182 JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. 13, No. 9 
incurved margins above; pinnae numerous (88 pairs), lanceolate, not clustered 
or grouped, attaining a length of about 60 cm. and a width of nearly 4 cm. 
Inflorescences distinctly infrafoliar, slender, with numerous (15 to 30) 
rather robust, simple, tapering branches, or a few of the lower branches 
forked near the base. 
Spathes 4, slender, incomplete; 3 upper joints of the peduncle without 
spathes. Lowest spathe short and strongly bicarinate; third and fourth 
spathes longest, but not attaining the base of the branches of the matured 
inflorescence. 
Flowers of one form externally, in longitudinal rows of 2 or 3, the lowest 
flower of each group pistillate, somewhat smaller than the staminate flowers, 
also a few solitary staminate flowers near the ends of the branches; sepals 
rounded, broadly imbricate; petals broadly triangular, valvate, somewhat 
longer than broad, thick, fleshy, persistent, becoming leathery in the ripe 
fruit; stamens 6, on broad short filaments; pistillodes columnar or variously 
compressed, sharply apiculate, nearly as long as the anthers; pistillate flowers 
with rudimentary staminodes, the pistil sharply trigonal, on each face a 
distinct median groove, the mature stigmas divaricate, persistent at the base 
of the ripe fruit; also some of the staminate buds persistent through the 
fruiting period. 
Fruits globose-reniform, with a distinct groove on the median face above 
the stigma, color light green, turning to deep red when ripe, with a smooth 
skin and a soft fleshy pericarp, enclosing a somewhat depressed or subreniform 
seed. Surface of seed nearly smooth, slightly impressed with 5 to 7 simple or 
sparingly branched or anastomosing fibers rising from the inner or median 
side of the hilum, passing over and around the seed and converging toward 
the embryo; albumen uniform, with a central cavity; embryo about inter- 
mediate between basal and lateral, on the outer side of the seed away from 
the stigma; embryo cavity about half as broad as long, extending more than 
half-way to the central cavity. 
Seedling with three bladeless sheaths, followed by two leaves with simple 
bifurcate blades. 
The generic name refers to the persistence of the staminate flowers and 
buds which are to be found in fresh condition on the same inflorescences with 
ripe fruits. This may indicate an extreme condition of proterogyny or a 
continued production of staminate flowers through a long period. Mo- 
noecious palms may be considered as proterogynous if the stigmas are exposed 
before pollen is shed from the staminate flowers of the same inflorescence. 
Drude alludes to the opposite relation, of female flowers developed after the 
male flowers have withered. The difference usually would be only a few 
hours, or at most a few days, whereas several weeks must be required, or 
possibly months, for the fruits of Opsiandra to grow and ripen, while staminate 
buds and flowers are still present. 
Opsiandra maya Cook, sp. nov. 
Trunk attaining 20 meters and upward, about 15 cm. in diameter near the 
base, tapering slightly and gradually; internodes 12 to 15 cm., becoming 
shorter above, separated by distinct rings. Superficial roots 3.5 em. thick, 
forming a dense conical mass supporting the trunk. 
