here figured, which were received in 1879, and flowered in 
April of the present year, 
Descr. A diminutive Palm, a span high, erect, stout for 
its size, dark green, glabrous. Caudex rooting from the 
lower nodes, as thick as a goose-quill, clothed above with — 
the leaf sheathes. Leaves shortly petioled, four to five 
inches long by three broad, spreading, convex, obovate- 
oblong, remotely obtusely serrate, bifid for one-third of 
their length, the segments and sinus acute, base rounded ; 
nerves eight or nine pair, straight, deeply impressed ; 
petiole one-fourth to one-half an inch long, grooved above ; 
sheath about an inch long, cylindric, smooth, mouth with 
a brown membranous border. Sypadixes as long as the 
palm, drooping, slender, unbranched; males longest, with 
most numerous and much the largest flowers; rachis 
slender but stouter than the peduncle, yellowish; peduncle 
very slender; spathes membranous, linear-lanceolate, the 
lowest not half the length of the peduncle. Flowers spiked, 
ebracteate and ebracteolate, yellow ; male one-twelfth of an 
inch long. Calyw a very shallow three-lobed membranous 
cup. Petals thinly fleshy, obovate-oblon g, obtuse, cohering by 
their tips, connate at the base, the margins not juxtaposed — 
above the base, but leaving a space between the contiguous 
pairs. Stamens attached to the base of the petals, filaments 
subulate; anthers oblong. Rudimentary ovary columnar. 
Female flowers minute, fewer on the spadix and more 
scattered than the males, globose. Calyx as in the male. 
Petals. orbicular, imbricate, and closely embracing the 
globose ovary. Staminodes minute. Ovary three-celled ; 
stigmas minute, recurved; ovules attached below the 
middle of the septum. Berry globose, one-third of an inch 
in diameter, almost black-green, smooth, shining, one- 
seeded. Seed erect, globose.—J. D. H. 
_ Fig. A, reduced figure of male plant; B, leaf and male spadix of the natural 
size; C, female spadix of the natural size. 1, male flower ; 2, two petals of same 
and four stamens; 3, stamen; 4, female flower ; 5, vertical, and 6, transverse 
section of ovary ; 7, vertical section of fruit :—adl enlarged, 
