828 



XXVIII. CYCLANTHEiE; 



Carludovica lavccEfoUa. 

 Inflorescence. 



C. latifoUa. 

 Spadix bearing fruits and stamens. 



Carludovica. 



Seed cat vertically 



(mag.). 



Carl-udovica. Portion of inflorescence, 



sliowing the four staminodes and 



the bundles of stamens. 



{7. palmata. 



Group of young fruits crowned 



by tbe scales. 



C, palmata. 

 Group of fruits 

 seen from aboye. 



alternate-distichous, coriaceous, entire or 2-3-5-partite ; nerves parallel or oblique, 

 flabellate. Spathjes 4- to 3-pliyllous, imbricate. Spadix monoecious, cylindric. 

 Flowees densely covering the spadix ; the $ grouped in 4 bundles accompanying 

 the ? {Carludovica), or ?.and ^ in alternating spirals {Gydanthus). Flowees $: 

 Peeiaistth multifid ; lohes very short, irregularly 2-seriate, imbricate in sestivation 

 (Carludovica), or [Gydanthus). Stamens in 4 bundles opposite to the lobes of the 

 periartth ; ^Jamemfs short, slightly dilated ((7arZMc?omca), or fragile [Cyclanthus) ; anthers 

 oblong or linear, 2-celled, dehiscence longitudinal. — Floweks 9 : Perianth 

 (Oi/cZawi^Ms), or of 4 fleshy valvate herbaceous or coloured scales, each with a long 

 caducous filament [staminode) at the base, the remains of which are inconspicuous 

 (Carludovica). Ovaet 2-4-lobed at the top, I-celled, . oo-ovuled, with 4 parietal 

 placentas ; stigmas small, sessile, with 2 antero-posterior lobes [Gydanthus), or linear 

 and answering to the placentas [Carludovica) ; o-uuZes anatropous, sessile [Carludovica), 



