218 ANLÍALS OF T H E BOYAL BOT/UTIC G-AEDEN. CALCUTTA. [£?. riualis
lanceolate, acute, their cells deeply discrete at the base; rudimentary ovary
formed by three subulate rigid bodies which are united by their bases, inserted
in the fleshy infuiidibuliform disc formed by the base of the stamens
and rise above the base of the anthers when in the bud. Female spadix
simply decompound, with 2-3 erect partial inflorescences, of which the lowest,
the largest, is 8-10 cm. long, with 3-t alternately distichous spikelets on each
side ; secondary spathes as in the male spadix; spikel&ts 2-2-5 cm. long, inserted
at the mouth of their own spathes and more or less distinctly callous at their axilla
charged with 6-8 flowers on each side ; spathels very shortly and broadly
infundibuliform, striately veined, with a broadly triangular apiculate withered
point; involucrophoruni unilaterally cupular, attached to the base of the spathel above
its own; involucre concave, unilaterally evolute, sub-auriculiform, obtutse ; areola of the
neuter flower roundish, sub-callous, sharply defined by an acute and often denticulate
border. Neuter flowers very similar to the male ones, but slightly smaller-
Female flowers small, mm. long, ovate ; the calyx rounded at the base, striately
veined externally, divided down almost to the middle into three broad acute lobes;
the corolla dudded down almost to its lower third part into three ovatelanceolate
acute segments, which are one-third longer than the calyx ; urceolum
formed by the base of the stamens, membranous, crowned by six broad, triangular,
short, acute teeth ; anthers auricled, sagittate at the base and obtuse at the
apex ; ovary oblong, slightly attenuate at the base, style thick and large relatively
to the ovary; stigmata small, trigonous, acute. Fruiiing perianth explánate.—The
mature fruit not seen.
HADrrAT.—Philippine Islands; Luzon in the province of Albany, Cuming
No. 1225 in Herb. Kew. Deless., Flor., Boiss. and Vindoh.; Mariveles, Loker
No. 1376 in Herb. Kew.
OBSERVATIOXS.—This is a much more slender plant than C. mollis, but is however
very closely related to, and possibly only a variety of that species ; it lias
fewer, narrower and more inequidistant leaflets and the spathels in the female
spikelets are distinctly infundibuliform and not very approximate and bracteifurm.
I t is not certain that Cuming's No. 1225 really corresponds to the C. gracilis
of Blanco, a name which has been changed by Kunth into that of Blancoi, the
first having been previously employed by Roxburgh for an Indian species.
Nevertheless in the absence of those of Blanco, we may take as type-specimens
those distributed by Cuming under the above-mentioned number 1225.
Cuming's specimens have rather densely spinulous sheaths. The specimen of
Loher in the Kew Herbarium, with a female spadix in flower, differs from those
of Cuming only in the wholly unarmed leaf-sheaths ; it is also more robust in every
part.
PLATE 64.—Calamus Blancoi Eunih. Cuming's entii-e specimen in Herb. Delessert.
50. CALAMUS EIVALIS Thw. C. P. No. 3914; Trimen in Joum. Bot. xxili,
(1885), 368 ( err. typ. nivalis)-, Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi, 441; Becc. in
Kec. Bot. Surv. Ind. ii, 199.
B E C C A E I . M O N O A E A P H OF T H E GENUS CALAMUS. 319
C. rwalis]
DESCBIPIION.—Scandent, rather slender, more or less msty-furfuraceous on the
different parts of the spadix, on the leaf-sheaths and on the leaf-rachis ( when
y o u n g ) and more permanently on the flowers and their involucres. Sheathed
stem ° l - 2 cm in diam. Leaf-sheaths sometimes flagelliferoue, gibbous above,
armed with scattered, flat, rigid, subulate, straight or sinuous, solitary, yellowish,
horizontal or slightly deflexed spines which are 8-10 mm. long, more or less
scaly-furfuraceous on the margins in youth and glabrous and polished later; those
near the base of the petiole longer, mote slender and erect. Ocrea (of the fullgrown
leaves) short, obliquely truncate, glabrous and finally brittle and deciduous.
Leaves about 1 m. long, not cirriferous; petiole sometimes not more than
2 - 3 cm. in .length ; broadly channelled above, rounded beneath, armed at the
margins and in the first portion of the rachis with spreading straight spines, which
arc of variable length and ai-e gradually transformed into claws; rachis in the upper
portion acutely bifaced above, rounded beneath, where armed with solitary elawa
throu<-hout along the middle and only at the margins in its first portion ; leaflets
numerous, rather closely and very regularly set, alternate or sub-opposite, almost
of the same colour on both surfaces, linear-lanceolate or ensiform, shortly attenuate
and abruptly plicate at the base, very gradually acuminate into a bristly-brushed
tip, rather distinctly 3-costate; on tlie upper surface the mid-costa acute and prominent,
naked throughout or spinulous near the apex, and with the side costie slender
and usually, but not always, sparingly spinulous; beneath, the mid-costa bears
some long ' bristles and the side-nerves are weak and smooth; margins
sliirhtly thickened by a secondary rather distinct nerve, which is spinulous,
remotely near the base and closer towards the apex; transverse veinlete rather
crowded, fine, very distinct ; the largest leaflets, those near the base, 40-45 cm.
long, 15-20 mm. broad, the upper ones gradually smaller, the two of the
terminal pair ( t h e smallest) 11-12 cm. long, 1 cm. broad, opposite and
free at the base. Male spadix partially ultra-decompound, elongate, about 2 m.
in length, including a terminal slender, not very long, finely clawed flagellum;
partial inflorescences few, remote and very long, as much as 60-65 cm. long»
terminating in a very short (1-2 cm. long ) caudate appendix and furnished with
some compound spikes in their lower portion and many simple spikelets upwards
( 2 0 - 2 6 on each side in a l l ) ; primary spathes tubular, closely sheathing, very
narrow • the lowest somewhat compressed and two-edged, truncate at the mouth,
more or less armed, mainly on the edges, with short straight horizontal or deflexed
spines - the upper ones very elongate, 30 cm. in length or even longer, cylindrical,
Tery closely sheathing, obliquely truncate at the mouth where they are extended at
one side into a short triangular point, sparsely armed with small slender recuiTed
needle-like spines; the attenuated axial portions of the spadix (or lower portion
of every spathe ) concave on the inner side, convex and clawed on the
back • secondary spathes 1-5-3 cm. long, unarmed or sparsely spinous, narrowly
infundibuliform, attenuated at the base, finely striate, truncate at the mouth where
produced at one side into a triangular point; compound male spikes 8-12 cm.
Ion-, bearing on each side 3-8 up to 10 arched secondary spikelets; these 1-2 cm!
long; simple spikes (or larger spikelets) also arched distichously, inserted just at the
mouth of their respective spathes, flattened, 2-5 cm. long, with 6-10 bifarious
AHN. KOT. BOT. GARD. CALCUTTA VOL. X I.