1 3 6 ANNALS OF THE KOYAL BOTANIC GABDRS, CALCUTTA. \J). Hystn'X
here in its first portion, and has an aoute salient angle with flat side faces in
the remainder; underneath in its first part it is convex and armed with solitary claws,
in the roinaining portion it is flattish and the claws are y-nate, 5-nate, and finally
half-whorled on the cirrus. LeaiJets numerous (about 100 on the whole in vigorous
plants), equidistant, J-S cm, apart, frequently almost opposite, the upper ones more
distant and smaller; they are veiy narrowly linear-lanceolato, diminishing towards
a rather acute base, and very gradually acuminate from below the middle to
a very slender subulate tip, green on both surfaces; above they are sub-tricoatulate
or have the mid-costa acute and one rather slender nerve on each side of it stronger
than the other secondary nerves, and like the mid-costa, sparingly bristly from the
middle upwards; underneath, the mid-oosta, and 1-2 nerves on each side of it, of
which one lies very near to each margin, are covered throughout with an almost
uninterrupted line of very close, small, appressed bristles; transverse veinlets rather
inconspicuous, short, not very approximate, aud much interrupted; margins minutely
not very closely and appressedly spinulous; the spinules more spreading and longer
towards the apex: in vigorous specimens the leaflets attain -40 cm. in length
and 14-16 mm. in breadth, usually they are 25-30 cm. by 12-14 mm. Spadices
axillary in appenxance, but really inserted near the mouths of their respective sheaths,
exactly opposite to the base of the petioles. Male spadix externally not differing from
the female one (seen by me only in a young stage). Female spadix before flowering,
rigid, erect, slender, slightly arched, terete, 15-20 mm. in diam., in vigorous plants
60-80 cm.', but, frequently only -40 -50 cm. long; primary spathes thicidy coriaceous,
at first tubular and narrowly ear-shaped, obliquely truncate, and usually shortly
bi-deutate at the upper end, each protniding a good deal from th«t immediately below;
the outermost is usually long persistent, after the anthesis more or less spread
open, spathulate above, elonsately sub-infundibuliform and diminishing towards the
base, glabrous and glossy inside, greyish or rusty-furfuracoous i.r at times
glabreacent externally, more or less armed on the back, especially near its base, with
flat, short and broad, solitary or confluent, or even seriate or digitate, laminar
spines; not infrequently a few broad, laminar spines are also to be found on the
edges near the apex; inner spathes smaller, deciduous; the 2nd, 3rd and 4th gradually
less spinose, the others unarmed; p'iduncular part of the spadix short (3-6
cm. in length), usually more or less prickly, at least at the sides; the axial parts
more or less covered with a very thiu rusty-fnrfuraceous, partially evanescent,
indumentum; the main axis is subterete in its lower part, irregularly angular
higher up and bears 5-10 partial inflorescences which are erect when bearing the
flowers and spreading later when loaded with fruits, and more or lees callous in
their axilla; the lowest partial inflorescences are 12-15 cm. long and bear 4-H alternately
bifarious, spreading spikelets oa each side; their axes are straight, rigid and
more or less distinctly :3-4-gonous; upper partial inflorescences shorter and with fewer
spikelets; secondary and tertiary spathes very short, annular, slightly produced at
one side into a short acute triangular point; spikelets at first erect, then spreading,
and finally, when loaded with fruits, horizontal, 4-8 cm. long, and with 5-7
bifarious flowers on each side; their axes rather slender, i'5-2 mm. thick,
angular and slightly sinuous; spathes very short, annular, produced at one side
into a small scale-like, amplectent, broadly triangular, acute point; involucrophorum
ß . Hystrix} BECCAEI. THE SPECIES OF DAEMONOEOPS. i 3 r
distinctly pedicelliform, subtrigonous, about 2 mm. long, narrowing towards the base,
at first appressed, later spreading, and with a distinct axillary callus, truncate at
the upper end and produced at one side into a very short scale-like limb'
involucre slightly raised above the involucrophorum, perfectly flat, round, disciform,
edged by a very narrow limb; areola of the neuter flowgr small, punctiform,
slightly callous. Muíír ßowcrt linear, acuminate, 5 mm. long, angular, and more or
less flattened; the calyx superficially 3-dentate; the corolla 3-4 times as long as
the calyx, divided down past fhe middle iuto three narrow aoute segments; filaments of
the stamens subulate, free amongst themselves, bat adnate ia their lower third
to the corolla; anthers sagittate-lanceolate; rudiment of the pistil very small,
formed by 8 short papillae. Female flowers trigonous-pyramidate, acute, with a flat 3
mm. broad base, when in bud about 6 mm, long; the calyx shortly cupular, truncate '
with 3 superficial teeth which usually terminate in a small tuft of hairs; the
corolla 4 times as long as the calyx, ventricose in its lower half, and thence
divided into 3 lanceolate-triangular acute segments; the filaments of the stamens, by
their united bases, form au urceolum, which is adnate to the tubular part of the
corolla and is crowned with 6 short, ti'iaugulai', acute, and strongly tumescent
(nectarifiuous?) teeth in theii- free part; anthers narrowly sagittate-lanceolate, half
as long as the segments; ovary globular; stigmata ohovate-oblong, thick, strongly
lamellose inside, deciduous after floweringr The fruiting panicle is rather difluse,
ovate-oblong. Fruiting perianth obconical-campanulate; the segments of the corolla
spreading or deflexed. Fruit (in the most typical forms) ovoid-elliptical or oblong,
15-17 mm. long [without the perianth), 9-11 mm. broad, round at both ends
caudiculato at its base, beaked mammillate at the apex ; scales arranged in 12
longitudinal series, each series composed of 7-8, not taking into account the
smaller at the extremities, almost regularly rhomboidal, broader than long, rather
dull, of an uniform light and dirty straw colour, with a narrow darker or even
lighter intramarginal line, and a finely erosely-toodied margin, superficially and
narrowly grooved along the centre, more convex near the apex than in theii- basal
part, the apex itself round. Seed very regularly oblong, rounded at both ends, 11
ram. long, 7-8 mm. broad, slightly flattened, finely pitted ; the chalazal fovea small
placed in the centre of the raphal side ; albumen ruminate, or penetrated by
numerous narrow channels filled with a dark resinous matter; embryo exactly basal.
HABITAT.—The Malay Peninsula. Near Malacca at Ayer Punnus and at Rhim
{Grifdh). In the district of Perak (ÄiorificÄent No. 5036 in Herb. Beccari). Sungei Ryak
{King's collector Nos. 951 in Herb. Calcutt,). Johore {E%ng in Herb. Calcutt.). Singapore
{Ridley No. 3479 and 3489), idem at Büket Mandai (No. 3480 and 3486), idem Garden
Jungle (No. 5876). Griffith gives the Malay name of " R. Saboto" probably,
» R. Sapatu " ( = a shoe), on account of the shape of the outermost spathe. This
however, seems a generic name for all the species of Daemonorops which have the
outer spathe like that of D. Hystrix. Scortechini affixes to it the name of
" Rotang Tanah. " Ridley gives also the following localities : Penang Hill
{Curiis)-, Selangor: Batu Tiqa {Ridley)-, Pahang: Kwala Lipis {Machado). The
native name "Rotang Sabut. " Ridloy also says that the rattans are used in
for boats.
AMS. ROY. BOT. GABD., CALCUTTA, VOL. X I I .