THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND CEYLON. 461 



disticha. The fact that the leaves arise on two diametrically opposite 

 sides of" the stem and thus form two rows is a distinguishing 

 character of this species. Wallichia disticha is, besides, the only 

 species of its genus which grows a stem of some size. 



B. 8iib-trile : Geonomece. 



Spadix between or rarely below the leaves, simple or branched. 

 Flowers ternate, sank in cavities of the stout spadix or its fleshy 

 branches. Calyx of 3 narrow, free leaves, imbricate. Corolla 

 valvate, ovary 3-locular with 3 seeds, or by the abortion of 

 2 carpels vinsym metrical with 1 cell and 1 seed. Fruit by the abor- 

 tion of 2 carpels consisting usually of 1 carpel (rarely 3-carpellarv 

 with 3 seeds). Embryo basilar (except 8clerosj)erma) in the uni- 

 form albumen. 



Distribution. — Tropical America, tropical West-Africa, India. 



Podococcus, Wendl. & Mann, Sclerosiwrma, Wendl. & Mann, 

 Bentinckia, Ben\, Manicaria, Gsertn.. LeojyoMinia, Mart., Calyptro- 

 noma, Griseb., Geonoma, Willd., Asterogyne, Wendl., Calyijtro- 

 gyne, Wendl., Welfia, Wendl. & Hook. 



In India only 1 genus : 



BENTINGKIA, Berry in Roxb. Fl. Ind. Ill, 621. 



(After William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, Governor-General of 

 the East-Indies, 1774—1839.) 



Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm. Ill, 165, 228, t. 189.— Kunth Enum. 

 PI. Ill, 227.— Griff. Palms Brit. Ind. 160, Append. XXVL— 

 Benth. & Hook. Gen. PI. Ill, II, 916. 69.— Hook. Fl. Brit. 

 Ind. VI, 418. 



Unarmed palms. Leaves terminal, equally pinnatisect. 



Spathes many, 2 lower short, incomplete, upper 2-fid. Spadix 

 interfoliar, branched; flowers minute, monoecious or polygamous, 

 solitary or ternate with the intermediate female, clustered in spirally 

 arranged pits on the branches ; bracts forming a 2-lipped mouth to 

 each pit; bracteoles 2. Male flowers subsymmetric, glumaceoiis, 

 often reduced to ciliate scales ; sepals oblong, obtuse, connate below, 

 imbricate ; petals longer, connate below into a stipes, valvate ; 

 stamens 6; anthers versatile; pistillode conical. Female flowers 

 ovoid ; sepals broad, obtuse, imbricate ; petals longer, convolute ; 

 staminodes 6, minute; ovary 3-celled, 1-ovuled; stigmas minute. 



Fruit small, subspherical ; stigmas subbasilar. Seed pendulous 

 from the top of the cavity, sinuately grooved or ridged ; albumen 

 equable. 



Species 2. — Travancore; Nicobar Islands. 



Leaves 3-4 feet long ... ... ... B. coddapanna. 



Leaves 5-8 feet long ... ... ... B. nicoharica. 



