16,6 Merrill: Philippine Euphorbiaceae, III 555 



shorter than the sepals; rudimentary ovary none. Pistillate 

 flowers and fruits unknown. 



Luzon, Ilocos Norte Province, Burgos, Bur. Sci. 3285^ Ramos, 

 July 26, 1918, in dry forests at low altitudes. 



This species is entirely different from the other two known 

 from the Philippines and probably belongs in the alliance with 

 Tragia involucrata Linn. It is well characterized by its oblong, 

 somewhat undulate leaves, which are rounded, slightly cordate, 

 and minutely peltate at the base, and by its spicately arranged 

 staminate flowers. In this genus the pistillate flowers are 

 usually found at the base of the staminate inflorescences; but 

 none of the specimens of Tragia luzoniensis shows any indication 

 whatever of pistillate flowers, so that apparently the present 

 species is dioecious. The stinging hairs of the present species 

 are very short and are apparently confined to the lower surface 

 of the leaves. 



TRAGIA PHILIPPINENSIS sp. nov. 



Scandens, ramulis, foliis et fructibus pilis numerosis urenti- 

 bus instructis ; foliis oblongo-ovatis ad oblongo-lanceolatis, usque 

 ad 10 cm longis, basi late truncato-subcordatis, leviter hastatis, 

 sursum gradatim angustatis, tenuiter acute acuminatis; sepalis 

 $ 3, accrescentibus, subcoriaceis, ovatis, circiter 10 mm longis, 

 obtusis ad leviter acuminatis, integris ; coccis circiter 7 mfti 

 diametro, perspicue hispidis, pilis urentibus. 



A scandent, herbaceous or subherbaceous vine, the branchlets, 

 leaves, and other parts prominently hispid with scattered, white, 

 stiff, stinging hairs 2 to 3 mm in length. Leaves membrana- 

 ceous, oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 7 to 10 cm long, 2.5 

 to 4 cm wide at the truncate-subcordate and slightly hastate 

 base, gradually narrowed upward ^o the slenderly and sharply 

 acuminate apex, often with 2 or 3 coarse teeth or shallow lobes 

 on each side near the base, otherwise entire, both surfaces with 

 scattered, stiff, stinging hairs, the upper surface brown or cas- 

 taneous v/hen dry, the lower greenish; lateral nerves 4 or 5 

 on each side of the midrib, prominent, anastomosing; petioles 

 about 3 cm long. Staminate flowers 3-merous, the buds trian- 

 gular, the sepals reniform-ovate, about 3 mm long and 4 mm 

 wide. Disk much thickened; stamens 3, about 2 mm long. 

 Pistillate sepals in fruit 3, subcoriaceous, spreading, entire, 

 ovate, obtuse to somewhat acuminate, about 10 mm long and 7 

 mm wide. Fruits depressed, about 12 mm in diameter, brown. 



