18. 1 
Merrill: New Philippine Moraceae 
55 
FICUS BALETE sp. nov. § Urostigma. 
Arbor glabra, usque ad 15 m alta; foliis alternis, crasse co- 
riaceis, ellipticis ad oblongis vel obovato-oblongis, integris, apice 
breviter late obtuseque acuminatis, basi acutis ad rotundatis, pe- 
tiolatis, nervis primariis utrinque circiter 12 quam secundariis 
vix magis distinctioribus ; receptaculis axillaribus, solitariis, pe- 
dunculatis, oblongo-ovoideis ad ellipsoideis, glabris, circiter 1.5 
cm longis, bracteis 3, perspicuis, late ovatis, obtusis, patulis, cir- 
citer 6 mm longis. 
A glabrous tree, starting as an epiphyte and soon strangling 
its host, reaching a height of about 15 m, the branches terete, 
yellowish-brown, wrinkled, the ultimate ones about 5 mm in 
diameter, marked with scars of fallen petioles and stipules. 
Leaves alternate;, thickly coriaceous, 7 to 13 cm long, 3 to 6 cm 
wide, elliptic to oblong-elliptic or oblong-obovate, brownish or 
olivaceous when dry, somewhat shining, entire, the apex shortly, 
broadly, and obtusely acuminate, the base acute to rounded, some- 
what 3-plinerved; primary lateral nerves about 12 on each side 
of the midrib, rather prominent but scarcely more distinct than 
are the secondary nerves, the reticulations distinct, all anasto- 
mosing in a submarginal nerve; petioles 1.5 to 2.5 cm long; 
stipules lanceolate, acuminate, coriaceous, brown, 2.5 cm long. 
Receptacles axillary, solitary, glabrous, red when mature, but 
little wrinkled, hard, oblong-ovoid to ellipsoid, rounded at the 
apex, 1.5 to 1.8 cm long, 1 to 1.3 cm in diameter, the base with 
three, broadly ovate, obtuse, coriaceous, persistent, spreading, 
brown, glabrous bracts about 6 mm long, the peduncles about 
8 mm long. 
Luzon, Zambales Province, Merrill 2931, May, 1903, Hallier 
s. n.: Rizal Province, Antipolo, Merrill 1732, March, 1903, Bur. 
Sci. 222 U6 Ramos: Laguna Province, Mount Maquiling, For. Bur. 
26kk9 Catalan, For. Bur. 2012k Forestry School, March, 1913, 
Elmer 18266: Tayabas Province, Guinayangan, Merrill 2033 
(type), 20 kl, April, 1903, Bur. Sci. 20869 Escritor, March, 1913, 
Bur. Sci. 26878 Edaho: Camarines Province, Ahern 193, 23. 
Mindoro, For. Bur. 8535 Merritt, January, 1908. Panay, Cope- 
land 131, January, 1904, Bur. Sci. 31516 Ramos & Edano. 
A species, widely distributed in the northern Philippines at low 
altitudes, well characterized by its medium-sized, short-peduncled 
receptacles which have three prominent, spreading bracts at the 
base. It is commonly known as balete, but this native name is 
applied to many other species of the section Urostigma. 
