VITACEAE 309 



2. QOUANIA Linnaeus 



Unarmed climbing shrubs with alternate leaves. Flowers polygamous 

 m axillary or terminal spikes or spike-like racemles, the rachis often tendril- 

 bearing at or near the base. Flowers small. Calyx superior, 5-fid, the tube 

 short, obconic. Petals 5, inserted below the margin of the disk, hooded. 

 Stamens 5, enfolded by the petals. Disk filling the calyx-tube, 5-angled. 

 Ovary sunk in the disk, 3-celled; style 3-cleft. Fruit an inferior, coriace- 

 ous, dehiscent capsule, crowned by the persistent calyx-limb, 3-angled or 

 S-winged. (In honor of A. Gouan, a French botanist.) 



Species betwerai 80 and 40, chiefly in tropical America, few in Africa, 

 Asia, and Malaya, 2 in the Philippines. 



1. G. mlcrocarpa DC. Litiran (Tag;)., 



A scandent shrub, the younger parts and inflorescence pubescent. Stems 

 slender. Leaves ovate, acuminate, base broad and rounded or subcordate, 

 margins nearly entire or crenate-serrate, 6 to 11 cm long. Spikes terminal 

 and axillary, slender, pubescent, up to 20 cm in length, the rachis usually 

 cirrhose near the base, the flowers crowded in scattered, often short- 

 peduncled heads or clusters. Flowers white, about 2 mm long, pubescent 

 outside. Fruit about 5 mm long, 3-angled, angles slightly winged, glabrous 

 or nearly so. 



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

 pines. India to Malaya. 



3. COLUBRINA L. C. Richard 



Erect or climbing shrubs with alternate, toothed, 3-nerved leaves. Cymes 

 axillary, short. Flowers small, perfect, regular. Calyx 6-toothed or lobed, 

 the tube short, broad. Petals 6, clawed, hooded, inserted on the margin 

 of the disk. Stamens 6. Disk fleshy, filling the calyx-tube. Ovary 3-celled, 

 sunk in the disk and confluent with it; style 3-cleft. Fruit a tardily 

 dehiscent, globose, 3-celled, 3-seeded capsule, surrounded below with the 

 accresceiit calyx-tube. (Latin "snake" from the fancied resemblance of 

 the twining stems of some species.) 



Species about 15,. chiefly in tropical America, 1 in the Philippines. 



1. C. aslatica (L.) Brongn. Cabatiti (Tag.). 



A scandent glabrous shrub reaching a height of 6 m. Leaves shining, 

 ovate, acuminate, base rounded, marg^ins crenate-serrate, 6 to 9 cm long, 

 2 to 6 cm wide, 3-nerved from the base. Cymes axillary, short, 1 cm long 

 or less, shorter than the petioles. Flowers pedicelled, yellowish-green, 

 about 4 mm in diameter. Fruit subglobose, 7 to 9 mm in diameter, 

 surrounded at the base by tiie calyx, tardily dehiscent, crustaceouS, 3-seeded. 



In thickets along the beach, Pasay, fl. May-Aug.; throughout tibe Philip- 

 pines near the seashore. India to Malaya and Australia, and in southern 

 Africa. 



82. VITACEAE (Grape or Ayo Family) 



Erect shrubs, or vines climbing by means of tendrils, the stems cylindric, 

 angled, or compressed. Leaves alternate, simple and toothed or lobed, 

 digitately or pedately 3- to 9-foliolate, or 1- to 8-pinnate. Flowers regular, 



