this, too, is accompanied by a rich and very different colouring 
(rich red) in the scapes that rise copiously beneath the foliage, 
but never overtdp it. We think we cannot be mistaken in re- 
ferring this noble plant (which in all Europe is perhaps only in 
possession of Messrs low, of the Clapton Nursery, who received 
it from Borneo) to the Alocasia metallica of Schott, equally a 
Bornean plant, notwithstanding some discrepancies in the spe- 
cific as well as in the generic characters. Our plant has a very 
distinct style to the ovary, and the stigma is not “ depresso- 
hemisphzericum,” but clearly three- or four-lobed. 
Descr. From a large underground tuber or rhizome a cluster of 
foliage springs, of which the petioles are two feet long, rounded, 
and green, but with the sheaths tinged with rose-colour. The 
blade of the leaves is from twelve to eighteen inches long, a foot 
wide, with a firm, somewhat succulent texture, and of a form, so 
common in Aroideous plants, ovato- or elliptico-cordate, peltate, 
waved at the margin, somewhat bullate on the surface, suddenly 
and somewhat mucronately acuminate at the apex; the upper 
surface of a rich bronze-colour, extremely glossy and metallic, 
exhibiting a beautiful play of light and colour, while the under 
side is a very dark purple, and equally glossy ; veins pinnated, 
exceedingly prominent, falcately curved, springing from a very 
stout costa: from the point of attachment of the petiole, two 
stout veins take a downward direction towards the sinus of the 
blade, an inch and a half apart, and send out four or five spread- 
ing and curved side-veins. Seapes, several arising from the 
axils of several of the petioles, much shorter than they, red rose- 
colour. Spatha five inches long, the base or ¢ube cylindrical, 
purple-red, the /amina (there is a constriction between the tube 
and it) cucullate. or cymbiform, much acuminated. Spadiz in- 
cluded, shorter than the spatha: from below, for about one-third 
of the length, occupied with the somewhat scattered pistils. 
Ovary globose ; style thick, as long as ‘the ovary; stigma three 
or four-lobed. ‘The middle of the spadix is occupied by a com- 
pact mass of stamens, except at the base, where are some abortive 
bodies (stamens or ovaries, or both?). The apex of the spadix 
is formed by the fleshy appendage. 
. Fig. 1. Plant in flower, on a very reduced scale. 2. Spadix,—mnat. size. 3. 
are Eb 4. Single stamen,—more magnified. 5, Pistils and two 
abortive bodies (imperfect stamen and pistil). 6, 7, and 8. Sections of ovaries. 
9. Ovule :—all magnified. 
