194 
sinuate. beubft tow*rf. the attenuate apex , which , ' ' ^ * rf ^ t , Ua ,, e , 
^ 
.ng , 
deeply rwmnat*. Stems tall, slender, smooth. leaves crowded into a thick tuft, ve lo, g eq M> 
pinLisect, segments .equidistant, acute, entire; the superior nerves solitary in the segments, the mfe, 
nerves marinate, the equally dispersed nerves finer and stronger. 
I now offer a translation of the definition of Ptychosperma, as given at p. 183 of 
the same work : 
Pluchosper.na La Bill. Spadices 2-3-plicate-branched. Spathes two. Glomerate 3-flowered 
arranged spirallv towards the apex of the branches, or biflowered by abortion of the female flowers. 
towert symmetrical. Stamens 20-30, exsert, anthers versatile, venation gemculated. 
ovarv ol.lnnj. stvliform. Femak jover* -Buds parietal. Fruit elliptical, scarlet; the terminal poi 
,,f the stigma, oblique, The fibres of the mesocarp rather fine, forked. The endocarp very fine and 
cl-Helv a.lherin" to the, seed. The seed with five long furrows ; the broad raphm Bending forth a few h 
l,r.m,h,s, nu.ro from the chakrn; albumen deeply ruminate. Steins tall. Leaves equally pmnat.sect, 
segment-s linear obliquely truncate at the apex, erose-denticulate, caudate at the anterior margin, th 
nerves strongly marginal ; sheath, petiole and midrib glabrescent. 
(in tin- north and east coast of Australia, in New Ireland and the adjacent island. 
Itotilllical description. Species, dmninghamiana Wendland and Drude, 
in Linnna xxxix, 214 (1875). 
Follo\ving is a translation of the original description : 
2. A. f'.iHHinyhamiuim H.W. and O.Pr. (H. Wendlau.l sub Pt.vchospermate, Bot. Ztg. 1858, page 
.HO. Xratortliia rlegtm* Hooker, Bot. Mag. nee, R. Brown !.) 
Th length of the njiadix about 6 dm., branches flattened (\ cm. thick and almost H cm. broad), and 
ii.lury (.ranches uls..; flower-b<-,aring branches terete, (4 nun. in diameter near the base, for the most 
|.rt, .'5 dm. loii) . gliimeruli .'1-flowered, arranged in a loose spiral (with intervals 5 mm.). No bracts under 
the ramitirut ions, a few imd.-r the glomeruli. Mnlejiir,-f.i. sepals sessile at the deeply cordate base, acutely 
murginate, 1$ mm. long and 2 2 mm. broad. Petals free amongst themselves or cohering at the base 
inter se, and with the stamina 1 column, ventricose, obliquely acuminate, 6 mm. long and 3-4 mm. broad. 
Stamens about 18 at the base, forming a column or thick disc, filaments 2-3 mm. long, thick, awl-shaped, 
flexuoae at the apex, with a linear connective and blackish on both sides, articulate with the filament, 
anthers longer than 3 inn . The rudiment of the germen conical, thick attenuate towards the base and 
irregularly trifid, 34 min. lg., 1J mm. thick at the base. Leaves very large, equally" pinnatisect, segments 
(very often 8 dm. long, 7 dm. broiul) separated by gradually decreasing intervals towards the base ; superior 
nerves very prominent on both sides, besprinkled on the lower side with long black chaff; the inferior 
nerves very fine in the margin*: nerves not conspicuous. Blades deep green, becoming brownish when 
ilr\, smooth, tough. Sterna very tall, slender, 40 60 feet high. On the subtropical and extra-tropioal 
t of eastern Australia; ' ; Kockhampton " ! (leg. Nernst. " head of Moore's Creek "). On the coast of 
An-aral iiiiiliighani note.l it v.-ry frequently under a false species (name). 
