4 2 2 OP THE BOYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. [(?. ASPEM'MUS^,
PLATE 185.—Calamus mucronatus Becc. The summit of a plant with a malo
«padix.—From P. B. No. 829.
156. CALAMUS ASPERUIMUS B1. in Roem. et Schult. Syst. Veg. vii. 2, 1327 j
Mart Hist, Nat. Palm, iii, 212 (1st edit.) and 341 ; Bl. Rumphia iii.
36, t. 146; Kunth Euum. PI. iii. 212; Walp. Ann. iii. 491 aud v.
8 3 2 ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. iii. 139, and Do Palm. 28; Tcysm. Cat.
Hort. Bog. 7 4 ; H. Wend!, ia Kerch. Les Palm. 2 3 5 ; Becc. in Rec.
Bot. Surv. Ind. ii. 213.
DESCRIPTION.—Scaudent, slender or of moderate size. Sheathed stetn 7-20 mm.
i n diam. Leaf-sheaths slightly gibbous above, obliquely truncate at tbe mouth, very
scabrid owing to innumerable Tery short subspiny rufous bulbous hairs aud mauy
v e r y small ascendent triaugular prickles and furthermore armed -with a few solitary
scattered horizontal or subreflcsed straiglit broad-basod subulate spiues. Ocna very
short, liguliform, very densely covered with rigid bristles. Leaves of tlie upper part
of the fertile plant chi-ifcrous, epetiolate, about 60 cm. long in the pinniforous
portion, with a filiform oiiTus about as long; this very closely armed with very
acute aggregate or half-whorled claws; rachis rounded beneath near its base, armed
throughout along the middle with at first solitary then geminate or ternate rather
robust black-tipped claws, acutely bifaced aud smooth above; leaflets not very
numerous, 8-10 on each side, very inequidistant, but not fasciclcd in distinct groups,
t h i n l y papyraceous, rather rigid, narrowly lanceolate, somewhat narrowed to and acute
at the base, gradually acuminate at the summit into a subulate conspicuously bristly
t i p , green even when dry, opaque, slightly paler aud almost silky beneath, with the
mid-costa acute above where usually furnished ^vith a few black bristles near the
summit, superficial aud naked beneath; side nerves slender, sometimes 2 in the
upper surface more distinct than tbe otiiers, smooth on both surfaces; transverse
veiulets fine, sharp, approximate, continuous; margins very remotely and adpressedly
spinulous, the lower one bordered in the upper surface with a narrow shining band;
t h e largest leaflets, those near the summit, 20-30 cm. long, 1-5-2-0 cm. broad, the
lower ones smaller aud more spreading. Male spadix simply decompound, elongate,
slender, flageliiform witli 5-6 partial inflorescences terminating in a not very long
fihform aculeolato ajjpendix; primary spathes elongate, tubular, closely sheathing,
t r u n c a t e entire and densely bearded at the mouth and prolonged at one sido into au
erect triangular point more or less scabrid and furthermore armed with straight
scattered prickles; the first flattened with acute and prickly edges; tho upper ones
g r a d u a l l y less flattened and more cylindraceous, rather suddenly narrowed at the base
i n to a short axial p a r t ; this flat on the inner side, convex and usually not clawed
on the back; partial inflorescences very slender, elongate, 20-30, cm. long, strict,
i n s e r t e d just at the mouth of their own spathes, with 12-15 spikelets on each side;
secondary spathes infundibuliform, narrow at the base, enlarged and loose above,
obliquely truncate and densely bearded at the mouth, prolonged at one side into a
b r o a d l y triangular point, scabrid and finely striately veined; spikelets small circinnatescorpioid,
subtended by the point of their own spathe and inserted at tho mouth of
this, 15-18 mm. long, with 12-14 very closely packed flowers on each side; spathela
v e r y approximate, bracteiform, concave, broadly ovate, concave, acute or acuminate,
C. asperrimus.} BECCAEI. MONOGEAPH OP THE GENUS CALAMUS. 423
deflexed; involucre transversely cvolute, sublunate and apparently formed by two
semiovatG slightly falcate bracts—connate by their bases; spathe Is and involucra
membranous, reddish-brown, strongly striately veined, ciliate and sprinkled with small
r u s t y subhairy scales. Male flowers 4 mm. long, oblong; the calyx parted to about
midway down into 3 broadly triangular acute distinctly bordered lobes, strongly
striately veined; the segments of the corolla twice as long as the calyx, opaque
and finely striate outside. Female spadix simply decompound, about 1'8 m. long
{Blumc), nodding, slender, with 7 - 9 partial inflorescences and terminating in a rather
elongate aculeolate filiform appendix; primary spathes ; partial inflorescences
elongate with straight slender axis, the one seen by me 40 cm. long with 13
distichous spikelets in all; secondary spathes tubular, slightly infundibuliform, 2 ' 5 -3
cm. long, obliquely truncate and densely bearded at tlie mouth, scabrid; spikelets
i n s e r t e d just at the mouth of their own spathe, horizontal, slightly arched, the lower
ones, the largest, about 4 cm. long, with 8-10 distichous very approximate flowers
on each side; the upper ones somewhat shorter; spathels very closely packed, subperfoliate
or witli a veiy short tubular part, suddenly expanded into a very broad
concave bracteiform obtuse deflexed limb; involucrophorum and involucre subconform,
bracteiform, concave, u n i l a t e r a l l y evoluts in contrary directions; spathels and involucra
strongly striately veined and glabrous inside, densely ciliate and covered outside with
rusty-paleaceous hairs; areola of the neuter flower depressed, linear, hidden under the
involucrum. Femalo flowers about 4 mm. long, almost horizontally i n s e r t e d ; the calyx
subcoviaceous, striately veined outside, parted to midway down into 3 very broad
semiovate rather obtuse distinctly bordered lobes; segments of the corolla narrower
but as long as tho lobes of the calyx. Fruiting perianth apparently not or very
shortly pedicelliform. Fruit (very young) ovoid, tapering to a stout conic beak;
scales shining, in 18-20 series, reddish-brown at the summit, this not fringed and
erosely toothed at the margins.
HABITAT.—On the volcanic mountains of Java, such as the Megamendong, Pangherango,
Ged^, etc., Bhme.—Javnn namo : " H u y Lulus" or " H. Leies " ; Malayan
n a m e : " R o t a n g Lumus."
OBSERVATIONS.—Blume founded this species only on specimens of the female plant
with spadices bearing very young fruit. Of Blume's specimens I have seen some
portions of which I availed myself in the description above. Furthermore I have
recognized this species in some fine cultivated male specimens forwarded to me from
Buitenzorg by Dr. Trcub and in others (also with male spadices) sent by Teysmann
t o the St. Petersburg Herbarium. These last have a leaf with a very long cirrus,
t h e leaflets are 11 on each side, of which the largest is 25 cm. long and 27 mm.
b r o a d ; some of them are subtricostulate, having on cach side of the mid-costa one
secondary nerve slightly stronger than the others. The sheathed stem in Blume's
specimen is 2 em. in diam. and in the cultivated male specimens is a good deal
more slender (6-12 mm.). In these the leaves of the lower part of the plant are
not cirriferous, have 28-30 leaflets in all, with the two of the terminal pair free at
tho base; the leaves of the intermediate portion have a very slender and rudimentary
cirrus at their summit, and the uppermost are conspicuously cirriferous; these last have
9 - 1 0 couplets of leaflets 15-20 cm. long and 15-18 mm. broad.