A NEW PEPEROMIA, COLLECTED BY THE SURINAME EXPEDITION 1948/1949

Herba parva delicata subcaespitosa repens, caule pergracili sat conferte piloso, pilis erectis; foliis alternis vel supremis oppositis elliptico-obovatis, apice rotundatis, basi acutis vel subobtusis, supra crispo-pubescentibus subtus glabris vel dissite pubescentibus ciliolatis palmatim 3-5-nerviis; petiolo pergracili; spicis terminalibus axillaribusve gracillimis; drupa obliquo-ovoidea, apice obliqua, stigmate subapicali.A very small, delicate, subcespitose, herbaceous plant, the stems scarcely 1 mm. in diameter when dry, pilose with spreading hairs, commonly densely so in young growth, branching, the sterile branches comparatively short and stolon-like, the fruiting branches ascending 3-5 cm. Leaves alternate, or the uppermost appearing opposite, the blades elliptic-obovate, the apex rounded, the base acute or obtusish, up to 7 mm. wide and 10 mm. long, but mostly about 3-4 X 5-7 mm., the upper surface crisp-pilose, the lower surface glabrous, or occasional leaves pilose, the margin ciliate, palmately 3- or 5-nerved, the nerves with very slender cross-connecting-anastomosing nervules as viewed by transmitted light, drying membranous and translucent, the blades with a pair of longitudinal brown stripes above and pale green beneath when growing; petiole filiform, mostly 3-5 mm. long, sparsely pilose glabrescent, flattened above and laterally ridged by the decurrent blade margins. Spikes terminal or axillary, very slender, closely flowered, up to 1.5 (or more?) cm. long, the peduncle 5-8 mm. long, thinly pilose glabrescent, the bracts round-peltate, the margin uneven or irregular. Fruit obliquely ovoid with oblique apex and subapical stigma.