32 
The Philippine Journal of Science 
1913 
ACRANTHERA Arnott 
ACRANTHERA P H I LI PP I N E NSIS sp. nov. 
Suffruticosa, simplex, usque ad 60 cm alta, infra prostrata, 
omnibus partibus plus minusve pilosis ; foliis oblongis vel oblong- 
obovatis, chartaceis, usque ad 25 cm longis, acutis vel late brevis- 
sime acuminatis, basi decurrento-acuminatis, nervis utrinque 
circiter 10 ; cymis terminalibus, amplis, dense multifloris, bracte- 
is circiter 2.5 cm longis; floribus 4- vel 5-meris, roseis, circiter 
1.5 cm longis; fructibus anguste oblongis, 2 cm longis, lobis 
accrescentibus coronata. 
An ascending, suffrutescent, unbranched plant 60 cm high or 
less, the stems usually prostrate below, subterete, densely pilose 
with pale-brownish or grayish hairs. Leaves oblong or oblong- 
obovate, chartaceous, 10 to 25 cm long, 3 to 10 cm wide, the 
lower surface somewhat paler than the upper when dry, both 
surfaces with scattered pilose hairs, the lower one also densely 
pilose on the midrib and lateral nerves, apex acute or very 
shortly and broadly acuminate, the base narrowed, decurrent- 
acuminate ; nerves about 10 on each side of the midrib, prominent 
beneath, curved-ascending, the reticulations rather lax; petioles 
densely pubescent, 2 to 7 cm long; stipules ovate, pubescent, 
about 2.5 cm long. Cymes terminal, densely many flowered, 
pilose, 7 to 10 cm in diameter, the bracts pubescent, oblong, 
acuminate or acute, about 2.5 cm long, 1 cm wide, the bracteoles 
similar but smaller, not involucrate. Calyx-tube of nearly ma- 
ture buds oblong, densely villous, about 4 mm long, the lobes 
pink, 4 or 5, oblong, about 8 mm long, 2 to 3 mm wide. 
Corolla-tube 6 to 7 mm long, the lobes broadly ovate, rounded, 
white, about 3 mm long. Anthers linear, 6 mm long. Fruit 
narrowlj^ oblong, villous, about 2 cm long, 3 to 4 mm in diameter, 
villous, crowned by the persistent, accrescent calyx-lobes which 
are oblong, 1 to 1.5 cm long, 3 to 6 mm wide. 
Mindanao, District of Zamboanga, Sax River, Merrill 8309 (type), 
November 27, 1911, in ravines along small, streams, altitude 700 to 900 m, 
Williams 2357, February, 1905. 
The genus is new to the Philippines, although Williams’ specimen was 
determined to the genus by Doctor C. B. -Robinson, but nothing further 
was done with it as the corolla was lacking. It appears to be well 
characterized by its ample cymes, its 5-, more rarely 4-merous flowers, 
and its accrescent calyx-lobes. It has somewhat the general appearance 
of Acranthera zeylanica Arn., but does not appear to be closely allied 
to that species. 
