528 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



E. Br. Prod. 267 (/Seafori/im).— Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm, III, 182, 

 1. 128, 129.— Benth. Fl. Austr., VII, 141 (FtiicliosiJerma, sp. n. 4)— 

 Seem. Fl.Vit., 272,t. 82.— Scheff.Ann. Jardf. Btiitenz. I, 120, 135, 

 154_Wendl.andDrudeinLmn. XXXIX, 183, 215.— Becc. Males, 

 1, 47, 99 (excl. sp.).— Benth. and Hook., Gen. PI. Ill, II, 891, 18. 



Stem erect; slender, high, unarmed. Leaves terminal, equally 

 pinnatisect ; segments linear or from the base towards the apex 

 dilate, preemorse membranous, many-nerved, thickened on the 

 margin, recurved at the base, the terminal ones confluent ; rhachis 

 trigonous, thin ; sheath elongate. 



Spadix paniculately branched ; spathes 2, complete, caducous ; 

 bracts and bracteoles squamiform. Flowers monoecious, spirally 

 arranged, ternate, the median one female, or the upper ones solitary 

 and 2-nate male, all with bracts and bracteoles. Male flowers 

 symmetrical, ovoid or oblong. Sepals orbicular, carinate on the 

 back, gibbous or rotundate, broadly imbricate. Petals ovate or oblong, 

 acute, valvate. Stamens 20-30, fasciculate, filaments short or' 

 elongate ; anthers oblong or linear, attached on the back or towards 

 the base, versatile, Pistillode styliform. Female flowers often 

 smaller than the male, subgloboses. Sepals reniform or orbicular, 

 broadly imbricate. Petals slightly longer, orbicular, convolute- 

 imbricate, at the apex valvate or subvalvate. Staminodes 3 or 

 more, miniTte. Ovary oblong or ovoid ; stigmas 3, short sessile ;. 

 ovule parietal pendulous. 



Fruit ovoid or ellipsoidal, sometimes rostrate, terete or sulcate 

 1-locular; stigmas terminal; pericarp thick, fibrous ; endocarp thin 

 or crustaceous and smooth ; seed erect, ovoid or oblong, terete or, 

 deeply 5-sulcate ; hilum reaching from the base to the top ; branches 

 of raphe obliquely descending ; albumen more or less ruminate ; 

 embryo basilar. 



Species — About 17. 



Distribution. — Malay Archipelago, New Guinea, tropical, 

 Australia, islands of the Pacific Ocean. 



Cultivation in Europe. — Elegant stove-palms. They grow best 

 in fibrous loam, leaf mould and sand. Perfect drainage and a liberal 

 supply of water are essential. Propagation is effected by seeds. 



PTYCHOSPERMA ELEGANS, Si. Rumph., II., 118 ; H. Wandl. in 

 Bot. Zeit., 1858, 346; H. Wandl. et Drude in Linnjea, XXXIX., 215; 

 Scheffer in Ann. Jard. Bot. Buit., I, 121, 122, 154. Benth. Fl. Austr., VII., 

 141. F. V. Muell. Fragm., VIII., 222, et Syst. Cens. Austr., PI. 120 ; Becc. 

 in Bull. Soc. tosc. ort., 1883, 108 ; H. Wendl. in Kerch. Palm, 254, Becc. 

 Illustr. di ale. Pahne nel Giard. Bot. di Buit. in Ann. Jard. Bot. Buit., II., 

 87. Bot. Mag., 7345. — PtycJiospenna seafortMa, Mig. Fl. Ind. Bat., Ill, 21. 

 (non Schefier) ; B. Seem, in Journ. of Bot., I., 68. Seaforthia, elegans, R. Br. 



We include also those species on whicli Beccari CAnn. Jard. Buitenz., 11,9091)' 

 founded the new genera Balaka, Coleospadix and Norma nbija— See also Wehbiaj I 

 (1905) p. 299-302. 



