XIII, c, 5 Merrill: Noteworthy Philippine Plants 313 



Luzon, Pangasinan Province, Mount San Isidro, Labrador, Bur. Sci. 

 298^3 Fenix, November 10, 1917, in damp forests, altitude about 400 meters. 



This species resembles Wikstroemia meyeniana Warb, and is manifestly 

 allied to it. It differs notably in its thicker, more-prominently and nu- 

 merously nerved leaves and especially in its shorter flowers. 



WIKSTROEMIA BRACHYANTHA sp. nov. 



Frutex circiter 2 m altus, ramulis junioribus parce pubescenti- 

 bus exceptis glaber; foliis lanceolatis ad oblongo-lanceolatis, us- 

 que ad 12 cm longis, chartaceis, in siccitate plerumque brunneis, 

 nitidis, basi acutis, apice tenuiter acuminatis, nervis primariis 

 utrinque 12 ad 15, distinctis, juxta marginem anastomosantibus ; 

 racemis terminalibus et in axillis superioribus, brevibus, pauci- 

 floris; floribus breviter pedicellatis, extus parcissime pubescen- 

 tibus, circiter 6.5 mm longis. 



A shrub about 2 m high, glabrous except the sparingly ap- 

 pressed-pubescent younger branchlets, the branches and branch- 

 lets terete, dark-brown to reddish-brown when dry. Leaves 

 rather firmly chartaceous, usually brown or brownish when dry 

 or the upper surface olivaceous-brownish, shining, the lower 

 distinctly paler than the upper, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 

 rather distinctly variable even on the same branchlet, 8 to 12 

 cm long, 1.5 to 4 cm wide, the base acute, the apex slenderly 

 acuminate; primary lateral nerves 12 to 15 on each side of the 

 midrib, rather distinct and somewhat projecting on the lower 

 surface, somewhat ascending, anastomosing close to the margin 

 with the rather distinct marginal veins, the secondary veins 

 often about as prominent as the primary ones; petioles about 

 3 mm long. Racemes terminal, or sometimes also in the upper, 

 axils, solitary, simple, the axis, and peduncle 5 mm long or less, 

 the former with rather numerous scars of fallen pedicels, each 

 inflorescence presenting but 5 or 6 flowers at one time. Flowers 

 green, about 6.5 mm long, externally very slightly pubescent, 

 the lobes 4, subreniform, about 1 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, 

 their pedicels 1 to 1.5 mm long. Stamens 8. Ovary elongated, 

 villous at the tip. Glands 2, narrowly oblong, about 1 mm long. 

 Fruit red, ellipsoid to somewhat obovoid, up to 1 cm long. 



Catanduanes, Bur. Sci. 30392 Ravios (type) , December 2, 1917, in damp 

 forests near streams at low altitudes. Luzon, Tayabas Province, Mount 

 Cadig, Bur. Sci. 25U9 Yates, December, 1916; Mount Pular, Bur. Sci. 

 19438 Ramos, January, 1913. 



This species is well characterized by its relatively thick leaves, which 

 are distinctly variable in shape, but prevailingly lanceolate; its distinct 

 marginal veins; short inflorescences; and unusually short flowers. It is 

 perhaps as closely allied to Wikstroemia fenicis Merr. as to any other 

 species but has entirely different inflorescences and smaller flowers. 



