128 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. [D. leptopus ` 
48. DAEMONOROPS LEPTOPUS Mart. Hist. Nat. Palm. iii, 206, 2nd edit., and 329 - 
Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. iiij 99; Walp. Ann. iii, 479 and v, 828; Ridley 
Mat. Fl, Mab. Penins, ii, 182. 
Calamus leptopus Griff, in Mael. Cale. Journ. v, 73, and Palms, Brit. Ind. 
82, pl. CCV., A. B.; H. Wendl. in Kerch. Palm. 236. 
D. congesta Ridley l. c. p. 179. 
DzscgrPTION.— High scandent, of moderate or rather large size. Sheathed stem 2-6. 
em. ‘in diam. Leaf-sheaths thick, woody, very hard, yellowish-brown, glabrous and 
almost polished, strongly gibbous above, truncate and almost spineless at the mouth, 
variously armed according to the size of the plant; in middle-sized specimens such as 
Grifith's typical ones, the spines are rigid, robust, light coloured and often black. 
tipped, flat, subulate, 1-3 cm. long or more at times, but frequently much 
smaller, occasionally solitary, but usually 2-6, being united by their bases, 
palmate-digitate or forming small, ‘reverted, interrupted, and irregularly scattered 
series; in very robust specimens the spines are as much as 4-5 cm, in length, and 
when several are united together they form semi-annular, comb-like, oblique series; in 
very small specimens the short pointed spines form small, digitate, scattered groups; 
in the sinus between two contiguous spines some very eaten setiform and more 
ot less early deciduous  spiculae are usually to be found. Leaves rather large, 
2°5-3°5 m. in length, including the petiole and a robust terminal cirrus; the 
petiole is 30—50 cm. long, very robust, rounded beneath and there more or less 
armed along the centre with usually short, solitary, or 3-nate and deflexed spines; the 
margins are also armed with straight, horizontal, sometimes rather long, but more 
frequently short, spines; on the upper surface the petiole is grooved at its 
base only, thence flat-surfaced, higher up slightly convex, with an obtuse salient. 
angle along the centre; usually the upper surface is smooth, but in very luxuriant. 
specimens it is sprinkled with small tuberculiform prickles near the base and on the 
margins ; the rachis in its first portion is prickly at the sides, and is almost rectan- 
gular in cross section, its side faces where the leaflets are inserted are broad and 
flattish; higher up the rachis is bifaced, and has an acute, non-prickly  salient 
angle above; underneath it is roundish, and armed with robust 3-d-nate claws towards 
the apex, ina especially on the cirrus, forming half whorls that are almost 
regularly spaced 3-4 cm. apart; leaflets rather numerous, equidistant, alternate or 
sub-opposite, not very approximate (3-7 cm. apart on each side), almost equally 
green on both surfaces, rigidulous, narrowly lanceolate or lanceolate-ensiform, broadest 
not far from but always below the middle, diminishing thence towards the base, above. 
gradually acuminate to a very fine setiform and, at the sides, bristly tip; they 
have a superficial, though rather distinct, bristly indentation on the lower margin near. 
the apex; the upper surface is more or less plicate-striate, and there the mid-costa is 
slender and bears near its apex a few bristly spinules; the side nerves are 
slender and bald on both surfaces; underneath the mid-costa has at times a few 
scattered bristles near the apex; transverse veinlets very faint, numerous, disposed in 
oblique anastamosing lines; margins finely, appressedly and rather remotely spinulous, 
and at the apex spreadingly bristly-ciliate; the largest leaflets are 40-50 cm. long, 
2:5—3 cm. broad, the uppermost shorter, and those nearest the petiole narrower. 
