14 The Palms oj British East India. 



they are white,) oblong, erect or nearly so, very rigid and almost 

 siliceous. 



Stamina effete, the filaments united to the corolla high up. 



Ovarium oblong, very strigose with subulate erect hairs, towards 

 the base covered with pointed fleshy scales, 3 -celled, substance 

 thick and fleshy. Ovulum one in each cell, erect, anatropous. Style 

 short, 3-partite to the middle, branches irregularly ob-cuneate, stig- 

 matic surfaces blood- coloured. 



The Smaller or neuter flowers* present a small rudiment of a pis- 

 tillum, the stamina are reduced almost to the filaments, those oppo- 

 site the petals being much larger. 



Fruit obliquely oblong-ovate, attenuated into a rostrum or cuspis, 

 three inches long, one and a quarter in diameter, covered with scales 

 with hispid recurved points. Pulp white, more spongy than in Z. 

 edulis. Seeds large, more deeply furrowed than in Z. edulis : all 

 those examined were abortive, not even presenting any albumen, 

 though otherwise perfectly formed : the cavity was found filled with 

 a fetid fluid; like those of Z. edulis they are covered with a fine 

 membrane which belongs to the fruit, since it forms the septa round 

 the barren ovula. 



The fruit is eaten like that of Salak Batool The petioles 

 of the leaves when split are used for tying Artup (Nipa 

 fruticans leaves) on, and are also made into baskets. 



This very distinct species will be at once recognised 

 by its spadices, by the distant solitary spikes, not alto- 

 gether exserted from the large scarious spathes, which re- 

 semble those of Z. edulis. The fruit resembles in shape 

 that of the same species, as represented in the PL Asiat. 

 Rariores. 



5. (5) Z. glabrescens (n. sp.) pinnis continuis anguste- 

 lanceolatis cirrhoso-acuminatis, spadice ramosissimo, spicis 

 secundis (masculis et faemineo-neutris) longe pedicellatis, 

 bracteis latissimis undulatis villum parcum obtegentibus, 

 ovario strigosissimo. 



* They appear to be irregular in situation, and not unfrequently wanting. 



