1 7 6 ANN4LS OP THE BOTAL BOTAINIC GAKDEIF, CALCUTTA. RNIRABIUS
HABITAT.—Probably South Borneo. The type speciraena in the Herbadura at
Brussels.
OBSERVATIONS.—Z). viirabilis was established on only a portion of two sheathed
stems, which I hava esamined and described above. One of these stems is 2'Q, the
othor 3 cm. in diam,; they were sent by Reinwardt to Miirtius, without any
special note of their place of origin, D. mirahilis is certiiinly a very singular Palm,
and among all the species of myrmcoophilous DacmonoTops it certainly posseBses the
best developed ant-harbouring g;illeries, encircling the leaf-shcatlis.
In D. mirabilis the gallerieii are formed by two equal opposed collars, of which
the membraiious part is as much as 10-13 mm. broad, their respective edges being
in contact while the spines are set so closely together, as to form an iijpenetrable
Btockade by which the circular galleries are entirely closed in; should ¡my ants
desire to penetrate inside the galleries, and establish their abode therein they can
do so only by gnawing through the rims of the collars, In one of the leaf-shcaths
wl)icb I examined, and which was 15 cm. in leagfch, I counted o complete galleries
of these. The lower 4 had each a circular hole in the upper cillar made
by the ants, exactly in ihe same vertical line, by which the ants could, as by
gates, communicate with the ftxtciior; the uppermost gallery h^d no .such hole, as
the edges of the collars ware not in contact hero, and the ants had been able to
penetrate inside through the interstices between the spines; her-3 however they had
carried up some rubbish to close the fissures.
DAEUONOROPS LIIRIBILCS var. OLIGOCYCLIS Becc.
DESCIUPTION.—Scandent, slender. Sheathed siem 17 mm. in diameter. Leaf-shiaths
furnished in their upper part with only one complete pair of equal, broadly membranous,
spiculiferous, opposite collars, the remaining portion being surroanJed by
several such membranous spinuliferous collars but all aina:ie and reversed; the latter
are interposed between horizontal rings of radiating spiculae, all the spicalae being very
fine, unequal and black with a lighter-coloure 1 base. Leav-s 60 cm, long in the
pinniforous part, with ¿3 leaflets in all (in one specimen), approximated into 5
groups, of which the lowest is composed of 7 leaflets; petiole somewhat flattened
biconvex, with the edges and the dorsum alone tlie centre armed with short
solitary claws; on tiie upper surface the petiole has a few small prickles near its
base; the rachis has the upper surface at first very narrow and flat, with a broad groove
on each side, but it soon becomes trigonous in section, with an acute smooth
salient angle; leaflets very narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate; those of the lower
group about 40 cm, long, 3 mm. broad and broadest above their middle;
those of the upper groups shoriier, but very slightly narrower, and broadest at
about theii- middle; they have 3 very remotely spinulous nerves on theit' u[)perj
but are smooth on their lower suriaees. Spadiaes when very young cylinciracooua,
with a very short, flat, utiarined, peduncular part; primary sputhes tubular, the
outermost pervioua at its upper end, tlie inner protruding one beyond the other,
D. pseudo-mirabHis] EEGOARI. THE SPECIES OF DIEMONOEOPS, 177
rather densely clothed, especially on their upper part, with blackish or spadieeoua,
needle-like or crinifornr confluent and shortly seriate spiculae. Flomrs Fruits.
HIBITAT.—Cultivated in the Botanical Garden at Buitenzorg as introduced from
Borneo, (Herb. Beccari.)
Oa3iiI!VÂT,0!,s._This variety differs from the typical D. miraiili, in having only
one put o[ equal, opposite, complete, membranous collars instead ot several But
, t IS possible that besides this peculiarity in the leat-sheaths, other characteristics
m other parts ot tho plant may await notice, and that tl.is variety really deserves
to he elevated to specific rank.
I do not think it quite improbable, that tho differentiations of the species of
D«!,mn,rop, to whieh D. MiraUli. belongs, may not originally, as far a, the peculiarities
of the leaf-sheatlis are concerned, have been caused by the stimulating action
of ants upon them, and have been rendered permanent by heredity, and that the
mutualism of these insects with the plant may also, during the same time have
modified others o£ its evan more important organs.
I refer to D. mirahilis var. oUgmjcUs, some specimens collected by
Sailier in Dutch N.W. Borneo, Uln kenepi.i. Residency of Sambas (No. 1453, Herb
Jiuiten»rg). These apparently belong to young plants, have slender stems and
non-cimferoua leaves; some of the latter have few leaflets appioiimate in Jaw
distant groups, or have almost digitate leaflets, 7 - S in number, at the end of the
petiole, the disposition of the collars being as already described.
, , Daemonorops mirabilis var. oligocyclis Hecc. The lower part of a
leaf with the upper portion of its leaf.sheatha ; the upper end of the same l-af- 3
very young spadices. From a plant onltivated at Buitenzorg (Herb. BeccariJ
psEroo.aiRABiLis Becc. in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. ii, 226.
D K C . , P M . - S c a n d o n t . S f a r f M sfe,« of moderate size, 2 em. in diameter.
slightly gibbous above, rather thio and easily splitting longitudinally, furnished with
several (6-7) large, conip ete, broadly nicmbranona, spiculiferous, reversed eoflars,
and with an equal number of similar collars, in close proximity to tlie former, but turned
upwards, smaller and with a narrower membranous part; between these pairs of
collars, of which the ong spiculae meet and cross frequently, arc interposed
simple rows of horizontal spieulue; the larger pairs of collars form as many circular
galleries, but he inembrauons part of tho upper or reversed collar, which is very
much like a short petticoat, is considerably larger than its lower upturned partno, •
the spiculae are .alliny, very slender and unequal, some, which are larger than others'
are spndiceoua, or of a light-brown colour, and up to 6 - 7 cm. long, but always very
narrow; others, usually alternating with the larger, are blaetish, criniform, brittle
and of variable ength; the mouth i, also armed with snob spiculae. with á
comparatively short (0O-6O cm.) pinniferous part, a long petiole, and a long and
ANK. EOY. BOT. GARD., OALCUIIA, VOL, X I I.