50 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. P. geminiflorus. 
inflorescences, each issuing from the bottom of the sheath of a reduced leaf; 
the branches or partial inflorescences. composing the panicle are 40—45 cm. long, 
and carry 7—8 approximate, usually very thick and stout, pendulous flower-bearing 
branchlets or spikes, issuing also from inside the mouths of their respective 
spathes, and provided with a short pedicellar part; uppermost branches gradually 
diminishing and consisting of 2—3 branchlets only. Spathes of the main axis 
of the partial inflorescences infundibuliform, obliquely truncate, rather loosely 
sheathing, thin but rigid in texture, usually split, produced at one side into a tri- 
angular point. Flower-bearing branchlets 25—28 cm. long or less, thinly ferruginous- 
ly pubescent in every part, having a thick main axis, zig-zag sinuous between 
. the spathels ; the latter suffulting the contracted spikelets are obliquely infundi- 
buliform, have a very wide mouth and a narrow base, and are slightly produced 
‘ at one side into ;a triangular acute point. ‘The spikelets are composed of only 
two, at times three or at most four, equally developed female flowers, not accom- 
panied by neuter flowers; each flower is furnished with a shallowly cupular 
truncate involucre, which usually is of one piece, but occasionally appears to be 
formed of two bracts imbricated by their more or less connate bases; externally 
to the involucre is a short thickish bracteole. Female flowers broadly ovoid, obtusely 
trigonous, bluntish, about 7 mm.- long; the calyx of a thick texture, cupular, 
with a broad subcallous base, not striate, broadly 3-toothed, obsoletely keeled. 
slightly hairy, later glabrous, the teeth obtuse; the corolla twice as long as the 
calyx, parted down below the middle into 3 subcoriaceous broadly ovate acute 
lobes and covered outside with very fine short stiff appressed hairs; staminal 
urceolum formed by the connate. thickish filaments, united tothe corolla only 
in the basal part and at least for two-thirds free, terminated by 6 short thick 
deltoid teeth. Fruit (immature) roundish-turbinate, but when full grown 
apparently globular-depressed, flattish above and terminated by the small remains 
of the stigmas, about 3 em. in diameter; scales very numerous, but' very regularly 
arranged in about 35 longitudinal series, flattened, with acute tips and very finely 
fimbrate whitish edges, very faintly grooved along the centre. The pericarp at 
maturity is fragile. Seed apparently covered by a fleshy and very juicy integument ; 
when freed from this globular-depressed, z cm., in diameter, with even (non-pitted), 
surface; albumen equable; embryo basal Fruiting perianth broadly campanulate, 
finally almost explanate, not accrescent, but becoming hard and almost woody 
having the teeth of the staminal urceolum alternating with the divisions of the 
corolla, trigonous, conspieuous between these, although smaller. 
Hasrrar.—South Burma, the Malay Peninsula, and Sumatra. This Palm was 
first described and figured by Griffith from specimens collected at Malacca, and 
it was more recently found again by Scortechini in the District of Perak on 
Gunong (Mount) Tambang Batak (Scort. No. 983b in Herb. Bece.). Malay name 
“Rotang Rahilang.” -Ridley gives for his Calamus turbinatus, which exactly 
corresponds to P: geminiflorus, the locality of Kwala Pilah in Negri Sembilan, 
i : È and 
the native name “ Rotang Relang. 
In Sumatra it has been found with mature fruit, corresponding in every respect 
to the Malayan plani, by Dr. Heyne in Lampong: (No. 87 in Herb. Bogor. and Bece.) . 
xus a 
and in Palembang (No. 26)in the very young stage with sharply 3-cornered sheaths 
hj 
