Calamus.] LXXVII. PALM.E. 559 



hard shining rind, composed of numerous retrorse imbricate scales, spirally- 

 arranged on the surface of the fruit. Albumen more or less ruminate near 

 the outside, embryo basal. 



1. C. Rotang * L. : Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm, iii. 334 ; Eoxb. Fl. Ind. 



iii. 777 ; Kunth Enum. Plant, iii. 207. Syn. C. Roxburghii, Griff, in 

 Calc. Journ. of Nat. Hist. v. 43, and Palms, t. 192. Common Rattan. 

 Sans. Vetra, vetasa. Yern. Bet. 



Stems long, slender, climbing, enveloped in the prickly sheaths of the 

 leaves, without the sheaths -J in. diam. Leaves 18-36 in. long, no whip 

 at the end of petiole, but sheaths generally furnished with long prickly 

 whip-like thongs ; leaflets equidistant, opposite or alternate, linear-lanceo- 

 late, with numerous longitudinal nerves, 4-9 in. long, fine spinescent hairs 

 along the edges and nerves. Prickles on sheath scattered, rigid, straight, 

 with a thick concave or flat base, those on petiole chiefly at the insertion 

 of leaflets, similar, but stouter and often recurved. Common peduncle of 

 inflorescence with stout recurved prickles, main branches paniculate, in the 

 axils of cylindric prickly sheaths wider and obliquely truncate at the 

 mouth, 2-6 in. long. Fruit straw-coloured, with scanty sharply acid palp, 

 1 -seeded, ovoid or subglobose, \ in. long. 



Abundant in damp places, near Jheels, in the eastern Dehra Doon, locally in 

 the Siwalik tract, the outer hills of Garhwal and Kamaon, in Nepal. Eastern 

 part of the Khairigarh forests, and a few places in Gonda, in Oudh. Bengal, 

 the Terai of Sikkim, valleys of the Satpura range (vern. Pepa, prabba, chettu; 

 I have not seen specimens). Western Ghats, South India, and Ceylon. Fl. July ; 

 fr. in the cold season. Yields the common Rattan of North- West India, which 

 is largely exported to the plains ; chairs, door-blinds, and many kinds of basket- 

 work are made of it. 



Griffith, Palms t. 191, described a second species from the Doon as C. Roy- 

 leanus, and Martius (Palm. iii. 335) adopted it. According to Griffith, it differs in 

 solitary long spines of petioles and sheaths, linear leaves, the corolla as long as 

 the calyx, and the fruit globose, not ovate. Martius adds that the fruit of this 

 has 15, and that of Rotang 19-20 rows of scales; but as far as known at present, 

 the arrangement of these scales is subject to great variations in the same species. 

 I do not consider C. Royleanus distinct ; but the cane-brakes of the N.W. 

 Himalaya require farther study. 



Nearly allied are the following species, which may be found within the range 

 of this Flora. They have whip-like thongs on the sheaths, not at the end of the 

 petiole. 



C. tenuis, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 780 ; Griff, in Calc. Journ. v. 45, and Palms, t. 

 193, A.B.C. Scandent, monoicous, flowers in pairs, female and male flowers 

 on the same spike, leaflets equidistant, alternate, 3-nerved. Stems when cleaned 

 not thicker than a common quill. Yern. Bet. Common in Assam, Silhet, and 

 Chittagong. 



C. fasciculatus, Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 779 ; Griff, in Calc. Journ. v. 52 ; Palms, 

 t. 195, A.B. Erect when young, afterwards leaning in*' search of support, and 

 climbing over trees and bushes. Leaflets collected in fascicles of 2, 3, or 4, on 

 opposite sides of the petiole, prickles on petioles 1-2 in. long, in twos or threes 



* Linnseus's name C. Rotang included several species ; Griffith abandoned it on that 

 account, but Martius, after considering Griffith's objections, restored it. 



