220 
BECCARI. 
less fascicled, falciform, very long, fiirnishod with 2-3 very robust and 
in the upper surface very prominent and sharp ribs, very slightly or not 
at all narrowing below, where the blade, on each side of the rib, is 
very strongly plicate downwards; intermediate leaflets about 1 m. long, 
4.5-5 cm. broad and very long-acuminate; the upper ones are shorter 
and obtusely toothed at the summit, the two apical leaflets have many 
very ai)proximate ribs, but they are not broader than the others. Spadix 
45 cm. long (in one specimen) 3 times branched, with a broad lunate 
embracing base and a very broad and short peduncular part (2 cm. long, 
3.5 cm. broad) ; the primary branches divided into several alternate 
and sinuous secondary ones; these bear the flowering branchlets which 
are also sinuous and their lower part bear 1-2 female flowers; Male 
flowers Fruiting perianth broadly obconic-cyathiform, 15 mm. 
long; its sepals ovate, obscurely keeled on the back; its petals longer 
by one-third than the calyx and terminating in a broad triangular 
point. Fruit elongate-elliptical, 4-4.2 cm. long, 18 mm. broad, almost 
equally tapering to both ends, but with a truncate disciform, mammillate, 
3 mm. broad apex and besides shortly mucronulate because of the 
permanent remains of the stigmas; the epiearp and endocarp are very 
thin; the mesocarp is composed of many layers of innumerable very 
thin fibers. Seed seen only in a young state. 
In the semi-swampy forests called "guipa" by the natives, near sea level 
Bongabon River, Mindoro, No. 1372. H. N. Whitford, January 16, 1906. Ver- 
nacular name (Tagalog) '^Bungan Quhat." 
A very fine species, probably the largest, or at least the most robust, of the 
genus, tlie trunk being considerably thicker than that of Areca Catechu, if not 
so high. ' A. Whitfordii is related to A. home(msis Becc., but is a much larger 
plant and with smaller fruit. On account of this obvious affinity, I presume that 
the male flowers of A. Whitfordii are S-staminate. 
Areca mammillata Becc. n. sp. 
Gracilis 2 m. alta, caudice 3 cm. diam. Folia metralia, pctiolo 
longiuscnlo superne anguste profundeque sulcato, segmentis nonnihil 
numerosis, subaequalibus, anguste faleato-sigmoideis, unicostatis, acu- 
minato-caudatis, subaequidistantibus 3-4 costulatis, basi connatis, apice 
truncatis et obtuse dentatis. Spadices breves, dense lateque paniculati, 
duplicato-ramosi. Flores d* nnilaterales gemini, inter se valde approxi- 
mati et concinni 3.2-2.5 mm. longi, lanceolato-signioidei, acuti; stami- 
nibus 6; ovarii rudimento profundissime 3-partito, staminibus subaequi- 
longo vel etiam longiori. Fructus ellipsoideo-oblongi, basi acutati, circiter 
ad tertiam superiorem partem aliquantum coarctati, vertice 3 mm. lato, 
discoideo-mammillato et in medio obtuse mucronato, 17-19 mm. longi, 
6.5 mm. lati, extus sublente minute granulati; pericarpio tenui; meso- 
carpii fibris rigidis, parallelibus, 1-2 seriatis; endocarpio crustaceo, 
fragili; semine anguste ovato-eonico basi planiusculo, 9-9.5 mm. longo, 
5 mm. spisso, raphidis ramulis circiter 10, laxe anastomosantibus. 
