150 GOKDONIA. 



With this species we begin distinctly to approach those where 

 the petiole is scarcely present ; Merrill in describing it gives the 

 length as 5 mm. or less. The blades of the leaves are oblong 

 lanceolate, the broadest part being not yet carried above the mid 

 length: the margins have obscure crenations in the upper part: 

 the nerves are not so obscure as in many species, the degree being 

 much as in G. liirtella. The white flowers are fairly large (5 cm. 

 in diameter), and are fragrant. The ovary is oblong-ovoid. The 

 capsule in shape is very like that of the G. lanceifolia figured be- 

 low, and is described as 3 cm. long. 



G. luzonica appears to be not uncommon on the mountains 

 not remote from Manila bay. 



I have before me a specimen from Baguio in the Province of 

 Benguet, Luzon, (Curran 5083) which in its foliage and capsules 

 appears to be distinct from G. luzonica. The leaves carry a large 

 amount of hair, and are broader than those of G. luzonica: the 

 capsules are 4 cm. long and so larger. The Baguio country is a 

 country of ravines with at the best scrubby forest and without 

 the true rain forests in which G. luzonica lives usually. It is true 

 that G. obtusa occupies somewhat similar ravines in the Xilgiri 

 hills as well as places in the rain forests towards the Arabian Sea, 

 so that the different situation is no base for a case ; but the different 

 appearance of the specimen calls for an examination of . more 

 material. 



G. Welborni, Elmer, Leaflets of Philippine Botany, ii. 1908. 

 p. 501, appears like an exaggeration of G. luzonica. It is described 

 as the largest in growth of all the Gordonias (30 to 50 metres in 

 height), with a straight trunk a metre thick. The leaves attain 

 a length of 15 cm., which is not larger than those of G. luzonica, 

 nor are they relatively wider, but the flowers have petals 3 to 4 

 cm. long so that their diameter must be 8 cm. The stamens 

 however are described as relatively short. It is to be inferred from 

 the description that the ovary contracts to the style. The flowers 

 are creamy white. 



Elmer got this species in the island of ISTegros in the Cuernes 

 mountains at Dumaguete, and he records that Mrs. Clemens had 

 found it at 4250 feet in the Lanao region of central Mindanao. 



G. lanceifolia, a new species, comes near to G. luzonica. It 

 has leaves of the same outline but more nearly entire, and different- 

 ly veined. Its capsules terminate leafless branchlets which may be 

 4 cm. long. It occurs in Borneo near Ivuching. 



Gordonia lanceifolia. Arbor sempervirens. Kami ultimi 

 pennae corvinae crassi, siccitate nigricantes, glaberrimi. Alabastra 

 externe glaberrima. Folia glaberrima, anguste elliptica, vel ad 

 apicem vel in petiolum longe admodum aequaliter angustate sub- 

 acuminata, margine fere integro levissime recurvo, in siccitate rufo- 



Jour. Straits Branch 



