494 



MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN [Vol. 8, No. 5 



1946, 16425. Nyasaland and S. Rhodesia (see Norlindh & Weim. Bot. Notiser 

 1940: 58. 1940. 



Ericinella brassii Brenan, sp. nov. 



Proxima est ut videtur E. wicrodontae (C. H. Wright) Aim & Fries, ramulis 

 dense et satis longe villoso-pubescentibus, foliis brevioribus magis appressis, 

 corollis brevioribus cyathiformibus, praesertim stigmatibus latioribus facile dis- 

 tinguenda; aspectu cupressoide speciem austro-africanam E. passerinoidem Bolus 

 accedens, ramulorum indumento, foliis multo manifestius ciliatis, pedicellis gla- 

 bris vel pilis subplumosis plus minusve sparse vestitis raro sparse puberulis, 

 corolla latiori cyathiformi longe recedit; a E, multiflora Klotzsch similiter differt 

 sed praeterea foliis multo latioribus ovato°lanceolatis nec acicularibus distincta. 



Frutex cupressoideus, 1-2 m. altus, ramosissimus, Ramuli foliiferi graciles, 

 (0.3-) 0.5-1.2 (—2) mm. diametro, pilis patentibus inaequilongis albidis subplu- 

 mosis crassiusculis diametrum ramuli saepe fere adaequantibus diu persistentibus 

 dense villoso-pubescentes; ramuli seniores brunneo-purpurei, pannulis vel reticulo 

 griseo irregulari epidermide efformato velati, tandem omnino purpureo-brunnei. 

 Folia ternatim disposita, plerumque appressa, ovato°lanceolata, 1-2 (—3) mm. 

 longa, 0.5-0.8 (-1) mm. lata, rigida, nitida usque nitidula, ad basim rotundata, 

 ad apicem apiculato-acuta vel subacuta, costa supra prominula, subtus in sulco 

 longitudinali conspicuo depressa, margine pilis albidis simplicibus necnon glan- 

 dulis subsessilibus breviter sed sub lente conspicue ciliolata; petiolus applana- 

 tus, 0.25-0.5 mm. longus, 0.2-0.3 mm. latus, siccitate subtus luteolus, supra 

 inferne luteolus superne aurantiacus. Flores in apice ramulorum (saepe lateralium 

 ac brevissimorum) umbellato-capitati; pedicelli 2-7 aggregati, L5-2 mm. longi, 

 arcuati, glabri vel pilis subplumosis sparse vestiti, raro pilis minimis puberuli. 

 Calyx quadrilobatus, lobis conjunctis anguste oblongis superne incrassatis mar- 

 gine ciliolata, tribus circiter 0.7 mm. longis, uno majore et 1.15-1.5 mm, longo. 

 Corolla alba, cyathiformis, glabra, 1.7-1.9 mm. longa, 1.5—1.7 mm. lata, lobis 4 

 late ovato=rotundatis 0.6-0.7 mm, longis, basi 0.8-0.9 mm. -latis. Stamina 4, 

 libera, filamentis 1 mm. longis, antheris 1 mm. longis rubris ad basim breviter 

 caudatis, caudis 0.15-0,25 mm. longis ut videtur nonnunquam inaequalibus. Ovar- 

 ium glabrum, quadriloculare, loculis pluriovulatis. Stylus circiter 1.7 mm. longus, 

 glaber, superne in stigma 0.3-0.4 mm. latum sensim ampliatus. 



Mlanje District: Mlanje Mountain; Luchenya Plateau, occasional in shrubberies 

 of forest edges, shrub 1-1.5 m. high, corolla white, anthers and stigma red, 1870 

 m., June 27, 1946, 16454 (TYPUS); Chambe Plateau, on brushy edges of primary 

 forest, shrub 2 m. high, corolla white, anthers red, 2000 m., July 9, 1946, 16770. 



Only^one species of Ericinella, E. microdonta (C. H. Wright) Aim & Fries, 

 was hitherto known from tropical Africa, and that strangely enough also on Mlanje 

 Mountain. E. brassii is, however, very distinct from E, microdonta, even in gen- 

 eral facies, in which it perhaps more resembles Philippia nyassana Aim & Fries, 

 but of course having the caudate anthers 'and narrowly obconical stigma charac- 

 teristic of Ericinella. The indumentum on the branchlets of E. brassii is decid- 

 edly reminiscent of that of Erica arborea L. 



Ericinella microdonta (C. H. Wright) Aim & Fries, Acta Horti Berg. 8: 262. 1925; 

 Svensk. Vet.-Akad. Handl. III. 4 4 : 46. pi 5, e. 1927. 

 Blaeria microdonta C. H. Wright, Kew Bull. 1897: 272. 1897. 



Mlanje District: Mlanje Mountain; Luchenya Plateau, gregarious on rocky 

 banks of streams subject to flooding, shrub about 1 m. high, flowers over, 1750 

 m„, June 25, 1946, 16416. 



See the discussion under the following variety. 



