232 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, [lL Sepr., 1897. 
Order PALM, 
HYDRIASTELE, H. Wendl. and Drude. 
H. Douglasiana, Bail. (n. sp.) A slender palm 20 to 30 ft. high. Leaves 
about 5 ft. long, the sheath, petiole, and rhachis covered with « whitish or 
brownish, harsh, scurfy substance; leaf-sheath rather short, petiole about 
9 in.; segments about 20 on each side of the rhachis, very irregularly placed, 
sometimes 2 or 3 together forming distant sometimes confluent clusters ; 
ribs usually 8, sharply prominent, folded and attached to the side of the 
rhachis, the apex of those in the middle of the leaf obliquely and deeply 
jagged, often forming on one side a tooth or point 2 in. long witha thread-like 
end, several of the terminal ones confluent forming a fan-shaped end to the 
leaf—these have truncate doubly toothed ends. Inflorescence below the leaves, 
a densely bunched flagellitorm panicle; the common peduncle flat, about 1 in. 
long, the primary branches very short and flat, the rhachis of the spikes 
flattened, slender, and about 1 ft. long. The dried perianth under the fruit 
cup-shaped, about 2 lines diameter, the inner segments rotund and strongly 
striate. Fruit red, ovoid, 33 lines long, apiculate by the persistent base of the 
style, strongly ribbed; epicarp free from the thin endocarp, albumen not 
ruminate. : 
Hab.: Polo Creek, Somerset, Cape York Peninsula, This elegant palm is nearly allied to 
H. Wendlandiana, but does not fully agree with the published description of that species. Just 
before leaving Somerset, where I had spent afew days collecting, Mr. Jardine’s son brought from 
a few miles distant specimens of what may prove an hitherto ise eee EE The specimens 
consisted of a few leaves of the crown, and a loose inflorescence in early bud. A description, so far 
asthe material to hand will allow, is:here given in the hope that it may assist collectors in identi- 
fying thefpalm, and that better specimens may reach me from which a complete diagnosis may be 
published. 
? Archontopheenix (sp.) Stem slender. Leaves 5 ft. long, without 
the petiole which is about 6 to 9 in.; leaflets often interrupted by spaces of a 
few inches without leaflets, about 30 on each side of rhachis, 18 to 22 in. 
long, folded at the base where they are attached to the flange-like side of the 
thachis ; the apex usually long, acuminate, or abruptly jagged and on one side 
elongating into a point which is at times toothed on the inner side and ending 
in a filiform point; end leaflets not confluent ; leaf-sheaths not torn at the top; 
strongly striate, and ending on the opposite side of the stem in an erect point 
about 23 in. long; near the orifice and the base of the petioles are patches of 
flat, dark-purplish scales with undulate torn margins which under a lens 
somewhat resemble alichea growth; all the rest of the leaf is almost glabrous. 
Inflorescence below the leaves, 16 or 17 in. long, common peduncle 14 in. long, 
rhachis and branches more or less angular puberulous, 8 in. of each branchlet 
bearing closely sessile flowers, solitary or 3 at each notch, 1 female with a male 
on either side. Perianth-segments 8, much imbricate and striate. Stamens 
numerous, probably about 20, in the young buds opened; stigmas 3, erect. 
PTYCHOSPERMA, Linn. 
P. elegans, Blume, Rumphia ii. 118 (Seaforthia elegans, R. Br. Prodr.) A 
slender-stemmed, quite glabrous palm, about 20 ft. high, bearing a crown of 
from 6 or 9 leaves, about 3 ft. long; the sheaths cyclindric, not swelling 
out, 9 in. long, dark-green, striated, and ragged at the top ; petiole 9 to 12 in., 
smooth; segments about 18 on each side of the rhachis, those of the 
middle of the leaf 13 in. broad in the centre, contracted at the base, very oblique 
and erose at the apex, except the terminal ones which have toothed broad 
truncate ends, and more or less confluent at the base; the rhachis sharply 
angled on the upper, obtusely angled or rounded on the under side, Inflor- 
escence below the leaves; panicle about 20 in. long and broad; common peduncle 
13 in., flattened, with 3 circular scars marking the place from where the spatha 
had fallen; rhachis and lateral branches flattened orangular. Flowers numerous, 
sessile, solitary or in twos or threes. | The male or hermaphrodite ones with 
bractioles or sepals ?-line diameter, imbricated, scarious ciliate; petals oblong, 
