ovules adnate almost throughout their length to the 
septum. a 
The genus Zamioculcas is confined to eastern tropical Africa. 
Z. Loddigesii was introduced into the Horticultural Garden 
before 1828, probably by Forbes, and figured with a most 
imperfect description, by Loddiges, who supposed it to be 
a native of Brazil. Nothing more was known of it till rt was 
introduced from Zanzibar into the Jardin des Plantes at 
Paris, where it flowered in 1869, and was subsequently de- 
scribed and published by M. Decaisne, together with another, 
also Zanzibar, species, Z Boiviniz, which exists in the Paris — 
Herbarium and has bipinnate leaves. Our plants were re- — 
ceived from that indefatigable naturalist Dr. Kirk, ELS. 4 
now H.B.M. V.-Consul at Zanzibar in 1870, and flowered — 
in June, 1872. q 
Rhizome short; horizontal, giving off large white sessile 
tubers, the size of a potato, from the crown of which proceed 
very stout fleshy simple fibres. Zeaves all radical, springing _ 
from the axil of an ovate-lanceolate brown membranous sheath 
that soon withers ; petiole about two feet long, terete, clavate — 
at the base, with a thickened false articulation some way below 
the leaflets, green, faintly marked with darker transverse bars; 
leaflets six to eight pairs, three to six inches long, alternate, de- 
ciduous, the uppermost sometimes appearing terminal, as if the 
leaf were imparipinnate, obovate- or elliptic-lanceolate, acute — 
or acuminate, subsessile or shortly petioled, bright green and 
shining above, nerves laxly reticulated, pale beneath ; mid- 
rib stout. Scape very short, stout. Spathe green, thick, 
lower part embracing the lower half of the spadix, blade 
about two inches long, boat shaped, with a dorsal horn below | 
the apex. Spadix one and a half to two inches long, stout, 
cylindric, obtuse, constricted at the middle. Vowers most — 
densely crowded. Perianth-segments cubical or cuneate, very 
thick, coneave in front and closely embracing the pistil. 
Stamens with subclayate flattened ‘filaments and minute 
anthers that burst by longitudinal slits.—J. D. H.- 
Fig. 1, Plant :—reduced ; 2, portion of ditto:—natural size ; 3, portion 
of petiole and leaflet ; 4, spadix; 5, flower from lower part of the spadix; 
6, vertical section of young ditto; 7, perianth, leaflet, and ovary of ditto; 
8, vertical section of female flower and perianth :—all magnified. 
