Kew, in 1895, flowered in a stove in May, 1897. As in 
other species of the genus, it is remarkable for the envelope 
of milk-white, thread-like staminodes of the female flowers, 
which thickly clothe the spadix, wholly concealing the 
flowers. The function of this envelope may possibly be, 
like the spathe of many Aroidex, to protect the flowers 
from the attacks of insects from without, whilst fertilization 
is effected under it by minute pollen-feeding insects. 
Descer.—Stem very short. Leaves eight to twelve inches 
long, cuneiformly oblong, coriaceous, bright green, split to 
‘the middle or below it into two linear-oblong, acuminate 
lobes, each plicately five to seven-ribbed, base acute ; 
petiole stout, shorter than the blade, dilating gradually 
downwards into a coriaceous sheath, with narrow, scarious, 
brown margins. Peduncle very short, stout, erect, bearing 
__ below several brown, scarious sheaths, and under the spadix 
two oblong-lanceolate, acuminate spathes, six inches 
long, | of a pale yellowish colour, with scarious tips. 
Spadiz as long as the spathes, oblong, cylindric, two to 
two and a half inches in diameter, including the dense ° 
envelope of waving, white, filiform staminodes. Male ji. 
cuneiform, fleshy, with about twelve marginal, broadly 
ovate, short, recurved lobes. Stamens very many, crowded, 
filaments rather shorter than the oblong (swollen, with 
short, tender tips) anthers. Fem. fl. with four, small, very 
broadly ovate, cuspidate, ereet, fleshy lobes ; staminodes 
four, upward of an 
i inch long, whi ous, tips 
thickened. Stigmas fo g¢, white, flexu p 
ur, uncinate, |; ressed, 
glandular on the margin.—J, DH. spo es 
Fig. 1, Petiole and infloresc J 
» Pet ence of zat. size; 2, male fi.; 3, stamens; 
4, fem. f.; all enlarged :—5, reduced view of whole plant. ar: 
