152 A FLORA OP MANILA 



4. D. daemona Roxb. Nami (Tag.) J Corot (II., Vis.). 



A twining vine from tuberous roots, reaching a length of several meters, 

 the stems with few or many, short, sharp spines. Leaves: 3-f oliotate , the 

 leaflets 12 to 20 cm long, acuminate, somewhat pubescent, the lateral ones 

 oblique, oblong-ovate, terminal one equilateral, oblong to oblong-obovate. 

 Panicles axillary, slender, pubescent 12 to 20 cm long. Flowers small, 

 ^tamens 6. Capsules oblong, about 6 cm long. 



Occasional in thickets, fl. June-^uly; throughout the Philippines. India 

 to Malaya. 



t 



5. Q. penaphylla L. Lima-Iima (Tag., Vis.). 



A climbing vine from stout tubers, the stems with scattered small 

 spines. Leaflets 6 to 7, oval to oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous or 

 nearly so, 8 to 16 cm long. Panicles axillary, pubescent, much longer than 

 the leaves. Flowers yellowish-white, somewhat fragrant. Stamens 3, al- 

 ternating with 3 staminodes. Capsules 2 to 2.5 cm long, usually rounded 

 at both ends. 



In thickets, Pasay, Masambong, etc., fl. Nov.; widely distributed in the' 

 Philippines. Tropical Africa, India and Malaya. 



27. IRIDACEAE (iRis Family) 



Perennial herbs from often thickened rootstocks. Leaves narrow, often 

 distichous and equitant, sometimes plicate, sessile or petioled. Inflorescence 

 various. Flowers in spathes, few to many, usually but 1 or 2 opening at a 

 time. Perianth superior, petaloid, the segments 6, 2-seriate, imbricate. 

 Stamens 3, epigynous or adnate to the outer segment; anthers extrorse. 

 Ovary 3-celled; style simple; stigmas 3; ovules many, 2-seriate. Capsule 

 3-angled or cylindric, loculicidally 3-celled. Seeds many. 



Genera 59, species About 1,000, chiefly in temperate regions, 3 or 4 

 genera and species in the Philippines, a single one indigenous. 



Leaves distichous, equitant, vertical, not or obscurely nerved. 



1. Belamcanda 

 Leaves not distichous or equitant, prominently nerved and plicate. 



2. Eleutherine 

 1. BELAMCANDA Adanson 



Erect herbs from stout rootstocks. Leaves many, ascending or erect, 

 large, 2-ranked, lanceolate, vertical, those of the stem similar to the basal 

 ones and gradually smaller upward. Inflorescence dichotomously corym- 

 bose, the spathes small, many-flowered, the valves many, membranaceous, 

 the pedicels exserted, joined at the apex. Perianth rotate, nearly or quite 

 regular, the tube not produced above the ovary. The segments oblong- 

 oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic, clawed, spreading in flower. Stamens 3, 

 shorter than the perianth. Ovary 3-celled; ovules many. Capsule obovoid, 

 loculicidally 3-valved. (Prom the Malabar name.) 



A monotypic Chinese genus, the single species introduced in the Phil- 

 ippines. 



1. B. CHINENSIS (L.) Leman. 



Erect, tufted, glabrous, 0.5 to 1.5 m. high. Leaves 2-ranked, strongly 

 imbricated, crowded, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, ascending, vertical, 

 coriaceous, 40 to 60 cm long, 2.5 to 4 cm wide, those of the stem equitant. 



