Beccari and Rock — Pritchardia. 59 



ing into a thickish sulcate style ; by the globose, rather large fruit, slightly asym- 

 metrical at the base, distinctly mucronate, and with the mesocarp thickish, easily 

 dissolving into coarse fibers. 



Pritchardia Beccariana Rock var. Giffardiana Becc. 



(Plate VII, B: fig. I, III a, b. c.) 



Description.- — A smaller plant than the type and with a shorter stem. The 

 flowers also are a little smaller ( 11-12 mm. long) having the calyx a little shorter, 

 and the nerves, converging to the teeth; rather distinct: the fruit is oblong, 3.5 cm. 

 long, slightly excentrically mucronulate, and somewhat asymmetrical at the base. 



Habitat. — This palm, according to the collector. Professor Rock, (No. 

 12799) comes from the region near the Volcano of Kilauea, Hawaii, and grows 

 in the humid rain-forest at an elevation of 4200 feet (1270 m.) or about 2000 feet 

 (609 m.) higher than Pr. Beccariana. It occurs on the land opposite Mr. Gif- 

 fard's residence, some miles in the forest. At the request of Mr. Rock this 

 variety is named after Mr. Giffard, who was instrumental in securing the 

 specimens. 



Observations. — Professor Rock says that this is a tall and stately palm, 

 with large leaves, which do not, however, reach the enormous size of those of 

 Pr. Beccariana. The trunk is tall and smooth, of a gray color with longitudinal 

 slits, about 30-35 feet (9-10 m.) tall and about i foot (30 cm.) in diameter. 

 The fruits are smaller than those of P. Beccariana. The spadix branches 3 times 

 instead of 5 times, as is the case in the latter. Professor Rock supposes his 

 No. 12799 to be a species distinct from P. Beccariana (No. 10356), but from the 

 herbarium specimens at my disposal, I have not been able to discover any char- 

 acter by which it could be considered as an autonomous species. The flowers are 

 perhaps a little smaller than in type, the ovary is a little shorter, but on the whole 

 they ofifer quite the same characteristics. Professor Rock points out the peculiarity 

 of the asymmetrical base of the fruit in his No. 12799, but the same occurs in 

 the fruits of the typical Pr. Beccariana (No. 10356). A central portion of a leaf 

 of No. 12799 measures 1.30 m. from the petiole to the end of the central segments; 

 the latter are 5 cm. broad at their disjunction places, and are split at the apex for 

 the extent of 25 cm. into two very acuminate, rigid, non-drooping points. The 

 leaves in the herbarium specimens acquire, especially on the lower surface, a faint 

 tawny color; the same occurs also in the forma typica. 



