A flora of Manila - Rainforestation

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A FLORA OF MANILA
acuminate, entire, 1.5 to 5 cm long. Inflorescence from the uppermost
axils, peduncled, forked or twice forked, each peduncle with 2 to 4 involucres,
each involucre with 2, spreading, red, reniform lobes about 8 mm
long and 10 to 12 mm wide. (Fl. Filip. pi. 167, left hand figure.)
Not uncommon in cultivation, fl. all the year. A native of Madagascar,
now widely cultivated as an ornamental plant.
3. E. TIRUCALLI L. Consuelda (Sp.-Fil.).
An erect, glabrous, unarmed shrub or small tree 2 to 5 m high, the
branches green, somewhat fleshy, cylindric, clustered or scattered, the
ultimate ones about 5 mm thick. Leaves none, or few and scattered, linear-
oblong, 1 cm long or less. Involucres shortly pedicelled, clustered in the
forks of the smaller branches, small, turbinate. (Fl. Filip. pi. 210.)
In thickets and hedges, Malabon; of rather wide distribution in the
Philippines, but certainly introduced. A native of Africa, now naturalized
in many parts of India.
4. E. HETEROPHYLLA L. Painted Leaf.
An erect, branched, glabrous or nearly glabrous, suffrutescent herb or
shrubby plant 0.5 to 1.5 m high. Leaves alternate, very variable, mostly
oblong-ovate, acute, 3 to 10 cm long, the lower ones usually entire, the
upper ones variously lobed, sinuate, dentate, or subentire, the uppermost
ones often blotched with red at the base, similar to the bracts. Bracts
leaf-like, but much smaller than the leaves, the lower part red, the upper
part green. Involucres clustered at the ends of the branches, about 3
mm long, green, one sinus bearing an unappendaged gland. Capsules
nodding, about 5 mm wide.
Frequently cultivated for ornamental purposes, also spontaneous in
vacant lots, etc., fl. all the year. A native of temperate and tropical
America, of comparatively recent introduction here.
*5. E. PULCHERRIMA Willd. Pascuas (Sp.-Fil.) ; Poinsettia.
An erect, sparingly and laxly branched shrub 2 to 4 m high. Leaves
elliptic to oblong-elliptic or the upper ones lanceolate, acute or acuminate,
10 to 18 cin long, the lower ones all green, obscurely repand or slightly
lobed, long-petioled, slightly pubescent beneath, the upper ones, at time of
flowering, uniformly bright-red. Inflorescence terminal. Involucres ovoid,
about 1 cm long, the margins toothed, each with one or two large, yellow
glands. Flowers crowded, red. (Fl. Filip. pi. 167, right hand figure.)
Cultivated for ornamental purposes, fl. Oct.-Feb., very showy at time of
flowering, the upper leaves then being bright-red. A native of tropical
America, now cultivated in most tropical and subtropical countries.
6. E. serrulata Reinw.
A slender, erect, glabrous, simple or branched, somewhat suffrutescent
and wiry plant 25 to 70 cm high, the stems terete. Leaves opposite, linear
to oblong-linear, 1.5 to 6 cm long, obtuse or apiculate, base rounded, margins
remotely serrulate. Cymes small, axillary and terminal, the heads
small, pedicelled, 5 to 9 in each cyme, the involucre purplish, ovoid,
nearly 2 mm long, each with about 4, white, petal-like, orbicular or reniform
appendages, 1 to 1.5 mm wide. Styles short, bifid. Capsules ovoid, about
2 mm long.
In open grass lands, Caloocan to San Pedro Macati, fl. Aug.-Dec. ; widely
distributed in the Philippines. Southern China and Formosa to Celebes
and Timor.