Tas. 5291. 
MALORTIEA Graci.is. 
Slender Malortiea. 
Nat. Ord. PaLME&%.— MoNG@cIA DECANDRIA. 
Gen. Char. (Vide supra, TaB. 5247.) 
Matortig£a gracilis ; foliis longe petiolatis, lamina ambitu late ovato-quadrata 
apice dimidiato-bipartita, segmentis integris v. in pinnulas paucas basi re- 
motas fissis, basin versus fenestratim fissis, apicibus grosse et irregulariter 
lobulatis lobis dentatis, spadice gracili apicem versus subfastigiatim ramoso, 
rarius erectis floriferis, spathis parvis ad divisuras spadicis bractezeformibus, 
floribus sparsis masculis et foemineis in eodem spadice, calycis lobis rotun- 
datis, petalis patulis, staminibus sub-10, in. fl. masc. filamentis filiformi- 
subulatis antheris oblongis, in fl. foem. antheris effcetis tubo calycis sessi- 
libus, ovario ovoideo, in stylum brevem attenuato, stigmatibus 3 recurvis. 
Ma orttea gracilis. Wendland, Index Palmarum, p. 28. 
CuamMaporea fenestrata. Hort. Parment. 
Cnuamrops fenestrata. Hort. Amstel. 
Gronoma fenestrata. Mackoy. 
Under Plate 5247 of this work we have figured another species 
of this singularly graceful genus of dwarf Palms, and alluded to 
the subject of the present plate as a congener. Since that time 
we have found a reference to the description of the genus in 
Bot. Zeit. 1854, p. 494, being published in the ‘ Allgemeine 
Garten Zeitung, etc.,’ Jahrg. xxi., a work which we unfortunately 
do not possess. Not knowing fully Mr. Wendland’s views as to 
the structure and limits of the genus, we must still refrain from 
publishing a generic character, but may remark that the genus 
appears to differ from Chamedorea mainly in the numerous (ten 
to twelve) stamens of the male flower, and ring of abortive sta- 
mens in the tube of the inner perianth of the female. It isa 
native of Guatemala. 
Descr. A dwarf very graceful Pa/m, about eighteen inches to 
two feet high. Stem slender, ringed. Leaves on slender petioles, 
little more than a span long, and as broad; split to the rachis — — 
JANUARY IsT, 1862. 
