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PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol III, July, 1949 
Apical portion of achene depressed- 
conic with deep constriction sep- 
arating it from basal portion. 
Leaf base usually cuneate; tertiary 
branching of veins forming the 
conspicuous reticulation in pri- 
mary intervals . . N. sericea 
KEY II 
For Identification of Non-fruiting Pistillate or 
Sterile Plants 
1. Secondary branching of veins 
forming conspicuous reticulation 
of leaf, that formed by the terti- 
ary branching less conspicuous or 
obscure, giving the impression of 
a coarse-meshed net within the 
primary intervals ............ 2 
Tertiary branching of veins forming 
the conspicuous reticulation of 
leaf, that formed by the secondary 
branching not more conspicuous 
and often less conspicuous than 
that formed by the tertiary 
branching, giving the impression 
of a fine-meshed net within pri- 
mary intervals .............. 14 
2(1). Calyx of pistillate flower angled. 
Lower leaf surface sericeous. ... 3 
Calyx of pistillate flower not angled. 
Lower leaf surface not sericeous . 4 
3 (2). Leaf margin dentate, partly den- 
tate, or rarely entire. Pubescence 
on lower leaf surface mostly sub- 
erect except that upper part of 
each hair is somewhat arcuate 
......... .N. cmgulata var. dentata 
Leaf margin always entire. Pubes- 
cence mostly appressed and di- 
rected toward margin, oriented 
centripetally in primary intervals 
producing a conspicuous geo- 
metrically uneven sheen ....... 
........ .N. cmgulata var. angulata 
4 (2). Calyx beak attenuate apically. 
Lower leaf surface not obscured 
by pubescence (or if partly or 
completely obscured, leaf base 
sub-cordate or leaf margin irregu- 
larly undulate) 5 
Calyx beak expanded apically. 
Lower leaf surface obscured by 
pubescence (if not, or only in- 
completely obscured, lower sur- 
face puberulent or lower surface 
markedly pallid when dry) ..... 13 
5 (4). Lower leaf surface with little or no 
pubescence; when present, hairs 
largely restricted to principal 
veins and primary vein branches; 
infrequently very short hairs in 
vein intervals ............... 6 
Lower leaf surface generally pubes- 
cent, hairs not restricted to veins 
but generally distributed over en- 
tire surface ................. 9 
6(5). Flowers all, or at least some, pedi- 
celled; pedicels slender, 0.5-2 
mm. long, often persistent on 
sterile plants recently fertile .... 7 
Flowers all sessile .............. 8 
7(6). Leaves thin, palmate; apex abruptly 
acute to acuminate; base often 
obtuse or sub-obtuse. Calyx lobes 
thin ...................... 
. .N. melastomaefolia var. parvifolia 
Leaves thick, usually triplinerved; 
apex evenly acute to acuminate; 
base usually cuneate. Calyx lobes 
thickish, particularly at tips. .N. 
melastomaefolia var. melastomaefolia 
8 (6). Lower leaf surface with few to 
many erect or sub-erect, very 
short, uncinate hairs on venation 
other than principal veins and 
primary branches; paler below 
when dry but not markedly pal- 
lid. Leaf apex evenly acuminate 
. . ,N. melastomaefolia var. uncinata 
Lower leaf surface without uncinate 
hairs, entirely glabrous or with 
few, appressed hairs on principal 
veins; when dry, markedly pallid 
below. Leaf apex usually abruptly 
acuminate 
. . . .N. melastomaefolia var. pallida 
9(5). Leaves with dense covering of ir- 
regularly curving and bending, 
erect hairs on lower leaf surface, 
or hairs almost straight ....... 10 
Leaves without above type of pubes- 
cence but with few to many long, 
evenly distributed, ascending, ap- 
pressed or sub-erect hairs ...... 12 
