56 Memoirs Bcniicc P. B'lsJwp Miiscinji. 



16. PRITCHARDIA BREVICALYX Becc. et Rock, sp. n 



( riate XXIII, P) 



Foliorimi lamina aiiipla hand spissc siihcnn'acca, ntriiiqnc vircntia, snbfns Icpidlis niinn- 

 tissimis crcbriusculc conspcrsa. in parte ccntrali civcitcr i.^a in. longa, profundi' ninltisccta; 

 segmcntis numerosissimis, clongatis, flaccidis: 7najoribiis j.s cm. basi latis; omnibus profunde 

 biftdis, laciniis pcndulis, longissimc acuminatis ct in apiccm filaincntosum c.vtcjiuatis. Spadi.v 

 ampins, clongatus, fcrc a basi in 5 infJorcsccntias partialcs diz'isns; spathis chartaccis, cito 

 glabris; panicnlis -'5-jfO cm. longis, la.rc ranwsis: rannilis Horifcris tcnuibiis, glahris. Florcs 

 laxe spiralitcr altcrni, 12 mm. longi. calycc canipanulato, basi valdc angustaio, 4 nun. in arc 

 lata ct minus alto, acute ^^-dcntato ct z'cnoso: corollac ct staminum tnbo calycem diiplo et 

 ultra supcranti; petalis asymnietrice lanceolatis et plus niinusne fle.vuose acuminatis. Fructus 

 globoso-subobo-i'atus. basi svmmctricus. a piculatus, S'^'SS """■ crassus ct panllo ultra longus: 

 mcsocarpis grumoso. Feriantliiuui fructifcruui dcprcsse pcdiccUiformi. urccoli staniinalis 

 exuviis c calycc calloso paullo exert is. 



Description. — A rather lar^-c i)alm (if the size and hal)it of Pr. ffillchraiKii. 

 Leaf blade of a not ^'crv tliick structure, measurin"- about T.50 m. from the hc^'ule 

 to the end of the central se,Q"ments, equaHv o-reen on both surfaces, sprinkled 

 underneath with minute lepidia, otherwise o'labrous ; the seoments are very numer- 

 ous, relatively narrow, flaccid and lonsc, deeply divided into two very lonq- acumi- 

 nate hanoino- laciniae which taper very g-raduallv to an extremely fine, very lon_sf, 

 filamentose apex; the largest intermediate segments are 3.5 cm. broad at their 

 disjunction, and 60-70 cm. long if the capillarv end is taken into account; the 

 outer segments are narrower and shorter, but ef|uallv bifid, and have also fila- 

 mentose apices. Petiole quite glabrous ; ligula asymmetrically crescent-like, apicu- 

 late in the middle; the voung leaves are covered at the base, especially on the 

 dorsum, with a soft light-colored, detachable fluff. Sf^adix elongate (1.40 m. long 

 in one specimen ) composed of 3, almost equal, partial inflorescences, which arise 

 separately from within the mouths of the lower s]jathes, near the base of the 

 main rachis, the one a little above the other; the general sheathed peduncular 

 part is 3.5 cm. thick. The i~»artial inflorescences are composed of a loose panicle, 

 borne by a long rachis, which is as thick as a finger, and is sheathed by 4-5 

 rather spaced spathes; the latter are tubular in their lower part, and expand 

 above into a rather broadly lanceolate, rigid-chartaceous, concave, ass's earlike, 

 pointed blade; in youth, the spathes are more or less furnished with a silvery 

 or amianth-like fluff', which very soon disappears, leaving their surface quite 

 glabrous. The panicle has the lower branches 2-3-partite, and simple floriferous 

 branchlets in its upper part; the fructiferous branchlets are quite glabrous, 

 terete 10-12 mm. long, 2 mm. thick at the base, and have tubulate apices. 

 Floivers rather loosely spirally alternate, rather large, the unexpanded ones are 

 12 mm. long and somewhat asymmetrically acuminate; calyx glabrous, shortly 

 campanulate, not quite 3 mm. high and 4 mm. wide at the mouth, contracted to 

 a narrow base, and marked by sharp veins converging to 3 triangular \'erv acute 

 teeth ; the staminal and corolla tube protrudes considerably beyond the calyx, 

 being twice and more as long as the latter; the stamens have rigid radiately 



