PALMS OF THE VALLEY OF THFl AMAZON. 323 



the function of protection for the young buds ; and, as the presumed 

 fact of this modification is very strong evidence of its utility, the ten- 

 dency to protection of the entire inflorescence may have been aided by 

 the death of all buds that were placed too high on the axis to be long 

 covered by the basal leaves, and by the elimination as useless struc- 

 tures both of the buds and of the axis which supported them : in this 

 way we should arrive by successive steps, first at the inflorescence of 

 Coinochlamys, and then at that of Periblema. In Barleria the function 

 of bud-protector is taken on by the bracts, each, bract covering its own 

 flower, and it is signiflcant that here we find two bracteoles at the base 

 of each of the flowers. In order to account for the absence of bracteoles 

 from Coinochlamys and Perihlema, it seems to be necessary to think that 

 the function of the bracteole is accessory to that of the bract, and that, 

 as the budding inflorescence is completely covered by the involucre in 

 these two genera, bracteoles have become superfluous. 



It is to be hoped that seeds of these plants will soon find their way 

 to Europe, for it is only by a study of the growing plant that the finer 

 facts of morphology can be apprehended. 



Explanation of Plate 182. 



Fig. 1. — Coinochlamys angolana (nat. size), a. Involucre opened, showing 5 

 flowers, of which one only is expanded (mag.), b. Corolla opened (mag.). 

 c. Ovary, style, and stigma (mag.), d. Ovary opened, showing the 2 basal ovules 

 on a single retinaculum (mag.), e. The two ovules seen under higher power. 

 /. Capsule (nat. size), g. 8eed in long section (mag.). 



Fig. 2. — C. hirsuta (nat. size). 



DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES AND VARIETIES OF 

 PALMS COLLECTED IN THE VALLEY OF THE 

 AMAZON IN NORTH BRAZIL, IN 1874. 



By James W. H. Tkail, M.A., M.B., F.L.S. 



Akecine^. 



Genus Geonoma. 



§ 1. Solospadices. — Spadix simplex, pedunculo elato, spathis linearibus 

 superante. 

 * Tubus stamirieus florum 9 in lobos 6 ligulatos fissus. 



1. G. Tamandtja, sp. n. (Trail hb. Palm, 183),f — Acaulis ; 

 foliis bifurcis, iis G. Spixiancs simillimis, l'5™-2™, atro- 

 viridibus, valide plicatis ; venis primariis utriuque 25-27, 

 fere rectis, angulo costali 10''-12'*; petiolo brevi (O-IS") 

 supra prof unde canaliculato ; spadicibus 0-6"-r0", rachi- 

 bus 0-25"'-0-32'" obtusis ; alveolis dense 10-11-stichis, 

 labio inferiore bifido, tomentoso ; spatha interiore dimi- 



t The following described species and varieties of Palms are deposited in 

 liew Herbarium under the numbers quoted for each. 



y2 



