548 LXXVII. PALM.E. [Chamcerops. 



A low gregarious shrub with greyish-green coriaceous leaves. Petioles 

 entire and unarmed, 6-12 in. long, base without any reticulate inner layer, 

 but with a mass of rust-coloured wool. Segments 8-15, linear, rigid, 12- 

 15 in. long, induplicate, deeply bipartite. Inflorescence erect, a slender 

 compound panicle, branches and branchlets from the axils of tubular 

 membranous sheathing bracts with prominent reticulate longitudinal 

 nerves ; branchlets bifarious, with numerous flowers in the axils of turbi- 

 nate membranous sheathing bracts, with a thin membranous edge. All the 

 bracts are closed sheaths, with a short subulate or triangular apex ; they 

 are spirally arranged, though apparently distichous on the principal axis 

 and the main branches. Male (bisexual 1) flowers enclosed, while in bud, 

 in the sheathing bracts, and supported by a hyaline 2 -nerved, and bicus- 

 pidate bracteole (similar to the palea of grasses). Calyx gamosepalous, 

 thin, hyaline, 3-dentate; petals 3, oblong obtuse; stamens 6, and a glab- 

 rous conical, syncarpous rudimentary (?) ovary. Anthers sagittate, attached 

 at the back above the base to the subulate filaments. Fruit an ovoid or 

 subglobose 1 -seeded berry, with the rudiments of 2 abortive carpels, sup- 

 ported by the marcescent calyx, petals, and the remains of the 6 filaments. 

 Fruit subglobose or oblong, varying in size, from \ to J in. diam., surface 

 minutely wrinkled. Albumen horny, with a large central cavity. Em- 

 bryo basal. 



This species is altogether unlike a Chamcerops, and will eventually form 

 a new genus, the inflorescence, bracts, and 2-nerved bracteoles resembling 

 those of some species of Calamus. The materials available (unripe fruit 

 and young buds of male or possibly bisexual flowers) do not admit of 

 establishing the generic characters in a satisfactory manner at present. 

 This interesting Palm is recommended to the attention of botanists who 

 may visit its native habitat. 



Abundant in the Peshawar valley, in Kohat, and in the trans-Indus territory 

 along the eastern skirts of the Suliman range, ascending to 3000 ft. ; also on the 

 hills which form the western boundary of Sindh. Common locally on a limited 

 area in the central Salt range, between 2500 and 5000 ft., and on Mount 

 Sakesar. Also found by Dr Stewart in one place in the Siwalik tract east of 

 the Jhelam, near Sumani above Bhimbur. Common in the Khaiber Pass, and 

 generally in the low arid mountains of eastern Afghanistan. Everywhere up to 

 5000 ft. in Beluchistan and Mekran, except near the coast. The fruit ripens in 

 summer. It is generally stemless, the tufts of leaves arising from a creeping un- 

 derground rhizome, and in this shape it covers large tracts of rough rocky ground. 

 But a stem grows up sometimes ; in Sindh Stocks notes it 6-8 ft. high, and Dr 

 Stewart records a specimen planted in the Saharanpur garden, from seed brought 

 by Dr Jameson from Kohat more than twenty years ago, with a trunk 10-12 ft. 

 high. It is a most useful plant in the arid regions where it is common. The 

 stems, petioles, and leaves serve as fuel, the delicate young leaves are eaten as a 

 vegetable, the reddish-brown moss-like wool of the petioles is impregnated with 

 saltpetre (steeped in the juice of Mulberry-leaves, Bellew), and used as tinder for 

 matchlocks. Excellent matting is made of the leaves (superior to that made of 

 Phoenix, Aitchison). Rope is also made of leaves and leaf-stalks ; at the Jhelam 

 bridge of boats it was used one season, when munj (Saccharum Sara) was 

 scarce, but Dr Stewart records that it snapped with a strain which it is supposed 

 munj would have resisted. The leaves are also made into fans, sandals, baskets, 



