177 



NEW PLANTS FEOM JAMAICA. 



By W. Fawcett, B.Sc, F.L.S., & A. B. Kendle, F.E.S. 



(Plate 518.) 



The Trustees of the British Museum having consented to 

 issue a complete Flora of Jamaica as a Museum pubUcation, we 

 are now engaged on the preparation of the first volume dealing 

 with the Dicotyledons. As the Flora will be written entirely in 

 English, we propose to publish the Latin descriptions of the 

 novelties in this Journal ; of these the following is an instalment. 



Peperomia crassicaulis. Caulzs crassus. Folia (in sicco) 

 coriacea, obovato-elliptica, apice obtusa, interdum leviter emargi- 

 nata, basi cuneata, in petiolum decurrentia, nervo mediano subtus 

 prominenti et in petiolum decurrente. Spices sublaxiflorae, tandem 

 foveolis ellipticis cum marginibus lignosis reticulatis. BractecB 

 ellipticae vel rotundatse. Stylus lanceolato-acuminatus. BacccB 

 sessiles, ellipsoidese, subovataB, verruculosae, apice cum scutulo 

 piano subobhquo instructae, stigmati subcentrali, rostro subu- 

 lato, curvato, baccae subsequilongo. P. obtusifolia Griseb. Fl. 

 Brit. W. Ind. 166 (in part). Type in Herb. Mus. Brit, and in 

 Herb. Jam. 



Ste7n rooting below, erect, simple or with 2 or 3 branches, to 

 70 cm. 1., to 8 mm. br. Leaves with 4-8 nerves pinnately arranged 

 on each side, 1 or 2 lower pairs springing from near the base, apex 

 slightly puberulous, blade 4-5-12 cm. 1., 2-5-5 cm. br. ; stalk 

 to 3 cm. 1. Spikes terminal, geminate to paniculate ; rhachis 

 7-16 cm. 1., 2-5-3 mm. br., common peduncle 4-8-5 cm. 1. ; peduncles 

 2-4 cm. 1. Berries 1-1-25 mm. 1., ellipsoidal. 



Hah. — In peat in shady woodland, and on decaying trunks of 

 trees, Macfadyen ! John Crow^ Peak, J. P. 1481, Hart ! Morse's 

 Gap, 4900-5000 ft. ; Greenwich, 4500 ft., Harris ! 8104, 8321, 

 10,140 (in part); Morse's Gap, G. Nichols \ — Cuba {Wright, 

 no. 1689). 



Near P. alpina A. Dietr., but distinguished by the larger ellip- 

 tical leaves, and the smaller bracts more numerous at same level. 



Ficus MAMiLLiFERA Warb. var. hiesuta. Stiimlce puberulae, 

 dorso hirsutae. Bractece hirsutae. Beceptaculi quam in typo 

 minores, 7 mm. longi, 11 mm. in diam. 



Hah. — Grierfield, near Moneague, Britton, 2364 ! 



The species was founded by Warburg (see Urban, Symholce 

 AntillancB, iii. 470) in 1903 on three specimens collected by Mr. 

 W. Harris in different parts of the Blue Mountains. Since then 

 it has been found in two localities in the extreme west of the 

 island by Mr. Harris, and in the extreme east by Dr. Britton and 

 Mr. Harris. Specimens collected many years ago by Wullschlaegel 

 and March at intermediate localities show that this species is 

 widespread in Jamaica, but so far it is not known from any other 

 island. 



Pilea Weddellii. Suffrutex monoica, caule adscendente, 

 Journal op Botany.— Vol. 50. [June, 1912.] o 



