1 3 0 IMNALS OF THE RORAL BOTAITIC GAIIDE:T, CALCUTTA. [C. Flagellum
racbis is trigonous with two side-faces above and armed beneatli with solitary or t e r n a t e,
black, deaexed, usually straight or slightly hooked spines; leaHets numerous, equidistant,
r a t h e r firm, green, almost sliiniug OQ both surfaces, slightly paler beuoath, broadly
onsiforu), alternate and deeply plicate at the base, gradually acuminate towards the
a p e x t h e i r mi d r i b s s t o a t , f u r n i s h e d o n b o t h sur f a c e s , b u t ma i n l y above ,
bl a ck b r i s t l e s ; s e c o n d a r y u e r v e s s l ende r , n a k e d o n b o t h irfac
vitli few subspin;
•transverse vehilets appro:
;mato and distinct: margins ciliate with relatively strong
black spinulcs which av.
more crowdcd towards the apex ; the largest leaflets,
those a little above the
base, about 70 cm. long and 3-4 em. in width, the
upper shorter, the two of the terminal pair the smallest. Male Male spadlx spadix
not seen.
Female spadu: primary and secondary spathes not geen; in one spocimon a partial
inflorescence is about 60 cm. long with 5-6 spikelets on each side and terminates
i n a slender tail-like unarmed appendix which is about 10 cm. long ; secondary
spathes tuhnlav, slightly enlarged above, closely shoathiog, coriaceous, 8-4 cm.
long, unarmed, obliquely truncate at the mouth where it is produced at one «
i n to
a triangular ponit and at length decays; spikelets inserted at or a little
below the
mouths of their respective spathes, vermicular, subcyliadrical, flexuose 10-15 cm. long;
spathels infundibuhform, smooth, truncate, entire or ultimately somewhat decayed
a t the margin, slightly produced at one side into a short point ; involucrophoruni
u n i l a t e r a l l y cupular, truncate, almost projecting f r om its own spathel and a t t a c h e d at the
b a s e of the ome above ; involucre cupular, truncate, almost entirely immersed in the
involucrophorum ; areola of the neuter flower distinctly lunatft. Fruit large, when perf
e c t l y r i p s 30 mm. long, 22-24 mm. broad, broadly ovoid, equally rounded at both ends,
v e r y suddenly apiculate at the apes with tlie vestiges of the very small and connivent
Btigmas; scales very large, very gibbous and deeply channelled along the middle, of a
d i r t y yellowish or straw colour witli narrow soarions and finely erose m a r g i n and obtuse
apex. Seed regularly ovoid, rounded at both ends, 2 cm. long, 15 mm. in diam.,
circular in transverse section, enveloped in a d r y (at first fleshy) adherent coat and when
f r e e d f r om this minutely pitted on the surface; albumen rather deeply ruminate ;
embryo perfectly basilar or sometimes slightly to one side.
HABITAT.—Collected by Sij. Leonardo Fea
1 Burma at an elevation of 1200-1400 m.
. J a n u a r y 1888 in the V a l l e y of Yado
OBSERVATIONS.—This v a r i e t y differs f r om tlie type in the leaf-sheaths covered with
d i s t i n c t l y seriate spines; in the inflorescences w i t h more numerous and shorter spikelets j
in the spathes and spathels less lacerated at the margin and in the fruit scales not
bordered with a dark line and more deeply furrowed along the middle. The leafrachis
armed on the back not with a series of solitary claws, but with deflexed,
black, flat, often binate or teruate spines, is a peculiarity probably depending on the
leaf not being collected f r om t h e upper part of the adulfc p l a n t . If this were a constant
c h a r a c t e r this variety ought to be raised to specific rank.
PLATE 6.—Calamus Fagellum Grif. VAR. karinensis Bccc. Portion of a sheathed
s t e m ; portion of a leaf {under surface) near the apes ; partial inflorescence with
m a t u r e f r u i t ; seed, entire, longitudinally cut througli the embryo and in transverse
section. From Sig. Fea's specimen in Herb. Becc,
C. arborescens] B E C C A E I . M O N O G B A P H OF T H E G E N U S CALAMUS. 131
CALAMUS AEBOEESCENS Grifi, in Cale. Journ. v, 33, and Palms tirit. Ind,
42, t. clxsxviii A. B. C. ; Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm, iii, 332 ; Waip.
Ann. iii, 483, and v, 829; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. iii, 113; Teysm. Cat.
H o r t . Bot. Bog. 74; Kurz in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xliii, pt. 2,
208, t. xxii, and For. Fl. Brit. Burma ii, 516, and Hep. Veg. Pegu
(1875), 90; Gamble, Man. Ind. Timb. 423; Hook. f. Fh Brit. Tod. vi,
439, Becc. in Ree. Bot. Surv. of iLd. ii, 198.
C. Imtilis Hort. Cale.
DESCKIPTION.—Not scandent, ca^spitose. &tem erect, 4-6 m. high, 6-5 cm.
diam. (Gi-ifBthI; with annular gieeii internodes about 18 cjn. long ^Griflith).
v e r y 1
of the
above,
black,
loni
which ,
y o u ng
short, not tubular, open on the ventral side, not flagelliferous. Leaves
a r g e (as long as 5 ni.) not cirriferous, foiming a crown at the apex
t r u n k ; petiole very long ( • 6 - l ' 5 m.) and very stout, deeply channelled
rounded beneath and powerfully armed with veiy large, thinly laminar, elastic,
polished and very acuminate spines, of which tho largest are 7-8 cm.
-nd 6-S mm. in widtli at the u n d i l a t e d base, intermingled with smaller ones,
disposed in oblique and often nearly complete series ; r a d i i s covered when
w i t h whitish scurf, then glabrous, armed beneath with laminar, confluent, long
s t r a i g h t , deflexed spines, which are in every respect similar to those of tho petiole
a n d are vertieillate and pectinate in the lower portion, becoming upwards t e r n a f e or
b i n a t e and at last solitary towards the apex but always straight and very long;
above, the racbis is trigonous with two-side faces above from the middle upwards and
smooth; leaflets numerous, equidistant, alternate or suboppoeite, rather distant, very narrowly
lanceolate or b r o a d l y ensiform, very long (up to 1 m.) and 3-5-5 cm. in width,
n a r r o w e d and deeply plicate at the base, g r a d u a l l y acuminate into an acute apex
which is bristly-spiuulous at the sides, conspicuously two-coloui-ed, green and shining
on the upper surface, and white and dull beneath, with the mid-rib stout and
b r i s t l y mainly towards the apex on both faces ; lateral nerves rather slender, one
on each side of the mid-rib sometimes sparingly spinulous beneath; transverse
veinletB sharp and crowded above, indistinct beneath ; margins very bristly and
p u n g e n t . Male ipadix very long (1--5 m., Griffith), pendulous, not flagelHferous at
i t s apex, supradecompouud, with many approximate partial inflorescences; primary
spathes not very long (20-30 cm.), tubular, rather closely sheathing, thinly
coriaceous, lacerated and iibrous iii their upper p a r t ; armed with very slender, black?
needle-like, scattered or subseiiate spiues; the lowest spathe somewhat compressed,
t h e upper cylindraceous, slightly enlarged above; partial inflorescences very long
( 6 0 - 9 0 cm,), the lower decompound, the upper simple, with rather numerous spikelets
on each aide; secondary spathes tubular at the base with a clavato or suhinflated split
a n d lacerated limb, which is often blackened, withered and usually armed with scattered,
spreading, subulate, black spines ; spikelets not pedicellate, inserted near the mouth of
t h e i r respective spathes, large, 10-15 cm. long, flattened, with 20-30 perfectly
b i f a r i o u s and r e g u l a r l y pectinate fl-owers; spathels v e r y closely imbricated, short, broadly
i n f u n d i b u l i f o r m , horizontally truncate and produced at one side into a very short
t r i a n g u l a r point, which is usually s p l i t ; involucre hidden in its own spathe and inserted
a t the base of the one above, dimidiately cupular or like a swallow's nest, obliquely
ANK. E O \ . BOX. GARD. OALCUT'IA TOL. S I .