272 FLORA VITIENSIS. 
ultimately merges into red at the base. The kernel has a slight astringent taste, and is eaten by the 
natives, especially by the youngsters. The wood is used for spars. 
3. V. subglobosa, (sp. nov.) Herm. Wendl. mss. ; fructibus oblongo-ovoideis ; seminibus sub- 
globosis; raphi angusta obsoleta ejusdem ramis depauperatis obsoletisque.— Viti; locality not speci- 
fied (J. Veitch !) : ; 
“Only a single fruit of this is known to me, which was collected by Mr. Veitch. It is about 4 em. 
long, and not quite 3 cm. across, has a delicate and very fibrous mesocarp, and a very thin endocarp. The 
kernel is 23 mm. long, and not quite as many mm. across. This fruit having been put out to germinate, the 
outer part of the kernel, and especially the raphe and its branches, had been somewhat injured, and I can 
only say with certainty that the raphe is narrow and does not penetrate into the albumen, and that its 
branches cross each other and are further apart than is the case in the other species of Veitchia."—Herm. 
Wendl. mss. 
III. Ptychosperma, Labill. in Mém. de l'Inst. 1800, p. 251; Endl. Gen. n. 1730. Flores 
polygamo-monoici, in spadice ramoso spathis co incompletis stipato sessiles, bracteolati, d superiores 
et inferne 2 Ẹ singulos stipantes. Fl. d: Calyx 3-phyllus, foliolis ovatis imbricatis, Corolla 3-fida, 
laciniis oblongis, sestivatione valvatis. Stamina oo, e fundo corolle; filamenta filiformia, libera ; 
antherw lineares, subsagittate. Ovarii rudimentum. Fl. 2: Calyx et corolla maris, imbricato-convo- 
luti. Staminum rudimenta 0. Ovarium 1-loculare. Stylus brevissimus, terminalis ; stigmata 3, 
patentia. Bacca l-sperma, fibrosa. Albumen ruminatum. Embryo basilaris.—Palm:e elegantes, 
frondibus pinnatis, pinnis reduplicatis erosis, baccis ovalibus parvis.—Seaforthia, R. Brown, Prodr. 
267; Mart. Palm. t. 105, 106, 109, 128, 129. | | " 
The focus of the geographical distribution of this genus is in the Indian Archipelago, but three species 
are found in New Holland, viz. P. elegans, Blume, Rumphia, ii. 118, in adnot. (P. Seaforthia, Miq., Sea- 
Jorthia elegans, R. Brown, non Hook. Bot. Mag.), P. Cunninghamii, Herm. Wendl. Seem. Journ. of Bot. 
vol. i. p. 69 in adnot. (Seaforthia elegans, Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 4961, non R. Brown), and P. Alexandre, 
F. Muell., one in the Society Islands, viz. P. Tahitense, Herm. Wendl. in Seem. Bonplandia, 1862, p. 196, and 
the following in Viti, viz. : : 
l. P. Seemanni, (sp. nov.) Herm. Wendl. in Bonplandia, 1862, p. 192 (Tab. LXXXII.); cau- 
dice gracili, segmentis utrinque 9 alternantibus, dimidiato-rhombeis apice sinuato-erosodentatis, antice 
cuspidatis, terminali profunde *bifido; spadicibus gracilibus, ramis 6-7 simplicibus vel inferioribus 
fureatis, distiche floriferis.— Nomen vernac. Vitiense, * Balaka,” v. * Niu Balaka."— Southern parts 
of Vanua Levu, and northern parts of Taviuni (Seemann! n. 664). 
The Balaka is a diminutive Palm, growing as underwood in dense forests. It was met with both in 
Vanua Levu, on the southern side, and on the mountains of Taviuni. The trunk is remarkably straight, 
ringed, and about an inch in diameter when fully developed. On account of its strength and straightness it 
is used for spears by the natives, and would make good walking-sticks. The leaves are pinnatisect, about 
four feet long ; and the segments are eroso-dentate at &he point, like those of Caryota and Wallichia. The 
flowers appear below the leaves, forming the crown of this, the smallest of all Fijian Palms. 
Expranation OE Prate LXXXIL, representing P. Seemanni. Fig. 1, miniature portrait of the en- 
tire plant; 2, leaf (nat. size) ; 3, portion of spadix (nat. size); 4, female flowers with ovary approaching 
maturity ; 6, ovary ; 7, section of the same ; Figs. 4—7, magnified. 
L2 
2. P. perbreve, (sp. nov.) Herm. Wendl. in Seem. Bonplandia, 1862, p. 193; caudice gracili ; 
segmentis utrinque 11-12 brevibus, mediis imbricatis dimidiato-quadratis apice sinuato-erosodentatis 
antice cuspidatis, terminali profunde bifido; spadicibus gracilibus, ramis cire. 7 simplieibus, infe- 
rioribus furcatis, distiche floriferis; baccis oblongis (rubris).—Bua or Sandalwood Bay, and Macuata 
Coast (2000 feet above the sea) of Vanua Levu (Pickering !). 
Closely allied to P. Seemanni. xs 
3. P. pauciflorum, (sp. nov.) Herm. Wendl. in Seem. Bonplandia, 1862, p. 193 ; caudice gra- 
cillimo, cire. 2$ em. crasso; spadicibus duplicato-triplicato-ramosissimis, ramulis spadicum paucifloris 
distiche floriferis, gregibus florum 5-9 remotiusculis.—Island of Ovalau (Pickering !). : : 
