THE PHILIPPINE 
Journal of Science 
C. Botany 
Yol. IV AUGUST, 1909 No. 3. 
THE GENUS ERI A IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS* 
By Robert Green leaf Leavitt. 
(From the Ames Botanical Laboratory, North Easton, Mass., U. S. A.) 
Forty species of Eria, all but six of which 'are thought to be endemic, 
have thus far been discovered in the Philippine Islands and are described 
below. They are distributed in seven sections, § Urostachya being most 
fully represented, with § Hymeneria second in number of species. 
Only thirteen of these Erias were known to science when, within a 
decade or so, the present botanical activity began, the remaining twenty- 
seven being, therefore, all recent, or new. Thirteen species are described 
for the first time in the present account. These facts arouse the expecta- 
tion that in the immediate future a large number of new species will be 
brought to light in the extensive districts which, botanic-ally, are as yet 
virgin territory. Many exotic kinds will also doubtless be found. With 
the increase of material and the more enlightened study which it will 
permit, groups now thought to be integral species will reveal a definite 
multiplicity. As a result of these several modifying causes, the genus of 
only a few years hence will doubtless wear a quite different aspect from 
that of the Philippine Eria of to-day; and the present summary will very 
shortly appear fragmentary and out of date. Without doubt it embodies 
mistakes incidental to a paucity of materials. It is attempted with the 
purpose of promoting the study of the group by collectors, and is prepared 
in view of the fact that, at the moment of writing, there is in existence 
no general treatment of the genus Eria. I have hoped to lighten the 
* Contributions from the Ames Botanical Laboratory, Xo. 10. 
85754 
201 
