196 A FLORA OF MANILA 



1. P. aculeata L. 



A large scandent shrub, glabrous or sparingly pubescent, the branches 

 pendulous, armed with solitary, axillary, recurved spines which are 1 cm 

 long or less. Leaves ovate-oblong to elliptic, shining, 6 to 10 cm long, 

 obtuse or obscurely acuminate, base acute. Inflorescence axillary and 

 terminal, peduncled, of densely flowered corymbose cymes. Flowers 

 yellowish-white, the males 4 to 5 mm in diameter. Fruit narrowly oblong 

 or clavate, 5-ribbed, 7 to 14 mm long, viscid, the ribs muricate with several 

 tows of glands. (Fl. Filip. pi. S9i.) 



In thickets, Masambong, fl. Jan.-Feb.; widely distributed in the Philip- 

 pines. Tropics generally. 



*2. P. ALBA Spanoghe. Coles-maluco ; Maluco (Tag.). 



An erect, unarmed, glabrous or nearly glabrous tree reaching a height 

 of 10 m. Leaves thin, very pale-green or often nearly white when young, 

 oblong-ovate, acuminate, base rounded, 12 to 25 cm long. Cymes terminal, 

 dense, corymbose, the male floWers white or greenish-white, about 6 mm 

 long, the female ones smaller. Fruit long-pedicelled, club-shaped, B-angled, 

 the angles with one row of prickles. (Fl. Filip. pi. UU, Cordia ? olitoria.) 



Frequently cultivated for its ornamental, pale foliage, but rarely or 

 tiever producing flowers in Manila. A native of Malaya, now cultivated in 

 India and Ceylon. 



2. BOUGAINVILLEA Commerson 



Climbing sjiny vines with alternate leaves. Inflorescence axillary or 

 terminal, showy, the flowers inserted below the middle of the large colored 

 bracts which are borne in threes. Perianth .tubular, slightly curved, the 

 lobes 5 or 6, short, spreading. Stamens 7 or 8, equal, included. Ovary 

 .stipitate, narrowly fusiform. Utricle stipitate, cylindric or clavate. (In 

 honor of A. de Bougainville, a French navigator.) 



Species 7, in tiropical America, 1 now cultivated in all tropical and 

 subtropical countries. 



*1. B. SPECTABILIS Willd. 



A stout, climbing, spiny, slightly pubescent or nearly glabrous woody 

 vine, reaching a height of 15* m, witllong drooping branches. Leaves 

 ovate, 6 to 10 cm long, acuminate, base usually rounded, each axil with a 

 stout, slightly curved, sharp spine 5 to 8 mm long. Flowers in the upper 

 axils, forming a terminal leafy inflorescence. Cyines peduncled, tricho- 

 tomous, the flowers in groups of threes on the ultimate branches, each 

 .group, of flowers subtended by three, large, thin, persistent, colored, oblong- 

 ovate, acuminate 2.5 to 4 cm long bracts. Flowers salver-shaped, inserted 

 qn the midrib of the bracts, the tube slender, about 2 cm long, greenish, 

 angled, inflated below, the limb ■sghite^ 5 to 7 mm in diameter. 



Frequently cultivated, but not spontaneous, fl. Oct.-March. A most 

 s,triking ornamental, a native of Brazil, now cultivated in many other 

 tropical countries. 



3. MIRABILIS Linnaeus 



Glabrous or glandular herbs, the branches forked. Leaves opposite, the 

 lower ones petioled, the upper often seSsUe. Involucres 1- to many-flowered, 

 calyx-like, the 6 lobes iihbricate, not enlarged after flowering, usually 

 arranged in dense cymes. Perianth-tube elongated, white or colored, 

 constricted above the ovary, the limb 5-lobed, petal-like. Stamens 5 or 6, 

 unequal in length, exserted. Ovary ellipsoid or ovoid; style flliformj 



