D. formicarius) BECCARI. THE SPECIES OF DAEMONOROPS. 171 
in appearance, short, erect and rigid, 15-30 em. long, including a short (about 
5 em. long), ‘flattened, smooth peduncular part; primary spathes deciduous (not 
seen by me); flowering panicle short, loosely thyrsoid, formed by 5-6 partial 
inflorescences ; secondary and tertiary spathes very small, scarious, very shortly 
annular-amplectent, produced at one side into a finely subulate point; the partial 
inflorescences sessile, small, the lower 4-7 om. long, and with 245 
distichous, gradually diminishing, spreading spikelets on each side, the others 
shorter and with fewer spikelets; their axes more or less obsoletely angular 
or sub-tetragonous; the lowest partial inflorescence is inserted just at the axilla of 
the outermost spathe; spikelets erecto-patent, the lower 2-2:5 cm. long and with 
8-5 flowers on each side, the upper shorter and with fewer flowers; spathels 
small, scarious, very shortly annular-amplectent, produced at one side into a trian- 
gular, finely subulate point; involucrophorum callous in the axilla, distinctly pedicelli- 
form, slightly flattened, 2-4 mm. long, rather slender, somewhat broadening towards 
its upper end where it is extended at one side into a broad, triangular acute 
point; involucre slightly protruding beyond the involucrophorum, and somewhat broader, 
discoid with a narrow annular subcallous rim round a broad, flat, circular scar; 
areola of the neuter flower depressed with a rather conspicuous scar. Fruiting perianth 
very shortly and broadly obconical in the part corresponding to the tubular part of 
the calyx; the corolla twice as long ss the calyx, its segments spreading, narrow 
lanceolate, finely striate. Fruit spherical, 14 mm. in diameter, very shortly and acutely 
beaked; scales arranged in 15 longitudiual series, regular, rhomboidal, obtuse, not 
deeply but very regularly narrowly grooved slong the centre, dull and almost 
pulverulent, of a chocolate-brown colour, with a narrow, sharply defined, lighter- 
coloured marginal band, the margins not or very obsoletely erosulate. Seed globular, 
10 mm, in diameter, pitted on the surface; chalazal fovea very small, punctiform, 
superficial in the centre of the raphal side; embryo almost basal. 
Hasrrar.--Borneo, on Mount Mattang near Kuching in Sarawak (P, B. Nos. 2552 
and 1923, in Herb. Beccari). Malay name “Rotang Rappan". At Mattang it has 
been found again recently by Hewitt, 
OBSERVATIONS.—A very peculiar species, distinguished even amongst those which 
have the sheaths ornamented with crinigerous collars by its leaves with their 
numerous equidistant approximate leaflets and by its small chocolate-brown spherical 
fruits, and by the short spadices which have exactly as many primary spathes as 
there are partial inflorescences; whereas in such species the outermost and often the 
second spathe bear no inflorescence at their axils, and the spadices are furnished with 
one or two internodes, forming additional peduncular parts inside the first spathe ; 
but in D. formicarius such additional peduncular parts do not exist for even the 
outermost spathe encloses a partial inflorescence. 
The presence of ants inside the galleries formed by the membranous pairs of 
collars and among the long spieulae which radiate from their margins. is fully 
attested, even in Herbarium specimens, by the rubbish brought thither, and cemen- 
ted to the spiculae by those insects. 
Ann. Roy. Bor. Garp., Carcurra, Vor. XII. 
