THE PALMS OF BRITISH INDIA AND L'Ei'LON. 397 



Description. — Probably scnndent and of moderate size. Leaflets 

 uumeroiis rather closely set and equidistant, elongate-ensi- 

 t'orm, sub-5-costnlate, the intermediate ones 32-35 cm, long and 

 20-22 mm. broad, the 3 main ribs furnished with bulbous bristles 

 on the upper surface, underneath the mid-rib alone bristly ; the 

 margins closely spiniilous. Female spadix apparently large and 

 elongate ; upper primary spathes elongate, cylindric ; partial inflo- 

 rescences with about 1 3 distichous spikelets on each side ; spikelets 

 inserted just at the mouth of their respective spathes with a distinct 

 axillar}- callus, the lower ones about 6 cm. long with 20 flowers 

 on each side ; involucrophorum not pedicellate. Female flowers 

 3 mm. long; neuter flowers more slender, but as long as the 

 female ones, their corolla twice as long as the calyx. 



Habitat. — Probably S. India. 



26. CALAMUS BRANDISH, Becc. in Hook. Fl. Brit. Ind. VI, 448 ; 

 Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. II, 206 ; Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. Calc. XI, 91, 278 ; 

 Brandis Ind. Trees 651. 



Stem slender; leaflets few, fascicled, lanceolate, ensiform, naked 

 beneath, sparsely setose above on the 3 costse ; petiole slender with 

 few very long, slender, straight spines^ rhachis with long, stout, 

 solitary, straight and recurved spines ; sheath armed with solitary 

 or aggregate, slender, flattened, straight spines, mouth with very 

 long ; needle-shaped spinules. Male spadix elongate, shortly fla- 

 gelliferous, with few partial inflorescences ; spathes narrow tubular, 

 "upper funnel-shaped, unarmed, embracing the bases of the spi- 

 kelets ; flowers 4-seriate in bud. 



Habitat. — Travancore, near Courtallam, 3-5,000 feet. 



27. CALAMUS ACANTHOSPATHUS, Grifl'. in Calc. Journ. Nat. 

 Hist. V, 39 ; Palms Brit. Ind. 50. t. 190 B. (not A, f. 1) ; Mart. Hist. Nat. 

 Palm. Ill, 333, t. 176, f. VI: Walp. Ann. Ill, 484, V, 830 : Hook. Fl. Brit. 

 Ind. VI, 448 ; Becc. in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. II, 206 ; Ann. Roy. Bot. Gard. 

 Calc. XI, 92, 283 ; Brand is Ind. Trees 651. — C. ?nowfa«7<s, T. Anders, in 

 Journ. Linn. Soc. XI, 9 ; Gamble Man. Ind. Timb. 242. 



Names. — Gouri Bet. (Nep.); Rue, Rhu (Lepchas). 



Stems slender, scandeut, as thick as a swan's quill, forming 

 dense thickets. Leaves 2-3 feet long; leaflets few, large, 10-16 

 inches long, 2-3 inches broad, inequidistant, elliptic-lanceolate, 

 strongly 5-7-costate, margins naked or spinulose, both surfaces 

 quite naked or very rarely with a few small spines on the costae of 

 the upper surface ; rhachis and long petiole very stout, scurfy, 

 armed with 2-3 series of \ery stout, recurved spines ; sheath stout, 

 densely armed with long, flattened and short, stout, straight or 

 recurved spines; flagellum of the sheath 10-12 feet long. Spadix 

 4-6 feet, erect, veiy stout, flagelliferous ; peduncle shoi't, com- 

 pressed, armed on the edges and lower face with unequal, straight, 

 10 



