Ẹ. andamanicus. | BECCARI. MONOGRAPH OF THE GENUS CALAMUS. 385 
growing ovaries left on the spikelets, from which it appears that the female flowers. 
are smaller than those of C. ovoideus; but the most singular features of this species 
are the 2-3-nate spikelets at each secondary spathe; each spikelet having its distinct 
pedicel inserted in the bottom of the spathel, whereas in all other species of Calamus 
I am acquainted with, the spikelets are always solitary at each secondary spathe, 
The armature of the sheaths a good deal resembles that of Daemonorops mirabilis, 
but the membranous comb-like rings fringed with criniform bristles are not, as in 
this last, turned in opposite directions and are, at least in the juvenile sheaths seen 
by me, all pointing upwards; they may however become deflexed by age. 
Closely related to C. ovoideus; but it shows also undoubted affinities to 
C. andamanicus. 
Puate 162.—Calamus polystachys Bece. — Leaf-sheath with base of a leaf; an 
intermediate portion of a leaf (upper surface); the summit of a leaf; intermediate 
portion of a female spadix with ovaries in course of development, From Herb. Becc. 
138. CaLaAMUS ANDAMANICUS Kurz in Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. xlii, pt. 2 (1874) 
211, pl. xxvii A and xxviii and xlv, pt. 2 (1876), 151, and For. 
Fi. Brit. Burma, i, 519; Hook. fil. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi, 457; Becc. in 
Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. i, 211. 
DrscnrPTION,— Very large and high scandent. Sheathed stem as thick as the arm 
(up to 8-10 cm. in diam.) ; naked canes 2:5-3 cm. in diam.; the internodes. 
cylindraceous short (15-20 em. long) with a yellow straw-coloured and polished surface. 
Leaf-sheaths thick woody, not flagelliferous, reddish-brown when dry, those of the 
upper part of the plant short, strongly gibbous above, more than armed, may be 
described as ornawented with very numerous sinuous, interrupted, approximate, deflexed, 
minute, narrow crests which are comb-like fringed with very many small capillary 
ultimately deciduous spiculae, very obliquely truncate at the mouth and with very 
densely and shortly hispid margins. ` Ocrea indistinct. Leaves very large, the upper 
ones cirriferous; petiole very robust, up to 5 cm. broad at its base, channelled 
above, round beneath, armed at the sides with short straight robust prickles and 
at the base on the back with small spiculiferous crests as on the sheaths; rachis in 
its first portion round beneath, slightly channelled and with two acute spinulous angles 
above and broad sidefaces, where are inserted the leaflets; higher up in the upper 
surface the spinulous angles become always more approximate and finally the side-faces 
unite into a acute salient angle; beneath it is at first round and upwards obsoletely 
angular and strongly armed with extraordinarily robust digitate claws; the cirrus is 
very robust and bears at distances of 3-5 em. -whorls of very stout, broad-based 
black-tipped claws; leaflets very numerous, equidistant, alternate or sub-opposite, 
4-6 cm. apart, elongate-ensiform, acuminate, 50-70 cm. long, 25-35 cm. broad, 
subconcolorous on both surfaces, 3-costulate, with the mid-costa rather strong, naked 
or sparingly bristly above, while the side costae which are slender are more or 
less furnished with long bristles; below the mid-costa is furnished with long bristles 
and the side costae are very slender, naked or furnished with bristles, smaller than 
above; transverse veinlets inconspicuous; margins slightly thickened by a secondary 
Ann. Roy. Bor. Garp. Catcurra Vor. XI. 
