XIV, 4 Merrill: Noteworthy Philippine Plants, XV 375 



ELATOSTEMA ACUMATISSI M UM sp. nov. 



Herba erecta, circiter 50 cm alta, ramulis junioribus pubes- 

 centibus, foliis subtus ad costa nervisque parce pilosis; foliis 

 lanceolatis ad an^ste lanceolatis, membranaceis, 9 ad 16 cm 

 longis, leviter falcatis, apice tenuiter caudato-acuminatis, mar- 

 gine grosse dentatis, dentibus numerosis, plerumque leviter 

 acuminatis; receptaculis $ axillaribus, solitariis, sessilibus, sub- 

 globosis, bracteis exterioribus late ovatis ad reniformi-ovatis, 9 

 mm latis, leviter carinatis, baud comiculatis ; bracteolis spatu- 

 latis, hirsutis. 



An erect, usually unbranched herb, about 50 cm high, the tips 

 of the branches slightly pubescent, the leaves with scattered, 

 rather weak, spreading, pale hairs on the lower surface, the 

 nerves and reticulations beneath dark brown in contrast with 

 the greenish epidermis. Leaves lanceolate to narrowly lanceo- 

 late, membranaceous, 9 to 16 cm long, 2 to 3.5 cm wide, oliva- 

 ceous when dry, somewhat falcate, the upper surface with 

 numerous, irregularly disposed, somewhat elongated cystoliths, 

 these obsolete on the lower surface, the apex slenderly caudate- 

 acuminate, the base slightly inequilateral, both sides of the lamina 

 acute to obtuse, the margins very coarsely toothed, the teeth 

 usually 20 or more on each side, somewhat ovate, their tips 

 usually somewhat acuminate and often incurved, those of the 

 acumen extending at least half way to the midrib ; lateral nerves 

 above the basal ones, about 10 on each side of the midrib, very 

 prominent on the lower surface, the reticulations lax, prominent. 

 Staminate receptacles sessile, axillary, solitary, subglobose, about 

 9 mm in diameter ; outer bracts broadly ovate to renif orm-ovate, 

 about 9 mm wide, somewhat hirsute, more or less keeled, but 

 scarcely corniculate, the inner bracts oblong, hirsute, keeled, 

 about 4 mm long; bracteoles spatulate, hirsute, as long as the 

 inner bracts. Staminate flowers numerous, pedicelled, the sepals 

 oblong-elliptic, about 2 mm long, their apices prominently ciliate 

 with long white hairs. 



Luzon, Tayabas Province, Umiray, Bur. Sci. 29015 Ramos & 

 Edano, June 2, 1917, in damp forests along the river at low 

 altitudes. 



The alliance of this species is with Elatostema angustatum 

 C. B. Rob. and Elatostema contiguum C. B. Rob., but more espe- 

 cially with the latter from which it is especially distinguished 

 by its much larger and more prominently toothed, caudate- 

 acuminate leaves. 



