m'2 JOUJiKAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXI. 



Male spadix simply branched, sheathed with many imbricated 

 spathes, each vaginated at the base, but soon splitting into a long, 

 concave, pointed, boat-like sheath, in substance very strong 

 and fibrous ; when young they are covered Avith a soft, downy, 

 rust-coloured substance ; (sometimes in the lower axil of the 

 sheaths there is a bundle of smaller sheaths, forming a spathe like 

 that now described, but without spadix). The superior 4 or 7 

 sheaths embrace each ramification of the spadix, each ramification 

 ending in 1-3 cylindric spikes, beautifully imbricated with innu- 

 merable bracts. The lower and shorter ramifications of the spadix 

 universally composed of 3 spikes spreading from each other in 

 the same plane and distant from each other at the points about 

 3-5 inches, the middle one extending from 2-3 inches beyond the 

 other two. One or two of the higher ramifications sometimes 

 divided into only 2 spikes and occasionally consisting of one only. 

 These spikes are 12-15 inches long, while the lower ones measure 

 only 9-12 inches. The bracts of the spikes are broad, wedge- 

 >shaped, refuse, adhering by their lateral margins to the keel or 

 back of the next above, forming a cavity for a second spikelet of 

 about 10-12 small, sessile flowers ; seldom more than one expanded 

 at a time, beginning with the uppermost, so that there is a long- 

 succession of them. Flowers of spikelets arranged in 2 vertical 

 opposite rows, beautifull)^ serrated into each other, each spikelet 

 forming an arch with its convex side undermost, the common 

 receptacle of the little florets forming the other. Flowers appear- 

 ing in parallel nearly straight rows, running from bottom to top, 

 or in parallel oblique vo^^"& running from right to left, or from left 

 to right round the spike, according to the position from which they 

 are viewed. Sej)als narrowly cuneate, tip truncate, inflexed. 

 Petals shorter, obovate spathulate. Stamens 6 ; filaments connate 

 with the corolla into a stalk ; anthers large, subsessile, oblong. 



Female spadix simple ; spikes terminating the branches of the 

 spadix ; the lower end of the spadix is a smooth stem, sheathed with 

 several spathes ; spikes enveloped in bracts which cover all parts of 

 it and rise over the flowers to the number of 8- 1 2 ; a barren bract 

 encircles the spadix, just below where the flowers commence to 

 rise from it, and the upper eiul of the spadix, extending to a 



