104 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. Korthalsia. 
KORTHALSIA BI. 
Dl. Rumphia ii, 166, t. 130, f. 2 (Ceratolobus Blume ibid, iii, t. 197-157 B) 
Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm. in, 210, 343, t. 172, f. 1; Mig. FI. Ind. Bat. iii, 74, 75 
and Prodr. Fl. Sum. 591 and De Palm. Are. Ind. 15-26; Walp. Ann. iii, 499 ; 
Bece. Malesia, ii, 62, t. V, VI, VII and 275; Benth. etd. Hook. Gen. PI. iii. 
932 ; Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Ind. vi, 474; Ridley, Mat. Fl. Mal. Penins. ii, 214: 
Kurz in Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. xviii, II (1874), 206 t. XX A and XXI; 
Forest Fl. Brit. Burma, ii, 512. — Calamosagus Griff. in Cale. Journ. Nat. Hist. v, 
6 and Palms Brit. Ind. 26, t. 175 and 180 ce; App. XIX. 
Climbing, calamoid, monocarpic, hermaphrodite, spinose . palms, bearing a 
terminal branched diffuse panicle. Zeaves of the lower part of the stem or of 
young plants non-cirriferous, terminated by a leaflet; those of the adult plant 
cirriferous. Leaf—sheaths elongate, more or less spinous, not flagelliferous, not 
gibbous above and gradually passing. into the petiol:, prolonged beyond the insertion 
of the petiole into a distinct ocrea, frequently inflate, and ant-harbouring. Leaflets 
mostly rhomboidal, trapezoidal or cuneate with several radiate nerves, more 
rarely narrow and elongate, but always pluricostulate and more or less toothed 
or praemorse at the upper end, and attached to the rhachis through a small 
pedieellar part (ansa). Panicle composed of several spike-bearing branches, issuing from 
the sheath of more or less reduced leaves ; the branches are sheathed by several 
tubular spathes. Spikes amentiform, formed by very approximate membranous spathels, 
each shielding only one hermaphrodite flower, which is provided with bracteoles more 
or less woolly or covered with paleaceous hairs. Flowers small; the calyx cam- 
panulate-cyathiform or eupular, more or less 3-lobed ; the corolla longer than the 
calyx, parted in the portion remaining outside the calyx into 3 cartilaginous or 
thinly coriaceous segments, entire and tubular or ventrieose in its lower part ; 
stamens with filaments adnate to the undivided part of the corolla, forming a small 
ring at its throat, and having a short, thick, free part ; anthers short, erect, inserted 
near the base, and having parallel cells, opening on the sides. Ovary incompletely 
3-locular or with rudimentary dissepiments, ovoid, prolonged into a thick, elongate- 
conical style, and terminated by 3 very minute, acute, punctiform stigmas. Ovules 
a basilar, erect, anatropous. Fruit monospermous, the pericarp covered with im-- 
bricating scales. Seed erect, enveloped with a scanty fleshy or spongy integument ; 
the nucleus not pitted on the surface, but marked by a conspicuous lateral 
chalazal fovea, or a deep intrusion of the integument ; albumen homogeneous or 
ruminate ; embryo lateral. 
A very natural genus, easily recognizable, even in a sterile condition, by the 
special nature of its leaves, having, indeed, leaflets of various shapes, but always 
with several main nerves and with a more or less toothed or praemorse extremity 
and furnished with a small pedicellar part or “ansa”. A peculiar character of 
Korthalsia is also the great development of the appendage at the mouth of the 
leaf-sheaths (the ocrea) which at times is transformed into a swollen and entirely 
closed ant-harbouring organ or nidus,- of a constant form for every species 
