71 
No. 53. 
Aphananthe philippinensis, Planch. 
The Native Elm. 
(Natural Order URTICACE/E.) 
Botanical description.— Genus, Aphananthe, Planch. 
Flowers. —Monoecious, the males in axillary cymes, the females solitary or two together. 
Perianth. —In both sexes of 4 or 5 segments, imbricate in the bud. 
Stamens. —In the males 4 or 5, the filaments short, slightly incurved in the bud. 
Pistil. —Rudimentary. 
Styles.— In the females deeply divided into linear acute entire branches papillose-hirsute inside. 
Ovule. —Pendulous, or laterally attached near the top. 
Drupe. —Ovoid, slightly compressed, the endocarp crustaceous. 
Seed. —Nearly globular ; testa membraneous ; albumen little or none. 
Embryo. —Curved or involute, the outer larger cotyledon enclosing the smaller one. 
Tree or shrub. 
Leaves .—Alternate, penniveined. 
Stipules.— Very small or none. 
Male cymes .—In the axils of the old leaves. 
Female Flowers .—Sessile or shortly pedicellate in the lower axils of the young shoots. 
Botanical description. —Species, A. philippinensis, Plancli., in Ann. Sc. 
Nat. ser. 3, X, 337. 
A tree or small shrub, glabrous or scabrous pubescent. 
Leaves .—Shortly petiolate, broadly ovate to elliptical, acute or almost obtuse, rigidly 
membraneous or coriaceous, scabrous, the primary veins very prominent underneath, and 
although anastomosing near the margin, generally produced into small rigid mucronate teeth, 
the whole leaf usually 1 to 2 inches long, but on some barren specimens the leaves larger, 
ovate-lanceolate, truncate or almost cordate at the base, the marginal teeth more prominent ; 
on other specimens the leaves smaller, broader, and deeply divided into pungent-pointed 
lobes. 
At ale cymes. —Almost sessile but loose. 
Perianth segments. —Broad, concave, ciliolate. 
Anthers. —Half exserted when fully out. 
Female perianth.— Segments narrower. 
Fruit. —Ovoid, acuminate, about 3 lines long. 
