136. CYCLANTHACEM. 



1. P. tectorius, Sol. Syn. P. fascicularis, Lamh. ; P. odoratissimus, 



Roxb. ; Keora, H. ; Kiya, Or ; Kewa-kanta, Beng. 



A bushy shrub or growing into a tree with stem 10-12 ft. high with 

 many thick terete aerial and stilt roots. Leaves closely spirally 

 3-fariously imbricate, erect then drooping, 3-5 ft. long, abruptly 

 caudate. Spathes white. ]\Iale inflorescence very sweet-scented, 

 branched Avith a spathe at each branch, flowers pedicelled with the 

 stamens spicately arranged on the floral axis (connate filaments ?). 

 Female spikes stout unbranched subtended by 3-fariously arranged 

 white spathes. Ovaries of 4-9 connate carpels, 6-20 on a spadix, in 

 fruit trigonous obpyramidal woody 1-5-2" long, with flat tubercled 

 tops each tubercle crowned by a Avithered stigma ; the whole syncarp 

 ellipsoid drooping 4-10" long and 4-8" diam. deep orange-coloured 

 on peduncles 5-6" long. 



Wild in the deltaic swamps of the Mahanadi, Balasore and Cuttack, whei'e it 

 forms a tree ! Also common and semi-wild in other parts of the Orissa coast and 

 will grow on sand. Sometimes cultivated in other parts {e.g. Ranchi, near the 

 lake). Fl. r.s. Fr. May-June. 



Roxburgh states that it is the white spathes of the inflorescence which yields 

 the powerful fragrance so noticeable when this plant is in flower. The shrubby 

 form is often used for hedges in Orissa as in the Casuarina plantation at Pari. 



2. P. foetidus, Roxb. Keor-kanta, kiya-kanta, Vern. 



A much branched bush 5-6 ft. high. Leaves 2-4 ft. acuminate 

 spinose toothed as in the last. Male inflorescence in the axils of white 

 or pale yellow spathes as in P. odoratissimus but the smell foetid and 

 very disagreeable. Pis. without an elongate torus, covering the rhachis 

 of the spike so that it is impossible to define the boundaries of each, 

 anthers long linear Avith very short filaments conical at the base. 

 Female spike Avith very numerous fl.OAvers each of a single carpel. 

 Drupes croAvded angular obpyramidal, 1 -celled, each AA'ith a smaller 

 pyramidal crown and an apical prickle (the modified stigma), the Avhole 

 syncarp very compact and red AAhen ripe, 3-4" long. 



In village shrubberies and hedges, occasional in Purneah, Santal Parganahs 

 and Chota Nagpur ! Fl. c.s. Fr. May-June. 



FAM. 136. CYCLANTHACEiE. 



Perennial herbs or small unarmed palm-like shrubs Avith distichous 

 or spiral petioled flabellate leaves, usually deeply 2-4-fid or -partite, 

 plicate. FloAvers monoecious, both sexes densely Avhorled or spirally 

 arranged on a simple cylindrical or oblong spadix, Avhich is enveloped 

 Avhen young by 2-6 spathes inserted on the top of the peduncle. 

 Male perianth or Avith a many-toothed mouth and obliquelj^ stipi- 

 tate, stamens 6 to many, filaments connate at the base and confluent 

 Avith the fleshy perianth, anthers adnate, pollen ellipsoid, smooth, 

 pistillode 0. Fem. perianth or of 4 short distinct or connate tepals, 

 sometimes not distinguishable from the neighbouring floAvers, fre- 

 quently accrescent and hardened in fruit, staminodes often 4. Ovary 

 free or immersed in the tissue of the spadix, depressed-quadrate, 



877 



