THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON. '.Wio 



Specimens cultivated in Italy flowered towards the middle of 

 August and fruited in November. 



WASHINGTONIA FILIFERA VAR. MICROSPERMA, Becc— 

 Webbia, vol, II (1907), 191; Parish in Bot. Gaz., vol. 44 (1907), 

 420. 



Description. — Stem as in the typical form. Leaves of adult 

 specimens measuring o feet from the apex of the petiole to the 

 extremity of the central segments. Petiole about as long as the 

 limb, armed near the base with small dentiform deltoid, horizontal 

 spines, for the rest unarmed, lf-2 inches broad at the apex ; rachis 

 much more prolonged into the limb than in the typical form, being 

 about 3-4 times longer than broad. Spadix 1 li feet long with partial 

 inflorescences, each about 6f feet long; the partial inflorescences 

 composed of Q-1 cupressiform panicles, the lowest being the 

 largest, measuring lg-l-|- feet in length and not difiering in any 

 way from those of the typical form ; each panicle similarly pro- 

 vided with its spathe, which is broadly linear, lf-2 inches broad 

 and slightly longer than the respective panicle. Flowers white, 

 with a strong disagreeable odour, in the bud oblanceolate acuminate, 

 very little shorter than in the typical form, slightly attenuate at 

 the base, at the broadest point (towards the upper third) ^o,~r i'^ch 

 broad, not seldom slightly asymmetrical and sometimes more or 

 less obtusely trigonous, calyx tubular-companulate, truncate at 

 the base, divided down to the middle or beyond the upper third 

 into 3 lobes ; lobes broadly ovate or suborbicular, with the margins 

 slightly imbricate. Corolla undivided and tubular in the lower 

 fourth; petals lanceolate, acuniinate-aristate, slightly concave or 

 almost plain with the margins superposed or imbricate when in 

 bud, delicately striate on the outer side, during anthesis horizontal, 

 very strongly callous-glandular at the base behind the respective 

 stamen. Stamens biseriate, but all of equal length, those opposite 

 to the petals united with these in the lower third, stout, fusiform, 

 subulate at the apex, those alternating with the petals free as 

 far as the corolla is divided, thinner, terete, subulate and not 

 inflexed at the apex, for the rest like the others, anthers about 



