984 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. [6. polystachys, 
part at short intervals with complete membranous broad rings which are very 
densely comb-like, fringed with long blackish shining rigid criniform bristles; the 
mouth is truncate and also very densely bristly. Ocrea indistinct. Leaves large, 
9:5 m. long in the -pinniferous part; the cirrus elongate, armed at regular inter- 
vals with %-whorled claws; petiole short, 10-15 cm. long, robust, very slightly 
channelled above, about 18 mm. broad, prickly and covered with rigid bristles 
or crinite at the base on the back and at the margins; rachis with 2 spinulous 
ridges above in its first portion, trigonous upwards and with spinous acute angle 
above; leaflets numerous, equidistant, alternate, 3-3°5 cm. apart, linear-ensiform, 
slightly narrowed to the base, where not very acute and suddenly plicate at their 
insertion, very gradually acuminate towards the summit and lengthened out into 
a subulate setose tip, this more or less deeply indented on the lower margin 
2-3 cm. from the apex, papyraceous, slightly paler beneath than above, the largest 
50 em. long, 2 cm. broad, 3-costulate, the costae with rather long bristles 
on the upper surface, chiefly towards the summit; underneath the mid-costa closely, 
the side costae sparingly bristly ; transverse veinlets minute and short; margins 
rather closely spinulous. Male spadiz . e . . Female spadiz not Aageliiterots 
at its apex, about 1 m. in length, yeaa, diffuse, decompound, brown in 
every part when dry, with 4-5 gradually shortening distichous partial inflorescences 
on each side; primary spathes tubular, very closely sheathing, thinly coriaceous, 
10-15 cm. long, smooth or very sparingly prickly; the lower ones conspicuously, the 
upper ones in a lesser degree flattened and all acutely two-edged, obliquely truncate, 
entire and naked at the mouth, prolonged at one side in a triangular dorsally keeled 
acute point; partial inflorescences distinctly stalked, inserted far inside their own spathe, 
the lower ones, the largest, 50-55 cm. long and terminating in a small spikelet 
or in an inconspicuous tail-like appendix, and composed of 18-20 secondary spathes, 
of which the lower cnes bear 2-3 spikelets each, only the spathes near the summit 
show solitary spikelets; secondary spathes 2-3 cm. long, tubular, slightly infundibuli- 
form, unarmed, thinly coriaceous, rather loosely sheathing, truncate and entire at the 
mouth, slightly prolonged at one side into a short obtuse or acute point; spikelets 
spreading, each distinctly stalked or furnished with a long flattened pedicel inserted 
at the bottom of their respective spathe; the largest, the lower ones, 6-8 cm. long, 
not including the pedicel, with 14-16 flowers on each side; spathes broadly and 
shortly infundibuliform, narrowed a good deal to the base, horizontally truncate, 
apiculate at one side, finely and rather obsoletely veined; involucrophorum calyciform, 
narrowed at the base and inserted at the bottom of its own spathel, bidentate, 
lunately excavate and acutely two-keeled on the side next to the axis; involucre 
irregularly or somewhat unilaterally cupular, slightly exceeding the involucrophorum ; 
areola of the neuter flower very distinct and large, vertically ovate, concave, sharply 
bordered. Female flowers 3°5 mm. long; the calyx split into 3 oblong, finely 
obsoletely veined lobes; the segments of the corolla finely veined, slightly nanonod 
and as long as the lobed of the calyx. Fruit unknown, 
HaBrraT.— The native country of this species is unknown, as it is cultivated in 
the Botanic Garden at Buitenzorg without any special reference to its origin. 
; Oxservations.—Of this Calamus I have received from the Botanic Garden of 
Buitenzorg the entire upper part of a female plant. The spadices have very few 
