XIV. 4 Merrill: Noteworthy Philippine Plants, XV 431 



Tristania decorticata Merr. It differs remarkably from that 

 species in its densely pubescent, larger flowers and its stamens 

 being arranged in phalanges of about 7 each, not in groups of 

 threes. 



MELASTOMATACEAE 



MEDINILLA Gaudichaud 

 MEDINILLA OBLANCEOLATA sp. nov. 



Frutex, ramulis et inflorescentiis et foliis subtus ad costa ner- 

 visque perspicue setoso-ciliatis ; foliis ternatis, breviter petio- 

 latis, chartaceis, oblongo-oblanceolatis, usque ad 38 cm longis, 

 tenuiter acuminatis, deorsum valde angustatis, penninerviis, 

 nervis utrinque circiter 6, perspicuis; inflorescentiis lateralibus, 

 circiter 10 cm longis, pedunculatis, cylindraceo-paniculatis, ramis 

 numerosis, circiter 2 cm longis, patulis, dichotomis; floribus 

 4-meris, petalis oblongo-obovatis, circiter 13 mm longis, stami- 

 nibus aequalibus. 



A shrub, the stems about 2 cm in diameter, the young branch- 

 lets, inflorescences, and the midrib and nerves on the lower sur- 

 face more or less setose-ciliate with long, spreading, pale-brownish 

 hairs, the ciliae up to 5 mm in length. Leaves verticillate, 3 at 

 each node, chartaceous, oblong-oblanceolate, 35 to 38 cm long, 

 about 10 cm wide, the apex slenderly acuminate, narrowed in 

 the lower one-half or two-thirds to the abruptly obtuse base 

 which is 1 cm wide or less; lateral nerves about 6 on each side 

 of the midrib, distant, ascending, somewhat curved, the primary 

 reticulations subparallel, distant, distinct; petioles very stout, 1 

 cm long or less. Inflorescences lateral from the trunks, about 10 

 cm long, solitary, peduncled, paniculate the primary branches 

 numerous, densely arranged, spreading, about 2 cm long, dichot- 

 omous, sparingly ciliate, the bracteoles oblong, about 2 mm long. 

 Flowers 4-merous, red, their pedicels about 5 mm long, petals 

 oblong-obovate, 13 mm long. Stamens 8, equal, their filaments 

 8 mm long; anthers lanceolate-acuminate, 7 mm long, the dorsal 

 appendage less than 1 mm long, the anterior ones short, curved. 

 Fruit fleshy, glabrous, ovoid or obovoid, truncate, about 1 cm 

 long. 



Panay, Capiz Province, Mount Madiaas, Bur. Sci. 30703 

 Ramos & Edano, May 14, 1918. 



This species is entirely distinct from all hitherto described 

 forms and is strongly characterized by its elongated, ciliate- 

 setose indumentum, which is dense on the young branchlets and 

 scattered on the midrib and nerves; by its ternate, elongated. 



