P. elongata. PLECTOCOMIA. 25 
nearly 4 times as long as the calyx, parted nearly to the base into 3 broadly 
lanceolate-sigmoid or at times nearly  elongate-rhomboidal, acuminate, thinly 
coriaceous segments; stamens 6, erect on the short solid base or torus of the 
corolla; filaments having a thick bulbous base suddenly finely subulate ; anthers 
linear, 5 mm. long, sifuous, obtuse at both ends, erect, inserted on the dorsum 
below the middle, reaching with their apices above midway of the petals; their 
cells parallel, disjointed below the middle; rudimentary ovary represented by 3 - 
very small linear papille. Female spikes very ‘similar to the male, but. more 
robust and with slightly larger and more rigid spathels. Spikelets composed of 
only 3—5 flowers; each flower is suffulted by a short trigonous, rusty scabrid 
pedicel, 3—4 mm. long, and is provided with a triangular subulate bract, 2—3 mm. 
long. Female flowers much larger than the males; the calyx coriaceous, ovoid- 
campanulate, tapering slightly to the base, 7—8 mm. broad, and about as long, broadly 
3-toothed, the teeth triangular acute, the entire margin covered with dense 
rufous villosity, deciduous in age, the surface obsoletely minutely punctulate, 
otherwise smooth or not distinctly veined; the corolla twice as long as the calyx, 
its base only entire and lining the lower part of the calyx, otherwise parted into 
three hard cartilaginous segments, suddenly becoming  linear-lanceolate and 
acuminate from a broad triangular base; the stamens form with their expanded 
connate bases a shallow m2mbranous cup, adhering to the base of the corolla, and 
divided into 6 triangular teeth, having subulate apices, and carrying sterile anthers ; 
the latter linear or very slightly sagittate and with their apices reaching to midway 
of the segments of the corolla. The ovary is globose and very densely covered 
by the hairy tips of the scales; stigmas sessile or distinet even from. the base, 
elongate, sinuous, subterete, protruding considerably beyond the corolla: even . before 
the anthesis. Fruits 1—3 at each spathel, globular, when quite mature 25—28 mm. 
in diameter, bearing on the round top the remains of the bases of the stigmas, 
but not beaked, very densely villous from the long, narrow, upturned or spread- 
ing rufous membranous finely laciniate-fimbriate tips of the scale ; the scales are 
arranged in very numerous series, are dark chestnut brown, polished, slightly 
convex and narrowly grooved along the centre. Seed usually solitary, globular- 
depressed, about 15 mm. in diameter. The fruiting perianth is not accrescent, but 
the calyx narrows, a little at the base and forms a short obconical pedicel to the 
fruit. | 
Hasirat.—The typical plant is indigenous to Java, but apparently with un- 
changed characters it grows also in Sumatra. In Java it is encountered in 
the damp virgin forests of the volcanic mountains of Bantam, where it is known 
to the natives by the names of ‘“ Bubuai,” “Buai” or “ Buan” (Miquel) In the 
Residency of Preanger at Tijbodas (Boerlage in Herb. Becc.—male specimen); at 
Palabuanratu (Koorders Nos. 34575B, 34587B, 3166B); on Mt. Salak (Heyne No. 52 
in Buitenzorg and Beccari Herbaria); on. the mountains, without special locality, at 
1200 m. elevation (Zollinger No. 1380 in Herb. de Candolle with female flowers) ; 
in the Residency of Semarang at Ungaran Telomajo (Koorders No. 35993 in 
Buitenzorg Herbariums—pecimen with mature fruits). 
From Sumatra I have seen only very incomplete specimens. One with male 
flowers collected by Dr. C. D. Quwchoud in July 1897 at Toba, 1350 m. alt. in 
ANN. Roy. Bor. GARD., CALCUTTA, VOL. XII. 
