THE PALMS OF SIKKIiT. 9 



somewhat gregarious in its habit. The long slender stems, when 

 lying on the ground, send out short leafy shoots from their 

 joints and form a thicket of prickly leaves. The flowering ex- 

 tremities of these prostrate stems ascend the trees by the as- 

 sistance of the strongly barbed straight tendrils springing from 

 the sheaths of the leaves. Tlie canes are soft and useless. Tlie 

 Lepchas call this species '* Lat." 



4. C. MONTANUS, T, Anders, Vaginis cylindricis, a basi frondium 

 carinatis, spinis rectis patentibus dense obtectis; frondibus brevibus, 

 petlolatisj raehi glabra, subtus uncinata, marginibus spinosis; pinnis 

 inferioribus lanceoIatis> superioribus ovato-lanceolatis, plurinerviis, 

 utrinque glabris, marginibus interdum inermibus^ rare setulosis ; 

 pinnis alternis vel oppositis^ paribus insequaliter distantibus; spa- 

 dicibus elongatis^ spatha inferiore tubulosa compressa marginibus 

 uncinatis^ spathis superioribus non compressis mermibus ; ramis (spa- 

 dieis) brevibus crassis armatis^ fcemineis alternis, recurvis ; baecis 

 oblique ovatis, apice obtuse umbonatis. 



Hab. In sylvis temperatis, supra arbores alte scandens, ad altitudinem 

 4000-6000 ped. Palma loris aculeatis alte scandens. 



Caudex nudus, gracilis, crassitudine penna? cygni ; junior cum vaginis 

 frondium 1^-2 unc. in diametro. Vagince spinosissimaj, furfure pur- 

 pureo et argenteo obtectse; spinse rigidae, patentes, compressa;, 

 rectse, ianceolatse, supra convexse, plerumque simplices, interdum 

 bifidse. Petioli dense spinosi; spinas variabiles, plerumque rectae 

 simplices, raro recurvai et bifidse. Rachis glabra, frondium juniorum 



*1 1'« 



furfuracea. Pinnee basi plicatae, supra convexa;, plurinervia;, 

 ginibus exceptis setosse, 10-16 unc. longse, 2-3 unc. lata^. Lora 

 ex apice vaginarum orientia, 10-12-pedalia, apice filiformia, aculeata; 

 spathae (lori) inferiores compressae, aculeis binis vel ternis reflexis 

 sparse armatse, spathis superioribus cylindricis. Spadix 4-6-pedalis, 

 infra rigidus, erectus, apice filiformis, sterilis, aculeatus. Spatha 

 inferior extus furfuracea, dense spinoso-aculeata, 1-pedalis; supenqr 

 viridis, sparse aculeata, ore laxa, rupta, 4-9 unc. longa. Bacccc 

 magnitudine glandis querci, immaturac fulvae, matiurae rubrae, basi 

 bracteis et bracteolis persistentibus suffultae. 



This cane, the " Eue " of the Lepchas, is the most valuable one 

 in Sikkim, where it is used for various purposes. The liglit but 

 strong suspension-bridges by which the large rivers of Sikkim 

 are crossed are made of it. It supplies the strongest ropes for 

 dragging logs of wood from the forests and for securing the 

 heavy loads which the powerful Bhotea porters carry sliuig from 



bamboo poles. 



The most durable baskets and the cane-work of chairs are ma- 



