The Palms of British East India. 9 



apex, the surface wrinkled and fuscescent from adhering tissue ; on 

 one of the sides is a round umbilicus, to which the terminal cavity 

 or pit will be found to point. Embryo basilar, the apex of the 

 cotyledon reaching nearly to the lower part of the terminal cavity. 



The Malacca plant will probably be found different 

 from Z. edulis, when sufficient attention has been paid to the 

 female inflorescence, the shape and surface of the fruit, and 

 structure of the seed.* 



Supposing that there be only one species, three varieties 

 appear to be presented. 



Var. A. Spadices very long and attenuated almost into a 

 flagellus, lower spathes large, distichously imbricate. Bran- 

 ches of the spadix a good deal divided, their spikes or aments 

 alternate, approximated but not confluent ; their spathes 

 about equal in length to their aments. 



B. Spikes (male) distant, half enclosed in ventricose spa- 

 thes, equalling them in length. 



Koombar of Penang. 



C. Spadices (male) a good deal elongated without being 

 attenuate, much branched, branches sometimes distant, some- 

 times crowded, occasionally assuming the form of var. B; 

 sometimes proliferous at the apex. The lower spathes of 

 moderate size, spikes or aments twice as short as their 

 spathes. 



Z. Wallichiana of the H. C. Botanic Garden. 



2. (2) Z. affinis, (n. sp.) petiolis a medio supra pinniferis, 

 spinis longis gracilibus albis, pinnis interrupte fasciculatis 

 spathulato-lanceolatis acuminatis apicem versus et margine 

 setigeris, spadice masculo inferne ramoso spathis distichis 

 imbricato, ramis abbreviatis quam spathae brevioribus, spicis 



* It is doubtful whether the direction of the pit of the apex does 

 not depend upon the shape of the seed, which depends again on the num- 

 ber developed. 



