VIII, c. 6 Merrill: Philippine Melastornataceae, II 345 
specific name: Province of Cagayan, For. Bur. 17203 Curran. Sibuvan, 
Elmer 12281 (type collection). 
Well characterized by its entirely glabrous leaves. It differs from 
Astronia rolfei Vid., in the entire absence of indumentum, even on young 
leaves, its larger flowers, and its longer calyx-teeth. 
12. ASTRONIA ROLFEI Vid. Phan. Cuming. Philip. (1885) 114, 174, Rev. PI. 
Vase. Philip. (1886) 136; Cogn. in DC. Monog. Phan. 7 (1891) 
1095; Merr. in Philip. Journ. Sci. 1 (1906) Suppl. 108. 
Astronia luebanensis Elm. Leafl. Philip. Bot. 4 (1911) 1201. 
Luzon, Province of Nueva Vizcaya, For. Bur. H851 Darling: Province 
of Rizal, Loher 6277: Province of Bataan, Leiberg 6056, Whitford 238: 
Province of Laguna, San Antonio, Bur. Sci. 15026, 20516, Ramos: Province 
of Tayabas, Mount Banajao, Elmer 7807 (type number of A. luebanensis), 
7UU8: Province of Batangas, For. Bur. 2150i, 21557 Tamesis. Mindanao, 
Province of Surigao, Ahern 3Uk, Sanchez, Quadras. 
Var. FURFURACEA var. nov. 
A typo difFert paniculis prominente longe furfuraceis vel fur- 
furaceo-setosis, paleis usque ad 2.5 mm longis. 
Luzon, Province of Cagayan, Misiones River, For. Bur. 17180 Curran. 
This variety differs from Astronia rolfei, as here interpreted, chiefly in 
its very densely paleaceous or furfuraceous-setose inflorescence, the scales 
being much longer than those in the typical form of the species. 
Astronia rolfei Vid., has been interpreted chiefly from the original 
description, but the specimens referred to it do not agree with the descrip- 
tion in all particulars. The type is Cuming 1723, from Samar, and Vidal 
referred to the same species his No. 1392 from Albay Province, Luzon. 
In 1907 J examined the original material in the Kew Herbarium, and 
referred to the species Whitford 238, but a more critical comparison seems 
to be necessary. Some of the specimens here considered to represent 
Astronia rolfei have 3-plinerved, rather than 3-nerved leaves, and in all 
the specimens the adult leaves are nearly or quite glabrous; the character 
“subtus pallide ochraceo-lepidota evanescentia” does not well apply to 
our material, except to the form described as Astronia luebanensis Elm. 
This character, however, does apply sufficiently well to some of the 
specimens I have referred to Astronia cumingiana Vid., which have 3-nerved 
leaves, and under that species I have placed specimens having both 3-nerved 
and 3-plinerved leaves. I have suspected that Astronia cumingiana and 
Astronia rolfei are really but forms of the same species, but a critical 
examination of the type material is necessary to determine the matter. 
The species, as here interpreted, presents cup-shaped male flowers and 
urceolate perfect ones on separate plants, so that the species is apparently 
polygamo-dioecious. I am unable to discover any constant characters by 
which Astronia luebanensis Elm. can be distinguished from A. rolfei Vid., 
as I understand the latter species. 
13. ASTRONIA ACU M I N ATISSI M A sp. nov. 
Species praecedente afRnis, differt foliis minoribus, usque ad 10 
cm longis, 4 cm latis, longe caudato-acuminatis, manifeste tripli- 
nerviis, paniculis multo minoribus, circiter 5 cm longis. 
