516 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIV. 



the base so as to remain hanging by its midrib only, which is how- 

 ever quite sufficient to secure it firmly. They thus hang all at 

 right angles to the midrib of the leaf, which admits of their being 

 laid in a very regular manner on the rafters. They are generally 

 known as " palha branca "' or " white thatch," from the pale yellow 

 colour of the unopened leaves, and are considered the best covering 

 for houses in places where Bussu (Manicaria saccifera Gaertn.) 

 cannot be obtained. 



Illustration. — PI. LXXXV. Mr. Macmillan was kind enough 

 to take a photograph of the Uauassu Palm in the Botanic Gardens of 

 Peradeniya. 



MAXIMILIAN A, Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm. 1, 131, sp. 1, t. 91-93 ; 

 III, 295 et Palmet. Orbig. 109 et 113 (Adonot). 



(After Maximilian Joseph, I, King of Bavaria, 1756-1825.) 



Kunth Enum. PI. Ill, 291, sp. 1.— Griseb. Fl. Brit. W. Ind., 

 522. — B. Rodr. Enum. Palm., 41. — Spruce, Journ. Lin. Soc. XI, 

 162.— Wallace Palm. Amaz. 120, t. 3. fig. 2, 3, t. 47.— Crude Fl. 

 Brasil., Ill, II, 450, t. 104.— Benth. & Hook. Gen. PI., Ill, 11, 

 946, 128. — Sclieelea Karst. (pro altera parte !) in Linnaea, XXVIII 

 (1856), 264. 



Stems of these magnificent palms are tall, erect, and smooth. 

 Leaves very large, irregularly pinnate. Bases of the petioles per- 

 sistent, often covering the stem d-own to the ground. 



Spadices growing from among the lower leaves, simply branched. 

 Some spadices with only male flowers, others with male and female 

 flowers on the same tree. Spathes large, complete, woody. Male 

 flowers with 6 stamens and a minute pistillode. Female flowers with 

 a short style and 3 stigmas, the staminodes forming a membranous 



cup. 



Fruit ovate, yellow, with a woody, almost fleshy pericarp, 1-3- 



seeded. 



Species about 4. — In tropical Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, Colum- 

 bia, Bolivia. 



Cultivation in Europe. — Handsome decorative stove palms. 

 They thrive in a compost of two parts rich loam, one part peat, and 

 one of sand. During the growing period, water must be given libe- 

 rally, the quantity of which should be gradually diminished as winter 

 approaches. 



MAXIMILIANA REGIA, Mart. Palm. Brasil. 132, t. 91, 92, 93 ; Hist. 

 Nat. Palm. Ill, 296 ; Palmet. Orbig. 110, t. 15 et 31, f. A ; {Exclusa M. 

 Regia Wallace, Palmtrees Amaz. 121, t. 47 et 3 = M. Maripa Dr. ?) ; 

 Drude in Fl. Brasil. Ill, II, AS-i.—Maximiliana Martiana Krst. in Linnsea 

 XXVIII (1856) 279. 



Names. — Anaja Palm (English) ; Anajapalme (German) ; Inaja 



or Anja (in Brazil). 



