MAY 4, 1923 . COOK: NEW GENUS OF PALMS 183 
Leaves 2 to 3 meters long; sheath and petiole not distinct, the strictly 
sheathing portion about 30 cm. long, the petiole about 65 cm., very deeply 
channelled below, with thin strongly incurved margins to within about 15 
cm. of the lowest pinnae, there the groove becoming shallow and the margins 
rounded. Sheath 1.5 em. thick at the back, the petiole becoming thicker 
above and the groove more shallow; diameter of petiole above 3 cm. Rachis 
sharply carinate above. 
Pinnae 88 on_ one side of the midrib; lowest pinna 41 cm. by 2.2 cm.; second 
pinna 47 cm. long; largest pinna somewhat below the middle, 61 cm. by 3.8 
em.; fifth pinna from the end 32 cm. by 2.7 cm.; subterminal pinna 22 cm. 
by 1.3 cm.; terminal pinna 16 cm. by 0.5 cm., or the two last pinnae united 
with total width of 1.5 cm. One vein on each side of the midrib more 
prominent than the others, especially underneath, also 5 or 6 less prominent 
veins, separated by 6 or 7 subequal veinlets; in dry specimens the spaces 
between the veinlets showing many short translucent longitudinal lines, not 
in regular rows; submarginal vein delicate, separated from the margin by 3 
or 4 veinlets very close together; margin thickened and veinlike, but the 
edge thin. 
Inflorescence 75 cm. long; from lowest branch to tip 34 em. Branches 
17 or 18, about 0.4 cm. thick, at base nearly 0.5 cm. tapering gradually to the 
tip, attaming 30 cm. The lowest 4 branches divided near the base; terminal 
portion 21 em. Peduncle with 7 joints measuring respectively 2, 11, 7.5, 
12, 11, 5, and 3 em., the last 3 joints without spathes. 
Spathes 4, the lowest 9.5 cm. by 5.5*cm., distinctly carinate on each side, 
deeply bidentate, the tips triangular-pointed, 3 cm. long; second spathe 13.3 
em. by 4.3 em., slightly carinate, but sharply angled at the sides; like the 
others; third spathe 19.5 cm. by 2.4 cm.; fourth spathe 19 em. by 2.1 cm., 
attaining within 2 to 3 cm. of lowest branch, the fruiting portion emerging 
from the spathes long before flowering. 
Sepals about 1 mm. long; petals of female flowers at anthesis about 2 mm. 
long, on ripe fruits 3 mm. long, thick; anthers 1 mm. long, and pistillodes 
nearly the same length, staminodes rudimentary. 
Fruits subglobose or transversely subreniform, somewhat flattened on one 
side and with a vertical groove above the stigma, 1 cm. to 1.5 cm. in diameter, 
with a soft fleshy red pericarp 2 mm. thick, the flesh of green fruit mucila- 
ginous and very sticky; seed 0.9 cm. to 1.1 cm. in diameter, somewhat irregular 
in shape, subglobose, oblong, reniform, oval, or unsymmetrical, the surface 
smooth or slightly uneven, marked with a few impressed fibers; central 
cavity of the seed often strongly depressed, 2 to 4 mm. in diameter, sur- 
rounded by a wall of uniform rather hard albumen 2.5 to 3 mm. thick. 
Seedlings with the three bladeless sheaths measuring respectively, 7 cm., 
2.5 em. and 5 em. in length, in diameter about 0.5 cm.; first two sheaths 
without chlorophyll, white at first but soon brown and decayed; first two 
leaves simple, deeply bifid, the divisions measuring 12 to 13 cm. by 1.3 to 
1.9 cm. 
Type in the U. 8. National Herbarium, nos. 1,084,215-1,084,219, consisting 
of leaf parts, inflorescence, and spathes from a single individual growing at 
Laguna Colorada, Tikal District, Petén, Guatemala, altitude 100 to 500 
meters, March 23, 1922, by O. F. Cook and R. D. Martin (no. 94), of which 
photographs and complete leaf measurements were obtained. Ripe fruits 
were collected a few days later near Uaxactun, on a larger inflorescence, with 
more numerous branches and the fruits more abundant and crowded. The 
seeds of this cluster were brought to Washington and planted in a greenhouse, 
where the seedlings have grown well. 
