K. laciniosa. KORTHALSIA. ` 135 
in Calcutta Herbarium). Large sterile specimens from the Andamans were sent to 
me in 1889 by Mr. E. H. Man under the native name of “Por.” In Sumatra it 
was encountered recently (1915) by M. Grasshof at Lematang ulu in the Residency 
of Palembang (specimens with fruits in the Herbaria of Buitenzorg and Beccari). 
From the Nicobars I have seen a specimen (one leaflet only) from the Great 
Nicobar at Ganges Harbour (Rogers in Calcutta Herbarium) and a portion of the 
spadix in flower from Car Nicobar (King’s Collector—Caleutta Herbarium—the flowers 
described above are from this specimen). Also from the Nicobars Mr. Man sent 
me in 1888 large fruiting specimens under the native name of *Shamoa." To this 
Palm Gamble gives the Andamanese names of “ Bordah” and * Parida.” 
It seems to me that sóme sterile specimens collected by Pierre in Cambodia 
- (No. 4860 on Mt. Keerev, Prov. Samrong*ton; No. 1878 at Songlu, Prov. Bien-hoa, 
and No. 1877 at Bow-Chiang in Cochin China ; all in the Herbarium at Paris) may 
be considered as not specifically distinet from the plant of the Andamans and the 
Nicobars. 
A note of Pierre to his No. 4860 states this palm to be a very high scandent 
plant, with stem 3—4 em. in diameter, and to No. 1878 he attributes the names of 
‘May-ra” in the Annamite, and “ Re-ngan" in the Moi languages. 
Osservarions.—This is one of the largest species of the genus, distinguishable 
by its leaf sheaths distintegrating into a fibrous net along the ventral side, and 
not, or only very sparingly, spinous, and prolonged into a very elongate not inflated 
ocrea of a thin membranous perishable nature ; by the large leaves having numerous 
oblong-cuneate or cuneate-rhomboidal or exactly rhomboidal or trapezoidal leaflets, 
at first mealy-white, but finally simply glavcescent beneath, presenting 11—15 main 
` nerves, which end in as many sharply double-toothed and subulate points; by the 
large. paniculate much branched inflorescences; by the spikes of a very densely 
wooly, appearance when without flowers, having their spathels projecting very briefly 
beyond the wool; by the fruit obovoid, but suddenly beaked, having subsquarrose 
scales, slightly convex, not deeply grooved, and densely ciliate-fringed at the margins, 
and by the ruminate albumen of the seed. 
It is very variable in size, shape and colour of the leaflets, according to the 
age of the plant and the position the leaves occupy on the stem. The leaf-sheaths 
also vary in their armature. Man's specimens received under the name of "Por" 
have quite smooth leaf sheaths, covered with a light coloured, fugacious, powdery 
efflorescense. The other specimens from the Nicobars, also collected by Man, but 
sent under the native name "Shamoa" have the powdery efflorescence on the leaf- 
sheaths of a dark colour, and are rather powerfully armed along the dorsum with 
rather robust, broad spines, having sharp edges, and very short points. These 
specimens somewhat differ from those I have seen from the Andamans, in having 
more roundish fruits with darker scales, a difference probably dependent on age, their 
fruits not being perfectly mature. I have, however. found the flowers of the specimens 
from the Nicobars to be quite identicak with those of the Andamans. Kurz writes 
that in the Andamans occurs another species of the habit of K. laciniosa, but with 
