252 
MERRILL. 
Vahl, then perhaps the present variety should be given specific rank. However, 
the material on which the species and the , variety are based, came from the 
same region, although at different altitudes, and was collected on the same date, 
and the pubescence of the latter may be a character largely due to altitude. 
COMPOSITE. 
VERNON I A Schreb. 
Vernonia elmeri sp. nov. 
Gynura angulosa Elmer Leafl. Philip. Bot. 1 (1906) 146, excl. syn., non DC. 
Herba seandens, usque ad 3 m alta, foliis subtus, ramulis, inflorescen- 
tiisque leviter pubescentibus ; foliis alternis, petiolatis, oblongo-ovatis vel 
laneeolato-ovatis, valde acuminatis, . margine distanter dentieulatis ; in- 
florescentiis terminalibus, corjmiboso-paniculatis, capitulis pedunculatis, 
circiter 1 cm longis ; floribus purpureis. 
A scandent herbaceous plant reaching a height of at least 3 m. Stems 
and branches terete, striate, appressed-pubescent with grayish hairs. 
Leaves alternate, oblong-ovate to lanceolate-ovate, or the upper ones 
nearly lanceolate, 4 to 8 cm long, 1 to 3 cm wide, the upper ones often 
smaller, chartaceous or submembranaceous, gradually narrowed into the 
sharply acuminate apex, the base acute or broad and rounded, the mar- 
gins with distant, small teeth, somewhat pubescent with scattered hairs 
on both surfaces, or nearly glabrous above, glandular-punctate beneath; 
petioles 3 to 4 mm long, pubescent. Panicles terminal, corymbose, 
slightly pubescent. Heads comparatively few, about 1 cm long. Involu- 
cral bracts 5- or 6-seriate, the outer ones gradually smaller, and the outer- 
most almost linear, 1 to 1.5 mm long, all pubescent, the innermost ones 
about 5 mm long, 1 to 1.3 mm wide, apiculate-acuminate, slightly keeled. 
Disk at first paleaceous with short scales, ultimately quite glabrous. 
Flowers all hermaphrodite, homogamous, tubular, purple. Achenes about 
1 mm long, slightly pubescent, obscurely ribbed; pappus white, copious, 
about 6 mm long, with a few very short hairs in the outer series. Corolla 
about 9 mm long, cleft at the apex into 5, oblong-lanceolate, about 3 mm 
long lobes; style exserted, the arms 2 mm long; anthers 2.5 mm long, 
apex blunt or acute, hyaline, base shortly cleft. 
Palawan, Separation Point, Merrill 793, February, 1903; San Antonio Bay, 
Merrill 5256, October, 1906; Mount Victoria, Bur. Sci. 703 Foxworthy, March, 
1905. Luzon, Province of Nueva Vizcaya, Bur. Sci. 8196 Ramos, May, 1909, 
Mindanao, Lake Lanao, Mrs. Clemens 915, January, 1907. 
This species is apparently closely allied to Vernonia cmerea (L.) Less., but is 
at once distinguishable by its much larger size, scandent habit, and larger leaves 
and heads. In floral structure it is exceedingly similar to that species. It was 
referred by Mr. Elmer to Gynura angulosa DC., but does not remotely resemble 
that species, and is, moreover, not a member of the Seneoioneae. The structure of 
the involucre at once distinguishes it from Gynura and allied genera. More ma- 
terial is necessary to dispose of Gynura scurmentosa Elm., 1. c. (non DC.! ), as the 
specimen referred to it by that author, Copeland 1258, is very similar to some 
