Cyclanthaceae
A natural order of perennial herbs or shrubs, all natives of tropical America. Flowers monoecious, arranged in superposed cycles or in a continuous spiral; spadices axillary, solitary, pedunculate, simple, rather short, cylindrical or oblong; spathes two to six, inserted on the peduncle, including the immature spadix, caducous; peduncle short or elongated, sheathing at base. Leaves distichous or spirally disposed, petiolate, flabellate, entire, bifid, or bipartite, parallel-nerved, complicate in vernation; petioles short or elongated, sheathing at base. Carludovica palmata yields the much-valued straw from which are manufactured Guayaquil or Panama hats. The order embraces four genera--Carludovica, Cyclanthus, Ludovia, and Stelestylis--and, as at present known, about thirty-five species.