170 BOTANY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE SULPHUR. 
I confess I am unable to distinguish the characters by which nine species of 
Pistia have been separated by Schleiden. Amongst the flowers I have ex- 
amined, I have not found two in which the stamens are precisely the same in 
number and position. I have seen from three to seven (they are said to vary 
from two to eight), sometimes arranged nearly in a ring just below the summit of 
the spadix (which would constitute the section “‘ Spadix antheras processu elevato 
superans”), sometimes more irregularly placed and closer to the summit; the 
form of the leaves varies from that of a very long wedge to nearly orbicular, 
rounded truncate or obcordate at the extremity, narrowed at the base into a 
slender petiole, or almost as broad at the base as at the extremity; the nerves 
free from the base, or confluent, entire, or forked, without any of these differences 
assuming a sufficiently tangible shape to indicate specific characters, and often 
depending on the age or degree of vigour of the specimen. The seeds are 
described by some as cylindrical, by others as pyriform and smooth. In numerous 
fructifying specimens from Asia, Africa, and America, they have always appeared 
to me nearly cylindrical, with a very slight tendency to the pear shape, truncate 
at both extremities, and pitted on the sides. 
826. Anrnurtum Humboldtianum, Kunth Enum. 3. p. 78.—A single membranous leaf, a foot 
and a half long, and a foot broad, with pedate nerves, and a broken spadix, belong either to this 
species, or one closely allied to it.—Salango. 
ScITAMINER. 
827. Heticonta latispatha, sp. n., foliis longe petiolatis oblongo-ellipticis subacuminato-acutis 
basi inzequalibus rotundatis vel hinc acutiusculis, scapis valde flexuosis dissitifloris, spathis 7-9 pa- 
tentissimis late lanceolatis canaliculato-complicatis plurifloris, inferioribus longissime acuminatis, 
spathillis membranaceis ovato-lanceolatis flore paullo brevioribus, perigonii laciniis interioribus apice 
liberis.— Salango, | 
Petioli ultrapedalis pars inferior deest. Folia bipedalia, 6-8 poll. lata, apice rotundata et abrupte in 
acumen breve acutissimum producta, basi ad unum latus breviora angustiora et acutiora, pagina inferior 
superiore pallidior ; ven parallel, creberrimee, validiores tamen inter se lineas 2-3 distantes. Scapus ultra- 
pedalis. Inflorescentice rhachis valde flexuosa, semipedalis, sub spathis parum incrassata, Spathe rigide, 
basia carina ad marginem 8-10 lin. late, inferiores 8-12 poll. longs, superiores dimidio breviores. Flores plures 
(10-12?) breviter pedicellati, plerseque tamen in speciminibus suppetentibus a vermibus exesee. Spathillee 
1-1; pollicares, hyaline, acute, latiores quam in affinibus. Perigonium glabrum, sesquipollicare ; foliolum 
exterius inferius carinatum, angustum, acutiusculum, ex sicco viridi-marginatum ; 2 superiora et 3 interiora 
alte a sed facile separabilia, lineari-lanceolata, 2 exteriora paullo breviora, membranacea, acuta, usque 
ad apicem colorata, 3 interiora equalia, apicibus acutissimis liberis in sicco viridibus, Genitalia perigonium 
eequantia, Antheree anguste, longe adnate, connectivi apice acuta virescente apiculate. Stylus apice leviter 
clavatus, papillis stigmatosis apicem obtegentibus brunneis, 
