622 MONOECIA HEXANDRIA. Wrightea. 
Trunk scarcely any, until the plant blossoms, and then it 
may be called the base of the spadix, rising above the fi- 
brous margined sheaths of the fronds. From the base nu- 
merous shoots continue to spring, which renders propaga- 
tion easy. Leaves or fronds, few, alternate, petioled, from 
three to eight feet long. Leaflets sessile, variously disposed; 
on the lower half of the stipe they are generally in opposite 
fascicles, of two or three, those further in are for the most part 
single, and alternate ; all are wedge-shaped; lateral margins 
entire, apices preemorse at very various distances from the 
‘base, and jagged with the sharp points of the numerous pa- 
rallel, fine fibres which run up through the substance of the 
leaflets ; upper surface smooth, of a shining deep green, whit- 
ish underneath, general length about one foot or fifteen inches. 
Petioles or stipes at the base, sheathing, the rest sub-cylindric, 
tapering a little, while young covered a little with a large 
portion of a brown mealy substance. Spadia termimal, many- 
leaved, Leaflets of various sizes, and of a soft delicate, lea- 
thery texture, striated Jengthways, covered on the outside 
with mealy matter, smooth on the inside, general length about 
that of the spadix. MaLr FLoweERs very numerous over 
every part of the branches of the spadix, small, pale, of a yel- 
lowish white. Perianth cylindric, one-leaved, almost solid, 
there being only an excavation in the apex for the reception 
of the corol ; margin marked with three smal] protuberances ; 
_ smooth on both sides. Corol ; petals three, lanceolate,smooth, 
fleshy. Nothing like a nectary, nor germ to be seen. Fila- 
ments six, short, inverted on a small, hollow receptacle in the 
centre of the corol. Anthers linear, FEMALE FLOWERS few, 
and amongst the male near the base of the branches of the 
spadix. Perianth may be called double, in that case the ex- 
terior one is of two, reniform leaflets; the interior one one- 
leaved, cup-shaped, with the border three-parted. Corol as 
in the male. _ Stamina nothing like any, nor is there any 
nectary. Germ superior, ovate, two, rarely three-lobed ; 
ee, rarely three-celled with one ovulum i in each attached to 
