M. scortechinii. MYRIALEPSIS. 65 
angular, obliquely truncate at the mouth, and produced at one side into a triangular 
acute or acuminate point. Spikelets small, scorpioid, gradually decreasing in length 
and number of flowers, the lower and largest 10 mm. long carry two collateral 
series, of 6—8 assurgent flowers each; spathels small, very approximate, concave, acute 
at one side; involucre cupular, shallow, with 3 acute teeth. Male flower... 
Female inflorescence large, composed of several branches (partial inflorescences) 30—40 
em. long or shorter, each of which proceeds from the sheath of a greatly reduced leaf, 
and carries distichally 5—7 or fewer spikelet-bearing branchlets; the main axis 
is sinuous; the secondary spathes are slightly infundibuliform, flat at the base on 
the inner side, unarmed, striately-veined, almost horizontally truncate at the mouth, 
produced at one side into a triangular acuminate point; branchlets spreading or 
recurved inserted just at the mouth of their respective spathes ; the lowest and largest 
10—16 cm. long, and bearing 8—10 spikelets on each side ; the upper speedily 
decreasing in length and number of spikelets; spathes of the branchlets similar to 
those of the main axis, but smaller, fugaciously ciliate-furfuraceous on the margin ; 
sptkelets scorpioid, inserted just at the mouth of their respective spathes, composed 
of only 3—5 flowers; the spathellules are bracteiform, concave, produced at one 
side into a triangular acuminate point, embrace the special and the only existing 
involucre of the flowers, are shallowly cupular, almost explanate, trigonous 3-toothed, 
2-keeled on the axial side, and not showing any trace of the insertion of a neuter 
flower. Before the anthesis the Jemale-flowers are about 8 mm. long, ovoid, trigonous& 
pyramidate above, have the ovary provided with a broad ring of very minute 
points (the rudiments of the scales) spreading and later deflexed ; during the 
anthesis the female flowers are globular-ovoid, 7—8 mm. long, 6 mm. across; the 
calyx is deeply parted nearly to the base into 3 broadly triangular, striately 
veined, very acute segments; the staminodes form with the broadened connate bases 
of the filaments a shallow membranous cup, connate only at the base with the 
undivided part of the corolla and radiately divided into 6  deltoid teeth, each 
terminated by a  rudimentary  sagittate anther; the 3  alternipetal teeth are 
conspicuous between the segments of the corolla; the anthers have the apex and 
the aurieles acute; ovary globose, 3-locular, very densely and minutely covered with 
the small rudimentary scales; stigmas short. -very thickly trigonous, divergent ; 
ovules’ basilar. Fruit monospermous, “globular, slightly * depressed, .26—28 mm. in 
diameter, having the top round and marked by the very minute’ punctiform scar 
left by the stigmas, covered by innumerable extremely minute, subtuberculiform, 
irregularly imbricate scales, about ‘5 mm. wide and prolonged into very acuminate 
straight appressed tips. The pericarp on the whole is about 1 mm. thick, and 
coriaceous. Seed transversely oblong and depressed. 18x25 mm. in diameter, 15 
mm. high in one specimen, covered by a thin erustaceous, adherent (once slightly 
fleshy ?) integument, otherwise its surface even and marked only by a small 
punctiform apical chalazal fovea; albumen homogeneous ; embryo basal. Fruiting 
perianth persistent, broadly campanulate; the calyx slightly thickened and with a 
callous base. 
Hazirat.—The Malay Peninsula and probably also Sumatra. The type- speci- 
men is a small branchlet bearing a few mature fruits, collected by Scortechini in the 
District of Perak. Scortechini collected’ also in the same district some sterile 
ANN. Roy. Bor GARD., CALCUTTA, VOL. XII. 
