The Palms of British East India. 19 



A Zalacca, cui proxima, diflfert habitu, semine exsucco et 

 albumine ruminato. 



7. (1) S. Konigii, petiolis armatis, spadicibus inermibus, 

 floribus exsertis hermaphroditis vel masculo et herma- 

 phrodite), dentibus calycis cordato-rotundatis, stylo conico 

 elongato. 



Metroxylon Sago. C. Konig. Annals of Botany. 1. 193. 

 pi. 4. M. laeve. Mart. Palm. 215. ( excl. syn. Rumph. et 

 Roxb.J Sagus Rumphii. Hort. Kew. 5. 281 ? 



Hab. — Cultivated about Malacca, generally on the edges 

 of Paddy swamps. Is very common about Rumbiya, between 

 Malacca and Ayer Punnus, whence the name of the place. 



Descr.* — Panicle alternately branched, branches spreading, co- 

 vered with appressed spathes. Spikes amentiform, alternately bracte- 

 ate, about a span long, somewhat recurved, surrounded at the base 

 by broad imbricating bractes. Peduncles included, bearing a bicarinate 

 spathe with very woolly margins. Bract eolce very woolly. 



Flowers, in pairs, one male, one female, subsessile, upper third 

 exserted from the bractes and wool. 



Calyx infundibuliform, striate, attenuate at the base into a short 

 pedicel, tridentate, margins of the teeth sub-membranaceous : the 

 teeth themselves tinged with reddish brown. Corolla about one- 

 third longer than the calyx, striate, coriaceous, the exserted part 

 reddish. 



Stamina of the male flower the largest. Filaments flat, broadly 

 subulate, monadelphous to some distance upwards, united also to the 

 corolla. Anthers large, attached high up their backs. Rudiment 

 of a pistillum of three oblong bodies, precisely like very rudimentary 

 carpel leaves. 



Hermaphrodite flower of each pair situated on the right (looking 

 at the spike in front.) Stamens smaller than in the male, united to 

 the corolla up to the base of its segments. Ovarium roundish- 

 oblong, the upper half covered with a few large scales. The lower 



* Specimens of spadix just before expansion of the flowers. 



