A New Species of Melochia from the Planalto of Bahi'a, Brazil Aaron Goldberg Melochia longidentata A. Goldberg, sp. nov., sectionis Mougeotiae prope M. hasslerianam Chod. sed primarius in dentibus calycis longissimis et ad apicem angustissimis, calyce corollam aequante, et in inflorescentiis axillaribus parvis contractis paucifloris differt. Herba erecta O.25-O.5 m. alta, pilis simplicibus ad 3 mm. longis, etiam in calyce aliquot glandulosis. Foliorum petioli 0.5-2.5 cm. longi, laminae 2. 0-6. 5 cm. longae, I.O-3.3 cm. latae, lanceolate -ova tae, basi rotundatae apice acutae. Inflorescentiae axillares 1-1. 5 cm. longae, floribus subsessilibus, 2-4 per inflorescentiam. Calyx 8-10 mm. longus, non accrescens, dentibus 7-9 mm. longis basi 1.2 ram. latis. Petala flava, 9-5-10 mm. longa ad 2.6 mm. lata. Forma longistyla: Stamina ad h.l mm. longa, pistillum ad 6.8 mm. longum. Forma brevistyla: Stamina ad 6.8 mm. longa, pistillum ad 4.5 mm. longum. Fructus globosus ad 6.h mm. diametro, rostro ad 2 mm. longo; dehiscens secus totam suturam ventralem et tertia ad mediam partem secus sutioram dorsa-lem atque septicide incompletus. For ready comparison with other species the following descrip-tion is in the style used in my monograph of Melochia in Contri-butions from the United States National Herbarium, vol. 3^' 191" 363. 1968. An erect herb O.25-O.5 m. high, 2 mm. wide, usually branch-ing, the branches not basal, root not thickened, the stems and petioles moderately pilose, hairs simple, straight, extending laterally, 2.0 mm. long, also shorter, c\rrved, and arranged in a line along the stem; internodes I-7 cm. long. Stipules 3-7 mm. long, O.3-I.O mm. wide, deltoid -acuminate, ciliate; petiole O.5-2.5 cm. long; lamina 2.0-6.5 cm. long, 1.0-3.3 cm. wide, lanceolate -ovate, the base rounded, the apex acute, both surfaces sparsely pilose, hairs simple, appressed, O.5-2 mm. long, irregularly crenate -serrate, serrations I-3 mm. wide, O.5-2.0 mm. high, costa prominent, pairs of lateral veins 7-IO, straight, parallel, at about ^5° angle to the costa, one pair of veins basal. Inflorescences axillary, 1-1. 5 cm. long, in the axils of 1-6 upper leaves, peduncle 0-0. 3 cm. long, leaf subtending the inflorescence frequently reduced, flowers 2-k per inflorescence, subsessile, the pedicels l(-2) ram. long; bracts 4.5-6.0 mm. long, 0.5-1.0 mm. wide, linear, ciliate, the hairs 1-2 ram. long. Calyx 8.0-10.0 mm. long, 3.7 mm. wide at the apex of the connate part, not accrescent, pilose, the hairs simple, 0.2-1.0 mm. long and a few uniseriate, 0.3 mm. long, with an apical gland; the teeth very long, 7.O-9.O rara. long, 1.1-1.2 ram. wide at the base, deltoid-acuminate, filiform toward the apex, the sinus between the teeth acute to narrowly rounded; petals bright yello'vj 287
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