Palms of Puerto Rico 557 



name choux palmiste is given, the same which Jacquin noted in 

 the original description of his Areca o/cracca (Stirp. Am. 278. 1763). 

 Moreover, it can scarcely be determined from Jacquin's description 

 whether he was dealing with a Roystonca or an Acrista or with 

 both, though his claim that his was the tallest palm of the Antilles 

 might hold the name for the Roystonca. 



It might then be argued by some that Miller's species, Palma 

 altissima constituted a segregate from Jacquin's oleracea and that 

 the latter name is available for the Acrista of Martinique, whether 

 identical or not with that of Puerto Rico. But with a possible 

 doubt between the Acrista and the Roystonca there can scarcely be 

 a justification for the use of the same name for a third South 

 American species or a fourth West Indian. 



As a means of decreasing the confusion it may be suggested 

 that as neither the generic nor the specific name of the Brazilian 

 palm which Martius called Entcrpe oleracea (Hist. Nat. Palm. 2 : 

 29) is available, the name Catis Martiana may be proposed, the 

 generic designation having reference to the drooping pinnae char- 

 acteristic of the present species and several of its South American 



relatives. 



Acrista monticola sp. nov. Plate 44 



Trunk smooth, 10 to 15 m. high, perhaps taller, from 12 to 

 1 5 cm. in diameter, with distinct ring-like leaf scars and internodes, 

 light brownish or appearing grayish with bark lichens. 



Leaves about 2 m. long, the pinnae lanceolate, equally spaced 

 and lying nearly horizontal, 55 cm. long and 4 cm. broad; the 

 surface light green on both sides, with very close parallel longi- 

 tudinal veinlets, but no visible cross veins. The sheathing bases 

 are considerably shorter and generally appear somewhat more ro- 

 bust than in Roystonca. In protected situations the leaf-bases per- 

 sist and the margins shrivel up and expose a flimsy network of 

 fibers. Inflorescences appearing several close together ; by the 

 falling of the leaves above them they are left several inches below 

 the leaf-bases before maturity is attained. Spathes fusiform, long, 

 more slender and pointed than in Roystonca. Spadix once-branched, 

 1 m. long, 6 cm. in diameter at base, tapering gradually to the 

 apex. Branches 23 cm. long and less, the proximal branches 

 longest ; at first appressed to the rachis, the branches are opened 

 out and held stiffly erect by a fleshy turgid cushion on the upper 

 (distal) side of the base of each. The branches of the rachis may 

 thus be said to be hinged, and with maturity the supporting cushion 



