-526 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 

 GYBT08TAGEY8, Bl. Eumph., II., 101, t. 120. 



(From the Greek " cyrtos," curved, bent, and "stachys," a 

 spike; in allusion to the curved spikes of flowers). 



Mart., Hist. Nat. Palm., 316.— Kunth Enum., PI. Ill, 641. 

 Benti7icJda.—'Wal^. Ann., Ill, 647.— Mig. Fl. Ind. Bot. Suppl., 589 

 (Areca erytJviwpada) . — SchefF. Ann. Jard. Bot. Buitenz., 138, 159 — 

 Benth. & Hook., Gen. PI. Ill, II, 892, 20. 



Stems slender, caespitose, annulate. Leaves pinnatisect ; leaflets 

 linear-lanceolate, acuminate, unicostate. 



Spathes 2, complete, caducous. Spadix intrafoliar, shortly 

 peduncled, broadly paniculately branched ; branches 1-2 feet long, 

 stout, spreading ; flowers in spirally disposed clusters of 3, a female 

 between 2 males. 



Male flowers symmetrical ; sepals orbicular, imbricate ; petals 

 valvate ; stamens 12-15, exserted; anthers short, versatile ; pistillode 

 bifid. Female flowers : sepals orbicular ; petals longer, broadly 

 imbricate, tips valvate ; staminodes forming a membranous cup ; 

 ovary narrowly ovoid ; stigmas subulate ovule ; pendulous from the 

 tip of the cell. 



Fruit small, ovoid; stigma terminal. Seed adherent to the 

 endocarb, globose hilum apical ; albumen equable ; embryo basilar. 



Species. — About 3. 



Distribution. — Malayan. 



CYRTOSTACHYS LAKKA, Becc, Ann. Jard. Buitenz. II, 141 ; 

 Hook., Fl. Brit. Ind., VI, 414, C. Lakka, var. singajporensis, Becc. 1. c. 



Ridley Mat. Fl. Malay. Penin. 11, 149. 



Names. — English : Sealing wax Palm. 

 German : Gruben Rendapalme. 

 Malayan : Pinang Rajah. 



Description. — A slender tall soboliferous palm; stem 12-15 feet 

 high, 3 inches in diameter, olive-green, smooth except for the node, 

 internodes 6 inches long. Leaves 4-5 feet long, erect, pinnate ; 

 petiole 6 inches long, red ; sheath 2 feet long, red ; leaflets linear 

 with long points, about 25 pairs, dark-green above, glaucous beneath, 

 18 inches long, 1^ inch wide ; rhachis red. 



Spadix long, deflexed, green, finally red, with about 25 branches. 

 Spathes broad oblong, curved. Flowers spirally arranged, 1 female 

 between 2 males. Male flowers : Sepals ovate, green edged red ; 

 petals longer, ovate, green stamens 11 (12 or 15); filaments slender, 

 bases adnate to the pistillode, longer than the petals, white ; an- 

 thers small, oblong ; pistillode thick ; styles 3, base thickened and 

 narrowed upwards, shorter than the stamens. Female flowers : 

 Sepals broadly rounded ; petals ovate, much larger, green ; ovary 

 globose ; stigmas short, thick, recurved, brown. 



