Q.. viridispinus.) BECCARI. MONOGRAPH OF THE GENUS CALAMUS. 419 
are approximate but inequidistant among themselves avd disposed on one plane (the 
groups sub-opposite with variable vacant spaces, 5-15 cm. in length, interposed), 
ensiform or linear-lanceolate, very gradually narrowed towards the base and very 
long-acuminate at the summit into a subulate sparingly bristly tip, thinly papyraceous, 
rather firm, opaque, green and subconcolorous on both faces, slightly paler beneath, 
tricostate, the costae rather acute, naked or very sparingly bristly above, indistinct 
and smooth beneath; transverse veinlets distinct, much interrupted, not very crowded; 
margins smooth or with a remote adpressed spinule here and there, the lower one 
bordered with a very narrow shiniug band in the upper surface; the largest leaflets, 
those about the middle, 20-28 em, long, 1-2°5 cm. broad, the lower and upper ones 
slightly smaller. Male and female spadix almost similar, simply decompound, flagelli- 
form, elongate, about as long as the leaves (‘6-1 m.) with very few (2-4) very 
remote partial inflorescences, terminating with a filiform, usually rather short and 
unarmed appendix; the peduncular part rather elongate, strongly flattened and 
armed on the edges with long acicular straight horizontal spines; primary spathes 
very elongate, closely sheathing, smooth, often longitudinally split, terminating in a 
lanceolate point, passing at their base into a long and slender axial part: this flat 
on the inner side, with acute margins, convex on the back, where smooth or 
sparingly prickly; the first spathe flattened a good deal, the edges very acute, more 
or less spinulous, the upper ones less flattened and usually unarmed; partial inflores- 
cences elongate, nodding, 15-30 cm, long, inserted a little below the mouth of their 
own spathe, their axis slender, rigid, almost straight, with 2-6 spikelets on each 
side; secondary spathes 15-25 mm. long, tubular, slightly enlarged above or subela- 
vate, very closely sheathing, unarmed, finely striately veined, very obliquely truncate, 
entire and naked at the mouth and prolonged at one side into a lanceolate acuminate 
spreading point. Male spikelets slender, horizontal or slightly deflexed, inserted at 
the mouth of their own spathes with a distinct axillary callus, 4-6 cm. long, with 
15-18 perfectly bifarious flowers on each side; spathels asymmetrically infundibuli- 
form, broad at the mouth, prolonged at one side into a triangular spreading often 
split point; involuere cupular, rather shallow, laterally adnate to the base of the 
spathel above its own, its m argin truncate almost entire. Female spikelets larger 
than the male ones, 5-10 cm. long with 6-15 flowers on each side, strongly deflexed 
and conspicuously callous at their axilla, their axis rigid subcylindraceous; spathels 
shortly tubular, slightly infundibuliform, finely striately veined, truncate, entire and 
naked at the mouth, slightly prolonged at one side into a broad triangular point; 
 involucrophorum laterally adnate outside its own spathel at the base of the one 
above, with very short subanpular limb; involucre cupular, rather shallow, truncate; 
areola of the neuter flower very distinct, lunate, flat, callous. Female flowers small, 
conic, about 3 mm. long, horizontal, perfectly flatly bifarious, remote, about 7 mm, 
apart on each side. Fruiting perianth campanulate, slightly pedicelliform on account 
of the hardened and sub-callous calyx, which however is split down to the base in 
3 broadly ovate almost polished acute lobes; segments of the corolla as long ‘but 
narrower. Fruit (not quite mature) obovate, 11 mm. long, 6 mm. broad, suddenly 
contracted at the summit into a rather long beak; scales in 12 series, light straw- 
coloured witb reddish-brown intramarginal line, slightly channelled slong the middle, 
their margins finely erosely toothed. Seed ovoid-elliptic, smooth; albumen equable; 
embryo lateral. 
Axn. Roy. Bor, Garp,, Catcurra Vor. XI. 
