130 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. [0. Flagellum 
rachis: is trigonous with two side-faces above and armed beneath with solitary or ternate, 
. black, deflexed, usually straight or slightly hooked spines; leaflets numerous, equidistant, 
rather firm, green, almost shining on both surfaces, slightly paler beneath, broadly 
ensiform, alternate and deeply plicate at the base, gradually acuminate towards the 
apex; their  midribs stout, furnished on both surfaces, but mainly above, 
with few subspiny black bristles; secondary nerves slender, naked on both surfaces; 
transverse veinlets approximate and distinct; margins ciliate with relatively strong 
black spinules which are more crowded towards the apex; the largest leaflets, 
those a little above the base, about 70 cm. long and 3-4 cm. in width, the 
upper shorter, the two of the terminal pair the smallest. Male spadix not seen. 
Female spadiz: primary and secondary spathes not seen; in one specimen a partial 
inflorescence is about 60 cm. long with 5-6 spikelets on each side and terminates 
in a slender tail-like unarmed appendix which is about 10 cm. long; secondary 
spathes tubular, slightly enlarged above, closely sheathing, coriaceous, 3-4 cm. 
long, unarmed, obliquely truncate at the mouth where it is produced at one side into 
a triangular point and at length decays; spikelets inserted at or a little below the 
mouths of their respective spathes, vermicular, subcylindrical, flexuose 10-15 cm. long; 
spathels infundibuliform, smooth, truncate, entire or ultimately somewhat decayed 
at the margin, slightly produced at one side into a short point; iuvolucrophorum 
unilaterally cupular, truncate, almost projecting from its own spathel and attached at the 
base of the one above; involucre cupular, truncate, almost entirely immersed in the 
involucrophorum ; areola of the neuter flower distinctly lunate. Fruit large, when per- 
fectly ripe 30 mm. long, 22-24 mm. broad, broadly ovoid, equally rounded at both ends, 
very suddenly apiculate at the apex with the vestiges of the very small and connivent 
stigmas; scales very large, very gibbous and deeply channelled along the middle, of a 
dirty yellowish or straw colour with narrow scarious and finely erose margin and obtuse 
apex. Seed regularly ovoid, rounded at both ends, 2 cm. long, 15 mm. in diam., 
circular in transverse section, enveloped in a dry (at first fleshy) adherent coat and when 
freed from this minutely pitted on the surface; albumen rather deeply ruminate ; 
embryo perfectly basilar or sometimes slightly to one side. 
Hasitat.—Collected by Sig. Leonardo Fea in January 1888 in the Valley of Yado 
in Burma at an elevation of 1200-1400 m. 
. Osservations.—This variety differs from the type in the leaf-sheaths covered with 
- distinctly seriate spines; in the inflorescences with more numerous and shorter spikelets . 
in the spathes and spathels less lacerated at the margin and in the fruit scales not 
bordered with a dark line and more deeply furrowed along the middle. The leaf- 
rachis armed on the back not with a series of solitary claws, but with deflexed, 
black, flat, often binate or ternate spines, is a peculiarity probably depending on the 
leaf not being collected from the upper part of ‘the adult plant. If this were a constant 
character this variety ought to be raised to specific rank, 
: PrarE 6.—Calamus Fagellum Griff, var, karinensis Bece, Portion of a sheathed 
stem; portion of a leaf (under surface) near the apex; partial inflorescence with 
mature fruit; seed, entire, longitudinally eut through the embryo and iu transverse 
section. From Sig. Fea’s specimen in Herb. Beco, © ©  — 
