NO. / A NEW PALM FROM COCOS ISLAND COOK 21 



The branches of the inflorescence are set too close along the axis 

 to afford space for thickened bulbous bases and swollen pulvini like 

 those of Plectis, which stand much wider apart. There is only a short 

 abrupt basal widening of the branches in Rooseveltia, and this notably 

 flattened, with thin angular margins ; the pulvinus also is more 

 reduced, in the dry state appearing as a small corneous prominence, 

 rather than broad, woody and persistent as in Plectis. 



As a consequence of the flower-groups being set more closely along 

 the branches the positions of the male flowers are somewhat different 

 from those of Plectis, the male buds not lying so flat against the 

 branches, as shown by the long impressions above the female flowers. 

 With the male buds more perpendicular to the branches, the bud-scars 

 are not so much sloped or tilted against the base of the female flower, 

 and hence appear more distinct in the photographs than do those of 

 Plectis. Also the more upright position of many of the male flower- 

 buds is shown in the natural-size photograph of inflorescence branches 

 at the early flowering stage (pi. 14). 



ROOSEVELTIA FRANKLINIANA/* n. gen. and sp. 



Plates 1-19 



Diagnostic cliaracters. — Agreement in many characters shows close 

 affinities with Plectis, but the trunk more robust and columnar, 

 abruptly thickened at the base, not forming aerial roots ; internodes 

 short, much broader than long ; leaf -sheaths indurated at the base on 

 the axial side ; rim of leaf-sheath fibrous, produced in the middle, 

 opposite the petiole, into a long fibrous antiligule ; petiole very short, 

 densely squamous ; rachis very long, the pinnae more numerous, very 

 long and pendent, the lower pinnae adjacent ; inflorescence shorter and 

 more compact, with more numerous close-set branches, the peduncle 

 very short, the basal joint indurate, crassate and inflated ; numerous 

 lower branches suppressed on the upper side of the axis and several 

 on the lower side ; branches and branch positions subtended by short, 

 transverse, rudimentary bracts ; branches with a short, naked base 

 slightly inflated at the insertion ; surface of branches densely tomen- 



4 Rooseveltia genus novum, Rooseveltia jrankliniana species typica, palma 

 spectabilis formosa, insulae nuncupatae "Cocos" indigena, ad Plectina "halaute" 

 Guatemalensium proxima, trunco valido columnari crebricincto, antiligula ampla 

 fibrosa, petiolo perbrevi supra dense squamoso, pinnis permultis approximatis 

 praelongis pendentibus, spadice compacta, floribus congestis, baccis grumosis, 

 'eminibus late impressis recedit. Typus, Schmitt 134 (U. S. Nat. Herb. 

 1.74' >^33— 841)- 



