1676 CXLIl. PALM^. [Archontophoemar. 



more, both sides green. Inflorescence, flowers and fruit like A. Alexandra. — 

 Seaforthia clegans, Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 4961, not of E. Br. ; Ptychospirma 

 Cunninqhamii, Wendl. in Bot. Zeit. 1858, 346; Benth. in Fl. Austr. vii. 141." '< 



Hab.: A common southern palm although met with in the tropics, and a good distance 

 inland. 

 I think also that P. elegans, of Fl. Austr. and Bot. Mag. t. 7345 belongs to this species. 

 Outer part of stem very hard and prettily marked, Bailey's Gat. Ql. Woods, No. 418. • ' 



The leaf-segments sometimes infested with the fungus blight, Glaosporium palmarmn , Cooke. 



4. A.. Jardinei (after Frank L. Jardine), Bail. Ql. Agri. Journ. ii. 129. 

 Described by Mr. Jardine as a tree of 32ft. in height, with a stem circumference 

 of 12in. Leaves pinnate, glabrous, 6 to 8ft. long from top of sheath to apex, the 

 petiole or portion without segments only about from 6 to 9in. ; sheath probably 

 long, but only 16in. of it upon the specimens to hand, without the torn, loose 

 fibrous matter common to many palms, closely sheathing the stem and ending on 

 the opposite side of the stem in an erect point 2 or Bin. long from a broad 

 strongly striate base. Segments or pinnas about 30 on each side of the rhachis, 

 often distant, 18 to 25in.' long, and sometimes 2in. brOad at the centre, folded 

 and attached at the base to the flange-like edge of the rhachis, the apex usually 

 long-acuminate or abruptly jagged, and on one side elongating'into a point which 

 is at times toothed on the inner side and ending in a filiform point ; terminal 

 segments not confluent, green on both faces. Infloresccfncie below the leaves, 

 16 to 24in. long and broad, pendulous ; the common peduncle 14 to Bin. long, 

 1 to ll^in. broad, rather slenderly clasping the stem, marked by 2 sears showing 

 the attachment of fallen bracts; rhachis and branches thick, flattened,; or more 

 or less angular, puberulous, 1ft. or more of the branchlets bearing closely sessile 

 flowers, solitary or B at each notch, a female with a 'male on either side. Male 

 perianth-biids oblong, about B lines long, the outer segments imbricate, orbicular, 

 about lline in diardeter, margins ciliate, inner onesvalvate, oblong, exceeding the 

 outer by about 2 lines. Stamens 20 or more, about as long as the perianth, 

 filaments shorter than the anthers. Anthers versatile, basal lobes somewhat 

 spreading. Female perianth much shorter than the males, both series broad, 

 the inner ones somewhat apicnlate. Fruit not matured on the panicles seen, 

 but the albumen seems to be very deeply ruminate. 



Hab.: Somerset, Cape York Peninsula, Frank L. Jardine. 



This plant differs from all other species of Archontophoenix and Ptychosperma hitherto met 

 with in Australia. 



. 4. PTYCHOSPERMA, Labill. 



(From ptyclie, a fold or winding, and spenna, a seed, referring to the ruminate- 



albumen.) 



Spadices infrafoliar. Flowers moncecious, spirally disposed, 3-nate, the centre- 

 one female, or the upper ones solitary or in twos and male, with bracts and 

 bracteoles. Male flowers symmetrical, ovoid or oblong. Sepals orbicular keeled 

 on the back, gibbous or rounded, broadly imbricate. Petals ovate or oblong, 

 acute, valvate. Stamens 20 to 30, fasciculate, filaments short or elongate 

 straight at the apex ; anthers oblong or linear, versatile, the rudimentary ovary 

 styliform. Female flowers often smaller than the males, subglobose, the perianth 

 enlarged after flowering. Sepals reniform or orbicular, broadly imbricate.. 

 Petals a little longer, orbicular, convolute-imbricate, acute at the apex, valvate or- 

 subvalvate. Staminodia 3 or more, minute. Ovary oblong, ovoid. Stigmas 3, 

 short, sessile ; ovule parietal, pendulous. Fruit ovoid or ellipsoid, sometimes- 

 rostrate, terete or sulcate, 1-celled, terminated by the stigma, pericarp often 

 thick, fibrous, endocarp thin or crustaceous smooth. Seed erect, ovoid or oblong,. 



