differs from all described ones in habit and the lobulate 



calyx-lobes, and from most in the uniseriate anthers forming 



a ring on the summit of the androecium. Of these 



characters by far the most important is that of habit; for, 



instead of forming a branching tree, this species has an 



erect, simple, or nearly simple trunk, with a terminal crown 



of leaves, as in many species of Aralia, and the inflorescence 



proceeds directly from the trunk far below the insertion of 



the leaves. Whether or no these characters are of generic 



value cannot be determined satisfactorily, till the whole 



genus is fully investigated, but I in the meantime propose 



for it, as a sectional name, Chrysodactylon, in allusion to 



the golden colour of the finger-like tips of the calyx-lobes, 



which with the golden anthers contrast remarkably with the 



red of the perianth. This name, not being preoccupied, 



is at the service of any botanist who may work up the 



genus, and place the plant in its proper relation to its 



allies. 



8. austro-caledonica has been cultivated for many years 

 in the Palm House of the Royal Gardens, Kew, under the 

 above name, and was probably received from the Jardin 

 des Plantes. There are specimens of it in Kew Herbarium 

 received from M. Lenormand, collected by Vieillard (No. 

 2347, 2394) with the following note, " Arbre presque 

 simple, bois de Montagues a Kauala." It flowered at Kew 

 for the first time in the Water Lily House in April of 

 this year, and the flowers had a penetrating aromatic 

 smell. 



Descr— Trunk 10 ft. high and upwards, slender, simple, 

 bearing at the summit a crown of large, long-petioled 

 spreading leaves ; bark pale brown, smooth. Leaves quite 

 glabrous, of two forms, with intermediates, the earlier 

 4-6 inches long, oblong-cordate, quite entire ; the later 

 nearly 2 feet in diameter, suborbicular in outline, deeply 

 palmately 5-lobed, with 5-7-strong nerves radiating from 

 the petiole, dark green above, paler beneath ; lobes oblong, 

 obtuse, sinus rounded ; base rounded, truncate or cordate ; 

 petiole 1-2 ft. long, stout, terete, top much thickened, 

 obconic. Inflorescence a bright red, sessile, horizontal, 

 pyramidal, pubescent thyrsus, springing from the side of 

 the trunk, half way between the root and leaves ; rachis, 

 branches, and branchlets rather stout, ebracteate, uniformly 

 red. Mowers a inch in diameter ; tube of calyx turbinate ; 



