829 



A NEW GENUS OF C0MMELINACEJ3. 



By H. N. Kidley, M.A., F.L.S. 



(Plate 360.) 



About two years ago Mr. Machado, who was residing at Legeh 

 — a little-explored region in the north-east of the Malay Peninsula 

 to the north of Tringganu — sent to the Botanic Gardens of Singa- 

 pore a number of very interesting plants, some dried and others 

 ahve. Aruong the latter was a single plant of rather striking 

 appearance, which in due course flowered, and proved to be a very 

 distinct genus of CunnuelinacccB. It was propagated by division, 

 and a plant is now in the Royal Gardens, Kew. The following is a 

 description of it : — 



Spatholirion, gen. u. Herba acaulis, foliis ovatis cordatis ob- 

 tusis petiolatis, petiolis pubescentibus, laminis tequantibus, crassi- 

 usculis. Scapus lateralis axillaris quam folia brevior erectus 

 paniculatus, basi longe nudus. Panicula pauci-ramosa, ramis bre- 

 vissimis, primo in spatha magna cymbiformi mucronata inclusa. 

 Flores tenues dioici ; feminei pauci in panicula brevissima juxta 

 spatham ; masculi plures in parte terminali. Feminei : Sepala 3 

 ovata obtusa extus pubescentia. Petala linearia glabra breviora. 

 Stamina 6 sterilia, aliter iis floris masculi similia. Ovarium cylin- 

 dricum in stylo crasso tereti attenuatum. Stigma capitatum tri- 

 lobum. Ovula plara. Masculi minores : Sepala lanceolato-ovata 

 extus pubescentia. Petala subsequilonga linearia acuta. Stamina 

 6, filamentis gracilibus erectis cum fasciculis capillorum supra basin 

 ornatis. Antheris terminalibus globosis, bilocularibus. Pistillum 

 nullum. Capsula (immatura) oblonga, triquetra. 



S. ornatum, sp. unica. Folia 6-7, laminis 4 pollices longis 

 et sequilatis atroviridibus superne glabris maculis albis ornatis 

 inferne pubescentibus purpurascentibus, petiolis quatuor pollices 

 longis vel ultra crassiusculis canaliculatis basi vaginantibus brunneo- 

 pubescentibus. Scapus basi nudus et cum rachide et ramis pur- 

 pureus, ad sex pollices longus, ramis vix J pollicis longis. Spatha 

 persistens crassa ovata cymbiformis mucronata 1^ poll, longa, 

 purpurascenti-viridis, primo paniculam omnino involvens, mox 

 aperta deflexa. Flores tenues rosei, vix ultra ^ pollicis lati, 

 feminei 3-4 in cymula brevissima spatham approximate Masculi 

 plurimi minores in panicula brevi-ramosa terminali basi longe (ad 

 pollicem) nuda. Flores feminei : Sepala extus pubescentia rosea. 

 Petala breviora angustiora glabra rosea. Stamina quam sepala 

 breviora sterilia. Pistillum glabrum aurantiacum, ovarium cylin- 

 dricum superne in stylo tereti crasso attenuate. Stigma mediocre 

 capitatum trilobum. Flores masculi paullo minores : Sepala an- 

 gustiora extus pubescentia rosea. Petala sequilonga pallidiora, 

 angustiora acuta. Stamina 6, filamentis gracilibus flavis, fasciculis 

 capillorum moniliformium supra bases munitis ; antheris termi- 

 nalibus globosis 4-lobis. Pistillum nullum. 



Legeh, ad Tomoh, coll. A. D. Machado. 



Journal of Botany. — Vol. 34. [Aug. 1896.] z 



