226 
MERRILL. 
An erect somewhat woody plant about 15 cm high, from stont, elongated, 
woody roots, the stems simple or dichotomonsly once branched, terete, 
slender, the branchlets pale or dark in color, puberulent. Leaves obovate- 
oblong, 8 to 12 cm long, 3 to 5 cm wide, membranaceous or subchartaceous, 
entire, the apex acute or very shortly acuminate, rather gradually narrowed 
from about the upper third to the acute base, the upper surface shining, 
with very few, scattered, short hairs, becoming glabrous or nearly so, the 
lower surface paler, eglandular, often shining, sometimes somewhat 
puberulent on the nerves; nerves about 6 on each side of the midrib, 
distant, distinct, anastomosing, the reticulations lax; petioles 2 to 4 mm 
long, puberulent. Inflorescence cymose, rather densely puberulent, termi- 
nating the stems and branches, or in the dichotomously branched plants 
terminating the main stem between the branches and 'also frequently 
terminating the branches, pedunculate, the peduncles about 1 cm long, 
the cymes in anthesis about 1 cm long and wide, somewhat larger in fruit, 
rather densely flowered, the pedicels about 2 mm long, subtended by small 
bracteoles. Calyx in anthesis about 2 mm long, puberulent outside, 
narrowly funnel-shaped, equally 5-toothed, the teeth obtuse, 0.5 mm long, 
as wide as long, accrescent and persistent, 2-lipped in fruit. Corolla 
white or greenish- white, slightly exserted, 4.5 mm long, the tube broad, 
cylindric, straight, glabrous outside, inside somewhat villous, about 1.5 
mm long, the limb prominently 2-lipped, the smaller lip rounded, about 
2 mm in diameter, entire, imbricately covering the larger lip in bud, the 
larger lip prominently 3-lobed, the middle lobe rounded, 1.6 mm in 
diameter, entire, the lateral lobes about 1 mm long and 1.5 mm wide, flll 
lobes reflexed, or the middle lobe of the upper lip suberect. Stamens 4, 
inserted in the tube, the filaments 0.5 mm long; anthers ovate or broadly 
elliptic, 0.6 mm long, the cells parallel, not divergent. Ovary ovoid, 
glabrous, 2-celled, each cell- 2-ovuled ; style less than 1 mm long, minutely 
cleft at the apex. Fruit black, broadly obovoid, tipped by the remains 
of the style, about 5 mm long, 4 mm in diameter, somewhat inequilateral, 
the pericarp thin, fleshy, the endocarp bony, longitudinally rugose, 1-celled, 
containing a single seed, but frequently with indications of. an additional 
cell, the second cell rarely developing a seed. Calyx accrescent, persistent, 
in fruit nearly 4 mm in diameter, distinctly 2-lipped, the larger lip with 
three, 0.5 mm long teeth, the smaller lobe with two similar but distant 
teeth. ■ Seeds oblong, compressed, ‘ exalbuminous. 
Luzon, Province of Cagayan, Piat, Bur. Sci. 7811 Ramos, April 2, 1909: 
Province of Isabela, Hagan, Bur. Sci. 8121 Ramos, April 29, 1909, in open grassy 
plains. 
This curious little plant apparently represents the type of a new genus allied 
to Premna and Vitex, but more especially to the former. It differs remarkably 
from all species of both genera in its habit and in its small size as well as 
in floral and fruit characters indicated in the diagnosis. The stout roots, much 
larger then the stems, reach a diameter of 5 mm. Striking characters of the 
genus, aside from the small size and habit of the plant are its 2-lipped corollas, 
