30 ON THE VEGETATION OF MALAYSIA, 



divided into regular stages by whorls of large laurel-like leaves. 

 Occasionally one meets Antiaris or the far-famed Upas-tree, 

 formerly supposed to be confined to Java. The natives know it 

 well, but do not seem to be much afraid of it, at least in the manner 

 related by travellers of old. There is also a large fleshy fetid Aroid 

 named Amorphoj)hallus likewise used as a poison for arrows, or to 

 intensify the venom of the Upas, here called Ipo. 



This vegetation is laced together by numberless vines and 

 creepers, such as Entada scandens with enormous pods, and 

 beans large enough to be made into match-boxes ; Mucuna giyantea 

 with its crop of irritating hairs on the outside of the pod. Bauhi- 

 nias abound as well as Melastomaceous creepers of the genera 

 Medinilla and Sonerila. The true vines (Vitis) are represented 

 by many species, as well as climbing genera of the natural orders 



MENISPERMACEiE, ApOCYNACE.E, AsCLEPIADEiE. 



The Palms, as might naturally be expected, are numerous, in- 

 cluding the destructive Calamus whose thorns few escape in the 

 jungle. They are perennial spreading shrubs or small trees, lithe 

 and supple, erect as well as climbing. The whole plant is densely 

 clothed with formidable thorns. It is difficult to keep out of their 

 way. The petiole is modified into a thong or prolongation, covered 

 with hooked prehensile spines of cruel design. Woe to those 

 who are caught in these tendrils. The struggle to free oneself 

 from one brings down a dozen, each being as difficult to detach as 

 a puzzle. C. grandis is common at Penang and in all the Straits 

 of Malacca, with many species besides. C. rotang, C. rudentum, 

 and several others are largely exported for chairs, baskets, mats, 

 hats and other useful articles. The celebrated Malacca canes are 

 derived from C. scipionum. It is not common, and the natives 

 who gather, stain and sell it, do not care to make its habitat 

 known. It does not grow anywhere near Malacca. Zalacca 

 edulis is a tufted short-stemmed palm with leaves eighteen to twenty 

 feet in length, growing abundantly in moist shady places. The 

 pinnules about eighteen inches long and five broad, are at first 

 ascending, then curved downwards, oblong-spathulate, lanceolate 



