329 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. (C. Diepenhorstii. 
caudiculate at the base; scales in 18 series, regularly rhomboid, about as long as 
broad and not prolonged at the apex, almost obtuse, rather opaque, channelled along 
the middle, straw-yellowish, bordered all round with a very narrow very dark line; 
margins very finely erosely toothed. Seed oblong, rounded at both ends, 16 mm. 
long, 7 mm. thick, somewhat compressed, rather deeply ruminate; embryo lateral, in 
the centre of one of the faces. 
Hasitat.—On the Tenasserim coast at Chappedong, Wallich No. 8606 B in 
Herb. Kew. 
OrseRvaTions.—Martius has given the name €. melanacanthus to the specimens 
distributed by Wallich with the No. 8606 A, B. But two very distinct species are 
represented under this number. 
The specimens No. 8606 bearing the letter A and doubtfully said to come from 
Penang seem to me to belong to C. Diepenhorstii; while to those with tbe letter B 
from Chappedong I have kept the name of C. melanacanthus, as Martius has figured 
one fruit of these very specimens in the plate 116, f. 13. 
The specimen seen, described and figured by me is one with Wallich’s No. 8606 B, 
preserved in the Herbarium at Kew; it consists of the upper portion of a 
leaf and of a portion of the female spadix with only one partial inflorescence and a 
few almost mature fruits. j 
It appears a very distinct species, by its elongate leaves with narrowly lanceolate 
numerous equidistant leaflets, elongate female spadix, elliptic fruit, ruminate seed, and 
lateral embryo. 
This species on account of the position of the embryo approaches C. gracilis, 
but this has inequidistant fascicled leaflets, In C. Diepenhorstii the embryo is at the 
base of the seed. 
Prate 125.—Calamus melanacanthus Mart. Upper portion of a leaf and portion 
of the fruit-spadix; one seed longitudinally cut through the embryo; portion of the 
surface of the fruit enlarged; from Wallich’s No. 8606 B in Herb. Kew, 
105. CALAMUS DrEPENHORSTI Miq. in Journ. de Bot. Neerl. i, 21, and Prodr, 
Fl. Sum. 594 and De Palmis Arch. Ind, 27; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. 
Ind, vi, 454; Becc. in Ree. Bot. Surv. Ind. ii, 208, 
Description,—High scandent, slender or of moderate size. Sheathed stem 1:5-3 
cm. in diam., internodes 20-25 cm. long.  Leaf-sheaths sometimes  flagelliferous, 
slightly gibbous above or furnished under the petiole with 1-2 transverse not very 
prominent wrinkles, more or less densely armed with flat, thinly laminar, broad, sub- 
lanceolate, 1-2 cm. long, elastic, black, horizontal or slightly deflexed solitary or 
seriate spines, which have fringed furfuraceous margins and a callous swollen light 
base, this with a sharp line of demarcation from the black lamina. Ocrea in leaves 
of adult plants very short.  Leaf-sheath flagella very long but relatively feebly clawed, 
with their basal spathe more or less flattened and two-edged, the edges armed with 
