534 



Observations on the Genus Spathium. 



Spadix pedunculata, pedunculo cylindrico. Involucrum 

 herbaceum caducissimum. Flores dense spiraliter dispositi, 

 sepalis junioribus sub-imbricatis, coeruleis, basi oblique cune- 

 tais, apice subcordato-ovatis. Stam. 6, filamentis crassis, 

 bracteis sub-longioribus, antheris coeruleis, subquadratis, bilo- 

 cularibus, lateraliter dehiscentibus, polline gibbo ellipsoideo 

 luteo. Ovaria erecta, lasvia, 6-3 sperma. Semina 2A (2-3 ab- 

 ortientia) erecta, ovata, 8-costata, testa exteriore herbacea, 

 viridi, laxa, facile separabili, interiore ad embryonem arete 

 adpressa brunnea, leviter striata, uno latere raphe viridi; 

 chalaza magna viridi.* Cotyledon solida, alba, plumula 

 basilaris minima. Cotyledon germinans elongatur in cornu, 

 plumula diutius basi lateraliter flsso evolvitur (folio elliptico). 



S. undulatum, foliis brevi-petiolatis lineari oblongis basi 

 cuneatis submersis ulvaceis, floribus in spadice post anthesin 

 elongato sejunctis, sepalis caducissimis. 



Descr. Rhizoma tuberosum, radicibus paucis crassis fila- 

 mentosis ad apicem. 



Folia radicalia, plurima petiolata, lanceolata, undulata, in 

 petiolum decurrentia, nervo medio crasso, lateralibusque 2-4 

 parallelis transversalibus. Limbus plerumque petiolo longior, 

 vernatione involutus. 



Flores numerosi inspadice elongata dispositi, primo con- 

 ferti, rachide elongata sparsi, ob pedunculum longissimum em- 

 ersi. Spatha acuta, ante anthesin decidua. Sepala 2, sub-spa- 

 thulata, basi quasi unguiculata, colorata (lacteo-alba), caducis- 

 sima, ad stamina 2 lateralia opposita. Stamina 6, filamentis 

 erectis, divaricatis, carnosis, persistentibus, anthera biloba, 

 lateraliter dehiscente, decidua, e flavo ccerulescente, polline 



* Roxburgh describes the rachis as wood. I have not seen this 

 appearance in any specimen I have met with. 



Note. — Roxburgh describes the flowers as in S. monastachyum, but 

 there is considerable difference between my two species. Perhaps this 

 may not be his S. undulatum, but otherwise it fully answers his des- 

 cription. 



