282 PALMAE. [ Rhopalostylis. 
1. R. sapida Wendl. and Drude in Kerch. Palm. 255.—Stem rather 
slender, smooth, 10-25 ft. high, 6-9 in. diam., rarely more. Leaves 4-8 ft. 
long; rhachis clothed with copious lepidote scales; leaflets very numerous, 
2-3 ft. long or more, 1-2 in. broad, linear-ensiform, midrib and main veins 
covered with lepidote scales; margins replicate at the base. Spadix 1-2 ft. 
long, much and closely branched, glabrous; spathes 2 or 3. Flowers very 
densely crowded, purplish-lilac. Drupe 4 in. long, elliptic-oblong, bright-red. 
—Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 740. Arecasapida-Soland. ex Forst. f. Pl. “S35 
Escul. (1786) 66; A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. (1832) 157; A. Cunn, Precur, 
(1836) n. 298; Raoul Choix (1846) 40; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i (1853) 262, 
- tt, 59, 60: Handb. N.Z, Fl. (1864) 288; Bot, Mag. t. 5139. Kentia sapida_ 
Mart. Hist. Palm. iii (1823) 312. Pre dar. TRS. PT. 
Norru Istanp: Abundant in forests throughout, except In the central moun- 
tainous portion. Soura Istanp: In lowland districts not far from the coast as far 
south as Banks Peninsula and Hokitika, rare and local, CHATHAM IsLANDS: JF. A, D. 
Cox ! Sea-level to 2000 ft. Nikau. January—April, 
~™=5 
The nikau-palm, so well known to all residents in the northern half of the Dominion, 
is of special interest as being the most southern member of its family. The unexpanded 
central bud and the very young spadix are both edible, and were formerly eaten by the 
Maoris, and even by European settlers. Branched specimens are occasionally seen ; 
a very remarkable one with no less than 11 branches has been described and figured 
by Mr, Percy Smith (Trans. N,Z, Inst. x (1878) 357, t. 15). Two others are figured by 
myself in vols. xxxix (1907) and xlii (1910) of the same publication. 
2, R. Cheesemanii Beccar: in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xlix (1917) 47.—A noble 
palm with a rather stout stem 30-60 ft. in height, and a trunk over 12 in, 
diam. Primordial leaves with the blade 5-8in. long, deeply bifid, or 
formed by two lanceolate leaflets united by their bases. Adult leaves 
pinnate; leaflets narrow-ensiform, acuminate, green above, subglaucescent 
beneath, distinctly 3-costulate; midrib and main veins more or less 
covered with brownish scales. Spadix 2ft. long or even more, much 
branched; the branches thick and angular. Fruit globose, $-} in, diam. ; 
exocarp slightly fleshy; endoecarp thin, cartilaginous, closely enveloping 
the seed. Seed globose; outer coat light-coloured and almost polished.— 
R. Baueri Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xx (1888) 174; Man. N.Z. Fi. 
(1906) 740 (not of Wendl. and Drude); Cockayne Veg. N.Z. (1921) t. 84. 
KeERMADEC IsLANDS; Sunday Island, abundant from sea-level to the tops of the 
hilis, altitude 1500 ft.. 7. F. C., Miss Shakespear! W. BR. B. Oliver / 
Hamily XV. LEMNACEAE. 
Minute gregarious floating water-plants, without distinct stems or true 
leaves, consisting of green scale-like fronds free from one another or 2-3 
cohering by their margins, either rootless or more generally giving off 1 or 
several capillary rootlets from the under-surface. Flowers very seldom 
produced, most minute, placed in clefts on the edges of the frond, or sunk 
on its surface, naked or enclosed in a spathe, usually a single female with 
1 or 2 males by its side. Perianth wanting in both sexes. Male flower: 
Stamens 1 or 2; filaments short; anthers 1-2-celled. Female: Ovary 
sessile, l-celled, narrowed into a short and stout style; stigma simple ; 
ovules 1-7. Fruit a somewhat fleshy utricle, with 1 or several seeds ; 
albumen fleshy or wanting; embryo straight, axile. 
An order of 2 genera and 20 species, found in still waters in all countries, both 
temperate and tropical. It contains the smallest of all known flowering-plants, all of them 
being of exceedingly simple structure, and very seldom found in flower. 
