48 

 URTICACE.^<]. 



1. LAPORTEA (Jaiidich. 



1. L. luzonensis (Wedd.) Warb. in Perk. Frajr. Fl. Philip. (1905) 1G8. 

 Laportea croiitlata (^aud. var. luzoiioisis \\'odd. 



(2631 Meyer) February; (Wliilffird} . In forests at 500 m. Endemic. 



2. L. crenulata (Roxb.) (huid.; Wedd. in DC. Prodr. 16 (1869) 1: 85. 

 (2850 Meyer) Marcli. In foiests at 900 ni. British India and Malaya. 



2. PI LEA Lindl. 



1. P. luzonensis sp. nov. 



Glabrous erect, 1 ui. high or less, the stems slender. Leaves opposite, lan- 

 ceolate, long petioled, in unequal pairs, the leaves of each pair similar in sliape, 

 but one about one-half the size of the other, serrate throughout, the inflorescence 

 not exceeding the petioles. Leaves glabrous, membranous, strongly 3-nerved, the 

 apex long acuminate, narrowed below to the acute, slightly obtuse or even 

 obscurely narrowly cordate base, the larger ones 11 to 14 cm. long, 3 to 4 cm. 

 wide, the smaller ones of each pair about one half as large; petioles slender, 

 3 to 4 cm. long; stipules very short; cross nervules many, curved, rather prom- 

 inent beneath. Dioecious. Female inflorescence congested, axillary, less than 



I cm. long, sepals 3, very unequal, one about 1 mm. long, the other two very 

 much smaller, scarcely embracing the achene. Achene ovate, slightly inequi- 

 lateral, flattened, 1 mm. long. Male inflorescence short peduncled, the branches 

 slender, 3 to 4 cm. long, the flowers in scattered fascicles 3 to 4 mm. in diameter, 

 each fascicle 10 to 20 flowered. Sepals 4, oblong-oblanceolate, about 1.5 mm. long. 

 Stamens 4; filaments slender; anthers about 0.5 mm. long. 



(279, 1129 Whitford) May, March. Common in the caiion of the Lamao River 

 on damp shaded banks, 800 to 1.000 m. 



3. ELATOSTEMA Forst. 



1. E. longifolium Wedd.; DC. Prodr. 16 (1809) 1: 184. 



(Whitford) May. Common on wet shaded banks along streams, 500 lo 600 ni. 

 iMideinic. 



2. E. sessile Forst. var. brongniartianum Wedd. 1. c. 173. 



(174 Whitford) May; (288 Copeland) February. Common on wet shaded 

 banks along the river, 250 to 600 m. The species widely distributed in tropical 

 Asia and Malaya, the variety endemic. 



3. E. whitfordii Merrill, n. sp. 



A succulent, erect, herbaceous or somewhat suflfrutescent plant 1 to 2 m. high, 

 with large alternate glabrous leaves, and very short pedimcled or sessile fleshy 

 hemispherical receptacles 1 to 2 cm. in diainetcr. Branches glabrous, succulent, 

 striate when dry, slightly zigzag. Leaves oblong 18 to 22 cm. long, 7 to 9 cm. 

 wide, pale green, inequilateral, slightly falcate, the lamina on one side of the 

 midrib about three-fifths as wide as the portion on the other side, the apex 

 sharply acuminate, the base acute, inequilateral, glabrous, membranous, the upper 

 surface with numerous small irregularly disposed cistoliths, the lower surface 

 with cistoliths only on the reticulations and veins, margins rather strongly, 

 serrate-dentate thro,ughout, except near the base which is subentire; lateral nerves 



II to 14 on each side of tlie midrib, prominent beneath, ascending, branched above 

 but scarcely anastomosing; petioles glabrous, about 1 cm. long: stipules tnem- 

 hranons, glabrous, deciduous, nai'rowh' lanceolate, long acuminate, 3 cm. long. 



