former country. Dr. Schott mentions that the spathe is 
sometimes double, which implies a tendency to an abnormal 
condition of the inflorescence in his specimens, which were 
cultivated in the Imperial Gardens of Schénbrunn. 
Dnscr. Stem in the Kew plant two feet high, as thick as 
the wrist, inclined, cylindric, green, sending numerous roots 
into the water of the tank in which the pot stands (possibly 
the species is a climber). Stipular sheaths semi-amplexicaul, 
spreading, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, rose-coloured, mem- 
branous, surrounding the leaf-bases. Petiole one and a 
half to two feet long, slender, swollen at the base, cylindric, 
dark green, with rough raised lines towards the top. Leaf 
fifteen to sixteen inches long by thirteen to fifteen broad, ovate- 
cordate, or hastate, shortly acuminate, deep green above, 
paler beneath, lobes rounded with about six nerves in each, the 
posterior marginal for a short distance from the petiole, 
basal sinus deep, open or contracted. Peduncle short, green, 
cylindric. Spathe six to eight inches long, erect, white ex- 
ternally, suffused with green down the back and with pale 
rose colour on the sides; inside vivid red-purple ; tube ovoid- 
oblong, rather contracted ; open part longer, boat-shaped, 
narrowed into a conical erect cusp nearly one inch long. 
Spadix nearly as long as the spathe, cylindric ; pistilliferous 
part short, contracted ; staminiferous and barren parts elon- 
gated, cylindric, obtuse, white. Ovaries densely crowded, 
obovoid, 3-4-celled ; cells many-ovuled; stigma sessile, 
gees Anthers few, fertile, broader upwards, truncate.— 
Fig. 1, Whole plant reduced; 2, portion of leaf of natural size; 3, upper 
part of stem sheath and inflorescence; 4, spadix :—both of natural size ; 5, 
. ovary; 6, transverse, and 7, vertical section of ditto; 8, staminode; 9, 
stamen :—all magnified. 
