OF THE AMAZON. 115 



PLATE XLV. 



ASTEOCAHYUM HITMILE, n. Sp. 



Iu, Lingoa Geral. 



This species has a stem two or three feet high, or is 

 altogether stemless like the last. The leaves are six 

 or eight feet long, slender and pinnate. The leaflets 

 are much broader than in A. acaule, similarly disposed 

 in spreading groups, but not so much drooping. The 

 midribs and petioles are armed with long, slender, 

 cylindrical spines pointing in various directions. 



The spadices grow from among the leaves and are 

 erect and simply branched. The spathes are erect or 

 somewhat curved over the fruit, and clothed with 

 thickly set bristly spines. The fruit is globular, 

 covered with scattered stiff hairs, and of an orange-red 

 colour. It is not eatable. 



This species is not uncommon in the same situations 

 as the last. The specimen with a stem was growing in 

 a moister part of the forest. It seems to be an unde- 

 scribed species. 



The stemless and short-stemmed state of this plant 

 are shown on the Plate, and a fruit is represented of 

 the natural size. 



