THE GENUS ERIA IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 
215 
which Lindley had. Yet the description of E. Junghuhnii J. J. Smith (op. cit. 
405) almost equally fits E. Aeridostachya, as far as the material of the latter 
goes. In the Leiden herbarium I was puzzled to find any satisfactory difference 
between the type of E. Junghuhnii and my camera drawings from the type of 
E. Aeridostachya. Reproductions of a flower from the type of the former species 
show the lip to be of somewhat different proportions from that of the latter 
species. The photograph of E. Junghuhnii shows some slight differences also. 
There is no reason to doubt that Smith, who has cultivated the three Javan 
species, is right in his distinctions. I wish to point the truth, that while the 
closely similar species are probably distinct, descriptions and even drawings are 
barely if at all sufficient to separate the plants in their dried state. It will 
be necessary for the successful monographer of the genus to compare type speci- 
mens and perhaps living plants. 
In characterizing a Philippine species which I regard as distinct from E. 
Aeridostachya and from the Javan species, I encountered the above noted descrip- 
tive difficulty. Placed side by side with flowers of E. Aeridostachya at Kew, the 
flowers of this Philippine Eria were seen to depart from the type, yet in such 
manner that specification was difficult. The deviations pertained to pubescence, 
texture, color of the dried specimen, heaviness of veining and to little differences 
of proportion throughout. I propose, as a new species 
E. Whitfordii sp. nov. 
Herb a robusta, epiphytica, E. Aeridostachyae similis. Pseudobulbi 
usque ad 10 cm longi, omnino tecti vaginis magnis laxisque, in sicco 
divaricatis, imis 2-3 cm longis, supremis usque ad 12 cm longis; pseudo- 
bulbus cum vaginis in sicco 5-7 cm latus. Folia oblanceolata, 37 cm 
longa, 3-5 cm lata. Pedunculus circiter 17 cm longus, 2 mm in diametro, 
breviter pubescens. Rhachis inflorescentiae plus minus 14 cm longus, 
dense pubescens tomento brunrieo perbrevi, etiam, oculo nudo ut videtur, 
fere pulvereo. Racemus dense multiflorus, cylindraceus, arcuatus, vix 2 
cm in diametro. Bracteae flores subtendentes late ovatae, cucullatae, 
circiter 1 mm longae. Flores extus dense pubescentes tomento perbrevi, 
brunneo seu ferrugineo. Ovarium cum pedicello eomparate crassum, 
5-6 mm longum ad basim menti. Mentum 3 mm longum, 2.7 mm in 
diametro, ad apicem rotundatnm, cum ovario angulum acutum formans. 
Sepalum dorsale ovato-oblongum, cueullatum, 3-nervium, 4.5 mm longum, 
2.6 mm latum. Sepala lateralia lata, obtusa, falcata, infra multo pro- 
ducta secundum pedem columnae, valde 3-nervia (vel nervi 5), 11.8 mm 
in diametro maximo. Petala ligulata , curvata, apicibus rotundatis, 3- 
nervia, 3.8 mm longa, 1.6 mm lata. Labellum integrum aliquid incras- 
satum, explanatum oblongo-ovatum margine crispata, 3-5-nervium, ad 
basim paulo angustatum, 6 mm longum, usque ad 4 mm latum, infra ad 
apicem cuspide minuto munitum, margine crispata. Columna sine oper- 
culo antherae 1.5 mm alta. Pcs columnae sigmoideus, clavatus, antice 
suleatus, 5 mm longus. 
Luzon, Province of Bataan, Mount Mariveles, Whitford 1119 (type), March, 
1905, spikes of tan and yellow, Merrill (hb. Ames. no. 7 225). 
E. Whitfordii differs from E. Aeridostachya in its slenderer raceme, shorter and 
