4 9 0 ANNALS OF THE ROTAL BOTAJIIU. GAEDE.N, CALCarTA. [Q, K u f i z e o n us
very easily reeoguizablc species by its rusty aud scabrid indumentum and especially
by the peculiar disposition of its leaflets, which in no other species known io me
are so conspicuously lieflcxcd or turned in the same direction with the prickles of
the racliis, while as a rule the prickles or claws of xhe rachis are pointing downwards
and tho leaflets upwards; very curious are also the two small spines at the
base oi the leaflets, decussating with tlie larger ones of the rachis. This species
apparently stands alone amongst the cirriferous species with non-flagelliferous spadices
and a pedicelliform fruiting perianth.
PLATK 225.—-Calamus i'erruginens Becc. The lower portion (with its sheath) and
an intermediate portion of a leaf; the cirrus; female spadix with not yet >
flowers,—from Lobb's specimen in the Calcutta Herb. Female apadix with
fruit,—from Becc. P. B. No. 563.
194. CALAMUS KUNZEANUS Becc. ep. n.
DESCBIPTION.—Fmil small, 1 cm. long, 8 m. broad, obovoid, round at both
ends especially at the summit, where not mucronate; scales in 12 longitudinal series,
very few in each series, shining, straw-coloured, relatively large, rather convex and
rather loosely imbricate, slightly channelled along the middle, with a narrow dark
marginal line, their point very obfeiisc, the margins finely erosely toothed. Fruiting
periantk explanate ; the calyx split down to the base into 3 very broad, almost
orbicular, very boldly striately veined lobes; the segments of the corolla as long as
the calyx, ovate and also strongly striately veined. Seed ellipsoid, somewhat flattened,
about 7 mm. long, 5 mm, broad and 3'5 mm. thick, its surface unequal with small
depressions and straight ridges (when cleaned from the crustaceous, brittle, once fleshy,
integument) especially radiating from the chalazal fovea; this deep, circular, placed
in the centre of the raphal side; albumen equable; embryo in the ccQtre of the
face, opposite to the chalazal fovea.—Other parts unknown.
HABiTAr.—In Cambodia where collected by Dr. Otto Rume in Alarch 1875
( Herb. Berol. ).
OBSEKVATIOSS.—I should not have named this species from the fruit only,
were not this so peculiar and its characters so rarely met with in the genus
Calamus. The fruit round at the top, not beaked, with few scalcs; the seed with
equable albumen; tho embryo in the centre of one of the faces and the explanate
perianth distinguish this species from all the others where the fruit is known.
PLATE 226, IV.—Calamus Kunzeanus Becc. Fig. 14, mature f r u i t ; fig. 15,
f n i i t i ng perianth seen from above; fig. 16, seed, raphal view; fig. 17, the seed
represented in 6g. 16 as seen from the embryo side; fig. 18, seed longitudinally
cut through the embryo and the chalazal fovea; the same seed as represented
in fig. 18 traoaversely cut through the embryo and tlie chalazal fovea. All figures
enlarged 4 diam.
C. LauterbachiQ BECCAEI. MONOGHAPH OP XHB GENUS CALAMUS. 491
! 9 5 . CAJ.AMUS LAUTERBACBU Becc. sp. n.
DESCRIPTION.—'Scandont and apparently ratlier slender. Leaf-sheaths covered with
a dark furfuraceous indumentum, densely armed with very small, triangular, obliquely
inserted, ascendent prickles, which are about 2 mm. long, flat beneath and tumescent
abope at their base. Ocrea probably very large at its base; the portion seen by me
marked by transverse interrupted spinescent ridges or crests. Leaves not cirriferous,
short, in one specimen 40 cm. long; ijetiole relatively long ( 9 cm.), under the lens
scabridulous-furfuraceous, yellowish-brown, ñattish above near the base, then slightly
convex and ppriiikled with small spinescent tubercles: beneath also rather convex,
unarmed near the base, spinous upwards like the first portion of the rachis, the
margins very obtuse, not or sparingly tubercled-spinulous; rachis rather stout, acutely
bifaced shortly beyond the base above, armed beneath with very small confluent
( in groups of 3-0 ) and irregularly subverti oil late broad-based and black-tipped
claws; leaflets not numerous, 6 on each side, wilh a bilobed one at the summit, not
very distinctly approximate into three groups, the pairs of one side not very
approximate, opposite or nearly so to those of the other side, sabpergamentaceouB,
rigidulous, glabrous, slishtly longitudinally plicate, sub-concolorous and almost shining
on both surfaces, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate slightly concavo-convex Or cochleariform,
attenuate to the bnse and with a rather distinct axillary callus at theii'
insertion, rather suddenlv nRrrowed at the summit into a short and at the sides
bristly-spiuulous tip ; the mid-costa acute and raised above, obliterated beneath,
naked on both surfaces; secondary nerves 2-3 on each side of the mid-costa, very
slender and indistinct on both surfaces; transverse veinlets very fine, very crowded
and much continuous; margins acute not thickened by a marginal nerve), furnished
with relatively strong and short spinules: these closer, hmger and more,
spreading towards the summit; the largest leaflets, the intermediate ones, 18-5)1 cm.
long and 4 cm. broad: the lower ond higher ones shorter but not nai-rower: the
two of the terminal pair connate for two-thirds of their length. Male spadix
short, about as long as the leaves, with -t partial inflorescences ( in one
incomplete specimen ); primary spathes covered with a removable fuscous furfuraceous
indumentum, loosely sheatliing, papyraceous, exsuccous and partly decayed
when the flowers are expanded: the first strongly flattened, two-edged, the edges very
acute and closely serrate with ascendent spinules, prickly on the faces: the upper ones
enlarged above,, split on one side, narrow aud tubular at the base, where armed
with very small tuberculiform prickles; partial inflorescences with vory approximate
not distinctly bifaiious spikelets, forming small compact cupressiform panicles which
are fi-lO cm. long and arise erect from their respective spathe; secondary spathes
bracteiform with a short basal tubular part and suddenly expanded into a spreading,
broadly ovate, acute, membranous, exsuccous and ultimately marcescent limb; spikelets
thick and short, 1-2 cm. long, wi'h very closely packed and apparently pluriseriate
and not bifarious flowers; spathels bracteiform with a broad concave obtuse striately
veined limb »md sprinkled witli fuscous scales like the other appendicular organs,
involucre more or less irregularly cupular, often transversely evoluta and subcymbiform
or subbilobed, the lobes obtuse. Male jlorvers rather large, about 5 mm. long;
the calyx coarsely striately veined and scaly-furfuraceous, divided about midway
down into 3 broad ovate obtuse lobes; the corolla twice as long as the calyx,
AUK. BOT. BOT- Q-AKD. CALCUTTA VOL XI.