This curious plant was imported from Costa Rica a good 
many years ago, and flowered for the first time in June, 1874. 
Our drawing was, however, made on a subsequent occasion, 
namely, in August, 1877. 
Descr. Stem very short or none. Leaves three to four 
pairs, distichous, long petioled ; two to three feet long ; blade 
divided nearly to the base into two divergent, ensiform, acute, 
or scarcely acuminate, flat, coriaceous, 4-nerved divisions ; 
nerves very prominent; nervules vbscure; entire portion two 
to four inches long, with an acute sinus, the margins pro- 
duced downwards on to the petiole, which is a foot or more 
long, rather slender, cylindric above, compressed below, with 
a deep frontal groove; margins of the groove membranous 
and overlapping, the membrane becoming broader, scarious, 
and sheathing below. Peduncle three to four inches long, 
erect or inclined, cylindric; spathes four, spreading, three 
inches long, lanceolate, long acuminate, boat-shaped, brown 
externally, white within. Syadix shortly oblong, one and a 
half inches long, obtuse. Flowers densely crowded. Males 
- with an obconic base and about twelve broadly oblong, fleshy, 
suberect, or recurved obtuse short lobes in one series. Stamens 
very numerous, each seated on a globose fleshy mamilla or 
base of the filament, which above it is very short and slender. 
Anthers oblong, tipped with a globose production of the con- 
nective. Females with four almost quadrate, erect, or incurved 
fleshy perianth lobes, and four filiform staminodes three and a 
half inches long, one opposite to and at the base of each 
segment.—/. D, H. 
Fig 1, Female flower seen from above with the staminodes removed; 2, male 
flower; both enlarged ; 3, head of unripe fruit of the natural size. 
