79 



PLATE XXIX. 



Bactris , n. sp. 



Marayarana, Lingoa Geral. 



The stem of this species is about an inch in diameter 

 and ten or twelve feet high, thickly set with flat black 

 spines disposed in rings. The leaves are rather large 

 and irregularly pinnate, the leaflets being in little 

 groups of two or four, standing out at various angles 

 from the midrib, the groups themselves being set alter- 

 nately along it. The leaflets are elongate and have the 

 midrib produced in a bristly point, and the terminal 

 pair are not larger than the rest. The petioles are 

 armed with flat whitish spines, which on the long 

 sheathing bases become black. 



I met with this palm only once, growing in the dry 

 virgin forest on the banks of the Rio Negro. Though 

 it had neither flowers nor fruit at the time, yet its habit 

 is so peculiar as to leave little doubt of its being a new 

 species. It seems most nearly allied to the Bactris 

 macroacantha of Martius. 



