20.4 Merrill: Noteworthy Philippine Plants, XVII 373 



reticulis obscuris, laxis; inflorescentiis $ solitariis, sessilibus, 



10 ad 12 mm diametro, bracteis connatis, lobis numerosis, 

 linearis ad lineari-lanceolatis, circiter 3 mm longis, ciliatis, brac- 

 teolis linearis ad spatulatis, 2.5 ad 3 mm longis, perspicue 

 ciliatis; pedicellis circiter 1.5 mm longis; acheniis brunneis, 

 subellipsoideis, subacutis, 0.6 mm longis. 



An erect, apparently succulent, unbranched herb, up to 40 

 cm high, the basal portion of the stem somewhat prostrate, the 

 stems apparently succulent wheji fresh, without cystoliths. 

 Leaves membranaceous when dry, sessile or subsessile, some- 

 what inequilateral, oblong-elliptic to narrowly oblong-obovate, 



11 to 17 cm long, 4 to 6 cm wide, olivaceous or brownish when 

 dry, the apex slenderly and rather abruptly caudate-acuminate, 

 the base somewhat inequilateral, narrow, acute on the narrower 

 side, acute or slightly obtuse on the broader side, the margins 

 in the lower one-half to two-thirds entire, in the upper part very 

 distantly crenate-serrate, the upper surface with numerous 

 cystoliths, distinctly visible to the naked eye, the lower surface 

 of the same color as the upper, the cystoliths conspicuous ; lateral 

 nerves about 8 on each side of the midrib, distinct, anastomosing 

 directly with the marginal nerves, the reticulations lax, obscure ; 

 stipules lanceolate, glabrous, membranaceous, acuminate, up to 

 1 cm long. Pistillate inflorescences axillary, solitary, 10 to 12 

 mm in diameter, apparently somewhat flattened, the bracts united 

 to form a flattened receptacle 5 to 7 mm in diameter, the lobes 

 of the receptacle numerous, linear to linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 

 about 3 mm long, ciliate; bracteoles very numerous, linear to 

 spatulate, 2.5 to 3 mm long, prominently ciliate ; pedicels slender, 

 about 1.5 mm long. Achenes brown, subellipsoid, about 0.6 mm 

 long, subacute. 



Panay, Capiz Province, Mount Macosolon, Bur. Sci. 30748 

 Ramos & Edano, April 19, 1918. On bowlders along small 

 streams in damp forests at low altitudes. 



This species was originally identified as Elatostema integri- 

 folium Wedd., which it somewhat resembles in vegetative char- 

 acters, but to which it is not closely allied. Striking differential 

 characters of the present species are its membranaceous, caudate- 

 acuminate leaves which are entire below and distinctly crenate- 

 serrate above ; its bracts being united to form a common recep- 

 tacle, the tips of the bracts (lobes) being numerous and linear 

 to lanceolate ; and in being entirely glabrous throughout except 

 for the inflorescences. 



