M. squarrosum] METROXYLON. 181 
long. The fruits are exactly as in the var. Kilwoi; some, however, are globular 
depressed, flattish above. rounded and unequal at the base, 95 mm. in diameter, 
whereas others are distinctly turbinate, and from below the middle asymmetrical, 
and obsoletely angular by mutual pressure. In one fruit I have found two seeds, 
According to the collector’s note the plant is covered from base to top with long 
and thick spines, and has petioles intensely green. 
4. Var. KiLATAN or KILATANKIRKIE.—AÀ leaflet is rather narrow, 1°15 m. long, 
6 cm. broad, gradually and long-acuminate, slightly spinulous on the margins; the 
mid-costa has only a few tuberculiform spinules near the apex. A spike is 13 em. 
long. The fruits slightly differ from those of the other varieties in having a 
rounder top which is only slightly depressed around the beak; are more or less 
turbinate and at times have a roundish base, are 23—25 mm. long, and 19—93 mm. 
in diameter. Some of these fruits have a thoroughly mature seed, which is 
Spherical, 15 mm. in diameter, covered with a crustaceous (once certainly fleshy) 
integument; the albumen in vertical section has a crescent-like or horse-shoe 
shape, and a large upper cavity ; the walls of the albumen are 3—4 mm. thick; 
the embryo 4 mm. iong, penetrating through the entire base of the albumen. 
(* Petioles long ; spines short and thick "—collector's note. 
5. Var. KiLKouR.—A leaflet is narrow, 1°25 m. long, 6 em. broad, rather 
long-acuminate ; the apex is caudiculate; the margins are very distinctly ciliate- 
spinulous from the lower third upwards near the apex the cilia are 5—6 mm. 
long; the mid-costa is provided above, near the apex, with bristles 7—8 mm. long. 
The spike has a pedicellar part exactly as in the var. Killasi and is 18 cm. 
long. The fruts are exactly as in the var. Kilwot. (“Considered th best variety. 
From base to top covered with moderately large spines. Trunk -and , branches 
—collector’s note.) 
H 
white ' 
6. Var. KILTAFUK.—A leaflet is narrow, 1°30 m. long, 5—7 em. broad and very 
long-acuminate; the margins are unequally armed with rather rigid spinules from 
the middle upwards; the mid-costa has a few spinules, 3—4 mm. long near the 
apex. The fruits are not very different from ‘those of the variety Kilwot, but are 
a little smaller, 18—21 mm. long, slightly turbinate, non-depressed at the apex, 
which terminates in a conical pungent beak; the scales are more produced into 
an acute point than in the other varieties. (“From base to top covered with 
slender and moderately long spines. Petioles green. It grows only in swamps "— 
collector’s note.) 
7. Var. Kikikig.—A leaflet is shorter and relatively broader than in the 
preceding varieties, is 1 m. long, and 7 cm. broad, and is rather long-acuminate ; 
the margins are almost absolutely smooth, but for the traces of a few spinules 
near the apex; the mid-costa has also only a few spinules near the apex. The 
fruits are exactly the same as in the var. K?lwor, and the mature seed is as in the 
var. Kilatan. (“The trunk has no spines; the petioles are covered with - dense’ 
tufts of short spines’—collector’s note). 
PLate  108.—Metroxylon squarrosum  ABecc.—Fig. 1. Var. Kilatankirkie: one 
fruit is eut vertically through the seed—Fig. 2. Var. Kilwor. Fig. 3. Var. Killas. 
Fig. 4. Var. Kilkarua : one fruit in vertical section with two seeds visible. All 
