3036 Leaflets of Philippine Botany [Vol. viti, Art. 320 



obtuseque mucronatis, 17-18 mm. diam., pedicello gracili 

 usque ad 10 mm. longo (ab involuerophoro et involucro 

 composito) suffultis; squamis porpaucis per orthostichus 

 * u S M 0SItlS ' lntermediis (2 3) tantum amplis, summis 

 et basilanbus par vis; semino depressiuscule globoso. 



Scandant and rather large. Sheathed stem about 4 cm. 

 in diameter. Leaf sheaths armed with several approximate 

 interrupted transverse series of slender spines more or 

 less coalescent by their enlarged bases, mouths thin and 

 armed. Leaves averaging 2 m. long for the leaflet 

 bearing portion; petiole 25 cm. long, more or less flattened, 

 variously prickly especially along the edges; rachis con- 

 spicuously spinescent throughout on the upper surface, 

 at times even on the cirrus, and armed beneath with 



6 to o-nate robust claws; the cirrus also very powerfully 

 armed with half whorls of similar claws. Leaflets numerous, 

 equidistant, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate to subulate 

 (not produced) spinulous tips, concolorous, rigidulous. 

 witn the upper surface smooth, except occasionally a 

 few spinules on the midvein near the apex; beneath 

 the midvein it is remotely spinulous near the base and 

 is provided with some bristles higher up; the other 

 nerves are smooth; transverse veinlets rather sharp, 

 short and interrupted; margins appressed spinulous; the 



ntermediate eaflets are 35 to 40 cm. long and 2.5 cm. 

 broad. Female spadix strict, at first erect, apparently 

 nodding when in fruit, 70 cm. in length, composed of 



7 superposed appressed approximate partial inflorescences; 



with « £ P .l r - i but . es ^ eciall y the spikelets clothed 

 with a rather thick coating of soft rusty scales. Partial 

 nfloiescences erect appressed to the main axis; the 

 lower ones are about 15 cm. long, on each side 4 or 

 5 gradually reduced spikelets, inserted at a quite acute 



«?, \t e L p ™It ts ^ a ri ? id ' l hickish and si ™° us *** 



axis the largest of them in the basal portion of the 

 partial inflorescence are 6 to 8 cm. long and carry 5 

 or 6 flowers only on each side; the upper spikelets 

 become abruptly shorter and contain fewer flowers The 

 fruiting perianth is short conical and in a decavin* 

 condition, the calyx and corolla being reduced to the^ 

 fibrous elements only. The fruits are borne on conspicuous 

 subtr.gonous pedicels up to 10 mm. in length, inserted at a 

 very acute angle formed by an elongatedln^o ucrophorum 

 supporting a well evoluted involucre, broad above and 

 narrowing to a slender base; areola of the neuter flower 

 obscurely mche-like. Fruit globose, briefly and verv 

 suddenly obtusely beaked or mammilla e; when thoroughly 



