2 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. 
Seed erect, globose or oblong, enveloped with a scanty fleshy integument ; the nucleus 
has a pitted surface and is foveolate on the«side of the chalaza; albumen ruminate ; 
embryo basal. 
The genus Ceratolobus is mainly characterized by the very peculiar structure 
of the spadices which have the panicle (d and 9?) ‘enclosed in only one spathe 
never opening completely. Apparently fertilisation happens inside the spathe, 
through a slit along the margins of the beak, by the agency of some insects, as 
the female flowers never remain exposed or even visible outside, not only during 
the anthesis, but also after they have been fertilized, owing to the main axis not 
lengthening out; the fruits also. remain enclosed in the spathes to the complete des- 
truction of these latter. In other respects the genus Ceratolobus is closely related 
to Daemonorops, and is capable of being separated into two groups. One group 
contains the typical species (Euceratolobus), having leaves: with rhomboidal or oblong- 
cuneate, radiately veined leaflets, lobulate-premorse in their upper margin and on 
the whole similar to those of several species of Korthalsia, from which the sterile 
plants of some species, especially when young, are distinguishable only with diffieulty, 
so much so that on account of this great similarity it occurred to Blume to describe 
a Ceratolobus (C. rostratus Becc.) as a species of Korthalsia (K. rostrata’ BI.). 
Nevertheless a Korthalsia is always recognizable by its leaf-sheaths prolonged above 
their mouths into a distinct ocrea, whereas in Ceratolobus the sheaths terminate 
with a membranous deciduous rim and appear exactly truncate. Moreover, all 
species of Korthalsia have the leaflets provided with a special small stalk or 
“ansa”, which is always absent in Ceratolobus, the leaflets in the latter being 
attached directly to the rhachis, through an acute basis. As in Korthalsia, only the 
adult plants of Ceratolobus have cirriferous leaves. 
The stems of Ceratolobus as well as of Korthalsia are very slender in young 
plants, but apparently gradually thicken with age, attaining their greatest diameter 
at their upper ends at the time of flowering. 
The other group (Cryptocladus) containing only the polymorphie C. laevigatus 
is characterized by its leaves having linear or, linear-lanceolate, unicostate, acu- 
minate leaflets. Furthermore the spathes although having exactly the same structure 
as those of the other group, and their natural opening being only a slit at the 
sides of the beak, easily split longitudinally along the sides. Cryptocladus differs 
from Daemonorops only in having the spadix enclosed in a single’ subindehiscent 
spathe. 
Geographical  distribution—The genus Ceratolobus is limited to the Malay 
Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and Borneo. Only six species are known, those of the 
Euceratolobus section being all localized species: C. glaucescens in Java, C. concolor in 
Sumatra, C. discolor and C. rostratus in Borneo and C. Kingianus in the Malay 
Peninsula. On the fontray. C. (Cryptocladus) laevigatus is a rather widely dispersed 
plant, although presenting several apparently local forms, in the Malay Peninsula, 
Sumatra and Borneo. | 
