ERYTHRODES MERRILLII 



Erythrodes Merrillii comb. nov. — Herpysma Merrillii Ames 

 in Philipp. Journ. Sci. (Bot.) 2: 313 (1907). 



Plant 1-3 dm. high. Rhizome creeping. Leaves about 5, ovate- 

 lanceolate, shortly acuminate, acute, rounded at the base, 5-7 cm. 

 long, about 3 cm. wide, passing into slender ^^/io/(?5. Base of the 

 petioles scarious, sheathing the stem. Peduncle sparsely pubes- 

 cent, with about 3 lanceolate scarious about 1 cm. long bracts 

 below the loose racemose hvflorescence. Floral bracts linear- 

 lanceolate, acute, scarious, about 1 cm. long. Flowers white. 

 Lateral sepals linear-oblong, about 1.2 cm. long, 2 mm. wide, 

 concave, lightly carinate, cucullate with several hairs at the tip. 

 Upper sepal similar to the laterals, broader, adhering lightly to 

 the petals. Petals 1.2 cm. long, spathulate, obtuse, linear be- 

 low the middle, free from each other at the base, cohering above 

 the middle by their inner margins. Labellum adhering to the 

 column, produced at base into a rather slender spur^ which is 

 bilobed at the tip and which protrudes between the lateral sepals ; 

 free portion narrow, a little dilated beyond the column, then 

 ^-\o\i^^\ proximal lobes divaricate, oblong, obtuse, 1.5 mm. long, 



1 mm. wide, separated from the distal lobes by a short 1 mm. 

 long claw or isthmus; distal lobes divaricate, 1.5 mm. long, about 



2 mm. wide, margin irregular ; on the disc two thin longitudinal 



lamellce, free at the obliquely truncate apex. Two wart-like calli 



are situated in the spur near its base, on the dorsal wall. From 



tip of spur to apex of labellum 1.5 cm. 



Philippine Islands : Terrestrial in damp ravine, by small stream on Mt. 

 Halcon, Mindoro, November 9, 1906, E. D. Merrill (no. 5836). 



Since the publication of the original description of this species 

 further studies into its generic characters have convinced me 



[79] 



