34 AROIDER (Brown). [ Pistia. 
ovary pale green, pubescent; neuter organs frill-like, pale green; 
anthers dirty-white. Bot. Mag. t. 45645 Flore des Ser res, vi. 289, 
t. 625; Engl.in DC. Monog. Phan. ii. 634, P. africana, Presl, Epimel. 
Bot. 240; Klotzsch in Abhandl. Akad. Wissenschaft. Ber rlin, “1853, 
355, reprint 27. P. natalensis, Klotzsch in Abhandl. Akad, Wissen- 
schaft. Berlin, 1853, 354, reprint 26. 
Eastern Reeton ; Natal; Umgeni River, Drége! Umlaas River, Krauss! 
Widely distributed in all the warm regions of the earth. 
Il. STYLOCHITON, Leprieur. 
eprops tubular below ; limb expanded or hooded, at length entirely 
patdarioe Ypadix monccions, free, usually with a-naked space be- 
ween the ‘male and female parts, or the base of the male part more or 
io interrupted, without neuter organs, or appendix. Female flowers 
free or connate in a single cycle, or in 2—5 spirals, crowded, laterally 
compressed or ang gular. from mutual pressure, the uppermost often 
imperfectly hermaphrodite. Perianth gamophyllous, cupular oF 
suburceolate, truncate, often with a thickened margin, Staminodes 
one. ary superior or inferior, 1-celled with basal placentation or 
two parietal placentas, or 2—4-celled in the lower part, with axile 
placentation; ovules 2 to several in each cell, anatropous; pay 
exserted; stigma discoid- De vadgeae Male flowers numerous, in 3 
cylindric spike, crowded or lax. Perianth as in the female flowers, 
ut less deep and not Sinead at the mouth, usually laterally 
compressed. Stamens 4, inserted at the base of a rudimentary ovary, 
slightly compressed seeds, with a thin, black, die testa, copious, 
fleshy albumen, and an elongated, axile embr ryo. 
Perennial os with the habit of an Arum; rhizome stout, fleshy, nodose oF 
ringed ; = all radical, petiolate, violates ie sagittate, hastate, or pc entire at 
the base, eps sin ry with a flowers, or appearing after + 
terminal or P aeillary solitary, sho 
DistRiB. Species about 10, all natives of Tropical Africa except the two here 
described, 
Lea 22-63 in, broad; spathe 3-5 in. long, cream- 
Clones within ... (1) natalense. 
Leaves Art in. -_ broad spathe 5-8 in. long, dark puce 
within (2) maximus. 
natalense (Schott, Aroid. i. 10, t. 14); leaves 3-6, quite 
1:6. 
glabrous ; easels 3-9 in. long, vaginate for 1: its length, ro’ unded — 
