Genus Ner audio , — COWAN 
241 
10 (9). Leaf margin entire 11 
Leaf margin irregularly undulate 
( only staminate plant known ) . . 
......... N. kauaiensis var. Helleri 
11 (10). Leaf base usually rotund, sub- 
cordate or obtuse. On upper leaf 
surface at junction of principal 
veins, tuft of hair always erect. 
On veins of lower leaf surface, 
hairs erect, irregularly bending, 
or almost straight 
N. kauaiensis var. kauaiensis 
Leaf base not rotund or sub-cordate, 
usually cuneate. On upper leaf 
surface at junction of principal 
veins, tuft of hair appressed. On 
veins of lower leaf surface, hairs 
ascending, mostly appressed, and 
nearly straight N. sericea 
12 (9). Leaves usually palmately nerved. . 
. . N. melastomae folia var. pubescens 
Leaves usually triplinerved . . . .N. 
melastomae folia var. Gaudichaudii 
13 (4). Leaves elliptic or oblance-elliptic, 
entirely glabrous or with few as- 
cending, appressed hairs on mid- 
rib of lower leaf surface; when 
dry, lower leaf surface markedly 
pallid 
..... N. melastomae folia var. pallida 
Leaves not as above, with dense 
covering of erect, irregularly 
curving and bending hairs on 
lower leaf surface N. sericea 
14 ( 1 ) . Lower leaf surface puberulent, hairs 
very short, and fine, almost 
hyaline N. ovata 
Lower leaf surface densely pilosu- 
lose, hairs whitish or grayish and 
longer (more than 0.8 mm.) 
N. sericea 
KEY III 
For Identification of Pistillate Plants with Flowers 
and Fruit 
1. Calyx beak attenuate appically 2 
Calyx beak expanded apically 13 
2(1). Calyx of flower angled; calyx of 
matufe fruit very thick-fleshy, 
sharply ridged, and angled. Lower 
leaf surface sericeous ......... 3 
Calyx of flower not angled; calyx of 
mature fruit not thick-fleshy, 
sharply ridged, or angled 4 
3(2). Leaf margin dentate, partly dentate, 
or, rarely, entire. Pubescence on 
lower leaf surface sub-erect, hairs 
mostly arcuate in upper part, di- 
rected mostly toward margin, 
geometrically uneven sheen on 
lower surface not marked ...... 
. .N. angulata var. dentata 
Leaf margin always entire. Pubes- 
cence on lower leaf surface 
strictly or mostly appressed and 
oriented centripetally in primary 
intervals and producing a marked 
geometrically uneven silvery 
sheen . . . .N. angulata var. angulata 
4 (2). Outer margin of basal portion of 
achene not involute 5 
Outer margin of basal portion of 
achene involute 11 
5 (4). Apical portion of achene de- 
pressed-conic or hemispheric ... 6 
Apical portion or achene not de- 
pressed-conic or hemispheric but 
more or less conic with blunt or 
sharp tip 10 
6(5). Apical portion separated from 
basal portion by deep transverse 
constriction. Lower leaf surface 
densely pilosulose, hairs erect, ir- 
regularly curving and bending . . 
N. sericea 
Apical portion separated by only 
slight, obtuse constriction from 
basal portion or lacking definite, 
complete constriction. Lower leaf 
surface not densely pilosulose, 
hairs when present appressed to 
sub-erect 7 
7 (6). Lower leaf surface with many 
rather long, evenly distributed 
hairs over entire surface . . . .N. 
melastomae folia var. Gaudichaudii 
Lower leaf surface with hairs mostly 
restricted to veins, if in intervals, 
hairs very short 8 
8 (7). Leaves thick, often triplinerved; 
veins very strongly salient below. 
Flowers of both sexes with pedi- 
cels; calices thick, particularly at 
tips of lobes of staminate calyx 
N. 
melastomaefolia var. melastomaefolia 
