70 
flower will show us, that the inferior ring is partly resting 
upon the base of the perigoneal tube. 
The portion of the column lying above the superior ring car- 
ries a few hairs only, which moreover are longer, softer and 
lighter in colour than those upon the lower part. This area 
is of a very different aspect in the two sexes, and we there- 
fore will postpone its description till further on, when the male 
and female organs will be dealt with. 
Where the column becomes broader forming the discus, a 
deep ring groove, the sulcus coronalis infradiscoidalis, shows, 
in which, as will be pointed out later on, the anthers of the 
male flower are hiding. 
The dise finally is a slightly convex, light red, almost. hairless 
structure, much broader than the top of the column. Along its 
periphery it possesses a collar shaped, upstanding sharp and 
wrinkled edge, the margo superior disci, and its under side forms 
a broad ring the annulus coronalis disci, which is divided from 
the column through the sulcus coronalis infradiscoidalis. Upon 
its upper, convex surface the disc carries a number of protu- 
berances (processus) 0.3 eM. high, slender cones, reminiscent of 
the styles of flowers. After this general description of the axial 
portion of the flower we now proceed to look for the special 
features, characteristic of the two sexes: 
o& In a male flower, 74 cM. across we find the following 
measurements and features: 
Diameter of the cupula: 11,5 eM. 
Diameter of the basis columnae (measured between the vail 
of origin of the bracteae): 13 cM. P 
Diameter of the narrowest part of the column, just beneath 
the disc (5,5 cM. above the basis columnae): 11 cM. 
Diameter of the disc (margo inferior): 15 cM. 
Lenght of the processus disci: 25 eM. 
Number of processus: 50. 
The annulus coronalis disci is 18 mM. broad and covered 
with not very densely placed, about 3 mM. long hairs, which 
however are completely missing in a zone about 3 mM. broad 
along the exterior margin. 
