570 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XV, October 1961 
brunneis 4-6-angulosis, lateribus papillosis sub- 
curvatis vel paene planatis parte l A supera li- 
bera, apice rotundato, suturis lateralibus nullis, 
sinibus apicalibus centralibus 2-4 mm. profun- 
dis late V-formatis, carpelis 5-12 sed in pha- 
langibus dimidiae superae plerumque 6—7 et in 
eis inferis plerumque 10—11, apicibus centrali- 
bus oblato-semiorbicularibus, eis marginalibus 
oblato-pyramidalibus, stigmatibus 1-1.8 mm. 
longis suborbicularibus ad ovalibus sulcatis ob- 
scuris apicalibus centripetalibus plerumque obli- 
quis, sinu proximali lato Vl distancia ad fondam 
extento, endocarpio mediali osseoso obscure 
brunneo excepta marginibus pallidis, lateribus 
lateralibus 4-5 mm. crassis, seminibus 16 mm. 
longis 4 mm. diametro ellipsoideis, mesocarpio 
apicali in carpela quoque caverna cum mem- 
branis pallidis medullosis formanti, mesocarpio 
basali fibroso et carnoso. 
diagnosis of HOLOTYPE: Tree 12-14 m. 
tall; trunk "thick, crown branched; stilt roots 
many, long, and prickly”; leaves 1.6 m. long, 
9.2 cm. wide, thick coriaceous, below slightly 
glaucous, in section sharply M-shaped, sword 
shaped, gradually narrowed to the stout, trigo- 
nous, subulate apex, this 10 cm. down is 5-6 
mm. wide, at very base amplexicaul and entire, 
but from 7 cm. up the margins with prickles 
2-3 mm. long, 3-6 mm. apart, stout subulate, 
yellow, slightly ascending, the nearby midrib 
unarmed below; at midsection the margins with 
prickles 1.5-3 mm. long, 3-5 mm. apart, stout 
subulate, arcuate ascending; the midrib below 
sharp, salient, with prickles 2.5-3 mm. long, 
10-20 mm. apart, similar, ascending; near the 
apex the margins and midrib below subulate- 
serrate, the teeth 0.8-1. 2 mm. long, 2-3 mm. 
apart; peduncle 15 or more cm. long, obtusely 
trigonous, leafy bracted; syncarp 18 cm. long, 
13 cm. in diameter, cylindric but with the ends 
rounded, of about 92 phalanges, these 4.7-5. 1 
cm. long, 2.9-3. 5 cm. wide, 2.4-27 cm. thick, 
obovoid, when dried reddish brown, 4-6-angled, 
the sides minutely papillose, gently curving or 
nearly plane, upper Va free, the apex rounded; 
lateral sutures none; central apical sinuses 2-4 
mm. deep, wide V-shaped; carpels 5—12, those 
of the upper half mostly 6-7, those of the lower 
mostly 10-11, the central apices oblate-semior- 
bicular, the marginal ones oblate-pyramidal; 
stigmas 1-1.8 mm. long, suborbicular to oval, 
creased, dark, apical, centripetal, mostly oblique; 
proximal sinus wide, running l /i way to the val- 
ley bottom; endocarp median, bony, dark brown 
except for the pale outer margins, the lateral 
walls 4-5 mm. thick; seeds 16 mm. long, 4 mm. 
in diameter, ellipsoid; upper mesocarp in each 
carpel forming a cavern nearly free of fibers but 
with pale medullary transverse membranes; 
basal mesocarp fibrous and fleshy. 
HOLOTYPUS: Australia, Queensland, Cape 
York Peninsula, Iron Range, occasionally in gul- 
lies in rain forest, 20 m. alt., June 24, 1948, 
L. ]. Brass 19,309 (bri). 
DISCUSSION: The new species is a member of 
the section Pandanus. In this the closest relative 
seems to be P. odoratissimus L. f. var. novo- 
guineensis ( Martelli ) St. John, which as the 
phalanges 5.7-6 cm. long, 3-3.5 cm. wide, the 
lateral sinuses distinct in the upper half; apical 
central sinuses 5-6 mm. deep; carpel apices 
semiorbicular; and the endocarp supramedian. 
On the other hand, P. oblatus has the phalanges 
4.7-5. 1 cm. long, 2. 9-3. 5 cm. wide; lateral si- 
nuses none; apical central sinuses 2-4 mm. 
deep; apices of the marginal carpels oblate- 
pyramidal; and the endocarp submedian. 
The epithet is the Latin participle, oblatus, 
given the modern scientific meaning, depressed. 
This refers to the oblate-pyramidal carpel apices. 
Pandanus somersetensis sp. nov. (sect. Pan- 
danus ) 
Figs. 29-30 
DIAGNOSIS HOLOTYPI: Arbor 5-8 m. alta 20- 
30 cm. diametro supra media ramosa, cortice 
armato cum muriculis, radicibus fulturosis 6-15 
cm. longis pluribus, foliis 93 cm. longis 6.8-7.2 
cm. latis coriaceis glaucis gladiformibus sed sen- 
sing diminentibus ad apicem acutum in puncto 
10 cm. ex apice 7 mm. latis in base marginibus 
integris sed ex loco 7-10 cm. e base in uno 
latere cum aculeis 1.5-2. 3 mm. longis 3-8 mm. 
distantibus crassiter subulatis stramineis ad- 
scendentibus sed in latere altero aculeis 0.5-1 
mm. longis 3-15 mm. distantibus midnervio 
exarmato fere ubique, foliis in section mediale 
integris et in parte apicale marginibus integris 
sed nervo mediale infra cum aculeis 0.3 mm. 
longis paucis remotis, pedunculis ca. 25 cm. 
