MORKILIJA, A NEW NAME FOR THE GENUS CHITONIA; 

 WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES 



By J. N. ROSE and JOSEPH H. PAINTER 



MORKILLIA Rose & Painter, new generic name 



Chitonia Moc. & SESSE ; DC. Prod. 1 : 707. 1824, not D. Don, Mem. Wern. 

 Soc. 4 : 317. 1823. 



The genus Chitonia has hitherto been unrepresented in many of 

 our larger herbaria, or has been represented only by material col- 

 lected many years ago. Until now it has rested upon a single 

 species, C. mexicana. Fruiting specimens of this were collected in 

 1905 near Tehuacan, Mexico, and in 1906 fruit and flowers were 

 obtained from the same place. Some years earlier, Mr. E. W. 

 Nelson had collected in northern Mexico a very different species, 

 which is here described as new. 



The name Chitonia of Mocino & Sesse is a homonym of the Chi- 

 tonia of D. Don, and hence a new name is here proposed. The 

 genus is named Morkillia in honor of Mr. W. L,. Morkill, general 

 manager of the Mexican Southern Railroad, who has taken a great 

 interest in and has contributed to the development of our explora- 

 tions in southern Mexico. 



MORKILLIA MEXICANA (Moc. & Sesse) Rose & Painter 

 Chitonia mexicana Moc. & Sesse ; DC. Prod, l: 707. 1824. 



Shrub 3 to 5 meters high ; young branches densely pubescent ; 

 lateral leaflets 4 to 7 pairs, oblong, obtuse or at first acute, shortly 

 petiolulate, very pubescent on both surfaces, 3 to 5 cm. long ; 

 flowers large and showy, 8 to 9 cm. in diameter ; petals strongly 

 notched, deep purple; fruit 4 to 5 cm. long with 4 lateral wings, 

 these free at the top and more or less incurved, dehiscing when 

 mature, exposing the red aril of the seeds ; seeds white with a black 

 spot at the tip. 



Specimens examined. — Puebla : near Tehuacan, Rose & Painter, 

 August 30, 1905 (no. 9992) ; J. N. & J. S. Rose, September 2, 1906 

 (no. 1 1278) ; also C. A. Purpus, July, 1905 (no. 1315). 



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