172 CL. AROIDEZ (BROWN). [Phektophyllum. 
13. RHEKTOPHYLLUM, N. E. Br.; Benth. et Hook. 
f. Gen. Pl. iii. 981. 
Spathe closely convolute and cylindric in the lower part; limb 
deeply concave, oblong subacute. Spadix moneecious, free, sessile, 
densely covered with flowers, without an appendix or neuter organs ; 
male and female parts contiguous. Perianth none. Ovaries sub- 
globose or angular from mutual pressure, one-celled ; stigma sessile or 
subsessile, discoid. Ovule solitary, anatropous, affixed near the base or 
towards the middle of a projecting parietal placenta. Anthers free, 
sessile, cuneate-oblong, truncate; cells parallel, linear, opening by 
terminal pores.—A stout climber. ‘Leaves with long petioles, perfo- 
rated between the primary nerves, reticulately veined. Peduncles 2-4 
together, terminal. 
An endemic, monotypic genus. 
1. R. mirabile, V. L. Br. in Journ. Bot. 1882, 195, ¢, 230, Stem 
about an inch thick, climbing to a height of 30 ft., rooting. Leaves 
glabrous; petiole }-2 ft. long, terete, grooved at the base in the adult. 
stage, shortly sheathing; blade 6-18 in. long, 5-14 in. broad across 
the basal lobes, hastate or cordate-hastate, cuspidate-acuminate or 
shortly and rather abruptly acute, more or jess sinuate along the 
margins, in young planis or young shoots entire, dark green, variegated 
with whitish between the primary veins in a pattern resembling the 
tips of a fern frond ; in adult plants with large slit-like perforations 
between the primary veins on each side of the midrib, green, without 
variegation ; front lobe ovate or oblong-ovate; basal lobes broadly 
rhombic-ovate, or somewhat hatchet-shaped, very obtuse, with a broad, 
open, very obtuse sinus between them; primary lateral veins 3-4 on 
each side of the midrib, stout, distant ; basal nerve with 2—4 branches, 
denuded for 1-1} in. in the sinus. Peduncles terminal, 2-4 together, 
13-2 in. long, stout. Spathe 4 in. long, fleshy, green. Spadix a little 
shorter than the spathe, about $ in. thick. Berries red, not seen.— 
Engl. & Prantl, Pilanzenfam. ii, iii, 128; Engl. Jahrb. xv. 450, and 
in Mitth. Deutsch. Schutzgeb. ii. 1889, 150; Durand & Schinz, 
Consp. Fl. Afr. v. 475, and Etudes Fl. Congo, i. 276; De Wild. & 
Durand, Contrib. Fl. Congo, i. fase. 2, 65. Nephthytis picturata, 
N. E. Br. in Gard. Chron. 1887, i. 476; Durand & Schinz, Etudes Fl. 
Congo, i. 277. 
_ Upper Guinea. Niger Teritory ; Old Calabar, creeping on the ground, and 
climbing on trees, Monteiro! Cameroons; Rio del Rey, Johnston, 2! in forest west 
of Barombi-ba-Mbn, Preuss, 473 (ex Engler), Batanga, Braun (ex Engler). Fer- 
nando Po, Barter ! Mann, 101! 
Lower Guinea. Congo, cultivated specimens ! 
men Central. Congo Free State: Monbuttu ; in forest at Mbala stream 
pndeehed saa alt leet ee 3621 (ex Engler) ; Bamanga, Laurent (ex 
A plant of Nephthytis picturata, cultivated at Kew, having developed a climbing 
