234 27ie Philippine Journal of Science 1915 
glabrous, grayish, the younger branchlets distinctly ferruginous- 
pubescent. Leaves lanceolate, chartaceous, 5 to 8 cm long, 1.3 
to 2.5 cm wide, pale and of the same color on both surfaces 
when dry, shining, gradually narrowed upward to the acu- 
minate apex, the base obtuse or acute, the upper surface entirely 
glabrous, the lower slightly ciliate-hirsute on the midrib, be- 
coming glabrous; lateral nerves slender, obscure, about 11 on 
each side of the midrib, the rather lax reticulation nearly as 
prominent; petioles ferruginous-pubescent, 2 to 3 mm long. 
Flowers axillary, sessile, solitary, the mature buds globose. 
Sepals orbicular, rounded, appressed fulvous-pubescent, 2.5 mm 
long. Petals very thickly coriaceous, the outer three fulvous- 
pubescent externally, ovate, 7 mm long, the inner three very 
much thicker, 5 mm long, slightly pubescent. Stamens indefi- 
nite, 1.5 to 2 mm long, the connectives oblong, truncate, 0.8 
mm in diameter. Carpels about 7, oblong, 2 mm long, densely 
hirsute; ovules 6, 1-seriate; stigma 0.5 mm long, glabrous. 
Luzon, Province of Nueva Ecija, Sabani, For. Bur. 22118 Alvarez, 
December, 1910. Bur. Sci. 13617 Ramos, from Rizal Province, Luzon, may 
represent the same species. It is in fruit and differs in its leaves being 
remarkably shiny. 
The species has the vegetative characters of Polyalthia, but its flowers 
do not admit referring it to that genus. I am not satisfied entirely with its 
reference to Alphonsea, but it seems to agree in essential characters with 
this genus, as described, better than with any other genus known to me. 
The sessile, solitary, axillary flowers are characteristic. 
DESMOS Loureiro 
Safford 4 has recently conclusively shown that the genus 
Unona Linn. f. was based on an American species, Unona des- 
creta Linn, f., and that Vahl was in error in placing under Unona 
the Asiatic U. discolor Vahl =Desmos chinensis Lour. The Indo- 
Malayan material that has by various authors been referred 
to Unona cannot properly be considered under this generic 
designation, and Safford has correctly taken up the generic appel- 
lation Desmos for the oriental forms, this genus having been 
proposed by Loureiro in 1790. Safford erred, however, in ex- 
tending Desmos to cover the section Dasymaschalon of Unona, 
as Dasymaschalon is a perfectly valid genus which cannot prop- 
erly be placed in the same tribe with Unona auct .=Desmos Lour. 
The only Philippine species that can definitely be referred to 
Desmos is Desmos chinensis Lour. The other Philippine forms 
described under Unona apparently belong in other genera. 
‘Bull. Torr. Bot. Club 39 (1912) 501-508. 
