J92 ANNALS OF THE EOYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. [Q. fioHbundUS
Tery inequidistant, 6-10 oa each side, or fewer in small specimens, and rather
distant, but more or less distinctly approximate into 3 remote gsoups of 2-3
on each aide; the leaflets of the terminal group (3-7) approximate and almost
digitate the two of the terminal pair highly connate by their bases; the largest,
tbe mesial, as much as 50 cm. long and 3-5 cm. broad, narrowly lanceolate,
acuminate at the apex, narrowed down from the middle to an acute base; the
uppermost shorter, but not narrower and with a bristlypenioillate, but less acuminate
apex; all are sub-shining above, slightly paler beneath, usually 3-costulato, but
sometimes with an additional costa near each margin; all costte (3 or 5) bristly
spinulous above; beneath the mid-costa constantly and the side ones occasionally
and Bparingly bristly; margins rather closely ciliate, mainly near the apex, with
spreading subspiny bristles; some of the leaflets, especially thu uppermost, sometimes
famished on the upper surface on the mid-costa, near the base, with a few small
spinules. Male ipadix ultradecompound, flagelliform, 1 •5-2-5 m. long, ending m
a slender flagellum which is irregularly armed with weak claws but intermingled
with 8trai<'ht deftexed or hooked spines; partial inflorescences not very numerous,
rather remote, pyramidally paniculate, rather dense, 20-40 cm. long, and composed
of 8-16 distichously alternate and gradually decreasing branches (or compound spikes)
which are inserted just above the mouth of their respective spathes and ai'e distinctly
callous in their upper axilla; lowest primary spathe tubular, closely sheathing,
acutely two-edged, armed with straight or variable spines or almost unarmed, more
or less split longitudinally in the upper pai-t and terminated by a lanceolate limb;
upper primary spathes subcylindrical, closely sheathing at the 'base, slightly enlarged
in the upper part, where often split longitudinally, acute or acuminate at the apex,
more or less armed throughout, but chiefly at the base, with unequal scattered or
aggregate claws of various sizes, which are often intermingled with small straight or
tuberculiform spines; secondary spathes (spathes of the partial inflorescenccs) unarmed,
tubiilai-infundibuliform, more or less furfuraceous and sprinkled with Hght or brown
scales, truncate and entire at the mouth, where densely ciliate at the margin and
prolonged at one side into an acute or subulate, ciliate or penicillate point; tertiary
spathes similar to the secondary ones but smaller, somewhat angular, pubescent when
young, narrowly tubular at the base and suddenly broadened into an acuminate
ciliate limb; primary or compound spikes spreading and arched, the largest, the
lowest, 15-25 cm. long, and with 10-12 spikelets on each side; these spikelets
horizontally inserted at the mouth of their own spathe and gradually decreasing in
length and number of flowers from the base upwards, the lowest, the largest, 2-3
cm. long, with 12-15 approximate flowers on each side, the uppermost very short
and with very few flowers; spathels approximate, membranous, bracteiform, very
broad, concave, pushed downwards by their respective flowers, prolonged into an
acuminate tip, ciliate at the margins, finely striately veined; involucre laterally
attached to the axis of the spikelet, subcupular, very obviously formed by two
concave, ovate, acute, finely striately veined bracts which are united by their bases.
MaU flomrs 3-5 mm. long, ovate, acute; the calyx rounded and almost smooth at
the base, divided down beyond the middle into 3 ovate obsolotely striately veined
acute lobes; the corolla twice as long as the calyx, its segments ovate-lanceolate,
acuminate : the stamens with subulate filaments which are inflected at the apex in the
G, floribundus] BECCAJir. MONC'GEAPH OF THE OENCS CALAMUs; 19»
bud; its anthers versatile, sagittate; the rudimentary ovary formed by three subulaterather
elongate bodies. Female spaMx as the male but simply decompound, with few
remote partial inflorescences which are 15-30 cm. long, and with 4-8 spikelets oa
each side; primary and secondary spathes as in the male gpadix, scaly-furfuraceous
when young, ultimately subglabrous; spikelets vermicular, slightly arched, somewhat
zig-zag sinuous between the flowers, the largest, the lowest, 8-12 cm. long, with.
12-16 bifarious rather remote flowers on each side ; spathels furfuraceous, very
broadly infundibuliform from a narrow base, truncate and entire at the mouth and
prolonged at one side into a short triangular tip; involucrophorum sub cupular with
an acute tooth on each side, almost esserted from its own spathel and laterally
attached at the base of the one above with a distinct supra-axillary callus; involucre'
cupuiar, usually emarginate on the side of the neuter flower, of which the areola is
sublunate, rather deep and relatively Isrge. Female Jloweis 4 mm. long, conicovate,
acute; the calyx deeply 3-lobed, not or indistinctly striately veined outside;
the corolla with lanceolate, acute segments as long as the lobes of the calyx ; the
stamens with filaments forming an urceolate tube crowned by 6 short teeth; the
abortive anthers sagittate. Neuier flotvers very similar to the fertile ones, but soon
deciduous and thinner, with vacuous anthers and an abortive ovary formed by
3 small acute bodies. Fruiiing •perianth explanate (not pedicelliform). Fndt almost
sphairic (subobovate when immature), suddenly beaked, 9-10 mm. in diam. ; scales in
15 series, obtuse, shining, superficially channelled along the middle, straw-yellow,
bordered with a narrow brown-reddish line ; margins finely erosely toothed. iSeed
suborbicular, rather convex, irregularly alveolate-aulcafce on the back, with a deep
circular chalazal fovea on the flattish raphal side ; albumen equable ; embryo basal.
IIABITAT.—Horth-East India; Assam, Khasia Hills and Sylhet, {Wallich No., 8613),
and {Hooker f . cj- Thomson in Herb. Kew). I have specimens from the Nambar
Forest ( G. Mann) and from the Charduar Forest {Brandis) in Assam ; from the
Khasia Hills {0. B. Clarke) at Sheelghat (ICO m.), at Gowhatty (160 m.), and
at Borlasa (1200 m.). It has been found also at the foot of the Mishmee
mountains near Tapan Gam's village in fruit in November {Griffith).—It grows
in the plains as well as oa the hills, and it seems a rather common plant.
OBSERVATIONS.—A very variable plant in size, number of leaflets, and degree
of armature of the difierent parts. It is very well characterised amongst the allied
species by the few, grouped, relatively broad leaflets (with 3-5 costae, spinulous
above) and by the radiate arrangement of those of the terminal group. The young
leaves of very robust plants are larger than those described above and may be
mistaken for those of G. lati/oUiis Roxb., but this has leaflets with smooth not
spinulous nerves.
Sometimes C, floribundus assumes very small dimensions, and seems almost a.
difierent species (see VÌE. depaupcratus).
PLATR 47.—Calamus floribundus 0-rif. Leaf-sheath with the basal portion of
a female spadix in flower and upper part of s leaf (on the right hand side), from
Mann's specimens in H. Becc. ; portion of a male spadix and two leaflets from
Gowhatty (C. B. Clarke in H. Becc.); summit of a fruit-spadix, from Borlaaa
(C. B. Clarke).
ANN, ROY. BOX. GARE. CALCUTTA VOL. X I .