170 HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA,. Tacca. 
broad. Petioles shorter than the leaves, sheathing atthe 
base, and above that having a groove down the inside, the 
whole considerably rough,with small visible sharp points. 
Scapes axillary, solitary, about as long as the petioles, 
and rough like them, cylindric, direction from erect to di- 
verging, and often variously bent, Involucre four-leaved, 
besides many filiform filaments,which are mixed amongst 
the pedicels. Exterior two leaves of the involucre | 
stem-clasping, reflexed, broad ovate-lanceolate, finely — 
acuminate, many-nerved, two or three inches long, and one 
and ahalf broad. The interior pair much longer, broad- 
petioled, ascending in the form of a vault over the flowers, z 
oval-ventricose, many-nerved, smooth and coloured; — 
length, petioles included, about five inches, and three 
broad. Flowers from four to eight, long-pedicelled, large, 
at first nearly erect, but on the second day of expansion 
drooping, colour, a mixture of greenish purple and yellow; 
about the same number of very long, filiform, smooth — 
pendulous bodies are found interspersed among the pedi- 
cels.. Calyx superior, one-leaved; base bowl-shaped; 
border consisting of six large coloured segments ; exterior 
three, rather narrow, more pointed, and less deeply co- 
loured ; inner three, oblong, obtuse, or emarginate, soon — 
after expansion becoming completely reflex. Corolno 
other than the segments of the border of the calyx, which 
very much resembles one. Filaments (petals of Forster ) 
six, inserted about the middle of the tube of the calyx, 
resembling little conic vaults. Anthers on the inside 
of the exterior wall of the vaults. Germ inferior, clavate, 
six-ribbed, one-celled, containing numerous ovula, at- — 
tached to three bifid, parietal receptacles. Style short. 
Stigma three-lobed; lobes large, coloured, emarginate © 
on the exterior edge. Berry oblong, fleshy, an inch and 
ahalf long, and one broad, six sharp-ribbed, crowned 
with three semilunar marks, the remains of part of the 
calyx, one-celled, Seeds numerous, attached to three 
