PHILIPPINE PALMS, I. 233 
CALAMUS Linn. 
Cafamus mollis Blanco var. palawanicus Becc. n. var. 
Gracilis subineramis, ocrea spiniilosa. 
Stem, with the sheaths attached, 12-15 iiiin. in diainetor. Leaf-slieaihs 
romainiTig green when dry, more or less l<ingitudinally striate, spineless 
or with some scattered small, short and broad-based, sometimes retrorsc 
prickles. Ocrea dry, reddish-brown, spinulous, or at least tubercled-spi- 
nulons. Leaffcts more or less inequidistant, often approximate in parsi 
** on each side of the rachis or almost equidistant, otherwise as in the typical 
I form but the margins not so strongly spinulous. Spadix with smootli 
primary spatlies. 
Palawan; No. 3013 II. M. Curran, January, 1900, in old clearings, locally 
quite common. {Male plant) and No. 191, 190 J. Bermejos (female plant) 
December, 1905. 
■ r 
It differs from typical C. mollis Blanco of Luzon in its leaf-slieatlis being 
smooth or almost so, and in being less spinous in every part. It is scarcely 
distinguishable from V. Meyenianus Schauer in tlie ocrea being more or less 
spinulous and the leaflets having more strongly spinulous margins. C. MeyrnianUfi 
itself is scarcely a distinct species, and had better be considered as a variety of 
G. 7H0llifi Blanco. 
r 
Calamus Merrittianus Bece. n. sp. 
Scandens, amplissimus, caudice vaginato 6-7 cm. diametro. Folia 
amplissima, 3 m. et ultra longa; vagina spisse lignosa, spinis gracilibus 
valde inaeqnalibus, 2—4 cm. longis, laminaribus, saepe laciniatis, solitariis 
vel contluentibus, inter perplurimas spinulas parvas setiformes immixtis 
densiuscule arniata. Segnienta numerosissinia, aequidistantis, auguste 
lanceolata vel ensiformia, supra in costa media ct in costulis duabus, 
subtus tantum in costa media, setosa. Spadices latissime paniculati, 
spathis priniariis et secundariis spinis brevibus vel 10—12 mm. longis, 
nigrcscentibus, rectis, horizontalibus vel deflexis, armati; spicis foenu'neis 
7-8 cm. longis, crebre bifarie floriferis, parte pedicellari gracili, 2-2.5 
cm. longa in fundo spathae suae insertis. Fructus parvi, equamis per 
ortliostichas 21 ordinatis in dorso convexis et non sulcatis, margine minute 
timbriatis.^ 
Scandent and very large. Sheathed stern G-7 cm. in diameter. Leaf- 
sheaths woody, 3-4 mm. thick, gibbous above, rather densely armed with 
"^This species comes near C. MerriUii Becc, and belongs to Group XIV, whicli 
in my Monograph of the Genus Calamus in vol. 11 of the Annals of the Royal 
Botanic Garden, Calcutta, in press, is characterized as follows: "Lewves prolonged 
into a long and clawed cirrus. Leaf-sheaths not flagelliferous. Spadix not flag- 
elliferous at its apex, usually shorter than the leaves. Male spadix ultra- 
decompound. Female spadix simply decompound, quite different from the male 
one. Male and female spikelets stalked or inserted inside at the base of their 
respective spathes on distinct pedicels which are as long as their respective 
spathes. Fruiting perianth explanate. i^'eed with ruminate or equable albumen." 
54744 6 
