22 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA, [C. mollis. 
C. usitatus (not of Blanco) Vidal, Fl. Forestal de Filp. Atlas, t. XCIII D. 
Very widely spread in Luzon: to the already given localities add the following: 
Prov. Cagayan, Curran, No. 17273, vern. name ‘“Barit” (The rattan of this 
specimen is 15 mm. in diameter, yeliowish green with a very fine polished vitreous 
surface, the internodes 24 cm. long); Lamao River Mt. Mariveles, Merrill No. 30296, 
and T. E. Borden No. 2481; Antipolo, Prov. Rizal, Ahern’s collector No. 389 
(the sheathed stem is 2 cm. in diam.,; Prov. Bataan Curran, No, 6372, vern. name 
“Abit” (the rattang of this specimen is only 7 mm. in dium,); Boso boso, Prov. 
Rizal, Mazimo Ramos No. 381; Balinag, Prov. Bulacan, (€. B. Robinson No. 99571 
the sheathed stem is only l cm. in diam., vern. name **Uay"); Distr. of Bortoe, 
Curran, No. .7034; Prov. Ilocos Norte, Mazimo Ramos No. 7723; Prov. Nueva 
Ecija, Curran No. 8484 all the above from the Herbarium at Manila’. Montalban 
Prov. Rizal, No. 7081 and Manila No. 7080, Loker in Herb. Kew. Very slightly 
different from the above specimens are others collected in Mindanav:-Moro 
Province, Hutchinson No. 4819 (Herb. Manila); Prov. Surigao, Bolster No, 347 
(Herb. Manila); Mt. Apo, District of Davao, Elmer No, 11969. In this last specimen 
the fruits are smaller than in those from {Luzon, are globular ovoid, and 6-7 mm, in 
diameter. Perhaps the plant from Mindanao represents a local variety. 
A specimen collected by  Fozworthy in the Island of Palawan (No. 609) is 
barely distinguishable from some specimens collected in Luzon, and differs from the 
variety palawanicus only in the leat-sheaths armed as usual in the Luzon specimens 
although very scantily. 
A specimen collected by  Lugenio Fenix, (No. 4032 in Herb. Manila) in the 
Camiguin Islands, one of the Buabuyanes, has the leaf-sheaths almost unarmed, 
otherwise it does not differ from the typical specimens. 
Calamus mollis is cultivated in small quantity at Halinag in Luzon and furnishes 
the material for making very high grade hats. According to Dr. C. B. Robinson, 
who has written a very interesting and full account of Philippine Hats [Philipp. 
Jomn. of Science, vi, No. 2. (1911). Botany] the “parts used are the 
intermediate layers of the stem, which are prepared in the same way as bamboo, 
except that boiling is unnecessary. They are sufficiently strong to permit finer 
division than any other Philippine material. Consequently with their satiny sheen, - 
the higher grades of rattan hats are extremely beautiful, but beyond a limit, 
which may vary with individual taste, they are rather works of art than usable 
commodities. Nearly all the rattan hats on the market come from Balinag ; Calasiao 
makes them when ordered, and there is elsewhere a scattered but very scanty 
production.” Fairly fine hats command a price of from 5 to 8 dollars (U. S, 
curiency) but the upper limit of price ‘‘is lost in fable" as Dr. Robinson says. 
CALAMUS MOLLIS Blanco var. PALAWANICUS Becc. in Philipp. Journ. Se., ii, (1907) 
233. 
Description.—Sheathed stem, 12-15 mm. in diameter. Leaf-sheaths remaining green 
when dry, more or less longitudinally striate, spineless or with some scattered 
spines. Ocrea dry, reddish-brown, spinulous or at least 
relatively strong : P4. i 
Leaflets more or less inequidistant, often approximate in pairs 
tubercled-spinulous. 
