Z. affinis. ZALACCA. 91 
flowers; the spathels or bracts of the spikes, although united by their bases do 
not form annular rings, but are distinet, braeteiform, membranous, broadly cordate, 
obtuse at apex and each embraces two flowers; the special flower bracteoles unite 
to form two shallow, membranous. irregular cups, which are furnished with dense 
tufts of paleaceous hairs, attaining the level of the apex of the spathels. Male 
flowers narrow, 6 mm. long, clavate-oblong, and distinetly apieulate when in bud, 
immersed only with the calyx within the involucra ; the calyx is at first urceolate 
3-toothed and finally split more or less deeply into 3 oblong, striately ^ veined 
divisions; the corolla is twice or nearly 3 times as long as the calyx, attenuate at the 
base, parted below the middle into 3 oblong, acute segments ; the stamens have 
subulate filaments, and oblong anthers : the rudimentary ovary is very small and 
papilliform. Female spadix (or its divisions ?) 30—45 cm. long, composed of a 
central axis bearing several alternate, gradually decreasing , sessile contracted, 
spiciform branchlets, which are embraced by a spathe longer than the branchlets 
themselves. The lower spiciform branchlets are 6-7 cm. long, and carry alter- 
nately (in the axillas of broad lacerate, accuminate secondary spathes) a depau- 
perate sessile spikelet, composed of a very few (usually 3) flowers ; the upper 
branchlets are gradually shorter, and have fewer groups of flowers; finally the 
uppermost of them has only one such group. Every female flower is embraced 
by a spathel, very broadly ovate, acute and usually slashed or laciniate ; inside of 
every spathel are two special flower bracteoles (spathellules) rather large, im- 
bricating by their bases, keeled, and hairy-paleaceous on their backs. Rudimentary 
or neutral flower not present At times the uppermost flower of the groups is 
sterile. The female flowers are ovate, acute (in bud) 13—14 mm. long ; the calyx 
is at first shortly 3-toothed, and almost completely encloses the corolla, later it is 
parted into 3 ovate, finely striately-veined, acute segments ; the corolla, not much 
longer than the calyx, is entiré, urceolate in its lower half and is:parted above 
into 3 rigid, elongate-triangular, acuminate segments ; the staminodes have rudi- 
mentary sagittate anthers; the ovary is ovoid, covered with flattened obtuse scales ; 
the stigmas are sessile on the ovary, rigid, erect, trigonous-subulate. not attaining 
during the anthesis the apex of the corolla. Fruit ovoid, obovoid or ovoid-turbi- 
nate, somewhat tapering below, very obtusely trigonous, 5—6 em: long., 3—4 cm. 
in diameter, conically mammillate at apex, terminated by the remains of the small 
connivent stigmas, which form a very small and acute muero; scales in 24—26 
longitudinal series, broadly rhomboidal, of a nearly uniform chestnut brown colour, 
being only slightly darker near the margins, neatly grooved along the centre, the 
grooves being continuous all along the entire length of the fruit, the margins 
obsoletely dentieulate or nearly entire, and the apices slightly produced into an incon- 
spicuous apiculum, which in the young fruits is rather prominent, rendering them 
scabrid to the touch. “Seeds usually 3, enveloped in a fleshy integument, 2—3 
mm. thick; when divested of this they are 2:5—3'5 cm. long, 18—90 mm. broad, 
oblong-subtrigonous, convex on the dorsum and with two inner faces separated by 
a faintly salient angle ; the side angles are also. obtuse ; both ends are rounded ; 
on the apex, is a deep small hollow, leading. to a narrow channel, containing the 
intrusion of the integument, which extends somewhat less than half way into the 
albumen; the embryo is basilar, exactly opposite to the apical hollow and is 
"4 
ANN. Roy. Bot. GARD., CALCUTTA, VOL. XII. 
