M. sagus. METROXYLON. 167 
la. MrerRoxyLon Saaus var. Morar Becc. 
Description.—Petiole and rhachis unarmed ; a leaflet is 1°60 m. long, and 9 em. 
wide, the margins spinulous only near the apex, otherwise smooth. very long-acumi- 
nate to a slender tail like tip, the mid-costa spinulous only near the apex. Fruit 
globose, not depressed, 25—29 mm. in diameter with rounded and mucronate top; 
the base slightly excavate; scales slightly larger than long, deeply grooved along 
the centre, the largest 9—10 mm. broad in the exposed part. 
HanmrAT.—Ceram in the West end, and at Hamahai on the south coast of the 
central part of the Island. Received with the native name of “Sagu molat” or 
^S. malat.” This is the name that Rumph attributes to his Sagus levis, corres- 
ponding to M. Sagus, from which the present variety differs only in having a some- 
what smaller and more roundish fruit. 
Two fruits. from W. Ceram are 25—29 mm. in diameter; one from Amahai is 
28 mm. 
PLatk 107.—Figs. 7-8—Metroxylon Rumphii vag. Molat Bece—Fig. 7, two fruits 
from W. Ceram; fig. 8 one fruit from Amahai. 
lb. Merrroxyton SaGus var. PEEKELIANUM Bece. new var. 
Descriprion.—Not differing in habit from M. Sagus; 8—10 m. high; the trunk 
vety stout (Peekel) Leaves having quite smooth petiole and rhachis. Leaflets with 
mid-costa and margins smooth, very long-acuminate, those of the lower part of the 
rhachis terminating in a filament 6—7 cm. long, not ciliate; nor spinulous. Spike- 
bearing. branches 50 em. long (in one specimen) bearing 5 spikes on each side; 
spathes unarmed, covered, especially in their upper part, with pale appressed small ` 
scarious scales. Spikes of tomentose appearance, the apices of the spathels slightly 
protruding beyond the wool of the flower bracteoles; their pedicellar part is concave 
on the axial side and has the margins very sharp and densely tomentose. The 
fruits are spherical or a trifle longer than broad, 20—23 mm. long, 20—22 mm. 
broad, not narrowing to the base, which is slightly hollowed; the apex is umbili- 
cate, and shortly beaked; scales narrowly and not deeply grooved along the centre, 
glossy, straw coloured, with a rather conspicuous darker intramarginal line, the 
margins narrowly discoloured; less than ‘5 mm. wide (or much less than in vas. 
gogolensis) and finely erose-toothed ; the apices triangular, not produced, and blunt. 
The pericarp is thin in the upper part, and thicker at the base from the more 
copious spongy mesocarp. 
Haprrat—German New-Guinea at Namatanai near Salsal in New-Mecklenburg 
in swampy places (Peekel No. 115 in Berlin Herbarium); native name “A bia tun.” 
Curiously enough, this. name seems to correspond to that of “ Lapia Tuni” 
under 
which, according to Rumph M. Rumphii is known in Amboina. | 
Osservations.—Distinguishable from M. Sagus (forma typica) by its much smaller 
fruits, and by the spathes of the spike-bearinz branches being covered with 
