9 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. ` [@. acanthophyllus. 
tubular primary spathes; the lowest of these is more or less flattened and is longer 
than the others, which are terete and only slightly enlarged above, obliquely 
truncate at the mouth and shortly produced into a triangular point; they are 
frequently almost smooth or at times armed with small scattered hooked prickles; 
the spathes between the spikelets are usual 2-3 cm, or at times 4-5 cm. long. 
Spikelets erecto-patent, inserted above the mouth of their respective spathes; male and 
female similar, rigid, subterete in their axial part, 2-6 cm., or more rarely *-9 em. 
long; spathels shortly infundibuliform, produced at one side into a triangular, 
erect, acute point, usually very minutely scabrid-granulose or else smooth, yet 
strongly striately veined. Male spiketets usually carry distichally 8-10 flowers, rarely 
more, on each side, or fewer in the uppermost spikelets, while the lowest have 
occasionally one or two branches near their base; involucre inserted laterally at 
the base of the spathel above its own, cupular, more or less acutely 2-toothed on 
the side next to the axis and frequently with a distinct axillary callus. Male 
flowers narrowly ovoid, acute, 4-5 mm. long; the calyx cyathiform, strongly striately- 
veined, parted down to the middle into 3 deltoid, acute teeth; the corolla twice 
as long as the calyx. Female spikelets, as already stated, very similar to the male 
ones; involucrophorum concave, laterally attached to the base of the spathel above 
its own; involucre immersed in the involucrophorum and at a level with it, 
cupular, often not very regular; areola of-the neuter flower conspicuous, callous, 
lunate. Female flowers ovoid, about 3 mm. long; calyx deeply 3-lobed; corolla not 
quite twice as long as the calyx. Fruiting perianth shortly pedicelliform; the calyx 
depressed, ventricose in its lower part and with a flat base. Neuter flowers 
apparently very similar to the fertile ones. Fruit ovoid or slightly obovoid, slightly 
tapered towards the base, and rather suddenly at the apex into a small acute 
beak, 8-9 mm. broad, 12-15 mm. long (including beak and perianth); scales 
arranged in 15 longitudinal series, very superficially, at times obsoletely, grooved 
along the centre, straw coloured, very distiuctly yet narrowly edged with dark 
brown, the margins scarious, erose-toothed, the apex acute. Seed elliptical, rounded at 
both ends, slightly flattened, 7 mm. long, 5 mm, broad, 4 mm. thick, even-surfaced 
with the chalazal fovea round and rather deep in the centre of the raphal side; 
albumen equable, embryo basal. 
HaBrrar.—Cochin-China: Riviére d’Ubon. Expédition du Me-kong (1866-1868). 
collected by Thorel (Paris Herbarium). Also in Laos (Massie in Paris Herbarium). 
OBSERVATIONS.—A very anomalous species, which may however be grouped with 
C. erectus and C. dongnaiensis. As far as I can judge from the several specimens 
I have seen, it is a small non-climbing plant; it has no flagella at the leaf- 
sheaths, nor at the end of the spadices, and has non-cirriferous leaves; the 
spadices are extraordinarily simple, male and female very similar. 
It varies in the spinescence of the leaflets which in some specimens are almost 
smooth on the mid-costa, and have the margins sparingly and very remotely 
spinulous, whereas more frequently these are spinous beyond all but a very few 
species. 
SuPPL, PrarE i.—Calamus acanthophyllus Bece. Male spadix with its leaf in the 
middle of the plate; detached male spadix; fruiting spadix and its leaf, which is 
spinous also on the mid-costa. From Thorel’s specimens in Paris Herbarium. 
