134 ANNALS OF THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, CALCUTTA. (D. microstachys 
side faces; underneath it is at first convex and armed with remote claws while 
towards the upper end it is flat and unarmed; leaflets rather numerous, equidistant, 
not very closely set (3-4 em. apart on each side), light green on both surfaces 
when dry, papyraceous, rigidulous, narrowly lanceolate, broadest below the middle 
and thence narrowing towards the base, above gradually acuminate into a subulate 
bristly tip, slightly indented on the lower margin not far below the apex; the mid- 
costa acute and smooth above with one slender nerve on each side stronger than the 
other secondary nerves, and bristly spinulous from the middle to the apex; underneath 
the mid-costa alone bears several spreading bristles from the middle upwards; the 
transverse veinlets are very numerous, approximate, much interrupted, and give to both 
surfaces a finely shagreened appearance; margins acute, bristly-spinulous near the 
apex only; the intermediate leaflets are 35-45 cm. long, 18-20 mm. broad; those 
of the base are 22-25 cm. long, 15-16 mm. broad; the upper ones are shorter, less 
acuminate and have a few bristles at the apex; the two of the terminal pair are 
the shortest, almost obtuse, and quite free at their base, Male spadiz . . . . . 
Female spadix very slender, 20 cm, long on the whole (in one specimen) with a very 
slender peduneular part which is about 7 em. long., flattened, 2-3 mm. broad, rusty- 
gurfuraceous, its edges armed with short spines which point different ways; primary 
spathes apparently 5 in number, coriaceous, scaly-furfuraceous externally, glabrous and 
striate inside; the outermost persistent after flowering, elongate, ear-shaped, armed 
with a few solitary, straight, spreading spines on the dorsum and with a few similar 
spines near the edges; the second spathe has only a few spines along the centre of 
the dorsum near the apex; the other spathes, each of which gradually protrudes beyond 
that immediately below, are explanate during the anthesis, and soon deciduous, oblong, 
E 
obtuse, about 7 em. long, 12-18 mm. broad, unarmed; the flowering panicle is small, — 
vate-thyrsoid, rather dense, 10 em, long ‘in one specimen), rusty-furfuraceous in every 
part; its main axis is slender, obsoletely angular, striolate, and has 5 erect, small 
3-4 em. long) partial inflorescences; the latter with the exception of the terminal one 
which is much reduced in size, are 3-£ cm. long, and carry 4-5 distichous spikelets on 
each side; secondary spathes very small, annular, slightly extended at one side into a 
small scale-like limb; the largest spikelets are the lowest of every inflorescence and 
are 15-20 mm. long, and have 8-10 alternate unilaterally set flowers in all; the axis 
is angular, slightly sinuous and minutely scabrid; spathels excessively short, annular, 
inconspicuously extended at one side into a very small, scale-like, acute limb; involu- 
crophorum very shortly obconical, rather thick, angular, truncate at the upper end, 
where slightly extended at one side into a very small, triangular, acute point; 
;nvoluere almost on a level with the involuerophorum, completely flat, discoid, orbicular, 
edged by an extremely narrow, acute, annular limb; areola of the neuter flower 
very small, punetiform. Fruiting perianth obeonical; the calyx short, cupular, with 3 
very superficial, apieulate teeth; the corolla at least thrice as long as the calyx, its 
segments triangular, strongly veined externally. Fruit . . . . . 
Hastrat.—North Borneo, On the hills near Bruni (Lob) in Herb. Kew.). 
OsnsERVATIONS.— Of this species I have seen only a spadix with growing ovaries 
and a portion of a leaf, It belongs evidently to the group of D. Aystriz, thongh 
