Bactris.'] equatoeial- American palms. 143 



dum. — FL $ albescentes ; sepala et petala cartilaginea orbicularia 

 convoluto-imbricata, ilia oblata, hsec demum aucta sepalis dupio lon- 

 giora fructum stipantia ; stamina ; ovarium ovale 3-loculare (loculis 

 2 minimis cito absorptis) ovulo loculi fertilis unico erecto j stigmata 

 . tiia temiinalia sessilia, primiim conniventia, ulterius reflexa, Baccce 

 nigro-pm-purese, 1 X |-poUicares, ellipsoidese vel siibovoideae, styli 

 basi submucronatae ] mesocarpium tenue subdulce, lamina intima fibris 

 plurimis contiguis complanatis a fructus basi ad apicem radiantibus 



constants ; semen oblongum aciitum ; testa ; albumen sequabile 



fibroso-osseum ; embryo hilo proximus. 



Bactris, Jacq. 



With 



is to have a symmetrical endocarp, that includes or combines all 

 the three carpels, and is marked towards one end with three 

 small circular depressions, or foveolse, whereof usually only one, 

 namely that opposite the embryo of the only fertile ovule and 

 carpel, is open, the other two being closed (foramina caeca). 



The Prickly Cocoineae, with Bactris for their type, form a 

 well-marked subtribe, distinguished not only by their prickles, 



but also by their floral envelopes being either gamophyllous or 

 valvate, and the endocarp foraminate or foveolate at the apex *; 

 whereas in the Unarmed Cocoinese the sepals and petals of the 

 female flowers are widely imbricated, and the endocarp is forami- 

 nate at the base. 



Bactris difiers from most of its near allies by the female flowers 

 being entirely destitute of a sterile androeceura. DesmoncuSy 

 Mart., comes the nearest to it: for an exposition of their difier- 

 ences see under that genus. Guiliclmia, Mart,, can hardly be 

 considered even a subgenus, notwithstanding its attaining a far 

 larger size than most species of Bactris ; but even in size it is 

 approached by such true Bactrides as B. maraja, Mart., and B. 

 halanophoray sp. n. ; and I fail to see how it difiers in character 

 from the section I have called below " Cyathochlamys." 



Although so widely diverse in character from Geonomay some 

 of the smaller species of Bactris resemble <^ertain Geonomas so 

 closely in habit, and in the simple or pinnatisect forked leaves, 

 and the apparent absence of prickles, that they are often classed 

 along with them by the natives under the name of " Ubim-rana, 

 Generally they may be distinguished by the ciliated leaves ; but 



* Except only in Acrocomia, Mart., wliich has the petals of the S flowers 

 imbricated, and the endocarp foraminate at about midway. 



?> 



