618 MONOECIA HEXANDRIA. AreCtt, 



pound, prsemorse. Spadix ranioiis, erect. Male Jlowers 

 triandrous. Frnit oblong. 



Beng. Bun-gooa. 



A native of Chitfagong-, where it was first observed by Dr. 

 Buchanan, who sent plants of it to the Botanic garden at Cal- 

 cutta in 1797. In 1808 the largest plant was in flower from 

 May till January, and the seeds of the first blossoms were ripe 

 in April 1809. 



Trunk perfectly straight, in our eleven or twelve years old 

 plants about seven feet high, A. catechu would have been tri- 

 ple that height in the same time, quite simple, seven inches in 

 circumference, perfectly round, and smooth, except the circu- 

 lar marks of the fallen leaves. Fronds pinnate, from four to 

 five feet long. Leaflets sub-alternate, linear, praemorse, two 

 or more toothed, or ending in one centre, ensiform, smooth, 

 plaited, from two to three feet long. Spatlie smooth, convex 

 underneath, length from the top of the sheath to the leaflets, 

 from three to four inches, and there channelled, beyond this 

 portion a sharp high ridge. Spathe cylindric, smooth, about 

 a foot long. Spathe simple, axillary, linear-oblong, smooth ; 

 the outside convex, the inner concave, with a sharp edge all 

 round, and opening by a longitudinal slit on the middle of 

 the inside, caducous. Spadix erect, short, decompound, 

 Ramijications both first and second bifarious, alternate, pa- 

 tent. Male flowers sessile, very minute, one on each side 

 of every female, and numerous over the filiform extremities 

 of the secondary ramifications of the spadix. Calyx very 

 minute, three-leaved. Petals three, tapering obliquely. Fi- 

 laments three, very short. Anthers sagittate. Germ a slen- 

 der, cylindric column in the centre. Female flowers 

 few, alternate, sessile, below the middle of the same ramifica- 

 tions, much larger than the male ones. Calyx three-leaved ; 

 leaflets oval, hard, concave. Petals three, longer than the 

 calyx, oval. Nectary, six very small scales round the base 

 of the germ. Germ oblong, one-celled, containing a single 

 ovulum, and sometimes one or two abortions attached to the 



