1 8 0 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. [C, JAUENSL'S
t h e side next to the axis, attached to the base of the spathel above its own;
Male flowers inserted at an angle of 45°, rather vai-iable, perfectly bifarioua, the
one close to the next or more or lees distant, 3-4-5 mm. long, narrow, cylindrical
or obsoletely trigonous, rather acute; calyx urceolate-campanulate, more or loss
distinctly striately veined, divided down to a little above the middle into three
broRd acute lobes; corolla about twice as long as the calyx or even longer,
divided down almost to the base into 3 oblong acute segments; stamens very
•shortly united at the base, the filaments slender, filiform, subulate, much longer
than their anthers, inflected at the apex; anthers versatile, narrowly sagittate,
acute, their cells deeply discrete at the base; rudimentary ovary conspicuous,
reaching about to the middle of tlie corolla, formed by a short pedicel (the
ovary) and 3 linear connivent bodies (the stigmas). Female spadix very
variable in size, filiform, very elongate and with very few partial inflorescences,
otherwise very much the same as the male one; primary spathes as in the male
spadix; partial inflorescences 17-20 cm. long in large ' specimens, or 5-6 cm.
only in small ones, terminating in a small and short more or less developed
slender appendix, horizontal or deflexed and with a conspiciioue axillary callus,
their axis more or less zig-zag sinuous with 2-4 remote distichous spikelets on
each side; secoadary spathes very narrowly tubular, slightly enlarged above, very
closely sheathing, smooth or acnleolate, obliquely truncate and ciliafce at the mouth,
prolonged at one side into an acuminate point; spikelets 2-5 cm. long, inserted at
the mouth of their own spathe by means of a large axillary callus, horizontal or
•deflexed, rigid, with zig-zag sinuous axes; the largest with 10-13, the smaller with
5 - 6 flowers on each side; spathels strongly striately veined, very broadly sab-infundibuliform
when the flowers are rather remote, bracteiform and boat-shaped when
approximate, always acute at one side ; involucrophorum short, shallow, sub-cupular or
almost explanate, attached laterally to the base of the spathel above its own ; involucre
shallow, irregularly cupular, strongly striately veined as is the involucrophorum
and scarcely longer than i t ; areola of the neuter flower large, roundish, often deeply
emarginate above, with acute and sharply defined mai'gins. Femah flowers almost
horizontal, perfectly bifarious, not very remotely set, alternate, 3 mm, long, flat at
the base, very slightly conical; calyx superficially striately veined, divided down
almost to the middle into 3 very broad acute lobes; corolla twice as long as the calyx
•or a little less, divided down almost to the base into 3 lanceolate acute segments,
polished outside; stamens almost equalling the corolla, with filaments united in the
lower portion into a rather long tube, free, triangular and subulate upwards; anthers
flattened, sagittate. Ovarij columnar with the stigmas triangular, large and showing
among the segments of the corolla. Neuter flowers large, thinner but scarcely shorter
than the fertile ones, deciduous when these have been fertilized. Fruiting perianth
eub-pedicelliform, somewhat hardened and callous at the base. Fruil globose or a little
longer than broad, about 8 mm. in diam., topped by a cylindric 2'5 mm. long beak;
scales in 18 series, light coloured, yellowish or greenish, flattish or slightly depressed
in the centre, channelled along the middle, almost obtuse, with a pale erosely toothed
margin and a faint intramarginal line, which is more distinct across the rather obtuse
point. Seed sub-dimidiately globose, flattish and with a circular and rather deep chalazal
fovea on the raphal side, roundish on the back, where the surface is obsoletely
C. /ayews/î] BECCARI, MONOGRAPH OP THE GENUS CALAMUS. 181
facetted, the facets plane or slightly concave ; albumen equable ; embryo almost
basal or slightly sheathed towards the dorsal side.—The different parts of the plant
when young are more or less covered with a rusty scurf, more permanent on the
spikelets and flowers.
HABITAT.—The Malayan Peninsula, where it seems rather frequent. I have seen
many specimens gathered in the district of Perak at an altitude of 100-260 m.
above the level of the sea (Herb. Calc. No. 1996 ( ? ) and No. 2673 (<f) and No.
7932 ; also Scortechini No. 236 in Herb. Beccari).
OBSERVATIONS.—The typical form penimularii of C. javehsis must be considered
that which, more than any other of the numerous forms of this species, resembles the
Javan plant and which grows at no very great elevation above the level of the sea.
Probably the stem of this species acquires a great length, but being a species
much sought for by the natives for its slender and valuable Rotang, only young
plants which have not attained their full development are usually met with in the
jungle.
I t varies in the size of the stem, in the number and shape of the leaflet«, in tbe
length of the spadices, in the number of partial inflorescences, in tbe size and length of
spikelets, and in tbe first (or lowest) pair of leaflets more or less deflexed and having a
tendency to embrace the stem. A large and complete spadix which I measured was
2-5 m. long including 2 m. of pcduncular portion, and with only 2 inflorescences
respectively 17 and 20 cm. long and bearing 4 spikelets on each side. Another much
smaller spadix had only one inflorescence 5 cm. long and altogether bad 5 small
spikelets 15-20 mm. long.
The variety peninsiilaris differs from the Javan type in the leaflets which are not
I the costfe, but mainly in the more roundish fruit which has fewer scales
18 instead of 20-21 longitudinal series.
Probably to C. javensis var. peninsularis must be reduced Roxburgh's penicillatus to
which this author attributes the leaves with " t h i r t y - f o u r " pairs of leaflets; but the
old botanists had not the habit of giving the exact number of the organs when these
were very numerous, and very probably " t h i r t y - f o u r " is a misprint for " three or
four," and if this be the case the description of C. penicillatus agrees pretty well with
that of C. javensis.*
CALAMUS JAVENSIS var. PENINSDLARIS, subvar. PDRPURASCENS Becc. in Hook. f. FL.
Brit. Ind. vi, 443.
DESCRIPTION.—Much resembling in general habit and size the type penivsularis, and
the var. ietrastichus. Leaflets broader than usual, the two basal strongly deflexed,
embracing the stem and harbouring ants; sheaths moderately spiny. All parts, but
specially the leaflets, conspicuously purpurascent.
HABITAT.—The Malayan Peninsula: Pulo Penang {Curtis)-, Perak (No. 7932 in
Herb. Calcutta.)
• COLONEL TRAIN ETATES TBST THE MIMUSCRIPT OF EOXTURGH'A DIAGAOSIE ILIOW» S-L, NOT 84 LEAFLSTS. [Editor.}