NO. / A NEW PALM FROM COCOS ISLAND COOK 1/ 



FLOWERS AND FRUITS 



Flowers in clusters of three, each cluster subtended by a broad 

 lunate basal bract less developed than in Plectis, mostly covered with 

 rather coarse tomentum of stellate scales like the surface of the 

 branch, the margin of the bract usually naked, often sharply angled or 

 apiculate in the middle ; female flower enclosed by two large, broadly 

 triangular longitudinal bracts, notably more prominent than the basal 

 bract, slightly overlapping at the ends, forming a collar around the 

 flower scar ; one bract usually longer than the other, more distinctly 

 angled at the apex and more carinate at the back, the margin often 

 notched or fringed in the middle by the ends of parallel fibers like 

 those of the sepals, outer surface of collar bracts with a rather sparse 

 tomentum, shorter and finer than that of the basal bract ; two male 

 flowers above each female flower, the male flower scars usually circu- 

 lar, quadrate or oblong, usually separated from each other by less 

 than their combined width, set close to the large collar bracts of the 

 female flower but separated by a rim of dense tomentum doubtless 

 representing a very short pedicel ; one of the male flowers more dis- 

 tinctly pedicellate than the other, and the scar somewbat smaller ; the 

 small bracts that subtend the male flowers decurrent between the 

 upper extremities of the basal bract, often sharply angled. The collar 

 bracts are distinctly accrescent, growing much larger where fruits are 

 developed, sometimes nearly 2 mm., or nearly half the length of the 

 sepals, in section through the middle thicker than the sepals or the 

 petals ; of the same brownish or purplish color as the perianth and 

 the neighboring tomentum, possibly stained from the ripe fruits. 

 Scars of female flowers and ripe fruits are shown in great numbers 

 in plates 16 and 17. 



Male flowers 6 mm. long, the calyx triangular, the sepals broadly 

 overlapping, 3 mm. long, thickened in the middle and often distinctly 

 carinate, the prominence usually ending abruptly below the angular 

 apex ; margins on each side minutely fringed. Petals narrowly tri- 

 angular, 5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide at base, rather irregularly costate- 

 striate on the inside, with a rounded basal pulvinus nearly 2 mm. long. 

 fused with the large staminal cushion filling the lower third of the 

 flower. 



Stamens 6, not exserted, the filaments rather robust, subconic, of 

 firm, fleshy texture, 3.5 mm. long, broadened at base to nearly 1 mm. 

 and somewhat united, forming a low ring on the staminal cushion ; 

 filaments incurved at base, above gradually recurved, especially those 

 alternate with the petals ; end of filament subtruncate, the attachment 



