CXLII. PALM^. 1671 



panicles called spadices, usually pendulous and arising from amongst; the leaves or- 

 from the trunk below them, and at first entirely enclosed in a large bract called a 

 spatha, opening laterally and finally deciduous with frequently 1 or more smaller 

 sheathing bracts below the spatha, and rarely none but sheathing bracts below or 

 on the rhachis of the spadix. Flowers usually sessile along the rhachis or 

 branches of the spadix, often especially the males 2 together from the same node 

 or notch, subtended by 1 or 3 small bracts not unfrequently reduced to a slightly 

 raised margin of the node. 



This splendid Order, the pride of all tropical regions, is nearly restricted in Australia to 

 Queensland, only a few species extending into New South Wales, Victoria and Lord Howe's. 

 Island. None of the Australian genera but the majority of the species are endemic. 



Tkibe I. Arecese. — Leaves pinnatisect ; segments free with reduplicate sides, or conflneni; 

 as a plaited limb. Flowers moncccions or diceciozts. Seeds ttmbilicate icith ventral raphe and 

 dorsal embryo. 



A. Spadi.v itifrafoliar {that is flowering after the fall of the leaf in the axil of ichich it was 

 fojined.) 



StrisTEiEE 1. Ziuareceas. — Hale flotoers unsymmetrical ; sepals small ; petals imbricate^ 

 Stigma in the fruit terminal. Spadix androgynous ; flowers usually ternate, the middle one 

 female. 



* Ovule basilar, erect. 



Male flowers minute, solitary or 2-nate towards the tips of tlie branches 



3 or 6-androus ; female larger, solitary. Albumen ruminate ... 1. Akeca. 



*• Ovule parietal. ' * 



Flowers in threes middle one female. Stamens 6. Female flowers. 

 Petals not longer than the sepals, imbricate at the apex. Albumen 

 equable (solid). Leaf-segments split at the point 2. Hydkiastele. 



Flowers male; sepals small, carinate, imbricate. Stamens 9 to 24, 

 filaments inflexed at the top. Female flowers, sepals and petals 

 similar. Leaf-segments attenuate, acuminate, or the point 2-toothed . 3. Ahchontophcenix.. 



SuBTEiBE 2. Ptychospermese. — Male flowers symmetrical, sepals broad, rounded, im- 

 bricate. 



* Albumen ruminate. 



Male flowers : stamens 20 to 30 ; anthers versatile. Leaf-segments broad, 



prsemorse 4. Ptychospekma. 



** Albumen equable. 



Male flowers : Stamens numerous, anthers versatile. Leaf-segments 



oblique, prsemorse 5. Dkymophl.-eds. 



SuBTRiBE 3. Xilnospadiceae. — Spadi.x simple ; flowers moncecio7(s, sunlc in pits ; ovary> 

 1-celled. 



Male flowers numerous ; anthers versatile, dorsifixed. Female flowers 

 with 6 or many staminodia ; ovule parietal, albumen ruminate. Leaf- 

 segments acuminate G. Calyptrocalvx. 



Male flowers : Stamens 6, 10, 12, anthers erect, basifixed, connective 

 dilated. Female flowers: Staminodia numerous; ovule parietal; 

 albumen equable. Leaf-segments prsemorse ... 7. Baculaiiia. 



SuBiRiBE 4. Caryotideae. — Spadices unisexual ; flowers solitary or ternate with the- 

 females placed above the others. Petals of both sexes valvate. 



Male flowers : Sepals 3 ; stamens numerous. Albumen ruminate . . 8. Caktota: 



Anomalous genus. 



Male-flowers in catkin-like branches of a drooping androgynous spadix ; 

 females capitate at the apex of the spadix 9. Nipa. 



Tbibe II. Phoeniceae. — Leaves pinnatisect ; leaf-segments with induplicale sides. Spadioes- 

 iriterfoliar (flowering while the leaf in whose axil it is formed is still green) ; spatha solitary,. 

 Flowers dioscious. Ovary of 3 free carpels, one only ripening. Seeds ventrally grooved ;, 

 embryo usually dorsal. 



Only the one genus 10. *Phcenix. 



