vni, c, 1 Merrill: Studies on Philippine Rubiaceae, I 49 
priority for the former. Richard’s paper on the Rubiaceae was read in 
July, 1829, which is the date on the title page, but the preface is dated 
December 1, 1830, hence the inference is that it was not published before 
1830. Plectro7iia monstrosa A. Rich., is not given by DeCandolle in his 
monograph, which was also issued in 1830. However, Canthium lycioides, 
published by Richard on the preceding page of the same publication, is 
included by DeCandolle in his monograph,’ with proper page reference 
to the original publication of Richard’s paper, hence it is evident that 
Richard’s publication antedates DeCandolle’s. 
Doctor C. B. Robinson has examined the type of Plectronia monstrosa 
A. Rich., which is preserved in the Herbarium of the Paris Museum of 
Natural History. He has supplied me with notes regarding it, and with 
carbon “leaf-rubbings,” from which data, and the description, the identity 
of the species is clear. Doctor Robinson states that there are two sheets 
of the type collection (Perrottet), as well as three sheets of Gaudichaud 
206, from the Philippines, and a specimen of Cuming 776 in the Paris 
Herbarium, and that Cuming 776 represents the species well, except that in 
Perrottet’s specimens there are abnormal outgrowths at the base of each 
of the two branches. I have personally examined the type of Canthium 
mite Barth, in the Prague Herbarium, and am convinced that Plectronia 
monstrosa A. Rich., Canthium mite Barth, and C. arhoreum Vid., are all 
the same species. The chief difference between the types of the first two 
is in leaf-size, the former having smaller leaves than the latter, but in 
shape, texture, venation, etc., as well as in other characters, they are quite 
the same. 
PLECTRONIA LEYTENSIS sp. nov. 
Species P. viridi ut videtur affinis, difFert foliis minoribus 
angustioribus et venis obscuris. 
A shrub or small tree 10 m high fide Ramos, glabrous. 
Branches slender, terete, smooth, yellowish-brown. Leaves lan- 
ceolate, coriaceous, 3 to 7 cm long, 1 to 2 cm wide, the upper 
surface shining when dry, the lower of about the same color 
but dull, some of the vein-axils, at least, glandular, base some- 
what decurrent-acuminate, apex slenderly subcaudate-acumi- 
nate, the acumen more or less falcate; lateral veins about 5 on 
each side of the midrib, slender, obscure, scarcely anastomosing, 
the reticulations obsolete; petioles about 5 mm long; stipules 3 
mm long, narrow, acuminate. Flowers unknown. Fruit axil- 
lary, usually solitary, rarely two in each axil, pedicelled, narrowly 
obovoid, 1 cm long, the apex rounded, the base acute, more or less 
narrowed to the 5 mm long pedicel. Pericarp somewhat fleshy 
when fresh, yellow, not or but very little compressed. 
Leyte, mountains back of Dagami, Bur. Sci. 15383 Ramos, August, 1912, 
in the mossy forest. 
114864 4 
’Prodr. 4 (1830) 475. 
