48 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA.|/. melanochaetes. 
Hasirat.—The typical form of D. melanochaeíes must be considered the one 
growing in the west part of Java, where it receives the names of ''Rotang Selang,” 
“Hoo Selan, Sellang o Seël.” Apparently it does not differ from the type, one 
specimen in the Paris Herbarium, with an incomplete male spadix, which was 
collected by Hombron during the voyage of the French corvettes “ L’Astrolabe” and 
* La Zélée” at Tanjong Selatan in the south-east end of Borneo. They may be con- 
sidered as belonging to peculiar varieties of this species, some specimens coming from 
Sumatra and probably also from Bangka. In Java itself the species seems extremely 
polymorphic, judging at least from the numerous specimens I have received from 
Dr. Treub, that were cultivated in the Botanic Garden of Buitenzorg. 
OnsERVATIONS.—[I have given a very comprehensive description of this species as 
it is extremely variable. The typical forms are distinguishable from the allied 
species chiefly by the outer spathe being densely covered with innumerable, very slender; 
long, setiform or sub-bristly, often partially discoloured, not seriate spines; in some 
specimens however these spines have a tendency to broaden, and to lose their 
setiform appearance. 
We may consider as belonging to the ‘forma typica" those plants that are of 
moderate size with the spadices not extraordinarily large, of which the outer spathe 
is densely clothed with subcriniform spines, have a spherical; fruit 18-20 mm, 
n diameter, and the segments not or very scantily bristly-spinulous on the mid-costa 
beneath, and with the margins appressedly bristly-spinulous. 
PLATE 3.—Daemonorops melanochætes Bl. A spadix not yet open on the left 
hand side; fruiting spadix; intermediate portion of a leaf; portion of a leaf-sheath 
with the base of the petiole. From a plant cultivated at Buitenzorg in Herb. Beccari. 
The following principal varieties may be distinguished :— 
DAEMONOROPS MELANOCHAETES var. MICROCARPUS T'eijsm. et Binn. Cat. Hort. Bogor. 
74; Becc. in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind, ii, 219. 
Description,—Smaller. Sheathed stem 2:5 cm. in diameter.  Leaf-shecths lightly 
and partially covered with a thin dark furfuraceous scurf. Leaves about 2 m. long 
jz the pinniferous part; their rachis smooth or slightly spinulous on its upper angle ; 
leaflets 30-40 cm. long, 15-18 mm. broad, naked or very sparingly bristly on the 
mid-costa beneath, the margins sometimes  sub-spreadingly ciliate-spinulous; spadices 
before flowering 10-30 cm. long in the ventricose part, the beak about as long 
as the body. Fruit apparently smaller than in type, but not seen by me. 
Hasitat.—I have received this variety from the Botanic Garden of Buitenzor 
where it is cultivated under the name mentioned above. Very probably it ie 
indigenous in Java. Another specimen, which I refer to the same variety, bears 
the Javanese name of “Rotang Sellang kechil" or the small “R. Sellang." 
