212 riioaiCEDixas of the national muse cm. 



CYCADEOIDEA PAYNEI, new species. 



Trunks inodinm sized, lateiiilly C()in])ressed, usually enlargino- from 

 the base upward to near the suuiinit but sometimes subcyliudrical, 

 30 cm. to 55 cm. liigli, <»5 cm. to 85 cm. in average girtli, 20 by 25 cm. 

 to 25 by 35 cm. in diameter, light or darkish brown in color, not sjjc- 

 cially lirm or heavy, bearing fi;w or not any secondary axes; organs of 

 the armor horizontal; phyllotaxy rather obscure, but scars arranged in 

 imperfect si)iral lows, chielly subrhombie, but varying to rhombic; or 

 triangular, much distorted in the specimens in hand, but where clearly 

 shown 10 to 10 mm. high and 10 to 31 mm. wide, empty to some depth, 

 their bottoms filled with the partially decayed remains of the petioles; 

 ramentaceous interstices rather thin but variable, usually with a more 

 or less distinct commissure; reproductive organs or their remains 

 numerous and consi)icuous, often ])rqjecting considerably beyond the 

 general surface in the form of protuberances or terete spongy cylinders, 

 often decayed leaving large cavities, more or less crater-shaped or 

 funnel-shaped, the interior sometimes definitely grooved or. marked, 

 surrounded by Jiumerous, sometimes large triangular involucral bract 

 scars; armor varying in thickness from 2 cm. to 7 cm., attached by an 

 irregular line or thin layer of bark to the cortical jiarenchyma which 

 is 1 to 2 cm. thick and incloses a tibrous zone of about the same thick- 

 ness, which is divided into two or three rings; medulla less compressed 

 than the outer ])arts, to 10 cm. in diameter. 



The only specimens that certainly belong to this sjjecies are Nos. 4 

 and 5 of the collection ])urchased from Mr. Cole. The description of 

 the internal parts is (;hietly ])osed on No. 5, which is the smallest of that 

 collection and has been cut longitudinally through the axis, one of the 

 halves cut transversely 12 cm. above the base, and the surfaces pol- 

 ished. These sections furnish clear views of the organs of the armor 

 and of the relations of tlie armor to the underlying parts. The si)ecific 

 identity of the two specimens is based on the exteriud characters, 

 which substantially agree. No. 4 weighs 33.11 kg., and No. 5, 22.22 kg. 

 I name the species for the ranchmai), Mr. rayne, who originally discov- 

 ered the cycads of that region and from whom Mr. Cole obtained them. 

 He it was, moreover, who finally guided us to the locality after Mr. 

 Cole had vainly sought to take us to it the previous day, missing the 

 way, notwithstanding that he had been at the spot. 



In the Yale collection there are three specimens, Nos. 58, 09, and 77, 

 which 1 have doubtfully referred to this species, although some of the 

 characters are different from those above described. Nos. 58 and 69 

 are vertically instead of laterally compressed. If this is due entirely 

 to ])ressnre of the superincumbent mass after entombment, it has no 

 systematic value and depends upon the i)osition occupied by the siiec- 

 imen; but eminent authorities have insisted that it is a condition of 

 growth. 1 am inclined to think that this may be true in some cases, 

 but that the former explanation is the chief one. 



