522 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETJ , Vol. XXIII. 



HYDEIA8T:E]LE, Wendl. and Drude in Linn^a, XXXIX, 180, 

 190, 208. 



(Etym. : From the Greek " hj^dria " a water vessel or fountain, and 

 " stele ", a colnmn, in allusion to the tall stems growing near springs), 



Benth. Fl. Austral, VII, 138— F. Muell. Frag. Phytogr. Austral., 

 VII, 101, 102.— Benth. and Hook., Gen. PL III, II, 885,5.— 

 Bailey Annusl. FL, V, 1673. 



Stem straight, high, slender, unarmed, annulate. Leaves terminal, 

 pinnatisect, segments alternate, linear, prtemorse-dentate at the 

 apex ; rhachis laterally compressed, convex on the back; petiole 

 concave. Spadices shortly and broadly pedunculate, simply branch- 

 ed, branches elongate pendulous, obtusely quadrate ; spathes 2, com- 

 plete, deciduous ; bracts and bracteoles forming au obscure cupule, 

 Flowers monoecious, pale yellow or greenish, disposed in decussately 

 opposite areolse. three together, the central one female ; bracts and 

 bracteoles obsolete. Male flowers asymmetrical, compressed. Sepals 

 minute, acute, scarcely imbricate. Petals ovate-lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, valvate. Stamens 6, filainents short, subulate ; anthers linear, 

 erect, basifixed. Female flowers much smaller than the male, sub- 

 globose. Sepals reniform, imbricate. Petals slighth^ longer, orbi- 

 cular, con volute-imbricate. Staminodes obsolete. Ovary globose 

 or ovoid; 1-locular ; stigmas 3, minute, sessile patulate depressed;- 

 ovule inserted above the middle of the cell, pendulous. 



Drupe small, elliptic, smooth or ribbed ; stigmas terminal ; peri- 

 carp fibrous ; endocarp thinly crustaceous. Seed ellipsoidal, erect, 

 free, hilum lateral ; albumen equable ; embryo basilar. 

 •Species — 3. 



Distribution.— Tropical northern coast of Australia. 



HYDRIASTELE WBNDLANDIANA, Wendl. and Drude in Linnsea, 

 XXXIX., 209; Bailey Queens FL, V., 1673. — Kentia Wendlandiana, F. Muell, 

 Fragm., VII, 102 ; Benth Fl. Austr., VII., 138. 



Name. — Wendlands Nymphen-Palme (German). 



Description. — -A tall palm. Leaves manjr feet long, segments 

 numerous, unequal, the longest 1^ foot long, the upper ones con- 

 fluent at the base, all or most of them jagged or toothed at the apex. 



Spadix- of niimerous slender pendulous spikes of about 1 foot, the 

 common peduncle very short, broad and thick, marked with the 

 scars of the spathe and of two outer bracts, the primary branches 

 very thick, the rhachis of the spikes slender, the notches very little 

 immersed. Female perianth (fruiting) about 2 lines in diameter ; the 

 segments all very broad, the inner twice as long as the outer ones. 



Fruit ovoid or globular, when dry about 4 lines in diameter 

 and longitudinally striate with prominent ribs, succulent when 

 fresh with a thin endocarp. Seed erect, with an oblong oblique basal 

 hilum, the testa free from the endocarp, the albumen not ruminate. 



