146 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA, K. zippeltt. 
clawed, some of the claws being 3-nate or 5-nate and intermingled with other 
single and scattered claws. Leaflets rigid-papyraceous, conspicuously discolourous, green 
above, chalky white beneath, broadly cuneate-oblong or cuneate-rhomboidal, having 
their upper ends triangular and sharply toothed; a few of the lower leaflets in every 
leaf are more approximate and smaller and narrower than the others; the intermediate 
leaflets measure 25—32 cm. in length, by 12—15 cm. in breadth, and have 12—13 
equally strong main nerves; transverse veinlets not very distinct; the uppermost 
leaves are much reduced in size, have short petioles and smaller leaflets than 
the lower ones but equally numerous; the ansce in the lower leaves are short, but 
in the upper ones are very strongly flattened or laminar, 10—15 mm. long and 
have a very distinct axillary callus, with a transverse fissure, leading to an interna] 
cavity. Inflorescence large, 70 cm. or more long, composed. of several robust, spread- 
ing primary branches, 30—60 cm. long; spathes of the branches tubular-infundi- 
buliform, short, partially covered with a tobacco-coloured detachable scurf; unarmed, 
coriaceous in their lower part, but prolonged above into a membranous, dry, lacerate 
limb. From inside the mouth of every primary spathe springs a shortened branchlet, 
bearing radiately 5—6 spikes in the lower part of the branch, and gradually fewer 
above; the branchlets are flattened, very short, not or only very slightly produced 
beyond the mouth of their spathes and are provided with their own secondary 
spathes. The spikes are thickish, 8—10 cm. long, 12—13 mm. broad with and 
8—9 mm. without the flowers, and in this second case are of a tomentose 
appearance ; spathels very broadly triangular, ciliate on the margins and with their 
acute apices projecting above the wool of the flower-bracteoles. Flowers very 
regularly and closely spirally arranged in 12 longitudinal series, 6 mm. long, 2:5 mm. 
broad, obtusely trigonous, narrowing to a subacute apex; the calyx  cyathiform, 
entirely hidden by the wool of the bracteoles, deeply parted into 3 ovate, very thinly 
membranous, acute lobes, which are very finely-striately veined and have hyaline 
margins; the corolla is nearly 3 times as long as the calyx, deeply divided into 3 
cartilaginous segments, finely striate outside; the stamens have thick and short 
triangular filaments, united to the short undivided basal part of the corolla ; anthers 
long-sagittate, acute; ovary ovoid, narrowing above to a conical sulcate iffe style, 
reaching about half way of the anthers. rut unknown. 
Hasitat.—It seems to be rather common all over New Guinea, showing a great 
uniformity of characters, even in regions far apart. 
It was discovered first by Zéppell at Lobo in Dutch territory, in the south of 
the Island, and found again in the same region in Etna bay, by Koch (Leyden 
Herbarium). I have collected it (sterile) in the N.-W. at Ramoi near the Island of 
Salwatti, and in flower at Andai’ near Dorei. Exactly similar to the typical 
specimens are those collected by Lauterbach in Kaiser Wilhelm’s land on the 
Ramufluss (No. 2561 in Berlin Herbarium) and in British New Guinea on the 
Owen Stanley's Range, by Sir W. MeGregor in 1889 (Herb. Becc.) and afterwards 
by Giulianetti. è 
Osservations.—It is one of the largest species, distinguishable by its leaf- 
sheaths prolonged into a closely sheathing, elongate, finally lacerated ocrea : by 
its large leaves having numerous, oblong-cuneate or cuneate-rhomboidal leaflets, 
