Aug. 25, 1919] 



Palms of the Philippine Islands 



3053 



Luzon: Irosin (Mt. Bulusan), Province of Sorsogon, 

 July and August 1916, numbers 16811 and 17077. In 

 alpine forests between 2000 and 3500 feet altitude. 



This species is one of a number of the larger kind usual- 

 ly met in the higher forests of our mountainous regions. 

 The stem of these attain great lengths, the longest of 

 which so far known is toward 700 feet. On the ground 

 they lie about in snake- like fashion, then forming a series 

 of large loops which finally lead into the branches and 

 foliage of the trees — and when one can get a glimpse over 

 the tallest of our forest trees, one can see the terminal 

 leafy portion of these rattans stand out above the 

 forest canopy as staffs into the clear bright air. I 

 have often wondered how much higher they really 

 would climb, or how many years it took them to climb 

 to such heights, and in what manner? The basal loops on 

 the wet ground partially covered with old humus can al- 

 ways be depended on to contain a sufficient quantity of 

 water to satisfy the parched mountaineer. That portion of 

 the same stem hanging above ground contains much less 

 water. Sections of the stem from one to five yards long 

 are slantingly cut and tilted up so as to allow the 

 flow to be received into one's mouth. The most and 

 best flow comes from a long stick, and for the sake of con- 

 venience, the upper end of which should be placed up 

 against a tree. Its clear water usually has a trifle sweet 

 taste and leaves no bad effect. 



Calamus Moseleyanus Becc. in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. 

 ii, 211, 1902. 



Field-note: — A medium sized climber; canes or sheath- 

 less stem 1 inch thick, green, hard, smooth toward the 

 base and where it is one half as thick, its leafy portion 2 

 inches thick; fronds alternatingly scattered, 1 foot apart. 

 8 feet long, extended into a 4 feet long clawed flagel- 

 lum, divaricate or slightly ascending, recurved toward the 

 end; petiole shining green, 6 inches in length, spiny on 

 the upper side and along the edges, the basal green 

 shoulder smooth; leaflets descending, chartaceous, simi- 

 larly green on both sides, deeply concavo-convex veutro- 

 dorsaliy, abruptly reduced at both ends but more scattering 

 toward the apex; inflorescence arising several inches below 

 the leaf axils, ascending at the base, finally much recurved, 

 6 feet long, widely and alternatingly branched from near 

 the base; the branchlets ascending and recurved, its 



