194i MR. SPRUCE ON TIVE NEW PLANTS FROM EASTERN PERU. 



though, having not yet seen perfect flowers and spathes, I am not 

 certain about it. When the people go to cut palmitos in the 

 time of Lent, they sometimes mistake the Wettinia for the Iri- 

 arteas, which have edible palmitos, while that of the Wettinia is 

 very bitter and may be distinguished from the others by its 

 striped appearance (caused by the vertical imbrication of the 

 young pinnae), whence it is often called STiullu-chonta. The 

 HvAcara-pona, or Horn-palm (J. exorrhiza, Mart.), though fre- 

 quent in the moist woods of the plain, I have not yet seen at the 

 same elevation as the palms above-mentioned. 



I proceed to give the characters of the two species of Wettinia, 

 and a description of W. Maynensis, drawn up from fresh speci- 

 mens. I abstain from offering an amended character of the genus 

 until I shall have an opportunity of examining specimens of 

 W. augusta^ and perhaps of other species which yet remain to be 

 discovered. 



Wettinia, Poepp. et Endl. Nov. Gen. ii. 39, t. 153 et 154 a-i ; 

 Kunth, Envmer. iii. 109 et 589. 



W. AUGUSTA (P. et E.). Rhizomate conico e radicibus arete sibi invieera 

 impositis conflato ; pinnis 18-20-jugis ; spathis propriis 2 ; spadicibus 

 simphcibus pluribus (8-15), ex eodem verticillo ortis ; rhaphe arilU- 

 formi carnosa. 



Hab. "In Peruviae Transandinae sylvis pulcherrimis obumbrantibus, 

 quibus arcetur ripa borealis fluvii Tocache." {Pappig, loc. cit.) 



W. Maynensis (Spruce). Rhizomate conico, e radicibus inter se liberis 

 dissitiusculis conflato ; pinnis 38-40-jugis ; spathis propriis 3 ; spadi- 

 cibus apice congesto-ramosis, paucis (sub 3), ex eodem verticillo ortis ; 

 rhaphe arilliforrai tenui. 



Hab. In convallibus Andium Maynensium umbrosis, prsecipue secus 

 rivulos, alt. 3000'-4000', sociis Iriartea ventricosa Mart, et deltoidea 

 R. et P. (?). 



Descr. Caudex radicibus strictis subaculeatis e terra eraersis et in 

 conum 3 pedes altum conniventibus sustentus, erectus, inermis, 30-40- 

 pedalis, diametro 4-unciali, annulatus ; annulis latis, spatio 4 unc. 

 sejunctis. Frondes 5 v. 6 contemporaneae, patulae, ambitu lanceolatae, 

 obtusse, basi in vaginam praelongam 3|-pedalem integram subventri- 

 cosam dilatatse, glabrae. Rhachis 9;^-ped., supra triangularis, subtus 

 semiteres, basi sola subcanaliculata, et a basi ipsa pinnata. Pinnae 

 38-40 paria, subaequidistantes ; infimae dirainutae ; mediae 3-pedales, 

 latitudine 3-unciali, angulo 40'^-50'^ insertae, basi semiverticales redu- 

 plicatae cuneatae, dein dimidiato-lineari-lanceolatae, apice obtusato- v. 

 truncato-praemorsse, margine antico apiceque incisae, dentibus prae- 

 morsis subacutisve ; venae plurimae, basi fere contiguae, superne magis 



