P. griffithii. PLECTOCOMIA. 97 
or suboblanceolate, acuminate, 30—33 cm. long, 4'5—5 em. broad, the margins quite 
smooth. Male spikes 70 cm. long, compound (occasionally ?), viz., produeing frequently 
Secondary spikelets at the axillas of some spathels; the latter obovoid rhomboidal as 
in type, but somewhat smaller, the largest 5 cm. long, 3 em. wide, the secondary 
spikes 6—7 cm. long at most, bearing.on each side 6—8 small spathels but of 
the same shape as ihe others; the primary Spikelets are about 2—2°5 em. long 
and have 4—5 pairs of flowers on each side; the secondary spikelets are very few 
flowered. Male flowers 7—8 mm. long, 3 mm. broad; anthers linear, 2°5 mm. 
jong, reaching about midway of the petals. Female sptkes also as in type, but 
with smaller spathels. The female flowers distinctly pedicellate, 5 at each spathel, 
slightly smaller than in type and having the calyx more attenuate to the base and 
faintly striately veined outside. The mature fruit not seen by me, probably smaller 
than in type. 
Hapitat.—The Island of Bangka at Baturuak (Kurz in Herb. Cale.) ; collected 
also with immature fruit. by Tedjsmann in Oct. 1872 (Herb. Bogor.) Malay name 
"Bebuwar". The male plant introduced from Bangka is cultivated in the Botanic 
Garden at Buitenzorg. 
OBsERVATIONS.—Apparently. it forms the link with P. Grifithii Becc. The male 
flowers of the plant- cultivated at Buitenzorg have anthers considerably smaller 
than those of the flowers of the Javan plant (Z5 mm. instead of 5 mm.) 
PLATE 15.—Plectocomia elongata var. bangkana Becc.—Branch of the male 
inflorescence, with spikes bearing secondary spikelets ; upper portion of a leaf from 
the specimen cultivated at Buitenzorg introduced from Bangka. Portion of the spike 
with immature fruits collected by Teijsmann in October 1872, 
2. PLecrocomia GmirrrrHE Bece. in Hook., f. Fl. Brit. India, vi, 478; Ridley, 
Mat. Fl. Mal.. Penins. ii, 220; Rendle in Journ. of Bot. 1897, 
13. 
P. elongata. (uot of Mart. or Bl.) Grifl in Cale. Journ. Nat. Hist. V, 
96 ; Palms Brn.: Ind. 104, t. S17 AUR. " 
DescrIPTION.—Sterm, leaves, leaf-sheaths, petioles and cirrus as in P. elongata, of 
the same large dimensions and equally spiny. Leaflets usually in groups, of 2—4 on 
each side of the rhachis, paler or whitish beneath. Male and female spadix on the 
whole also as in P. elongata, but apparently the male spikes have slightly smaller 
spathels. Female spikes can also be described with the same words as for 
P. elongata, concave, subrhomboidal, acute, the largest 5—6°5 em. long and somewhat 
less wide, often marked with an aeute tooth about midway of the sides, dividing , 
the upper triangular part from the lower, and sprinkled with small applied &cales. 
The main axis, and the pedicels ‘of the flowers are scabrid and rusty. The 
female spikelets are composed of 5—9 more or less distinetly pedicellate flowers ; 
bracts very small. Female flowers not differing from those of P. elongata; the calyx 
coriaceous, ovoid-campanulate, slightly tapering to the base, 7 mm. wide and about 
as long, the margin villous, broadly and not deeply 3-toothed, the teeth acute ; 
ANN. Roy. Bor. GaRD., CALCUTTA, VOL. XII. 
