PHILIPPINE URTICACEAE. 
501 
four, with, its simple pistillate perianth, absence of involucre, and its few 
species distributed over a wide area, these more difficult to limit specifically 
even than the horde belonging to Elatostema: but the receptacle points 
in the opposite direction. On the' other hand, it would be no great 
transition for the condensed cyme of Elatostematoides to pass into the, 
receptacle of Procris, or the looser cyme of Pellionia, the pistillate perianth, 
intermediate between that of Erocris and of Pellionia might develop in 
either direction; from any point of view, Elatostema is the most distinct, 
but the most probable origin would be through Erocris. Should the 
common ancestor of all four be now extinct or still to be discovered, then 
. it is more probable that Elatostematoides lies between it and Pellionia. 
The staminate flowers, as distinguished from the inflorescence, afford 
no characters : an unfortunate statement in the Pflanzenfamilien, 30 
' referred to by Hallier, that those of Pellionia are “3teilig,” does not 
assist. It may well have been a typographical error : at any rate, it is 
not true.. 
While the present discussion is. based chiefly upon Philippine species 
and the descriptions of those of other countries, the courtesy of the 
Director of Agriculture, Buitenzorg, has enabled me to examine speci- 
mens of 5 of the 6 Bornean species to which reference has been made. 
-The type of Elatostematoides is Elatostema manillense Wedd. 
KEY TO THE PHILIPPINE SPECIES OE ELATOSTEMATOIDES. ■ 
Staminate inflorescences sessile or shortly pedunculate. 
Strongest nerve of at least the narrower side of leaves inserted well above base. 
Leaves large, at least 12 cm long. — 1. E. manillense 
Leaves small, not exceeding 10 cm — ... 2. E. mindanaense 
Strongest leaf ’■nerves basal or subbasal. 
Leaves 2.5, to 5 'cm wide . — . , 3. E. laxum 
Leaves not exceeding 2 cm in width... 4. E. rigidum 
Staminate inflorescences on long slender peduncles..:— 5. E. graoilipes 
1. Elatostematoides manillense (Wedd.) comb. nov. 
Elatostema manillense Wedd. in Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. IV 1 (1854) 189. 
Elatostema rostratum var. manillense Wedd. in DC. Prodr. 1 6 1 (1869) 179. 
Luzon, Province of Cagayan, Pamplona, Bur. Sci. 7 495 _ Ramos: Province of 
Tayabas, Cuming 786; Infanta, Bur. Sci. 93J/5 Robinson. Polillo, San Francisco, 
Bur. Sci. 6942, 6943 Robinson. Panay, Dumarao, Merrill 6710. Mindanao, Prov- 
ince of Misamis, Bliss River, For. Bur. 4698 Mearns & Hutchinson: Subprovince 
of Butuan, Waloe, Merrill 7283. It is hardly too much to say that no one of 
our collections referred to this genus is an exact match for any of the others, the 
specimens cited for this species differing in the extent. of the pubescence, and more 
or less in the shape and serration of the leaves, the Mindanao plant being the 
most distinct. 'The character used in the key, taken from the venation, seems 
natural, and at once separates the species from E. rostratum. 
Elatostema polioneurum Hallier f. is a very close ally of this species, differing 
