180 | ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. [M. squarrosum 
third part beyond the slightly woolly floral bracteoles ; but especially is it charac- 
terised by the pedicellar part of the spikes, flattened but with convex faces and 
having obtuse margins, quite glabrous at the base, whereas, in all the allied species 
that part is flat, or else concave on the axial side, and has the margins acute and 
more or less densely villose ; it is characterised also by its very small fruits, more 
or less distinctly turbinate, or in any case not hollowed at the base. 
It seems that frequently in this species numerous fruits arrive at perfect matur- 
ity on the spikes and become more or less angular, and distinctly attenuate at the 
base or türbinate by mutual pressure; whereas, when they are loosely set, and 
may grow freely, they assume a more roundish shape. The seed is much smaller 
than that of M. Sagus, but otherwise it has tbe same structure. 
Apparently the flowers. of M. squarrosum also differ from those of M. Rumphit 
and M. Sagus in not being attenuate below and in having a rounded base. 
_ The varieties of Metroxylon recognised by the natives at Waru, in the east end 
of Ceram, are seven in number, of which I have received specimens from Buiten- 
zorg, all apparently being referable to M. squarrosum, but as far as I can judge 
from the scanty material at my disposal, barely distinguishable the one from 
the other from a systematic point of view. From the notes attached to each 
specimen, reproduced in the key, it would appear that some of the varieties have 
spinous trunks ; but probably it is. only the leaf-sheaths covering the trunk that 
are spinous. dini 
1. Var. Kirwor—A leaflet is 1:05 m. long and 6 cm. wide, not very long 
acuminate, having spinulous margins in its upper two-thirds, and terminated by a 
linear caudiculum 7 cm. long, also spinulous at the sides ; the mid-costa is sparingly 
spinulous only near the apex. Fruits turbinate, 23 mm. long, 21—23 mm. broad 
angular by mutual pressure, distinctly narrowing towards the base, flattish tees 
and acutely beaked ; scales very convex, shiny, pale straw-coloured, not very deeply 
grooved along the centre, the largest 6—7 mm. wide in the exposed part, bordered 
by a very narrow reddish-brown band, and produced into a rather acute appressed 
point ; the margins are very finely erose-ciliate. The pericarp is thin, 15—2 mm. 
only, thick at the sides and above, and thicker and spongy at the base. ("No 
spmes—Petioles green—’’ Note of the collector.) ` 
2. Var. Kurasi.—A leaflet is 1°35 m. long and very broad (9 cm.) not very 
long-acuminate, with nearly smooth margins and furnished, near the apex only 
with very small spinules ; the mid-costa also has only traces of spinules near (he 
apes on the upper surface. One spike is 18 cm. long, and is supported by a 
pedieellar part 5 cm. long, 10—12 mm. wide, polished, flattened and with obtuse 
smooth margins; a portion of its spathe still attached to it is not spinous. The 
fruits are exactly as in the var. Kilwoi, and of the same size, but some of them 
are not attenuate at the base, which is unequal and more or less rounded 
or flattish. This variety appears characterized by its very broad leaflets having 
slightly spinulous margins, and, according to the collector's note, by the. want of” 
spines, and by its gray petioles. 
3. Var. KiLKARUA.—A leaflet is relatively narrow, 1°08 m. long, and 6'5 em 
broad, very gradually and long acuminate, having the margins rather densely phu: 
lous, and the mid-costa spinulous only in its apical part. A spike is 17 cm. 
