Materials for a Flora of the Malayan Peninsula. 147 



The wood of the nibong is used for many purposes, in building 

 for flooring, bridges and such like, also for pig spears. Sharpened spears 

 of it are driven into the ground in lalang at such an angle that the 

 point is about the level of the breast of a pig. The spears are pointed 

 towards the garden to be protected from the wild pigs and quite con- 

 cealed in the grass, when the pigs invade the garden the natives startle 

 them by shouts and other noises, the pig rush out and are impaled on 

 the spears. The palm is common, especially near the sea and tidal 

 rivers. The natives distinguish several forms under the names of 

 Lenau (Changi, Ridley 3519) Ibas or Ibu (Seletar Ridley 3520) and 

 Nibong Padi (Tengeh Ridley 3511) but I can see no specific or even 

 varietal differences. 



2. 0. HORRIDA, Scheff. Natuurk. Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. XXXII. 

 189, Ann. Jard. Buitenz. I. 159. Stems several 40 to 60 feet tall, 6 

 inches through grey armed with black spines. Leaves 20 feet long or 

 less, petiole thorny spines at base very long, sheath broad 2-3 feet long 

 spiny leaflets linear acuminate about 60, 3 feet long l-l£ inch broad. 

 Spathes 2, outer one oblong obtuse or cuspidate spiny 18 inches long, 

 nearly 12 inches across inner smaller 12 inches long, 4 inches wide 

 spiny. Inflorescence deflexed many branched about 15 branches, 2 

 feet long, peduncle broad strongly spiny. Flowers as in O. filamentosa 

 golden yellow. Males, sepals short rounded, petals lanceate yellow. 

 Stamens 6 shorter filaments stout, pistillode trifid lobes thick at base 

 tapering upwards nearly as long as the stamens. Female sepals small 

 ovate, petals larger ovate blunt, pistil globose. Styles short deltoid 

 edges undulate. Drupe globose, black | inch through or more, pericarp 

 crustaceous. Seeds globose albumen ruminate. Hook. fil. I.e. 415. 

 Areca horrida Griff. Calc. Journ. Nat. Hist. V. 465. Palms of British 

 India 158, t. 233, C. Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm III. 312. 



Dry forests common ; "Bayas." 



Singapore : Tanglin, Bukit Timah, Changi (Ridley 3510). Mandai 

 (Ridley 3156, 3518) ; Johor : Pahang Tahan River; Perak : Bujong 

 Malacca. Distrib. Borneo. 



6. Ptychoraphis, Becc. 



Stems tufted slender ringed unarmed. Leaves pinnate with narrow 

 leaflets. Spathes 2, deciduous sword-shaped. Inflorescence infrafoliar 

 deflexed, of several slender spikes on a short peduncle. Flowers in 

 pairs 1 female, or males only at the tips, and females only at base. 

 Male sepals ovate, petals or oblong longer. Stamens 6, filaments 

 slender. Pistillode large conic. Female with a short bract. Petals 

 short, stigmas minute. Drupe ellipsoid. Seed ellipsoid grooved on 

 one face ruminate. 



Species 2. Endemic. 



