XIV. 4 Merrill: Noteworthy Philippine Plants, XV 435 
mary lateral nerves anastomosing with the midrib in the acu- 
men, when young the nerves beneath with few, scattered, 
furfuraceous-castaneous scales, soon becoming glabrous ; petioles 
1,5 to 2 cm long, glabrous. Panicles terminal, shortly pedun- 
cled, rather few-flowered, 2 to 3 cm long, the primary branches 
few, 1 cm long or less, the flowers somewhat crowded at the 
apices of the branchlets. Perfect flowers shortly pedicelled, ur- 
ceolate, the calyx-tube about 2.5 mm long, the limb spreading 
and about 4.5 mm in diameter, the lobes reniform. Petals obo- 
vate, about 3 mm long. Staminate flowers similar to the pistil- 
late ones but the calyx-tube broadly cup-shaped. 
Luzon, Ilocos Norte Province, Mount Palimlim, Bur. Sci. 
8S279 (type), 33278, 33266 Ramos, August 21, 1918, in forests, 
altitude about 1,000 meters. 
This species is allied to Astronia pachyphylla Merr., A. ver- 
ruculosa Merr., and A. pauciflora Merr., being distinguished 
from the first by its smaller, differently shaped leaves and its 
castaneous-furfuraceous inflorescences and it further lacks the 
characteristic large bracts of A. pachyphylla; the leaves and 
flowers are much smaller than are those of A. verruculosa; while 
A. pauciflora is distinguished, among other characters, by its 
densely lepidote branchlets and inflorescences. 
ARALIACEAE 
SCHEFFLERA Forster 
SCHEFFLERA OBTUSIFOLIA sp. nov. § Euschefflera, Heptapleurum. 
Frutex erectus, ramulis inflorescentiisque exceptis glaber; 
foliis brevissime petiolatis, palmatim 7- ad 9-foliolatis, foliolis 
coriaceis, oblongo-obovatis, integris, 8 ad 15 cm longis, apice 
plerumque rotundatis, basi acutis ; inflorescentiis breviter pedun- 
culatis, ramis primariis racemose dispositis, 18 ad 24 cm longis, 
leviter pubescentibus ; umbellulis numerosis, racemose dispositis, 
8- ad 12-floris pedunculis usque ad 1 cm longis; floribus 5- 
meris ; fructibus ellipsoideis ad oblongo-ellipsoideis, 5 mm longis, 
5-sulcatis, 
An erect shrub, about 2 m high, glabrous except the some- 
what pubescent branchlets and slightly pubescent inflorescences. 
Leaves very short-petioled, 7- to 9-foliolate; leaflets coriaceous, 
shining when dry, oblong-obovate, entire, 8 to 15 cm long, 4 
to 6.5 cm wide, the apex usually rounded, narrowed below to the 
acute base; primary lateral nerves 7 to 10 on each side of the 
midrib, the nerves and reticulations distinct on both surfaces; 
petiolules 3.5 to 8 cm long; petioles stout, 1 to 1.5 cm long. In- 
