374 
MERRILL AND MERRITT. 
Loheria bracteata Merrill sp. nov. 
Frutex erectus vix ramo&us glaber, T ad 3 m altus ; f oliis subcoriaeeis, 
glabris, oblongo-obovatis vel late oblanceolatis, usque ad 32 cm longis, 
apice acutis, breviter late acuminatis, vel rotundatis; nervis utrinque 
circiter 15, prominentibus ; paniculis glabris, 5 ad 8 cm longis, in ramis 
specialibus, floribus racemoso-dispositis, tetrameris vel pentameris. 
An erect, glabrous, unbranched shrub 1.5 to 3 m high, the upper 
portions of the stems stout, brown, 1 cm in diameter. Leaves alternate, 
crowded at the apex of the trunk, oblong-obovate to broadly oblanceolate, 
subcoriaceous, 18 to 32 cm long, 5 to 10 cm wide, entire, smooth and 
shining when dry, glabrous, the apex blunt, acute, or shortly and broadly 
acuminate, sometimes rounded, gradually narrowed from above the middle 
to the base which is narrow and abruptly rounded, the lower surface with 
scattered, brownish, rounded glands; nerves about 15 on each side of the 
midrib, somewhat ascending, very prominent on both surfaces, anasto- 
mosing, the reticulations rather lax, distinct; petioles very stout, 1 cm 
long or less, sometimes nearly obsolete, 5 to 7 mm wide. Special branches 
bearing the inflorescence axillary, up to 5 or more on each trunk, stout, 
simple, terete, 2 to 4 cm long, the apical portions thickened and bearing 
numerous scars of fallen bracts, leafless or sometimes with a single much- 
reduced leaf, bearing at their apices numerous, many seriate, imbricate, 
oblong, scarious, membranaceous or chartaceous bracts .1 to 1.8 cm long, 
colored when fresh, usually brown when dry, forming a prominent 
involucre at the base of the panicle or panicles. Panicles one to five from 
the apices of the special branches, 5 to 8 cm long, glabrous, the primary 
branches few, mostly 1 cm long or less, spreading, the flowers racemosely 
disposed, comparatively few, their pedicels 1 to 2 mm long. Flowers 
apparently pink, 4- rarely 5-merous. Sepals broadly triangular-ovate, 
acute, about 1 mm long, spreading in anthesis, united for the lower 
one-half, glabrous, with very few scatered glands or the glands entirely 
wanting. Petals 4, rarely 5, oblong-elliptic, reflexed from the middle 
in anthesis, the apex irregularly emarginate, about 3 mm long, 1.2 
mm wide, prominently glandular in the upper one-half, the lower 0.5 
mm united, forming a short tube. Disk obscure. Stamens 4, rarely 5, 
opposite and attached to the base of the petals, the filaments nearly 1 
mm long ; anthers in the 2 flowers rudimentary, broadly triangular, acute, 
basifixed, the base broad, somewhat sagittate, shorter than the filaments, 
opening by two marginal, somewhat introrse slits. Ovary ovoid, with 
four ovules immersed in the apex of the placenta ; style 1.5 to 2 mm long, 
rather stout, somewhat longer then the ovary; stigma disciform. Fruit 
globose, 7 mm in diameter when fresh, red, 1-seeded, tipped by the 
remains of the style. Albumen prominently ruminate. 
In the mossy forest above an altitude of 2,250 m, For. Bur. 18083 Curran, 
Zschokke, & Merritt, January, 1909, with 9 flowers and immature fruit (type), 
