232 PHILIPPINE PALMS 
a. Stem very tall, solitary. Spathe very densely covered with criniform 
spines. Spadix with numerous, long, floriferous branches, which 
gradually narrow from a very thick base to a slender apex. Fruit 
large, spherical, 20 to 22 mm in diameter.._................. 2. O. horridum. 
a*. Rather large and growing in clumps. Spadix with rather short and 
thick floriferous branches; the latter clustered together and very 
closely scrobiculate. Fruit spherical or very slightly longer than 
proad, 15 to 16 mm in diameter, with the remains of the stigmas placed 
laterally, about halfway or a little above................ 3. O. platyphyllum. 
a. Trunk slender. Spadix with relatively few, clustered, thickish, very 
closely scrobiculate, floriferous branches. Spathe not densely spinose. 
Fruit spherical, 14 to 15 mm in diameter, with nearly apical remains 
of the stigmas. Fruiting perianth 12 mm in diameter.. 4. O. gracilipes. 
ONCOSPERMA FILAMENTOSUM Blume ANIBONG. 
Local names: Anibong (Tagalog, Bisaya); anibung (Tagbanua). 
Like the other species of the genus, this is a rather tall, slen- 
der palm. It often grows subgregariously in favorable habitats, 
in ravines, or in lowlands back of the mangrove and often 
within the influence of brackish or salt water. The outer part 
of the trunk is very hard and durable; and split into narrow 
pieces is extensively used by the Filipinos, in the regions where 
it grows, for house floors. It is also used for spear shafts. 
The bud is edible, either raw or cooked; while in the Malay 
Archipelago, perhaps also in the Philippines, the fruits are 
sometimes used as a substitute for Aveca fruits in preparing 
buyo for chewing. 
Oncosperma horridum is known in Bagobo as tanaian and in 
Manobo as anibung. 
Genus ORANIA Zippel 
Four very closely allied species of this genus have been de- 
scribed from the Philippines. These are Orania palindan 
(Blanco) Merr. (O. philippinensis Scheff.), O. paraguanensis 
Becc., O. rwbiginosa Becc., and O. decipiens Becc. The genus is 
of slight economic value, and a short discussion of the com- 
monest species will suffice. 
Conspectus of the species. 
a’. Floriferous branches ultimately glabrous. 
b’. Male flowers angular, lanceolate, 6 to 8 mm long, 3 to 3.5 mm broad, 
or about twice as long as broad, having the stamens one-third te 
one-half shorter than the petals; anthers linear-oblong. Female 
flowers broadly ovate-trigonous, the calyx cupular, very low; petals 
triangular, subaequilateral. Fruit spherical or very slightly nar- 
rowed at the base, usually 5.5 to 6 cm in diameter, at times somewhat 
lesS;. mesocarp about 5vmm thickss 2) =e sees 1. O. palindan. 
