that it has been considered advisable to describe our local form 

 as a distinct species. The original description of Platea latifolia Blume 

 Bijdr. (1826) 647 is quite inadequate, and the later one by Miquel Fl. 

 Ind. Bat. 1 :' 793 is also too short. Koorders,* however, gives an excellent 

 and detailed description of the Javan species of the genus, on which my 

 conception of Platea latifolia Blume is based. Sterile specimens from Java 

 are also in the herbarium of the Bureau of Science. Platea philippinensis 

 grows in forests at and above an altitude of 900 meters. 



STERCULIACEAE 



FIRMIANA Marsigli 

 FIRMIANA MERRITTII sp. nov. 



Arbor alta; foliis orbiculari-ovatis vel late ovatis, acuminatis, 

 integris, basi latissime rotundatis, profunde et anguste cordatis, 

 vetustioribus glabris, usque ad 18 cm longis; folliculis 8 ad 9 

 cm longis, circiter 4 cm latis, inflatis, chartaceis, laxe reticulatis, 

 tarde dehiscentibus. 



A large tree, reaching a height of 30 m and a trunk diameter 

 of 90 cm, deciduous. Leaves broadly ovate to orbicular-ovate, 

 coriaceous or thickly chartaceous, in maturity glabrous, up to 18 

 cm long and about as wide, entire, the apex acuminate, the base 

 very broadly rounded, deeply and narrowly cordate, palmately 

 7- or 9-nerved, the reticulations distinct; petioles 20 cm long. 

 Follicles inflated, tardily dehiscent, narrowly oblong-ovate, base 

 acute, apex obtuse, 8 to 9 cm long, 4 cm wide, the valves laxly 

 reticulate, glabrous or nearly so, thickly chartaceous, not mem- 

 branaceous or coriaceous, each containing 1 or 2 seeds. 



MiNDORO, Igsoro River, west coast, For. Bur. 8555 Merritt, February 4, 

 1908, in forested river flats, altitude about 10 meters. 



*Meded. 's Lands Plantent. 33 (1900) 156. 



