Tas. 6418. 
CARLUDOVICA ENsIForRMIs. 
Native of Costa Rica. 
Nat. Ord. CycLanTHER. 
Genus Caruupovica, Ruiz et Pav, ; (Endl. Gen. Plant., p. 242). 
Cartupovica Ensiformis ; 2-3-pedalis, subacaulis, foliis distichis longe petiolatis 
ad basinfere bipartitis, segmentis ensiformibus 14 poll. latis acutis 4—nerviis 
coriaceis planis, petiolo subcylindrico antice sulcato, marginibus sulci mem- 
branaceis basin versus scariosis imo basi vaginantibus, pedunculo 2-3—polli- 
cari nutante v. suberecta, spathis ad 3—4-pollicaribus lanceolatis longe 
acuminatis cymbiformibus extus brunneis intus albis caducis, spadice 
oblongo 1}-pollicari, fl. ¢ perianthii lobis ad 12 brevibus oblongis obtusis 
carnosis suberectis v. recurvis, staminibus perplurimis confertis filamentis 
e basi mamillari gracilibus brevissimis, antheris oblongis connectivo apici in 
papillam producto, fl. 2 perianthii lobis erectis quadratis angulis rotundatis 
margine superiore undulato. 
The members of the very curious natural family of Cyclan- 
thee are all tropical American, and are very little known, 
although one of them, the Carludovica palmata, of New 
Grenada, is the plant from the leaves of which the famous 
Panama hats, cigar cases, and other similar plaited fabrics, 
so celebrated for their fineness, durability, lightness, and 
flexibility, are made. Only two genera of this Order are 
known, Carludovica and Cyclanthus, and about a dozen de- 
scribed species: they are closely allied to the Aroidee and 
Pandanee, and, as with these, some are scandent, their stems 
adhering to the branches of lofty trees by adventitious roots, 
and others are, like the one here figured, stemless and 
terrestrial. One of the species of Carludovica only has been 
figured in this Magazine, namely, Ludovia latifolia (Tab. 
2950-1). The name Zudovia was substituted by Persoon for 
the original one, Carludovica (of Ruiz and Pavon), on the 
ground of the barbarity of so latinizing the conjoint names 
of Charles XI. of Spain and his Queen Louisa, after whom 
the genus was so called. As however, in so many other 
cases, euphony has carried the day over classical rules and the 
laws of botanical nomenclature, for Carludovica has wholly 
superseded Zudovia amongst botanists. 
MARCH Ist, 1879. 
