98 



lanceolate, gradually tubulately acuminate, papyraceous, rather rigid, almost 

 shiny and of about the same colour on both surfaces, have the mid-costa very 

 sharp above, and one or two slender secondary nerves on each side of it ; 

 underneath they are quite smooth, but above have occasionally a few very 

 minute spinules on the mid-costa, and on a secondary nerve on each side 

 of it ; transverse veinlets much interrupted and not very sharp ; the margins 

 almost smooth, or very inconspicuously spinulous, more distinctly so at the 

 apex; the intermediate leaflets are 15-18 cm. long and 20-25 mm. wide, 

 the lowermost and the upper ones gradually smaller, the two terminal being 

 the smallest, free, or more or less connate at the base. Male spadix 

 flagelliform, very long and slender, with very few and distant partial 

 inflorescences ; primary spathes very narrowly tubular and elongate, very 

 closely sheathing, more or less armed with scattered small claws, the lowest 

 compressed with rather acute margins ; the others cylindraceous, somewhat 

 produced and lacerated at apex; partial inflorescences ascendent, rather 

 short, the lowest and largest about 10 cm. long with 5-6 spikelets on each 

 side ; 'secondary spathes very narrowly tubular-infundibuliform, or with a 

 flattened base, and slightly enlarged above, obliquely truncate at their 

 mouths, and there slightly produced at one side into a triangular point, 

 which embraces the bases of their respective spikelets ; spikelets spreading, 

 the largest (lowest) about 3 cm. long, with 13-15 flowers on each side; the 

 upper are shorter, and have fewer flowers ; spathels shallowly and broadly 

 infundibuliform, truncate, strongly striately- veined ; involucre cupular, 

 obsoletely two-keeled and slightly two-toothed on the side next to the axis. 

 Male flowers ovoid, inserted at an angle of about 45, not in contact with 

 each other, but separated by the blades of their respective spathels. Female 

 spadix and fruit unknown. 



Hob. Arfak Mts., near the Monswoon Snoon (cT lake) at about 8000'. 

 Collected by Mr. A. E. Pratt. 



It is closely related to C. arfikianus, from which it differs in the leaves 

 having unequidistant, but not distinctly grouped leaflets, on that account 

 resembling C. Muelleri more than C. arfakianus. From C. Muelleri it differs 

 also in having larger spikelets, and having ascendant non-contiguous flowers. 



C. Prattianus is characterized by its slender stem with cirriferous leaf- 

 sheaths and short non-cirriferous leaves ; by the ocreai and the mouths of 

 the leaf-sheaths being furnished with long bristles ; by the lanceolate 

 unequidistant (but not distinctly grouped) and almost smooth leaflets ; by 

 the very slender and long-flagelliform male spadix having only a few partial 

 inflorescences furnished with but few spreading spikelets ; these have briefly 

 infundibular spathels and bear the flowers inserted at an angle of about 45, 

 a little apart one from the other. 



