XIV, 8 Beccari: The Palms of the Philippine Islands — 307 
Luzon, Nueva Vizcaya Province, vicinity of Dupax, Bur. Sci. 11884 
McGregor. The collector notes that it is a really wild, and not a cultivated, 
plant and that its fruits are used as a substitute for those of A. Catechu. 
Not differing from the above is For. Bur. 17770 Curran from Cagayan 
Province, Luzon, where it is common in overflowed river swamps. 
4. ARECA PARENS Becce. sp. nov. 
Major, A. Catechu similis. Frondium segmenta majuscula 
conspicue bicostulata, falcato-acuminata. Spadix duplicato- 
ramosus, ramis floriferis in parte basilari crassiusculis, superne 
zigzag sinuosis. Flores ¢ pro rata majusculi, ovato-subtrigoni 
vel trapezoidei, 7 mm longi, 4 mm lati; calyce*minuto, sepalis 
triangularibus, acuminatis ; staminum filamentis brevibus; anthe- 
ris linearibus, obtusis; ovarii rudimento parvo subulato. Flores 
2 ovati, 12 ad 15 mm longi, sepalis quam petala conspicue bre- 
vioribus. Fructus ovato-ellipticus, inter majores, 6 et ultra cm 
longus, 3.5 cm crassus, utrinque aequaliter attenuatus; pericarpio 
ad latera 5 ad 6 mm spisso, in dimidia inferiori parte lignoso, 
caetero fibris tenuibus percurso. Semen prope tertiam inferio- 
rem partem insertum, ovoideo-conicum, 28 mm longum, 22 mm 
crassum, integmenti ramificationibus vascularibus numerosis, pa- 
rallelis, indivisis, a raphe adscendentibus, superne et in facie 
antirapheali tantum anastomosantibus. Albumen lamellis rectis 
numerosis descentibus ruminatum, 
Apparently of the general habit and dimensions of Areca Ca- 
techu and with the same kind of leaves. One of the leaflets is 
about 1 m long and 8 cm broad, very strongly bicostulate and 
with an acuminate falcate point. The spadix has the same kind 
of branching as that of Areca Catechu; its ultimate divisions or 
floriferous branches are 15 to 20 cm long, 3 mm thick at their 
bases, angular, strongly zigzag-sinuous with only one female 
flower in their basal part but covered elsewhere with distinctly 
distichously alternate male flowers; the latter are in pairs at 
every flexure and furnished with two very small triangular brac- 
teoles; they are asymmetrical, irregularly ovoid-subtrigonous or 
trapezoidal by mutual pressure, and relatively broad (7 mm 
long, 4 mm broad) ; the calyx has three, very small, triangular- 
acuminate, dorsally keeled sepals; petals pergamentaceous, rather 
rigid, ovate, bluntish; stamens 6, the filaments terete, short; 
anthers linear, more or less sinuous, bluntish, with parallel 
cells, and dark connective; rudimentary ovary very small, subu- 
late, scarcely as long as the filaments. Female flowers sessile 
on a horizontal cushion, the latter furnished with a small rim 
representing the floral bract; they are ovate, obtuse, 12 to 15 
mm long, 10 mm broad; sepals broadly triangular, acute or 
